Horus Hersy Jaxom's Astartes Corner: Airbrush experiment 1 9/25/24

[jaxom]

What started as a more complex idea ended up being more straightforward when I sat down and got cutting and fitting.

 

 

 

 

More details on the process

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I was originally planning on using the two-handed sword arms for the Sword-Brother and rotating the torso, to make a pose similar to the one we tend to see pop up in art work. However, after dry-fitting the Sword-Brother arm with the Emperor's Champion's hand and seeing how it looked... well, I just went with the flow.

 

I cut the Emperor's Champion's arms off with a jeweler's saw and dry-fit the arm. The sword's guard was at a bad angle, so that came off the hand.

 

I trimmed the chain on the wrist so it would work with the Emperor's Champion's hand's chain.

 

 

I used clippers to bring down the neck. I should have down it before putting the torso together, but it didn't seem as bad when I did the initial dry-fit.

 

Looking good, but the question was what could the other arm be?

 

I took one of the Primaris Crusader arms with a chainsword (the out stretched one) and dry-fitted  the Emperor's Champion's hand on it; and that's where things stand now.

 

[Jukkiz]

looking way better then original, dunno if they were going to make him more Sigismund from start. Keep it up!

[jaxom]

I luckily(?) remembered that lieutenats/castellans can take a storm shield and thus an unplanned kit-bash (with some minor conversion) happened.

 

My starting point was the Marshall and the storm shield from the Indomitus captain as I had one from the Elite starter kit that I had no real plans for.

 

 

The major part of the conversion is the shield arm replacing the ranged weapon. I used a heavy bolt pistol arm and the power sword hand from the Primaris Crusader kit.

 

 

 

And here's the proof of concept:

 

  

[Doghouse]

Loving the conversions, you've got some great stuff coming on here.

[jaxom]

Pre-GS and covering an awkard join with a a shield:

 

 

Also some paint on the Castellan

 

 

[jaxom]

The Redemptor has a lot going on, yet still requires some trimming and futzing to get a wider range of motion. I didn't even go too crazy, just raising one leg up a bit. I think I'm going to add chains (using jeweler chains) to the shield and sword on the sarcophagus.

 

This what I originally had:

 

Then I made the mistake of Googling 'knight sarcophagus' because it reminded me of a wall-hanging and some coffins I had seen in museums. And I found so many tomb effigies.... and I couldn't let it go and now I am going to a basket case without enough sleep, but it had to happen.

 

 

Edit: added Crusader seal to hide awkward chain bit

Edited January 19, 2022 by jaxom

[Pearson73]

What an excellent idea for the Dreadnought, really bringing the gothic glory back to Primaris!

[space wolf]

I really like your dread. Love to see it when it's finished :D

[Shovellovin]

I love the idea of using the standard from Indomitus as a sarcophagus cover and adding the sword pose is inspired. Excellent work! 

[Custom Hero]

This is nice. Got a lot of character so far and you’re just beginning. Definitely digging the historical references too.

[jaxom]

"Practice what you preach," and I've often noted how important that ineffable "click" is towards keeping a project and hobby motivation. Black Templars and I... we did not click. I love the lore, the models, the rules, but I kept finding excuses not to sit down and get stuff down. My signature shows how that turned out 

 

I've decided to work on a pure hobby project I've had on the back burner for a while. Initially it was more of a proof-of-concept, but then GW changed their event policy (and I do have dreams of Adepticon's Heresy event someday) and the Heresy 2.0 leak put me in waiting mode. I put these together over the past few days.

 

 

Those are the Tortuga Mk3 bodies, with FW Breacher everything else... except the plasma pistol and flamer which are from my bitz box. I really like the idea of Terran Veterans who fought in the Solar War and then as part of the 8th Expeditionary Fleet; then nope-ing right out after Perturabo decimates their legion. They manage to get themselves assigned to a minor expedition fleet or a Rogue Trader, whatever. They're not the only ones, a squad or two from other legions; the force being a Shattered Legions list.

 

Weather has me thinking modeling for the next few weeks. Aggressors will probably come next.

[War of the Eagle]

I really like the banner on the front of the dread. Looks great. May have to try that if i get a dread for my black templars.

[jaxom]

Thank you!

 

Waaaay back in 2018 Rogue Crusader shared some Aggressors with mini-gun style barrels (http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/349892-primaris-aggressor-upgraded/). Referenced in the original post was a previous conversion using Taurox parts and referring to it as Decimator-pattern. I really liked the way both conversions looked and, when I finally got Aggressors, I proceeded to on-and-off stalk Red Dog Minis for when the barrels were in stock. I ordered some and at the same time ordered some Grey Knight Terminator helmets from eBay. I know it wasn't an original idea, but can't remember where I saw it; trim down the hood and use the GKT head. The other thing I did was GS a metal tabard based on Mk3 power armor. It looked a little awkward so I trimmed  the bone off the rope-belt and put that on it.

 

  

 

 

Still need to add shoulder pads and the frag launchers, but pretty happy with it so far. At some point I need to post some of the lore for my DIY chapter; I'm going to call this Erinyes-pattern armor (these guys are part of the Cthonian Temple, while the flamer armed Aggressors are part of the Sidereal Temple).

