Patient Zero: Chaos Daemons + Astra Militarum Artillery army

[N1SB]

Patient Zero: a lone soldier, the sole survivor of an Astra Militarum army killed by disease, wanders from Imperium base to Imperium base warning of the impending epidemic. Little does he know that HE is the primary carrier of the plague, because...like all humans...he can see corruption everywhere but within.

Army composition will basically be a single Guardsman (HQ: Renegade Commander), groups of Nurglings (Troops: Nurglings) then Imperial Guard artillery pieces (Wyverns, Earthshaker Batteries especially). I can tie these elements together, thanks to the Renegades & Heretics list from a Forgeworld Imperial Armour Index.

Imperial Guardsmen from a Heavy Weapons Team sprue, thx to my friend Timperial Guard, with duffle bag from a 3rd party, Italeri.

Nurglings painted with experimental technique. Using yin-yang basecoating (basecoat all black, then white from a light angle, so it retains some black shadows) then wash with inks. Learned technique from: http://hivezero.blogspot.hk/2014/02/speed-painting-nurglings-little-ranting.html. Oh, and the colours? Aside from being bright primary colours to contrast against the darker olive artillery, I chose them because they looked like Dr. Mario and the boardgame Epidemic, both great games.

I basically envision the Nurglings infecting the targeting operating system with Space Invaders. Many, many thanks to the Lost & the Damned board right here on B&C.

Edited October 14, 2017 by Not 1 Step Backwards

[N1SB]

Just going to reserve this post, for your convenience. I think I know what I'll do in my next posts, In case any questions and comments, pls feel free to post below, I'll just edit this particular post for further pics, which will include:

- Earthshaker Battery conversion (I already ordered the Basilisks for the cannons, and I've an idea for a simple platform "extension" for it)

- Nurglings to man the Earthshaker Battery, like fighting over binoculars, etc.

- in-universe propaganda poster, kind of like the equivalent of the Regimental Standard newsletter/site; it's what the Guardsman would see

EDIT - delivering on the above as they're being completed/arriving:

This image has nothing yet everything to do with this army.

Nowhere in any of the 40k rules or codices does it say you should make an in-universe propaganda poster. Probably advised against, honestly.

But this image illustrates everything about the concept/theme/comedy/tragedy of the army. The army is the fear this poster speaks to.

Something I'm making to adorn the Earthshaker Battery, while I await the Basilisk model kit that I'll convert to arrive.

It's 2 Nurglings fighting over binoculars. It's like their spotters for the artillery, like either they find it so fun they all want a turn, or the yellow one's doing such a horrible job calling the shots and missing everything that the blue one is stepping in.

The learning here is, though they are tiny, the way the Nurglings' hands are modeled, they're big enough to hold things for man-sized models.

Edited October 21, 2017 by Not 1 Step Backwards

[Stercus]

Just marvellous.

Great work.

[Honda]

What a hideously wonderful concept!

 

You did an excellent job on the nurglings. The rainbow of colors just makes them more disturbing looking.

[Brother Lunkhead]

Brilliant concept and wonderful execution  Made me smile 

[ElDuderino]

This is such a great idea, can't remember a army concept quite this thought out. All the nurglins look sweet too!

 

The planet in question could really use some stricter quarantine procedures though, don't want the inquisition to pay a visit

[N1SB]

Thanks for your feedback, because I honestly did not know how 40k players outside my meta would react, and I was curious.

 

It's honestly because most armies are about heroes.  This guy is a zero.  In fact, he's a negative.  He is "one amongst untold billions" in the famous 40k quote.

 

Work continues.  Of note I added a Regimental Standard newspaper-like poster and Nurglings fighting over binoculars, because that's what they'll do.  Shown above.

[Pearson73]

The riot of colours amongst the Nurglings fits their unruly behaviour, I feel, not only that, but it looks good to boot!

 

And this: "Little does he know that HE is the primary carrier of the plague, because...like all humans...he can see corruption everywhere but within." is brilliant; such a small statement, but with such import and meaning.

[Res Ipsa Loquitur]

Bonus points for Nurglings + Imodium.

[N1SB]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.  Nurglings are really fun to paint, especially with this quick direct-to-ink method.  Gonna organise units by whichever colour is "dominant" in a pile, like you may notice the blue piles have a blue Nurgling on top and more blue Nurglings, etc.  Should be convenient for my opponents to distinguish.

 

Also the Imodium was embarrassing, I didn't notice it at the time as I was rushing to take photos, but it was probably totes apropos.  I got the dire rear a few weeks ago.

[Larkyn]

Nurgle's rot affects all of us at some point.

 

I'm a huuuuge fan of the idea behind this army. I'm liking this.

[N1SB]

My Warhammer Store pinged me on WhatsApp yesterday to pick up my order:

These are basically the Basilisks I ordered from GW. Took about 3 weeks to arrive. Rushing to make it for Armies on Parade.

