Productive days and The War Escalates.

So, with the (relatively) lovely weather we're having, I've spent a productive day getting models sprayed and prepped for future painting. There won't be much actual work put into the below, but I just wanted to show how the army will develop over the months and years. But first some WIP's of my Sternguard, which I really need to finish but just seem to be avoiding!

They seem a little washed out here, but the robes look really nice in the flesh. I really do have to get a decent camera and soon! They just need the arms and weapons completing and they'll be ready to go.

Next, a few little additions to the Shrikes' motor pool. The Rhino with the Stalker front is the personal transport of the Captain of the 3rd, and not because I forgot to actually put it on my Stalker at all....

And a small pile of bits and pieces that will be getting a lick of paint sooner or later. This includes a Contemptor, two Thunderfire Cannons on which the Techmarines have had arm swaps to try and make them look different, and my new Captain armed with the Teeth of Terra and storm bolter. The Marines will eventually be a Devastator unit, but I'm not in a rush for those just yet.

My Knight in his current state. Two washes of Nuln Oil give a nice look to the metals, which will then be drybrushed with Leadbelcher and Ironbreaker, before pinpoint washes with Typhus Corrosion in joints and bolts that wouldn't move much. The armour plates will be a mix of Stegadon Scale Green with highlights, yellow and black hazard striping and bronze edging, which will have Nilkanth Oxide washed over. The intention is to make this Knight look like a machine that has existed for over fifteen thousand years, which also leads me to ask...anyone have any good weathering techniques? Never done it before but I think a small amount would look really good on the plates.

And finally...

The horrors of the Ethnarch in the Fourth Shrine War have lead to a sector-wide charnel house of death and pain. The weeping and terror of mortals on every planet have created a heady musk of fear that draws dark beings from a time long forgotten. The Pleasure-Flayers of the 3rd legion translate into the Kerishian system...

House Erritian

'For over fifteen thousand years our House has endured. We have seen the mistakes of your Imperium. The kinstrife of the War of the Fallen Son, through the battles of Thor to the current days of the Fall of Man. We endured, and we prospered. And now we are in our darkest hour. Your conspiring and your treachery have brought the great usurper to our doorstep, and threatened our homeworld. We must unleash our greatest paladins to bring ruin to this horror. But be aware, son of the Corpse-Emperor, do not mistake our assistance as compliance..'

Intercepted transmission

Knight Baron Qzu-Lau, Frost-Breaker, Jade Serpent, Star-Render, Lord of the Knight House Erritian.

Demi Squad Yestine and Librarian Hetyrn Kylesa

Been a while...!

I haven't really had the motivation to paint for the last few months due to my personal life not quite going as well as I'd like. However, I'm feeling a lot better now, and thought it was time to start working on more Shrikes. This will only be a quick update, but hopefully will show what's next to be finished.

Sternguard Demi-Squad Yestine. These will have a couple of combi-plasmas when done.

Also, as a treat to myself, I've started to crack into my Librarian, Hetyrn Kylesa. I've gone for a slightly different way of painting him, using Stegadon Scale Green as a base and highlighting with Sotek Green and Temple Guard Blue. It should work well against the usual red of the Shrikes, and will be a very nice change from red 

These are basic WIP's, but hopefully give an idea of how they will look when done!

Zaiden Shraane,Captain of the III Company

'What can be said about my brother Zaiden Shraane? That he was the best of us, an exemplar of the Shrikes. He fought war like a man born for it. His commitment to a battle would be the turning tide. The fields of Ghemsecht, Adrim's Sorrow, the Tropon Conflagration. All won by decisive blows applied by Shraane.

His death on Kerishian Seven-Alpha robbed us of our future just as much as the Black Deep Atrocity did'

Talak d'Eletin, I Company, Crimson Shrikes Adeptus Astartes

'They call me 'The Revered' now. The truth is all I ever see in my brothers' eyes is shame'

Anicent Shraane, 'The Revered' - Dreadnought, Crimson Shrikes Adeptus Astartes

''Hunter Revealed', the assault force of Shrikes deployed onto Kerishian, were led by Brother-Captain Shaane. His tactical acuity and rapid assaults against rebel elements drove the fight to the Ethnarch. This would have broken any sane man. Shraane's mistake was to forget that the Ethnarch was mad. Insane enough to try any method to save himself from retribution. His response, and the insults to both the Shrikes and Shraane's honour, led to the mortal wounding of Shraane at the height of the war, and the rise of Brother Yor Jestine of the I Company to nominal leader until the resolution of the conflict'

Inquisitor Judia Isut - 'To Drift Like Fire'

Tangent Diagonal WIP part two

I've been working away on Tangent bit by bit, and am now at the stage where I only have the main body, pilot and base to complete. I'm tempted to bit a bit of Cities of Death scenery on the base just to make it look look Tangent's involved in urban combat. C&C always welcome.

More work on Tangent Diagonal

So, I've been getting some paint down on Tangent Diagonal in the last week, when I've not been playing the new COD (in which, I can confirm, I suck) and have finished the front section and cockpit. The only problem is, when the canopy and pilot are in place you can't see much of the detail I painted in! Ah well, such is life!

Anyways. pics! Does anyone else find that taking pictures tends to highlight mistakes that you can't even see? I have so much touching up to do!

Hopefully I will have the majority of Tangent done by the end of next week, as it's mostly metallics left and then details...

Tangent Diagonal WIP

'You think Astartes are dangerous on the ground? Wait until you get them in the air...'

Attributed to unknown Kerishian PDF trooper

I was going to work on painting my Sternguard next. However, after painting a full Tactical squad, I didn't want to run the risk of burnout painting infantry. My 1750 list has a lot of vehicles in it, which presents a problem for me. I really, really dislike painting vehicles! I'm not sure why, but it's something I tend to try and avoid. So, time to tackle my fear head on, and where better to start than Tangent Diagonal, my Stormtalon? I wasn't sold on the model when it first came out, but it grew on me, and when I finally bought my own I fell in love! It's gorgeous, and instead of thinking of it as a plane, I feel it has more of an Apache/Cobra look. I can just imagine one of these hovering outside an enemy held building and just shredding it with assault cannon and missile fire. 

I've done the red and black on the model, and just need to start laying down the metals now, which shouldn't take long. Speaking of which, I need to find a tutorial for making engine burns if anyone knows a good one?