The Oppo: Bonehead's Lost, Damned and in all likelihood Disappointed

[Bonehead]

Both good plans- in the end I liked the megaphone one better, just a little, but ended up much closer to the whip.

This is the original model, the from-the-box redemptionist leader, next to his banner waving flunky:

The meltagun had to go. It's just too fighty and not preachy enough.

But of judicious chopping, sawing and filing gets him here:

And then I had another check through my Anvil parts and general cult bits box, and by crikey I was right. Literally every single hand holding a cultish-looking accessory that came from Anvil and from all my other bits was a left hand. Absolute pain in the neck. The one thing I knew was pretty much unmovable about the brief was that he couldn't be waving a weapon; he's a cult ringleader, he should look it. The dude's been reading forbidden texts and consorting with the unsavoury powers of the warp, not going to boot camp.

I did work something out in the end. There were several scrolls and books- all of which infuriatingly unusable- but also a couple of censors. And those look very occult, very suitable for a self-aggrandising fool playing dress-up with fancy robes and messing with things he doesn't understand. So I hollowed out the hand that was formerly holding the pistol grip, trimmed a censor of the maddening left hand that was holding its chains, and shoved the two together. Hopefully a success:

Now he's up to his neck in a ritual, as opposed to burning a hole in the ceiling while he speechifies.

Version with flash:

He's been joined in his new endeavours by a bunch of newly built Mari gaurdsmonsters:

Had a big wash of building inspiration and put together a fair few new men for the Mari Landsnechts. Just need two loaders for the heavy bolter teams and that's two entire squads ready built.

I've done the sergeant's pose before on a Yantar guardsman- he is my avatar picture- but I like it so much I just did it again for the baddies. I'm also really pleased with the heavy gunner and the meltagunner. Their poses just sort of hit me this morning and they came out pretty nicely. The kneeling trooper was supposed to be a loader but I forgot to give him any HB ammunition boxes or one of the torsos with an ammo bandolier, so he's just an ordinary grunt now. There's a fair few left-handers now. I think I'll probably not need to do many more in this army- you only need a few to really add a lot of variety to the available poses and make for much better photo potential and that's a good thing because they take bloody ages to make.

Here's a closer view of some of my favourites:

Cheers!

 

Edited November 14 by Bonehead

[Gnasher]

Those cult leaders look good, how you gonna paint the banner?

[Bonehead]

Good question. So far I'm thinking the classic black with a chaos star- and maybe some good old latin gibberish. Possibly some kind of heart motif because they're called immortals?

Ideas welcome!

[Tallarn Commander]

Excellent conversions as always!  The sergeant conversion is very dynamic.

 

But Trooper Sek of the Nostroman 9th disagrees with your argument that a meltagun makes him less of a preacher.  

 

 

Keep up the great work!

[Bonehead]

Had to get new chairs because the one in my workshop finally collapsed and died. Tried a few shops but ended up in good old ikea.

Man, they don't short you on cardboard, do they? I had more bits of packaging left over than I knew what to do with.

I was supposed to be doing a finish respray on a Jackson King V this afternoon, but instead I made some very easy bunkers to match the single piece of terrain I had left over from my teenage hobbyist career. And presumably I only have that because I never got round to throwing it away.

But it proved very easy to replicate. You just need something to enable you to make a bunch of 45-degree angles and you're good. The design must have been in a White Dwarf or something, but I don't remember now. I went from having one to having six, and even joined a couple together:

Not going to set the world on fire, I know, but it kept me busy for a few hours and used up a big sheet of card. Could use some detailing. I might just be too lazy for that though.

The latest platoon of Mari Landsknechts fill them up nicely at least. I'll have those up on the painting bench next, once I've finished the Immortals' leader. But the bunkers will at least provide something to spice up the army shots I promised, once the chief cult bloke is done. A black undercoat and a quick dusting of grey from above should be all they need to work for a few shots.

[GreenScorpion]

The small bunkers look nice! If you want to add some texture without doing anything too elaborate you can use pva glue and sand as that will add a texture similar to concrete (depending on the granularity of the sand).

Example below the spoiler (finer sand might worker better on your case but I was working with what I had):

Spoiler

 

[Dr_Ruminahui]

Nice job hobbying on a budget with your little emplacements!

 

One question, though, as what your intent is - I they meant to simply be raised infantry emplacements (so, essentially elevated versions of these) or are they meant to be little bunkers with a fighting position on the top (like this)?  If it is the later, you might want to cut out some square "frames" to create firing slits on the sides - you can then paint the bit inside the frames black to simulate an opening (easier and more effective IMHO than actually cutting one).

 

As well, its hard to tell, but is the top area big enough to fit a heavy weapon team base?  If not, you may want to make a set of bigger ones that are.

 

Oh, and I really like the raised wall and battlement that you've created to go between them - really helps sell them as actual fortifications and not just funny beheaded pyramids.  I think you should do more of those of various lengths.

 

Oh, and I forgot to ask earlier, but can we get a side-on picture of the trooper with the pistol and slung rifle/shotgun?  The pose looks nice but its hard to make out the full effect from the "muzzle-on" perspective in the photo.

Edited November 26 by Dr_Ruminahui

[Bonehead]

Good idea, Greenscorpion. I do have some fine-grained sand, so i reckon I might go that route. On the other hand, I might just see if I can fake it with a dusting of grey and white spray from a longer distance- if you spray from a foot or so too far away, the paint often sort of clumps up and goes spotty. That could save me loads of time.

They're not serious modelling projects, just something incredibly low-effort I can put down so that I'm not just taking photos on a flat plain. I'll probably add a couple of ruined buildings of a similar ultra-low-effort style for variety. It should be pretty easy to use a couple of coke cans and some strawers to make a fuel silo next to a wrecked building. Given that I've put the army on urban themed bases, I really think I should be concentrating on actual urban scenery, come to think of it.

Good questions, Doctor. They're basically just sposed to be big armoured watchtower-type emplacements. Big lumps of concrete with a parapet for basic protection; so basically just a taller version of the first link you posted. But with as little work as possible for me. Looking at them again, I think they're too tall. I might cut about a half inch out of them.

You can fit a weapon team on one of the new small bases inside them. Not sure about the larger bases. It would be very easy to make one that has a larger interior space on the same footprint if they don't fit though- just make the internal floor wider, glue it in lower down, and cut the parapet lower. I might do that tomorrow. If I do three, it might take all of thirty minutes and then a maybe a little more to make another linking wall, and then I'd have a set for a complete battery of three guns.

On which subject, I'm glad you like the linking battlement. That came out surprisingly well considering I just made it up as I went. I was thinking I should do another battlement, but with an angle in it. And maybe cut some firing positions into the tops. Maybe add another battlement wall to another bunker, but just the one, so it can be a bit more flexible.

That would give me a whole bunker line that could go across a decent sized table for very little effort. Making them actually look decent would significantly increase the overall effort required by a ton, but if I stick to the philosophy that says 'any terrain is better than none' I can just leave them as is. There's no rule that says you can't come back and add detail later.

But If I'm going to do that, I'll probably start with something less half-arsed in the first place. These will do just fine for now. One day I'll build a proper board with LED lights. And blackjack.

As for the trooper you wanted the other angles of, is it the one holding the pistol two-handed? I'll see what I can do.

Meanwhile, here's a quick progress shot of captain cult-a-tron and his lackey. I decided to give these models just a bit more effort and do some actual blending on the robes. Marginal gains, but just about noticeable:

Think I'm going to give the white parts a diluted grey wash, just to smooth the blends a bit. The turquoise is yet to get its final highlight. I think I'll drybrush the banner with a dark grey and then black wash it rather than trying to blend such a large area. Hopefully the designs on it should cover up the lack of effort. I'm thinking that I'll do very restrained chaos symbols on the banner guy's robes. Maybe just the edges of his sleeves. I don't want to draw the eye away from the banner. Really not sure about the leader. He's already pretty busy from the front. Sleeve edges again might be the way- it would do the classic 'framing triangle' thing and draw the eye to his face. Or his mask, anyway. If I did that, and then did subtle chaos stars in red on the purple robes, that should work pretty nicely. The cape's dark pruple, if you can't see it. I'm going to keep that simple and dark, I don't want to draw the eye to the back of the figure.

Thoughts gratefully received

[Bonehead]

OK. I think I've got the banner guy more or less done. He just needs a base, and a firm idea regarding whether or not the banner needs more. i'm in two minds about that; I like the simple and not very good state its in now because it signifies the truth about the Immortals: amateurs. I added 'immortals' in latin. Turns out it's just IMMORTALES, so I deliberately misspelled it to emphasise their general half-assedness. I added the chaos star, then decided to go with the heart idea and also include an alchemical symbol as well, to help with the cultiness and air of messing with the forbidden/mysterious. If you look closely you can see that it's the alchemical symbol for the philospher's stone, a circle inside a square inside a triangle. If you look closely and are a massive nerd, you'll notice it's upside down, because they're a bunch of idiots.

What d'you reckon? good enough, or does it need some more alchemical symbols? Preachy McStupidhat is coming along as well, but he's further off. He needs some chaos stars in red on his robes, the metallics, and a few other touches. I'm thinking of googling the latin for 'Spooky book for suckers' and seeing if I can add it in on the book.

i've also done a few more bunkers, which people seemed to like, so here they are:

I did three more that are as wide as the originals, but shorter and with a correpondingly wider floor that can fit more models, or a large support weapon. I reckon I'll cut off one side and add a ramp to each one.

I also cut down three of the tall bunkers to make them more like strongpoints in a defensive line. They could only hold about seven models, so they didn't make much sense in game terms as individual positions. As you can see I've added a parapet with a 45 degree angle to make two into a more conventional defense line.

Here's a size comparison between the wide, low ones, and the tall ones:

it doesn't look it but the guy on the left in the tall bunker is behind the others- he just fell forwards. You can't actually get three men side by side in the front.

And here's some weapons on 50m bases to show off the capacity of the low wide bunker versus the low narrow bunker:

I think I'll make another little one and do a second identical defense line. That should round out the set very nicely.

Then with the rest of the cardboard I guess I'll try and make some wrecked buildings.

Cheers

 

 

 

[Bonehead]

He's finished, I think. I've given him a name too.

Behold Engil Mornum; agitator, malcontent, demagogue. Enemy of the imperium and a thorn in the side of the Augustine crusade's leadership for an uncomfortably long time. Leader of the Immortals cult, and lieutenant of one of Xia Hesh's lieutenants. A man relatively high in the power circles of the Red Hand dominate by comparison to the average person- but still woefully low in real terms. And his personal herald, of course.

Wrong time of day to get good photos, unfortunately; I can either have dull and yellow light or harshly bright white light after sundown. I'll take some better ones tomorrow.

Meanwhile, this rear view shows the subtle patterning of chaos stars in red on his purple robe:

And here he is with the motley rabble of deluded and short sighted fools he's managed to rouse up this time:

And one shot in harsher light, with possibly better colours:

This represents a real milestone for me. The Immortals are finished. I've created an actual named character for the Augustine Crusade setting; an actual meaningful contribution, very possibly several years after anyone else has given much of a hoot for the topic. And given him an actually pretty decent paintjob too.

Next up will be the promised army shots, some better photos and probably a little colour text too to bring this devious rabble-rouser to life a little.

Cheers

 

 

 

[EmprahsStrongestGuardsman]

I want that Redemptionist Leader guy for a priest as well.

 

Back in the day I got the metal gang in a box and it was missing the leader. So unlucky as a kid.

 

Fortifications looking good.

[Dr_Ruminahui]

Both of those guys look great - you did a fantastic job on the fine detail on the banner, I like the stripes on the bearer's cuffs, and I think the symbols on the demogogue's robes are the perfect level of subtle (visible but not popping out).  And they look great all together with your tanks.

[Tallarn Commander]

A well chosen color palette and a superb execution. I especially like the subtle symbols on the robe. 

 

[Bonehead]

4 hours ago, Dr_Ruminahui said:

Both of those guys look great - you did a fantastic job on the fine detail on the banner, I like the stripes on the bearer's cuffs, and I think the symbols on the demogogue's robes are the perfect level of subtle (visible but not popping out).  And they look great all together with your tanks.

Thanks Doctor! Very pleased to see your approval. You're a man who knows a thing or two about a colour scheme.

2 hours ago, Tallarn Commander said:

A well chosen color palette and a superb execution. I especially like the subtle symbols on the robe. 

 

Much appreciated, Commander.  Very pleased to hear it!

On 12/4/2024 at 6:36 PM, EmprahsStrongestGuardsman said:

I want that Redemptionist Leader guy for a priest as well.

 

Back in the day I got the metal gang in a box and it was missing the leader. So unlucky as a kid.

 

Fortifications looking good.

You can probably find him on eBay- but finding him for a price that isn't daylight robbery, now that's a trickier thing. As I recall the cheapest one I found was mislabelled and came with a bonus ordinary redemptionist. It did take a few months of patience though.

 

Thanks for the kind words everyone, I actually cracked a smile. And I've got some holiday coming up too. It's a good time to be alive.

[Bonehead]

Bonus episode:

The Mari Celeste (heh) incident.

Late mid-period, Augustine crusade. Ardent, eight months into the astonishing loyalist recovery after the traumatic disaster of the initial landing, the so-called 'Tolling Drop.' 

A routine Mari patrol in previously uncontested territory several hundred klicks behind the front at that time encounters evidence of one of the many peculiar and inexplicable misfortunes that beset the imperial forces of the Tenth army during its entire campaign on-world and the subsequent occupation, pacification and compliance.

Three reconnaissance vehicles from a Yantari regiment -either the 8th, 14th, or the lamented 38th, are discovered over a thousand klicks from their assigned sector in a section of pre-prepared defense line that is not to be manned and see action for 109 days. One has crashed into a bunker and two have simply halted. At the time of discovery, all three vehicles are running, in full powered-up combat ready status and even have their headlights on. Each retains an almost-full fuel supply, several weeks' full supplies for a long patrol and no prometheum has been expended. No vehicle shows any sign of damage from belligerent action and even the crashed vehicle is only scratched.

Mari forces scramble a battalion-sized search operation with professional speed and continue for several days, yet no single trace, not even a bootprint, is found of any Yantari patrol crew. No loyalist operation occurs in the area until the front line naturally progresses into the sector during the course of the loyalists' successful campaign. Eventually the vehicles are assigned to a Mari supply depot for painting and rebadging and issued to a reconnaissance unit. In less than a year they are abandoned during another retreat due to lack of fuel, presumably due to their poor transport capability, and returned to Yantari service: in what seems too improbable to be mere coincidence they are identified by serial numbers as having been issued originally to the same regimental reconnaissance unit that recovered them.

Typical of the uncanny events that occurred during the Ardent campaign, the incident represents well the type of discouraging unnatural ill-luck that loyalist forces successfully overcame on Ardent with the admirable degree of determination and professionalism that marked the campaign's prosecution. Coming as it did during the later stages of the crusade, when many regiments were understrength and exhausted by years of constant action, the successul effort on Ardent was a significant boost to morale across the entire front when it was reported.

