AM Not-Stygies - More mechanized Skitarii added...

[Bouargh]

Just started, within the Call to Arms 2023 Challenge, painting part of an extermination maniple.

As time is running short, I did not enlist all the maniple but Cawl, the Kastelans (and their datasmith) plus the skitarii and some scenery from scratch and bitz. I left the Kataphrons out of the challenge as it would be otT for the time left. It is already a lot.

 

Yet I had a productive Saturday with Cawl subassemblies done, main colours on skitarii Rangers done and Kastelan+Smith completed. Here are the latest (in a not so bad picture considering how light is low at almost 11:00pm...):

 

 

More in my galleries +a full progress report later on this week in the Blogs

Edited September 17, 2023 by Bouargh

[Bouargh]

As a new entry: Cawl and its minions. Well, these aren´t yellow. Maybe there is another Forgeworld which is livering Skitarii in yellow however...

 

 

Next step is painting the 6 Kataphrons that remain from the Extermination Maniple set... Bases are done, but nothing more yet. It will have to wait for the closure of the Call to Arm 2023 Challenge as I still have scenery to complete before.

 

Edit: ... And yes, this looks like an illegal unit, apparently. Apparently, Because, in fact, these 10 models were painted in order to legalize my other existing Ranger unit and get sufficient numbers so that, just by swaping positions and models, I can field 2 legit Ranger units. I cannot however field datatether and scanner in both units as I used some key spare parts previously to kitbash an Engineseer and get some characterful torn parts in scenery rumbles. But this was BEFORE launching of 10th Ed and its indexes...

Edited September 27, 2023 by Bouargh
tipos

[Bouargh]

Just completed the 2 last units from the Extermination Maniple set - Kataphons. I have configurated them as one Destroyer and one Breacher squad.

 

The Destroyer squad is a typical configuration that I eventualy plan to expand to 6. I used the same paint scheme as for my previous Kataphron unit.

 

 

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

The Breacher squad is a kind of experimental unit. I knew I wanted the Haywire, but more because the Torsion cannon did not appeal me too much as how it looks. For the HtH arm I finally went hydraulic claw as the Arc based one was a little bit too AntiVehicle oriented for my taste. I rather see these Kataphrons as one of my 2 close combat units, even if they are rather going into melee under a supporting intervention role rather than as a spear head assaulting unit. 

 

 

Spoiler

 

Next step is heavily related to receiving a second Patrol box. Kataphron will go Destroyers, Skitariis will form a second Vanguard squad and Dune crawler will crawl probably with extermination ray gun - staying in my line of "outlook/characterful first". Logical choice should be Icarus array, seen the sheer amount of units with fly I have met recently, But I am not 100% convinced by how it looks. Extermination ray is more AdMechy for me.

 

I still have time to change my mind though, as the delivery is in the pipeline since 2 months and a half or almost... I do not expect it soon.

Edited October 13, 2023 by Bouargh
Damned thick thumbs...

[Firedrake Cordova]

They look good.  

 

I think you're right to choose options based upon looks when you're not sure - I find you're more likely to want to build/paint them, and be happier with them in your display cabinet ... plus, you're less likely to be disappointed if GW changes the rules for them.  

[Bouargh]

59 minutes ago, Firedrake Cordova said:

They look good.  

 

I think you're right to choose options based upon looks when you're not sure - I find you're more likely to want to build/paint them, and be happier with them in your display cabinet ... plus, you're less likely to be disappointed if GW changes the rules for them.  

 

Sad but true... Sounds like a song from Metalica... I should have though better before opting for my FW.

[Firedrake Cordova]

Rules change, but models and paint jobs are forever!   (or maybe I've been through enough edition changes to be overly-sanguine about such things )

Edited October 13, 2023 by Firedrake Cordova

[Bouargh]

I have progressed a lñittle bit on my Second Patrol Box. 

Here is the Onagre once finished.

 

 

Next step is getting the Kataphrons with their first dry brushing of bolt gun metal on tracks. After that the usual recipe for grey and bone plus detailing... Servitors bodies in a second step. 

I seriously slowed down my rate, in order to get the infantery on the paint bench only once codex will have been released. DO not want to get to retool them... In the mean time I also have a serious amount of WFB waiting to join the frey. They deserve some love too...

 

Edited November 10, 2023 by Bouargh

[Bouargh]

My Admech force is growing up in size and number. This quarter saw the addition of a boarding patrol to the already mustered force.

 

The Kataphrons (Breachers) will be the last ones I´ll add. Enough is enough.

