The Just - Dr. Ruminahui's new Emperor's Children

[Dr_Ruminahui]

As I noted here, the new EC codex and its restriction on units has made me decide to start a new Emperor's Children force and continue my existing one as a slanneshi worshiping Heretic Astartes army (so, the same ruleset as they are currently).

 

So, as I stated there, my Emperor's Children army is dead, long live my Emperor's Children army!

 

On the plus side, this does let me field every single 40K slanneshi army - Emperor's Children, Heretic Space Marines, Chaos Mortals, Chaos Knights and Slanneshi Demons. 

 

Looking at the updated points costs and my current roster of still legal units, there actually isn't much I need to paint to get a decent sized force, though perhaps not the most effective one.  Here's the following painted stuff I can port over from my CSM:

1x Lord Exultant (one with sword and whip [my old converted Lucius])

1x Sorcerer

1x Demon Prince with Wings 

2x Noise Marines with 2x blastmasters (champions with sonic blasters)

1x Spawn (2)

2x Maulerfiends

1x Heldrake

1x Land raider

1x Rhino with all the fixings

That's 1445 points

 

I then have the following painted demon units I could use, should I be so inclined to use that particular detachment:

6x Demonettes (10) - EDIT: just realized they are battleline, so I have 6 instead of 3 units

1x Fiends (3)

1x Seekers (5)

1x Shalaxi or Keeper of Secrets

That's 1105 points, or a slightly more sane 1005 if I go Keeper instead of Shalaxi.

 

I also have unbuilt that might be useful:

1x Rhino

1x Sorcerer

 

Finally, the stuff in the pre-release box:

1x Lord Exultant

1x Infractors (10)

2x Tormentors (5)

1x Noise Marines (well, I'll have 2, but can only field a total of 3 so one of my 4 units will have to sit out)

 

I'll also be picking up a combat patrol when it comes out.

 

Anyway, between just the non-demon units I currently have painted, and the pre-release stuff, that comes to a very decent 1990 points.  That said, I probably want to paint up my spare rhino and get that in the list instead of the sorcerer - who not only isn't great, but makes whatever he attaches to lose infiltrating or scout.

 

 

 

Edited March 12 by Dr_Ruminahui

[BadgersinHills]

Excited to see your minis.

[Dr_Ruminahui]

Thanks!  Now I just need to decide how to paint them - I want them similar enough that they fit right in alongside all of my other chaos armies and so that I can borrow units from my CSM and still have them look like they belong.  That said, I think I would also like them to look distinct enough that they are identifiable as a different army from my CSM.  Not sure quite how to go about that yet. 

 

Here are some of my thoughts on that: - here is where I am more or less decided:

-  Any model without a cape will be getting one (though, that's a conversion thing rather than a painting thing)

-  Character capes will be white.  Other capes will be pink, and colour coded per unit, using the same pinks and purple wash as my CSM.  For the Tormentors, I'm thinking of doing tan camo on the backs (to represent their Infiltration ability) and coloured on the fronts - with working slanneshi symbols into their camo patterns.

-  Weapon casings will be dark purple, trim will be gold, shoulder pads will be white, just like my CSM.  Helmets may be white as well, though maybe only for "special" models like noise marines and characters.

-  My army symbol will remain the red scales symbol, which I've carried across all my slannesh armies (except my demons, who don't really have a symbol).

 

So, I see the big differentiator as being their armour.  My CSM armour is a half-and-half mix of genestealer purple and a florescent purple airbrush paint - so I could keep them that.  Or I could do a half-and-half pattern of that and some other colour, like light pink (like my old Lucius, though halved not quartered like him), quartered for my characters.

 

Another option is for me to learn to use my "new" airbrush (I've owned it for more than a year, just haven't gotten the courage to try it yet) - this lets me use the airbrush paint "straight" without mixing it with the GW genestealer, which is something I did to allow it to apply properly by brush.  Additionally, the new airbrush paint seems to have a new formulation which is darker - I have one remaining bottle of the old formulation, but this would seem to be a good opportunity to switch to the new version of the colour and save my old bottle for my CSM.

 

Anyway, let me know what you guys think.

Edited March 13 by Dr_Ruminahui

[Tallarn Commander]

I'm glad to hear you will be giving everyone cloaks!

 

I'd say test the new airbrush scheme.

 

But, I too bought airbrush last year and I'm too intimidated to use it. I'll use the Call to Arms in the summer as an excuse to force myself to learn how to use an airbrush.

