++A Roar amongst the Thorns++ Project Restart (Pg 6)

[sockwithaticket]

That's shaping up to be a good stab at Valthex.

[TheTrans]

Alright, given I've got 3 weeks to square away the army now I figured I better get my arse into gear!

So first up I give you Valthex. 

 

(just realised the chainsword on the servo arm needs straightening )

 

 

So I've tryed to keep a good whack of his core components, or themes, to flavour the model, but also went a little bit my own way with it. I reread his (tiny bit) of fluff and the I-word Array, from what I can gather isn't 'just' the whips, it's the whole shebang that he has added and modified. So I figured he would of built into into his armour as well. I wanted it to almost be sentient while being slaved to his will also, hence with him pointing you have the one quasi-sentient cable snaking out of his armour, as well as the whips 'head' looking in the direction he is gesturing. I imagine it's almost a symbiotic sort of system and that would totally be his jam I reckon! 

As to colouring, do I go the forgewold scheme (makes sense) or add some red in? I feel adding red in, while 'aligning' with standard codex colouring, it actually doens't make a heap of sense for him, I imagine he would be pretty arrogant and to mark him self in fealty to any one other than Huron I feel would be out of character. I may be over thinking the pscyhe and motives of some one who is essentially a filler character, but oh well .

Next up we have an Maelstrom Fleet Lighter. Which I'll be using as a Land Speeder Storm. It will be transporting a 5 mine squad of my Hereteks (scouts with bolters) thought it was a bit of a fun nod to the Tyrant's legion list again, while keeping it mono-dex. You can see from this pic I've added both the cerberus launcher and a multi melta (got to fill up them points ).  Also swapped out the pilot with a servitor as I imagine the Hereteks would just use a hardwired pilot instead of a dude that could get out. The question on colouring though. Should I have it red like the hereteks, but will stand out maybe a bit too much on the display board. Or do I maybe have it in a dull grey or some such (of the maelstrom fleet) with some graphittied heretek symbols on it? 

 

 

Finally just a Quad Lascannon Demolisher (using it as a laspred due to using my 'Relic' on the leviathan dread in HS. I've called it Culln's Folley as I imagine the Astral Claws where using any war-spoils they could, so this tank will be pretty low on moulded on AC iconography as I imagine it was repaired, repainted, and had it's machine spirit 'persuaded' by Valthex to play ball for the AC, then thrown back into the mix. I imagine this was left on Pireaus when the Loyalists withdrew.

Edited March 11, 2019 by TheTrans

[TheTrans]

That's shaping up to be a good stab at Valthex.

Thanks Brother! 

 

Valthex is really shaping up, your updated version looks amazing! Definitely looking forward to seeing him finished.

Cheers mate! 

 

Valthex is coming on nicely, I think that it  really speaks for his scale that Ferrus' servos fit just right. I like the slight angle to his pose and direction of view, makes him a lot less stiff than the FW model. Another option for the whips, other than the Escher, could be the tendrils of the Necron Wraiths, though they would require a little more work, I feel the barbed tips fit the cruelty seen in the events on Badab.

 

Good thinking on the whips mate! Didn't see that part of your pot but the barbed nastiness makes heaps of sense!

 

He's looking good.

I think the Escher from necromunda have a electro whip that I've seen used on space Marines to good effects.

Had a look into that thanks mate! I feel it was a bit too 'in action' for how he is sort of standing there.

[RedSarge]

You have great scratchbuilding skills and a good sense of scale on your conversions.

 

I'm surprised that recasts are now allowed on the forums!? What the heck happened?

[hushrong]

Oh my heresy! Awesome updates Oman’s I’m head over heels for your Valthex! He’s superb!

[Brother-Chaplain Kage]

Valthex is looking good, brother!

 

I'm surprised that recasts are now allowed on the forums!? What the heck happened?

 

Recasts have been allowed for a long time. You can talk about them, you can display them in your threads like a regular model, but what you are not allowed to do by the forum rules is tell people how or where to buy them. 

[TheTrans]

Valthex is looking good, brother!

