Kill Team Kitbashing - WIPs

[mjrwaud]

With Kill Team being the new hotness and now having a few games under my belt I thought I'd put up my team roster kitbashing so far to get your opinions and suggestions! There's more than a full kill team but not a full roster and they're a bit more subtle than some, but I'm fairly happy so far. Once again, any comments and suggestions are very welcome!

 

Watch Sgt. Option 1 (Dark Angel) - Combi-Melta / Power Maul

Watch Sgt. Option 2 (?) - Storm Shield / Xenophase

Black Shield (Excommunicated Black Templar) - Storm Shield / Power Maul

Veteran Gunner (Imperial Fist) - Frag Cannon

Veteran Gunner (Salamander) - Infernus Heavy Bolter

Veteran (?) - Stalker Pattern Boltgun / Power Sword

Veteran (Raptors) - Stalker Pattern Boltgun

Veteran (Dark Angel successor of some sort) ) - Stalker Pattern Boltgun

Veteran (Black Templar... again) - Boltgun / Power Sword

Veteran (Blood Angel, with "issues") - Heavy Thunder Hammer

 

[Bjorn Firewalker]

I love Watch SGT Option 2's helmet. It looks like he tore off an Ork's lower jaw and then mounted it to his helmet as a trophy.

[Delta.Skies]

These kitbashes are dope. It's the little things that make em. I dig it

[mjrwaud]

@Bjorn - Thanks! I can't take credit for the toothy grin, I've seen it a few times before and really liked how it looked and thought a particularly fearsome member of the Deathwatch would definitely try to intimidate some orcs that way!

 

@Delta - Speaking of intimidating trophies... ;) I always appreciate your kitbashes, they're way more adventurous than mine! Thanks for the kudos, I try to keep the changes subtle but definitely enough to set them apart. For these ones, I wanted them to stand out from my other Deathwatch, so I trimmed the antennae from their shoulder cams, made them a little more low-profile, and turned them to face the direction they're looking.... it's a small change, but it makes them stand out a little (just a little). 

[Prot]

I love that Frag Cannon. Even if we weren't stuck with one pose, I'd still think that's a very cool option. Very nice.

[Delta.Skies]

@Bjorn - Thanks! I can't take credit for the toothy grin, I've seen it a few times before and really liked how it looked and thought a particularly fearsome member of the Deathwatch would definitely try to intimidate some orcs that way!

 

@Delta - Speaking of intimidating trophies... I always appreciate your kitbashes, they're way more adventurous than mine! Thanks for the kudos, I try to keep the changes subtle but definitely enough to set them apart. For these ones, I wanted them to stand out from my other Deathwatch, so I trimmed the antennae from their shoulder cams, made them a little more low-profile, and turned them to face the direction they're looking.... it's a small change, but it makes them stand out a little (just a little). 

 

Thanks man, i appreciate it, but yours are way more put together than mine. clean no messes and they look awesome with the small changes that can still make them unique. its giving me ideas to fill out these gaurdians  (watch captains) a bit more. This last unit im working on, has minimal trophies but still look elite (well I hope) since i finally broke down and bought a kill team box set. But these definitely give off inspirations that i think i would incorporate into the rest of the stalker unit or cheap stormbolter unit.  

[mjrwaud]

I love that Frag Cannon. Even if we weren't stuck with one pose, I'd still think that's a very cool option. Very nice.

 

Thanks! Having 8 other Frag Cannons in my army made me -really- want to change it up a bit and this was a super easy fix! The MKIII Heavy bolter and three quick cuts to separate the grip + a frag cannon with its grips removed + a skull for style (and cover a little gap) + a hose from a dreadnought heavy flamer and you're good to go!

[Irbis]

Yeah, that Frag Cannon is lovely. One of the most creative DW models I have ever saw

[robofish7591]

Those are some great kitbashes!  I can't wait to see them painted up.

[Orpheus108]

They look great myrwaud, my question is are they glued yet or just blutaced? I ask this because I struggle with putting the model together then trying to paint them, it's a pain to get in all the places, how do you do it.

[mjrwaud]

Thanks again!

 

@robofish - Yeah, I'm definitely fired up about getting the painting finished on these! I just picked up a new wet palette (I used a homemade one before) so we'll see if it makes a difference.

