Oh look, another diversionary tactic! I know, I know... for all my protestations that the bikers are not a chore I do keep finding avoidance tasks and the Ravenwing Command squad commander just happened. I'd had an organise of the mancave and sorted out some of the boxes, seen the instruction then promptly forgot where they were, then I found them so it was on to the bikes. This is also because I can then make the Assault Squad too as I need one of the spare torsos for the them. So by making the Command squad I will know what bits I have left.
Any advice on load-out for these guys would be appreciated, I think I figured there was no reason not to take them compared to standard Knights. I currently won't be able to field more than 6 with a few kitbashes so the Standard bearer [because it looks cool] and the Apothecary because of his benefits but what do I give the Commander?
On the plus side of taking the robed guy I can then have a spare set of legs, together with another torso and I ended up buying again. This rather crappy looking bike was only 99p. Unfortunately postage was £3 but I had seen the seller was also selling 10 Termagants and hoped to get them for cheap and get combined postage. Unfortunately I got distracted, missed the end of the auction and someone else got them for £1.20!!! Still, £3.99 for a bike isn't too bad. Now Otty told me not to buy any more but this guy can be made up from spare bits from the Knight Sprue, or I can make my Techmarine on a bike...
Now because I quickly ran out of steam on the Commander I managed to get back on the job I was supposed to be doing in the first place. All the shading has been done which has made them look black again at least. Not sure if the level is up to the first bike I did but we'll see after the pin highlights, which is next up.
I also did the Stonewall grey highlights on all the company badges and those tiny skulls too, y'know I can never get those right. Every time I highlight the nose hole always gets filled in, so it looks less like a skull and more like the
Schwa alien :(
I keep looking at the black with indecision, I certainly need to rethink how fastidious I was trying to get a 'flat black' initially, certainly on these small areas. Given I keep adding more shading and upcoming litanies will break up the shading too perhaps it wasn't necessary. Not sure about the area around the company badge on the one on the left...
But the six are all now second highlighted at least. Pin highlights will be about an hour max and then I can start picking out all the details, grenades may be half an hour and there are four eye lenses to do with OSL, although that's worked out OK previously [see below]. Rivets, the odd badge, company highlights, verdigris, plasma glow, handlebar screens, bases...
Bottom line though is I can see me getting the bikes done for Double Trouble, I just can't see the Dark Talon completed too. With just three weeks remaining, AND I'm on holiday for a week, the only way I can do it is if I finish the Ravenwing in the next two weeks and complete the Dark Talon on holiday. However I have to submit my army list before then and I can't guarantee the flyer will be complete.
So It may be better to sacrifice the Talon, to ensure I don't rush it. It's not like it won't ever be done, it's my second priority so will potentially be the next completed project anyways. I certainly don't want to rush it and feel like I didn't do my best. I'm also unsure about the view my better half will have taking models on holiday, I've done it before but this time it may be viewed with less understanding...