[40k][JoL10] Luna Wolves, Diary of legends Options Rating

[Welsh Rarebit]

UNLEASH THE WOLVES!!!!!!!!!111!

[blackwolf]

UNLEASH THE WOLVES!!!!!!!!!111!

+1

Awesome Dave. Looking the goods.

[Tomsey]

Looking sharp.

The positioning of the lights is a good mod IMO.

[Cron Lord]

Looking sharp.

The positioning of the lights is a good mod IMO.

You know what Tom's thats a pure fluke! Did the same on the DA's and hadn't noticed that evryone else puts them up top. It just seemed a more natural position. Will use it in conversion schpeel!

[Cron Lord]

So here, as promised, the photos of the completed drop pod. Also shows the fabulous work that Darryl has done on the emblems I commissioned. Awesome, can't thank you enough, another order on the way!

Please check out www.stewartstrophies.com.au

[Tomsey]

Great shading work there Dave.

[Cron Lord]

So in the final throws of this diary, its time to reflect on what has been achieved, what was good, bad and what was possibly a silly idea that I've peservered with.

So its been a long time and I have laboured over the painting in my limited spare time. I have enjoyed all of it especially challenging myself to get a better painted force on the table. Gleaming ideas from some great painters on the scene and forcig myself to try new ideas on, lets face it some expensive moulded plastic!

So what has been great. To be honest the best things I have done in this army are the bases. DOn't get me wrong, the moulds from Fiendish Fabrications are great and lend themselves perfectly to all table top genres. I utilised a minimal painting method on these with what I believe has produced a great effect and great looking bases. The use of Graveyard Earth base coat on the cobbles, then adding a Devlan Mud wash over the top, whilst the basecoat is still wet has produced a shiny worn effect on the cobbles as if the residents of the 3rd Planet have walked for centuries and the build up of grime in the gutter is also prevalent. The flags also look great with the Fortress Grey and Devlan Mud wash again. For the bases for the squad leaders the 3 steps I used a Red Gore base and Devlan Mud wash, as per Loken's base. This makes the steps look like they are built out of old brick and give a noce contrast with the flagged treads and cobbled streets. This simple and effective paint scheme, has worked really well for the army and has given me the best possible base to present the models.


Painted resin base 40mm

So how could I improve these? Well, the bases are moulded resin, and they are not perfectly level. If I had a belt sander and time I would recommend sanding the bases flat and reduce the possiblity of wobbly model syndrome. However, this isn't 100% necessary as they are perfectly good straight out of the packet, as I say, this would be my OCD kicking in and looking for miniscual flaws.....


Showing the small lip on the underside of the resin base.

I also really like the Luna Wolves Emblems, although I did not physically create them, Darryl from Stewarts Trophies has done a fabulous job. The concept has come from myself and yes, Luna Wolves emblems are out there on the web for all to see, but I really wanted the 3D effect that plasticard can bring and I know the limits of my skills. I never dreamed that they would turn out as good as they have. and I'm really pleased with the way they turned out and what they bring to the army. It was really worth discussing with Darryl, as at first, I don't think he'll mind me saying, he was not keen, and felt that they wouldn't turn out very well at all. I am very glad he did persevere and knocked out what can only be described as some awesome work.


Darryls Great work!

The concept for these came from the Horus Heresy books and GW's Horus Heresy Collected visions publication. Having these on the vehicles has really personalised this army for me.

The Standard bearer picture of this emblem also came out especially well and I'm proud of the work here. The pic was drawn on the base colour of Dheneb Stone and Devlan Mud, with a 2H sharp pencil, I made a paper stencil to draw round to ensure a standard size across the army. This was also one of the concept sizes passed onto Darryl for him to work off. This gave me the sharp outline I wanted, before being freehand painted on, with the outline in Chaos Black. This was a similar process for the Rhino roof emblem.

Could this have been improved? I don't think so, current technology with plasticard limits us as does my own personal skill level, the only other way would have been to scuplt and cast in resin, this may be something for the future when I have more time and money to throw at this hobby, but now, I am very happy with the results.


So are there any bad points? Well, yes. I think my idea of following the different way of painting black armoour became a drag tbh, and this affected my painting of the Reaver Catulan Squad. I was really chuffed with the way Kalus Ekaddon came out and he does really look awesome in the flesh. However, replicating this over a further 6 models was really hard and did have some big draw backs and different finishing results. I'm happy with them, but would I do this again, I'd have to say no. Evidence of this will be as I continue this force up to 1750 points. The black armour of the Justaerain Terminators will use the more conventional style of painting black armour. Terminators need a paint job that fits their stature, not a subtle colour change that this style has produced. No doubt I will revisit this issue when I come to do these guys.



Reaver Catulan Squad

So what were the Issues with this? Mixing the wash of Leviathan Purple and Thrakka green, although I used a pipette to measure the ratio, it just seemed to give slightly different results everytime. I did batch paint these too, so only made 2 batches in total, but it still wasn't close enough. It was either too green or too purple, I had a real job, getting the blue hue, that I managed on Kalus. I'm still bemused by this difference. but hey you learn!

And if I can pass on some knowledge/tips for you readers I'll also be happy. So if you are wanting to do this method of Black Armour painting, I would suggest these following steps:

1. Paint all the guys in one sitting, i.e. Undercoat, highlight in one sitting, this way you will get an even coverage and the same angle of spraying for each mini.

2. Mix a single batch of the wash and keep it. Don't mix multiple batches as this gives you multiple colours, and potentially multiple different coloured minis.

