BFG Imperials, Scratchbuilt Orks and 17th Flexeberg IG!

[Dannage]

yay for your return, boo for leg suckage... On the plus side, if you had some time off work and needed to be sat around, then... ideal hobby time... surely...

Come down to essex and pick up my sprue offcuts... Got about 30,000 bits... you love sprue, you know you do, it's true. Sprue sprue sprue...

[Jihad_Ragsta]

OutOfContext - As always, thank you for the kind words, OOC. I'm glad that you still grace this forum with your (unnerving) presence!

GomezAddams - You're right of course - finishing the squadron would make them look twice as good! BTB is demanding a group shot so that will have to happen. Darn it.

BeatTheBeat - Mate, I'm in and out of this hobby like a yoyo! Work can be a real pain - it just gets in the way of playing with my toy soldiers!

Dannage - You're from ESSEX? I'll send a helicopter to save you from that horrific TV programme. The only way.... Thank you for the little srpue song by the way


UPDATE!!!




Started working on a second Ragnarok - I've picked up a few more tricks with plasticard so hoping that this will show in the build. So far added more detail than last time (engine hatches, rivets from plasticard instead of beads). Tracks are still WIP and will need LOTS of mud and grit added to the front ones to hide some messy work. But then it IS a tank so mud is good. Thoughts?



Started work on some Ravager Attackships for my BFG Ork log. My interpretation of these ships is basically rack after rack of unstable missiles. So far so good! I will be adding extra fins, ribbing and teef to make these more characterful.



Work in progress for my latest Ork Hammer class. I have prepared the armour plate to cover its head. QUESTION: should I take off that strange dorsal chimney thing? The ship used to be a Gargant y'see - that was its belly gun! I might add twin dorsal fins instead.


Thanks for looking guys!

[GomezAddams]

Of course I'm right! :P

I didn't know you were starting on another ragnarok - is this to go with your guardsmen? I'd add a little bit more to the treads to give them a little more definition (unless your going to cake them in mud, in which case ignore me) but otherwise looking good.

The ravagers remind me of reaver ships from the Serenity movie, which is awesome.


And don't you have a Hurn to paint MWAHAHAHAHA

[BeatTheBeat]

Woooh, plasticard skill level up! Really like the new Ork ships as well, the Hammer class is HUGE. Keep it up!

Cheers,
BTB

[Jihad_Ragsta]

Hi chaps


I've moved to London hence my silence. Finally settled back in and can get back to my hobby!

I'm treating the move as motivation to get some projects moving - my room is pretty small so the sooner I get stuff painted the sooner I can send it back up north and get some space!

Big revamp of Imperial Navy just now - dusting them(!), repainting the bases, tweaking some paint jobs etc. I have some Soryllian cruisers to add as Ad Mech - in total there's 7 cruisers and 10 escorts to come.

I REALLY tried hard for a fleet shot for Dannage!!! I couldn't get anything worthwhile so maybe we'll wait until I have a larger line up and can take the shots in better surroundings too. By the way, mate, still got any interesting sprue for me? Ork ships demand it! What do people think - my photos have been effected by the move so any comments much appreciated!



15 more zombies for the swarm! Emperor... Please, no more... I got bored and painted some bright green ones but they'll be swallowed up by the mass anyway. Therapeutic though.

SO yes, hoping to maintain momentum and get some more stuff painted and done. I've just joined the 40K Tale of Painters for the first time so hope to get some shiny new stuff up here soon.

Comments and suggestions warmly received, it will help keep me motivated! Considering I have a company of Space Marines to do for this blinking tale....

Luv Ragsta

[OutOfContext]

Digging those zombies, Jihad
They look suitably braindead and hungry for flesh. I like the green guy. He looks like something out a cheap-but-awesome Italian zombie film
Liking the special weapon dudes too with their berets. Keep it up, sir!

[Jihad_Ragsta]

Thanks, mate, always a pleasure having you here

SO yes, I signed up for the 40K Tale of Painters as added motivation to get some stuff painted. Once I'd done it I realised my foolishness


Currently I'm working on four cruisers, 3 Ork escorts and some Brazen Minotaur Terminators - I've attached some pictures for you guys at the bottom of this post. The Termies are olds school ones and I'm hoping that the scheme will do them justice.

Three of the cruisers will represent my "Big Red One" squadron - a Navy unit that features strongly in Imperial news reels for the masses. And yes, I have become bored with painting grey


AND here's my fully updated squadron of light cruisers too! Gomez was right (blech) - adding the details makes them look 5 times better.




Fine Chance, Foehammer, Molochian and His Grace. Plus two Cobras - I'm working on fleshing them out cos who doesn't love torpedoes?