[jaxom]

I've been alternating between laughing like a madman and giggling like a school girl. As I type this, my test model has been drying for about six hours and I can see it's got to go at least another 8 before I should take pictures, but I already am chomping at the bit to share it.

 

I was aiming for the pre-Iron Warriors IVth legion colour scheme.

 

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This is the first time I wanted to paint a 'dirty' appearance. I usually like my little dudes to look crisp (Imperials) or messily cartoonish (Nurgle Daemons). Neither seem appropriate for the Horus Heresy.

 

Undercoat with leadbelcher spray and hit it all over with Basilicanum Grey contrast paint:

 

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No flash

 

Flash

 

 

This, in person, matches pretty decently with the source image. I think it matches pretty well with the description of polished ceramite; a lustrous grey.

 

The pauldron rims are then painted with Runefang Steel, along with a single knee pad. I went with the more visible knee (for aesthetics), even though it doesn't match the source image. You can see the results on the mini on the right.

 

The next few steps I don't have pictures of, because I haven't done them yet with the rest of the squad. Paint the left shoulder and bolter casing black and the shield Runefang Steel. Then two coats of Seraphim Sepia on the areas painted Runefang Steel. Blood Angels contrast paint for the lenses. Edge highlight the bolter casing (I used Mechanicus Standard Grey). Pick out any areas that should be metal, but got covered with Iron Warrior paint.

 

I then sponged Burnt Sienna to create weathering patterns on the shield and other areas. This all led to the pre-oil wash result:

 

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The pre-oil wash version is serviceable, and could probably even go beyond "table-top" to "table-top +1" with a bit more highlighting and/or shading. However, part of this hobby-only project was to apply something new and push my skills in different direction. Enter the oil wash courtesy of some Turpenoid Slow Dry and Burnt Umber oil paint (to the consistency of chocolate milk); note, I used matte varnish and I have no idea if it really made a difference from using gloss varnish. I applied with one brush, removed pools with a second, dry brush and then came back every forty minutes or so for a few hours to guide or remove further pooling.

 

The oil wash is still a wettish, so somewhat shinier than it will end as, I think.

 

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There's something about the oil wash version, which I'm finding hard to capture in the pictures, that seems to bring everything together an elevate it.

 

 

[jaxom]

Been about a week and here's a comparison of the oil-washed model and one of his brothers who has not gotten the brown-sponge and oil-wash treatment.

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

Going to try out some free hand, then weather the four breachers, and wait for weather where I can varnish them.

[Guest Triszin]

Which is which? Both look good

[jaxom]

Thank you! The one on the left has the oil-wash.

[jaxom]

They need a coat of varnish so I can do the details, but here's the full squad after the oil wash (without and with flash).

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

I've also been working on an Apothecary and Intercessor squad.

 

 

 

Purity seals absolve many hobby sins (like a bad join from having the shorten the tubing). The Intercessor squad is in the building phase, but I had an idea for the Veteran Sergeant.

 

  

 

One of the ideas I had for the chapter was they're in an area of space that's kind of like the space equivalent of steppe lands. Formerly prosperous asteroid mining, but the mines tapped out, so the local forge worlds switched over to refining nebula gas at some point. Void-herders 'shear' their areas of space and then migrate to the forge worlds to trade, repair, and sit out the bad season of celestial phenomena. Of course xenos pirates, heretic corsairs, and the like would target all this. The local chapter not only helps protect the area through a lot of boarding actions and destruction of pirate bases among the asteroids, but recruits from the void-herders occasionally. Many such battle-brothers will often wield weapons more resembling naval-patterns. 

[Pearson73]

Those grimy shields look ace, as does the apothecary.

[Valkia the Bloody]

Wow, those breachers came out great!

Looking good already!

Also, nice conversions!

[jaxom]

The spring term is the most-energy draining, and Elden Ring ate my soul, but I have gotten a tiny little bit of stuff done recently.

 

Some arms and heads for the Intercessors.

 

Arm for the apothecary.

 

And a little helper to lug the gene-seed around.

 

 

[jaxom]

I did finish the squad I was working on and I'm going to put a pin in Primaris for the moment. The Heresy train has pulled into the station.

[Dr_Ruminahui]

They look great - is it possible to get a front view?

[Pearson73]

The finished squad is really nice, I particularly like the chapter markings and heraldry. Ace that you've jumped into the Heresy, what legion will you choose?

[jaxom]

18 hours ago, Dr_Ruminahui said:

They look great - is it possible to get a front view?

Thank you and here you go:

12 hours ago, Pearson73 said:

The finished squad is really nice, I particularly like the chapter markings and heraldry. Ace that you've jumped into the Heresy, what legion will you choose?

Thank you, the squad mark is from Chapter Customizer (good, but not opaque, hence the white shoulders) and the chapter symbol is a 15 mm scale Macedonian star shield marking from Veni Vidi Vici.  Eventually I'm going to add squad numbers to them and the rest, once I figure out how I want to break down squad and combat squad markings. That's when I'll do this squad's eyes, too. 

I'm 85% towards XIV legion, I'm a loyalist at heart so leaning towards a Dusk Raider paint scheme. However, I also really like the way the Death Guard look, in general, and that would leave me the option of also playing them as traitor. I plan on doing some tests.