Deployment of the Spectral Sicarii (homebrew RG)

[Bjorn Firewalker]

I like how detailed his paint job is. Even incomplete, I can see you put a lot of effort into him. Edited September 26, 2017 by Bjorn Firewalker

[thewarriorhunter]

I really appreciate your compliments, and now you can see him finished up!

 

 

 

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Did you sculpt the golden wings on the helmet, out of green stuff?

[thewarriorhunter]

I wish I was that talented! I buy the heads from Anvil Industries. Great company with solid Customer Service. I use these heads for my Sgts and assault squads:

 

http://anvilindustry.co.uk/Exo-Lords/Heads-helmets-crests/Raven-Helmet

 

http://anvilindustry.co.uk/image/cache/data/a-new/heads_crests/cad/raven2-800x800.jpg

 

http://anvilindustry.co.uk/Exo-Lords/Heads-helmets-crests/Winged-Predator-Helmet

 

http://anvilindustry.co.uk/image/cache/data/a-new/heads_crests/cad/winged-800x800.jpg

[thewarriorhunter]

Got the Heavy Plasma Cannons for my dev squad ready to paint. I'm thinking of trying to fit two squads into my lists from now on. One with two lascannons/missile launchers and a second with two heavy plasma/heavy bolter. The first squad hangs back while the second squad is further up field. If presented with the appropriate board I could even set the two up 12 inches from each other with a captain right in the middle to give rerolls to both squads...

 

I also started working on the bases for them since I had nothing primed to paint tonight and building was a nice break from painting.

 

 

 

 

[Buggane]

What colour are you planning on making the bases? I've gone for an urban one on mine but i'm worried the light grey isn't quite right for a black mini...might chuck some grass one there!

[thewarriorhunter]

What colour are you planning on making the bases? I've gone for an urban one on mine but i'm worried the light grey isn't quite right for a black mini...might chuck some grass one there!

 

My army is conducting actions on the world of Baran, which is described as a lush Aeldari maiden world. As such I have a very green grassland/forested/river theme going.

 

Here's an album that I'm continuing to update as I do more basing: https://imgur.com/a/2HByJ

 

Here's a couple glamour shots of a 40mm and 60mm bases and a 'regular' shot of my recent 40mm inceptor bases:

 

 

 

[Shadow Captain Vyper]

[NiceGuyAdi]

Hang about, I've only just noticed those water effects on the bases, howyoudothat?

[thewarriorhunter]

Hang about, I've only just noticed those water effects on the bases, howyoudothat?

 

Water effects are very straightforward adn easy to do, but they do require patience.

 

Product is Woodland Scenics Realistic Water. It is very good for the effects you see, or if you brush on a small amount it will do a great job of making whatever is under it shiny/wet looking.

 

For the bases I usually apply it enough to cover the area to be made wet. There is some surface tension to it so you can apply it right up to the edge of the base and it won't spill over. I use a toothpick/piece of wire to help get it close to the edge. It usually takes at least 12 hours to fully dry (and clear up since it goes on cloudy) and then if needed I apply another layer.

 

I do paint the base before I apply the effects, and the texture you see applied beforehand as well.

 

These bases were also my first attempt at adding the blood effects from the severed head. I did this by applying a some dark red paint directly on the base. For each layer of water effects I applied more red to a brush (changing shades to apply some variety and hopefully simulate depth) and gently dipped it into the area I needed the effect. The paint will flow a little bit but not a lot and was pretty easy to learn how it acted.

 

One thing to be aware of is that basing material will 'absorb' the effects. For me it's the cork I use. I can apply a whole layer of effects and come back in the morning and it's mostly gone because the cork sucked it up. To counter this (because it's wasting my water) I try to liberally apply watered down PVA glue (used in a previous basing step) to help seal the cork and not be as wasteful. It's not a huge deal but it is something to be aware of.

 

Here's my inceptor bases start to finish:

 

 

Upper Left: Basing material done being applied. Consists of cork, 3 grades of sand, [unused/clean] toilet paper brushed down using watered down PVA glue. The TP is applied over some of the sand and sometimes sand is added on. I learned this trick from a scale modeler and it is amazing how much better 'dirt' and 'mud' look when they have the added texture that this gives.

 

Upper Center: Primed

 

Upper Right: Base layers applied. I wanted a 'pristine' look to the water so I layer and mix in various blues and greens. Xenos scrap that has been destroyed is also base coated at this stage.

 

Middle Left: Water Effects done being applied (I think this was two or three applications)

 

Middle Center: Static grass and 'moss' applied. At this point they're completed, the rest are just different angels. There are larger versions of each of these in the album I linked in my previous post.

[Shadow Captain Vyper]

Something about the 60mm base is breathtaking to me. I think maybe it is the amount of vertical depth to the tree/grass that I like so much, coupled with the water.

[thewarriorhunter]

I'm humbled by your compliment. It looks even better with my contemptor on it! I'm looking forward to when that model is finished and I can take some nice pictures of it together.

 

I keep holding off on painting the bigger models because I really want to do them justice with an airbrush.

[Buggane]

wow, those bases. You win bases as far as I am concerned! I do think a little bit of green might lift mine..let's leave water for the time being! Time for some army painter static grass and tufts!

[NiceGuyAdi]

I only asked what you used and you gave a full tutorial, thanks dude! Super nice and I'm definitely trying the water effects and toilet paper. I promise to only use fresh TP.

[Shadow Captain Vyper]

I'm humbled by your compliment. It looks even better with my contemptor on it! I'm looking forward to when that model is finished and I can take some nice pictures of it together.

 

I keep holding off on painting the bigger models because I really want to do them justice with an airbrush.

 

The hype is real.

[thewarriorhunter]

wow, those bases. You win bases as far as I am concerned! I do think a little bit of green might lift mine..let's leave water for the time being! Time for some army painter static grass and tufts!

 

Nothing against army painter but my stuff is Gale Force Nine. I mention that because there are several companies who make this type of product. If you want it in bulk Woodland Scenics is your friend.

 

Regarding tufts, unless you want the vertical distance that a tuft can provide (really only a 1-2 mm difference, which you can compensate with longer/shorter grasses) you can actually make your own with your static grass.

 

Apply drops of PVA glue onto parchment paper in whatever shape you want. Apply the grass to those, shake off the excess, and let dry. The glue will settle flat and you'll have your own tufts for a lot cheaper than any commercially sold ones.

Edited September 29, 2017 by thewarriorhunter

[Race Bannon]

I have only ever heard good stuff about GF9 stuff :tu:

[Buggane]

Thanks for the tufts tip/tutorial as well!....my wife turned around and said that the sand i'd not primed on the bases of my next lot of models set off the black nice so i'm now running up a desert example to try on her too (she is my official arbiter of whether colours look good).

 

That'll still have (dead) grass though so thanks! I was only going with army painter because i knew you could get it here, looks like GF9 avaliable too so i'll look that up given the recommendations

Edited October 1, 2017 by Buggane

[thewarriorhunter]

My son wanted to play a game tonight so a put two lists together. I staged the armies and I thought it was pretty cool seeing what I've been able to get completely based/painted.

 

 

The right side of the box is the 'Ultramarine' army. The left side is my 'Raven Guard'. I wanted to have two different chapters play against each other and it gives me a chance to see other CTs in action. I designed the two lists to be asymmetric. UM are slower and harder hitting while the RG are light and fast. The armies are fairly balanced with the UM being 61 PL/1136 pts and the RG being 60 PL/1111 pts. Lists are 98% WYSIWYG. I gave my son the choice of armies and sadly he chose UM... I'll pray to the God-Emperor that he will see the light of the Raven Guard... and that light may be the laser sights of my devastator squad blasting his land raider and contemptor to slag...

[9x19 Parabellum]

So...who won, WH?

[thewarriorhunter]

RG pulled it out but it wasn't a fair battle to start. My son goes by rule of cool so he thought his captain rolling in the land raider separate from the terminators was a good idea. I told him at the start that he should keep them together but he chose to ignore me. Add to that him disembarking his captain in his deployment zone and he had no buffs running at all. (he's only eight and this is only his third game).

 

It was looking really bad for the RG because his stupid LR was making save after save from my devastator squad. The breaking point was a couple lascannons finally getting through, and then my snipers put two mortal wounds on it to drop it down. I was then able to assault it and keep it from firing the rest of the game since it couldn't move farther than my troops could walk/charge to keep it tied up.

 

My snipers... I just don't know how to feel about them. Some games they do nothing. Other games they're the stars. The first two turns they were useless but then last two they were throwing out mortal wounds like they were on Opra. I'll probably keep them in the list because I love their fluff.

[thewarriorhunter]

Bought some 3D printed terrain from ebay to give it a shot since it was fairly inexpensive. Looking at it 'on sprue' and I'm impressed so far. It's also the first 3D printed stuff I've ever handled.

 

 

 

Overall I'm impressed. I think the quality is good and the seller put more in my box than I paid for. I basically got a larger (taller) Aegis defense line with no gun and two sets of storage containers.

 

The three barrels and crates were extras that I didn't order. They look like they didn't print right and my guess is the seller throws those in with purchases. I'm all for it and I can clean them up and find a use for them. I'm actually pretty excited about the extras because I can use them for my B@C game. I've seen a few boards where actual terrain is used for the red hexes and it adds a lot to the atmosphere of the game.

[thewarriorhunter]

I've been busy but I wanted to do something to make some progress so I applied toilet paper to my bases tonight.

 

 

[9x19 Parabellum]

My son goes by rule of cool so he thought his captain rolling in the land raider separate from the terminators was a good idea.

 

Wait...you mean, it isn't?

[thewarriorhunter]

Took a day off work to hang out with the family. That time is over and the kids are recovering so I was able to get my bases primed.

 

Here they are with all of the texture added:

 

 

Here they are post-priming. I did my best to position them in the same places/orientation. It's still a little magical to me how much the priming suddenly turns it from something that looks like Nurgle to a cohesive base that will come together.