Necron Scenery continued.

Another update with regards to the scenery purchased from ttcombat, reviewed in a recent post. The time has come to build up the bases for painting.  Firstly, I need to establish a ground build up around each bit of scenery.  Using wood filler, I've smeared the edges with a wet tea spoon as to make it more rounded.  The idea is to simulate the effect of excavation.  As in these buildings are from beneath and below, as opposed to sitting on top of everything.

Even as I slapped on the stuff, I started wondering about how easy it might be to include some abandoned mining gear... or even Adeptus Mechanicus equipment left behind by dead archaeologists or their 40k equivalent.

What do you think?

A Prison for Gods: The Shard Keys discovered.

The End, is suddenly in sight...

As the sudden strike from the Necrons occurred, many pondered on their motivations.  It was known now that the Overlord Hautsi the "Unbidden" had become impatient, that he had initiated the attacks because those in his employ had fallen to their own agendas.  But not the reasons for the locations of those attacks.

On Tresium, the Adeptus Arbiters precinct were silenced as the air filled with pale coloured scythes.  Invasion rays penetrated the fortress within minutes and the stoic defenders of justice, having endured months of siege by locals were slaughtered.
On Rust, Sordid and even bleak Wake, old allies and foes alike found themselves targeted by the ancient xenos.  On Rust and Wake, the Dark Eldar found themselves quickly surrounded, the Tyranids on Sordid meanwhile, reacted to the presence of the Necrons recon parties.

The importance of the artefacts would quickly become known, firstly their importance was paramount to the Necrons.  This was telling. Their powers, given to those who bore then would be known next.  And finally, their relevance to the rogue world Solemnum and the Prison.

The Shard Keys?

In game terms, the Shard Keys are key pieces of wargear allowed for this campaign only.  They double up as both potent gear which can be equipped by the players Grand Warlords, and they also give boons in the campaigns too.  As explained below, each Key bestows different awards on the battlefield, but similar rewards on the campaign map.  They give points for those who possess them in the campaign map and unlock possibilities in the finale battle, where the Keys will do what they were designed to do.  Open.  Or Lock a door.

Shard's in the campaign.

• In the campaign, each Key counts as an extra 3 Territories, added as map extras at the end of each Turn or Phase. They also allow for bonuses on the final world of Solemnum, where the final battle will take place.  The player who has the Key at the end of Turns or Phases gets the bonus, not the original owner, as a Key may change hands many times.
• They are automatically attached to the players Grand Warlord, who can use their powers on the field.  

 Losing or seizing a Key in battle.

• A Key, may be taken from the Grand Warlord, if he/she/it, is slain in combat.  If the Grand Warlord is slain by an opposing character (the final wound is the one that counts) the Key is automatically transferred to the opposing player.  Note the Key's abilities cannot be used immediately.  You got to take it home and poke it a while first.
• If the Grand Warlord is slain by someone else in combat, the Key is taken on a 4+, the low level warriors may not be briefed on its importance, or care in the heat of battle.

The Shard Keys of the Duat.

Designed eons ago, by technologies long since lost, the Shard Keys are slivers of Star Gods, recycled into sentient keys for impossible locks. These artefacts are powerful, leaking out the essence of their original greatness onto those that carry them into battle. Though the sentience is bestial and confused, the presence of such a key can affect the very reality around it, not warping or corrupting like chaos, but playing with it like a true god of old. 

In an act of ironic punishment, it is send that the Ctan deemed too dangeorous to even use as Shard Weapons in or outside of Tesseract Vaults were locked away in the Duat.  The Prison of Prisons.  These keys were shaved off the essence of the prisoners there and used to forever ensure that the locks remained shut, so long as noone would be foolish or strong enough to bring them together...

Necrons Attack! The Mist Walker - Tresium

"Uhsen’Relah, the C’tan known for it’s use of the local weather patterns.  This Shard Key may affect the local moisture levels to dangerous degrees.  Look for any build up of water or odd weather."

Upon Tresium, as the Adeptus Arbites make ready for a siege against the criminals and invaders, they are surprised by an attack from another side.  Upon the fortress which lies atop the planets greatest source of water, the Necrons attack.  With no-one in the vicinity to help them, the fortress goes silent and disappears beneath the waves.  Whatever happened and happens still, remains to be discovered. But the Necrons have taken the entire area, and show no signs of leaving.

