Varyn's Emperor's Children

[Varyn]

“That which causes us trials shall yield us triumph, and that which makes our hearts ache shall fill us with gladness. For the only true happiness is to learn, to advance and to improve. None of this could happen without rejecting error, ignorance and imperfection. We must pass out of the darkness to reach the light!”

 

- Fulgrim The Illuminator

 

 

Hello one and all!

 

This blog will follow the progress of my Horus Heresy Emperor’s Children project which I have recently begun. I have been inspired by many of the other great blogs on the forum, including Vykes, Cadmus Tyro, Pearson and Kizzdougs, such excellent hobbyists who deserve a mention for their superb work. I have decided to opt for a metallic purple after being very impressed with Kizzdougs contemptor dreadnought, I haven’t painted a metallic scheme before and am looking forward to the challenge.

 

I don’t have a great track record of keeping up with blogs so I will try and keep the progress small and regular.

 

I am building a 2500 point Maru Skara list which I will talk about further along the project, for now I'll start off with some assembly pictures and test models for the metallic purple:

 

The first 2 terminators are a simple metallic base coat followed by agrax (on the left) nuln oil (the middle) and eidolon clear over the top. The right hand terminator has some highlights, nuln oil and eidolon clear. I plan on using this 3rd recipe as my purple base colour, which I will add some chipping and weathering powders to.

 

Apologies that the purple doesn't show very well in the pictures. (I don't plan on using these models in my army, they are just test models!)

 

 

 

Here is a unit of seekers with combi plasmas, I have another marine to build and I am planning to use some parts from the old repressor rhino kit for their transport

 

 

The first 4 assault marines, the unit will be accompanied by a champion & apothecary, I am waiting on some more jump packs:

 

 

3 more assault marines, I am trying to mix in some other armour marks to represent the replacement of damaged armour after Istvaan V. I have 2 with power axes and a sergeant with a phoenix power spear to add to the unit.

 

 

 

Thanks for looking, I welcome any useful feedback, suggestions and ideas

[dicebod]

They look great!  I love the addition of the reiver bit on your Mk V helmet dude.

[Pearson73]

I'm really looking forward to seeing this log progress, the IIIrd are one of, if not my favourite of the legions and they suit metallic schemes really well. The test scheme you've chosen looks good and I'm digging the use of MKV for the Seekers, the poses look cracking. Are these chaps going to be loyalists or traitors?

 

Thanks for the nod too, especially amongst those of our fellows whose work strongly inspires me.

[BadgersinHills]

Cool stuff! The miniatures should look superb with some weathering. 

[MegaVolt87]

They look good, I hate to be that guy but there was no crux terminus on indomni armour during the GC/HH or the design on the leg like a crux, that is very much a post siege thing as the cruxes each have a sliver of the Emperors armour. Also winged skulls were a loyalist badge I believe that was also used at the siege as an ident mark. I don't know if that is current for the winged skulls though. Aquilla you can get away with easier as that was also an award to those who fought alongside the Emperor, not just EC. 

[Cadmus Tyro]

Great start Varyn, I’m liking the purple tones, the third test model with the darker purple hues. I’ve found metallic schemes really hard to photograph, because lighting plays such a key part in how the model looks. Looking forward to seeing that repressor, not looking forward to being on the receiving end of the plasma seekers.....what goes around comes around I suppose!

 

 

Keep it up!

 

Cadmus

[Varyn]

They look good, I hate to be that guy but there was no crux terminus on indomni armour during the GC/HH or the design on the leg like a crux, that is very much a post siege thing as the cruxes each have a sliver of the Emperors armour. Also winged skulls were a loyalist badge I believe that was also used at the siege as an ident mark. I don't know if that is current for the winged skulls though. Aquilla you can get away with easier as that was also an award to those who fought alongside the Emperor, not just EC. 

 

Thanks for that, the terminators are just painting test models, I won't be using them in my army :) 

[Varyn]

Great start Varyn, I’m liking the purple tones, the third test model with the darker purple hues. I’ve found metallic schemes really hard to photograph, because lighting plays such a key part in how the model looks. Looking forward to seeing that repressor, not looking forward to being on the receiving end of the plasma seekers.....what goes around comes around I suppose!

 

 

Keep it up!

 

Cadmus

 

Thanks Cadmus, I'll try some different lighting set ups to hopefully get some clearer pictures. I'll keep you posted on the repressor!

 

Cool stuff! The miniatures should look superb with some weathering. 

 

Thank you, I have quite a bit of building to do before I get to fully painting and weathering, but I will hopefully get a proper test model fully painted in the next couple of weeks.

 

They look great!  I love the addition of the reiver bit on your Mk V helmet dude.