 

I'm surprised that recasts are now allowed on the forums!? What the heck happened?

 

Recasts have been allowed for a long time. You can talk about them, you can display them in your threads like a regular model, but what you are not allowed to do by the forum rules is tell people how or where to buy them. 

Spot on brother! I think recasts have honestly become part of the hobby so to speak. I know the Australian 30k community just would no longer exist without them.. The prices we pay down here are horrific! 

 

Oh my heresy! Awesome updates Oman’s I’m head over heels for your Valthex! He’s superb!

Thanks brother! Now to get some colour onto him! 

 

You have great scratchbuilding skills and a good sense of scale on your conversions.

 

I'm surprised that recasts are now allowed on the forums!? What the heck happened?

Have been for ages mate. I honestly wouldn't be in the hobby at all if it wasn't for them! 

[Pearson73]

Solid work on Valthex, I like the idea of using the Lighter as a Speeder for the Hereteks. I think either scheme would work for the Lighter, though I would do it red to really tie it into the troopers it supports.

[Sherrypie]

This thread is full of win, those terminators are just wicked. I also really like the little details, like the warning decal in Huron's flamethrower. Keep on truckin'!

[TheTrans]

Solid work on Valthex, I like the idea of using the Lighter as a Speeder for the Hereteks. I think either scheme would work for the Lighter, though I would do it red to really tie it into the troopers it supports.

Thanks mate!! I've started with a soft blue-grey with some blue stripes!

 

This thread is full of win, those terminators are just wicked. I also really like the little details, like the warning decal in Huron's flamethrower. Keep on truckin'!

Cheers mate, glad you enjoyed them! :) 

[TheTrans]

A bit of a return to some Astral Claws gang!

We have a huge 30k event coming up in Australia in early january, reACT in fact. I'll be using my thunder warriors up there and that army is quite complete, at the moment anyway given the tumultous times 30k is having with actual rule releases... 

 

Anyway, myself and a few likeminded people are going to do a some Badab side games, using essentially a modified Liber Astartes (with some Militia and Cult) to smash out some super themey 40k Historical games!

Anyway, I'm gonna kick off a new 1k little Tyrant's Legion build, using mainly the amazing Fummelfinger Marine sculpts. 

So like any fool I thought I'd start on my HQ first, Arch-Centurion Tamerlaine (his 3rd incarnation), its mainly a fummel finger sculpt with some Astral Claws and Maelstrom Warder heraldry I whipped up in 3d builder. 

Anyway, just a super quick mock up before I hit the hay! 

 

So pretty basic mockup so far, I need to add some more brickabrac, maybe a loin cloth and cape and an escher electro whip to help him with his 'encouragement' duties.

 

Any have a good one!

 

#Hurondidnothingwrong

[batu]

He looks awesome!

 

[Brother-Chaplain Kage]

Looks good!

 

As someone waist deep in the 3d printed and a big fan of the Astral claws, mind if I ask where you got the Maelstrom Warder and Tyrant's Claw icons?

[TheTrans]

4 hours ago, batu said:

He looks awesome!

 

Thanks mate!

 

1 hour ago, Brother-Chaplain Kage said:

Looks good!

 

As someone waist deep in the 3d printed and a big fan of the Astral claws, mind if I ask where you got the Maelstrom Warder and Tyrant's Claw icons?

Thanks man, legit whipped them up in 3d builder. Been a lot of interest in them, may tidy them up and chuck them on cults or something, do a full badab war lot!

[Brother-Chaplain Kage]

Nice! I've done some rudimentary things in 3D Builder but that's impressive.

[Shovellovin]

5 hours ago, TheTrans said:

…may tidy them up and chuck them on cults or something, do a full badab war lot!

Please do. Would love to see some Badab stuff available. 
 

I really need to dive into creating my own files and not just printing other people’s work. Your Astal Claws icons are very well done. 

[TheTrans]

Alright a few little updates. 

First off the rank, I've put the badges up on Cults3d for a nominal price, if it proves popular I'll move through and do the rest of the seccionists then the loyalsits, then the weird and whacky additions (karthagan ram etc). 

