7th New Haven Mechanized - Combined Arms Brigade

[ScionOfCorlesia]

Those Baal/Chimeras look great, and expect those dice rolls to improve once your forces are painted up. Keep up the good work.

[The Titanz0r]

I've decided to stop procrastinating, and get started on the painting. First, I want to finalize a pattern for my Chimeras and other armor. Originally, I had planned to use a simple tiger stripe pattern using Shadow Grey and Chaos Black. However, I've recently thought of using a kind of splinter pattern that incorporates another grey color. This is for another way of differentiating my various detachments in my 2,000 point list. Anyway, I want to know what y'all think.

 

First is Shadow Grey base with Mechanicus Standard Grey stripe and Chaos Black jagged pieces.

 

 

 

The other is the same, but with Dawnstone instead of Standard Grey.

 

 

 

I'm leaning toward the second one, with the brighter grey. It stands out a bit more. I'm going to use the same pattern in whatever colors I decide on the infantry fatigues, as well.

 

[duz_]

I prefer the second one too :tu:

[WarriorFish]

Me too, the second has better contrast and the colours work much nicer together for it :tu:

[The Ergonomic Enginseer]

Definitely the second one.

[The Titanz0r]

It appears brighter in the picture than it is in person. I'm hoping that the blue-grey and grey don't clash too much as to make a camouflage pattern self-defeating. I think I need to elongate the black jagged stripes, but I don't want them to dominate the pattern. I'm trying to develop a good urban camo pattern, that brings to mind fighting at dusk.

[The Titanz0r]

I've done some more work, further coloring, shading, and highlighting. I'm hoping this test pattern works well enough to put onto the rest of my vehicles.

I've gone with The Fang as a base, Dawnstone for the stripe, and Abaddon Black for the jags, then I shaded with Agrax Earthshade, and drybrushed with Dawnstone Dry.

 

The left side, I tried to use as little dry brushing as possible.

 

The right side I did a heavier dry brush. I'm concerned it washes out the grey-blue a bit too much.

 

 

What do y'all think? Should I move into full production or go back to the testing room?

[WarriorFish]

I think the first is better, and is ready for the forges to begin their hallowed work :tu:

[duz_]

I'm gonna disagree
I think second is better :P

Although its hard to tell from a close up

I imagine when you put it on the table you won't be able to see the dry brush as well, at which point the first is probably the better option :tu:

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Your painting skills are admirable. Is the camouflage pattern meant for urban terrain, or amphibious? Blue would look out-of-place in most other environments.

[The Titanz0r]

I'm figuring I'll be doing a light drybrush towards the top of the vehicles, just to blend the various colors together a bit, and try a heavier drybrush towards the bottom to suggest dust and such has accumulated while they roll through the blasted cities.

 

 

Your painting skills are admirable. Is the camouflage pattern meant for urban terrain, or amphibious? Blue would look out-of-place in most other environments.

I wouldn't call it admirable. This was just a rough test to see if the colors worked together, and to observe the pattern. It took me only about an hour to paint it all up. My army, though, is absolutely an urban based army. I'm hoping the blue of The Fang gets toned down once all the shading and highlighting is complete. It does appear more bold in pictures than it does in person, though.

[Nostromo]

I'm figuring I'll be doing a light drybrush towards the top of the vehicles, just to blend the various colors together a bit, and try a heavier drybrush towards the bottom to suggest dust and such has accumulated while they roll through the blasted cities.

 

Now, if you want to blend the colors of the pattern together, I have achieved satisfying results with those two alternative techniques:

1. Filter: when the pattern is done, just paint the whole model with a highly diluted color (I would try brown or grey in this case). However - diluted with acrylic thinner, not just water. And instead of acrylic color, acrylic ink would be even better

2. instead of the pure colors you used, try mixing all of them with just a drop of your primary color (bluish-grey) in a ratio of 1:4 or less. For very dark colors, try a higher ratio of the primary color.

[The Titanz0r]

So, I got to painting finally. Starting off with my four Chimeras and one Hellhound, I got the basecoats done and have started on taping in for the camo pattern.

 

Basecoated Chimeras

 

 

This is more tedious than I had anticipated.

 

I got the outline and the stripes painted in about two mornings of work. Next will be making the hard lines more neat and adding the jagged stripes in black.

 

It's also at this point that I've fully realized how many nooks and crannies I've created which will be a real pain to paint later on. I'll have to have more foresight and assemble in stages for the next vehicles I put together. The biggest issue I'm seeing so far is for the Hellhound, where the armor panel sits over the fuel tanks in the back. Those tanks will be annoying to get to.

 

 

Now, if you want to blend the colors of the pattern together, I have achieved satisfying results with those two alternative techniques:
1. Filter: when the pattern is done, just paint the whole model with a highly diluted color (I would try brown or grey in this case). However - diluted with acrylic thinner, not just water. And instead of acrylic color, acrylic ink would be even better
2. instead of the pure colors you used, try mixing all of them with just a drop of your primary color (bluish-grey) in a ratio of 1:4 or less. For very dark colors, try a higher ratio of the primary color.

