Dark Angel Bitz and another call for help from you guys. [or not?]

'The best laid plans... etc.' Originally I wanted some advice, again, but since I wrote this piece I've actually been working on the model I wanted advice on, so you'll actually get an update at the end of the redundant request for help, so don't feel cheated. Anyway, I somehow shoe-horned some time into getting it done while my Mycetic Spore Milliput dried and was able to see quite clearly the solution to my problem [or not, I'm not sure]. But here's the original post:

Right, when I was juggling three [or four] projects - Dark Angels, Inquisitorial Vault and the Tyranid Bastion I ordered some extra bits for my Unforgiven from www.modelbits.co.uk [they run a decent service, although I did need to chase up delivery] and all the bits below came. A couple of Forgeworld original Missile Launchers for my Devastator squad - I've 4 of these babies now. Some flat bases that I can put slate on so my original metal Devastators can stand a little taller given their lack of stature.

Additionally some missiles, and servo-skulls just to add yet more character. And some replacement heads and a Watcher with Perfidious Relic because I have a plan. Back when Dark Vengeance came out I was able to purchase a second set of the Limited Edition box at a silly price from my local Independent Game Store. I managed to sell everything except the blast templates and the Dark Angel Chapter Master making a £20+ profit. 

Anyway, I didn't think much of the Master. I'm not a huge fan of his pose, it looks like a kendo stance - hasso-no-kamae but his feet, hands and arms are wrong. It's a small thing but when you've been telling beginners how to get it right for years it's painful to see a so-called master of all things 'martial' making noob errors. I mean seriously what's with that elbow sticking out and why is his left hand on top of his right? 

Anyway, he'd make a nice Azreal who is frankly awesome for all the bonuses he brings but I didn't want to do a straight figure swap when I can do a little kit-bash. The Chapter Master helmet comes separately, I can easily add it to the watcher once I remove the Perfidious Relic. Then all I need to do is swap his helm for a cool bare head and these are the ones I picked up and what I'd like you advice on. First choice -  a Ravenwing Command head that isn't overtly Ravenwing

Another Ravenwing Command head, slightly more classical although I've not had much success painting bionic eyes.

The classic Dark Angel Veteran Command head. I'm not a huge fan, the first two options are much better sculpts but as I say it's a classic and deserves a shot.

Lastly a generic Space Marine Command head - he's got four studs! He's still cool and I'm not that bothered he doesn't have any Dark Angel motifs, I think there's enough on the model already but I'll leave the choice up to you guys.

1. Ravenwing Command head 1
2. Ravenwing Command head 2
3. Dark Angel Veteran Command head
4. Space Marine Command Head

So which do you think I went for in the end? Well good question because it seemed obvious when I dry fit them but then I added a super back-pack from the Dark Angel Veteran upgrade sprue and a banner and having said I didn't need help at the beginning I may have reconsidered. Anyway I think I'm 75% convinced that option 1 above is the best option [top right in the picture below], but what do you think when you see it in context?

Here's the 'preferred' choice, am I right? And this will be the base he's on - head and shoulders above a normal company Master and the Watcher, carrying the Lion Helm, is complete and will be on the 'biggest piece of slate ever' to emphasis his small stature and the base is unimportant as he never gets assaulted anyway!

An interesting Kickstarter - Worldsmith Industries Vehicle Wreck Markers.

Mooching around on Google+ I came across this interesting kickstarter from www.worldsmithindustries.com
Some really cool wrecked vehicle markers and they're not too expensive either. Stretch goals of the space elves...

And evil space elves are probably my favorite because there's a decent amount rubble/wreckage ratio.

Anyway, just thought I'd share in case anyone was interested, here's a video too:

Support your local blogger - www.warpminds.com

I only got one response to my call to support other blogs starting out but I did notice MasterCrafts comments on the STC page and hopped on over to www.warpminds.com to see what he'd done with them. Lets just say he was extremely inventive with what is quite a basic template. Just adding a raised dais and patterned floor has made this STC something else. If you want to see more pictures go here: http://www.warpminds.com/?p=583

He's also had a go at some of the other templates and once again he's done something different, taking this tower and adding some battle damage

http://www.warpminds.com/?m=201302

Of additional note is the gaming table construction. I wanted to do something on modular tables for a while but never got the post written, shame as there was a Kickstarter for one table that would have interested folk. Anyway, warpminds table is the everything but the board, which although it's not modular seems pretty straightforward to build and is actually quite nice to look at, should you have enough room and brownie points to have your gaming table setup permanently.

http://www.warpminds.com/?p=291

Anyway, check out the blog, once again it's updates are few but of decent quality so you won't be constantly spammed with content [like what I do] but what updates do turn up will be well worth your following.

'nids part 97 - Tyranid Bastion growth pt18.

Well this has been fun hasn't it? Here we are after all the paint and matt and gloss varnish has gone on. I mixed some of Army Painters anti-shine with docrafts Artiste Matt Varnish - quality and quantity but the actual mix looked like 'man juice' :( Still, it went on well considering the size of the thing.

On all the 'raw flesh' areas I added gloss varnish for that wet look. I'm still going to add my Tamiya Red Clear X-27 for even more bloody weeping sores but wanted to shine these up beforehand in case the TRC goes wrong...

I really like how the acid green 'apples' have turned out in amongst the other red bulges in the gestation sacs, makes me want to consider glossing that on my Tervigon too.

