I Unexpectedly found time to do an update before Thursday.

Experience report on Forgeworld powders:

I've got the first set of powders that was released.
It includes:

Black Sooth
Orange Rust
Dark Earth
Light Earth
Grey Ash
Dark Sand

From which I used the first four.

The powders behave like makeup if you want to apply it dry. This is what I have done with the earth tone powders as well as with the black one. Ask your mother/sister/girlfriend if you could borrow a makeup tool to work with. With this you can apply the powders without crushing expensive brushes, as they suffer from accidently pushing to hard. Soak the tool with alcohol and you can remove the powder without problem. I think applying them dry gives more of a dusty or dry appereance.

You can easily do a wash with them, if you mix the powders with some water. Also, the more powder you take for the mix, the thicker the mud layer will seem.
A wash flows more easily into the recesses. This method was used on the pipes and metal plates on the bases. I think it suits rust as it is found where water conglomerates.

The third option to work with the powders is to apply them dry in small piles on to the model and give the whole model a wash with spirit. Afterwards you can do brush streaks downwards to simulate rain washing the mud/sand down or the natural appereance of rust.

After all I find the powders create very realistic effects and you can start working with them wthout being an expert in working with alternative painting techniques. Just think about what it should look like in the end and try something out. You can remove the powders again and again if you are not satisfied with the result and if you are, sealt it with mat varnish.
I will update this little report when i have got more experience with the powders, this means as soon as I tried them on a vehicle.

Here is the link to forgeworlds guide on applying powders: http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/Downloads/Product/PDF//w/weathering-powders.pdf
As the Forgeworld employees say: There are many methods to apply the powders and all of them result in different effects.
I too have only scratched on the surface of the possibilities.


Last but not least:

Some "ingame" pictures of my old cadre. It is for sale!
Besides all weapons are magnetized, this is why they do not stick right to the slots. I did not take the time before gaming to put them straight.

Old command team:




Shas'ui's




Piranha:


Stealths:


Firewarriors and devilfish:


If you are interested please send a pm.

And because I like them that much:


My friend converted all of his CSM like this. Even his tanks have Lizardmen bits on them.

I feel like this army is a very 'covert-ops' themed army. Very cool, and the painting and weathering and especially modeling is fantastic.

Would you mind if I wrote some stories based off of them, and used your pictures in the story?
And if you don't mind, could I get a few names for the Shas'Vre and suits and stuff? Thanks

It would be amazing, if you came up with some fluff.
I think if have got to tell you, how I imagine my cadre.

As my Tau are from Vior'la they prefer battlesuit heavy forces.
Short ranged weapons are order of the day but they are not neglecting their long ranged heavy support.
There are no auxilliaries, because I think Vior'la has rather conservative politics, additionally because of the high importancy of my cadres goals, only the most thrustworthy and skilled warriors are sent into combat.
They are tasked to destroy enemy high priority targets, like commanders and other units crucial to the enemys plan.
To reach their goal they operate with few units transported in Orcas or dropping from lower Orbit then sneaking up to the target trying to stay concealed as long as possible.
Success of the mission is the only thing that counts, as the number of Tau lives that can be saved through such dangerous tasks is enormous.

Is this enough Information?
I did not make any names or concrete fluff up so far, because my new cadre is not yet playable.
My regular opponents are Necrons, Space Marines of all flavours and the CSM khorne cult from which I have shown a picture.

Feel free to make up anything you want. I am really curious what my cadre experienced so far.

Awesome, no promises though, I've been feeling lazy.

I like the way your army is thought out, suits, no aux,Orca drops. I'll probably make it Tau vs SM, since I'm more comfortable with the two armies.
No promises

Update:

As my cadre is of stealthy nature, which means its members move in position unnoticed until they strike, I figured Broadsides and Hammerheads can't be taken along, so I settled with fusion equipped units.

I really like the Firewarriors with the short Pulserifles or are those Pulse-Assaultrifles without grenadelaunchers? Whatever I like them.

Because your Suits with (O'Shatta)Hands look so cool I tried it now too and it was surpriseingly easy!

Keep up this amazeing work.

They look good in team pictures. I'm jealous of all the XV9s. So is Shadowsun your Shas'o?
The stealth mid-change scheme looks nice.

Shovi :
Very nice work on these models! As somewhat of a Fireforge fan myself, would you be able to take/post up a few more shots of the suit, especially of the arm mounts? I'm curious as to how you did the Shield Generator, and the TL-Fusion Blasters look pretty sweet as well!

Thanks, and keep up the great work!
- Kor'Vre SpartanTau

Thank you for your responses!

To che': Yes, these are indeed pulsecarbines.

To Shortsonfire79: Exactly, she will act as my Shas'O. Don't know if I keep this sheme. I pointed out my thoughts on her earlier in this thread.

To SpartanTau: I stole the Idea from Shas'vre Shavaun. Here is the link to his amazing work;
viewtopic.php?f=46&t=10164&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

I magnetized my suit, so it is able to bear a synch. flamer or act as a Deathrain.

Here are some other pics: