Imperial Knights - Cerastus Twins in manufactorum pt6. - Gold and Vermilion armour texture

Afternoon #Warhammer Community I've been #PaintingWarhammer on the Cerastus Knights. I've finally managed to make the next couple of steps. 

Retributor Armour stippled on to the brassy bronze areas. Now I know I will be shading this but I think already I had reservations about how gold the skeleton had become.

Bearing in mind that I had originally intended to experiment with a silver subframe this gold is far more than I expected or ever intended. We're almost wandering into Khorne territory. 

Again, there will be plenty of other colours in play but despite the satisfaction in progress I'm not wholly satisfied with the result. But it is all mostly done so next steps are available and I can always see how I can rectify things. And lets not overlook the Vermillion [sic] art acrylic that has been stippled on.

So, the Vermillion [sic] art acrylic is a key element in my paint scheme. The paint has a gel-like texture that can be sponged on to create the hammered, cast-iron effect I prefer. This means the armour plates are not flat. You can drybrush or stipple it and it's incredibly forgiving. The texture hides any imperfections in coverage. Or rather enhances poor coverage to give more depth and weathering to the panels. So I decided to record painting a panel so you can see how easy it is.

Now this is just the basecoat. There will be shading, highlights and battle damage to do that will capitalise on the texture. But from a distance, if you were so inclined or not into painting I don't see why you couldn't stop here. A little extra shading or darker definition would add so much more though. 

And on to the Acheron. And this definitely feels too gold, even with the chain fist just primed. Hopefully the shade wash will help tone it down a bit.

I've managed to add the pistons to the Reaper Chain Fist and they are functional! 

There is an awful lot of time at this stage trying to visualise the colour scheme. I do have some Cerastus outline pictures that I had intended to colour in an work on my schemes in advance. But it all seemed like a lot of work.

The irony being is that I may end up doing it down the line when it's less helpful in decision making but will provide some fluff imagery. 

The plan was to do both shins and feet yellow on this one. But I can't seem to reconcile it in my head. I can visualise it but something is not quite right and it doesn't wholly fit with the heraldry rules. It still needs to be Raven, even with the chevron marks. Trying to balance the schemes of both Cerastus at this stage is really quite difficult.

Cerastus Knight Twins in Manufactorum
Parts: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |

Imperial Knights - Cerastus Twins in manufactorum pt5. - Rough Iron and Copper

Afternoon #Warhammer Community I've been #PaintingWarhammer on the Cerastus Knights. I can't quite convey just how little motivation I had to do the metallics on both these knights. I was thoroughly overwhelmed by just how much needed doing and for weeks I couldn't bring myself to even contemplate putting paint on them. 

Couple that with a heatwave which made the shed unbearable, even in the evenings and it took a monumental push to get the Army Painter Rough Iron base coat on the skeleton and trim. 

But I was blown away how quick it actually was to apply. I think I did 80-90% of them in about 80 minutes. It was incredibly satisfying, which provided some motivation to keep that momentum going.

 However, I was beset by doubts about what came next, was it the texture stippling of the armour plates or the VGC Hammered Copper highlights on the metallics? If only I had some record of doing these Knights previously so I didn't have to make such decisions and could just follow the plan... 

The thing is, I'm pretty sure it's not one way or the other. The battle damage always covers a multitude of sins so I can make all sorts of mistakes and it can be hidden or covered up. I don't know why I fret about these things.

And then I sabotage myself by not doing everything at once. The Acheron Reaper Chain Fist is missing a couple of pistons on the elbow joint. I wanted to make the pistons possible, which I hadn't figured out how to achieve. So while everything else had metallics up to first highlights with the sponged on Hammered Copper, the Chain Fist was just primed.

But the sponging had been relatively straightforward. It might not have been as quick as the Rough Iron base coat but I was making progress and it was filling me with hope. Which can be a dangerous thing because I'd already been imagining these would easily be complete by the end of the hobby season. But then I squandered a couple of weeks of potential progress with my lack of hobby mojo. 

You can never take any of it for granted. I'd gone from imaging these completed alongside a few other projects and now my hope is this and I'd be ecstatic to get the Adeptus Titanicus buildings done too by the end of the season. I've still got some design work to do as well though so there are no guarantees.

But this is not only significant progress, but more importantly actual progress. Particularly because as I write this I know I have stippled all the Vermillion [sic] armour texture, added the Retributor Armour sponge highlights and shaded all the trim, with just the two skeletons still to add sepia washes on. Even more progress. Now, the metallic results aren't great. I wasn't happy with how much gold I added, so went overboard with the sepia.

 There will be more work to do to try and bring it all back to what I'm happy with. But if there's one thing I know about my brassy bronze - it can all be fixed by Blessed Verdigris! 🗽As soon as I get the remaining sepia done, then maybe some Strong Tone in other areas. I can do a bit of extra Retributor sponging, where I won't go overboard. Then some Runelord Brass [or similar] and at that point the metallics are all done. Then I get the fun of choosing my actual colour scheme for the panels. I think I know what I'm doing but just blocking in the colours will make such a huge difference to my motivation. I would just add at this point there's just a smidge of regret for not actually doing a knight with a gunmetal/silver skeleton. I may have done them for my Adeptus Titanicus Atrapos, but I couldn't bring myself this time round, nevermind. 