Shard Key Effect:
Uhsen'Relah was well known for condemning his victims to a blinding mist, spanning entire continents in impenetrable white.  Not being enough to simply reduce vision, these mists also confuse sensors and jam communications.  All the while, Uhsen preyed on his victims, separating them and slaying them one by one...
The Bearer of the Mists Shard Key may enforce Night Fighting in any game they play.  This Night fighting may not be countered by any means (E.g. Dark Eldar night vision).

Necrons Attack! The Never Ended - Rust

"Derth’Sanykk, a fearsome C’tan known to for its resilience.  Literally un-killable.  I have been instructed to be on the look out for any obvious extensions of life, or such “miracles” in the Faustian Sector."



Despite the sudden appearance of the Necrons, Ozzy has managed to escape their clutches and even go so far as to discover the relic's true power. With it, he will gain powers on the field and a path to the final world: Solemnum.

Shard Key Effect:
Now unlocked to its full potential, the bearer of this Shard Key becomes nigh un-killable.  Wounds re-knit before their eyes, regenerating fatal injuries and severed limbs with contemptuous ease. 
Derth'Sanykk's Death Shard Key essence gives the bearer Feel No Pain 4+ (which cannot be improved beyond 4+) as well as It Will Not Die.

Necrons Attack!  The Frozen Rage - Sordid

"Sezalak, the Frozen Rage, this being delighted on drowning entire worlds into premature ice ages.  Look for out of the ordinary low temperatures."



On the frozen ruins of Sordid's capital city, the key lay amid the ruins.  Tasked with the retrieval of the Shard Key, Nemesor Armaza was hunted and "compromised" by the legendary Deathleaper.  The retrieval team was intercepted by the Tyranids and broken but metres from their extraction point, the Nemesor meeting his end under his hunters gaze.  Disgusted by the failure, Overlord Hautsi has... delayed the Nemesor's resurrection indefinitely.
Despite redundancy planning suggesting the Tyranids wouldn't appreciate the Shard Key's importance, the secondary retrieval team found the Key to have been taken.  It seems the Hive Mind is more cunning then previously thought...

Shard Key Effect:
The bearer of this Shard Key can use the essence of Sezalak, the Ctan of the frozen rage. They are encompassed in a personal blizzard, both obscuring them from their enemies and flash freezing any foolish enough to engage them up close: slowing blood and causing frostbite as well as freezing armour and weapons.
The bearer of the Frost Key gains Shrouded and any enemies in base to base contact have their initiative reduced 1.

Necrons Attack!  The "Twisted Hoof" - Wake

"Little is known about this C’tan, though one mention describes it has bearing “no proof of tongue nor sounds rung.”



In the Valley of Fears the sadistic Dark Eldar have beaten back the tides of bone coloured automatons.  Their previous discovery called them to search the area, deeper this time, and they have located Wake's Shard Key.

Shard Key Effect:
Mysterious and nefarious in equal measure, the bearer of this Shard Key of the "Twisted Hoof" become paler, their skin showing a web work of their veins.  A fell light appears in their eyes as they kill their enemies up close, the faintest wisp of their souls seems to scream in the air before being devoured by the bearer, each blow seeming to be fatal. An eater of souls, they also display an odd shuffle as they walk, a quirk taken from the Shard Key's namesake no doubt.
The bearer of the Twisted Key, gains Instant Death to all combat attacks however they may not Sweeping Advance.

So where does this leave us!?

Well, firstly, Chris has now stumbled across not one but 2 Shard keys, making Ozzy move from comical joke of the campaign to royal pain in the ass. The Tyranids have received a boon too and it seems both Eivind and Chris are within punching distance of dismounting even Rory's Black Scorpions hold on the campaign.  Regardless, the Conquest Points rewarded in the last game may shift the balance enough to see anyone take the prize.

This campaign has however, moved much away from banal measures of success as numbers, to more narrative drives.  Wimaro's Craftworld Eldar and their conflict with Ozzy has been nothing short of brutal.  Cast from Rust in the opening blows of the campaign, they finally came back with a vengeance and secured a clear beach head on the devastated former Maiden world.