The Sicarians and the Skitarii, converted into Secutarii Hoplites by mean of the FW kit, are both adding some punch in HtH.

 

 

 

More about Kataphrons and Sicarians cna be found here and here:

 

 

 

What will the next step(s) be?

 

Well, there is still stuff waiting on my workbench:

• 10 Negavolt cultists, that will be used as proxy Corpuscarii electropriests
• 1 Marshall
• 1 Technoarcheolog
• ... and 1 Styrix Knight

 

I´d like to pump up the sicarians to 10 and add 2 Kastellans too but this is not the top priority atm.

 

[Firedrake Cordova]

Looks like the army's grown a bit since the last update

[Bouargh]

On 4/7/2024 at 1:11 PM, Firedrake Cordova said:

Looks like the army's grown a bit since the last update

 

Indeed,

 

I own 3255 pts of Admech+freeblade, if my napkin math is OK. The knight is the only stuff that cannot so far be fielded, being still packed under its sprue condition.

Out of these 3255, 430 pts are Legend and 710 pts remained to be built/painted (the Freeblade Styrix alone covers most of the WIP budgetized pts...)  

 

I´d like to end up a 3800 pts or so (es Legends), in order to get enough options to get tactical options and avoid aligning always the same list. Beyond the increase of the Sicarian and Kastellan units I mentionned previously, I am especifically lurking at Serberys and Pteraxii. But atm all of that is off budget.  

Edited April 9 by Bouargh

[Bouargh]

An update with some Negavolt Cultists to be used as proxies for Corspucarii priests.

 

 

 

See In my Blog for the whole story:

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 14 by Bouargh

[Bouargh]

And 3 additional characters on the rooster:

 

 

Same pallet of colours that the rest of the force, so, while maintaining the uity, it makes that they do not really stand out when attached to units. Except the technoarcheologist for his big red armoured collar... Fortunatly servoskulls allow upgrading their status vs. the rest of cybermortals...

[Dr_Ruminahui]

They look nice.

 

If you want to make the guy on the left stand out more, maybe some black or red cog teeth, or black and white checkers along the edge of his shoulder cloth thingy?

Edited July 22 by Dr_Ruminahui

[Bouargh]

It is an option I tried previously on another model but my free hand habilities reached their limits for that kind of exercice. So I am a little bit, let´s say, "mild". And the decal option ended up being no better looking (some issues with transparency)... 

 

But it might be worth trying up again...

[Bouargh]

The familly is growing with the contributed miniatures to CTA24:

 

 

More latter in the Blog pqges

[Bouargh]

And some new reinforcements added: a Dragoon and a third Crawler.

 

I really like the look of this tank, a shame I reached the max number...

 

 

[Dr_Ruminahui]

They both look really nice - I can see why you are really happy with the leg-tank.

[Brother Carpenter]

Very nice army, I'm slowly whitteling away at a metalica force.

 

I love the metal parts on your force, it really makes the models pop.

I hear you regarding the cog tooth freehand.

 

But regarding transfers, they are a great way of getting more character on your models:

I recommend painting a gloss varnish, as a background, to hide the transfer edge.

I've recently started using microsol and microset, game changers with difficult angles, just be carefull and you have to be eagle sighted to read the instructions on the jars...

After getting the transfer on the desired spot, dab dry carefully with a clean cloth and paint over with a new gloss varnish layer to seal the transfer, be careful not to move the transfer.

When you are done with all the transfers on the model, an overall matte coat to hide the gloss varnish spots.

 

Just try with some small ones to get the hang of it.

 

Good luck and thanks for the inspiration.

Edited yesterday at 08:07 AM by Brother Carpenter

[Bouargh]

Thanks all for comments. My next moves will consist into closing some units' size:

1. 2 more Castallans, with fists and flamer

2. 5 more Sicarans to reach 10 strong unit

3. 3 sulphurhounds.

 

And the army will be at its optimum.

I will also add 10 peltasts as I have the FW kit there.

 

Otherwise I do not plan more investments. With all of these I head to a pool of 4860 pts available to tune armies. Out of which 430 pts Knight, 530 pts Legends and 3900 pts from the Codex entries.

 

Sure 2 ballistarii or 3 armingers as free blades could be fun to add even more flexibility and options, but these will be very optional so far.

 

I enlisted all the kits needed with an unbelivable 25 to 30 percent discount at black friday. So I expect painting everything in Q1 2025.

 

I ll keep you posted

Edited yesterday at 09:43 AM by Bouargh