I'm mainly using just the Earthshaker Cannon portions, to make Earthshaker Batteries. I'm going to save the Chimera portion (and I found it's got the bitz sprue with the gunners and dozer blade and stuff, which did NOT come with the Wyvern) for a later project.

I found out the hobby shop, where I buy Japanese spray paints (I just found they're better for the climate in our region) ran out of Tamiya TS-42 Light Gunmetal. I have half of a tiny can left. Am going to have to make some decisions.

Looming deadline. Limited time and resources. Very exciting.

[N1SB]

Deadline closer, working fast on Earthshaker Batteries, mainly just taking the Earthshaker Cannons from Basilisk tanks:

Shown here, things mostly as you expected, but using lots of metallic spray then washed with the infamous Tamiya Smoke. I've set aside components with and without it, just to show you the difference. Aside from the normal benefits of shading, it gives this nice greasy, worn feel.

For the smaller components, I blu-tacked the bits on top of a shaving cream can top, so I can hold on to it. Normally you'd use a cork, but I don't drink much wine.

Will further add a brown drybrushing on several bits then orange, to give a feeling of rust. It's a technique I found painting Mechanicum.

Back to work.

[hushrong]

WHAT'S IN THAT BAG, GUARDSMEN!? WHAT'S IN THAT BAG!?

 

I am digging this army. Love the use of the nurglings. Especially when they are standing on each others shoulders operating artillery.

[N1SB]

WHAT'S IN THAT BAG, GUARDSMEN!? WHAT'S IN THAT BAG!?

Oh I just got this nice box Kevin Spacey gave me I'm supposed to deliver to Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt.

Progress - I built the Earthshaker Cannons taken from Basilisks. I wanted a quick and easy way to represent them as Batteries, off of the Chimera chassis they're supposed to ride on. The model comes with a large T-shaped platform the includes their mount, but I just added a little something something to literally round that off so it doesn't look quite as off with that T-shape.

1st, I take some sandbags, from the same 3rd party model-maker as the Guardsman's duffle bag, Italeri:

Now this is really a Work-In-Progress, but I laid them out to give you guys a rough idea of how it'll look when set up:

Now, I got thrown a massive curve-ball. So I'm trying to do this for the Army On Parade event, happening next week for 40k. I thought I just needed this 500 point army, but I just realised I need to create some sort of "stage" or platform to put them on in-store.

For speed purposes, I got some Japanese plasticard and, trying it for the 1st time, some GW Texture Paint meant for bases:

Yeah so this GW Texture Paint looks a little like what I had to take Imodium for.

Also, I did a test. As much as that paint looks like dire rear, it's awesome! I'll probably switch to this as my replacement for flacking.

On the other hand, it's a little too bright coloured for this project. I'm going to buy a darker shade, have to visit GW again tmw.

[Res Ipsa Loquitur]

You didn't want to pay £76 for a single Earthshaker artillery piece when you can get the same thing plus a Chimera for half the price?

 

What are you going to do for crew?

[N1SB]

You didn't want to pay

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[N1SB]

Visited my local Warhammer Store, since for us this was the AoS Armies On Parade day, and I promised to exercise/execute my civic right/duty to vote. So democratic.

Learned a few things:

- it was almost a "everyone is a winner" affair. There were enough prizes so everyone went home with something

- the prizes, aside from winning, is a little badge that says you won

- I saw some incredibly zero-frills entries. 1 guy had 3 brimstone horror Tzeentch things on a Dreadnought base. That met the entry requirements! He got a prize!

The winning strategy seems to be: go to a new/small Warhammer Store, enter 3+ miniatures with some sort of "stage", and win by meeting minimal requirements.

I'm totally okay with this. It's just a fun little community thing, as it's NOT the Golden Daemons, instead it's Armies On Parade.

While I'm not going for bare minimum requirements, I kinda of had a measured response on how much effort I should put in.

Here's a WIP layout test, just to set up pieces before I texture the "stage" I'm putting together:

[Atia]

Awww, the Nurglings are soooo cute - love all the different shades of colour   !

[Quixus]

Great artillery piece. Maybe give the nurglings a greenish wash to make them look a bit more sickly.

 

Needs more nurglings though. You can never have enough of the cheerful fellas - if you build a filthy traitor army that is.

[Res Ipsa Loquitur]

 

You didn't want to pay £76 for a single Earthshaker artillery piece when you can get the same thing plus a Chimera for half the price?

 

What are you going to do for crew?

 

 

Way to dissect the structure of the deal, you put it better than I could.

 

And the Chimera obviously lacks the top cover, so it's like open-topped, but keeping 8th ed rules in mind, there are no penalties or benefits of open-topped vehicles.  This gives me a lot of freedom and I'm already looking forward to my next project, really focused on this Chimera STC.