Incidents such as this were left out of public announcements and confined to intelligence corps reporting. Rumours persisted.

 

Edited December 9 by Bonehead

[Tallarn Commander]

A fun story and a dramatic photo. It reminds me of the scene in "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" where WW2 Navy aircraft mysteriously appear in a modern day Mexican desert.

 

https://youtu.be/gkBIToB43g4?si=VGpWVubi0vyLnjJn

 

[Bonehead]

Thanks, Commander. Looking back through it, I'm pretty sure I can do better, but we improve by practising.

Meanwhile, I have been learning from my experiences. And trying to remember promises. Thus, @Dr_Ruminahui, was it this trooper you wanted more shots of? Sorry for the flash washing the detail out a bit, I hope this will do:

I remember being pretty happy with that pose. As for his second weapon, I presume he lost it in an earlier melee or something.

Meanwhile, on the subject of promises, I've not done the army shots yet. And there's a reason. Nearly said good reason- that's debatable. See, I was reminded that I have this little bag of tank accessories I picked up a while back. It was in a heap of stuff on my desk.

And in it, were a set of searchlights. One bigger than the others. And they're pretty decent sized, much bigger than the headlights on those buggies I was messing with earlier. And this new shop opened up in the square near me- Boyes, it's called. They sell a ton of decent, affordable crafting tools. I nipped in to check the place out and came away with a bag of useful stuff and 20-something less quid in my pocket. Amongst them were a nice set of drill bits that go nicely in my electric screwdriver- much less aggro than a drill, far better for drilling delicate plastic. Which sort of led me here:

Which of course enabled me to get here:

And now I'm here:

So the army shots aren't here yet because I've decided to up-spec the tanks a little bit first. The Demolisher needs a commander, and all of them are headlight-deficient. But not for long. Because I'm on holiday until the new year now, so this lacking state of affairs shouldn't hang around much.

Each turret will receive a spotlight, and each body a battery holder. Because yea, I am a fair and loving creator, and my children shall receive equally from me of my love.

I can't help myself guys, I think this could be a problem...

[Bonehead]

Bonehead Can't Help Himself, part one

Turns out, the only real problem on the demolisher was positioning.

As I discovered, there were a ton of pretty much ideal locations to put the searchlight but some clown went and filled them with detailing. The ideal would have been the box off the left side of the turret, of the places that were left.

But getting wires through that particular mess of hacked-up plastic would have been a complete pain in the rear. So I went with the other option, the right hand side.

Wiring it up was actually pretty easy. I just had to remember to wire a resistor in series with the LED, which I'm pleased to report that I did, this time.* You can just see it, poking out the underside of the turret here:

I also wired a little two-pin socket and plug arrangement in the loom because if I decide to make a permanent battery holder in the underside of the tank, I'll still need to be able to pull the turret off to do any ncessary wiring fixes.

However, in place of a permanent battery holder, I opted for the drastically more achievable 'sodding great hole in the bottom to shove a battery through' technique. As you can see, it also works:

As does the whole shebang, I'm pleased to report.

Just like how NMM was a big thing but is in some discerning places being taken over by RMM, I've decided I'm too hip for OSL, so I'm doing ROSL. You heard it here first.

That one was with the flash off, so you can see just how bright this thing is. I'm not exaggerating when I say this tank model is now a valid option if I need a light after dropping some part on the floor.

Anyway, this was all very gratifying. I basically had the idea and did it within a 24-hour period. I did run into a bit of an issue with the Vanquisher though, one I hadn't thought of in the first place. Well, several, actually. Care to guess what that was?

This photo might help:

No?

No shame in that, as far as I'm concerned. I didn't think of any of them either, until was holding my pre-made spotlight and trying to mock up a good spot (actionable pun detected) to put it.

They were all pretty good problems, too. Real idea wreckers.

 

* Yes, this is foreshadowing. Sorry, I mean foreshadowing.