Likewise, the conflict between Rory's elite Black Scorpions and Thomas' Imperial Guard has gotten personal.  And religious. Calls of heresy against the space marines chapter have gone heard, especially since Thomas' priest has caused so much grief to Rory.  Rumours abound that Thomas has gone so far as to model his own space marines and a renegade space marine chaplain off Rory's chapter, just to get to him are most likely well founded.  What the future holds for the Black Scorpions remains to be seen, but with the Ecclesiarcy itself in hot pursuit, and the Scorpions holding firm in their beliefs of survivalism.  This will be a story in its own right.

Meanwhile Magnus' Imperial Guard regiments have had a mix of fortunes, having taken a beating recently by the Craftworld Eldar, their part in the narrative has largely been fighting with the Adeptus Astartes, no longer allies, will they focus on protecting mankinds innocence?  Or their own need for vindication?

Or will Eivinds Tyranids, responsible for the death of all life on Warrens End (although no-one believes such a simple entity could use a complex machine... blame the Necrons why don't you!!), may well surprise all by consuming the whole of the sector.  Starting with Acre.

But, speaking plainly for a second, I'm not sure.  Real life has been a pain in the ass for all of us yesterday and the effort required ot even organise the games above has been hard. Despite this, the moral of the group is solid.  The feeling is "lets finish this" and in late May, Solemnum will see her last conflict as the conclusion to the Faustian Schism plays out.

This has been an amazing campaign so far.  Seeing players develop fluff, armies, techniques, alliances and grudges alike.

Who survive or leave victorious?

Thanks for following!
R

So no Chaos Codex for 2016? No holding back then!

So as I have discovered via sources online (Spikey bits, Bols, the usual), the rumour stating that Chaos won't be making an appearance this end of 2017 has been largely confirmed.  Too much in the way it seems, a pushed schedule for the eager Age of Sigmar, tidy up of both Adeptus Mechanicus/Skitarii, Astra Milatarum, Tyranids etc.  Poor poor badies.

Ahh well.  I can bitch about how unfair it all is (#firstworldproblems) or I can sally forth and get stuck in.  Into what you may ask?  Well as ever I start from the wrong end.

Crimson Slaughter.

Yupp.  The attempted "Ultramarines" of the Chaos faction, the Crimson Slaughter came from nowhere to take an unfair amount of attention from the legions with their confusing background and motivations AND colour scheme.  But god help me I like them.  Their aesthetic draws me back to my days playing Space Crusade.  The almost flesh like contours of their armour, the true corruption of the Space Marine, the rage of the unjustly done to.

Attempting to stick to the gorgeous feel of the Dark Vengeance set (Which I got two sets of dammit!), I grabbed some Raptors for the bits.  Those helmets and those shoulder pads are just perfect!!!

As you can see, something about those legs just didn't pay off.  Though dynamic, without further carving up the figure, I was going to have to rethink how I would go about this. Getting my hands on more parts, I decided to rip them appart at the torso and focus on two 10 man Squads, one shooty and the other combatty.  (Technical terms, I'm sure...)

 Obviously the Dark Vengeance Chosen were filtered in in various forms, the best ones being reserved for Aspiring Champion Roles.

I've also received these beauties, Gal Vorbak, to be used as my first Possessed squad.  They've got a bad rap have Possessed, but I hope to do them justice.  I still have some Age of Sigmar Storm Cast I was also intending to brutalise into Possessed, but they will have to wait.

Currently practicing Green Stuff with Vasaline.  Don't laugh, this stuff is amazing!  Forget using water!

A Prison for Gods: The Story so far. (Fluff heavy!)

The War in Heaven.

Approximately 60 Million years ago, the galaxy was dominated by two very different species: The Old Ones and the Necrontyr. The Necrontyr, short lived and miserable in their mortality looked upon the mysterious Old Ones with jealousy.  The Old Ones were immortal, only death by injury could take them, but they would not share this secret.

The Triarchs, the rulers of the Necrontyr society sought a way to stop the terrible infighting that had crippled their species’ expansion for a long time.  Seeing hope in offering a common enemy, the Triarchs used a war against these selfish immortal Old Ones as a way to unify the Necrontyr.
While the Old Ones were masters of the warp the Necrontyr, whilst mortal, were masters of Science and of the laws of the real.  To the other races of that galaxy it seemed as if the Gods themselves had gone to war.

