Frankendoodle's Sons of Horus - Maloghurst the Twisted Finished at last!

[frankendoodle65]

Thanks for the comments guys, I was starting to feel like I was talking to myself in here! 

@Pearson73 Good thing about collecting the heresy poster boys I guess, we get all the goodies faster than most others! Hopefully you'll get something fun and characterful for the Iron Hands soon too!

@Marshal Mittens Thanks, I stole a few ideas from your thread too, I've not seen any update there for a while though! 

 

 

First three Chieftains are completed now, time to get working on the rest of the squad!

 

[KurtanionNZ]

On 6/29/2022 at 9:39 PM, frankendoodle65 said:

With the release of The Horus Heresy 2.0 I've been pretty excited about all the new releases and really enjoying the buzz on the forum, so a few weeks before preorders went live I ordered some bits from shapeways and went to work on the pile of shame. 

There's no real aim here, I haven't played Warhammer since about 4th edition and that's unlikely to change any time soon, but I enjoy collecting, modelling and painting so it's unlikely I'll be building anything like a competitive army here. 

So here's the first squad of 20, 15 of these were built and painted before I got my hands on the Age of Darkness boxset, so I used a bit of guesswork based off internet comparison pictures to try and get the size of them right. Sadly I don't have any WIP photos of these guys, but it was mainly a case of cutting above the belt and adding a small plasticard spacer, and cutting the thighs of mkiv legs to add a spacer there too. They're all made from an assortment of CSM parts, mkiv, mkiii and whatever else was floating in my bits box - I really like the look of cobbled together, mismatched armour and it seems appropriate for a massive conflict like the Heresy!

 

Its a bit hard to see what's going on in that big group shot, so let's take some closer looks...

 

Most of these guys are pretty self explanatory, a mix of different armour marks and a few shapeways shoulder pads/heads dotted around. I just had to include the imperial space marine, I added spacers in the shins and waist to give him a bit of height and swapped out his funky gun for a regular bolter.

More of the same here. I had one random pair of mkv legs in the bits box which I used for the middle guy, then wanted more so tried converting mkvii legs for the guy to his right. The mkv head is actually a mkvii with a 40k terminator mouth grill and a bit of putty, an unnecessarily fiddly conversion so I've ordered a few mkv heads to save me that hassle again!

I really wanted to include some mkii armour in this squad, so I followed an OLD tutorial to convert a mkii torso from a regular mkvii, arms are from the old CSM which are close enough to mkii, otherwise he's mostly mkiii. 

By this point the Age of Darkness box set arrived and I completed the squad. I can't say I'm a big fan of mkvi, and I hate the beaky helmets so don't expect to see many of them. But with a little kitbashing these guys are nice, of note is the guy left of center, I cut his torso off at the waist and swapped in a mkiv which seems to scale just fine. Far left is a Blackstone Fortress CSM, I just shaved off some of the excessive chaos detailing and swapped his head, shoulder pad and backpack.

Here's a fun scale shot. We've got an old dark vengeance tactical marine, one of my slightly upscaled mkiv's, a mkvi and the converted csm. This particular mkiv is a little on the small side, he was built before I started adding spacers in the thighs so most are a little taller, but I'm happy to have a bit of variation across the squad - after all the blacklibrary novels make plenty of references to space marines varying in height.

 

 

So seeing as this is meant to be a WIP thread, let's take a look at what's going on next.  Neither of the new praetors really did much for me out of the box, but they have a lot of potential. The sword guy is a pretty simple kitbash to give him a powerfist and move the volkite to his other hand. I've scraped away some of the fiddly details and sculpted an eye of Horus on his knee, I've not decided what to do with his gut plate yet though. 

The Axe praetor is where things get a little silly... I've heard a lot of people mistake him for a terminator due to his sheer bulk, so I thought to myself, why not? I'm waiting on some SoH themed cataphractii shoulder pads from shapeways and he'll need a lot more work but you can see where he's heading. 