 

 

 

Would you be able to provide an example of what that'd look like? I don't want to get a washed out appearance, and make it seem like it's one blob of color.

[The Titanz0r]

I've also given some more thought to my list. After playing several matches, and finding certain quirks and wanting for several abilities while never using other abilities, I've tweaked it a bit.

 

 

My original list I took to the campaign I joined went like this:

 

Armageddon Battalion


HQ

Company Commander with Laurels of Command - 30 (Warlord with Grand Strategist)
Company Commander with Bolter - 31


TROOPS

Infantry Squad with Plasma Gun, Bolter, Vox-Caster - 53
Infantry Squad with Plasma Gun, Bolter, Vox-Caster - 53
Infantry Squad with Plasma Gun, Bolter, Vox-Caster - 53
Infantry Squad with Plasma Gun, Bolter, Vox-Caster - 53

TRANSPORT

Chimera with 2x Heavy Bolters, Heavy Stubber - 78
Chimera with 2x Heavy Bolters, Heavy Stubber - 78
Chimera with 2x Heavy Bolters, Heavy Stubber - 78
Chimera with 2x Heavy Bolters, Heavy Stubber - 78


ELITES

Ratlings x5 - 45

Veteran Squad with 3x Plasma Guns, Plasma Pistol - 88

Platoon Leader with Plasma Pistol, Dagger of Tu'Sakh - 25


FAST ATTACK

Hellhound with Inferno Cannon, Heavy Bolter, Track Guards - 111

Rough Riders x 5 - 50


Total: 904



Tallarn Spearhead


HQ

Tank Commander with Punisher Cannon, Heavy Bolter, Stormbolter - 172


HEAVY

Leman Russ with Conqueror Cannon, Heavy Bolter, Stormbolter - 157
Leman Russ with Conqueror Cannon, Heavy Bolter, Stormbolter - 157
Leman Russ with Conqueror Cannon, Heavy Bolter, Stormbolter - 157


Fast Attack

Sentinels with Autocannon, HK Missile, Chainsaw x2 - 96
Sentinels with Autocannon, HK Missile, Chainsaw - 48


Total: 787



Armageddon Battalion


HQ

Company Commander with Bolter- 31

Lord Commissar with Power Sword, Bolter - 35


TROOPS

Infantry Squad with Grenade Launcher, Bolter - 44
Infantry Squad with Grenade Launcher, Bolter - 44
Infantry Squad with Grenade Launcher, Bolter - 44



FAST ATTACK



Hellhound with Inferno Cannon, Heavy Bolter, Track Guards - 111



Total: 309



TOTAL: 2,000

 

I kept the tanks and Sentinels in a Tallarn Spearhead to be able to move and fire, and get ObSec for the Leman Russ. However, I found that the Leman Russ only benefits for the hull heavy bolter, and ObSec isn't as useful as I thought it'd be. Either, my opponent moves units that have ObSec (and thus outnumber a single tank) onto objectives, or I have enough Infantry already present as to make the tank unnecessary. The Sentinels, however, gain substantial benefits from being able to move and shoot without penalty, which is pretty obvious. When I made the jump to 2,000, I needed more Infantry, so I created a second Battalion. This is fine and all, but they lose some benefits from being a separate detachment if I take Emperor's Blade on my main detachment (them being left out). I've also found that Grand Strategist is not very useful anymore (the nerf to CP gain being a big hit). It wasn't really a benefit in most games. Either it wouldn't activate, or I wouldn't be using CP for a turn, so it was mostly useless. I also experimented with swapping Laurels and a Warlord trait on different Commanders. I found that Laurels works in the forward most commander, where his squads can get the most mileage out of it, and the Warlord does best staying out of sight. Doubling up both on a single Commander makes him a giant target. Further, I've found that certain abilities, such as with Emperor's Blade, I either didn't use or I wanted and didn't have (whenever I didn't take the detachment). So, I figure better to have it and not need it, especially for the Rapid Redeploy Stratagem. I'm going to test out the following list in some upcoming games.

 

7th New Haven Mechanized



Armageddon Brigade - Emperor's Blade Detachment


HQ

Company Commander with Laurels of Command - 30 (Warlord with Mechanized Commander)
Company Commander with Bolter - 31
Company Commander with Bolter - 31

Lord Commissar with Power Sword, Bolter - 35

TROOPS

Infantry Squad with Plasma Gun, Bolter, Vox-Caster - 53
Infantry Squad with Plasma Gun, Bolter, Vox-Caster - 53
Infantry Squad with Plasma Gun, Bolter, Vox-Caster - 53
Infantry Squad with Plasma Gun, Bolter, Vox-Caster - 53
Infantry Squad with Grenade Launcher, Bolter - 44
Infantry Squad with Grenade Launcher, Bolter - 44
Infantry Squad with Grenade Launcher, Bolter - 44

TRANSPORT

Chimera with 2x Heavy Bolters, Heavy Stubber - 78
Chimera with 2x Heavy Bolters, Heavy Stubber - 78
Chimera with 2x Heavy Bolters, Heavy Stubber - 78
Chimera with 2x Heavy Bolters, Heavy Stubber - 78