[BeatTheBeat]

You are certainly ploughing through your stuff! The light cruisers do look really good, as does all the other models. The green zombies really do glow! But, as you say, they are nicely balanced out by the sheer mass of other zombies with duller colours.

Cheers,
BTB

[Dannage]

Pity you're all the way up there in Bonnie Scotland and not on the side I'm about to go holiday in. I could have brought you some old G2 terminators.

[Jihad_Ragsta]

@BTB - Hehe yeah, they're day-glo zombies! Well, I'm certainly trying to be productive as that pest Gomez keeps posting updates on his logs and I feel left out

Dannage - I'm actually in London now, mate! I'm here for at least 6 months, have to love London wages! But I'm not letting myself buy any hobby stuff until I get a whole load of stuff painted first!

Thank you for the kind offer of the termies though! If anybody DOES have some spare ones going please let me know - even the plastic 'swivel waist' ones from the old edition of Space Hulk!

I need three.... If anyone has a Cyclone ML that would help... Should have some painted pictures in a few days guys

[GomezAddams]

Gomez is always right! Its why chicks dig me

The fleet looks lovely, needs star field and names though. Come on, put the beer down, chop chop!

Ahh the old school metal terminators - those take me back. They should look pretty swish in your minotaurs scheme. It'll be a shame when they get mauled by night lords :P

[Jihad_Ragsta]

Evening


I'm not so keen on starfields for my ships just now actually - I did try this on a bunch of them but actually felt it made them look rather... Dusty?


SO my foolish sign up on the 40K tale means I have done some work on Brazen Minotaurs, Imperial Navy and Ork Pirates. Nothing finished yet but plenty to comment on hopefully!

What I'm really after is some comments on the Brazen Minotaurs scheme - its still PIP but I'm pretty much done. Is it too tacky? Would a watered down wash of black over the finished piece pull it together or be too much?

I intend to apply blue OSL to the lenses and suit cameras - I'm hoping this will really pull the unit together. Thoughts?

Also have a cruiser on the way - I'm really liking the change to a red hull. The Ork stuff is on my Orkmada log.

[Jihad_Ragsta]

We're BACK!! Brazen Minotaur Terminators!!



3rd Terminator Squad under Sergeant Haltin. Note the red helmet for the NCO in adherence to the Codex Astartes.



The Chapter badge has several variations. In this example two of the 3rd squad have emblazoned their shoulder pads with the red T of Taurrogan in veneration of the Chapter homeworld.

First squad for Brazen Minotaur force complete! I've used these old fellas as a test bed for multiple ideas so the paint scheme will probably evolve. The freehand symbol is an improvement on the old one but I think it still looks rather crude - should I give them all the red T? Or is that rubbish too?

I could try the tutorial here (the picture links are busted but you get the idea) - thoughts please?

Also, note the simplistic bases. Rimmed in black (that really brought the bronze effect out) and flocked with brownish flock. I then added some static grass to break it up a bit. I am thinking about cutting up an old flocked model tree and adding some of that to each base - or is it good enough already?

NOTE: You guys might like this. After I added the grass it looked rather flat and depressed. So I held the model upside down and gave it a good shake - now the statoc grass is much bushier!

Their tabletop quality is rather good if I say so myself - once you get closer than 12 inches (like these photos ) some of the old wounds and cruder paint issues shine through.

I hope you guys like them - please do let me know your thoughts and criticisms as I'll be painting shedloads of these for the Tale and I want them to be good!

Luv Ragsta

[OutOfContext]

The termies looks good, Jihad! I'm a fan of metal marines but no one really seems to do metallic schemes, which is a shame.
One thing I'd suggest is perhaps picking out the various skulls/crux terminatus in a different colour as the moment it's very much just silver and red, so a third colour would really make them pop. Maybe a pale gold could work with them?
Keep up the good work!

[GomezAddams]

Personally I feel that these are a step back from your test mini. I think all the booze and women of the south have gone to your head a bit

Don't get me wrong theres absolutely nothing wrong with them at all. They look really nice and the colors work well but... I really liked that test marine, so I've decided I'm going to nag you until you do some more in the same way even if they do take ages.

The symbol - its fine as is, but I'd consider getting some transfer paper and doing it that way to get them all symetrical. Theres nothing worse then freehanding a dozen markings only to realise there all completely different sizes. I'd also go for the T in the middle of them all just to add a patch of color.

They have made me rather nostalgic for old metal terminators though.. might have to squeese some old metal chaos termies into my night lords

[Jihad_Ragsta]

OOC - Some really good pointers there, mate. They're actually meant to be a bronze colour, not silver! Gah! This squad were pretty much a test bed for some ideas about my scheme so I will def take your suggestions on board - I don't actually want to use too much red going forward so will need to think about what to do. Silver pads... Maybe red icons with bronze being the main colour for the armour?

