Hobby Saturday: Deathwing Command Squad

So since my previous post I've decided (some what predictably) that I would use the "Double Wing" list - meaning it had the least amount of hobbying to do to add the additional models required for 1750 - simply a new squad. Now this gave me a chance - two weeks to paint a single unit - I looked at this way - Belial (to the left! - he's now getting some more suitable company!) was around 4 or 5 hours of work taking away the base coats - I have a couple of days this weekend and then a entire bank holiday weekend - not to mention evenings (especially being on earlies next week I have quite a bit of time free). So? This is a chance to paint up a nice looking command squad and "extend" my focal point of the army beyond a single model. If I get time I am going to make a little display tray as well (nothing crazy, literally just a dinner tray cut down a bit to fit into the bottom of my bag, plenty of varnish and PVA glue to make sure the flock and sand doesn't go any where).

Now I've been working slowly on these guys for a little while - but by that I mean I simply remodelled two of the legs and made about 3 of the bases - so there was a lot of the models that had to be done this week. I really wish I did spend the past few weeks on them as I had plenty of leg spares and what not to faff around with reposing, but it was not to be. I did have a "vision" to to speak with the squad and I wanted to achieve it as much as possible. I wasn't far off - but I think my vision might have been a bit ambitious for my conversion skills - so in short time it wasn't bad.

I figure what I can do is a "stage by stage" WIP of these gents, so todays stage one is simply "pre-painting" - each individual and how I wanted to portray the model.



 Now to the squad's - The vision I spoke of was to have a more dynamic posing of the command squad - the other 4 squads of terminators are quite "static" what with being just on the bases plus being magnetised there is not much you can do beyond whats already been moulded. Belial himself is quite dynamic so I wanted something to fit with him, and tell a sort of story with the models - make them look quite cohesive - as if they are holding the ground against a barrage of oncoming hordes or nasties.

So on to the dudes!

The Cyclone Missile Launcher

First off I started from the base - I wanted a sort of platform (I am thinking either a old bunker or the insides of a wrecked raider or even gun ship etc..) that's dissolving into the lava. The CML I felt is perfect for this base as he's teetering up to the edge to get a better shot.

This is the first time I've green stuffed lava and I'll see how it comes out - I might have to file/sand some of it down to smooth it out - but I used this as an opportunity to get some lava spitting out - that will be painted white hot.

The CML itself I want to stand out - so I'll be marbling it! (Its also magnetised - just in case I want to run this unit as normal TH/SS unit in the future!)

TH/SS Terminator - 

Out of all the terminators I was a little disappointed (or rather not as pleased with it - but its growing on me) with this one - I've fractionally altered his Thunder Hammer - but the original intention was for it to be horizontal across his chest - but it didn't look right - especially once I had the shields in place. So I opted to just have him looking like he's standing his ground "protecting his brothers banner".

TH/SS Apothecary:

Again not much done to this model - I took the chancel to use the Paladins Narthecium Gene Seed Extractor jobby and to keep him super special he's also sporting a demon hammer from the same kit rather than TH/SS - this again keeps him a little unique. Painting wise I am contemplating a white helmet - which will set the blue eye glow out quite well I think.

TH/SS Banner Bearer:

When I added this dude in I actually thought about having a LC in the unit (now I come to think of it - the guy  I wasn't happy with could really have been magnetised - oh well) but I also like the idea of TH's with 4 attacks on the charge and 3 when being charged! - its not the best use of 25 points - but lets face it - where there are no such things as 5 point upgrades and what not - its not bad.

This guy has actually had a lot of work on him. His legs are completely repositioned - to make him look like he's standing strong on a mount.

The shield is the same way I did my old ones (cutting down a normal shield until the hand is left then simply greenstuffing/gluing the wing in place). The hammer is a GK Halberd - the top sliced off and replaced with a normal Thunder Hammer top. The banner is the entire banner arm from the GK box as well. One tip is to pin things - the banner arm is pretty secure but the banner top is not - so I used a huge pin to make sure that doesnt go anywhere. I thought about making a strapping for the TH on the back - but I got my brothers ruling (the guy that got me into GW but hasn't touched it since about 1992) and he thought it looked good as is (electro magnetic harness on the back ok?!) 

TH/SS Sergeant:

While they don't really have Sarge's in the Deathwing (unlike other terminator unit's) I like the idea of denoting him out - so he might get a blue helmet (with green glowing eye's) - with that he'd be the 1st Sergeant of the 1st Company since none of the others are marked out. If not - its just a cool pose for a normal TH/SS dude.

He's used the GK Terminator legs - again to help set him out from the rest - and he's the only one in a truely dynamic pose - for the same effect once again. I did have to cut off his toes and reposition them downwards so it didn't look silly - other than that it required just a little bit of green stuff reposing of the likes of the shield arm. The sarge - along with the apoth and "joe nobody" all are using GK storm bolter arms for storm shield arms - it gave me some nice positioning options opposed to the more static TH/SS ones.

Bases: 

These were quite simple - "grated" plasti-card (same stuff Atreides uses a lot on his Hydra weapon mounts) was the feature - then used things like MKI rhino hatch, plastic card tube, 25mm base, a 1p coin, and even sprues to make up the "raised sections". My normal sand/slate mix was used - but in combination with some broken sprue parts to add a bit of extra texture to the base. At this stage I think they look decent - hopefully I can paint them quite nicely - looking at dull rust tones as to look good but not draw attention away from the model - paired with the usual lava of my army.

Overall

Hopefully I achieved the effect of the unit looking quite dynamic + cohesive at the same time, each has its own thing, but sticks together as a unit as well. I could have maybe extended this theme through the bases a bit better though.

I am pretty pleased with the unit - they are just getting that little bit of drying time in (let the GS set some what) before I prime and get the base coat on tonight. I am undecided to what method I'll use - whether to factory line them or paint a single model at a time (at least the armour). I am leaning towards 1 at a time as I'll be more careful / attentive on the armour - and then do the detailing at the same time as its "less work".