Pre-Heresy Dark Angels Legion Predator Squadron WIP - Part 3

 

Greetings and welcome back.  As promised, here is an update on the Predator project.  Things have gone well, if a bit slowly.  These two tanks are ready for the table, certainly, but not at all finished.  I have a couple nights left to see what I can do before I must stop for DreadTober, so we'll see where I get to. 

I decided this will be the lead tank for the Squadron.  As such, it sports gold legion symbols, similar to how squad sergeants sport gold on their helmets. The conversion beamer is coming along well and most of the basic colors are on the tank.

I definitely have more to do on the sponsons! But I've been having fun with the transfers instead, it seems.  I have several of the Forge world I Legion transfer sheets which provid me many options for each vehicle.  These predators are the first non-dreadnought vehicles that I have painted for the army and I did a lot of poking around in books and online for reference material and general inspiration.

Legion iconography was applied to all sides. I'm toying with the idea of putting small vehicle numbers in one bottom corner, or on the back of the turrets.

The small '1' here represents this tank as the first vehicle in the squadron. A bit confusing with the I Legion number elsewhere on the tank, but it is what it is.  I have had fun with the hekatonistika symbols on the tanks as well.  This squadron is sworn to the Iron Wing (The symbol on the upper-rear of the side armor).

This is the second tank in the squadron.  I will use either the plasma turret or the autocannon turret as needed in the games I'm not playing. 😂 Still, it doesn't hurt to plan ahead.  I like the plasma turret and it certainly fits with the I Legion. We have the symbol of the Lion on the left front fender and the Legion number over a red hekatonistika symbol for the right.

Each turret sports a different slogan for the I Legion along with a squadron Lion Rampant symbol in the rear.

The remaining vehicles in the squadron sport white legion iconography. This is all fluff of course and provides no use in a game where there is no "sergeant" or similar role in vehicle squadrons.

Similar to the lead tank, we have the vehicle number and the Iron Wing symbol on the right side armor. Also, not a lot of work has been done to the sponson weapons at this point.

I decided to have some fun with lenses and view ports with these tanks. So far, the view ports just have a little gradient to them.  The targeter lenses have a more lens-like effect. I had some fun with this and I very much like how the plasma turret has come out over all.

Of course, we can't forget the Predator Autocannon turret!  I almost did with all the plasma fun that I have been having. The lenses here are smaller and present less of a wow factor, but they are there!

I'm still thinking about the cannon barrel, so no work there yet.

And that's where I'm at with these two Predator tanks.  Much of the work is done, but there is still quite a bit more to do, I guess.  Sponson weapons need to get finished.  I need to complete the lens effects on the lead tank with the Conversion beamer. Then most everything needs to be highlighted. I don't see that getting completed before 10/1, but who knows?! I'll be giving it the old college try.

Who is in for DreadTober 2022?  I'm looking forward to it very much.

Cheers and Happy gaming!

On the Workbench [September] - More Heresy Era Dark Angels Reinforcements!

 

Just a short post today to share my first squad in the new Mark VI armor for Horus Heresy Dark Angels.  I chose to try out the new Rotor Cannon with this squad.  They have all be given the new Mark VI heads and Legion shoulder pads from Forge World as well.  The Sergeant maintains a beaky helm since he sports the transverse crest of his rank in the Legion.  I don't find that attaching the crest to the fancy new First Legion helms works all that well for me.  I just don't fancy the look.

The new Mark VI armored marines assemble very well.  It's a shame their is only 5 poses, but a combination of different heads and a bit of a turn of the head this way and that mixes things up enough that it isn't super noticeable when they are all mixed together.

I love the new reinforcements and look forward to assembling more squads.  I have to say...there is very little chance I get all of these squads painted up before I pass from this world. 😂Just so many projects here to do.  But at least I'll not be bored! I have decades more work here to keep me busy at the rate I paint - when you factor in the new shiny things that come along the way and get added to the list of possible things to do.