ELITES

Ratlings x5 - 45
Veteran Squad with 3x Plasma Guns, Plasma Pistol - 88
Platoon Leader with Plasma Pistol, Dagger of Tu'Sakh - 25


FAST ATTACK

Hellhound with Inferno Cannon, Heavy Bolter, Track Guards - 111
Hellhound with Inferno Cannon, Heavy Bolter, Track Guards - 111
Rough Riders x 5 - 50


HEAVY

Leman Russ with Conqueror Cannon, Heavy Bolter, Stormbolter - 157
Leman Russ with Conqueror Cannon, Heavy Bolter, Stormbolter - 157
Leman Russ with Conqueror Cannon, Heavy Bolter, Stormbolter - 157



Tallarn Outrider


HQ

Tank Commander with Punisher Cannon, Heavy Bolter, Stormbolter - 172


Fast Attack

Sentinels with Autocannon, HK Missile, Chainsaw - 48
Sentinels with Autocannon, HK Missile, Chainsaw - 48
Sentinels with Autocannon, HK Missile, Chainsaw - 48





TOTAL: 2,000

 

I smashed the Battalions together, and added the Leman Russ tanks, to make a Brigade. I kept the Tank Commander with the Sentinels to make an Outrider detachment, allowing the Sentinels to keep their ability to move and fire, and keep the Tank Commander's 'Get Around Behind Them!' order. The Tank Commander is ineligible for The Shield of Mortwald since he can't gain the Emperor's Blade keyword, correct? Otherwise, I'd probably swap him with the Commissar, who doesn't care which detachment he's in. Perhaps I should swap them anyway, to give the Tank Commander the Armageddon ability to turn any AP -1 to AP 0, just to give him at least a little more protection. I've also been looking for ways to fit more Ratlings into my list. I love the little dudes, but they only really mean something when there's a lot of them.

[Nostromo]

Now, if you want to blend the colors of the pattern together, I have achieved satisfying results with those two alternative techniques:

1. Filter: when the pattern is done, just paint the whole model with a highly diluted color (I would try brown or grey in this case). However - diluted with acrylic thinner, not just water. And instead of acrylic color, acrylic ink would be even better

2. instead of the pure colors you used, try mixing all of them with just a drop of your primary color (bluish-grey) in a ratio of 1:4 or less. For very dark colors, try a higher ratio of the primary color.

Would you be able to provide an example of what that'd look like? I don't want to get a washed out appearance, and make it seem like it's one blob of color.

Sure.

This is an example of technique #2 prior to wash and weathering:

Both beige and dark grey have a drop of the green-grey mixed in.

At the moment - after wash and a few weathering steps - it looks like this:

[The Titanz0r]

Interesting take, Nostromo. It gives me the impression that these vics have been in the field for quite some time. I'm normally not a fan of mixing and combining colors (since I'm a bit lazy about painting) but I'll have to do a test model to see how it goes.

[The Titanz0r]

I've started painting on my vehicles, and got the camo done on my hellhound. Basecoat (The Fang), stripes (Dawnstone), jags (Abaddon Black), shade (Agrax Earthshade), and drybrush (Dawnstone Dry).

 

 

Anybody have suggestions on how to give the armored skirts more detail, so they don't just look like flat boards?

[Nostromo]

Anybody have suggestions on how to give the armored skirts more detail, so they don't just look like flat boards?

In short: dirt.

Or rather „weathering“

Depending on where it would gather more or less.

Different shades of dirt.

Rain streaks - those are quite easy with oils.

Chipping.

 

Just look at my example above with „before“ and „after“.

 

The „how“ takes a bit longer to explain - but so far you have only asked for a „what“

[Bjorn Firewalker]

The Hellhound looks good.

[Dr_Ruminahui]

Some rivets along the plate edges and grooves might also help.

[Nostromo]

Some rivets along the plate edges and grooves might also help.

Stupid me... yes of course!

[Dr_Ruminahui]

Its a key part of 40K vehicle design - when in doubt, add rivets. :)

[The Titanz0r]

Some rivets along the plate edges and grooves might also help.

 

What's the best way to get those rivets on there?

[Nostromo]

I don‘t know what’s the BEST... but what worked for me was a 0.74mm hole-punch (from *bay) I used to make rivets of sturdy paper.

Other make them

- of tiny dots of pva-glue

- sliced- up polystyrene rod of <0.8 mm diameter

- granulate from water filters or silicate from Electronics-packaging.

 

Paper works best for me - but delivery of the hole punch from China took forever, but I habe made way more than 1.200 rivets so far, so it payed up in any case by now

[Dr_Ruminahui]

I haven't had much success with rivets myself - I've tried making them out of plasticard, and they all came out as rather tall and misshapen (only salvaged by the fact I was building an ork vehicle, where oddly shaped isn't necessarily a detriment).

 

The easiest way would be to use commercial miniature brass rivets, such as those depicted in this post: http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/241839-legion-rising/?p=4653586.