3. Be patient, black is a colour, or tone for your purists out there, that can disguise a million sins, but also highlight tens of millions!

Ideas, that remained just that Ideas...... I really wanted to have all my guys in Mark IV helms. However, limited budget and availabily was my downfall. I have several Berzerker heads incorporated in the army, Loken has his on his belt, Nero Vipus is wearing his, as is Xavier Jubal. So why so few? Supply mainly, I have begged borrowed and bought all these guys helms, and have possibly the largest collection of Berzerker heads anyone has ever seen. These style of helms are few and far between, even Back2Basix has sold out of them from their bits sales, and you only get 1 or 2 in a box. I have used all Beaky's on the Reavers and then used the Berzerker helms with the "ears" removed for the main characters only. A compromise and possibly the best one I could come up with, short of buying 70 odd boxes of berzerkers which to be frank, would have bordered on a mental illness!

The compromise, I don't believe has effected the army, it still looks great and will highlight the central characters from the novels, easily distinguishig them on the battlefield.

So there we have it, a final synopsis, whilst I await the last few items to arrive for the army. Therefore, the entire army may not be ready for the deadline on Wednesday/Thursday, but the diary is completed for the 750 point army. I will post further pics when the final items arrive, hopefully tomorrow. However, for now heres some teasers of the final 750 points.


Cheers for reading and please feel free to add your comments.
Dave

edit pics updated.

This post has been edited by Cron Lord: Jul 6 2010, 10:18 PM

[Tomsey]

Great stuff
Really impressed with the white, looks awesome.

[Cron Lord]

So the end of the comp, but the army continues on its way to completion, yes I didn't get it all done in the time, but the concept and colours are there for perusal. But the completed figures will continue to be posted as I go. So here is Nero Vipus, Sergeant "Locasta" tactical Squad.









As you can see he's beheaded a foe. The blood effect was created using Red Gore, mixed with some water effects mixture, allowed to dry and then highlighted with blood red, the edges left the original colour to look as though drying out. Then over the highlighted areas a further application of Aardcoat. Seems to do the trick....

The sword arm is from the DA's sprue and involved some careful cutting of the shoulder to gain the pose.

The group shot is the current members of Locasta Squad including Garviel Loken, Captain of 10th Company, and last member of the Mournival.

[Welsh Rarebit]

Nice work Dave, but did he behead that foe with that pristine loking sword he's wielding, or something else? (i.e....wheres the blood on his sword like? )

[Cron Lord]

A good point Wales, one not easily answered at this time.....
Back to the painting table, Ooops

[Tomsey]

It's a special power sword, cauterizes the wound as it hits, no blood.

[Cron Lord]

It's a special power sword, cauterizes the wound as it hits, no blood.

I thought about that, but the nurse in me said, no, still be blood, and if cauterised, why blood on the pavement? So some red gore, blood red and water effects later and ta da!, well there will be when it dries!

[Tomsey]

Yeah, I was mucking about, more blood the better, maybe some on the armour if you're feeling adventurous.

[Cron Lord]

Ok, Nero, now with bloodied sword! Was oversite by myself, had got myself so worked up into wanting the blade to look like electricity flowed through it, completely forgot about the blood. Anyhow, cheers Wales for noticing, so here he is with the amended blood on sword. Note there is none on his armour, I suspect and haven't had the tools with which to 100% prove the theory, but, there is no blood on his sword due to the sharpness and quickness of the blow, that the blood splatter was minimised, it would have been at least at arms length and falling away, hence no body on the base.

However, I'm sure there'll be debunking of this theory, but thats what I'm sticking too and I'll not potentially ruin a great paint job in white!

Cheers all!





edit:spelling

This post has been edited by Cron Lord: Jul 11 2010, 08:17 PM

[Tomsey]

Looks good, especially the front shot as the blood is about to drip off the sword and hit the second step.

[Cron Lord]

Cheers dude, that water effects stuff is great for getting some texture to the paint, rather than flat colour.




edit:spelling

This post has been edited by Cron Lord: Jul 11 2010, 08:15 PM

[Griddon]

Yeah. Good job whitey. Looks awesome.

[Cron Lord]

So the squads continue to build.....

In Horus Rising, Xavier Jubal, Sergeant of Hellebore Squad, sucumbs to the power of the warp, and is turned into a maniacal killing machine who is killed by Loken. Here he is in his prime, priior to the warp taking his mind and soul.






So here I have the model running up the stairs on the base, assault marine legs were heated very gently and bent to give the pose more accuracy. The pistol arm was again cut at the shoulder to allow better posing and then the shoulder pad applied to cover the cuts. The wrist was cut and the hand also repostioned to mimic a more dynamic pose.

Attaching the model to the base was tricky as there is minimal surface area for glue to adhere.

Fortunately the solution was found at my workplace in the form of a surgical k-wire. For those not in the know, these are stainless steel wires used to fix fractures or guide screws home when performing orthopaedic surgery.

I found a non sterile one, that was to be thrown away and discovered it was perfect for pinning models. (Its also 23cm long, so will last a while untill its depleted!) I drilled into the base and secured the wire with greenstuff and some plastic cement, which melted the base to the wire forming a formidable bond.
The model was then drilled in the foot and up the leg very carefully using my hobby drill. This slid over the wire nicely and was secured again with greenstuff and plastic cement. therefore I'm very confident Xavier will be safe from the usual abuse models take!

edit: additional info added.

This post has been edited by Cron Lord: Jul 15 2010, 07:48 PM

[Welsh Rarebit]

Oh good lord.......when did you learn to paint Whitey? Seriously awesome mate