The Velsen Sector: KrautScientist's INQ28

[noigrim]

Perfect rendition of great art

now you only need an impaled eldar for the base

[KrautScientist]

Cheers for the comments, everyone! :)

 

@ Auggs: You are completely right about the purity seals, buddy -- unfortunately I seem to have used up all of the purity seals that might work on my different INQ28 models -- damn! :(

 

@ Atia: Regarding the chapter, I don't know, really. Black Templars would be the obvious choice. But seeing how the original caption calls him "Chaplain Mathis", he will end up in black armour anyway, so maybe the chapter really isn't all that important in this case. Even moreso since his left shoulder pad is covered in relics anyway ;)

 

@ Eldrick Shadowblade, Bjorn Firewalker & BCK: Oh, I did end up burying the tip of the sword in ...something. You'll be seeing it in a second ;)

 

@ hushrong & noigrim: Cheers, gents! :)

 

 

So just as I feared, creating the base has turned out to be just as much work as the actual Astartes model, but I did want to channel the artwork for both the Space Marine and his base, so there was no easy way of doing this ;)

 

In the art, the Chaplain's surroundings suggest something like a boneyard or a burial site -- maybe some kind of Imperial monument world?

 

Anyway, here's the basic assembly I have come up with. The base still needs quite a bit of texturing here and there, but the WIP shots should already give you a pretty good idea of where I am headed:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I still had a leftover base from the easy to build AoS Sequitors in my bitzbox, and this turned out to be the perfect place to start, because it offered the added height I wanted for the base, while also providing a nice shattered monument look. I shaved off some of the detail that didn't fit and filled in some of the Sigmarite patterns with GS, then used lots of skulls and bony bitz to create the suggestion of bone piles and scattered relics.

 

When it came to using the tip of the broken sword, the slain opponent that appears in the original artwork didn't really work for me: It could be an Eldar, or a chaos cult leader, or maybe some kind of psychic alien vampire, but it just seems like a bit of an afterthought to me. So I went back to a rather more archetypal setup (Imperium vs. Chaos) and used a battered Bloodletter head (from the GK Terminators), with the sword now firmly embedded in its forehead.

 

Anyway, like I said, I'll still need to add some texture and work out some kinks here and there, but I am pretty happy with how this piece is coming along!

 

As always, let me know what you think! :)

 

[Bjorn Firewalker]

The base looks AWESOME, even unpainted. I hope to see the completed model soon.

[Gederas]

I'm in agreement with Bjorn. The model, even unpainted, looks awesome. Very atmospheric.

[KrautScientist]

Thanks a lot, guys! I am fairly pleased with the base, especially since I managed to use that AoS Sequitor base that seemed ill at home in 40k at first, but provided the exact sense of height and bulk I needed. Seems like I can be thrifty when I need to ;)

 

Anyway, here's the finished base, added basing material and all:

 

 

 

And here's the finished conversion placed atop the base once again:

 

 

 

 

 

 

As you can see, I was able to follow Augustus' suggestion after all, as I found a purity seal bit that I could shave down and carefully bend around the knee pad.

 

And since the entire model is such a hodgepodge of clashing colours, here's a nice black and white shot, complete with a comparison with the artwork that originally inspired the conversion:

 

 

 

As always, let me know what you think! :)

[Evil Eye]

Truly spectacular. I love seeing old artwork recreated in miniature form, especially when it's done this well!

 

Reminds me, when I get the opportunity I kinda wanna have a go at doing something like this myself, specifically with this piece:

[Leviathus]

Amazing work! Can’t wait to see it painted.

[Eldrick Shadowblade]

The Base is fantastic Kraut. You cant make a kickass mini and skimp on the base. Keep going!

[KrautScientist]

Thanks for the kind words, guys! :)

 

@ Evil Eye: That is indeed another classic! Come to think of it, I've seen two versions of this in model form fairly recently: One of it was created by (GW sculptor) Maxime Corbeil, and was featured in a recent issue of WD, if I recall correctly, while the other version was created by a Frater here in the forum -- you should be able to find it in the homages thread in the Hall of Honour.

 

@ Leviathus: Thanks!

 

@ Eldrick Shadowblade: Too true, mate! :)

 

So, just a really small update, because I just wanted to show you how the undercoat has nicely covered up all of the clashing colours on the base, nicely pulling all the different elements together. Take a look:

 

 

 

As a finishing touch for the Astartes model, I have created small straps/brackets to make it look like the bones on his shoulder pads are actually attached to the pauldron instead of just floating there ;)

 

 

So yeah, I just need to give the Marine a good scrubbing, and then it's undercoating time for him as well ;)

 

[Augustus b'Raass]

Wow, that base is looking very good, there buddy. I love how you used a press mold of the recreation of that classic piece of Sister of Battle art (that's what you did, right?). Also, I'm glad the idea came to fruition. 

 

A word of warning about the base, though  - there seems to be a patch of unsmixed yellow in the GreenStuff. It might be a trick of the light, but if it's not, then that is unmixed and wit will likely never really cure. You could maybe fix it with a dab of superglue. Fixing anything related to greenstuff with superglue is something I normally strongly advise against, but this seems to be an emergency seeing as you've already undercoated the thing - as as it;s the texture of the base we're talking about, it's a lot more forgiving. 