Cerastus Knight Twins in Manufactorum
Parts: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

Imperial Knights - Cerastus Twins in manufactorum pt4. - Hatches

Afternoon #Warhammer Community it's been a while for hobby updates. After the Capillary Towers I've spent some time finishing off the hatches on the Cerastus Knights so that they open/close. I've started some other projects, built and primed, but they're top secret for a while. My son visited for half-term as well, which meant we watched anime rather than hobbying. So apologies for the quiet. Anyway, how to make your hatch open/close - drill either side of the hatch hinge socket and then cut out the top bits. 

Drill through the hinge and glue a metal pin into the hole.

Make some 'sprue-goo' I used the drill swarf and bits I removed from either side of the hinge socket. Chopped finely, mixed with polycement and splodged on. 

After a days rest I then smoothed it down with scalpel and fine sanding pads.

It's not perfect, but the texture and damage I will add will hide any issues. 

I also added a hatch on each of them. The left one is a plastic handle, from the carapace launcher. But it was very small so I had doubts it would be helpful when used to actually open the hatch. So I created a staple from a metal rod which is more substantial. But, it's not straight and the primer rubs of easily, just like old white metal models!

Well, it was an experiment in different choices. Anyway, you can see they're primed now and I'm starting to add the metallics. A tedious task and one made less appealing to record. I'll probably do my next WiP when the first highlight is done but the sub-assemblies are not conducive to good blog content. Not to mention [as I have many, many times] I just find metallics unpleasant to paint. All the glitter in your paint water and brushes that refuse to clean properly - yuk! However, these two are THE primary project and when the metallics are done we will make lots of progress. I want them complete by the end of the hobby season, and if I'm lucky the two secret squirrel projects. These Knights have been ongoing for over 2 years - it's about time they got TO DONE!

Battle Record - WH40K - Imperial Knights Vs Tyranids 01/04/26

Afternoon #Warhammer Community I've been #PlayingWarhammer with my son again! He's been home in the lead up to Easter and he wanted a game to get more experience in the lead up to his efforts to start a Warhammer Alliance club at his school.

I decided he could go Tyranids and I would be Imperial Knights 500pts each but based on the Combat Patrol missions. As I had 3 Armigers [2 Warglaives and a Helverin], I tried to beef his patrol with a Tervigon with Crushing Claws, 10 Termagants, 3 Warriors [2 with Deathspitters and a Heavy Venom Cannon], a Screamer Killer and a Carnifex with Deathspitters and Crushing Claws.

As per usual they went Invasion Fleet to give him Lethal Hits on Vehicles. 

 

Now I had no idea if this match-up was fair. Points wise the same, but the Combat Patrol warbands are usually about 400-440pts and Imperial Knights only get 2 Armigers so it concerned me a bit that I had 3.

Anyway, we rolled Scorched Earth for the missions and the 4 Ripper Swarms were the objectives to hold/raze.

Tyler got first turn and pushed forward, with his Tervigon skulking in the ruin top left. I think his shooting put a wound or two on one of the Warglaives.

My turn and I moved to engage. The Helverin blasted the Termagants, halving their numbers. While the Warglaive on the right melted the Screamer Killer in one round of shooting being in Melta range for both the gun and the Thermal Lance was just too much.

Having respawned the 5 dead Termagants in the brood, the Tervigon surged from behind the ruins in retaliation for the lost Screamer Killer.

And smashed the Warglaive to pieces with its Crushing Claws - fond memories of the old Warp Speed on a CC tervigon came flooding back.

Meanwhile the Carnidex, having an adrenal surge [Lethals Hits on 5+] crashed into the back of the other Warglaive and promptly stroked it's back rather than do any damage with its Crushing Claws.

Missing the opportunity the Warglaive sliced its remaining 2 wounds with ease and moved round to take on the Termagants, halving the brood once again. I think by the end of turn 3 we were both on 10 VPs each fro holding an objective each on turns 2 and 3. 

But the Tervigon was emboldened and headed for my home objective and the Warglaive.

 It's 'chicken feet' were no match.

With Lethal Hits auto-wounding.

No saves made and then the damage 3x D6+1 = 18 damage.

The Helverin was wrecked, with no explosion, and the objective secured.

My last Warglaive was able to wipe out the Teragmants, just, and tried to recapture the objective [if it survived Tyler's next turn. Meanwhile the Warriors razed their objective for 10VPs and the Tervigon scored 5.

Then the Tervigon and Warriors swarmed the Warglaive, taking the objective back.

But lost 2 Warriors for their audacity.

The Tervigon continued it's murderous killing spree and wiped the last Imperial Knight off the table securing the entire board. 

I think the final score was something like 35-10, but it was the probably the most enjoyable game of 40k I've played in 10th edition so far. Nothing seemed outrageous. It was a learning experience so although Tyler was shocked at the early demise of his Screamer Killer it didn't spoil the game. He remarked on the nature of spending hours painting a model only for it to be vaporised in one turn - totally understanding the 'new model syndrome'.

But that Tervigon was a beast and total MVP. I absolutely love seeing this model be so effective again. it might have been moreso with Scything Talons - more hits for it and the Carnifex might have capitalised on their Lethal hits. Although, without the higher AP they might not have got through the armour... Anyway, great game. Maybe next time it'll be 11th edition...