Apologies for the time gap since my last post! Unfortunately I have been remarkably busy with work recently and so I haven't been able to get online to blog, however I have managed to squeeze in a bit of painting time here and there.
As regular readers of my Blog will already know, my girlfriend is not only supportive of my hobby interests but has also become a keen participant and frequently takes to the battlefield to command troops against me in games of Rogue Trader.
One set of models that she has fallen in love with is my collection of first edition Space Hulk genestealers which I have been painting on and off for the past few decades (we've all got one of those projects we return to from time-to-time!).
The majority of these figures are the original plastic purestrains that were released with the Space Hulk box set, supplemented by a couple of the metal purestrains that were released in 1989. These uni-pose models have fascinated her since she first saw them (she does an awesome genestealer impression) and she has asked if they can be fielded in our next battle.
Always keen to please I have put together a scenario for us to play that features the aforementioned genestealers in a bitter struggle to the death with the might of the Imperial Inquisition. However as I was constructing the scenario's background I quickly realised that a battle against a force consisting of only purestrains could be quite boring and so I decided to augment these insidious xenos with a few genestealer hybrids in order to shake things up a bit. I proceeded to dig around my unpainted lead pile and pulled out some classic old models to paint up.
Initially I was a little ambitious with my painting goals and prepared the above models for painting. Here we have the following:
1 x metal magus (1989)
3 metal hybrids (1989)
2 x plastic hybrids (from the Genestealer supplement for Space Hulk (1990))
10 x Imperial Army troopers to act as brood brothers (1987 - 1989)
I quickly realised that the sheer number of figures that I had prepped was too ambitious to paint up quickly and so I decided to attack the project piecemeal. For the first batch I chose the magus and three metal hybrids to complete.
When choosing a colour scheme I decided to paint their body armour and chitin blue in order to tie them in with my traditionally coloured purestrains. For the fleshy areas I decided to go for a deep, rich pink which would be a perfect medium between the purple/mauve of my pure 'stealers and the human hosts normal flesh tones. When painting both these colours I decided to go proper old school in my technique and so I started from a darker base colour which was highlighted progressively by simply adding white to the base...I have to say that I'm quite happy with the results (this picture was taken mid way through the project).
I also added some yellow to the armour segments for a little variation and painted the combat trousers/robes a fairly standard grey.
Below are the finished models:
The magus is a fourth generation hybrid and as such is genetically far close to humans than most of the brood, in light of this I gave him a more usual human flesh colouration...albeit with a light purple wash to hint at his alien origins.
Above are each of the other hybrids in turn...unfortunately the lighting wasn't great when I took the photograph thanks to the onset of bloody winter in the UK. I envision that these guys are either second or third generation hybrids and as such their flesh colour is far closer to the genestealer norm than the magus.
...And this is all four of my new hybrids together and ready for the upcoming battle.
Now I will need to get working on the brood brothers...or maybe some more hybrids!
Again I apologise for my recent absence from the blog but I hope that you approve of what I've been doing in the meantime!!
Legio
Cracking work there - I don't suppose you would mind letting us know what colours you used.
ReplyDeleteNot at all mate:
ReplyDeleteThe blue was the new Macgragge Blue, gradually worked up and highlighted by adding skull white/white scar.
The pink was the new GW Base Pink (I can't remember it's name, but it's very dark and is the only pink base), this was then mixed and worked up to the new Pink Horror which was then further highlighted by adding Skull White.
The yellow was started with Iyanden Darksun followed by a wash of Seraphim Sepia then highlighted with Sunburst Yellow.
The Grey Cloth was an Adeptus Battle Grey base followed by a Badab Black Wash then layered with Adeptus Battle Grey again which in turn was followed by a final highlight of Codex Grey.
I hope this helps, if there's anything else that you want to know just tell me and I'll post it up!!
They look great! I really dig your painting style. The scuffs on the 2nd generation hybrid's knife blade are a nice detail.
ReplyDeleteHmm, those look great! Really full of flavour, love them :)
ReplyDeleteI very much like the skin tone you used on your magus but I cannot tell from that range; did u use a wash or a glaze?
ReplyDeleteThe magus I did differently. I'm not a massive fan of flesh coloured paints so I only use them when I'm mass producing space marines; other wise I use the following method.
ReplyDeleteI starry with a scorched brown base then very gradually layer on lighter and lighter mixes of scorched brown/bleached bone; finally the very small final highlight it pure bleached bone. Due to his alien nature I added a final bit for the magus which was a watered down wash of Leviathan Purple followed by a further touch up on the highlights. I hope this helps mate.
Very nice! A genestealer cult force is always fun to do. I think I've got enough for the beginnings of one, but I reckon I need to keep an eye out for some more hybrids! And a magus!
ReplyDeleteYeah; they were fun and made a change from power armour. You should definitely do one! I fancy doing a cult limousine like one I remember in the old white dwarfs!!
ReplyDeleteAh! A limousine! Luckily I already happen to have one of those. :) It's a die-cast black limo model car I picked up from a discount store years ago, which is just about the right scale. Always knew that would come in handy one day! A bit of "Rogue Tradering" up and it'll be good to go. :)
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