Too all my... one follower is it?, a merry christmas to you - may your stockings be filled with games and fun and your christmas with love and affection.
Now that that nauseating pleasentries are over, I can introduce my idea. Since It's the time of giving, but i'm quite a cheap b*****d, so my present to you is thus; I'm havin a little competition.
Anyone who has a modelling idea for my armies (I do Space Marines [specifically Dark Angels, but i'm kinda louche...], Chaos Marines [Alpha Legion, though if i like it...]) and Empire [doesn't matter much really, does it?]), post it as a comment. I'll pick my favourite in the new year, and make it. It may take a while (Term starts on the 3rd), but I will do it.
And once more, Merry Chrismas to all, and to all a good night
Saturday, 24 December 2011
Tuesday, 13 December 2011
Epsilus Sancrenus
So, anyway, last post I said I'd try and make a post for each member of the Quintumvirate (apparently not a word by the way, which I found endlessly annoying). So I decided to start with the oldest member; Epsilus.
As I said in the last Epsilus is the ironic brainchild of my quest for an interesting Chaos-hating traitor - a Tzeentchian champion who spends his whole life refusing to admit anything from daemons to gods exist.
Because I can't really think of a better way to do this, I'm just gonna stick up photos of interesting bits and then chat about em. I apologise in advance for the poor quality - couldn't find camera, and my phone is pretty bad.
So here we have our titular Protagonist - Epsilus Sancrenus. As a model, it's a pretty simple conversion. I wanted to make something reminiscent of the infamous ending of The Empire Strikes Back, hence the weapon lowered, hand outstretched. It rather fit his character, and since his role in campaigns is to persuade others to turn from the Imperium, it seemed quite appropriate. The majority of the model is a straight from the box chaos marine, with a couple imperial parts for flavour. The head is a Terminator Sorceror helmet with the ears shaved off - I like T-visors, and it looks suitably Tzeentchian - and the right hand is from a biker. In retrospect, using Grey Knight parts woulda made the model more symetrical (more on that later), but it woulda wrecked the flow of the model.
One important thing to mention here - before I started, I shaved off all chaotic symbols. saying he was a massive Atheist while he stands bedecked in Chaotic paraphernalia woulda seemed a bit stupid. One exception to this is his right pauldron. That's just the Tzeentch pad from the chaos sprue. Stands out more on his own.
And here we have the Flame of Reason, Epsilus trusted halberd. A simple conversion, it is the power sword from the IG command squad sprue and the top half of a plasma pistol glued onto the shaft from the Terminator Sorcerer's staff. The bottom blade is missing because previously it had featured a double plasma pistol at the base. Unfortunately, a double plasma pistol is slightly larger than a bolt gun, and so it looked really unweildy. The blade too is a replacement - in the earlier weapon it was the blade from a Skaven spear/halberd (not sure which, found it lying broken on the floor of my local workshop), and looked a lot more evil, but I couldn't attach the plasma pistol to the back of it. Shame, it looked really good. Being a Terminator arm, it's a bit oversized, something I regret, but I'm not skilled enough to make it anyother way...
In contrast to the other models in this army, the gun is blue with green plasma. With my normal models, it's green gun casing, blue glow (if any), but I wanted the blade to contrast with the gun, so there we have it.
The idea behind the weapon is pretty simple - as an Atheist (say what you like, once I get an idea, i stick with it), Epsilus would try as hard as he could to hide anything divine about himself. So if the weapon he uses starts flinging multi-coloured fireballs and mutterin to itself, he's not gor many options. So, being an ingenious sort, he sticks a plasma pistol on the back of his weapon, and pretends it's overheatin whenever it tries to take control.
Alright the legs - yet another part of him I've changed by mistake. Originally, it was just a normal pair of chaos legs, but I decided that besides the other commanders (a Terminator Lord and a flying Sorcerer with a big hat) he looked a bit small and unasuming, which is weird when he was meant to be incharge. So I tried the thigh-lengthening technique to add a bit of stature to him... did not work. And, I didn't have any spare chaos legs. Eventually, I decided to steal some from a random plasma gunner (I had some imperial ones I could stick on him), and inadvertedly snapped of the whole left leg. Now, by whatever twist of fate, I had an unused pair of crouching legs from the Devastator sprue. A quick shave and they were ready to join their new owner. The steps he's standing on are made from plasticard, and make him just taller than other models. It's not much, but it's enough.