Cults3d Link

 

Next up, I've done a little bit more work on the Arch-Centurion

 

 

 

Just starting to hash out the pose a bit better and get the claok situated. 

 

 

On 11/6/2022 at 8:55 AM, Brother-Chaplain Kage said:

Nice! I've done some rudimentary things in 3D Builder but that's impressive.

Thanks mate, working on a few other bits and pieces at the moment, but is slow going haha. I really need to invest the time and figure out how to 3d model stuff properly.

 

On 11/6/2022 at 1:52 PM, Shovellovin said:

Please do. Would love to see some Badab stuff available. 
 

I really need to dive into creating my own files and not just printing other people’s work. Your Astal Claws icons are very well done. 

Done and done mate!

Its certainly fun creating ones own stuff, and allows you to replicate certain things (which is great when making an army!).

[TheTrans]

Bit more work gone into the Arch-Centurion. Fur still needs a bit more refinement nad detail put into, but his pose and kit is starting to develop to where I like it.

At this point I'm thinking pretty late war, so we're starting to see a little bit of the renegade come out in them. As you can see we've got a xenos pistol and some...ah..'morale boosters' racked up along his shoulders. 

I've got a escher shock whip coming in from a mate that will go in his right hand for some encouragement. I've also began to de-chaosify the Traitor Guardsmen and I've also got a Blooded Killteam inbound to flesh out the Auxilia poses. 

I've begun working on the Retaliator squad in earnest too, they'll all be pretty heavily armoured. 

Finally I've begun playing with some 3d models to essentially build some 'Accelerated Inductees', what would amount to essentially Scouts, bolted into freshly forged..or...'recovered' power armour and thrown into the fray

II think this will be a great juxtaposition to between the heavily armed and armoured Retaliators, with all sorts of veteran honours, markings etc, to a bunch of essentially pschyo-indoctrinated kids slapped into armour with almost no symbology, customisation..or maybe in some cases a piece or two that is decidedly not the Astral Claws gunmetal. 

 

[Pearson73]

Some very nice progress here, I love how brutish and imposing he looks amongst the mortal soldiers of the Tyrant. Even though he's relatively 'clean' and probably rather typical for an Imperial marine, he still looks monstrous with those trophies and the cloak. Looking forward to seeing the Retaliators and more recent recruits, can already tell that each warrior will be telling a story.

[TheTrans]

19 hours ago, Pearson73 said:

Some very nice progress here, I love how brutish and imposing he looks amongst the mortal soldiers of the Tyrant. Even though he's relatively 'clean' and probably rather typical for an Imperial marine, he still looks monstrous with those trophies and the cloak. Looking forward to seeing the Retaliators and more recent recruits, can already tell that each warrior will be telling a story.

Thanks a heap mate, yeah I've always felt by and large the Astral Claws are pretty spartan (or that may just be a by-product of there being almost 4k of them at one point so armour personalisation probably wasn't high on the armourers to do lists, unless they were old or important). 

Just finished up the retaliator bodies in 3d builder, then they'll get resin/plastic hands, weapons and bric-a-brac.

I did have a bit of a play around last night and whipped up a decent Corpse-Taker!

I rekcon I'll paint him silver, with only a white arm, as I imagine the Corpse-takers weren't all for being a bright, white 'shoot me, I'm stealing your gene-seed' target haha. 

 

 

The hole in (what will either be a Carcharodon or FireHawk chest is just there to give me room to sculplt in peeled armour/flesh etc once its printed.

 

 

[Baikal]

I just wanted to say im glad this thread continues. This was one of my main inspirations for building and painting my own small group of astral claws. I even build my own Valthex, based on yours. Keep up the good work.

[TheTrans]

Heya gang,

Modelling is still trundling along pretty well, will get some pics up soon, but the other thing that has been taking up my time is this:

 

I've been working on this with another fellow Badab Enthusiast, its just the barebones at the moment, but it will be rapidly expanding as we go along!