In the end, it was the mobility of the Old One’s webways that won that early portion of the war.  The Necrontyr, blunted by so much conflict, fell into old habits and began fighting amongst themselves once more.

It was at this point that the C’tan appeared.  Unfathomable entities of energy, the C’tan were eaters of the stars themselves, stellar vampires that were Gods in all but name.  Able to alter reality to suit their needs, their dislike of the warp-spawned antics of the Old Ones pushed them closer to the goals of the Necrontyr.  It has been said that it was the raw hatred of the Old Ones that sang out across the stars, attracting the C’tan like flies to a corpse.

Some say that the C’tan later known as the Deceiver first approached the Silent King of the Necrontyr, some that it was the Silent King approached them.  Either way, a devils bargain was struck. For the Immortality they so desired, the Necrontyr leadership gave away their peoples’ souls and their free will, becoming creatures of metal and energy.  Undying, unrelenting and forever condemning their name to become synonymous with death.  They would be known as Necrontyr no longer, but as the Necrons.

The war began a fresh, the terrible power of the Necrons unburdened by life alongside the ancient star gods pushed the Old Ones into new levels of desperation.  New child races were made, the K’nib, the Eldar, the Krork and the Jakoaro, each tapping into the energies of the warp.  The immaterium screamed under the burden just as much as the C’tan reeled from this anethma that threatened to turn the tide.

Against these warp spawned powers, the Necrons and the C’tan began a great undertaking to cut the galaxy off from the Immaterium.  Beginning in what would later be known as the Cadian Gate, gigantic pylons silenced the warp and rendered these psykers useless.  At the same time, the C’tan known as the Burning One taught the Necrons how to breach the Old Ones Web Ways with Dolmen Gates, finally seizing the initiative.

As the fortunes of the Necrontyr waxed, the Old One’s waned.  Their efforts to weaponise the peaceful Immaterium had unleashed the Enslaver Plague, decimating their race to extinction and tainting the creatures of the warp into daemons.  The ensuing conclusion of the war was quick as it was bloody.  Entire systems died as the vengeful and merciless Necrons hunted the Old Ones down.

The Silent King of the Necrons, who had been patiently waiting for his chance, saw one of his enemies defeated, the other glutton and tired.  Seeing his opportunity, he struck, betraying their patrons the C’tan and finally revenging his race’s lost souls in a campaign that shattered the star gods and obliterated entire systems.  Over 50 million Necrons died as did the great Triarch, all but the Silent King.  Each shard of those former gods was sealed away into Tesseract Vaults.  As they were the stuff of the universe itself the C’tan could not be so easily killed and the destruction of one in particular had been disastrous, unleashing the dreaded Flayer Virus that would forever plague them.
Broken and imprisoned, the C’tan had gone from Masters to Slaves.

Victorious in a ruined galaxy, the Necrons retreated to their Tomb Worlds, sleeping away the eons with the intent on returning when nature had rebuilt what had been lost.  Destroying the command protocols, the Silent King left the galaxy, knowing he had failed his race.

The Silent King, in his silence, held many secrets.  But as all sentient life know:  The truth will out.

The Faustus Sub-Sector – A Timeline.

The Faustus Sub-Sector upon the borders between the holy Segmentum Solar and the vast expanse of Segmentum Ultra.  Located deep on the spiral and decorated by an old dwarf star, it has a long history mostly lost to ruin.  Its history, though not exceptional to those living there, is non the less interesting, if you know where to dig.  Be careful what you find.

