Thanks! I have always like that Stealthsuit of mine and thought it was a natural fit.

Holy crap! It has been over a month! Let's update this puppy...

---

Feeding



++Pict-cap taken of the local Administratum Office on the edge of the Nyoike border villages, in a town called New Col. No survivors were located. Location quarantined under orders of the Shadow Guardians.++

++Message from Shadow Guardian Sergeant Ruhi of The Crimson Blade, 3rd Scout Squad, 1st Orta++

Sir, we arrived as soon as we could after picking up the distress call, but I am afraid we are too late. This village and about every one for miles has been found deserted, with only ominous holes spread throughout. It appears that the Tyranid used tunneling creatures to move directly beneath population centers and then swallow them and their inhabitants whole.

In searching for details on the attack, we located this recording in the wreckage of the Administratum building:

“Slide that column in front of the door! Block all the entrances! Oh Throne, hurry up!" [Multiple voices speaking at once. The main voice is likely a male in his early forties. His unfamiliarity with the threat suggests that he is simply a civilian.]

Hello? Hello, can anyone hear me? I am broadcasting from the Administratum office in New Col. We are being attacked by some kind of bizarre xeno beasts and are in desperate need of aid. [Subject begins to lose composure] They…they came out of the ground! Oh Emperor preserve us, they swallowed dozens of people a-a-a-nd they dragged so many more down into those pits. We…we…can’t fight them. Please send aid!

[A rumbling noise begins. A loud moan can be heard that is likely the subjects’ voice.] They’re coming back… Please! Please help us! Help us! We any- [Loud explosive sound]

[The recording then ends with screams, shrieks and a loud, bestial roar.]

Our investigation reveals some further picts and gives us a better idea of the threat we are facing.


Here, we see the main leader beast of these attacks. The Trygon on the left was pictured in every village and appeared responsible for destruction of the only militia outpost nearby. Aside from this particular beast, no other Trygons have been identified amongst the swarms encountered so far. I suggest prioritizing this xeno for destruction when next encountered.



To the right can be seen the so called “Shoveler,” a special variation of the Trygon or Mawloc strain. The difference in stature may make it seem like the Shovelers are less powerful than the Trygon, but don’t be fooled by the size. The Shovelers go into a frenzy once attacked and quickly become a blur of powerful and sharp claws. They also excrete a corrosive substance from the sides of their mouths which can even harm victims at range.



This Trygon has specially developed claws that it appears to use for burrowing. It should be noted, however, that one vid-pict shows the creature using the claws to remove a large piece of metal debris that had become lodged in a Shovelers ribcage. This bizarre scene caught us by surprise, as it implies that the xeno can not only carefully manipulate objects with its hands, but that it also has a sense of battlefield awareness beyond attacking and directing other xenos to attack, but can even offer personal assistance to troops in need.




The Shoveler is unique from the Trygon or Mawloc in that it appears to hunt using sound waves. Being completely blind, the creature is able to lie in wait and then quickly burrow to whatever source of noise it detects. This hunting tactic was unknown to the villagers who fell victim to it; their constant movement and terrified shrieks giving away their positions and negating any useful hiding places. I suggest the use of Landspeeders or jump pack equipped units when engaging these.



Also of interesting note is the extensive use of larval Shovelers in the attack. These underdeveloped creatures appeared to be essential in creating a perimeter around the area when the swarm attacked. If any attempted to flee and could avoid the assault of the Shovelers, the victim would soon find himself being attacked and drug down by these smaller creatures. It seems possible that these larval beasts may share qualities of the common Ripper strain.

After gathering info from the affected area, it’s obvious that the local populous didn’t stand a chance. I believe that the Genestealer attacks we have been fighting off were simply diversions and the hive is taking what it can get to feed and grow. I would suggest that we consider herding the population to higher ground, perhaps even condensing them into major population centers. But I will leave such matters to the Grand Aghasi when he arrives.

These underground attacks are worrying. Not even we can be certain of our safety unless we find a way to neutralize this advantage.

++Message Ends++

---

So there ya go! Trygon all done! I decided not to do the extra set of eyes, since I couldn't find a good way to do it. Maybe another time...

In other news, I am excited about the new paints! I am especially interested since I hear that they will go on much smoother. Although that could all be Imperial propaganda. I would be especially happy if they make the washes smoother and hopefully not smell like death.

Hopefully soon I will have the rest of my Genestealers done, then the Deathleaper and my Parasite conversion. For the Tau I will have the Vespids all done (finally!) and then for the Shadow Guardians, I will have the Land Speeder Storm basically finished. Moving along!

Thanks for looking!

Wolf - I love the way you don't just put up a photo and nothing else (like me )
but the way you bind everything together with a story.

The models are good too

Thanks El'mo! I got a bunch of models done, so now it's time for some background!

---

Ambush



++The lush forests of Kur quickly became home to various invading species. Strange, hexagonal hive patterns seen here on the local flora indicated a nesting ground. Kurian officials were unsure of the exact nature of this development and ordered such areas to be off limits. The last patrol sent to investigate did not return.++ (Image by Zach Graves. Used without permission, but with gratitude!)


“There are two types of people in the universe, daughter. There are those who submit to the whims of fate and those who take their stand against it.”

Talha opened her eyes, the sound of the Landspeeder brushing against a tree limb startling her awake. They had been flying for what felt like hours. The cool night air rushed through the interior, the noise barely tolerable to Talha’s unprotected ears. She had been sitting on the back bench of the vehicle, leaning against the center supply lockers, thoroughly exhausted from their escape. The bright yellow moon shown down onto her face and she could clearly see the large black splotch in the sky that was the orbital defense platforms.

She had been dreaming of the tunnels; the inexplicable roads that connected her world together. The words of her father were still echoing in her ears. The two of them had often walked the long, winding paths when she was small and he used these walks as opportunities to impart to her, his wisdom. She distinctly remembered his strong grip, and how he held her young hand tightly when the shadows of the tunnel frightened her.

But those moments were gone forever.

It all happened so fast. One minute, Talha was in her father’s mansion, preparing her planet-wide speech. Then, the burly Astartes Scouts burst into the room, urging her to evacuate. Suddenly there were shots being fired and monsters barreling down the halls.

Yet even as these horrors swarmed around her, all she could think about was her father. She thought about him laying there in that bed, hooked up to those machines while the medical servitors and physicians attended to him. The sickness came on so quickly and had reduced this once proud man to a shadow of his former self. He had been unconscious for the last few months and Talha felt grateful for that at least. She wondered if he felt the monsters ripping him apart. She wondered if he woke up just at that moment, only to be greeted by a mouth full of fangs.

Things used to seem so stable. They were difficult, but it felt manageable. But that was before they knew the Tyranid were coming; before the whole world went mad.

Talha shifted in her seat and stretched out her arms and back. The seat was by no means comfortable, but she was so exhausted that it didn’t matter. She ran her hand over her hair and felt that it was still in its traditional style. Shaved down to the scalp on the sides, her hair grew long in the middle and was pulled back in a ponytail. Talha smoothed out any stray hairs and then turned her attention to the vehicles other occupants.

She was surrounded by the Scout squad that had saved her. Some of them were sitting on the benches, while the one directly to her right held on to the hand hold above him and stood on the side railing. She recognized by the burn mark on his helmet that this was the one she had shot.

She vividly remembered standing in that hall, the Shadow Guardian Scout, calmly refusing her tearful request to save her father. She didn’t regret pulling the trigger on him, not just because he had survived the blast, but because it gave her the feeling that she had done all she could to save her father. For his part, the Scout stared back at her with his blank, green visor. She wondered if he would kill her for the offense.

Talha could not bring herself to continue staring and quickly turned her attention to the occupants of the front seats. On the left was the pilot. Unlike his squad mates, this scout wore no helmet. His hair was a dark black and his skin a sickly white. It was not just pale, like he lacked exposure to sunlight, but unnaturally white, like wax. The appearance was disconcerting to say the least, especially since most of the Kurian people had dark brown skin. Talha wondered if this was why the rest of the team wore their helmets.

To the right, was the squad Sergeant. He was the only other one that had spoken with her and it was him who gave the order to flee the mansion. Talha wanted to blame him for her loss, but she knew it didn’t matter. He did what had to be done. That was the Kurian way as well and she could respect that.

Suddenly the Scout to her left moved his free arm rapidly. The gesture seemed like he was speaking, yet he uttered no sound. Talha had seen this from them before. Gestures, head nods and other noiseless motions: all signs that the squad had a private vox channel they must be speaking on through their helmets.

While no doubt it assisted the squad, it left Talha completely out of the loop and it made her feel useless. She had nothing to contribute to this team. She was used to be given status reports and for others to obey her commands, but here she was powerless; here she was a liability. She felt weak and it disgusted her.

She knew that she owed her life to these men, but could not shake the feeling of guilt; guilt that she had allowed her father’s works to fall apart. He had held this world together after the Ork invasion, even after the Imperium bled them dry and demanded they keep fighting on. He had defended their world from xenos and traitors alike, never once giving in to self pity.

“When we are done pitying ourselves, then we can begin to repair that which is broken.”

Her father’s words jumped to her mind. Why all this self blame and angst? Would this help her people? Her thirty eight years of life had taught her that blaming others was pointless and achieved nothing. Her father had spent many years demonstrating the value of that counsel.

“Lady Talha.” The booming baritone of Sergeant Hasan’s voice startled Talha from her thoughts. He was standing up in his seat and was turned to face her.
“Yes Sergeant?” she replied, having to shout over the howling winds.
“We have been given instructions to rendezvous with one of our forward elements in the Madac mountains. The Aghasi feels it best that you remain hidden for now. We will let your enemies think you dead.”
“Enemies?” Talha asked, “Do you mean the Tyranid? I doubt they sent assassins for me.”

The scout Sergeant turned sharply to his right, something off to the side catching his eye. He paused for a moment, searching for something in the trees. Seemingly satisfied, he turned back around and responded.

“You would be surprised at the intelligence these beasts’ posses, but we fear that the Tau may be targeting you as well. One of their hunter cadres attacked the mansion, at the same time as the Genestealers. A coincidence, no doubt, but a clear indication that they were coming for you.”

His thickly accented voice was something Talha did not expect. The massively armored Shadow Guardian she had first met, Sefik, had no accent. But Hasan would roll his ‘r’s’ and had a somewhat guttural tone to his speech. Yet despite this very human attribute, there was something incredibly frustrating about carrying on a conversation with someone in a helmet. Talha had to do her best to keep the fear from displaying on her face, but this Marine had an unfair advantage. He didn’t have to hide anything; the blank, green visor did it for him.

But Talha had had enough of feeling fear and doubt. Enough of being powerless and kept in the dark. She remembered now that she needed to step up and be the leader her world needed; the leader her father trained her to be.

“Well Sergeant,” she said, trying her best to project her voice, “I will need to speak with my people right away. We need to reorganize and consolidate our power so as to avoid being scattered and confused by our enemies.”

“Agreed, my lady. But first, we must get you to safety. I-” Suddenly Sergeant Hasan turned around. He pointed and shook his fist, flashing hand signals that immediately roused his men. Quickly he raised the crescent shaped sword he held at his side, thumbing the activation switched and sheathing the blade in a warm, red light.

Talha’s heart began to pound. “What is happening Sergeant? Are we under attack?” She looked around and could see the other Scouts had all pulled out their weapons and were scanning the surroundings. Sergeant Hasan switched places with the Scout to Talha’s left. He climbed over the seats and leaned in close to Talha.

“My lady, we need you to hide under the seat. Crawl beneath it and keep yourself there until we tell you otherwise.”

His words were clipped and deliberate; Talha knew better than to question him. Quickly she moved to the floor of the vehicle and pressed herself into the small gap between the floor and the bench seat. For the bulky scouts, this space would be inaccessible. But even for the slender Talha, it was a tight fit. The next few minutes were excruciating, as she waited to hear gunfire.
But just as she began to allow herself some hope of this being a false alarm, she heard a high pitched whine. Then the chaos erupted. Bursts of bolter shots could be heard and were quickly accompanied by inhuman screeches. Suddenly, with a violent lurch, the Landspeeder began to plummet toward the ground. The pilot must have been shot, since this was clearly not an evasive maneuver.

From her hiding spot, Talha could barely make out what was happening. She caught a glimpse of iridescent blue and what appeared to be a massive insect. Cones of green and blue light flashed from strange, half-glimpsed crystal guns. Then she saw one of the Scouts that was standing right across from her fire and kill one of the xenos. He turned and pointed his pistol at another target, when one of the cones of the light struck him in the chest. It appeared to do no damage at all, as his armor remained intact. But he immediately fell over and off the side of the out of control vehicle.

The sight filled Talha with fear. She knew the Astartes were not invincible, but she never thought she would see one die. The noise around her was reaching a crescendo and it seemed like this was the end. Yet Talha would face her end with dignity, not hiding from her enemies.

She pushed herself from the hiding spot and looked up to see the moonlight blocked by dozens of insect-like creatures. On the Speeder itself, she could see the valiant Sergeant Hasan, swiping his power sword in quick, vicious strikes. The insects dodged as best they could, yet some were still split in half or had limbs severed.

Before she could turn to look at what remained of the Scout squad, she felt hard, chitinous alien hands grasp her shoulders. In an instant she was pulled from the vehicle and was in the air. She turned her head back to look into six green insect eyes that stared back at her. She struggled for a moment, but then realized that even if she could get free, a fall from this distance would kill her. The xeno made no sound, nor did it seem intent on harming her. All it did was fly her higher in the air, over the treetops and toward a blinking white light.

All she could do now was try to look back at the Landspeeder. It was soon out of her sight, crashing through the treetops. She prayed that the Emperor help them to survive. Throne knows she was going to need all the help she could get.



Unlike many Space Marine Chapters, the Shadow Guardians make heavy use of Scouts in their battle plans. Throughout the course of the Kur campaign, however, the reason was not simply a matter of tactics, but had largely to do with the severe losses the Chapter sustained during the defense of their homeworld from a Tyranid splinter fleet. With the 5th Orta entirely wiped out, the remaining five Orta’s (each suffering from losses of their own) took on many Neophytes to replenish their numbers.

In battle, Scouts were used for quick hit and run attacks or sabotage, just prior to a large offensive. After completing their objective, a hasty withdrawal was enacted, usually drawing off a portion of enemy forces in pursuit. Yet enemy forces quickly found the tables turned, as each squad was equipped with a teleport beacon that allowed a squad of Terminators to counter attack. The sudden arrival of a squad of Terminators not only allowed the Scouts to reposition, but created a priority target that forced the enemy to split his forces to engage. This tactic saw the skilled Shas’Vre Vral and his rapid response cadre wiped out by the sudden arrival of the Chapter’s elite warriors during the Retaliation at Lion's Teeth.



This particular Landspeeder Storm was attached to Scout Squad Hasan. It was later found wrecked near a heavily Tau contested area near the Madac mountains. The pilot appeared to have been killed and there was evidence of another Scouts death, but the rest of the squad was not located. The vehicle was salvaged before the Tau counter attack drove Shadow Guardian forces from the area.



In defiance of the Grand Aghasi’s (the Raivathan term for Chapter Master) order, many of the Landspeeder Storm pilots refused to don their helmets. Many claimed that since their primary goal was infiltration, they preferred to rely on their enhanced senses to guide them to their targets, instead of relying on the partial auto-senses of their none Mechanicus approved helmets.

As seen here, a Shadow Guardians’ skin is a sickly white; evidence of their claimed descendants from the Raven Guard. Naturally, Raivathans have a dark brown complexion and it is only after the implantation of the Melanchromic Organ that their skin begins to become pale. This genetic defect is common in all who share the Raven Guard gene seed, but the change is generally disliked by most Shadow Guardians and a cure for this is currently being sought by the Chapters Apothecaries.

---

Vespid were found everywhere during the opening stages of the Kur campaign. Shas’O Ksi'm'yen Eio’Cha Aloh, the supreme high commander of the Fire caste on Kur, ordered their infiltration among the many forests of the planet. From these concealed positions, Vespid would be able to quickly ambush passing Marine patrols, utilizing their Neutron Blasters to great effect.




--Vespid Auxiliary Strain Zus-am - Hive B’aj-am --
> Strain Leader Par’zus’ki <

Background:
Led by Strain Leader Par’zus’ki, the Zus-am are a minor Strain among the renown B’aj-am Hive of Sa’cea. The Hive produces many Stingwings for Sa’cean forces and is in high demand among many cadres. Yet Strain Zus-am has fallen out of favor within the Hive hieracchy. A recent string of failures in battle saw them stripped of all but the most basic breeding rights with the Queen Vespix, a humiliating dishonor for a Strain. To redeem themselves, Strain Zus-am requested to be assigned to cadre that would see heavy fighting. They wished to prove their worth and earn back the honor of their bloodline.

They excelled in the tactics of infiltration and ambush, often acting as the killing blow for a Tau cadre executing a Mont’ka. Choosing to breed in traits of heightened senses, Strain Zus-am have become very adept at choosing just the right time to attack. This also allows them greater modulation of the Neutron Blasters; their unique sonic frequencies enabling them to adjust the intensity and range of a blast.

The Strain was assigned to the ARC-16s, who requested a Strain of Vespid be assigned to the cadre after they had several run ins with heavily armored infantry. Their integration into the cadre was seamless, as they had a firm desire to prove their worth and willingly complied with every order they were given.

---

Okay! Vespid are finally done! I'm glad to have them finished. As for the Landspeeder Storm, there are some details that I don't care for. Mainly the black wobbly stripe on the one side. I need to fix that, But I kept making it worse. Plus, when I finally settle on how I want to do Chapter markings on vehicle, I will have to add those too.

As for the story, please let me know if there is anything that could be improved in my narrative. I'm trying to write as best I can, but sometimes it just doesn't work out. Any tips are welcomed!

Thanks all for looking! Next up is the Deathleaper and some Genestealers!

Another masterful piece Wolfs.

don't you just hate it when those Pesky vespid go about splattering against your land speeder's windscreen

I personally love the helmets that you have on your scouts. Ive never been a fan of bare heads on marines. No point in wearing tactical dreadnought armour if you have the most vulnerable part of your body exposed. Am I correct in saying that they are pig iron pieces?
Id love to steal the idea for my neophytes but I don't think my crusaders would be too happy if their underlings had flashier helmets than they did. Maybe ill find a place for them when I build some gue'la

As always, well done wolfs. Very engaging

I like the heavy flamer you made. definitely benifits from the poor BS of the speeder too. Just a bit of pooling on the wash though but nothing too bad. You could always weather it a bit where it pooled and you'd never notice.

shadow kat:
Thanks! I too have always thought the idea of a helmetless Terminator was ridiculous. I always picture a piece of shrapnel flying right into their exposed eye and they are powerless to remove it. I guess the only excuse would be if he had an Iron Halo.

Yes, those are Pig Iron. Theambit has made great use of that same bit on his Scouts as well!

TheAmbit:
Yeah, I forgot to weather it! That will help to fix all my mistakes. My hatred for painting vehicles is well known, but I think I can make the next one look a lot better. Lessons learned! Thanks for the compliments.

Okay, back in the saddle! Let’s update this with some general hobby talk, shall we?

I was speaking with fellow ATT member shadow kat the other day, and I mentioned to him that I was having a hard time with my Tyranid. The issue? Properly painting the carapace was driving me nuts! Here are the images that inspired my paint scheme:




I found this on the GW website and was immediately impressed. I have figured out the skin color (basically), but the exact colors and methods used on the carapace still annoys me. Here is the blurb about the colors used:



What I use now for it, is Dheneb Stone, washed with Devlan Mud. This works well on Genestealers, who don’t have much carapace (at least how I paint them). By the way, the replacement for Dheneb Stone, Rakarth Flesh, is a pretty close match and looks good. However, the new Devlan Mud, Agrax Earthshade, is way too light and looks crappy. Anyway, here is an idea of how my Genestealers look with the above mentioned scheme:



It looks alright (I see some things I’d like to touch up!), but when I try to scale that same technique to larger models, this happens:


It pools and gets all weird looking. So what can I do to fix this? Well I searched the internet and came across this series of videos.

While the video quality is not great, the technique it displayed was feathering. While I’m sure there are many painters who know how to do this, I needed to see a visual demonstration to really understand it. I realized that this simple technique would really help my Tyranid look less…flat. So how can I achieve this? The way I see it, I need to have a base color and about 3 or 4 highlights. I would like to paint using some of the new GW paints; the less mixing I have to do, the better.

I was thinking of using Khemri Brown (Now Baneblade something…) as the basecoat. But what should I use for the 3 or 4 highlight colors? I would like to fit Rakarth Flesh in there, so maybe something like this:

1.) Khemri Brown
2.) Rakarth Flesh
3.) ?
4.) ?
5.) ? (Maybe something slightly off white.)

So I’d like to ask the experienced painters in the ATT community to help me figure out what other paints from the new GW line to choose. I’d really appreciate some help on this!

When I look at the "inspirational" photos.. my first thought is wet blending. Wherein you are applying the next layer of highlight just as they prior is drying. I did this to my Goblins for WHQst recently which helped blend the colours.

Ultimately the wash seems to have been use late in the process to help blend shades about the carapace more; leaving the brush and paint work to do the heavy lifting.

Colours wise I'm about as lost as you; relying only on the quote "Every bone paint in the range"

Which seems excessive. I prefer at most four shades to work with; that can provide up to eight layers where spread into midtones.

- Tael

From the GW range you I think you should be able to get that carapace pretty easily with 4 colours a wash and maybe a little but of mixing.

Start with Zandri dust
wash Seraphim Sepia
layer Zandri dust again
Layer a 50/50 mix of Zandri dust and Ushabti Bone
Layer Ushabti Bone
Highlight with Screaming Skull

I find this creates a really great bone effect and have been using it on some smaller things. I don't usually add the mix in but if you want a really smooth transition I think you will need to. Also if you want to add a really white final highlight I would try using Ulthuan Grey on top of the Screaming Skull. I really like Ulthuan, it is perfectly one shade bellow White Scar but still looks super white.

Anyway thats just my take. Looking good so far.

So the new brown wash is not good? I'm glad I bought 2 spare tubs. I think I have 4 of them sitting around for later. I basically wash every single model I paint with the stuff so I'm scared of running out now...

Tael:
Yeah, it's obvious that some advanced techniques were used here. I want to get close to it, but I'm not expecting award winning painting. I really want to try feathering, since I think it will be a quick and dirty way to achieve the look I want. 4 shades seems about right to me as well. Thanks for your input!

dizylizy:
The painting process you mentioned sounds good, but the color is a bit too yellow for what I'm looking for. I want something more along the light brown/tan sort of thing. But the process can likely be put in to use. Thanks!

TheAmbit:
The new wash is a really pale brown. Not the deep, muddy color of Devlan Mud. It was super disappointing. I wish I would have bought like 50 bottle of the old stuff.

So I have been out of the 40k game for awhile. New real life responsibilities have made it difficult to find the time, plus I have been completely distracted by the iPhone game, Battle Nations. It is really fun! Other than that, I have felt my desire to work on my models almost all but disappear. However! I have been bitten by the bug again, so I figured I’d try out some new ideas!

First, let’s show some things I have worked on in the past and have yet to post! First up, some Tyranid. Like I said, the paint scheme is becoming difficult for me to get excited about. It’s just looking way too cartoony. Ugh… I need to change it up. But let’s try and enjoy the models, huh?

Here is my version of the Deathleaper. A little greenstuff on the eyes for the weird, prehistoric bug look. And the Daemonette claws for flavor. Plus I took the metal Broodlords Scything Talons, cut them off stuck them to the top of the Deathleapers’ mantis claws. I quite like him!






Next up is the last Broodlord. I really like the conversion I did here. I removed the head and used the feeder tendril head from the Genestealer kit. I then used the old Ravener claws in place of the existing ones since they look really weird.





And here he is with his squad.


And a better shot of the individual Genestealers.




Lastly, group photo of all my Genestealers!


Again, seeing the color scheme like this is making me hate it even more. It just looks too bright! Plus, I have to figure out something in connection with the wash issue. So I guess back to the drawing board! But now some paintless models!

First, is my iteration of the Swarmlord.






I changed the Bone Sabers from their tiny, stupidly small original size, to the beefy ones from Paulson Games (old version, not the new ones). I think they look much better now and make him look much more menacing. I changed the head up as well. Instead of the lower jaw, I gave him the spinefist re-breather/gills and plan to add the beady four eyes that have become the standard in the swarm. Near the bottom, I tried attaching some thicker claws/mandibles that I think might balance out the look. What do you guys think?

Next up, Hive Guard:


There needs to be some more changes and I could smooth out the green stuffed parts a bit, but this is the general idea! This was inspired by Hive Fleet Hydra, who has always been an inspiration for me.

And of course, since the swarm is going to start needing some extra gribblies, here is my Tervigon!




I have added the four eyes and used the front, acid sprayer claws from the Tyranofex kit. I wanted it to look special, so I think this worked! And yes, even the little bursting Termagants have four eyes.

Moving along, the Venomthrope:

Not much to say here. But I had an idea of making the ground look dead and poisoned, but I’m not sure how to do that.

So there you have it. I'm in need of a new paint scheme, so ideas are welcome! Also, any feedback and ideas for other models are more than welcome as well.

But that’s enough Tyranid. The Shadow Guardians are coming to Kur and their reinforcements will be in the next update.

Hm, I can't really give any advice on how to paint those 'nids better, I am not very good in painting organic stuff, but I have to say, that I like the way the chitin(?!) looks.

While I am not really a fan of 'nids in general, I think your conversions are just like your other conversions, amazing.

I hope you find the solution to your paint quandary.

- Che

p.s. yes, Battle Nations is distracting.

I'm afraid my only suggestion regarding the paint scheme is perhaps to use a darker set of shades for the blue and green areas, but I'm not sure how you'd go about that.



I would think one way to do this may be, perhaps, to use a variety of browns and bone colours, to give the impression of rotting vegetation and withered dried out husks. Actually, if the basing isn't finished yet, perhaps you could add a guardsman, Imperial citizen of some sort or Tau on the ground, choking in the fumes and gasping for air? Or perhaps lots and lots of the alien material featured on the other Tyranids' bases (the toxins will have killed off the nearby local flora and fauna, allowing the Tyranid spores and growths to thrive in their absence?).

All in all some first class hobby work as always, I now eagerly await the background on these beasties.

First,
Excellent work. Really. You have a great eye and hand (one can tell by your green stuff modelling)

I do have some comments I'd like to contribute and hope they don't come across poorly.

I'd highly recommend that the bases on the bugs be repainted. That's not to suggest you did a bad job, but by going with muted colors and using the same green on the model itself really doesn't create a distinction between the two. They sort of just run together. By making a simple change to the base you'll get a much more desirable effect as the models will "pop" more.

To create the distinction I'd suggest either going with a dark brown, or warmer tones to have that separation. If you're going for an infected or poisonous look, I'd suggest going with a more pustule color scheme. Perhaps some sickly yellows with a catachan/earthy green base.

On a modelling level, I have a question that's been plaguing me for awhile. How do you get such smooth faces with your green stuff? Is it a higher ratio of Blue to Yellow?

Would you please be kind enough to walk me through the steps you take to achieve that effect? I consistently get "bumps" in mine.

Thanks for the good vibes guys!

Che:
I'm glad you're liking the new models! I've always liked the way the Tyranid looked; I just think it can be a challenge to get them to look good.

Kakapo42:
Your idea for the base is perfect and exactly what I envisioned. I think I might try my hand at painting some kind of water effect. Or more accurately, a toxic sludge that is burning the ground around them.

paidinfull:
Thank you! What you said about the bases is absolutely true. As it stands, the model and base blend together and neither looks very good as a result. Your suggestion of using more sickly, pus colors is perfect. I will have to experiment on the look, but I want it to clearly look organic and gross.

As for my greenstuff work, I'm glad you like it! The way I achieve a smooth look is the use of Vaseline and some metal sculpting tools. Once I plop down the green stuff (which is always evenly mixed), I spread it with my wet finger, then I apply a little Vaseline and use the tool to smooth it out. You can also use your finger too at this stage. The only downside is that the Vaseline might need to be wiped off after the green stuff dries, so it doesn't interfere with the paint. I've heard that using a lubricant like KY Jelly is best, since it is water soluble, but.....ya know....maybe don't try and explain why you're buying it.

Hope that helps!

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Now I think I was just struck by some inspiration. Y'all are familiar with the Dark Eldar Wracks and Grotesques. What if I painted my Nids in a similar way? Here are just three examples randomly pulled from the Dakka Dakka gallery. These are not mine!





I think doing a pink/purple/fleshy color with a dark carapace will make them look more realistic, but also pretty horrifying. Thoughts?

Hey Wolfs.

Im sorry to hear that you haven't really been feeling your 40k lately. I think we all go through phases where we are super excited and feel like we could paint an army in a day and then there is the lull when you pretend that the half painted gaunt on your table doesn't exist and you decide to watch tv instead. A pretty severe case of "real life" seems to be going around lately too. everyone seems to be feeling the strain on their free time. Doesn't the world understand that we have little plastic space men that need panting??

If you arent feeling enthusiastic about the direction your army is taking, then you wont have fun creating it (and that is what it's all about). You shouldn't feel trapped by your colour scheme, I say that it is time for drastic action! Create something that excites you, something that sparks your imagination and gets you saying "I cant wait until I have all of these painted" instead of "I cant believe I have to get all of these painted".
Now whether you do that by tweaking your current scheme, creating a whole new scheme or shelving your tyranids for now and picking up a new project is up to you. Find whatever moves you and keeps you from getting burnt out.

We are all rooting for you mate


Now onto your specific questions. The only thing I can think of try if you are unhappy with your current scheme is maybe try a paler more washed out blue tone for the flesh, perhaps even applied as a dry brush. I also think changing the bases to something a bit more distinct will help the models to "pop" as paidinfull suggested.

Your latest series of conversions look awesome (as they always do). I never would have imagined the spinefist conversion you used on the swarmlord's head. It looks absolutely wicked though. You have somehow managed to make tyranids look even more alien and gribbly than they already were. I personally strongly vote in favor of the head mandibles. I have this recurring image of him gobbling somebody whole while the mandibles jam the poor sods flailing legs down into the swarmlords gullet (kind of like tommy lee jones being swallowed by the roach in the first men in black movie )

As to the venomthropes, the concept of them poisoning their bases is pretty epic (for lack of a better term). I kind of envision them having some kind of slimy noxious acid dripping from their pores aswell as running down the "tail". If you could have it drip down and collecting in little pools around the base I think it would look pretty great. You could either paint these on OR if your feeling crazy, my brother has made some really convincing gestation pools with clear resins. by adding pigment and painting the surface underneath the resin you can make it any colour you want while still appearing liquid and transparent.
Im not sure if you use flock on your bases but if you used a mixture of black "burnt" gass, some brown dead grass and some greenish "healthier" grass (black directly in contact with the venomthrope or toxic pool, brown spreading out from the point, and a mix of brown and green for the furthest areas) you could get a pretty cool effect of the dead grass spreading with the venomthrope.
I also love the idea of the suffocating guardsmen (gee, never knew I was so macabre ). If you could position him on his stomach, raised up on one elbow with his other arm outstretched reaching away from the zoanthrope I think it would look pretty dramatic. Taking the idea further (someone should really tell me to stop) you could melt tiny little holes in his flak vest where venom droplets have fallen (there are plenty of compounds that will convincingly melt plastic). You could also cut away little sections of his fatigues where the acid has burned through the fabric and paint the flesh underneath hot red and blistered.

Looking back at my giant paragraph, this is a lot to fit onto one base . you could consider making your own base or using a larger one from another model to stretch out further beneath the area that their tentacles already occupy (a bike or cavalry base could work). This would give you a lot more room to play with the spreading dead grass effect, dead flora, acid pools and the unfortunate guardsmen.

Okay, Ill stop now before I start drawing pictures and making plans of my own


The new scheme your looking at would be pretty cool. I'm not sure if I'm imagining it or not, but I seem to recall having seen a termagant painted with a fleshy tone and a black carapace before. It did infact look quite unsettling. Give it a shot and whip up a test model


Edit: hrmm, got a little carried away there didn't I

Thank you Shadow Kat for your encouraging words. Some time you need a little motivation to keep going. With that said, I tried out something with my paint scheme that I quite like. Here is a ROUGH test model for the new paint scheme:

(OH and I can't find my camera, so here is okay cell phone pictures.)




So we have a Rakarth Flesh base, washed with a combination of Secret Weapons Miniatures Ruby and Purple wash in the recesses. The skin is then highlighted with Pallid Wych Flesh (not all areas are highlighted!). The teeth have a some Ceramite White, but could use a wash of black. I also painted the carapace the old Charadon Granite. Of course, I didn’t do anything extra to it, so it is plain for now. But that is the base color I’d like. The eye got a little Averland Sunset and I believe the yellow really complements the scheme well.
So what do you guys think? Does it look like a good direction?

I did mention that I had some Space Marines to show off, so here we go!



The entirety of the Shadow Guardians Chapter has been summoned to the battle on Kur. That means awaking the ancients who slumber in Chapters Fortress.




Brother Haydar no longer serves his Chapter in the flesh, but instead remains inside of an ancient and antiquated Dreadnought. He is the Chapters oldest Dreadnought and he once served as the Chapter Champion, known as the Scorpion. His sarcophagus is designed to withstand the greatest of temperatures and as such, he is armed with all manner of flame weapons. He is the Chapters’ answer to entrenched enemies and mass infantry formations.

His body is a Khorne Dreadnought and his arms are from the Space Marine Dreadfire kit. Well, one of his shoulders is from a standard Forgeworld dread. I quite like the look and I’m excited to finish him! What do you guys think?

The Chapter Master, the Grand Aghasi, father and leader of the Shadow Guardians: Nithik Taksheel. To defend their master, stands the Jackal Guard. Silent and brooding warriors, the Jackal Guard are expert marksmen and well trained in the use of their blades.






And tasked with striking down any who would dare challenge the honor of the Chapter, stands the Scorpion, the Chapter Champion.



I plan on giving him a custom Thunder Hammer. His bolter is wrist mounted (the best idea) and he will be getting a cool combat blade later. The head is one of the Red Scorpion Honor Guard heads.

Let's take a closer look at the Jackal Guard:







The Honor Guard and the Chapter Master, have received extensive bionics. The battle fought for their homeworld against the Tyranid, was fierce. The Master and his squad barely survived.

The heads are Maxmini Mecha Egyptian Helmets. They are so cool! What do you guys think about the backpacks? They are from the Grey Knight (Interceptor?) squad. I like the look, but I'm not married to the little sticks at the end. Feedback welcome!

And here is the Chapter Master himself:





I filled in the mouth section of one of the heads, since I think it would look cooler filled in. The chest is from the Blood Angles Sanguinary Guard kit. The legs are a standard marine leg and a Firgeworld bionic. The sword is some Eldar weapon, I think. And the two shoulder pads are a Heresy armor variant and a Chaos one (with icons shaved off). The bolter is my pride and joy. It is a standard bolter with the magazine cut off and an Ork gun....thing...added at the bottom. The strap is from the Black Reach Starter kit and the barrel is from the SM Scout binoculars. He is a count-as for the Badab War's Lias Issadon. I'm very proud of him! What do you guys think?

Now I also decided to change the symbol for the Chapter. I know, I know. But this is the last time!



It is copied from the head of the Chapter Master and I think it looks hecka cool. What do you guys think?

I like the new symbol, and it's certainly easier to keep it and use it than it would be to try to replace it on the Master's head! The jackal heads are great, though you'll have to make sure that they don't come off too Thousand Sons-ish. Their real-world visual inspiration has drifted northwest from the Middle East to Northeastern Africa for sure—which is all well and good.

As for the backpacks? Hmmm. I guess I'm not a fan of the prongs for a few reasons. One, I'm a bit dubious of them aesthetically, and two, I think of them as being the silhouette indicators of the Grey Knights Interceptor teleporting capabilities. Presumably, you're not using the Knights' rules for the Shadow Guardians?