 

THE LIBER BADAB

 

 

So far its a rejigged Liber Astartes with all the Badab Chapters included, next up is the Tyrant's Legion and Human Auxiliary troops for the Loyalists as well.

 

Any and all feedback is welcome and if you could put it in this LINK that would be amaizng!

 

 

On 11/29/2022 at 7:32 AM, Baikal said:

I just wanted to say im glad this thread continues. This was one of my main inspirations for building and painting my own small group of astral claws. I even build my own Valthex, based on yours. Keep up the good work.

Thanks a heap mate, super chuffed to hear it helped inspire you in some small way, I absolutely love the Astral Claws! 

Awesome stuff, do you have a pic of your Valthex?! Would love to see it! 

[Xin Ceithan]

I think those models are just brutal - in the best possible way 

 

Also loving the ideas you pour into the fluff of your forces 

 

If you’ re inclined to go even further into that rabbit hole - @Mazer Rackham recently established a “club” of Liber enthusiasts with a focus on stories building stories in and around the Badab War - the “Cabal of Dead Ink” - might be worth checking out 

- 

[TheTrans]

Heya gang, 

 

As Promised some pics of what I've been working on. Just a selection of models that are all almost ready for some sweet priming (sans the Standard Bearer, gonna have to sculpt up a nice big banner for that!).

 

First up is the Arch-Centurion and after finally hunting down his actual legit rules pdf (then transposing it) I'm tempted to run this fella as Carnac Commodus.

 

I feel he is brutal enough, bedecked in enough petty chattels gifted to him by the Tyrant and...well...he has a whip and clearly non-astartes skulls/heads attached across his shoulders. It would make sense.

 

Just a standard bearer for the Retaliators/Bodyguard unit. Nothing too crazy about him, I just love the pose and general "0 given" demeanor. 

 

A corpse taker apothecary, I'm tossing up between Firehawks, Space Sharks or Red Scorpions for this guys..ah..patient. Also in my head canon I feel that the Corpse Takers would have some markings, and in this case a white arm and shoulder pad, to denote them on the battlefield for their brothers..but I can then imagine them being target number one for loyalist forces, so the logical thing would be to 'bend' the rules laid out..still have your Tyrant Approved right arm...but...like...maybe just cover it with something that can be easily removed if an officer appears. 

 

 

Just a standard retaliator here. I'm really trying to use as much non-printed equipment as possible, espcially the weapons, hands and heads as almost non-negoitables, which I think sort of grounds them back into still looking almost like 40k models if that makes sense?

 

 

Last but not least, probably my favourite model of the bunch is just a hard as nails, veteran Retaliator. Can't see it in this pic, but don't fear, he does have a helmet stowed on his belt. But I just love the 'too old for this :cuss:, but I'm gonna pulp your chest bro' look to him, some of the 30k world eater heads are fantastic once you remove the nails (some are also horrific..but I digress).

Anyway, with react only 5-6 weeks away, I need to get moving on getting some paint on these bad boys and getting some rules sorted for the Tyrant's Legion.

 

  

On 12/14/2022 at 10:48 AM, Xin Ceithan said:

I think those models are just brutal - in the best possible way 

 

Also loving the ideas you pour into the fluff of your forces 

 

If you’ re inclined to go even further into that rabbit hole - @Mazer Rackham recently established a “club” of Liber enthusiasts with a focus on stories building stories in and around the Badab War - the “Cabal of Dead Ink” - might be worth checking out 

- 

 

Thanks mate! I think Astral Claws really suite being quite brutal! Thanks mate, I always find fluff is sort of the frame of reference for the army! 

Oh that sounds amazing, is the Cabal of Dead Ink around on the forums or do I need to look broader?

Edited December 15, 2022 by Firedrake Cordova
=] Don't dodge the Swear Filter [=

[Lord_Ikka]

15 minutes ago, TheTrans said:

Oh that sounds amazing, is the Cabal of Dead Ink around on the forums or do I need to look broader?

It in the Clubs section of the site, which you can find through the site menu on the top right.

 

On the main topic- you are too good! Consistently great looking conversions that really carry a weight of realism and narrative. Always a joy to see a post of yours.