30k Hobby Chat

[Chaeron]

My personal choice would be vertical - it's how I’ve done all of mine!

[Dark Legionnare]

I'm in the vertical camp too.

 

Any chance I can ever take to have something "flying" not be on a flying base, I take it. Every wayward (accidental of course) hip-bump against a table always has me immediately flashing my arms out to get ready to "save" the storm eagle, fire raptor, or xiphon.

 

Ditto for the Orion Assault Dropship, or as I affectionately call the huge hulk of gold: "The chandelier"

 

That thing spends all game on a flight stand cut down to be only 1" tall because if that thing ever fell over it would come clean out the other side of the Earth.

[Bloody Legionnaire]

Where's it gonna spend most of its life, sat on the ground or on the flying base?

 

Answer that and highlight accordingly would be my response.

In game rule of thumb appears to be using them as flyers is the “this is the way” rule of thumb. Which is why I’ve been considering highlighting it as it’s in fly mode.

 

I'm in the vertical camp too.

 

Any chance I can ever take to have something "flying" not be on a flying base, I take it. Every wayward (accidental of course) hip-bump against a table always has me immediately flashing my arms out to get ready to "save" the storm eagle, fire raptor, or xiphon.

 

Ditto for the Orion Assault Dropship, or as I affectionately call the huge hulk of gold: "The chandelier"

 

That thing spends all game on a flight stand cut down to be only 1" tall because if that thing ever fell over it would come clean out the other side of the Earth.

 Very valid point

[Chaeron]

To share a bit of hobby, last weekend I went to the game show Salute - as I like to do every year. This was the first since the pandemic - and I had a great time! Now, for those of you who don’t know about the event, it’s broad in scope and scale, and you have traders and demos for all games and systems - historic to far future, and everything in between.

 

Now, there doesn’t tend to be a lot of Heresy content, but there are occasionally sellers retailing second-hand goods, and I made one such purchase! Despite not yet having an Emperor’s Children force, I couldn’t resist picking up this lovely resin tactical squad, fully kitted out with all the accoutrements:

 

Now, to work on a colour scheme…

[sarabando]

im still bummed i forgot about salute this year :( im going to warfare in ascot next weekend though heres hoping i get some heresy love there

[Imren]

Now, to work on a colour scheme…

Some inspiration:

 

[Marshal Vespasian]

EC are such a good looking army.

Still tempted to paint some, eben though i thoroughly dislike them in the fluff.

[Chaeron]

im still bummed i forgot about salute this year im going to warfare in ascot next weekend though heres hoping i get some heresy love there

 

I think the different time of year (after being pushed back) probably made people forget this in the calendar - but if it's returning to the normal slot next year, that'll be ideal.

 

Enjoy Warfare - there are quite a few upcoming expos at this time of year, so if I had the time I'd definitely want to attend more - and see if I could pick up any more Heresy treats!

 

 

Now, to work on a colour scheme…

Some inspiration:

 

 

 

Good shout Imren! It's definitely a lovely colour - it feels like an airbrush job to me...

 

EC are such a good looking army.

Still tempted to paint some, eben though i thoroughly dislike them in the fluff.

 

Absolutely - I wouldn't normally go for them for the same reasons, however - this'll contrast with my other forces and add something a bit different (and I do have Fulgrim somewhere), so it's a ready-made small force... in the making :lol:.

[Cris R]

Has anyone put together a formal write up ranking which FW are easiest to hardest to put together? That’d be a good resource to help FW newbies like me to know what we can tackle at the very start of our Heresy journey.

[MegaVolt87]

Has anyone put together a formal write up ranking which FW are easiest to hardest to put together? That’d be a good resource to help FW newbies like me to know what we can tackle at the very start of our Heresy journey.

 

Sure, what's your fave format metric for final scores? x/5, x/10, x/100, X stars, decimal or whole number scores? 

[Cris R]

 

Has anyone put together a formal write up ranking which FW are easiest to hardest to put together? That’d be a good resource to help FW newbies like me to know what we can tackle at the very start of our Heresy journey.

 

Sure, what's your fave format metric for final scores? x/5, x/10, x/100, X stars, decimal or whole number scores? 

 

 

Rank from one to five, one being easiest, five being hardest. Notes on tools needed would also be helpful as well. Thank you!

[MegaVolt87]

Ok. 