 

So sticking with brush painting of the half-and-half scheme you used with Lucius might be the way to go.

 

 

Good luck!

 

 

Slaanesh, "Chains and whips excite me."

[Prot]

I really like the idea of the army in cloaks. Definitely a 'cloak' army. :)

 

I do not have the patience to do anything nearly that ambitious! I need to get my stuff on the table asap as I'm in a home grown campaign right now. Anyway, I just wanted to say I really like the white idea.

 

As a side note... this is just an idea because I've done it a few times. When you want a white cloak, especially with E.C. that are or have pink or pink/purple, I personally really like working with Space Wolves blue. I found a vallejo variant that goes on nicely and doesn't require too much work. The new GW one might be just as good for all I know. 

 

I know that next to pink/purple, the light grey/blue tone is nearly pastel and looks almost white but adds interest. It's just a thought and at the very least I have found it to make a better base for 'white' as most white paints have heavy pigment and can go on chalky.  I've also done white capes that have a base of space wolves, and if left in the recesses, it does make a good lowlight/shadow for white.

 

You don't have to listen to any of this, it's just an idea because I've had decent results in the past and I'm always looking for ways to make 'army' painting easier. And it sounds like you have a very ambitious plan!

 

Good luck. I'm still assembling like mad. :)

 

[Dr_Ruminahui]

Thanks @Tallarn Commander & @Prot, I'm excited to get started.  Already have a box of the rereleased Chaos warriors and its 34 cloaks, and have the EC prerelease box traversing the Canadian plains and hopefully arriving this week, so am eager to get crack the box and get to cutting and gluing.  Thanks for your review of the contents, Prot.

 

In the meantime, I've been building a second rhino, using the second set of trim (and accessories) I had bought from @Subtle Discord's online store - great kit if you can grab it, but unfortunately his shop doesn't seem to be a thing at the moment.  I intend to use if for both my forces, though will be painting it in whatever my new EC scheme is.

 

Thanks for the painting suggestions, both of you.  I think I will take first crack at doing them by airbrush, though I'll need to figure out how to touch up mistakes if I do them that way.  If I don't like that, I'll look at other options - though, using the airbrush and going half-and-half is also an option.

 

Thanks for the capes suggestion, Prot - haven't tried spacewolves gray.  Pretty happy with white shaded with ulthean gray on some of my previous models, though it can be a bit chalky as you said.  So, I'm always happy to improve if something else works better and I'll try out your method.

[Dr_Ruminahui]

Got my prerelease box yesterday - its very nice.  The backs of the models seem to be (for the most part) either unattached or squad on and attached to the legs, which should make for easy removal and replacement with capes, which is nice.

 

Also built the Exultant Lord with a whip and spear, using the bare head - he looks pretty nice.  For future models, I'll have to see how much its possible for me to alter the posing, because while its a dynamic model (or perhaps because its a dynamic model) with a bunch of options, if I end up with 3 of them (which I very well could if I end up getting 2 combat patrol boxes) its going to be hard to make them look distinctive even with different heads and weapons.

 

I also puttered around with building the 3-pistol "for the LOLs" Exultant, but don't really have a good body for it.  I was thinking of using the Lord from the Dark Vengence box as a base, but it turns out while I have 2 of them I don't have either of their capes (got them as part of a lot I bought a while back) and they are tiny compared to the new EL model.  So, if I use it as a base, I'm going to have to find him some substantial heroic scenery to stand on, or a huge cape - my current options (the capes from the new and old chaos warriors) are all about the same size, so maybe the champion's cape from the Chosen box?  I looked at the age of sigmar models, hoping they would have something impressive, but they really don't - the slaaneshi stuff isn't armored enough (except the demon prince guy, who is too big) and the regular AoS foot lord model isn't really that impressive.  So, maybe I need to look at the AoS "Space Marine" equivalent guys?  In any case, rather than being a quick kitbash, its going on the back burner so I can work out how to best make it work.

[Tallarn Commander]

I'm glad to hear the capes will work on the backs of most of your models. Perhaps your EC hobbying project should be called "Operation Cape Fear. 

 

Would green-stuffing a cape be feasible? I've green-stuffed about a dozen of my Chaos Marine capes. The first ones looked horrible. But, after awhile, I figured out how to GS capes. And now I prefer making capes to buying them.

[Dr_Ruminahui]

Except I don't fear the Capes. 

 

Thanks for the suggestion - yeah, I'm pretty sure I could make green stuffed capes work eventually, I just don't have much desire to go through the work required to develop the necessary skills to have them look good (or to have a bunch of crappy capes until I do).  So for now, anyway, I think I'll muddle along with what works for me.

 

Here, for Mr. 3-Gun, the problem is more of model size than the cape - I was trying to find a bigger cape to compensate for a small model.  After looking at some of the AoS characters, there are some promissing candidates - such as the Lord Terminos or Lord Celistant.  Using MiniCompare, the Terminos looks pretty much exactly the right size for an Exultant, and shouldn't be too difficult to make look slightly more chaosy (probably just add some trim and maybe some bits).  My only complaint is that it has the same leftward focus as the Exultant, whereas a different focus would make for more visual interest between the models.  A fantastic alternate model would be the Lord Veritant, but unfortunately it looks to be too small for what I want.

Edited March 21 by Dr_Ruminahui

[Volgon]

I put together a little picture to hopefully assist with the scale of Lord Kranon vs capes from a few different sources.

 

There's a 5th cloak from the Sword Brethren kit that I can't compare because I used it on a previous project. Other kits I can think of with cloaks: the other Legion Praetor from the Age of Darkness box (the one with the power axe). The 40k Chaos Chosen kit has the simpler cape for the champion as you noted. I Some of the details on Kranon are molded into his cape like part of his arm/shoulder so I do think it would be in your best interest to get a larger, "over the shoulder" style cloak if you can to hide some of the messiness, but I can't be 100% on that as I haven't tried anything myself. Hope this helps!

[Dr_Ruminahui]

Thanks for that picture, @Volgon - its quite helpful.

 

Okay, done some of my first building on my new EC, to the detriment of getting more painting done on my battle goats for my regular CSM army (and the Knives in the Dark killteam painting event).

 

Anyway, here's what I've built so far.

 

My rhino:

 

 

This has the trim and gubbins from B&C's own @Subtle Discord - great kit, reasonably priced, but his store doesn't seem to be in operation anymore, which is a shame.  In terms of the build, all that needs doing is magnetizing the front top hatches to keep them falling off when the tank is tilted.  Oh, and a bit of green stuffing on the trim where my assembly has left small gaps.

 

Next, for first batch of caped "legionnaire equivalents" - these 5 are tormentors.

 

 

As you can see, I still need to greenstuff the holes cut for the shoulders, as well as glue on the various grenades and pouches to their belts.  I'm swapping up some of the special weapons (in this squad the plasma) with CSM versions for variety.

 

Finally, I built a stock Exalted Lord (no conversion) and a Lord Kakaphonist using the Heresy EC tartaros praetor model I had bought a while back in order to get free shipping on my ordering something else for a different project.  Glad to finally find a use for it, and I think it makes a great LK - pretty easy conversion as well, just a gun swap (he originally had a combi-volkite) and the addition of the speaker, though that required a bit of a plasticard spacer to get even (as the top of the model is sloped) and at the right height.

 

 

I don't anticipate any further changes to the EL, for the LK, if I find bits that make sense, I intend to cover up at least some the little roman III symbols.  Funny how tiny he is next to the EL despite being in terminator armour - luckily, the big speaker makes up for that somewhat.  In any case, I think I prefer it to the actual LK model, though I'll end up getting one of those as well.  Still mulling over if I want to try greenstuffing a "drapey" cloak like the one on the EL on the LK.

Edited Thursday at 06:16 PM by Dr_Ruminahui

[Sume]

I decided to go with the same head for my EL also.  The other one looked a little funny on him to me.  It ended up on a tormentor I think by mistake.  Oh well.  I finished kitbashing all the tormentors last night before.  Now to get the infractors.  You be surprised how well the mk 6 beakies kitbash with these.  

[Dr_Ruminahui]

BTW, @Sume, it was thanks to your question about what the speaker was that made me remember that bit and led to me thinking of the above Kakaphonist conversion.  So thanks! 

 

Not sure what I will do with my helmeted EL head - I have nothing against the head, I just prefer bare heads for my leaders and champions.  In my infractors I plan to have a "sub-champion" with the non-power sword, to allow me to count it as a power sword if I ever want to go 2x 5 man squads - maybe I'll put it on him.