More on the predators later in the week. 

Cheers and Happy Gaming!

Pre-Heresy Dark Angels Legion Predator Squadron WIP - Part 2

 Still making progress on the Predators this week. I got the tracks painted and some shading applied on them. The same for the exhaust stacks and a couple other metal bits on the hull.  I put some work into the Conversion Beamer and was able to get it assembled.  This isn't a weapon we see a lot, so there isn't a ton of reference out there for it.  That frees me up a bit to use some artistic license, I guess.

The Lascannons got some metal base coats as well, but not much else.  Still plenty of cleanup to do, but I'm waiting to do all the black cleanup until everything is initially base coated. I haven't decided what else needs to get painted that ISN'T black.

The other Predator in the squadron is equally far along, more or less.  I haven't done much with the turret at this point.  I'm still considering how I want the main cannon to look.

The heavy bolters have been roughed in with some metals, but their looking super rough at the moment.  I used some Agrax Earthshade on the stacks and tracks to add a weathered look.  I don't want to go hard on the rust as the legions likely maintained their vehicles to a certain standard.  Still, an exhaust stack and tracks are going to wear and rust regardless, one would think.  This also helps these metals look a bit different than the metal on the bolters, etc. so there is more visual interest.

More progress this week as I continue to drive these tanks towards completion. I haven't had a lot of painting time this month, but I can't really be disappointed in the progress.  Next week, I should be able to share pics with the transfers applied as well and more painting progress over all.  DreadTober is coming fast and that will mean a hard stop on this project for the month of October. Hopefully I can put a big stamp o' DONE on these tanks before then!

Cheers and Happy Gaming!

Pre-Heresy Dark Angels Legion Predator Squadron WIP

Greetings and welcome back. I'm working on a couple predators for the 1st Legion this month as a run up to DreadTober when I'll likely paint up another 1st legion Contemptor (or maybe two?) Dreadnought.  I have had the autocannon Predator for some time - It came in a bitz lot as a Long War Kickstarter reward if I'm remembering correctly.  I knew I was going to want something with lascannon sponsons and more punch for fending of armored targets so I watched eBay until I found another resin Forge World Predator kit available (happened to come with the Conversion Beamer turret), and then the plastic rhino sprues.

 Next, the whole lot had to sit and age appropriately, like a fine whiskey, until it was ready to be built and painted. That brings us to show-n-tell today.  Having assembled the second Predator, I primed it to match the first and set to the task of batch painting the lot.  Somewhere along the line I picked up this alternate Plasma cannon turret from eBay as well, because why not?  I definitely want ALL the options for the games I'm never playing! 😂 Oh, and never mind the third eBay Predator on the way from across the pond...that one will sport a twin lascannon turret and lascannon sponsons. Remember kids, go big or go home!

I don't have a firm plan for the heraldry at this point.  Its been a pretty organic process. I knew I wanted the red inset panels to the front and rear.  And at some point I decided on black checkers on the front as squadron markings to tie the tanks together.  From there I expect to diverge a bit to give each tank some individuality, but I'm not set on where to go with that yet.  Transfers will of course be involved, but I'm looking at the paint work as well.

It doesn't help that the 1st Legion are notoriously eccentric in that regard - at least to outsiders.  Their complex individual heraldry apparently makes sense to those within the chapter. I guess the good news there is one can hardly go wrong in that department when painting since there are no rigid standards.  I'm thinking of bringing in some gold somewhere for the lead tank in the squadron. Otherwise, who knows?

The checkers are a form of free hand.  I'm getting progressively better there with each attempt. Here, I've used a black .005 Micron pen to draw a grid for the squares.  I then lightly mark the squares that are going to be black and finally went in with the black paint and a fine brush.  I'm using GW Chaos black for this army. The key here is drawing a symmetrical grid first. I tend to rush that part and so not all the squares are...well...square as a result. That leads to a bit of back and forth with the red and black paint.