• C.M28 - Signs of prior Eldar colonisation on the human designated world of Woad.  Referred to by the surviving Eldar as Agetha, this Maiden World was suddenly evacuated by its Exodite Eldar people, leaving her empty and waiting for new owners.
• 004.M31 - The Faustus Sub-Sector is first colonised by humans during the Great Crusade.  Beginning with the planet listed as PX-R55Kappa (later known as Nest), the colonists would later expand to take advantage of the rest of the system.
• 014.M31 - During the Horus Heresy, the Sub-Sector was largely untouched, deemed to be of no tactical worth.  After the Heresy, Nolan was taken by the Adeptus Mechanicus by force, claiming Exploratory rights to some undisclosed Archeotech found by dust miners.
• C.M35 – The Ur-Council of the Nova Terra Interregnum dismisses the authority of the High Lords of Terra beginning the era of twin Imperiums.  Finally reaching the Faustus Sub-Sector, the new Ur-Council establishes a “capital” on Warren’s End.  While the system is largely untouched by direct conflict, the discovery of Woad draws both the older Imperium and the Nova Terra into a system wide war.  As neither side is willing to fight on the planet itself, it is dubbed the “War of the Maidens Hand.”
• C.M36 – The tech adepts of Nolan intervene against the Ur-Council.  Adeptus Mechcanicum assassins systematically remove key figureheads while religious iconoclasts from Nest organise a revolt.  The Imperial Ecclesiarchy enforces it’s presence on Warren’s End.  No thanks is sent to Nolan, though several Mechanicum dig sites appear in Nest’s underhives.
• C.M36 - The Age of Apostasy.  The Sub-Sector going largely unaffected by the turmoil bar for a several small revolts.  More military forces are redeployed away from Faustus leaving the door open for corrupt criminal elements which set up shop on Tresium.  The planets Adeptus Arbiters establish Cold Zone cordons continents wide.  Xenos piratical elements such as Ork Freebooters and Dark Eldar reavers are recorded.
• C.M37 - During the Thorian Reformation, the Forge World of Nolan test fires one of its many classified weapons called the Annex-Mort.  It malfunctions, striking across the space and hitting the verdant world of Woad.  The green planet is killed within hours, every life form being reduced by radiation into brown mud.  In the panic, many Tech Adepts flee the planet.  Entire data stacks are purged.  An internal investigation condemned the act as ignorance punishable by death although rumours persist of deliberate intent.  The Forgeworld is censured hard, the majority of its sacred tech is removed.  The process however, is long and with warp travel as unpredictable as it is, much remains, sitting mothballed and forgotten.
• C.M38 – The small world of Wake is discovered by a lost system patrol ship.  The vessel is later found adrift, the crew having massacred each other in a sleep like state.
• 001.M40 - The Warp Storm classified as the Depths of Gorath explodes into the Sub-Sector, yet moves to a snail’s pace as it approaches.  The world of Sordid in its rotation begins getting closer each year and begins to show signs of corruption.  Chaos raiders emerge from the Depths and begin torturing the population with slave runs.  Imperial Guard regiments are summoned to assist.
• 025.M40 – The conflict caused by the Depths of Gorath escalates.  More Imperial Guard are brought in on rotation.  Nest is invaded showing the dangers.  The Inquisition takes interest.
• C.M41 – An unidentified rogue planet is detected moving through the system, the Warp Storms abate and demonic assaults falter.  Using the opportunity, the Imperial Forces push back, cleaning Nest and quarantining Sordid.
• C.M41 -The space hulk classified as The Gospel of Fear enters the System.  Rogue Traders and scavengers from Tresium make several attempts at boarding actions but are called off after several unexplained fatalities.  The Hulk is marked and it path monitored.
• 750.M41 – The Emperors Tarot unilaterally tells of a Great Devourer eating itself.  Several Astropaths commit suicide.
• 760.M41 – Hive Fleet Cruach enters the system and attacks the world of Acre.  Responding to emergency summons, the Astartes of the Black Scorpions come to assist eliminating the fleets Hive ships and rendering the Tyranids leaderless.  Questions are asked as to why the Space Marines were already in system…
• 761.M41 – Under special edict, the world of Acre that is still infested by Tyranids, is turned into a training site for specialist troops.  Astartes of the Deathwatch and other forces come to train against live Tyranid organisms that seem under control without any synapse creatures.
• 801.M41 – The Devils Bargain incident starts a cold war between Inquisitor Craven and Dormengast.  From the gutters of Tresium to the airless Wake, agents and Inquisitional assets murder each other as the two go to war.
• 801.M41 – The results of the Devils Bargain reach fruition as Imperial Regiments turn on each other, Xenos invade the system at the behest of Craven while Dormengast summons the most pure and faithful.  From the Depths spill more Chaos hordes than ever and on Acre, the Tyranids are suddenly getting smarter…

A Devil’s bargain.