As for the stomach plate, I wanted to show his age and refusal to change, so the big yellow A seemed quite good. He thinks of himself as a true Alpha Legionary, so reminding everyone of their origins and how they've changed is what he'd do. Bit of a smug prat really...
And here we reach the last important part - his back. From the start, I liked the idea of a Lord swarthed in mail - I honestly can't remember why though. But I wouldn't be dissuaded, and I managed to knick the tabard from a Daemon Prince of a mate. was a bit of an effort to fit to a back pack, but I got it eventually - though there is a quite noticeable join. Alas, but I don't own green stuff (shock horror, I know, but I can do pretty much anything with plasticard). I like the contrast between his dark armour and chainmail and the vivid green cloak. It just speaks to me on some level.
And so there we have it - Epsilus Sancrenus. My first chaos commander, and the most converted model I had made up til then. I learnt a lot from him, and he remains one of my favourite models. I just wish his arms were the same size...
Just a note for anyone who cares - I have a Fanon Wiki account. I won't link you here (I don't think I'm popular enough to get self referential) but if you want to know his background and read about his quest, search for Epsilus Sancrenus on there.
As I said in the last Epsilus is the ironic brainchild of my quest for an interesting Chaos-hating traitor - a Tzeentchian champion who spends his whole life refusing to admit anything from daemons to gods exist.
Because I can't really think of a better way to do this, I'm just gonna stick up photos of interesting bits and then chat about em. I apologise in advance for the poor quality - couldn't find camera, and my phone is pretty bad.
So here we have our titular Protagonist - Epsilus Sancrenus. As a model, it's a pretty simple conversion. I wanted to make something reminiscent of the infamous ending of The Empire Strikes Back, hence the weapon lowered, hand outstretched. It rather fit his character, and since his role in campaigns is to persuade others to turn from the Imperium, it seemed quite appropriate. The majority of the model is a straight from the box chaos marine, with a couple imperial parts for flavour. The head is a Terminator Sorceror helmet with the ears shaved off - I like T-visors, and it looks suitably Tzeentchian - and the right hand is from a biker. In retrospect, using Grey Knight parts woulda made the model more symetrical (more on that later), but it woulda wrecked the flow of the model.One important thing to mention here - before I started, I shaved off all chaotic symbols. saying he was a massive Atheist while he stands bedecked in Chaotic paraphernalia woulda seemed a bit stupid. One exception to this is his right pauldron. That's just the Tzeentch pad from the chaos sprue. Stands out more on his own.
And here we have the Flame of Reason, Epsilus trusted halberd. A simple conversion, it is the power sword from the IG command squad sprue and the top half of a plasma pistol glued onto the shaft from the Terminator Sorcerer's staff. The bottom blade is missing because previously it had featured a double plasma pistol at the base. Unfortunately, a double plasma pistol is slightly larger than a bolt gun, and so it looked really unweildy. The blade too is a replacement - in the earlier weapon it was the blade from a Skaven spear/halberd (not sure which, found it lying broken on the floor of my local workshop), and looked a lot more evil, but I couldn't attach the plasma pistol to the back of it. Shame, it looked really good. Being a Terminator arm, it's a bit oversized, something I regret, but I'm not skilled enough to make it anyother way...In contrast to the other models in this army, the gun is blue with green plasma. With my normal models, it's green gun casing, blue glow (if any), but I wanted the blade to contrast with the gun, so there we have it.
The idea behind the weapon is pretty simple - as an Atheist (say what you like, once I get an idea, i stick with it), Epsilus would try as hard as he could to hide anything divine about himself. So if the weapon he uses starts flinging multi-coloured fireballs and mutterin to itself, he's not gor many options. So, being an ingenious sort, he sticks a plasma pistol on the back of his weapon, and pretends it's overheatin whenever it tries to take control.
Alright the legs - yet another part of him I've changed by mistake. Originally, it was just a normal pair of chaos legs, but I decided that besides the other commanders (a Terminator Lord and a flying Sorcerer with a big hat) he looked a bit small and unasuming, which is weird when he was meant to be incharge. So I tried the thigh-lengthening technique to add a bit of stature to him... did not work. And, I didn't have any spare chaos legs. Eventually, I decided to steal some from a random plasma gunner (I had some imperial ones I could stick on him), and inadvertedly snapped of the whole left leg. Now, by whatever twist of fate, I had an unused pair of crouching legs from the Devastator sprue. A quick shave and they were ready to join their new owner. The steps he's standing on are made from plasticard, and make him just taller than other models. It's not much, but it's enough.As for the stomach plate, I wanted to show his age and refusal to change, so the big yellow A seemed quite good. He thinks of himself as a true Alpha Legionary, so reminding everyone of their origins and how they've changed is what he'd do. Bit of a smug prat really...