 

Thanks Dicebod, I wanted to try and mix in some combat blades as they feel a bit more elegant than chainswords! The reiver arms are a bit too chunky but the hands are the same size are regular marines.

 

I'm really looking forward to seeing this log progress, the IIIrd are one of, if not my favourite of the legions and they suit metallic schemes really well. The test scheme you've chosen looks good and I'm digging the use of MKV for the Seekers, the poses look cracking. Are these chaps going to be loyalists or traitors?

 

Thanks for the nod too, especially amongst those of our fellows whose work strongly inspires me.

 

Thanks Pearson, I am really excited to get moving with the project. I was originally planning for them to be traitors with Eidolon leading the army as the model is fantastic and I imagine it's fun to bait people by telling them what a great guy Eidolon is and how superior he is to their lowly HQ's! aside from that I wasn't planning to use any traitor specific units so I guess I could make a loyalist splinter force, but that's a long way off!

[okonomiyakimarine]

A cross per se is quite a universal shape. Similarly the eagle in today’s real world is used by various nations. Also Symbols take different meanings over time. I am sure some proud ec artificer could have come up With such an Iconography - even if that were for later traitors. I’d be quite relaxed about that as long as your forces ‘Historical’ context is not traitors at the siege. My loyal command squad within a somewhat split force has crosses all over.

[Varyn]

A little more progress, although not as much as I would have liked!

 

I've been working on an apothecary and some destroyers, I have also nearly finished building a tactical squad.

 

I have used a mix of armour parts for the destroyers, my reasoning is that they're often in the thick of the fighting and they end up piecing together their armour with whatever they can get their hands on so they can get back into the action. The finished unit will be 7 destroyers with a toxiferran flamer, melta bombs  and a phoenix spear on the sergeant, I am looking forward to painting and weathering them.

 

 

 

 

The apothecary is one of two I have planned for the army. Apothecaries are often described as being more prevalent in the Emperor's Children and having a more prominent role within the legion, I think the more opulent leg armour is befitting for the apothecary who will accompany the veterans. He's almost finished, just a few more pouches and details to add.

 

 

 

 

 

That's all for now, I intend to try and paint all the infantry base colours in one go, which means I won't have much in the way of painting progress for a few weeks as I am waiting for some more bits to arrive to finish building the assault marines, attack bikes and veterans.

 

I will discuss my army composition in the next post, looking at which units I've chosen and the plan for using the army on the table.

Edited May 24, 2020 by Varyn

[No Foes Remain]

I love the kitbashing, the mix of kits and parts is brilliant.

 

 

Also stealing that flamer idea, I mean.... borrow......yes....

[Pearson73]

Nice work on the Destroyers, the Berserker parts work well to give them a more geared-up look, digging the use of Tartaros helms too, it's what I'll be using for mine when I get round to them. I agree re the flamer, a nice little bash that looks unique. The Apothecary is well posed and I like the reasoning behind his more ornate plate.

[Varyn]

I've been rather caught up with work and home renovations, but I have some progress at last!

 

After a great deal of hunting for an Emperor's Children transfer sheet, I ended up waiting for Forgeworld to re-open. I've finished building a tactical squad and have decided to use slate for my basing, I intend to use a pale grey as I think this will contrast well with the metallic purple. 

 

I mentioned in my previous post that I would talk a bit about the planned list, so without further ado, here it is:

 

HQ

Champion, jump pack, artificer armour, paragon blade, jump pack

Praetor, master crafted paragon blade, digital lasers, iron halo

 

Elites

Apothecarion detachment; Apothecary, jump pack, Apothecary, artificer armour

8 Destroyers, toxiferran flamer, melta bombs, phoenix power spear

8 weapon master veterans, melta bombs, phoenix power spear

Contemptor talon, 2x contemptors with 2 kheres assault cannons

 

Troops

10 tactical marines, rhino

13 assault marines, melta bombs, 2 power axes, phoenix power spear

 

Fast Attack

3 attack bikes, multimeltas, melta bombs

7 seekers, 7 combi plasma, rhino

Anvillus dreadclaw

 

Heavy Support

Deredeo dreadnought, autocannons, boreas missiles, heavy bolters

 

 

This gives me the first 2500 of my list and is built around the Maru Skara rite of war. The plan is to use the attack bikes, contemptors and destroyers/seekers for the hidden blade. The weapon master veterans, 1 apothecary and praetor go in the anvillus, the other apothecary and the champion join the assault squad. 

 

I have tried to use a mix of units which will be fun to build, paint and use on the tabletop, to expand to 3000 points I will switch the praetor out for Fulgrim, add a sicaran variant and another tactical squad.

 

Here is my champion WIP, I saw something similar converted as a Night Lords character and thought it looked great, but I can't find the original picture I used for inspiration!

 

 

I've got some old roof slates which I've been breaking up to use on the bases, I think it will work well once they're painted up

 

Here is the assembled tactical squad, just missing some grenades, pouches and t decide which head for the sergeant (EC head  upgrade or UM praetorian)

 

 

Next in the queue is finishing the destroyers & assault marines soon, I have around 4 models left and they're done. I can then think about starting on some painting!

 

[Cadmus Tyro]

Nice work Varyn, the more I look at the photo of the champion, the more I like the pose. Great choice of sword for the paragon blade as well. Which head are you going to use?

 

 

Cadmus

[Pearson73]

Nice pose for the tactical sergeant, the MKVII chest piece works nicely too.

[Marshal Vespasian]

Those conversions are pretty cool, cant wait to dee them with some colour on.

[Kizzdougs]

Really nice purple, bro! Looking forward to seeing them painted up :tu:

[The Scorpion]

 

The first 2 terminators are a simple metallic base coat followed by agrax (on the left) nuln oil (the middle) and eidolon clear over the top. The right hand terminator has some highlights, nuln oil and eidolon clear. I plan on using this 3rd recipe as my purple base colour, which I will add some chipping and weathering powders to.

 

Apologies that the purple doesn't show very well in the pictures. (I don't plan on using these models in my army, they are just test models!)

 

What is the metallic base that you are using? Is it airbrushed?

[Varyn]

 

The first 2 terminators are a simple metallic base coat followed by agrax (on the left) nuln oil (the middle) and eidolon clear over the top. The right hand terminator has some highlights, nuln oil and eidolon clear. I plan on using this 3rd recipe as my purple base colour, which I will add some chipping and weathering powders to.

 

Apologies that the purple doesn't show very well in the pictures. (I don't plan on using these models in my army, they are just test models!)

What is the metallic base that you are using? Is it airbrushed?

 

 

It's airbrushed gunmetal grey (vallejo), the right hand terminator has a highlight of vallejo metal color pale burnt metal. I am very much a novice with this type of scheme and I recommend looking at Kizzdougs blog for a better overview of the metallic purple.

 

Really nice purple, bro! Looking forward to seeing them painted up

 

Thanks Kizzdougs, your work was a major inspiration for this project!

 

Those conversions are pretty cool, cant wait to dee them with some colour on.

 

Thank you, I am very keen to get painting, hopefully in the next week or so I will have enough time to make a start.

 

Nice pose for the tactical sergeant, the MKVII chest piece works nicely too.

 

One of the nice things about the 3rd legion is being able to use some of those different armour pieces with aquilas

 

Nice work Varyn, the more I look at the photo of the champion, the more I like the pose. Great choice of sword for the paragon blade as well. Which head are you going to use?

 

 

Cadmus

 

Thanks mate, I will be sure to ask for some tips when I get painting! I am not sure on the head yet, the UM praetorian heads are an interesting option for Emperor's Children, I'll do a picture of each and see which looks better. 

[Varyn]

A small update on some models I have been working on this weekend, apologies for the poor quality of the photos.

 

Destroyer sergeant and seeker sergeant, these are the last 2 models to finish the units off. 

 

 

This is my praetor, I was originally planning to use Eidolon but I've decided to go for a standard praetor instead. I've always thought the blood angels praetor would make an excellent Emperor's Children model and it didn't take much work. He will join a unit of veterans/palatine blades in a dreadclaw

 

 

 

Sorry that there hasn't been any painting progress yet, I am planning to get all the infantry built and airbrush the metallics and clear purple in one go, to give me the best chance of a consistent colour across the army.

[Pearson73]

Praetor and sergeants looking good, there's a nice overlap between the Blood Angels and Emperor's Children sculpts.

[Varyn]

After a long break, I am back with an update! work has been very busy, which hasn't left much hobby time. 

 

I've almost finished building the army ready for some painting. I ended up not building the attack bikes yet and buying some jetbikes, I'll wait and see what the new units in book 9 (Hussars & Sky Seekers) will be like and hopefully I can use one of them as my 3rd hidden blade unit.

 

I'm waiting for some blood and skulls & kromlech parts to finish my second rhino and the assembled dreadclaw isn't pictured. 

 

I am planning to start painting this week and will try and make the updates more regular from here on in!

 

Here are the two contemptors, the talon will be part of the hidden blade, weapons are magnetised so I can try out some other variations:

 

 

 

 

Deredeo configured for anti-armour duty:

 

 

 

Palatine blades:

 

 

 

Assault squad:

 

 

 

Seekers:

 

 

 

Destroyers (phoenix spear needs straightening!)

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 21, 2020 by Varyn

[Doctor Perils]

Hi, sorry to say your pics aren't loading :/

[Varyn]

Thanks for letting me know, I have fixed it now

[Doctor Perils]

Yup all good - models are looking great :tu: