Project Log : 1642nd Explorator Fleet - "Yggdrasil"

[Paradogmatic]

Hi -- this will be the log of my up and coming Adeptus Mechanicus force for 8th edition. I haven't touched 40k since 3rd edition so this is something of a revival for me.

 

I'll be staying away from traditional forge-worlds by going with an Explorator Fleet theme; additionally the fleet has been lost out past the light of the Astronomicon for quite some time so it has slowly drifted into the realm of non-traditional in some cases. Think odd allies, worn down looking vehicles and mixed schemes on all of it as new forces have been rolled into the fleet over time.

 

I'll be constructing characters to go with the fleet and hopefully this will be a fun outlet for some wacky ideas over time too.

 

IMGUR Album : https://imgur.com/a/fcZq4

 

Some choice images so far : 

 

Figured I'd put at least one Onager on a rocky base, making the crawler legs make sense :

 

http://imgur.com/UNiicII.jpg

 

 

Adding some stowage to all the Onagers as well : 

 

http://i.imgur.com/K2z27O7.jpg

 

Potential colour scheme -- just tone done in photoshop, no weathering etc :

 

http://imgur.com/e2UyM3F.jpg

 

My take on the Corpuscarii - A gang of asteroid miners who were somehow exposed to and gained control of the Motive Force and picked up by the fleet along the way. The traditional Fulgurites in the fleet are not a fan of the hard drinking, heretical workers who have somehow been blessed by the force of the Omnissiah but they can't deny their capability. ( Also a mockup -- I need to obliterate the Genestealer markings and add a bit more machine spirit -- also not a fan of the arms from the real priests - might need to find something a little more 'electrofist' looking and use that )

 

 

http://imgur.com/Qjz5iRM.jpg

 

I love how the Neophyte Hybrid armor looks a lot like the Solar Auxilia suits -- another model I'd like to incorporate one day.

 

-- 

 

More to come

Edited July 14, 2017 by Paradogmatic

[MithrilForge]

ooh this looks very promising 

i do like the rubber suited Corpuscari and the vanguard helm looks a treat. Onager stowage =  

yellow and black scheme looks very nice....But!, please tell me your not going to do purple bases ....

Cannot wait to see more of this!, Good luck with it and post more as you get it done!

 

cheers, Mithril 

[Vel'Cona]

Awesome work this far, I love the concept and that looks like a very unique scheme.  I'm interested to see what you'll be doing with Cawl, too.  :D

[Ammonius]

Good work! I am interested to see how the project unfolds, especially with stowage (something I mentally associate with tanks and "dieselpunk") on the Ad Mech units (which have a strong "raygun" and "steampunk" feel). 

[Bjorn Firewalker]

The Onagers look great, but why paint one to look like an Insecticon from 'Transformers: Generation One'? Will you paint another steel gray with gold highlights, to resemble a Dinobot?

[Paradogmatic]

Update on Onager #1 -- added some detail to break up the open plains and re-added some missing rivets. The ones I ended up using were a bit bigger than the other ones molded on the model so I'll either go back and change those or chalk it up to field repairs.

 

http://imgur.com/TWmbaYW.jpg

 

http://imgur.com/zz7AHJS.jpg

 

http://imgur.com/h8JMcZf.jpg

 

Also on the colours -- that's just a general idea. Plan is go to for a more desaturated look with lots of weathering.

 

Might also change it up -- when this onager gets to primer we'll see. Also spotted a few new pesky mold lines thanks to these pictures.

Edited July 20, 2017 by Paradogmatic

[MithrilForge]

Now that's coming along very nicely 

i have to ask where the Onager front plate is from...it works so sooo well (like it was meant to be there ) the thicker rivets gets a thumbs up, especially with your fluff about field repairs etc..   

I will add here that seeing your corpuscari has reignited an idea of mine to do a very similar thing with my force so thanks for the motivation reboot 

 

Cheers,Mithril

[Paradogmatic]

Now that's coming along very nicely 

i have to ask where the Onager front plate is from...it works so sooo well (like it was meant to be there:wub: ) the thicker rivets gets a thumbs up, especially with your fluff about field repairs etc..   

I will add here that seeing your corpuscari has reignited an idea of mine to do a very similar thing with my force so thanks for the motivation reboot 

 

Cheers,Mithril

The front plate is from a bunch of greeblies I picked up from Zinge Industries to detail up my Admech vehicles ( specifically this sprue along with one of their handles placed in the middle ) - I needed to heat it up to form it to the shape of the hull, but that was pretty easy considering its Resin. Realized afterwards I partially blocked the two attachment points below, but I'll figure something out with that.

 

Thanks for the comment on the corpuscarii -- I'll be getting back to them soon; been a bit sick so this is the first hobby work I've done in a week. I'm glad it has gotten you going on yours.

[Magos Takatus]

I'm sorry but I can't unsee this...

 

I like the improvements you've made to the Onager, you make me wish I'd cover the mould lines on mine better. I like the piece on the front but as soon as I made the connection to a dummy/pacifier I can't shake the mental image. It does suit the Onager despite that since there are so many ladder rungs and similar details on the model. I also like the rear stowage and think it suits the (rather silly) background about marching for months to reach an enemy position. You have given them some of the supplies that would be needed for that kind of mission and I looks great.

Edited July 20, 2017 by Flame Boy

[Paradogmatic]

Heh -- The pacifier bit is kind of amu

 

I'm sorry but I can't unsee this...

 

I like the improvements you've made to the Onager, you make me wish I'd cover the mould lines on mine better. I like the piece on the front but as soon as I made the connection to a dummy/pacifier I can't shake the mental image. It does suit the Onager despite that since there are so many ladder rungs and similar details on the model. I also like the rear stowage and think it suits the (rather silly) background about marching for months to reach an enemy position. You have given them some of the supplies that would be needed for that kind of mission and I looks great.

 

Heh the pacifier bit is kind of amusing -- I think once its painted and I add some pull-hooks under it, it won't be quite as blatant.

[MithrilForge]

Hmmm the dummy resemblance is there buuut it's a bit of a stretch though  unless you intend to put some Mr Potato head lips behind the plate don't do it!! , i'd say once its painted and weathered it will be "Mega Awesomesauce Mechanicus Super Duper Front Bumper Bar Love" time... 

 

I'm very excited to see this painted 

 

cheers, Mithril 

 

++EDIT++ 

"Oh my!!" the Zinge - half track APC conversion set for the Taurox is soooo sweet   

Edited July 21, 2017 by mithrilforge

[Paradogmatic]

Hmmm the dummy resemblance is there buuut it's a bit of a stretch though  unless you intend to put some Mr Potato head lips behind the plate don't do it!! , i'd say once its painted and weathered it will be "Mega Awesomesauce Mechanicus Super Duper Front Bumper Bar Love" time... 

 

I'm very excited to see this painted 

 

cheers, Mithril 

 

++EDIT++ 

"Oh my!!" the Zinge - half track APC conversion set for the Taurox is soooo sweet   

 

Heh -- I have the 4 wheel variant for a Taurox I'm eventually building - I was stuck between the Zinge and Victoria models version, but I love all the extra bits you can get from Zinge to detail up stuff as well so that sold it for me for this round.

[Paradogmatic]

Not a huge amount of content to put here -- but started priming and preshading the walker -- still waffling on colour but I'm pretty sure we'll be bold and into the yellow soon. Going to under-prime that with red tones and then do some chipping so that should be fun.

 

Noticed a mold line I hated on the upper fuel tank so now there's a retaining bracket ( after I primed of course -- I'll need to add a bit more and prime it too ).

 

http://imgur.com/O2ahENn.jpg

 

http://imgur.com/tXi98Mm.jpg

 

http://imgur.com/iP0m5Xs.jpg

[Paradogmatic]

Some colour and some chipping -- maybe the chipping went a little heavy -- but we'll work on that - secondary colours and decals soon:

 

http://imgur.com/3Q9Vdwy.jpg

 

http://imgur.com/zY84WmB.jpg

[Vel'Cona]

I like the scheme.  It has a very "old industrial product" look to it.  I feel that a lot of AdMech (mine included) is painted too cleanly/without noticeable flaws and that makes everything look shiny and new.  AdMech often have older and crustier stuff than even their Imperial counterparts, since they really only care about function and capability as a rule.

[dogfender]

I like the direction you are going with this. Color scheme is promising as well. Looking forward to seeing some more.