[KrautScientist]

Cheers for the feedback, buddy! Glad you like the finished base! :)

 

Not to worry regarding that yellow lump, though: It was already rock-hard during the mixing process -- that's why it looks that way in the first place. I believe it was originally from the seam where the yellow and blue strips of putty connected, and seeing how it was already rock solid and didn't mix any further, I just wedged it into the hole that the foot of the Sequitor model normally slots into -- there, problem solved ;)

[Brother Clavero]

 Been following your work for years! Just keeps getting better and better!

[Aasfresser]

OMG! I totally forgot about this thread! Please more! I love your INQ28 stuff. I have to stalk the ammobunker more frequently.

[KrautScientist]

Thanks for the kind words, guys! :)

[KrautScientist]

Let's have a little update over here as well, as I cannot be trusted to focus on any one thing longer than five minutes: Here's a PIP of an older INQ28 character of mine, a Kroot shaper/scout for an Ordo Xenos retinue of mine:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Kroot included in Blackstone Fortress is actually a much better realisation of the very same idea. Ah well, the model was built years ago with the bitz I had back then. In any case, it feels good to finally get some paint on him!

 

As always, let me know what you think! :)

[Son of Sacrifice]

Super cool idea, well executed. I like the idea of him working with the Ordo, potentially against his will. Nice paint work too.

[golfdeltafoxtrot]

 

As always, let me know what you think!

 

I think we need to see more frequent updates here! Your Inq28 work is really inspirational.

[Evil Eye]

Kroot don't get enough love these days, great to see one painted so well. Nice work!

[KrautScientist]

Cheers, people! :)

 

@ Son of Sacrifice: Thanks! This guy's actually working with the Ordo on his own volition, though, because he's a mercenary. He also has a pretty bad history with the T'au, as his Kindred was murdered at the behest of an overeager T'au commander to prove a point.

 

@ golfdeltafoxtrot: Hm, 2018 was very much an IQ28 year for me and saw me (mostly) finish about five warbands/retinues. The same cannot be said for 2019 so far, but I've missed this, so maybe I'll just keep painting some additional members for this latest retinue as a little palate cleanser in between other projects? We'll see...

 

@ Evil Eye: Yeah, I was always intrigued by the Kroot and wanted to turn one of the models into a bit more of an individual -- I was almost annoyed when that Blackstone Fortress Kroot turned out to be a pretty much perfect realisation of what I had in mind for my model ;)

 

Anyway, a few additional tweaks, and now T'L'Kess the Kroot tracker (and prospective shaper?!) is finally finished:

 

 

 

 

 

The white part on the left side of his head is actually the T'au version of a comms system. I tried to make the skin around it look scarred to hint at the fact that it was inplanted without much care for his thoughts on the matter -- or for his good looks ;) I wanted to hint at the bad blood between him and his former comrades in arms, and also at the fact that the covenant between the T'au and the other species from their empire can sometimes be less benign than what is usually suggested in the background...

 

 

Like I said, the models for this particular retinue were built a couple of years ago, but maybe it'll be fun to finish them at long last. I had this idea for an Ordo Xenos Inquisitor who was also a bit of a socialite, and an adventurer -- closer in outlook to a Rogue Trader in many ways. Anyway, just three models are finished so far:

 

 

There's Inquisitor Titus Alvar (in the middle), an Inquisitor of the Velsian Ordo Xenos and also a scion of one of Velsen's more influential noble houses, then there's T'L'Kess the Kroot and an as-of-yet unnamed sanctioned psyker, formerly of the Astra Militarum, but cast out by his regiment when an encounter with a Xenos artifact led to some psionic friendly fire...

 

The other planned members of the retinue already exist as conversions, however:

 

 

In addition to the aforementioned characters, there's Professor Abelard Marbray, renowned Xeno-Archaeologist from the Bastold Imperial Akademy and his personal research assistant, a member of the reclusive "Ashers", an ethnic group facing a lot of prejudice throughout the Velsen Sector. Another Astra Militarum veteran and heavy weapons specialist for when things get ugly. Millerna Acheron, voidship captain and Alvar's Interrogator. Not pictured: Shiv Korlund, a former hive ganger (based on one of the old Escher metal models).

 

As always, let me know what you think! :)

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Excellent work on the Kroot Tracker.

[Eldrick Shadowblade]

Youre thread has inspired me to go through my old metal minis and I think I've picked out a few for an INQ28 warband once the ETL is over. As for TAU and strained relationships... if you read Shadowbreaker, the Tau are working with a Rogue Inquisitor on genestealer implantation.... talk about not benign or for the greater good!

[golfdeltafoxtrot]

This more like it! Looking forward to hearing more about Inquisitor Alvar and his cadre.

[KrautScientist]

Cheers, guys! :)

 

@ Eldrick Shadowblade: Yeah, if anything, that's probably the angle that interests me the most about the T'au empire: The contrast between their propaganda and narrative of a peaceful empire of many species and the possible cracks and ugly sides such an empire might have (aggressive expansionism, speciesism -- you name it).

 

Anyway, I have been hard at work on the next member for Alvar's retinue today: An Astra Militarum veteran and former memer of a working gang (with an extra emphasis placed on the word "gang") from an Imperial factory world:

 

 

 

 

 

 

The guy still requires quite a few finishing touches, but he's getting there.

 

 

As always, let me know what you think! :)

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Great jobs!

[ranulf the revenant]

Nice to see you give some love to the Kroot. They're kind of disappearing from the game, aren't they?