Coming on strong of late is not only the possibility of a new tau codex, but also new plastics with Vespid getting the styrene treatment.

I haven't touched one of these models since they were released; so painting one up now, before the switch, seems the right thing. Until I saw how static they were; the strain leader in this case:


Model by Xarquil.

So begins some altering and pinning, including new wings, courtesy Reaper Miniatures. Everything is pinned in place, with our vespid leaning into a pose, skulking through cover rather than vaulting over it. (Got another V in there..)



A few fillings with Greenstuff, next will be painting the strain leader. That in itself should be interesting; I have a suspicion that not all the plates are actually part of the Vespid. In reality I think they were intended to be part of the tau gifted armor. I'll source Cirillo's concept art for GW and have a good look.

=O If the new plastics look anything like your one there I'm definitely going to get some!

Nice stuff! I personally love Vespid, until I have to touch/look at their models, or I run across their statline in the codex. Frustration incarnate.

Thanks guys, it was good fun getting stuck into a Tau related model again. I took a couple more images this morning before doing some Greenstuff work.

The previous images didn't convey the stance well enough in retrospect :

One of the things I really liked in to the original concept art, was keeping the wing cases on - think that'd work with your Vespid and it's original wings?

The forthcoming greenstuff work will blend the wing points into the pack area some more; as for wing cases, possibly make small flared sections? The large wings having unfurled for full flight.

Casing that is as big as the actual (new) wings would look odd. In a way I think I am influenced by Genosians more than I initially realised.

Ultimately I'm aiming to differentiate Tau gifted armor portions from the actual xeno itself. On reviewing components and concept art, I'm becoming more convinced the entire torso area including the wing pack are Tau armor components.

If you look at all the joints you see cusped pads with spikes, and a few segmented sections on the shanks. Then most fortuitously, the Vespid has grown complete shoulder armor in perfect arrangement. The segments there, are unlike those about the limbs.



In the original concept art, Cirillo has shoulder armor overtop bulbous shoulder joins. Having chopped into this model, there is an underlying shoulder spot to the upper arms. I think some licence was taken by the sculptor when translating the artwork.

Looking forward to modifying and exaggerating these differences more. As they say a picture is worth a thousand words

- Tael.

Hm,

I did like the models of the Vespids, but I never purchased them, so I never had a problem with their static look ... your work on them is fantastic as usual.

The idea of a casing is really appealing, it would make them more bug like.

By the stars! It's.. it's a Tau Empire miniature (blink blink)

Last year before I headed overseas, I posted my Vespid work in progress post. New year and new project later, I've put some paint to metal and so far this is the results, about 80% complete. The photos are reasonable if a little saturated (OSL is a lot more subtle in reality), better resolution and basing to come, mostly wanted to show some work in progress.



I like taking the classic Tau scheme and really going for it, to show that even in vanilla, something can looks pretty darned nice. Final photos soon

- Seb.

That the range of the Vespid models is so limited, makes this model even more amazing.

You only changed the pose of the model and it looks like a completely different one. (Okay I won't forget ignore that you also changed the wings, which fit in just perfect.)

I like it.

-Che