Over the course of months, the Radical Inquisitor Yvasilli Craven, once lauded as the Sectors fiercest and most puritanical within the Ordo Xenos, has become emissary to one he was deigned to fight. Bringing the word of an unknown Necron Overlord, he has worked tirelessly to negotiate with and entreat with all manner of forces:  From Imperial Commanders to Alien Raiding hosts.  His offers are always seemingly too good to be true, but too good to ignore, displaying a disturbing level of insight into who these offers are being made to.

For the Inquisitor and many of the Imperial Commanders in the area, it was the potential gift of the Necron Pylon network, reportedly similar in design to those still found along the Cadian Gate.  If deployed in the Faustus Sub Sector, it could silence the Warp Storm and deny the Great Enemy a means to attack so easily, potentially snuffing out the Depths.  It would end the conflict and bring prosperity.  A victory.  To others wealth or power.  In one fell swoop, Imperial commanders, Space Marine Captains, Eldar Farseers and more were separated by one principle: Does the end justify the means?

But what of the cost?  

The Necron asked for one small service: Help finding a lost world, set rogue by events billions of years ago:  Somnium.

Left on an erratic rotation, it would be coursing through the Sub-Sector at a specific time, while old remnants of technology were left that could locate it.  The planet has nothing of importance spare to the Necrons secret agenda.  A simple deal, were it not for those who not only refused the gesture, but now work against it.  Inquisitor Dormenghast, a pious member of the Ordos Hereticus, has picked up the scent of corruption.  Learning of the dealings between Craven and Xenos, he now works in the shadows and out of them, gathering trusted military forces, undermining the works of Craven wherever possible.

Across the Sub-Sector, Inquisitorial assets and agents fought a clandestine war in the shadows. Assassinating key enemy authorities and replacing their own.  Things would come to ahead with the death of the planetary Governor on Warren’s End.  The identity of the murderers would become irrelevant after Inquisitor Dormenghast publicly outed his rival and thumbed him as the detractor.
The resulting hysteria saw many of Craven’s agents dragged into the light for public executions, while his allies went underground.  In retaliation, Craven was forced to call in the favours and across nearly all the worlds of Faustus chaos erupted.

Across Warrens End and beyond, Planetary Defence forces revolted, or simply deserted their posts. Stationed Imperial Guard regiments turned on their allies in pre-planned betrayals.  Cold Zoners on Tresium began a new wave of gang wars, distant outposts were hit by strike teams and even on Nolan the Mechanicum found their fellow Tech-Priests had already made arrangements.  The Adeptus Arbites on Warrens End barred their doors and waited for the madness to end, seeing no true enemy in the confusion.

Despite early gains however, Dormengast held the home advantage, using Imperial propaganda and faith to reinforce his armies.  It seemed as if Craven’s gamble would be stopped before it truly began.
Suddenly, the Sub-system’s outer listening posts detected unidentified signatures.  Craven’s other friends had made their play and entered the fray.  Xenos raiders of all stripes invaded, sparing their predetermined allies and cutting straight for the loyalists of Dormengast.

Meanwhile from the vengeful Depths of Gorath emerged a new wave of Chaos daemons, pushing hard on the already taxed and confused system ships, they made planet fall deep in the Sub-Sector. Temples to the eightfold path were erected on the bone-fields of entire cities and daemons began cavorting in the streets.  Both alarmed at the plans of the Bringers of Silence and taking advantage of the turmoil, for the forces of Chaos this could be their last chance to take the Sub-Sector for their dark Gods…

A shadow over the warp made navel assistance troublesome as the first tell tale signs of an impending Tyranid invasion started making an appearance.  Their intent their own, their actions were met with rejoice amongst the daemon hordes of khorne, who cared not, from whence the blood flowed.

The sides now balanced, the Faustus Schism began in blood-drenched earnest.

The Schism begins.

A coalition of Imperial servants, Adeptus Astartes, Xenos and worse has invaded the Sub-Sector seemingly well organised and of one intent: Conquest.  The Imperial defenders of the Sub-Sector, rotated in over the last few months stand against them with their own allies from unexpected corners. Even as these two forces collide, on the sides work the ever-watchful eyes of the raider, the brute and the corrupting.

While the wars and conflicts are held within but a few worlds, the quest to find the Rogue Planet will see the fires spread out into the rest of the Sub-Sector.  Following clues and signs made before their species even walked upright, a race against time has begun.  For they who can reach Somnium first, holds the fate of Faustus and beyond in their hands.