I've left off the heat shields on the Conversion Beamer so I can paint the main body of the weapon. I'll attach them soon once everything is painted up. The plasma cannon turret will get painted at some point along the way as well.  We're already halfway through September so I don't know if I'll get these TO DONE before the end of the month (and the start of DreadTober). I'll certainly take a good crack at it!

Along the way, I made time to complete the two remaining Rhino transports I had waiting in the wings.  Now the motor pool is mostly complete.  I still have that plastic Spartan to assemble at some point for delivering the big boys into battle. Here, I have outfitted all the Rhinos with dozer blades and search lights.  Seems prudent to let these relatively cheap units light themselves up when looking for targets, rather than risking the heavy tank killers in night fighting games (yes, those games I'll likely never play too 😅 ). Dozer blades just make sense if you want to reliably deliver your units where they need to be in the blasted wastes of the Heresy battlefields.

So, there's a little heresy hobby for your week. I'll be working on this army for a bit this fall before possible dropping out to do some holiday Aeronautica Imperialis as a palate cleanser for Squaduary and Monster March. But I get ahead of myself.  There's really no way to be sure which way the hobby winds may blow...

Cheers and Happy Gaming!

On the Workbench [September] - Aeronautica Imperialis and 30K Dark Angels!

 

Greetings and welcome back.  Today I'm sharing what I've had on my workbench so far for September.  I'm gearing up for a lot of painting this fall, so I wanted to get some building out of the way early. Above, is a partially assembled Legion Predator for the Dark Angles; this one sports a Heavy Conversion Beamer and lascannon sponsons. The Heavy Conversion Beamer seems a fitting Dark Age weapon for the First Legion. I also have a spare Plasma Cannon turret if the C-Beamer isn't that fun in games (yeah, all those games I'm not ever going to play 😂).

I also assembled a Legion Rhino transport, one of three for transporting small squads across the battlefield. I like the addition of the Forge World Deimos add-ons to the 40K Rhino kit. Nice compromise with the original Rogue Trader Rhino. So that is one Rhino built, two more to go!

Last up for the Horus Heresy, I assembled a second Forge World Techmarine for the Dark Angels Techmarine Covenant. I decided I had enough bolt pistols and replaced his with a plasma pistol from one one of the 30K marine sprues - probable the MK IV marines, but I forget. This fella has had enough of being overrun in the back field while making repairs and has decided to take matters into his own hands.

Then I decided to build the backlog of Forge World Aeronautica Imperials models that I have been collecting as they have released. Above is the newest, a Legio Custodes Ares Gunship.

These are the ground assets for the Adeptus Astartes - optional objectives for the game.

Next up are the grounds assets for the Asuryani (Eldar). There are magnet sockets in the weapon platforms for both the Eldar and the Astartes that all for small magnets. This is cool since after magnetizing the turrets can rotate.  wheeee! 😂 Simple pleasures...

Then there are the Asuryani Hemlock Wraithfighters and Nightshade Interceptors (two of each). I'll never keep them straight - maybe I'll label the bottom of the bases? I'm just not that up on the Xenos war machines.  These are very detailed, but the weapons are small and fragile.  The barrels of most are broken off above and I'll likely go back and try to repair/replace them with plastic bits prior to any future painting.

Next up are the Necron aircraft: two Night Shrouds and four Doom Scythes; a small force, but likely adequate for a game. These models are very detailed for their size and I look forward to painting them.

Last up, we have a pair of T'au Air Caste Remora Drones. Whew!  13 aircraft and six ground assets built and ready for priming. As the weather begins to turn colder here, I expect to get some Aeronautica Imperialis games in, so having everything built should make things more interesting.  Not sure what I'll tackle for the Hobby Season.  I expect I'll paint the next boxed set in line which means T'au and Imperial planes.  I do want to paint those Necrons though, so we'll see.

That's it for now from the workbench.  A productive start to the Hobby season.  Now it is time to get painting...

Cheers and Happy Gaming!