MBA++Blood Angels 5th Company - into the Leviathan's maw

[Xenith]

If he can only have that weapon, then it doesn't matter what he's actually armed with, right?

[smileyjim]

Mate that looks awesome. If you wanted to magnetise the banner arm you could put a pin in the bottom on the banner where it touches the base to give it more strength and stop the spinny magnet arm effect

[Majkhel]

I think that's one of the best uses of the left arm holding the auto bolt rifle that I've seen. I like it a lot more than the pistol tbh. Unfortunately he can only have a normal Bolt Rifle as far as I can tell from Battlescribe.

Thanks Alcyon, that's very kind!

I'm aware that only Bolt Rifle is available and I fully intend to play him as such. I could replace the magazine I guess or add a scope to make it look more like it, but I don't want to cramp the model to much for one. Another thing is that for utility's sake (like that's a defining feature for 40k ), I really like the idea of Ancient having an extended magazine so that he can reload less often, which is obviously less easy while holding the banner.

If he can only have that weapon, then it doesn't matter what he's actually armed with, right?

Right!

And you know what? I did magnetise that banner And now I'm firmly on the road to sculpting a raised sword arm. It has the added benefit of being able to attach and remove the banner-arm freely during painting.

Mate that looks awesome. If you wanted to magnetise the banner arm you could put a pin in the bottom on the banner where it touches the base to give it more strength and stop the spinny magnet arm effect

Thanks and good idea!

By chance it's not actually needed - while building GS around the magnet, I accidentally covered it with a very thin film of GS in places (read: I made a dirty job and spilled GS everywhere, because I was using a metal tool that got pulled by the magnet all the time...). Apparently that changed the usually very smooth surface of the magnet and now the connection is solid enough, that I can literally lift the whole mini by the banner and it doesn't move. And that's saying something as it weights 17g now with the base and all the miliput and magnets. I think that the rear facing shoulderpad and the banner-pole bottom tip resting on the base at an angle is also helping in securing the whole thing in place.

Originally I was thinking of building some kind of hole in the ground for the tip to rest in

I've mentioned the base and I'm happy to present my efforts with it:

Two things here.

Firstly, a raised area to both increase the Ancients presence and compensate for the longer banner pole. You can see the magnet, because... remember when I said the base is too small for a Company Champion? Well now I'll be able to switch him to a smaller base once he gets a sword. I also said something about NOT magnetising everything in a figure... ekhm....

Aaaanyway it holds the mini securely enough. It was a little challenging to align the magnets with the stumps I left on the legs. Those are also aligned with a magnet I habitually put under each base to stick them to metal surfaces. If anyone is interested, there is 3x2mm cylinder magnet in the mini, 3x3 cylinder magnet in the miliput mound and 5x5x2 cuboid magnet below the base.

The added GS behind the left leg helps hide the seam between the rock sculpted under the foot and the modelled miliput terrain.

Secondly, the Genestealer corpse. I had one left from a certain wet puddle

With it's bent back-plate, it fit perfectly around the left leg area. I thought about adding it's chest piece as well, but then it would be too bulky and I would have to work around it's missing arms. Instead I only added it's lower jaw and thrown in some GS to represent spilled entrails (and further secure it in place).

I imagine a bolt detonation explosively removing it's whole front and limbs mid-jump, leaving just the hard outer shell with a miraculously still attached head to land steaming at the marine's feet. Now how cool is that?

Any way of adding a discreet wisp of steam rising from the pistol's barrel?

I consider adding a tongue between the Genestealer's jaws, but I already like it a lot.

Another thing I did Yesterday was adding ribbons to the banner and building some GS around the holding hand as well as adding a shoulderpad.

Ribbons come from the Wraithlord kit and I may still drop them as they are really prone to snapping-off (one already did).

The GS work around hand is "good enough". Not perfect, but then I was a bit limited with the shape of the plastic and cement needed to join both pieces and I don't expect anyone to really look at that particular piece too much. Paint should cover it up nicely.

Shoulderpad will sport the 1st company white skull decal for the BGA's sake.

And here is the mini as it is at the moment:

After taking the picture, I managed to add some GS around the magnet in the banner arm to hide it more, so that's taken care of. Backpack is temporary, as I needed a reference point for the shoulerpad and whole banner arm positioning. I might still keep it, perhaps exchanging the skull for something more BA-y.

GS work around the chest is now done and cured. The left shoulder pad is also already glued into place allowing for easy switch between shooty options. Pistol arm will need some more trimming still to look properly.

Now the big decision on the head and even more importantly - on the head's direction.

1. One way would be for him to look straight at the viewer as in the picture above - in line with the the direction the breastplate is facing.