Build all the things!! - Hobby Progression

Greetings fellow 'Cronians!

Its been a while since the last post and with good reasons!
WHICH SHALL REMAIN SECRET

I've been rather busy trying to finish every remaining Necron kit awaiting construction and take it to a level of primed.  The reason?  I want to play with it.  And I have not the time to wait for some of it to be finished and painted.

So firstly, the following are what I managed to nail together sharpish over the last couple of weeks.  I have still some Imperial Guard to finish as well as a hundred other projects that aren't quite so blinding as all this BONE.

Ghost arks.

Actually finished pieces bar the inner Necrons requiring repair.  Again, the aim was to finish them to a usable point, so I didn't hang around.  They sit in a bits bag, complete and primed.

3rd Night Scythe/Doom Scythe.  

Given to me by a very generous friend, all it needed was some final assembly and painting.  The base, which I had acquired an age ago was textured and primed too.  Thats 3 death pastries!  Though now I cannot find the extra bloody weapons underneath!!

Necron Immortals.  

Half built already and mostly second hand purchases, these came as 15 more Immortals with Tesla and the last ten were built as the more 7th Ed. friendly Gauss Blasters.  Damn they look nice.  Wish I'd made more.  That takes the elite Immortals to a total of 35.  Ish.  Looking at my bits box, I suspect I can make the missing 5.  When I can be bothered.

Orikan!  My first true resin cannon Special Character.  Heard and read lots of good things about this chap.  And unlike the other resin Specials I've had in the past, I decided that I would make this one properly.  I even decided to spray it black and not bone.  The characters background as a sort of prophet of the future played into the Dynasty's background.  Though I wanted him as an emissary of the Sautehk Dynasty.  Though I do wonder if the Stormlord knows his favourite Cryptek is away...

Flayed Ones! 'Undreds of them!  

Having acquired second hand 10 of those god awful new resin Necrons, I also had some warriors who had been sprayed after the green rod had been added.  Feeling creative, I asked around on the Facebook group for advice in making Flayed Ones from scratch.

3 hours later, having dissected arms and added plasticard clippers I was on my way.  Adding Stirland Mud (GW) to the bad joins to mask them and wrapping PVA saturated tissue paper for skin, I had the makings of a pretty nasty looking Flayed troop 20 strong.  Looking forward to using these guys in a decent battle!

So whats left?

Well, really all that remains is the Destroyer conversions which you may remember from a recent post.

There are enough parts for 4 of these in normal Destroyer form, and enough for 1 more as a Heavy Destroyer.  I'm still trying to source the bases so they have a like silhouette as a GW sold Destroyer.  But also, I've recently begun planning something awesome.  A campaign called A Prison for Gods.

Here's a teaser.

More soon on that front.  As its largely taken from the underrated Crusade of Fire, I'll be publishing the rules and antics here on this blog.

Conversion - Heavy Destroyer

As requested!  Here under are more pics and details about the first (I promise!) of many such Destroyer conversions.

Now as I've mentioned before, I'm not a fan of the GW Destroyer figure, it's dated and damn me if I haven't already painted several already.  Besides, I wanted something thematic with the armies Egyptian feel.

Inspired to make it more of another Cryptek construct, I grabbed some Tomb Kings snake knights from the Warhammer Fantasy range.

Sepulchral Stalkers!

This with some left over bits from the Praetorian Stalkers and others from the bits box, I dove in with clippers and green stuff.

I loved the idea that this thing was usually worshipped or even camoflaged as what the lesser races would see as no more than statues and furniture.  Then, when activated it would come alive as a snake like construct designed to support Wraith and Spyders in the defence or support of the Dynasty.

As the doubles tournament coming up allowed me enough points to grab a Heavy Destroyer, I chopped up and one of the Heavy Gauss weapons from the Stalker.  The hardest part was the hands, as I'd already given the staff weapon blades to Rottimus for his Blood Angels special dudeses.

 Eventually I noticed an over abundance of this strange part for the right arm which possessed a perfect ball joint.  When the Heavy Gauss was cut into, this worked as a perfect brace for the weapon.  But for the other arm's hand?  Everything seemed too small and fleshy.  What worked in the end?  I kid you not, Skaven.  Skaven hands from the Mordheim set.  Seriously, never throw out bits.