 

The new forum is way easier to upload and post photos from a mobile, but I've not figured out how to size pictures yet so apologies if they're massive! Likewise I wanted to hide some of the pictures in spoiler tags to streamline the post a bit, can anyone remind me how to do this please?

I absolutely love your work here! Can I ask how you managed to convert the right shoulder pad on the Blackstone Fortress marine? I've got a spare one and I'd like to do something similar, is it greenstuff work? 

[Marshal Mittens]

@frankendoodle65 the humidity has been a bit much, so I have not primed in a bit, mostly building! I do have some guys mostly finished, just waiting to be able to matte varnish them, as the streaking grime came out a bit shiney, which I had not experienced before!

 

Your current work is just outstanding though! I love those shields! I would like to try and convert up some chieftains myself, in the future! Your thread is among the most inspiring for SoH, for sure!

Edited September 26, 2022 by Marshal Mittens

[sarabando]

some of your WIPS are really triggering my nostalgia they are really giving me that old BnC feel from back around 4th ed keep it up :D

[NinjaBadger7]

On 6/29/2022 at 11:00 PM, frankendoodle65 said:

Thanks all, very encouraging feedback. Nice to know the green is going down well, it's a recipe I came up with about 8 or 9 years ago (mix of sotek green, Vallejo scurvy green, Vallejo German grey and mechanicus standard grey. Then increasing amounts of mechanicus standard grey and white are mixed in for highlights and battle damage) - I've noticed games workshop now have a couple of greens named for the sons of Horus, they'd probably make my life easier but I'm set in my ways! 

@Pearson73 Thanks, the praetors almost felt a bit too 40k straight out of the box, so definitely needed a bit of work to fit in! 

@Brother Dallo thanks, perfect suits of matching armour might make sense for the Ultramarines or some of the other loyalists, but I've always preferred the traitor legions with a slightly ramshackle mix!

Just a quick update for tonight. I've sculpted an eye of Horus icon on the belly plate of the power armour praetor, and the terminator has seen a bit more work. Leather straps added to the shoulders (kromlech pteruges chopped up), I've sculpted the cataphractii style leg trim and carved the calves into segmented plates. All together I'm pleased he's shaping up to look like a proper terminator now! Still waiting on some 3d printed shoulder pads for him from shapeways, so I've just blu-tacked some plain ones on for now.

 

 

 

Thanks for looking, let me know what you think!

 

That green is gorgeous :)

 

Is it an equal mix of the paints you mention?

[TheWarmaster]

These are all incredible!! So so good!! 

[frankendoodle65]

Sorry guys, it's been a while! Life gets a bit hectic, but I'm hoping to start carving out a bit of hobby time again... 

 

On 9/26/2022 at 10:34 AM, KurtanionNZ said:

I absolutely love your work here! Can I ask how you managed to convert the right shoulder pad on the Blackstone Fortress marine? I've got a spare one and I'd like to do something similar, is it greenstuff work? 

Probably too late to help now, but I just used clippers and a knife to carve away the old shoulder pad until it was small enough to fit a new one on top.

 

On 9/26/2022 at 10:40 AM, Marshal Mittens said:

@frankendoodle65 your current work is just outstanding though! I love those shields! I would like to try and convert up some chieftains myself, in the future! Your thread is among the most inspiring for SoH, for sure!

Thanks Marshall, very kind words. The chieftains were a fun project, have you got around to doing your own yet? 

 

On 9/26/2022 at 12:42 PM, sarabando said:

some of your WIPS are really triggering my nostalgia they are really giving me that old BnC feel from back around 4th ed keep it up :D

Thanks, I've been around since late 3rd/early 4th so I guess it's got to come out somehow in my modelling! 

 

On 1/24/2023 at 10:22 AM, NinjaBadger7 said:

 

That green is gorgeous :)

 

Is it an equal mix of the paints you mention?

Hard to remember, I mixed up quite a large pot so I wouldn't run out! I know it was more sotek green than anything else, but it was just trial and error until I got a colour I liked. Sorry I can't be more specific.