And here we reach the last important part - his back. From the start, I liked the idea of a Lord swarthed in mail - I honestly can't remember why though. But I wouldn't be dissuaded, and I managed to knick the tabard from a Daemon Prince of a mate. was a bit of an effort to fit to a back pack, but I got it eventually - though there is a quite noticeable join. Alas, but I don't own green stuff (shock horror, I know, but I can do pretty much anything with plasticard). I like the contrast between his dark armour and chainmail and the vivid green cloak. It just speaks to me on some level.And so there we have it - Epsilus Sancrenus. My first chaos commander, and the most converted model I had made up til then. I learnt a lot from him, and he remains one of my favourite models. I just wish his arms were the same size...
Just a note for anyone who cares - I have a Fanon Wiki account. I won't link you here (I don't think I'm popular enough to get self referential) but if you want to know his background and read about his quest, search for Epsilus Sancrenus on there.
Monday, 12 December 2011
Startin Out/Panthietic Quintumvirate.
So, anyway, a while ago I only collected dark angels successors and it was startin to chafe with my friends. One became quite insistent that I start somethin else. I held off for a long time, but eventually my imagination got the better of me. I came up with the idea of an old style Traitor (not chaos) commander - joined Horus, but doesn't even acknowledge that the Gods exist... you know, basically how most were at the ofset of the Heresy. Now, this limited me to one of three choices; Alpha Legion, Iron Warriors, or Night Lords. One of my mates uses the latter, and I'm not that fond of trenches, so Alpha Legion it was.
Now, obviously, this presented a lovely idea from a army building point of view - an Chaos army without marks, daemons or (because his unusual philosophy has led him to set forth on his own) many of the heavier elements at a Legion's fingers. But ultimately, this was just another army of Chaos Space Marines without the 'Chaos' - so essentially where I started. I needed it to be interesting in it's fluff, and being the sarcastic, cynical soul I am, decided the best way to do this was to make him Tzeentchian.
Oh, the potential that created! an Atheist Champion of the Great Deciever! I loved it, and it was not only modelling and fluff potential it opened, but campaigns. So, between us, we came up with the idea of a 'pilgrimage' of sorts, wherein this Legionary and his (moderately) loyal soldiers hunt out and convert others to the worship of the remaining powers so he can conduct a ritual to free himself from Tzeentch influence... or at least that's his plan. Whether it works out like that is debatable, but it's his only chance.
So, to this end, he's spent the last hundred centuries seeking out 4 individuals suitable for this master plan, and, eventually he's found them...
In order of ' acquisition'; Korak (Khorne) top right, Thaw (Slaanesh) bottom left, Dresdae (Nurgle), top left, Lucas (Undivided) centre back, and of course, Epsilus (Tzeentch) bottom right.
I'll be postin more bout the makin of them, and potentially a bit more fluff later.
(And in case anyone is curious, that's the view of my garden from my living room, i needed the light... though obviously it didn't work too well)
Now, obviously, this presented a lovely idea from a army building point of view - an Chaos army without marks, daemons or (because his unusual philosophy has led him to set forth on his own) many of the heavier elements at a Legion's fingers. But ultimately, this was just another army of Chaos Space Marines without the 'Chaos' - so essentially where I started. I needed it to be interesting in it's fluff, and being the sarcastic, cynical soul I am, decided the best way to do this was to make him Tzeentchian.
Oh, the potential that created! an Atheist Champion of the Great Deciever! I loved it, and it was not only modelling and fluff potential it opened, but campaigns. So, between us, we came up with the idea of a 'pilgrimage' of sorts, wherein this Legionary and his (moderately) loyal soldiers hunt out and convert others to the worship of the remaining powers so he can conduct a ritual to free himself from Tzeentch influence... or at least that's his plan. Whether it works out like that is debatable, but it's his only chance.
In order of ' acquisition'; Korak (Khorne) top right, Thaw (Slaanesh) bottom left, Dresdae (Nurgle), top left, Lucas (Undivided) centre back, and of course, Epsilus (Tzeentch) bottom right.
I'll be postin more bout the makin of them, and potentially a bit more fluff later.
(And in case anyone is curious, that's the view of my garden from my living room, i needed the light... though obviously it didn't work too well)
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