 

Tools needed-   Not a bad guide IMO for FW modelling, you don't need the rotary sander thing they say lol or their brand of GW tools. https://www.warhammer-community.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Yb27jN5Z6vN9azwR.pdf

 

Sicaran (base)

 

Overall construction- 4/5

Complexity of magnetizing- 2.5/5 (three if you are experienced modeler, multiple size magnets needed)

Instructions- 4/5

 

Legion Contemptor

 

Overall construction- 5/5

Complexity of magnetizing- 4/5 

Instructions- 4/5

 

Falchion

 

Overall construction- 3/5 (four if you are experienced modeler)

Complexity of magnetizing- 4/5 (ease of transport with side spontoons magnetized)

Instructions- 3/5 (track assembly + clean-up is annoying based on your kit)

 

Spartan

 

Overall construction- 3/5 (the kit just squeaked a 3 base score based off the one I received)

Complexity of magnetizing- 4/5 (ease of transport with side spontoons magnetized)

Instructions- 2.5/5 (one cast tracks can be damaged requiring resulting re-sculpting of breakages or return of the kit, front hatch is tricky to get a snug/neat fit.)

 

deredeo dreadnought

Unknown, still in boxes. 

 

Typhon

Unknown, still in boxes. (estimate to be similar woes with spartan with the addition of fiddly side spontoons magnetization of LC/HB sicaran, worried about the potential cannon alignment)

 

Conclusion- heavier/ big tanks should have separate legion style plastic tracks on a sprue, while full cast tracks on smaller chassis like Sicaran are no drama if the FW tanks don't move to plastics. 

Edited November 23, 2021 by MegaVolt87

[Gorgoff]

I think Megavolt misunderstood how the ranking Was meant to be.

1 easiest to build. 5 the hardest. He made it the other way round. :)

[Cris R]

I think Megavolt misunderstood how the ranking Was meant to be.

1 easiest to build. 5 the hardest. He made it the other way round. :)

Yeah, I haven’t put together a FW Contemptor yet but it doesn’t seem like it would be in the same league in difficulty as a Storm Eagle.

[Imren]

+++ Fire raptor/Storm Eagle+++

• Overall construction: 4 (Fitting the Stormraven plastic hull top to the resin hull sides so that the result is a snug and neat fit is the trickiest thing I have ever done modelling wise.
• Complexity of magnetizing: 4 (There are no apparent magnetisation points if you want to magnetise the wings to the hull for ease of transport. Also the wings are relaviely heavy since the resin engines are fitted to it. So I'd advise against magnetising the wings at all, the rest is barely any point to magnetise since they don't obstruct space for transport.
• Instructions: 3 (The instructions are the old FW stencils type sheets with no highlighting of the new parts for each assembly step. There are pointing lines with part names on most pictures. There are many steps and if you are experienced assember (done Sicaran or a dreadnought at least) this one is not a challenging instruction.

Some advice and lessons learned while assembling the fire raptor:

1. Skip the super glue and use 2-component epoxy glue! (I used the 5 min setting time one, which meant that I had to do a small amount mix for each glueing) for atleast all the larger main parts (fuselage, wings, engines and the landing gear if you assemble them extended) This kit is big and heavy (not as much as a tank) and as a flyer on a non-glued flyer stand it runs a increased risk of falling and impacting. Superglue is brittle and not as strong.
2. Get 1 mm drill and 1 mm brass wire and pin atleast the undercarriage to the hull sides, this will give much needed extra strength when flexing the hull sides slightly outwards while inserting and fitting the plastic hull top (needs to be done if you want a snug fit and follow the instructions).
3. Pin what you can! I strongly suggest to pin the following:
   • Hulls parts against eachother.
   • Wings to engine and then later wing/engine assembly to fuselage.
   • Front bolt cannons to fuselage.
   • If you assemble the landing gear extended, then pin all landing gear parts to eachother (1 mm brass wire) and to the fuselage so that the gear holds the weight of the flyer.
4. You will have many gaps to fill with putty. I suggest you use Milliput and IPA (isopropyl-alcohol) to smoothen the putty seams. Green stuff I find much more difficult to smoothen without using greases/oils.
5. When you have finished assembling the engines against the wings but before assembling the wing/engine assemby to the fuselage, mask off the wing parts and paint the engines, (and prepare the pins and corresponding pin holes) this will make your life much easier when painting the engines (with airbrush and/or drybrushing) compared to paint them when the wing/engine assembly is attached to the fuselage.
6. Prepare and paint the ball turrets separately (I cork them up with 1 mm brass wire for easier handling while painting)
7. When you have finished all of the assembly and just before the priming, give the whole model a gentle brushing with toothbrush and dishwasing soap to remove all the skin oils from handling it and rinse in warm water, let it dry for a day to make sure all water from all nooks and crannies and interior has evaporated. When washing take care to not wetten the cokpit interior, keep this dry (clean the cockit exterior with a IPA and cotton buds.
8. I suggest you assemble, paint the cockpit interior before attaching the hull top to the hull sides:
   • Paint and assemble the pilot and paint the cockpit interior.
   • Install the cockpit canopy and the canopy frames then mask off/protect the canopy for the remainding time of assembly with masking tape.
   • After assembly but before priming the model, remove masking tape and paint on liquid mask on canopy.
   • After painting and final varnishing completed, cut along canopy edges with a new fresh blade and cut off the dried liquid mask to get a snug cut along the paint layer interface between nasked canopy and canopy frame.