2. The other is to look at the raised banner and in the future - the sword.

What do you guys think?

Cheers!

EDIT: Picture in greys with the Bolter

Edited December 2, 2020 by Majkhel

[Xenith]

Magnetise the head so it can rotate 

 

If you're going with one, maybe 45 degrees from the plane of his backpack, towards the banner?

[Majkhel]

;)
Modelling an ability to rotate the head so that at one position it looks forward and level and on the other to the right an up might be a bit too much for me   
I think I will create the sword arm first and once I have it, I'll choose a head and it's position that suits both stances the most.

Thanks for nudging my imagination though!

[Xenith]

Modelling an ability to rotate the head so that at one position it looks forward and level and on the other to the right an up might be a bit too much for me   

 

 

Flat magnet in the neck hole, ball bearing in the head? 

[Majkhel]

Haven't thought about that, good call  
Also there are those magnets with hole in the middle which would make the ball magnet sit better.... 

[Majkhel]

I did this Yesterday night:

Waiting for the GS to cure completely, but I'm already excited with my toy getting a new toy :D

[Majkhel]

OK it's time for showing-off
Sorry, but it's just that I really like what came out of this project (also went a little happy-time with the photo editor)

I present to you the Captain iteration:

I know - mould line on the sword arm....

The picture Xenith was so kind to provide unlocked a whole new dimension in my head for this miniature's pose. The essence of a noble, heroic and unbowed Blood Angel.

By the Blood are we made!
Sanguinius, give me strength!

Everybody surely recognise the VV Relic Blade. The eagle heads got filed down a bit and a blood drop was added on top. Additionally I made little grooves with a file on the sides of the cross-guard to enhance the wings.
The hand holding it is based on the multi-part Intercessors' spare magazine-holding arm. The original shoulder connection section was heavily filed, hence a solid GS filling was needed to allow the shoulder guard to sit properly.
Exchanging the rifle for the pistol will allow using him as a Lieutenant.
For the Captain's sake, backpack had to incorporate an Iron Halo-equivalent, so here it is.

The Ancient iteration is also suitably heroic
Blood Angels triumphant!
I claim this land for the Emperor and Sanguinius!
Look to the Standard, Brothers!

Changed the left pauldron as it's extended upper rim was unexpectedly colliding with heads, especially helmeted.
I put a bare head on him to better picture the direction he's looking at. It's a Custodian Aquillon Terminator head. While I originally planned on using a helmeted head, this one has somehow grown on me and seems to be working really well here. I will have to give t more thought.
I can always put a helmet on his belt as there is still space there or plant it at his feet (although there already is a genestealer there.
Which reminds me that I have added a tongue to the poor creature. It might give me an opportunity for additional spot colour, but I also fully expect it fall off at one point. It's flexible, but it also extends outside the rim of the base and it already got into my grip several times while I was moving the miniature around. We'll see.

Also, you know you did something right, when so many things click and work with your creation
Now I only need a Plasma Pistol to have another Primaris Captain build

Look to the skies!
Is it a bird? No it's a <...REDACTED =][=...>!
Blow that thing out of the sky!

Cheers! Edited December 5, 2020 by Majkhel

[Xenith]

Love the banner and fist pose, but the 'looking at my sword' pose seems a bit off, maybe straighten the arm a little?

[Majkhel]

Love the banner and fist pose, but the 'looking at my sword' pose seems a bit off, maybe straighten the arm a little?

Thanks for feedback! :)

 

I still like the pose - in my mind it's a call-back to times when warriors prayed to and had strong bounds with their weapons, much like Space Marines do in their lore. 

The marine on that picture is also looking at/presenting the sword, but perhaps I am too much caught up in my creation to see a broader picture. Which part of the arm would you straighten? 

[Shaezus]

The pose looked a little off at first but after a good look, I actually think it's perfect. Whether it's the standard or the weapon, it evokes an awesome image. Not sure if the Bee - Gees style pointing fist has the same effect though

[Xenith]

Yes, the 'praying to my sword' look was immediately obvious -  it's excellently executed! The artwork is him pointing the sword at the sky in a "BY THEPOWER OF GREYSKULL!" pose, which might work with the original chaplains arm...3 choices!

 

 

But yea, he doesnt need anymore doing to him in terms of posing I think. 

[Majkhel]

Thanks Shazeus!
The fist is just a joke really. I'm actually thinking of making him a fist&plasma pistol option at one point, but then it would most probably be an adjusted DC closed power fist.