 

On 1/26/2023 at 3:06 PM, TheWarmaster said:

These are all incredible!! So so good!! 

Thanks!! 

 

 

I finally got around to finishing off the Chieftains, they've sat unfinished on the desk for a while now! 

 

 

And a close up of the banner bearer:

 

 

And all together now:

 

 

 

Next project is the Spartan tank, I forgot how much I hate building tanks but the worst is over now! Nothing too exciting to show yet so just a close up of the legionary riding up top:

 

 

The tank will get skulls, chains etc. Though I probably won't go as overboard as I did on the Contemptor, I'm already nervous about painting this so don't want to make my life any harder than I have to!

[TheWarmaster]

43 minutes ago, frankendoodle65 said:

Thanks!! 

You're welcome! 

The chieftains look amazing! 

[frankendoodle65]

Thanks @TheWarmaster! 

 

Just a tiny update today, couldn't resist putting together another bog standard bolter marine, he's nothing special but there's just something about him I really dig. 

 

Thighs have been elongated with plasticard and he's got a spacer at the waist, otherwise a pretty straightforward kitbash with old CSM arms and a head from Here. He'll need a chain bayonet to join my second squad, and probably a few skulls/coins/chains to really fit in. 

 

In other news I have a forgeworld sons of Horus Contemptor on its way to me, as well as some Tortuga bay Justaerin so hopefully there'll be some good stuff to show in the coming weeks/months.

[batu]

Your greenstuff work is excellent. Lovely stuff!

[One-eye]

Amazing kitbashes and conversions ! I really dig that last helmet, but everyting is inspiring.

[frankendoodle65]

Thanks for the comments guys, really helps to keep motivation up. 

 

I've finished the Spartan, I can't honestly say I enjoyed it but it's done. I probably should have just sold the sprues on eBay, but I wanted to give it a go.

 

I've not painted a tank for a looong time so there's probably a lot I could have done better - my usual techniques of drybrushing, washes and sponge weathering didn't scale up as well as I hoped but I think it's passable! 

 

In much more exciting news I managed to get hold of one of these bad boys... 

 

 

He's been left totally stock, I love the model as is so didn't see the need to add anything to it. I'm really looking forward to getting some paint on him, then probably onto some more tactical marines and the Justaerin. 

 

I might also have some gal vorbak waiting to do something with... I just love the models, so they'll either go to my 40k Wordbearers or get turned into Luperci, I'm leaning towards the latter but I don't want to rush into hacking up such lovely models!

[TheWarmaster]

17 minutes ago, frankendoodle65 said:

Thanks for the comments guys, really helps to keep motivation up. 

 

I've finished the Spartan, I can't honestly say I enjoyed it but it's done. I probably should have just sold the sprues on eBay, but I wanted to give it a go.

 

I've not painted a tank for a looong time so there's probably a lot I could have done better - my usual techniques of drybrushing, washes and sponge weathering didn't scale up as well as I hoped but I think it's passable! 

 

In much more exciting news I managed to get hold of one of these bad boys... 

 

 

He's been left totally stock, I love the model as is so didn't see the need to add anything to it. I'm really looking forward to getting some paint on him, then probably onto some more tactical marines and the Justaerin. 

 

I might also have some gal vorbak waiting to do something with... I just love the models, so they'll either go to my 40k Wordbearers or get turned into Luperci, I'm leaning towards the latter but I don't want to rush into hacking up such lovely models!

These look awesome brother!! :D

[Firedrake Cordova]

It sucks that the Sicaran was a slog, although it's done now. I particularly like the glow on the Eye of Horus icon

 

Hopefully the Contemptor is a more enjoyable project  

 

1 hour ago, frankendoodle65 said:

I probably should have just sold the sprues on eBay, but I wanted to give it a go.

Ah, but if you did that, you wouldn't have a tank you could push around the table making tank noises.  No? Just me?  

[frankendoodle65]

Thanks @TheWarmaster

 

thanks @Firedrake Cordova , yeah it was a slog but I'm glad I worked through it, it's good to challenge myself sometimes! And absolutely re. the noises, lascanons go "pew pew" right? 

 

Contemptor is definitely more fun, I've made a start on him and I'm pretty pleased with the progress so far. 

 

Still loads to do, green and black are nearly finished, silver has been basecoated and washed. 

 

While waiting for undercoats to dry I've also put together another marine and finished off the one from two posts ago. 

 

Really liking these helmets, they feel totally brutal and now I'm tempted to make up an allied squad of world eaters with them! 

[batu]

Great looking guys! Where are the resin parts from?

 

[frankendoodle65]

Thanks Batu! 

 

The heads and shoulder pads are from Archies forge

 

The topknot is from Anvil industry

 

Loincloth is a spellcrow bit, ordered from Wayland games.

 

I've also found Shapeways and Etsy to be great sources for bits, though delivery times can be a bit all over the place.

[Firedrake Cordova]

Well, it looks like you've made rapid progress on the Contemptor.

 

18 hours ago, frankendoodle65 said:

lascanons go "pew pew" right?

Yup  

[Pearson73]

Those helmets are brilliant, so savage! Also digging the heavy bolters for the Contemptor, they just look so heavy and brutal. I think the Spartan looks solid.

[frankendoodle65]

Thanks guys! I'm really having a blast with the Contemptor, give it another couple of days and I'll have some finished photos to show off. 

 

I've been playing with the first of my Tortuga bay Justaerin tonight, and wow these are big boys! I've included a more or less stock plastic cataphractii for comparison (mildly converted to make Justaerin way back when BaC came out all those years ago). 

 

New guy has a CSM head and power maul, and some trophy skulls from CSM terminators. Think I'll turn that oval in his chest into an eye of Horus and that'll be it for this guy.

 

Trouble is I have ten unassembled cataphractii from last year's big box set, I can't leave them without some major rescaling work now I've got these guys! I guess we've got all that to look forward to in the future, and the old Justaerin will be retired. 

 

[Firedrake Cordova]

Those Tortuga Bay models are certainly very imposing, aren't they?

[frankendoodle65]

@Firedrake Cordova absolutely huge, but I love them. The stock cataphractii look a bit puny now everything else has been rescaled.

 

Speaking of which...

 

 

I figured the thighs are fine but the shins needed extending, as well as a spacer in the waist and under the feet. I'm tempted to sculpt over the shins to add some bulk but I've got ten of these to do and I just don't know if it's worth the hassle... I think I can live with my standard terminators being less bulky than the Justaerin.

 

 

Anyway, tonight's post is about the Contemptor, I just need to paint the base rim black and hit him with a coat of varnish, but for all intents and purposes he's finished. 

 

 

And here he is alongside my other recent Contemptor: 

 

 

They make quite a handsome pair if I do say so myself!

[Valkia the Bloody]

Good work on the Contemptors.

I like the understated weathering you have done.

I have to remember to try that on my new Leviathan when I am painting him.

The legion specific Dreadnoughts are just works of art.

[frankendoodle65]

Thanks @Valkia the Bloody 

The weathering is pretty simple, I build up the main armour colour with progressively lighter drybrushing, which gives it a fairly worn look to start. Then it's just sponge weathering, first with black and then my lightest highlight colour of the armour. Quick and easy but looks pretty decent in my opinion! 

 

Clearly I'm in full hobby butterfly mode at the moment because I've been working on a very grumpy looking bald guy... 

 

 

no matter what I try I can't seem to get a good focus on this, but I think between the two photos you get a pretty good idea of him. I might do some more work on the red glow under his jaw, I haven't decided how far to go with that yet so I've kept it subtle for now until I paint the rest of him.

 

Also planning some conversion work - I deliberated a lot between classic Horus and Horus ascended, I settled on the original but ideally I'd like something in between the two! 

[Pearson73]

Fantastic work on the face! Love that you're doing that classic red glow.