 

The Basilisk box doesn't include the lasgun arrays? It wouldn't have the Chimera turret either then, presumably?

[N1SB]

The Basilisk box doesn't include the lasgun arrays? It wouldn't have the Chimera turret either then, presumably?

No funny stuff, no showboating, because this may affect purchase making decisions, here's the deal.

You are right. In the Basilisk box set I got, aside from the Earthshaker Cannon and its platform, there was no lasgun array, no Chimera turret, no back cab cover.

It came with the chassis and the upgrade sprue (which includes the dozer blade and gunner/commander) instead. Pic:

I plan on making a Chimera kitbash from this that will ALSO require a Heavy Weapons team sprue, to substitute for the turret.

Great artillery piece. Maybe give the nurglings a greenish wash to make them look a bit more sickly.

Needs more nurglings though. You can never have enough of the cheerful fellas - if you build a filthy traitor army that is.

Good points on both. Like a light green wash to make them more sickly or give them an otherworldly underlit glow, etc. Especially on the yellow Nurglings.

And, thanks to recommendations from the community at the Warhammer Store, I learned a box of Nurglings really can make 6 instead of 3 "piles" of Nurglings. I've basically got a dozen Nurglings bases, which I think is a goodly amount. My plan is 3 units of 4 Nurglings each, making a wall of 48 Wounds basically.

The limitation/problem? Bases. A box comes with 3 circular 40mm/Terminator bases for 40k. I've ordered them, but seemingly delayed by production issues at GW. We've heard rumours of some sort of power outage at GW's manufacturing facilities, I don't know the real deal, but I think we're seeing it 1st hand here.

And to be fair, I thought it was both GW and the Warhammer Store manager have done well by me. The redshirt chased up for me, got me my Basilisks at least.

Now, as for more Nurglings not as in-game combat units, but just as decorations/diorama pieces to adorn things like the Earthshaker Cannons...

Awww, the Nurglings are soooo cute - love all the different shades of colour !

Now I commence with the funny stuff and showboating.

But seriously, check out what Lady Atia's been doing in her Death Guard project, especially around pages 65 to 66:

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/291212-atias-thread-daemonprimarch-mortarion-finished/page-66

Edited October 30, 2017 by Not 1 Step Backwards

[hushrong]

Looking good! I do not know if I missed it but how big does the display for armies on parade have to be? Is there a size restriction?

[N1SB]

I do not know if I missed it but how big does the display for armies on parade have to be? Is there a size restriction?

 

Great question, brother, and I'm replying as soon as I saw your message as we're all coming down to the wire.

 

THIS is confusing.  There seems to be a DIFFERENCE between the official Armies on Parade vs. what the store has decided:

 

From the official website:

 

https://armiesonparade.com/2016/07/01/faq/

 

 

 

 

What do I need to do to enter?

It’s simple: you paint up a collection of Citadel Miniatures and bring them into the store during the Parade Weeks to show them off. You’ll have up to a 2’x2′ area to work with.

 

 

Please note it's UP TO 2'x2', that's the max.  There are, I believe, Age of Sigmar 2'x2' game boards.  One entry used that.  Another used just a Dreadnought base.

 

 

 

 

Do I need to have a board?

No, you are welcome to enter a collection displayed without any accompanying board or scenery.

 

 

However, what MY local Warhammer Store told me was I needed SOME sort of game board or platform, up to 2'x2'.  The Age of Sigmar Armies on Parade all demonstrated this, the guys even told me it was like a last minute job, they just slapped something together fast so they don't get disqualified.

 

In other words, Brother, as you predicted, this is is worth asking your Warhammer Store.  It seems it varies from manager to manager.

 

 

+++++

 

 

My take?  From just looking at our locale, our friendly local 6-days a week redshirt is one of us, as he grew up in an old Games Workshop store, and some of my Warhammer friends know him from back then.  He's been a loyal employee, but just by hearing him...I'm guessing he was under orders from above to implement the mandatory board.

 

That said, it may NOT be purely sales-driven to force people to buy 2'x2' gameboards, I won't assume that outright.  Maybe previously, people started arguing over the boundaries of their space, "keep to YOUR side of the table", everyone needs some elbow room issue, so having the board just clearly defines literal borders.  Ours is a new store, maybe this was a best practice, I dunno.

 

It was an annoying curve ball they threw at me...but now that I did it, I'm kinda glad as I learned something new and have a good backdrop to take pictures with now.

[Res Ipsa Loquitur]

Thank you for specific clarification.

 

My chosen bitz site sells all the parts I would neeed to make a full Chimera from the Basilisk box and adds about £15 to the cost, including shipping from Blighty to the Colonies, so it's still vastly cheaper than buying FW Earthshakers.

 

Also, you can get third party Howitzers for ca. $12 USD off that there Amazon they have now, if necessary.