 

And I'm not surprised they kitbash well - unlike most modern kits, the tormentors/infiltrators are arm agnostic, where it doesn't matter which arms you put on which model, which really helps for kitbashing.  Of course, with the cloaks I end up with that effect anyway, as I muck about with the shoulders and have to rebuild the backs of them with green stuff.

Edited Friday at 12:34 AM by Dr_Ruminahui

[Volgon]

The capes are looking great so far! I really like 2nd from the left. The forward movement, the slight torso tilt, and the way the cloak is flowing look very natural.

[Sume]

2 hours ago, Dr_Ruminahui said:

BTW, @Sume, it was thanks to your question about what the speaker was that made me remember that bit and led to me thinking of the above Kakaphonist conversion.  So thanks! 

 

Not sure what I will do with my helmeted EL head - I have nothing against the head, I just prefer bare heads for my leaders and champions.  In my infractors I plan to have a "sub-champion" with the non-power sword, to allow me to count it as a power sword if I ever want to go 2x 5 man squads - maybe I'll put it on him.

 

And I'm not surprised they kitbash well - unlike most modern kits, the tormentors/infiltrators are arm agnostic, where it doesn't matter which arms you put on which model, which really helps for kitbashing.  Of course, with the cloaks I end up with that effect anyway, as I muck about with the shoulders and have to rebuild the backs of them with green stuff.

Glad I was able to help out.  I had the same thoughts about the speakers being used for a lord konepetic. I honestly hate the look of the "official one." I dislike it. Maybe it's the paint job, but I think its the sculpt. Still might use my resin lucius as one and use the two remaining speakers on the backpacks like the noise marines. It's such a cutie pie of a part that I wanted to use. Just wasn't sure what it was supposed to be. I added one to my land raider proteus to help defile it probably to the devotion of Slaanesh. 

[Dr_Ruminahui]

The Lord Kakaphonist appears to look better with its alternate head and power sword instead of the twin pistols.

 

 

Still not a great model - the backpack is too big and weird, and the legs and waist too skinny, and strange feet.  Still, not so bad that I won't pick one up, but depending on my paint jobs I'll probably prefer to field my own conversion if I'm only fielding one.

Edited Friday at 06:28 AM by Dr_Ruminahui

[Sume]

I am just going to say it. The official model is ugly.  Just like the prior version of fiends.  No paint job is going to fix this thing. GW does get hit and miss models and this is one of them.

 

Now options I have that I could convert one from. The Dark apostate comes to mind, expect I don't have one and all the ones I found at a secondhand store are badly damaged, broken or painted and I don't have the desire to paint strip for the price.

 

Things i do have: painted and converted Inquisitor Rex, painted Terminator sorcerer as black legion, grey knights Liberian (need this for my gk lists) grey knights terminators, grey knight versions of tactical marines, box of chaos terminators from 2019, lucius and a spare mk 6 assault marine body.

 

Now out of these options I don't feel like stripping paint and breaking up full unit boxes. Which leaves me with luscious, the extra assault mk6 body and the grey knight beakies as I am not going to use them.  Since my grey knights stuff is mostly for narrative play and doubles at that so I can just be as imbalanced internally as I want. 

 

KL appears to be on a 40mm base.  He looks tiny overall, but he's also sort of looking like he's trying to do the splits or poop. I am considering the mk 6 body. Use the demon looking head from the noise marines. Might add some green stuff to prop it up more.  Leaves me with the backpack. Do i use 1 of the 9 leftovers for the infractors or a mk 6 backpack.  Problem here is trying to get a look like the noise marines as i am not going to bit order a pack. It's possible that i might be able to rig something up from leftovers in the Slaanesh chariots kits. Mainly the actual chassis yokes from making hellflayers and not the chariots. Then stick the cute speakers on each tip.  Will need greenstuff filler in the backs. Weapons are easy to figure out. Problem is trying to make it look like its actually designed that way. I would just 3d print the part, but we all know GWs stance on that. 

 

 

Edited Friday at 09:48 AM by Sume

[Dr_Ruminahui]

I saw your model in your thread - it looks nice.

 

The cape-ening continues - finished my first squad of tormentors.

 

 

 

Pretty happy how they turned out.  5 capes done, 17 to go.

 

Also found some odd bits to cover up the 3 IIIs on my Lord K - not really worth showing pictures of, though, but I will once he's painted.

[EmprahsStrongestGuardsman]

Kakophonist might look better with different weapon arms. The sonic pistol seems rather oversized relative to the rest of it. The new models will shine when they're converted (improved).