I found the time to finish off the Razorwing. As expected, once I found time to focus it went pretty quickly.
Razorwing Jetfighter
I usually only add a touch of highlighting to the gems on Dark Eldar. This vehicle has very little else to break up the black surface, so I decided to fully color the gems with the silver, gold, and blue accent colors.
Razorwing Jetfighter (rear detail)
I really like the orange edge highlighting on black, but it’s hard to keep it even. I’m only partially successful on the long lines of the vehicle.
Razorwing Jetfighter (front detail)
I also keep failing to learn my lesson with Dullcote and clear canopies. Once again, it badly fogged the canopy. A few thin coats of Future brought it back a bit, although it still obscures the cockpit a bit.
I decided on a Razorback for the retinue. I wanted to use something that could double as a vehicle for the Deathwatch when the campaign is done, which eliminated the various IG options. Plus, psybolt ammo.
Inquisitorial Razorback
I used the Forge World Rhino doors and brass etch set, plus embellished with a few bits from the bits box to really pimp it out. The whole think was primed black, then airbrushed from the top with a dark gray. This gives a slight gradient, and makes the tank look a little less flat.
The Deathwatch generally ride to battle in a Drop Pod. This is, of course, awesome, although they often don’t survive to see turn two. I should probably adjust my tactics.
Deathwatch Drop Pod (closed)
The Drop Pod got the same gray airbrush treatment as the Razorback. I wanted to make this thing look Deathwatchy. Since the thing is five-way symmetric, it took most of the small brass etch insignia to get it done. Five each on the door, above the vent thing on the sides, on the top, and on the floor in front of each pair of harnesses.
Deathwatch Drop Pod (open)
Again, the weapon is magnetized, and both storm bolter and missile launcher are painted up.
On Thursdays, I like to take a break from my army projects. Instead, I try to do something that I can start and complete all in one evening.
A really quick one this week.
I finished the Hunter/Stalker kit a while ago. I decided to take it in the Hunter variety in my next game. This tank, if it misses, gets another chance the next turn. That means you need a marker of some kind.
The kit came with a missile to stick in the gun barrel, which I decided to save for something like this project. A quick snip of a paperclip, some primer, drybrush, and it’s done.
Hunter missile
About the only clever bit to this model is, naturally, not pictured. I put a blob of green stuff on the underside to give the wire something to bite into. Previously I’ve only pinned stuff to more solid resin bases, which doesn’t have that problem.
The back really cries out for something from the Armorcast Cinematic Effects line, but I need this for a game now. I hope to go back and give this model a more dynamic smoke trail/rocket flame/whatever.
I’ve been eyeing Malifaux for a while. The models are cool and different from the 40k stuff I’ve been spending so much time with. The rules seem interesting, too, although I’ve only played one demo game.
When Wyrd announced a summer painting contest, I decided that would give me an excuse to pick up a crew and paint it up. I went with the Dark Debts set, lead by Jakob Lynch. It seems like a well-supported crew in plastic, and I’m intrigued by the hand manipulation rules he has.
Dark Debts
Here’s the full crew. I like that the three Illuminated are very distinct models, although it does mean that repeats will stand out.
Jakob Lynch
Jakob was my entry into the painting contest. His coat and pants match the blue that I’m using for the Brilliance energy stuff throughout the rest of the crew. The purple will probably tie into other Neverborn models, if I end up doing more.
Hungering Darkness
This model doesn’t seem to get a lot of love on the internet, but I think he’s kind of cool. He did have nasty seam lines though, right down the middle. Some green stuff hid the worst of it, but I didn’t get the inside of his mouth.
I put some Secret Weapon Realistic Water in the opening of his esophagus and coating his teeth, and then hit the rest of the mouth and eyes with Future. It’s fairly subtle, and doesn’t really come through in the picture, but I figure such a big mouth ought to look wet.
I wanted to bring some of the purple in, and picked a few places to put it on. I think I went too heavy on it on this model though.
Illuminated (floaty)
I’m pretty happy with this guy. The festering Brilliance infection on his shoulder is done with a big of the blue in the middle, then covering a slightly larger area with purple wash. I think it makes a nice transition.
I hit the monster guy with some purple, but with a softer touch than Hungering Darkness. I like it a lot better here.
Illuminated (squatting)
This picture probably shows the basing the best. I cut out a circle of balsa wood about the same size as the inset area of the base. I then cut it into strips along the grain of the wood, and then shorter planks on every other strip. I sanded down each a bit to clean up the edges (although a bit too much on some of the models), and glued them down in place. Once the glue was dry, I pressed into the ends of each plank with a small embossing tool, to simulate nails being hammered in.
I’m really happy with how these look (at least the ones without huge gaps), although it remains to be seen how well they’ll take the abuse of being gaming models. Balsa’s pretty soft, and I’m worried that it might get banged up easily.
Illuminated (jaws)
I’m happy with this Illuminated’s dress, although less so with the drooping jaws. There’s no transition between the flesh and the blue, so it’s just like oversized sideburns or something. I should have done the tops of the jaws with flesh, then with purple wash, like the shoulder infection on the first guy.
The kit comes with an alternate upper body of this model, so I may try to find a set of legs from something to make another.
All in all, a very fun side project. I only play with painted models, so now, when I find some time, I can actually play a game.
