Well, after a series of encouraging speeches and several death threats, here is the updated blog post.
I have been busy since the last time, so I will make this a brief pic fest with a run through of where I am up to and what I am aiming to have finished prior to the end of the world...
I mean christmas.
Necrons! Some evil barstools paid for Necrons for me. Probably a way to take me away from my Imperial Guard depressions (will they ever win!!). It took me a while to get up the courage to start, especially when I was lucky enough to get some second hand ones.
Using Dawn of War's army painter, I finally settled on some simple colour guidelines:
Bone for armour with a thick ink of Aggrax Brown. Metal for the joints and under bits. A dull grey for weapons and tools and the usual green incandescent energy effect to keep them tied to the traditional Necrons. It looked dull, but after some muddling I settled on Khorne red as a spot colour. Tomb Kings in space?! Why the hell not?? That's an awesome idea!
The green rods were a pain in the arse, so I compramised with myself to use them only on the models which looked ready to fire. The effect is subtle but really works in game. Kind of. Still the bases I kept neutral brown, just like my Imp. Guard. I tried desert but the bone on bone really ruined the affect. The second the light green was put on the eyes I knew I was on tom something. I only had to stay strong and stick to this pallet long enough to make a difference. Sometimes you have to wait until you have made a small army before deciding on a scheme. One squad doesnt count.
Next came the Immortals. The true soldiers of the Necrontyr made metal. I wanted to really improve on the paint scheme but in trying to make them look more looked after I found that I was actually finding it easier. I didn't have to worry about keeping some of the worn dull brown affects and the smooth bone colours did the job. The paint was beginning to be a problem, but so long as I kept it to thin coats everything went, ahem, smoothly.
Although I was tempted to paint the energy on the Tesla weapons a "timey whimy" blue, I stuck to the pallet. It paid off in my opinion. You can come unstuck I find when you add to much. Clustering a figure with too much colour and detail can be done well, and it can be done really, really badly. I wasn't prepared to spend that much time on each figure. They are Necrons after all, individuality is something which happens to other people. Like the Lords!
Speaking of which, I quickly painted up the first low lord which you can see on the right. Using a Horus(?) head from Puppets war, I wanted to instantly give him a different look from the rest. An image of this armies background was forming in my head. But not yet nooo, that comes later.
Finally came the Triarch Pratorians. I wanted these guys to really scream Elite. Though the paint pallet was largely untested accept for the rank and file. The helmets were from Puppets War but their falcon imagery really gave the feel I wanted for these airborne death dealers. I swore at this moment that all of my Scythe pilots would have this head too. :)
The usual colour scheme was applied to the armour, ignoring the Codex's suggestions of gold and such in favor of a neater more polished and looked after armour. Though battle damage was still visible, their status would show. The helmets took a while to come to a decision, their smoother sculpt really left me with only one option: Freehand. After a few attempts with different colours I decided on a monochrome look, black and white. Though as you can see in the pics, it isn't strictly white. I'm of the belief that there is no "black" just an absence of colour.
After some feedback from Rory, I painted on the green lightning affect on the Staves. While the Grey for weapons and kit stood, they were meant to have power weapons!
The spot colour found its way onto the staff weapons hand hold area.
The Tomb Spyder was the first vehicle, though it could be argued that i got off easy with the lack of huge flat surfaces. Indeed, the decision to got with red in the cracks on the carapace was automatic.
A huge pain, but worth the effort. I also learned more about the way the bone paint reacted to smooth surfaces. Badly. I would have to simulate wear and tear by "missing" certain bits on the re layering. The typical grey and green palate was used, but with a last minute A symmetrical addition to the face plate. Something I felt really emphasized the machines "tool" like nature.
The dreaded monolith. So dreaded because it is a titanic
pain to assemble. So I was led to believe. Even without the "essential"
elastic band technique (couldn't find any), this thing came together a
lot easier than expected. Although my original plan to have a Casket of
Lost souls on the top instead of a crysta, failed a little, I'm holding
off until the end. Best for last and all that.
Next we have the recently finished Praetorian Stalker. This was a pain. Gorgeous kit with sooo much detail I loved putting it together. One mistake, I shouldn't have. Really this thing needs to be painted in two or three parts. Reward for those who know which parts I'm referring to.
Regardless this was the largest vehicle for this colour scheme I had done yet. I really had to think about where I wanted the bone style to go, polished and pure or worn? In the end, the clean coat glared of 6 year old painting. I'm happy with the end result, though I do wonder what I would do if i get another...
Note the colour choice on the helmet has the same pallet as the Triarchs above. Although the choice of helmet style displays his position within the court, to deviate from the colours I felt, would be garish. Sticking to the general theme should pay off when the army is complete and standing together.
Whats next? Well there is the duty and the pleasure. The duty is the Necron Annihilation barge. Already sprayed bone, inked to death (scuse the pun) and awaiting the boring re layering of bone + detail. You may note the separated gun there? After having to deal with the horribly beautiful detail on the Stalker, well I want to start off easy.
And the pleasure? Well from a variety of sources I have acquired this motley crew below, to supply me with characters for my Imperial Guard.
Starting with the obscure, meet Dorothy from Harmony Steampunk. This one is a present from a friend and I am definitely intent on finding a use for her. I mean check out the detail! A dog in a basket with gas mask? Certainly Inquisitor/Rogue trader material. But what to count it as in game?
Never can one have enough Commisars. Between the resin forgeworld beauty on the left and the recycled steel legion officer from Rory, thats nearly five I have. What has this Company done to deserve this much attention!?
The advisers. The set of imperial advisers available only from the GW website is well worth the trouble. The figures are original and full of character. Worth the price. The Primaris psyker on the right was a must in the 6th Edition, where psychics come into their own, even for the under gunned humans. For my part, it reminded me of the old school psykers of 3rd Edition, or even Necromunda.
Finally we have something that has sat in my bits box for far too long. The limit edition Inquisitor with plasma pistol. With the change in rules regarding pistols in combat and precision shots, I really want this guy as maybe an Inquisitor lord. Though he could be a great stand in for Colonel Straken with that bionic looking right arm...
Oh look! He's found a friend!
Whats left of the Necron Army? Well I still have 3 Wraiths (one with a missing head...), a Night scythe, have to get a Command Barge and some Death marks. Then there is that Cryptek conversion.
Still lots to do, but if you focus on the here and now... well Yoda stuff happens.
Thanks for reading. And not smashing my Stalker, Rory.
Rick