 

@Orpheus - Oh, I should probably bluetack things (or get into magnetizing) first but I never ever do... I generally try to pose the model in a way that will let me get into the small spaces to paint without too much effort (if that's possible), although sometimes it's not. So far, the only things I've used sub-assemblies for are really models (dreadnought for example) or special character models. I also find the models are much more structurally solid when you're gluing bare material.

 

One thing to keep in mind, if you're not competing in a painting competition then there really are parts of the model that nobody is every going to see, so only you'll know if it's just a basecoat in those spots... if you can live with that. Take this guy for example, the back of his shield has a really cool screen on it that you can -kinda- see but I don't think it's worth for a non-centerpiece model (but I might go back and try later). 

[Delta.Skies]

Thanks again!

 

@robofish - Yeah, I'm definitely fired up about getting the painting finished on these! I just picked up a new wet palette (I used a homemade one before) so we'll see if it makes a difference.

 

@Orpheus - Oh, I should probably bluetack things (or get into magnetizing) first but I never ever do... I generally try to pose the model in a way that will let me get into the small spaces to paint without too much effort (if that's possible), although sometimes it's not. So far, the only things I've used sub-assemblies for are really models (dreadnought for example) or special character models. I also find the models are much more structurally solid when you're gluing bare material.

 

One thing to keep in mind, if you're not competing in a painting competition then there really are parts of the model that nobody is every going to see, so only you'll know if it's just a basecoat in those spots... if you can live with that. Take this guy for example, the back of his shield has a really cool screen on it that you can -kinda- see but I don't think it's worth for a non-centerpiece model (but I might go back and try later).

There was a painter at a GW store I went to that seas a really good miniature painter that said the same thing. Unless you are in competition, thus is tabletop. Nobody is going to see that or critique that. And showed me the parts of his papa nurgle that consciousnessly chose not to do. And that's when I realize how much priming with black helps with that. Any other color I feel yes you definitely have to cover that up cause you can see from different angles. But for me when building up. They definitely have to stay on. Because nothing is ever promise. Blue tac holds but unless you have a glob of it it's only gonna stick so much. So I bought zap a gap. A really good glue that if I dab it. It can hold well. But can break off if I need it to. So that's the route I go. Or some blue tac then a lil glue on top so it doesnt destroy the model or leVe the white dry residue. But wherever you think your brush can get to without any problems leave it on there. It's already a tedious hobby, to take it apart drill holes in it tac it. Just to get under the arm pit with highlights or something I dont think is neccessary. But just my view point on it all. I spend about 2 hrs kitbashing a sergeant or a soldier sometimes. That's including mediocre filing and shaving tac on another hr drilling and placement for priming. I would never get done. Specially with AM.

[mjrwaud]

Not that I'd count myself as a good painter, but I guess that means my old GW days are showing, I used to work at one in the 90s... gawdamn I'm old... :|

Oh, you're definitely right about the priming black, it's waaaay more forgiving in terms of missed / skipped spots for your rank and file troops but also really dulls down your colours and / or requires extra layers if you want to paint bright colours or fine detail. For that reason I usually primer troops / non-centerpiece models / vehicles (I don't really like vehicles) in black and only ever primer characters in white or in a mid-tone grey so I can build colours both lighter and darker from there.

[Orpheus108]

I'm not great painter myself, I do like to try and get major bits together but all the bits like arms and things that go across or close to the body I leave, because I can't get in to paint the area they cover.

 

I always undercoat white, I've always struggled using black undercoat, and rather use white and paint black.

 

But now I'm painting 10 death watch and I can see the use of black undercoat but I'll still use the white to make the black stand out more, my difference I'll use to highlight is use p3 colour coal black, it's a great colour to highlight black I believe then a touch of dark grey elf grey for touch edging, I think it's the paint from Vallejo.

 

I'm still trying to work out how to add pics here, any help.....please and I'll add my final 10 guys up for hints and comments

 

Cheers

[mjrwaud]

@ Orpheus - It definitely helps to keep those parts separate (bolters across the chest for example) if you really want to do your best on a model, but it also takes more time for something that probably nobody will notice but you so it's a bit of weighing costs vs benefits. Priming white will makes those missed spots far more obvious, that's for sure, but you can help remedy that using thinned paint, multiple coats, and washes to flow into those little nooks and crannies. It totally depends on what you're painting and priming deathwatch white is going to be very unforgiving in terms of streaks and missed spots... you're braver than I!

