crimsondave’s Dark Angels

[crimsondave]

At long, long last I’m finally starting my Dark Angels.  I’ve got years of SM models stacked up in my pile of opportunity going all the way back to Dark Imperium.  It’s been decades since I painted a loyalist marine and I can’t wait.  I’d decided to do Crimson Fists but changed my mind when ole Dad woke up.

 

I’ve been a big fan of both angels from way back in Rouge Trader.  My first fluff read on the Dark Angels and my first codex…

Spoiler

I do have two completed models but one was my Lion commission and the other a painted Dark Talon from EBay.  I added a little power sword color to Lion and repainted the wings of the Dark Talon.

Spoiler

I’m starting with the Dark Angels side of Wrath of the Soulforge King.  I sold the Deathwing in anticipation of new Terminators so it’s just Azrael and Intercessors.  I magnetized the head and found a better use for the smoking skull staff watcher from the DW Assault box.

Spoiler

Very excited to start a new project.  For the Lion!

Edited March 4 by crimsondave
Typo

[FarFromSam]

Everyone loves to see a fresh start!  That first Squad Is a perfect opener and pal for Azrael.  Keep us posted and welcome! 

[crimsondave]

Finally found a scheme I like that’s not too bland but still dark green.  Still need bases finished and transfers.  I’ll do the whole squad at once.  Those company marking are a pita.

 

Edit:  Yikes!  Those company markings aren't great but I promise they look better than on this close up pic.

 

Edited March 7 by crimsondave

[Interrogator Stobz]

Nice and dark Brother!

[Prot]

Very nice. The Dark Green is great, and the knee pads help them pop for sure. 

[crimsondave]

Can someone help me with the squad numbering?  I need some help with my greenwing.  I'm doing 5th company but I'll use multiple companies if I need to to make the numbers work correctly.  I just don't really know what is correct.  This is what I have....

 

1 squad Intercessors

1 squad heavy intercessors

1 squad infiltrators

1 squad of assault intercessors w/ jump packs

1 squad of sternguard (company vets or should they be deathwing?  I'd rather they be green.  I have plenty of deathwing as it is.)

1 squad of Inceptors

1 squad of Hellblasters

1 squad of Eradicators

1 squad of Aggressors

 

I assume the Intercessors, heavy intercessors, and infiltrators will just be 1, 2, 3.  After that, I'm not really sure.  The primaris stuff makes this confusing to me.  Do the first 6 have to be battle line with only 2 close support and 2 heavy support per company or did that go out the window with the firstborn?

[Tacitus]

2 hours ago, crimsondave said:

Can someone help me with the squad numbering?  I need some help with my greenwing.  I'm doing 5th company but I'll use multiple companies if I need to to make the numbers work correctly.  I just don't really know what is correct.  This is what I have....

 

1 squad Intercessors

1 squad heavy intercessors

1 squad infiltrators

1 squad of assault intercessors w/ jump packs

1 squad of sternguard (company vets or should they be deathwing?  I'd rather they be green.  I have plenty of deathwing as it is.)

1 squad of Inceptors

1 squad of Hellblasters

1 squad of Eradicators

1 squad of Aggressors

 

I assume the Intercessors, heavy intercessors, and infiltrators will just be 1, 2, 3.  After that, I'm not really sure.  The primaris stuff makes this confusing to me.  Do the first 6 have to be battle line with only 2 close support and 2 heavy support per company or did that go out the window with the firstborn?

Its based on their shoulderpad - And assuming you want to go traditional DA markings:

 

both Intercessors and Infiltrators should get double arrow Tactical badges with a Gothic Script squad number between 1 and 6. 

Assault Intercessors get a Close Support and Gothic Script between 7 and 8, 

Sternguard are technically First Company Paint, Elite Badge and no Squad Number - but you COULD Battle Company Paint, Double Tactical Arrow, and Prime Squad number (think First Squad) as a "Tactical" squad with better weapons because they're veteran fluff it. 

Inceptors get close support and 7 or 8,

Hellblasters, Eradicators and Aggressors get a Heavy Support Explosion (Not the Chevron) - and should get numbers 9 or 10. 

 

With that said, after the rise of 5 man Primaris squads, you can also fudge it  All your Double Arrow squad numbers should be lower than your Close Supports, should be lower than your Heavy Supports and the squad numbers now can theoretically go between 1 and 20. 

 

I'm kind of blanking on if DA use a different Close Support marking - I know the Tactical arrow is the sideways double arrow, and the Heavy Support is the explosion not the chevron.

Edited March 11 by Tacitus

[crimsondave]

5 hours ago, Tacitus said:

Its based on their shoulderpad - And assuming you want to go traditional DA markings:

 

both Intercessors and Infiltrators should get double arrow Tactical badges with a Gothic Script squad number between 1 and 6. 

Assault Intercessors get a Close Support and Gothic Script between 7 and 8, 

Sternguard are technically First Company Paint, Elite Badge and no Squad Number - but you COULD Battle Company Paint, Double Tactical Arrow, and Prime Squad number (think First Squad) as a "Tactical" squad with better weapons because they're veteran fluff it. 

Inceptors get close support and 7 or 8,

Hellblasters, Eradicators and Aggressors get a Heavy Support Explosion (Not the Chevron) - and should get numbers 9 or 10. 

 

With that said, after the rise of 5 man Primaris squads, you can also fudge it  All your Double Arrow squad numbers should be lower than your Close Supports, should be lower than your Heavy Supports and the squad numbers now can theoretically go between 1 and 20. 

 

I'm kind of blanking on if DA use a different Close Support marking - I know the Tactical arrow is the sideways double arrow, and the Heavy Support is the explosion not the chevron.

All the squads are max size of either 10 or 6.  So should I have one of the Heavy Supports from a reserve company or number them 11 or higher?  Another question I just thought of is how to do dreadnoughts.

Edited March 11 by crimsondave

[Raychu]

The SM codex from 8th edition stated that a company could get more than the 10 codex astartes rule. 

"A company is traditionally organised into ten squads of ten Space Marines, each led by a Sergeant. However, new guidelines in Guilliman’s updated Codex Astartes provide for up to twenty squads of five battle-brothers. Furthermore, recent precepts allow for each Battle Company to be reinforced with auxiliary warriors. These additional squads are reassigned from the Reserve Companies."

 

So you could go like that:

1 - 6 battleline _ Intercessors / heavy intercessors / tactical  (for me all the phobos armour goes into the 10th company which doesnt have any number markings)

7 - 8 close combat _ assault intercessors / inceptors / infernus?

9 - 10 fire support _ eradicators / desolators / hellblasters / devastators etc.

 

then from there, it could be up to you. see pages 26 and 27 of the 2017 SM codex.

As for the sternguards, well we, DAs, don't know how to field them now. are they part of the Deathwing? Are they part of their company?

I will paint them in green, but with bone helmets as my firstborn veterans.

 

in addition, I find all these primaris marines to rediscuss the whole company organisation.

Personnally I work with armour types companies. (not everything is painted, of course)

1st deathwing and bladeguards

2nd ravenwing

3rd firstborn marines (whole company - still have to see about the vets and company heros with the new organisation...)

4th tacticus marines (captain, lieutenant, 5 sternguards, 2x 10men intercessors squads, 2x 10 hellblasters squads, 1 x10men infernus squad, 1 x10 assault intercessors, 1x5 jump intercessors, 2 redemptors)

5th gravis marines - more like fire support (captain, biologis (lieutenant), 2 5men heavy intercessors, 3 eradicators, 6 aggressors, ballistus dread)

10th scouts and phobos (captain phobos, lieut phobos, librarian phobos, scouts, infiltrators, suppressors, eliminators, invictor warsuit)

 

My point is. do what you like.

Edited March 11 by Raychu

[Tacitus]

3 hours ago, crimsondave said:

All the squads are max size of either 10 or 6.  So should I have one of the Heavy Supports from a reserve company or number them 11 or higher?  Another question I just thought of is how to do dreadnoughts.

Either Or.  The Dreads don't care about their numbers.  Technically they just changed all Dreads to Deathwing.  That doesn't necessarily mean they're all in the First Company and Bone White- Deathwing Captains in Battle Companies are also green.  And I don't expect that retcon to stick around very long.

[crimsondave]

Intercessors done.  Now Azrael to finish of the RotSFK box.

Spoiler

 

I'm so over Army Painter Matte Varnish.  The Satin Varnish does fine but the matte frosts up horribly.  The one with the dull pack I had to rip off the power pack, strip it, and repaint it.  I've had issues with Testors Dullcote too but not as bad as Army Painter.  I have a dehumidifier and always shake the stuff up.  Anybody have a matte varnish to recommend  that doesn't frost up?

 

Now that I have a unit done I’ll quit spamming the board and wait till I have more to show.

Edited March 13 by crimsondave
Changed pictures

[Tacitus]

I'm pretty much in love with Vallejo for almost everything.  I use GW for metallics, and a few other colors, but otherwise Vallejo Game Air.

Edit to Add:  Also because I can't rattlecan to save my life. 

Edited March 13 by Tacitus

[Prot]

Great job on the squad. I do agree with your assessment of the Testors stuff. It easily frosts. It's extremely tempermental to temperature and moisture changes. Over the past decades, I've definitely ruined a lot of figs.

 

I will say the GW coating spray is really good but you use it VERY lightly. I haven't frosted any figs with it over the past 3-4 years (I've probably painted 5 armies in that time.)

 

 

[phandaal]

33 minutes ago, Prot said:

Great job on the squad. I do agree with your assessment of the Testors stuff. It easily frosts. It's extremely tempermental to temperature and moisture changes. Over the past decades, I've definitely ruined a lot of figs.

 

I will say the GW coating spray is really good but you use it VERY lightly. I haven't frosted any figs with it over the past 3-4 years (I've probably painted 5 armies in that time.)

 

 

 

Issues with spray varnishes got me to give them up completely a while back. Nowadays I exclusively use paint-on Liquitex varnish. Takes more time but never any worries about frosting or the dreaded wrinkling if the temperature is not just right.

[Interrogator Stobz]

If you can source this, I highly recommend.

Unless it's really cold (under 16°C) it's super hard to stuff up and it provides a really really durable matt protection for the minis.

Thick coat or thin it looks the same and adds a depth to your colours.

[crimsondave]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

 

As big a pain as the Testors is the Army Painter is SO much worse.  I have enough bad habits I don't worry about fumes and spray inside my temperature controlled building.  It's never below 65 degrees and my dehumidifier keeps humidity below 45% and it STILL frosts up.

 

I'm gonna start with the Vallejo and work my way down the list until I find one I like.  I like their paint so I'm optimistic.  Thanks again.

[Bryan Blaire]

@crimsondave If you happen to have an airbrush, then I really recommend giving AK Interactive’s Ultra Matte Varnish a shot - as a varnish it works fantastic.

 

It can be used with a brush, but I still thin it when doing so, and just apply a couple of coats.  I was having bad paint rub-off from some softer models (non-GW) and three thinned brush coats on extended parts with a lot of contact stopped that completely.

 

I have done three-four layers thinned through the airbrush on models and I haven’t been able to tell that there is any distortion to details.  It is very matte though, so putting it over metals definitely kills their shine - I’ve taken to plastic wrapping or putting Silly Putty over my metals after hitting them first with Vallejo Metal Varnish, then doing the ultra-matte varnish, because I don’t like the shine loss.

 

Best of luck to you with the testing - frosting models with varnish stinks so much.

[crimsondave]

8 hours ago, Bryan Blaire said:

@crimsondave If you happen to have an airbrush, then I really recommend giving AK Interactive’s Ultra Matte Varnish a shot - as a varnish it works fantastic.

 

It can be used with a brush, but I still thin it when doing so, and just apply a couple of coats.  I was having bad paint rub-off from some softer models (non-GW) and three thinned brush coats on extended parts with a lot of contact stopped that completely.

 

I have done three-four layers thinned through the airbrush on models and I haven’t been able to tell that there is any distortion to details.  It is very matte though, so putting it over metals definitely kills their shine - I’ve taken to plastic wrapping or putting Silly Putty over my metals after hitting them first with Vallejo Metal Varnish, then doing the ultra-matte varnish, because I don’t like the shine loss.

 

Best of luck to you with the testing - frosting models with varnish stinks so much.

I just ordered some Vallejo for my airbrush but I’ll try it too.  I saw  a YouTube video of a guy using the ultra matte.  He said he varnished and then painted his metallics.

[crimsondave]

Ready to report to the LIon!

 

Last model from the Wrath of the Soul Forge King box.....

Spoiler

The boss man.  Maybe not THE boss man, but the boss man of this group.

 

 

Since I already have a squad of intercessors done, I figured I'd knock out the old combat patrol box minus the 5 intercessors...

Spoiler

Big Boy....

 

 

Spoiler

Plasma flyboys...

 

While doing those I figured I'd assemble the first models from the Dark Imperium box.  Yeah, I'm that behind.

 

And the chaplain to finish off the combat patrol....

Spoiler

Don't ask what happened to the other guy.  True sons of the Lion know better than to ask questions.

 

 

Edited April 20 by crimsondave

[Prot]

They look great. Lots of progress there!

[crimsondave]

So I have another company squad numbering question.

 

I intend to have 10 squads in my 5th company.  6 battle lines is where my question lies.

 

I know the fluff is questionable about Sternguard but I’m using them as the first squad for company veterans.  I have 2 intercessor squads for 2 and 3.  I have a heavy intercessor squad for 4.  I was going to use a squad of infiltrators as 5 and I’m picking up a box of HH mk 6 to make a tactical squad for 6 and save the other squad for my Crimson Fists whenever that happens.  However, I read a few places online that Phobos is supposed to all be 10th company.  Putting “do what you want” aside, is it lore accurate that all Phobos is 10th company?  If so I guess I could use the whole box of mk 6 and make 2 tactical squads.

[JeffJedi]

All Primaris are trained in Phobos armor and can draw it when needed. Its perfectly valid to have it in a company. Roboute Guilliman ordered that all chapters get 100 Phobos added to the 10th company of a chapter as well. So the 10th have then and as many scout squads now.

 

At this point the 1000 marines number is pretty much broken now as is the 100 per company strict rule. Some squads are 10, 5 or 3 and examples are shown with numbers higher than 10th squad. This gives you the player more scope to do what you want.

[crimsondave]

Not painting now.  Getting ready for the 2024 call to arms.  Had a great time with it last year.  So it’s assembly and prime till June 15th.

 

Spoiler

 

 

Edited June 17 by crimsondave
Updated pictures

[crimsondave]

Been working hard on my call to arms vow and haven’t posted here lately.  I’ll post some better pics here after it’s over.  Greenwing is almost done.  I have 2 Rhinos, a Land Raider, a Predator, and a Drop Pod and I’m done painting green for a while.  I had 2 painted models at the beginning of March neither of which I painted.  Come a long way since then.

[crimsondave]

Question for my Dark Angel brothers.  I saw that middle Chaplain conversion from a DW Knight, various bits, and the unhooded Asmodai head on YouTube and pretty much copied it other than a few minor details.  Should this be Asmodai in a suit of TDA or Sapphon in TDA?  Obviously if I actually played it would just be another chaplain rules wise.  I want a model to represent Sapphon but with the head being from the Asmodai kit I’m undecided.  Plus, outside the Lion himself, Asmodai is probably my favorite character in 40K.  I do already have the new Asmodai model finished though.