 

As you can tell, the build time for the Fire raptor is way longer if you want to to a sturdy and neat build. I highly recommend to pin the crap out of this kit, and use epoxy glue instead and superglue and if you want to keep the clear canopy to show cockpit interior, makes sure you mask and protect the canopy.

 

Expect to atleat doubling the estimated time of assembly for this kit compared to a tank or other vehicles of similar size.

Edited November 23, 2021 by Imren

[Gorgoff]

 

I think Megavolt misunderstood how the ranking Was meant to be.

1 easiest to build. 5 the hardest. He made it the other way round.

Yeah, I haven’t put together a FW Contemptor yet but it doesn’t seem like it would be in the same league in difficulty as a Storm Eagle.

 

Puting together a Contemptor is the easiest thing really. I build several and it is fun.

Just like an action figure. 

 

EDIT: @Imren: I thank you dearly because I have a Storm Eagle to build. :D

Edited November 23, 2021 by Gorgoff

[Imren]

 

 

I think Megavolt misunderstood how the ranking Was meant to be.

1 easiest to build. 5 the hardest. He made it the other way round.

Yeah, I haven’t put together a FW Contemptor yet but it doesn’t seem like it would be in the same league in difficulty as a Storm Eagle.

 

Puting together a Contemptor is the easiest thing really. I build several and it is fun.

Just like an action figure. 

 

EDIT: @Imren: I thank you dearly because I have a Storm Eagle to build.

 

You're welcome. It took me a whole week of summer holiday working from morning till evening to get that kit from washing the parts in soap to apply the final varnish after finishing the paintjob (with oils and weathering) so expect to spend more time than many other kits.

[Marshal Vespasian]

@Chaeron its tough man so many good looking and cool legions out there. Cant decide which one to start next. Really depens ond what shape the relainch takes though. Also my consideration is:

If SOH and Fists are the launch box - I already play fists. I shouldnt play two first gen armies, so SoH are out even though I love the scheme.

[sarabando]

I have SOH and Fists so I'm sorted on those fronts. I can use Mk6 for my RG and Ultras, I have a painful urge to do metallic EC too.

 

On the build stuff above the contemptor is ha ds down the best kit FW do and should be the standard for all walker / mech kits imo.

[Gorgoff]

 

 

 

I think Megavolt misunderstood how the ranking Was meant to be.

1 easiest to build. 5 the hardest. He made it the other way round.

Yeah, I haven’t put together a FW Contemptor yet but it doesn’t seem like it would be in the same league in difficulty as a Storm Eagle.

 

Puting together a Contemptor is the easiest thing really. I build several and it is fun.

Just like an action figure. 

 

EDIT: @Imren: I thank you dearly because I have a Storm Eagle to build.

 

You're welcome. It took me a whole week of summer holiday working from morning till evening to get that kit from washing the parts in soap to apply the final varnish after finishing the paintjob (with oils and weathering) so expect to spend more time than many other kits.

 

It takes me one week alone to paint one ten men squad of Iron Warriors.

And I use Leadbelcher als a basecoat!

So HORRAY I'll be busy for the next year or so. ;)

[Marshal Vespasian]

MK6 will male for a nice alhpa legion. I neither strongly like nor dislime them. But ec are nicer in terms of looks.

I really do like white scars. I mean damn were warhawk scars and path of heaven good reads. Also a white scars army would put me one army short of having all the siege legions

Edited November 23, 2021 by Marshal Vespasian

[Imren]

 

 

 

 

I think Megavolt misunderstood how the ranking Was meant to be.

1 easiest to build. 5 the hardest. He made it the other way round.

Yeah, I haven’t put together a FW Contemptor yet but it doesn’t seem like it would be in the same league in difficulty as a Storm Eagle.

 

Puting together a Contemptor is the easiest thing really. I build several and it is fun.

Just like an action figure. 

 

EDIT: @Imren: I thank you dearly because I have a Storm Eagle to build.

 

You're welcome. It took me a whole week of summer holiday working from morning till evening to get that kit from washing the parts in soap to apply the final varnish after finishing the paintjob (with oils and weathering) so expect to spend more time than many other kits.

 

It takes me one week alone to paint one ten men squad of Iron Warriors.

And I use Leadbelcher als a basecoat!

So HORRAY I'll be busy for the next year or so.

 

Yes I can imagine, I don't envy IW, Salies and NL players who have to freehand all those details (stripes, flames, lightning) on most armour panels.

 

Have you tried Vallejo model color gunmetal?

 

https://acrylicosvallejo.com/en/product/hobby/metal-color-en/gunmetal-grey-77720/

 

I think it is much smoother compared to Leadbelcher with finer metal pigment flakes. It has much lower viscosity and not good for drybrushing. If you drybrush then the thick GW leadbelcher is better. But if you airbrush the basecoats I suspect you will be more satisfied with the vallejo metal color alternative (The vallejo metal color range is the best metallic paint I have tried through an airbrush).

[Marshal Vespasian]

Vallejo Metal Color is the way to go for acrylic metal paints.

If I did Iron warriors id Spray them Vallejo model color gunmetal all over, steel from 45 degrees, black ink from below, silver from above and then do a black oil wash. Weapons and shoulders I'd do seperately and airbrush in black. For the hazard stipes id get a stencil. Should be done fairly quickly.

 

Alternatively basecoating in a dark metal color from a spray can and spraying a lighter metal colour from above, then nuln oil all over and spongin on a silver colour might look nice as well.

[MegaVolt87]

I think Megavolt misunderstood how the ranking Was meant to be.

1 easiest to build. 5 the hardest. He made it the other way round. :)

Sorry, exactly, I am too used for low score is bad, high is good.

[Valkyrion]

I recently (yesterday, in fact) built a Sicaran, Arquitor, Dreadnought Drop Pod and Deathstorm Drop Pod, and these are the biggest FW kits I've built since a Caestus about 10 years ago.

 

I used only GW clippers, GW knife, Tamiya saw,  and Army Painter superglue - no vices, no files, no miliput, no elastic bands, no two part epoxy or anything.

 

There were pre washed and pre clipped from the big resin blocks, but not tidied up.

 

 

Sicaran: The underside of the hull was warped enough to piss you off if it was visible, but it isn't. Once the sides were on it was solid enough to knock off the coffee table without breaking or injuring the dog. There were a few 1mm or 2mm gaps where the top hull joins the sides, but if it's going to be a dark colour then you'll not notice.

The biggest pain, but only because it's fiddly, is getting the sponson top and bottom through the heavy bolter so that it rotates. If you're not bothered then it's easy to just glue it in place.

 

My beginner level difficulty level - 3/5.

 

Arquitor: Very similar to the above, but a bit easier. The hardest bit for me was remembering which way round it's supposed to face - it's like a backwards sicaran.

2.5/5

 

Dreadnought drop pod: Easy. Peasy. The most time consuming part is getting the fins and doors rid of all the flash and blocks, because this kit needs to be flush. You can blag the assembly of bits of the sicaran and other vehicles because you're not going to see it, but this thing needs to be flush and smooth fitting. Once you've done that it's almost impossible to get it wrong, and goes together nicely.

1.5/5

 

Deathstorm:  Maybe it's because it was the last thing I built and i had a bit of hobby fatigue, but I hated building this. The idea is to build 75% of a normal drop pod and add the resin to the rest, but there's no instructions of building the bulk of the model. It's not rocket science I know, and it was a simple build in the end, but crikey it was tedious.

 

1.5/5.

 

 

 

Onwards and upwards - Javelin and Fire Raptor next on the agenda.