 

I'm trying to find a balance between speed and looks with these kill team members and a more metallic look, so I'm trying a different approach for the armour: prime black, light zenithal highlight with rattle-can ironbreaker,  heavy blue-black wash (1/2 nuln oil, 1/4 guilliman blue glaze, 1/4 lahmian medium),  light drybrush ironbreaker to bring up the sharp edges. Here's what it looks like so far:

 

 

I'll probably darken down the armour plates a bit before bringing in the rest of the colours and starting the fine details, but this has been really fast and gives an even finish. I don't have the time for GW style line highlighting...

 

PS. If you want to upload photos, go to the top of the page and right below the banner you should see "Gallery" between "Members" and "Downloads", click on that and look for the green "Upload" button. From there it should be pretty straight forward how to create a new album and then upload photos to it. Good luck! :)

[Orpheus108]

@myrwaud thanks for that, I do like that metallic black look, very nice. I'll try a little of the gw line highlight just to break up the black, it is hard between getting them done quick to play and doing a good job, I get pretty anal about getting the job done, just can't leave steaks and little undone areas with out making it going over it again.

 

Once done I'll load up the finished pics and progress pics aswell

[Prot]

Nice job. I think it’s a hard army to make stand out. I think doing some zenithal highlight work can go a long way.

 

Personally I’m using some funky off blacks myself. Black tire, and rubber colour, with some blue green ink... it is working nicely. But you’re right it can take a looooong time to finish a model!

[mjrwaud]

Haven't had a lot of time lately, but I've managed to get these a little further along... just some base coats and metals underway but looking forward to finishing a few highlights and adding some colour and details next. I think the armour reads dark enough when up against the silver arm / pauldron, but any comments and suggestions are always welcome!

 

[Delta.Skies]

how did you go about painting the gold, i see that you left the outlining of the darker coat underneath. I like it but is that replacing using a wash? 

[mjrwaud]

how did you go about painting the gold, i see that you left the outlining of the darker coat underneath. I like it but is that replacing using a wash? 

 

I was trying something a little different, so the gold isn't really done yet. I wanted to do some brass/bronze at the same time as the gold (to save time) so I started with warplock bronze (which doesn't seem to give very good coverage), then washed with agrax earthshade, then did a rough highlight with retributor armour... that's where it is now. It's looking a little brass-ey at this point (although my crappy phone camera doesn't help) so I'll probably leave it as is for things like bolt / frag cannon shells and add at least one more finer highlight with a lighter gold.

[Vel'Cona]

A very nice muted colour scheme!  Subtle and simple has its own charms, IMO, and this lets your conversions/bitswaps shine rather than going for a bold scheme.

[mjrwaud]

Almost finished! Should be just bases left to do, but any tips or suggestions are super appreciated.

 

Q: All my other DW are based on snow but these ones will primarily be fore Killteam... what's a nice neutral shade that will look decent on all types of terrain?

 

[Delta.Skies]

now that they are painted im noticing way more.... awesome .... Inquisitor purity seals, me realizing that you used the primaris chaplain head (bold move, cause i was like, nope spent too much money not to use this head on him). Curious though whats behind your infernus heavy bolter vet thats not there anymore. Was not sure if it was a cape of some sort. Either way awesome paint job, awesome models. and once again the simplicity of your small bits makes the models stand out so much more.

[mjrwaud]

@Delta

Thanks! I'm mostly happy with them (although there's always room for improvement), I'm just trying to figure out what colour to paint the bases now...maybe just grey or dark brown so they'll look good on most terrain.

 

Re. the Primaris Chaplain head, I had plans for the rest of his body (for a more imposing watchmaster) so the head was just kicking around the bits box and I thought it'd look pretty good on the kind of crazy vet who'd use a hvy. thunder hammer. 

 

The infernus bolter guy has a heavy flamer backpack that I tried to make look like there was smoke coming out of (using the flame brazier from the DW Overkill salamander terminator), but I wasn't sure about it so just removed it and the pipes.

 

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Good job.