To tie in with the Dynasty's colour scheme I went with bone and red as a spot colour.  I played around with the green illumination for the first time with mixed success.  Sadly I was on a busy schedule.  Maybe next time?  I have plans for 1 more of these Heavy variants and then 4 standard.  Maybe I'll even get enough for a cult?

In hindsite, as Rottimus pointed out, the "emerging from the ground" base seems weird when one considers the way the slate and floor parts are angled.  THE WRONG WAY!!! >_<

Also, It did occur to me that in regards to the Dynasty's background, being ex Necron political prisoners, why then are the supposed Guards of said Prison (albeit converted to the cause) in the same bone and red convict colours?

Who knows, maybe Overlord Hautsi saw irony in repainting them?

Or wizards did it...

Painting Guide - The colours of Trazian Dynasty

SO I often get asked:  When are you going to give that car back?  But that isn't important.
What is important is those people who want to know how I paint my Necrons.

So, keeping it simple:  Here is your answer.

See this is why we suck at night fight...

Now bear in mind I'm doing this in a modicum of a rush.  I've just had a game of 5k vs 5k and the maelstrom cards were mean. >_<

Some of the pics may not be of the same figure but at the very least can visually show what it is I am talking about.

Stage 1. Undercoat!  Bone!!

• Prime the figure using Army Painter: Skeleton Bone spray.  I chose this spray solely because it comes with a paint which actually sodding matches the spray!!

Stage 2. Ink it to death!!  

• I tend to alternate from Agrax Ink from Gw to Army Painters Soft or Hard tone to get the darker brown into the recesses and generally give the bone a deeper tone.  Feel free to lather it on all the things but bear in mind the base and weapon will be being painted another colour.

Stage 3. Love your bases!

• I like to do the base halfway at this point as it not only provides psychological goodies (look how far I've got!) but also allows you to technically use them in a rush (bases and 3 colours?). Though I never do that.  I am a paint snob apparently. >_>

Stage 4.  This is where things get interesting.  

• First, paint the weapon entirely grey using GW's Mechanicum grey.  Make sure the coat is thick enough to base it from bone.  If left too watered it can leave the edges pale.  Nothing hugely bad, just something to note.
• Paint the "joints" and the back of the faceplate a silvered metal colour, preferably dark as it shouldn't clash with the bright armour colour.  I use Leadbelcher from GW but any generic metal will do.
• Also paint the "energy" bits a dark green, I use Waaagh Flesh green as a base, highlighted some with a medium green such as Warpstone Glow.  
• Now for a "Spot Colour" I chose red, which some say does clash with the green, but I have no taste thankfully.  Up to you, but my forces from the Trazian Dynasty use red which starts off as Khorne Red.
  
  
  

  

  Weapons = grey, Energy = Green!

• To wrap this phase up, soak the red, grey, metal and green areas in a watered black ink.  Nuln Oil from GW works fine, but I prefer Army Painters Dark Tone as it can be watered to wash or left thick to shade. (Read: Throw it on and play around until happy!)

Stage 5.  Nearly done.  Now that the ink is dry, time for the finalè.

• Firstly highlight the red with either Khorne Red from GW or Mepheston Red, also GW.  Your choice.  Khorne is more muted and worn red but Mepheston has won me over these days.
• Taking Army Painter Skeleton Bone, begin slapping on thinned coats of bone on the armour.  Now pay attention to the way the ink has settled on the flat surfaces and add the final bone coat to simulate the better, remaining part of the paint work.  Occasionally miss some of the darker pooled areas and leave some of the "toned down" bone underneath showing.  This isn't a rocket science but it is best to do one or two coats then 1 thick one.  I'd say be patient, but I'm not, and I do often slap on a pretty heavy coat just to get them done.  Remember, you can always put on more Ink later to touch up any crevasses or lost shading. 
• At the end, I tend to touch up the grey on the weapon, mainly to cover up any wear where the paint has come away to show that damn strong primer coat underneath!

Take a close look at the way the bone was readded.

• Spray in varnish, I'd recommend Army Painters No Shine, though GW's Satin is fine.  






What you mean they have blast markers!?!?

• Add green rod, take photo and brag about how many Warriors you've done, soul still intact.

Thanks for reading, keep painting and let me know if you have any questions.

R

#Justsoddingpaintit
#Bonecrons4thewin