This may be an academic discussion, but I'm enjoying it, so please bear with me :)
About the artwork - notice that for one, the wrist is twisted slightly and more importantly - the blade sword is rotated in his hand in such a way, that presents the flat of the blade forward. This is a feel I was aiming for, but with a twist that keeps a 'usable' grip of the sword. Hence the bent arm. 
If the marine on the artwork was to deliver a cut, he would first need to rotate the sword in his hand. He-Man holds the sword differently - he is obviously pointing it up, but at the same time if he lowers the arm, the sword is already correctly positioned in his grip to be used for a cut. 

Anyway, I think I'm done with building stuff for the moment and will probably paint something now. The new Captain is an obvious choice, but we'll see.

Cheers! :)

[Majkhel]

WIP update:
2 more Incursors to TT done (bases to be done on a whole 5-man squad)

(after taking the picture, the knife-guy got his squad designation completed)

As an experiment, I also started working with the Captain/Ancient. The hard way ;)

I calculate I'm about half-way through the red plates, before I can call this NMM attempt complete. That's my first approach to the technique on this scale and I'm really excited to see how this will turn up at the end :)

Cheers!

[SnorriSnorrison]

Nice work on the Captain/Acient! really love the conversion work. :)

Can't wait to see the finished product.

[Majkhel]

Cheers, Snorri! :)

Duh, 3 days later I'm still not done with him
Getting there though. I think the plate is done. Only the arms still need a red glaze-over and then possibly some white touch-ups. Only the sword I will still do with NMM. Gold, silver and metal I'll do with metallics and first coats are being applied. Also started work on the Genestealer - it will be in the Leviathan's colours. I've given it a pink wash onto a white-primed surface and now I'm building up greys to finish the back-plate with almost pure white. Bone protrusions will be violet.

Need to:
- finish the arms,
- finish metallics,
- finish the boltgun
- paint the sword

- paint the head
- gems/pouches/purity seals/embellishments
- finish the Genestealer
- finish the base

[Rhavien]

This is turning out to be absolutely awesome!

[Midnightmare]

What a brilliant conversion your ancient is - excellent work mate! I think I may be borrowing that idea if you don’t mind when I do mine.

 

Paint job really coming together :)

[Xenith]

Cheers, Snorri!

Duh, 3 days later I'm still not done with him

Getting there though. I think the plate is done. Only the arms still need a red glaze-over and then possibly some white touch-ups. Only the sword I will still do with NMM. Gold, silver and metal I'll do with metallics and first coats are being applied. Also started work on the Genestealer - it will be in the Leviathan's colours. I've given it a pink wash onto a white-primed surface and now I'm building up greys to finish the back-plate with almost pure white. Bone protrusions will be violet.

Need to:

- finish the arms,

- finish metallics,

- finish the boltgun

- paint the sword

- paint the head

- gems/pouches/purity seals/embellishments

- finish the Genestealer

- finish the base

That's amazing, you really stepped up a gear in your painting, that reflective red is spot on.

Also, that yellow kneww with red saltire looks ace, I know what squad number my next unit will be...

[Majkhel]

Thanks guys! I'm really happy you like those  
It's a great experience to attempt NMM. Took a terrible lots of time though on all those plates :D I do not imagine painting a whole army this way. However I'm thinking on ways to upgrade my standard scheme to include some additional reflections.
On the other hand, I feel definitely bolder now in terms of NMM weapons. This Captain will definitely have one and I already devised an interesting scheme - a blue blade, but with additional reds for the active disruptor field.
If anyone is interested in trying, I was using an excellent tutorial by Juan Hidalgo with some NMM theory by various artists. 

Steal away Midnightmare! It's really satisfying to be able to give some inspiration to one of your incredible imagination, thank you!

 

No pictures for now, but I have practically completed the base and am now working on the blade and head.

And yes, 16th squad marking is really vibrant. One of the better things that came to us with Primaris :P

[Majkhel]

All right, the Captain is done :)
Photo-spam incoming, be warned!

I've re-watched a fantastic Darren Latham's tutorial on painting faces to give the Captain that little extra attention too and I have to say - I'm really proud :P
For some reason, the paints I used were giving completely different results than on Darren's video so I resorted to mixing what I thought looked similar. For example contents of my pot of Cadian Fleshtone seemed much too brown and even after really solid thinning. In the end I've been using different mixes of old Dwarf Flesh, my Cadian Fleshtone, Zandri Dust and Vallejo GC White.

Obviously I missed some details I now see bright-as-day on the photos... Like the winged skull on the bolter
But I'm still proud as heck
Hope you like him,

Cheers!

[Bjorn Firewalker]

The CAPT is well-painted, but why is he posed as if staring at his sword?

[Majkhel]

Thanks Bjorn! The pose is meant to capture the spiritual side of an Astartes and his deep connection with his wargear. I imagine him taking an Oath of Moment swearing on the blade as was often done by medieval knights.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Good idea.