Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Vyndica - Alpha Legion Seeker Squad

I've done a lot of painting lately but have fallen on on blogging. This commission of Alpha Legion Marines is actually finished. I'll attach an image of the final product at the end. The pictures at the top shot the finished bodies and torsos with the weapons blue tacked on. Below are the finished weapons.

I did a lot of subtle conversions on these minis to make them Chaos but still look like soldiers. The client's only real instructions were to make them "tactical" and I too that to mean, less spikes and more pouches. I bought some MK 4 bits and swapped the out for some CSM bits. I only charged the client for the Mk 4 bits as I kept the bits that were not used. I call that fair trade for my bits.

I also added in some Deathwatch and SM Scouts pouches and bullets to the chest plates. I kept some of the belt pouches from the Mk 4. Everyone got one set of those and something else. I tried to keep the accessories varied. Some got knives other got grenades.

I also did conversions with two of the Marines. The "leader" is shooting a drum-fed Bolter one handed and has a knife held in reverse grip. I really like how he turned out and I am totally going to do this on some of my own Marines. I also gave him a CSM Raptor helmet for an added touch of Chaos.

Also mocked up a "second in command" of sorts. The client only wanted two sniper rifles and left the other weapons up to me. A real Seeker Squad all comes with special Combi-bolters but the budget did not allow for getting these bits. I decided to give them each something special anyway. The "leader" carries that beastly drum-fed Bolter and his second in command has my version of a SAW, a drum-fed Combi-bolter. He also carries a bandoleer of grenades.

As seen in the completed images, I took CSM backpacks and trimmed them down. This made them look Chaosy but still like soldiers. I was really proud of these as they look like a transition from SM to CSM.

I tried something new for these minis. The client wanted them matte black but I talked him into doing very dark blue as black. I tried something similar with the Dark Eldar also for Vyndica when I did a very dark purple. It was not as successful and I had hoped but I could have painted straight black on the open flat places to get it darker.

I wanted to something to tie these minis in with the Alpha Legion minis like the Lord that I painted for the same client. I used a small about of interference paint and some blue and green washes to get a subtle but similar effect on the pauldrons. I just did it on the dragon head and I think it came off well.

I cut this guy a bit of a break on the price as this is his second commission. Normally the lest I charge for a basic small mini is $15-$20 each with a minimum bench fee of $40. Less than $40 and it not really worth my time. Normally assembly, conversions, painting, basing, clear coat and shipping would have been closer to $100 and most likely over. Dude only had $50 to spend so he over-spent his budget and I came down in price. I threw in some metal Alpha Legion shoulder guards at no charge because I still have 60 of them laying around.



Monday, May 15, 2017

Vyndica - Zaku

Haven't been into blogging much lately but I have been painting up a storm. Started and stopped a few projects but keep plowing on with the commission work from Vyndica. The biggest of those is the Zaku. I feel like every time that I write about this project I talk about how hard it is. It is a massive undertaking. Just the assembly is hard but put paint and assemble it is very time consuming.

I finished work on the head armor and those damn power cables. I ended up using magnets to hold the whole thing together rather the system of clips and friction that the kit used.

Also did some work on the right arm.


Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Finished - Deathwatch

These may be the last Deathwatch minis of 6.5th (totally not 7th) Edition. 8th is going to drop within the next month and that may dramatically change the makeup of my armies.

For example Combi-weapons. Word is that they are no longer one-shot weapons. Now you can shoot one or the other each Shooting phase or fucking both with a -1 BS, making this a must have for ant Chapter Master or Commander. That is going to throw a wrench in the plans of my Combi-weapon bearers that I spent so much time finishing. I think that I can still use them though they will more be counters rather than removable markers.