It definitely gets me excited about my own ad mech projects, especially since I just got my vacuformer

[Paradogmatic]

I like the direction you are going with this. Color scheme is promising as well. Looking forward to seeing some more.

It definitely gets me excited about my own ad mech projects, especially since I just got my vacuformer

Vacuformer you say -- what nefarious creations have you got planned with that?

[dogfender]

 

I like the direction you are going with this. Color scheme is promising as well. Looking forward to seeing some more.

It definitely gets me excited about my own ad mech projects, especially since I just got my vacuformer

Vacuformer you say -- what nefarious creations have you got planned with that?

 

Ive got several things planned for it. But am really looking forward to that moment of getting some domes made . That will have to be for my own thread, when Ive got some time to start working lol.

I just dont have an idea of what 'troop' options are good. I really wish ad mech could have autoguns and bolt weapons. I just like the looks of them better!

[Paradogmatic]

Quick one -- got my decals on and now I'm ready to weather them too :

 

http://imgur.com/aZDFrpG.jpg

 

http://imgur.com/4C1G8Fv.jpg

[Magos Takatus]

Very nice. The weathering makes it look very battered. It looks like it's been fighting many battles. :)

[Paradogmatic]

More weathering - some details done; next pics will probably be done :

 

http://imgur.com/iZGLI8E.jpg

 

http://imgur.com/k2RCKxf.jpg

 

http://imgur.com/2ncWlyK.jpg

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Excellent work on the Onager thus far.

[Vel'Cona]

That weathering is excellent!  Care to spoil the secret?

[Paradogmatic]

Finished up the 1st walker -- http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/337781-admech-and-friends-1642nd-explorator-fleet/ Just small details added for the most part.

 

That weathering is excellent! Care to spoil the secret?

There's a lot there -- essentially for the yellow its this :

• Prime black then shade up to white
• Undercoat in a few shades of WWII Red Primer ( Modulation set from MIG ) - Let these dry thoroughly
• Airbrushed layer of MIG Scratch Effects -- this works like the older Hairspray technique, creating a layer that for a period of time won't let the layers above completely bond with the paint below
• Layer up my yellow with Mission Models Hiway yellow and some shading ( I wasn't happy here -- I should've built more contrast but that's next time ) - let this cure to basic hardness - in the case of this paint about 10 minutes - this varies.
• Take a brush with water on it, moisten the recently dried yellow and then carefully brush and scrape ( with soft and stiff brushes / toothpicks ) and the yellow paint will debond and leave the rusty coloured patches below. This is somewhat chaotic and haphazard. You can control it somewhat with the amount of water you put on it, how hard you work when you remove paint and where you apply the scratching medium, but you're going to end up with a bunch of patches you didn't necessarily expect. I kind of like the effect as it gives you something varied to work with then you go to the next stages -- essentially like dealing with natural effects rather than trying to make them up.
• Clearcoat now
• I applied decals at this stage and clearcoated them again to protect them
• Work with enamel panel line washes and streaking agents ( also from MIG/AMMO -- AK Interactive sells virtually the same product as a result of their previous involvement with Mig Jimenez - these will work too )
  • This stage is something you take slow -- add a bit at a time, then blend it in with odorless enamel thinner -- this is the reason for the clearcoat as it helps protect the layers below ( in particular the decals ) from the thinner.
  • Your goal here is to build up grime, rust and dirt in a convincing ( i.e. non-linear ) fashion too even doesn't look convincing etc.
• At some point I also did some highlighting on my paint chips -- should've done this more as I like the effect

All in all this was a big experiment for me - I like the results but there's more I can do. It needs more contrast in the base paints, better chipping highlights and a few other things ( probably some OSL for lights but I wasn't brave enough for that this time around ).

 

Stage 1 on coming back to painting after ~12 years, completed ( well really its the first model I've finished in that amount of time, maybe more -- tried a few times but nothing great came of it )

 

On to ( I think ) Sicarians next..

Edited August 8, 2017 by Paradogmatic

[dogfender]

So far it looks suitably weathered! I would just recommend roughing up that nice clean cog and # decal. As of now it looks like the # was more recently painted on over the worn rusted spot, than on there before. It could be the case it was added later to re-apply the numeric. However, it just come across as a mistake because its assume right off that it should be as worn as the rest of the vehicle. Just my 2c

 

Really looking forward to seeing your troops and what options you've given them!