~Splinter fleet Typhon~

So after hearing about all the cool stuff for Blood angels coming out later this year, and how my astral claws will be getting some really neat orbital insertion units if I use BL counts-as, I have decided to put that army on hold. In the meantime, one of my all-time favorite armies got a new codex! So after picking up some figs, and ruminating on the best color scheme, I realized this: one of my favorite things about Nids when I first discovered them was the crazy alien colors! Then I realized that I don't think one person has used the new sculpts with the way back color scheme! So. I shall rectify this!


The color scheme
All the units will follow original color scheme (blue-winged gargoyles, purple and blue hormies, old school genestealer!)

As usual, I started off playing around with the lowly Termagant.





Next up, Base colors on the Venomthrope (model is too cool, all those poseable tentacles, oh my!)



Oh god! its got something in its envenomed feelers!



(take that, Eldar scum!)

Models I'm looking forward to converting/painting= Tervigons, tyrannofex, mwaloc and the beautiful new gargoyles!

Have fun painting 50+ gaunts with that much detail

If you want the 2nd edition codex for some additional pictures/possible elaboration on that scheme itself, I have a copy.

I don't think I need to comment on the painting skills. Same old, same old

No worries, That little guy took me 3 hours, and that was experimenting with colors. Via assembly line, I can bust out a 10 gant squad in a few days at most! Having basic colors that are all ties to a foundation basecoat means really quick and vibrant colors, with a lot less detailing (thank god, no more SM satchels and metals).

they look good paz, I'll have to put some of my stuff up soon... I want to see those garg's!

Paz wrote:Having basic colors that are all ties to a foundation basecoat means really quick and vibrant colors, with a lot less detailing (thank god, no more SM satchels and metals).

hm, they look a lot more detailed than that to me. What's your current plan for assembly line?

Assembly line is basically to paint entire units at once. It looks something like this=

-basecoat red skin (michrite red/scab red)
-wash with devlan mud
-highlight with 50/50 base color, adding amounts of blood red then vomit brown. (3-4 layers)
-basecoat chitin (khemri brown/graveyard earth)
-Add texture lines in, starting with basecoat, highlighting with bleached bone and white (4-6 layers)
do gun, do muscles, do details, paint base (drybrush), and voila, whole unit(s) done!

REally nice man, the carapace turned out super good.

That layering seems to take a long time. great results though. I'll just stick to my wash and highlight skills.

god how do you have the patience to paint that long personally i get board after like 10 min

update!

So I recently purchased some painted Termagants, to fix up and use as ammo for my eventual Tervigon conversion.

They were... of questionable quality:



But after many hours of cutting, and removing of guns from wrong bodyparts, and fixing of many a broken ankles and finally basing, here are 25 gaunts and 10 ripper swarms in all their glory, ready to be painted!



More Work on the Venomthrope



And my 2 HQ choices! I love the non-MC creatures for HQ, a lot better IMHO.

Parasite of Mortrex! (lots of greenstuff sculpting to be done yet)






Oh, the horror, Eldar get shafted (literally) again!



And the heavily armoured (I just glued two warrior back carapaces together, I know, super smart right?) Tyranid Prime! I think bladed Tonfa's make more sense than swords on big beasties, can anyone guess where I got the plastic blades?





More to come, and I picked up a bunch of new brushes today, so more painting as well!

Love the Parasite model, very sweet use of the chaos possessed wings.

And I'm going to guess the blades are actually hip bones from a dinosaur kit, just cuz.

Love the fact that the left arm isn't in the wrist socket. Did someone assemble those drunk? lol

Wow!the parasite of mortex looks great. Can't wait to see them all painted

Tom= nope, close though! its the plastic arm blades from a warmachine fig.

HolyCause= lots of limbs being re-cut to fit... These were Canadin's, though he admits that he made them when he was younger, and we all make modelling mistakes. I did feel like an SPCA worker though, getting a sick abused dog in. Oh the horror of miniature abuse!

Sewerstalker= Thanks!

they look great paz looking forward to seeing them in person

If I had to guess on the baldes, I would say Manticore or Hydra.

I like the Parasite model, it is pretty slick. Not sure if I like that the Eldar got shafted again...

Over-all, I tip my hat.

Right you are Reagan, the arm blades from the heavy Myrmidon for the retribution of Scyrah. I bought an entire elf army, and haven't even played them yet!

Small Update! Did some more work on my Tyrannofex, he is coming along nicely. Played my first small game with the nids. Star of the show? The parasite of Mortrex. Holy crap! This guys is just too sweet against low toughness troops. He hits hard, and creating rippers is jawesome. First attack was on a 12 man squad of fire warriors. Killed 4, 2 failed toughness tests, and I roll.... boxcars! Yeah, 12 ripper swarms created... godz. Second game, spawned 2 squads of 3, and 4 ripper swarms, respectively. Again, murder. That's not so say he is a "Calgar", far from it, but he is a great psychological weapon. The idea of a rending, ID strength 6 I 5 beast that can turn your corpse'd warriors to swarms.. scary stuff.

Tyrannofex. I haven't started green stuff work yet, I want to do all the conversions at once.







And another dead guardian. Poor guy really got "shafted" by the spine banks. Hey? Anyone?



More updates later, after sculpting.

I thought you would have taken those plastic baldes form something cool.......like a khador jack...........

That looks pretty sweet pascal

While I like the Tyrannofex conversion, I couldn't help but be reminded of one of those 'This is how many cigarettes I can fit in my mouth' pictures al la Homer Simpson.



How many Eldar bodies do you have lying around, I may want to procure one or two off of you (for kit-bashing, as I am out of Torso's and legs), to save them from spiky death.

Otherwise, pretty slick.

i love homers file photos this one is my fav

Spent the hobby part of my day greenstuff sculpting. Quick and easy for the prime and parasite, long and laborous for the tyrannofex.. ugh..

Wow you continue to amaze me. If I tried that it would be the biggest fail it wouldn't be funny.