Ashen Sentinels - my Primaris Space Marine army

[Firedrake Cordova]

I can imagine how much of a pain those hazard stripes were!  They look fine to me  

[gaurdian31]

I think you did a great job on the stripes, that must have been really difficult. I can't see myself doing that and it is super impressive. Great job!

[phandaal]

This color scheme is great! For something that could end up looking like the "grey tide" if not done properly, your paint scheme and colors really make it pop!

[firestorm40k]

Thank you @Firedrake Cordova, @gaurdian31 and @phandaal 

 

So a bit earlier than I was expecting, I've finished these Aggressors - and my first vow for CtA 

 

We're going away for a week, but when I'm back I'll carry on with the Bladeguard, Intercessors and Lieutenant that I've also been working. As well as that, I'll show a few pics of what's coming next for this army..! 

[Brother Christopher]

As always, great models. Even though I don't like the models as much as regular PA. I'm looking forward to seeing your take on Bladeguards! Are you planning on painting their tabards green?

 

Have a nice break!

[firestorm40k]

Thank you @Brother Christopher! 

 

Yes, the Bladeguard tabbards will indeed be green 

[Brother Christopher]

Oh, yeah - silly me. I forgot that you've already posted these WIP photos. Regardless, something told me that I knew that green's a great choice for your Bladeguards. I remembered about your HQs, though!

[sugar-free]

I am loven thes guys. Color scheme and armor is looking sweet 

[gaurdian31]

Very excited to see your upcoming update and really love how the aggressors came out! Great job!

[firestorm40k]

Update time - still painting Intercessors, and doing little bits on Bladeguard in tandem. On the Intercessors I'm doing the guns, which leads to one of my favourite ironies of painting these: having spent a few evenings working on the aquilas - adding layers of shading then steps of subsequent highlights, when the arms and guns are finished, I'll stick them on the model, hiding the aquilas I spent the time to get right 

 

I also had a minor set back, costing me a bit of painting time - this pair of arms was the source of my grief:

 

Managed to drop it when I was about to start painting the gun casing - it went somewhere under my desk, amidst boxes and cans of spray primer. I initially feared that there was some warp anomaly or webway portal to a pocket dimension down there, as my initial search - pulling everything out from under the desk - proved fruitless. Knowing there was literally nowhere else it could be, last night I completely cleared under the desk again  and there it was, right at the very back corner, clearly trying to hide from me..!  I was beginning to think I'd have to assemble another grenade launcher Bolter and the arms holding it, going through all the paint steps again -thankfully I won't have to do that  

 

I didn't need the delay it would have caused either, as in a couple of weeks I'll be taking an enforced break from these as I'll be recovering from planned knee surgery. I'm hoping I can get these about 95% complete before then - but my hard deadline for these is 12th October, when I need them for the first game of a 40k Campaign I'm running..! 

Edited September 12 by firestorm40k
Typoes!

[Firedrake Cordova]

They really do look great.  I like that the grey isn't a neutral grey, but has a slight warmth to it, which makes it more interesting.

 

Good to hear that your lesser carpet daemon wasn't overly hungry, too  

[Rusted Boltgun]

The Ashen Sentinels are looking as sharp as ever!

I sympathise, a Marine head scooted under the table yesterday as I was trying to glue it to a sub-assembly.

[firestorm40k]

 

The Ashen Sentinels are looking as sharp as ever!

I sympathise, a Marine head scooted under the table yesterday as I was trying to glue it to a sub-assembly.

Thank you @Rusted Boltgun; I hope you were able to find the missing head before it vanished in to some pocket dimension..! 

[TheArtilleryman]

 

I initially feared that there was some warp anomaly or webway portal to a pocket dimension down there

I swear the plastic they make these things from has some sort of C’Tan phase power or something. I dropped a bobbly MKVI shoulder pad on my grey carpet the other day. Searched for an hour for it and eventually gave up and went out. Came home and found it several hours later inside a cupboard.

[gaurdian31]

The new marines are looking good! Glad you found the launcher, I've had bits disappear for months to then turn up under my foot, angry that they had been lost to the warp. I wish you a speedy recovery for your knee surgery.

[firestorm40k]

Woah, didn't realise it was over month since I last posted..!  So, keeping it brief as possible: firstly, I finished the two squads of Intercessors - little later than hoped/planned, but following my knee op I wasn't able to get to my hobby area for almost a week 

 

Next, as I needed it for the campaign I'm running/taking part in, while I had my feet up in recovery I switched to laptop hobby  and worked on a Repulsor. To see if I could do it quicker, I primed it with cheap hycote grey spray primer, and tried a wash of my 'special recipe' that I use for this army - the results weren't what I wanted:

 

I went over with white spray primer, then the same two thinned-coats of Dawnstone as the rest of the army. I'm now going over it with a thinned coat of my 'special wash', it's looking better now:

 

Next I'll panel line then drybrush Administratum grey, I'll be doing a bit of chipping & weathering so hoping that'll save me some time on the highlights! 

 

As well as that, I've just started painting the Heavy Intercessors - I'll get some pics in due course. 

Edited October 15 by firestorm40k
Pressed the post button too early..!

[Firedrake Cordova]

The Intercessors look great, and attempt 2 at the Repulsor looks much better than attempt 1  

[gaurdian31]

Like @Firedrake Cordova stated, the intercessors look very well done and the 2nd attempt on the repulsor is coming along really well! Hope recovery is going well!

[firestorm40k]

Quick little update before we go away for the week: I'm currently up to my neck in Heavy Intercessor highlights, and it is tedious - I won't be painting anymore of these once these are done 

 

I've also been chipping away at the Repulsor, some panel lining/shading and first highlights this last week:

 

Finally, I'm just about done with this Lieutenant - been waiting to think of a name for him, as he has a plaque on his right shoulder that I've foolishly decided needs his name inscribed upon  He'll have to wait until we're back, and another evening when I can work up the courage to attempt tiny freehand writing   Anyway, here's Lt Kalos:

Edited October 27 by firestorm40k

[Firedrake Cordova]

They look great. I like what you've done with the Sector Mechanicus base.  

[gaurdian31]

Looking great, LT is coming along very nicely!

[Brother Carpenter]

Really loving your army.

Stunning paintjobs very nice color scheme.

I think you really outdid yourself with the bare heads. Especially painting them in so many different skin tones really sets them apart and gives them an extra level of realism.

[firestorm40k]

On 10/30/2024 at 9:51 AM, Brother Carpenter said:

Really loving your army.

Stunning paintjobs very nice color scheme.

I think you really outdid yourself with the bare heads. Especially painting them in so many different skin tones really sets them apart and gives them an extra level of realism.

Thank you for your very kind words @Brother Carpenter  I enjoy painting varied skin tones, not least of all because it makes it a little more interesting to do each one different 

 

The slog of doing armour highlights is finally complete, thank goodness  so this week I've done the undersuits, leather pouches, and have made a start on the shoulder pad trims:

 

Doing the armour highlights is like pushing a boulder uphill - now I've reached the presipice, and it's all down-hill; the details after a generally much quicker to paint! 

 

...until I get to the gun casings, another step I don't massively enjoy either   It'll be worth it in the end though! 

[Son of Rawl]

This is a great project dude, can see what you meant about ptsd from batch painting.

[gaurdian31]

The armor is looking great!