The full 360° move all the way round, mustn't forget all the bonewhite chips added to the base to complete my Ferron Proxima  [red planet] basing method.

Close up of the Deathspitters and their yellow eyes. It's funny to think how much more colours have been added from the rather more naturalistic models I painted in the beginning with reds, yellows, greens and pinks added into the mix compared to just the bone, turquoise/blue, black, and liver [brown] colours.

Positively raw and seeping, even better than the original wet terracotta thanks to some purple, pink and blue added to the red for more definition. 

Close up of the fire port, with some teeth over the aperture and pink vine tendrils.

The door in all its glory gorey!

Some more gestation sacs, not bad for lava stones, tissue and PVA - it practically makes itself - you could do whole mounds of these as Tyranid cover and difficult terrain...

It works so well. Now to add in the Tamiya Clear Red X-27 and some yellow Ferron flock.

Tamiya red on the door, mixes with some Badab Black to make it darker but that makes it matt so some fresh blood is added to bring out the gloss. 

I imagine the inside to be just dripping raw bloody fluids and every time the sphincter door opens the blood is smeared on the door 'frame'.

The rooftop too is dripping in gore and as the defenders take shots over the battlements they transfer this blood to the edges.

Some of the Ferron flock in the cracks and crevices.

The top down view, probably the best bit as you get to see all the colours and best details in one whole view.

Good luck to any human who wishes to try and take over this fortification!

Can't get enough of the roof sphincter.

And the emplaced weapon mounts are weeping too, as the musculature pulls the gun in it's 45° fire arc.

I mean really, would you want to go in here?

What can I say, this has been a blast. Who'd have thought 3 months ago when I started this I'd end up with such a good result? Not I. And it's done wonders for the blog too, bringing in so many new readers. Although I wouldn't say it's been hard going, because I paced my efforts sensibly, but the supprt and compliments helped so much.  With that in mind you now know after my Armies on Parade board is complete I have committed to producing more Tyranid terrian because of this support. I'm still going to fit in a few things while doing it but I've no doubt when I get going those lesser project will be laid aside to accommodate the next step in my Tyranid bio-enginnering - Capillary Towers, how about 5 or 6?

Tyranid Bastion | Foamboard core template | part 1. | part 2. | part 3. | part 4. | part 5. | part 6. | part 7. | part 8. | part 9. | part 10. | part 11. | part 12. | part 13. | part 14. | part 15. | part 16. | part 17. |

Space Marine Rumours...

...I have none, it seems like I'm the only one. Still I've seen the new models on other, more informed blogs and I'll be more interested to see how they 'retcon' their existence into the 40k universe than their actual rules. Afterall, I'll be playing Dark Angels which is looking more like a true 'Codex Astartes army list', now those new models have hit.

I think this is primarily a business decision by GW, new models needed to be made otherwise folk would just be getting the Codex and running what they've already got. Still, lets just hope Robin Cruddace has done the most important 40k Codex justice...?!

Battle Brothers - Winners/Conclusion

What can I say this was an awesome event. I came away with best Fortification, although there was only one other competitor. It's still validation for the Tyranid Bastion, it was built afterall to see if I could do it, to see if it was worth taking and to be entered into this kind of competition and I think I've answered all those questions.

We also got nominated for best army, which was cool for Dan and I too.

But more importantly we cam second overall out of 68 pairs. I really think it was that last game, where I was starting to flag Dan had an overview of not just the game but the whole event and that by securing even more VPs could raise us up the rankings. I had absolutely no idea how that worked so Dan was carrying us through to success here.

Here's one of my army lists that I print out and use to keep track of what's going on for in-game and post match battle reports. Every opponent got a copy of this as a memento and a pack wound markers and free sweets. I know that that's creeping for the best game votes but I found out afterwards each Battle Borther was entitled to cast a vote and each vote was worth 3 VPs giving 18 VPs total. It's totally worth the effort but somehow we only game away with 2 votes and I think they were from our last match. I think this was the only disappointment. Granted you feel obliged to vote your last game as the best some times but I thought we'd been bloody good fun throughout - still something to work to next time.

So overall it was a great event, a real success and Dan was a great guy to game with. We had a number of setbacks but even then there seemed to be plenty of options left to get the job done. Where in the past I've felt Tyranids don't have that strength in depth we may well have swapped it for versatility - if the Tervigon goes, throw in the Trygon, need to stop their gunline shooting assault with the Flyrant. Need to get their attention - DOOM! Great games and a surprisingly solid list. Of course it requires three Tervigons which I don't have and I can honestly say a second pair of hands and a second brain to move them was equally important in getting our turn done and dusted fast. We may be having an Apocalypse battler soon, nids versus Chaos/Guard so it will be interesting to see if Otty and I have that same symbiosis?

Moving on a new thing I spotted in Bugman's Bar is they have some wooden plaques up showing winners of tournaments - Throne of Skulls etc and this sign for Most Sporting Players.

Which includes my mate Liam, immortalised for all time. Also on there was Phil Clee, the Dark Eldar player who tabled me at my last Throne of Skulls. This is something GW didn't have to do, the map of the Warhammer Olde World has made way for this. It's had to be made and will be updated regularly and they've even done it retrospectively which is nice. Totally approve.

Here are the awards:

WooHoo! That's me baby!

2nd place for Dan and I

Painting competition

The two lone Fortifications.

The Termagant I entered for a laugh in best painted miniature!