Gomez - Yep, you are totally right - this squad isn't as good as my original concept. Reasons for this are 1) I couldn't remember the bloody recipe and 2) I drybushed Mithril Silver highlights and its ruined the concept of a strong bronze sheen. Therefore, my next squads will not use drybrushing at all.

Thanks for the words re. the freehand. I am also worried about keeping it symmetrical and uniform. Gonna pick up some Micron pens and try that first before I go for transfer paper... 1) Never used transfer paper before and 2) I hate putting transfers on Marine shoulder pads.



INS Erwin Guternacht, Jericho's Chorus and the Marshall Vect

The formation of Guternacht Squadron, widely referred to as the Big Red One, was used by the Imperial propaganda machine as an exercise to rally the masses of civilians across the entire Infernis sub sector.

It is estimated that over a million Imperial citizens were granted the privilige of full time employment in building and refurbishing this squadron of line cruisers. After several intercessions by Fleet Command these numbers were boosted by the population of Penal Colony 170D/AE51.

Completed 3 years ahead of schedule, the Big Red One features in several long running propaganda serials - lots are frequently cast by planetary populations for the honour of joining their crews (these are not voluntary).

The squadron's recent interdiction into Tau space, headed by the battlecruiser Apostle of Fire, has enjoyed number 1 holo vid rankings on three major worlds.

[BeatTheBeat]

Ships looking great! The fluff is pure gold though, the "these are not voluntary" part really carries across the Imperium...

The Brazen Minotaurs also look good, though the source lighting on the Sergeant's helmet is a little harsh.

Keep it up mate!

Cheers,
BTB

[Jihad_Ragsta]

Thanks, BTB! Yes, the sarge's lenses did not come out well at all - the squad sculpts did not help in making painting crisp and clear. It looks like these models were bashed around for quite a while - their edges seem quite rounded. Oh well, at least they've been honoured with an okay paint job.


After feedback my interpretation of this project has somewhat evolved. While painting the next squad of Marines in a modified bronze scheme I stopped and stared at them...

Red Wunz Go Fasta. So I painted the pads red on a combat squad to see if that improved them and I think it has. Now, obviously Brazen Minotaurs don't use red pads but White Minotaurs do so... It's a White Minotaur Chapter project now :P



The armour on the Terminators looked too pale - it was practically silver so I have worked on making these guys look more bronze as they should be. The tones seem much richer, which is good. I like the contrast of the eyes - haven't finished the helmet sensors yet. Note that one Marine has a silver pad - I'll be using him as a squad veteran (back in Rogue Trader SM squads had a sergeant and a combat leader if I remember rightly so the silver pad is my first step in distinguishing him). The bases need static grass spread across them and maybe some red flower type things to continue the theme.

Thanks for looking guys

[GomezAddams]

Yup, I remember those days *sigh* I feel old

Anyway, they look leaps and bounds better then the terminators, just enough brozen to give them the pop I liked from the previous test mini. I wouldn't bother with lighting effects, as the eyes stand out enough as it is and it'll detract the focus from the rest of the mini.

I approve of this! Anyway, put down the alcohol and paint some more!

[Jihad_Ragsta]

Ello

So I've been trying to get some more stuff painted up - I am quite happy with how the White Minotaurs are progressing. It's just a question of staying motivated to get them painted!

I currently have a whole bunch of stuff that I want to have finished by Christmas time (yes, I said the C word):

• Hasslefree 'Brooke' - DONE
• Hasslefree 'Parker' - EPIC FAIL
• 4 Cobra Destroyers - DONE
• 4 Sword Frigates - DONE
• 4 Soryllian Frigates (counts as Swords)
• 3 Firestorm Frigates (arrgggghhhhh *********** escorts!!!!) - DONE
• 1 Overlord Battlecruiser - DONE
• 1 Hammer class Ork battlecruiser
• 1 Kill kroozer based upon the starship Enterprise
• 3 Ramships - DONE
• 10 Devastators
• 20 Tacticals
• 10 'Veterans' - they won't really be Sternguard as I don't have combi weapons but I'll definitely try to pimp up their armour, shoulder pads and helmets
• 10 Sniper Scouts
• Command squad

DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY SNIPER/BOLTER SCOUTS??


Here's the Ramships I'm working on currently - I've given them some boarding spikes above the figureheads that you might be able to make out here. Very fiddly converting work but I like the addition. I had to laugh at how much time it took me to do these when they're liable to explode in turn 1.


I've managed to paint up a full 10 White Minotaurs - they aren't legal yet as I need to add Sergeants and heavy weapons but that will be later. I've added slogans to the shoulder pads, painted up the bolters and added some MaxMini heads for extra spice. You'll notice that I've adanboned the OSL effect - it wasn't necessary seeing as the armour is pretty blinging already.