Corax Bases: The Perch

 

The next big Primarch project is Corvus Corax, Primarch of the Raven Guard Legion of Space Marines. As with all the Primarchs I’ve worked on, he and his base are very detailed, and very complicated to construct.

Like the previous Primarchs, I’m working on his base first. His base (the first pic) is a rise of twisted concrete and metal, buckling under his feet as he lands. A nice split Imperial Eagle alludes to the civil war of the Horus Heresy. The rusted girders and reinforcements serve to break up the general grey color scheme. The tiled surface gets a bit of a beige highlight to differentiate it from the broken concrete.

The perch fits into a 50mm scenic base that hides its own 40mm base (second pic). The colors are the same as the normal base. Corax’s scenic base will eventually feature a Traitor Marine being blasted by Corax as he lands. This will come later.

Corax is a complicated piece, so I’ll paint him in stages, just like the other Primarchs. More to come!

Deathwatch: From the Skies

 

I’ve been working on a selection of Deathwatch Marines for a client. The full squad will have 10 men, all from different chapters. These 3 Assault Marines are the first grouping. They were all built from the Vanguard Veterans box, with assorted extra head and weapon swaps from other sets. In addition, they use the Deathwatch metal shoulders from the conversion kit. Like all Deathwatch, they wear black armor and left silver shoulder pads and arms. The silver was made by P3 Pig Iron over black, washed with blue ink, then highlighted by Pig Iron/GW’s Mithril Silver.

First is a Black Templar. His color scheme is obviously the least changed from his normal colors; black is black for a Templar. Out of all the models he bears the most purity seals, as well as an appropriately knightly helmet.

Second is a Blood Angel. His red scheme is only represented by the right shoulder, swiped from the Blood Angel Death Company set. I gave him ornamented weapons and decorated scroll work on his jump pack. His helmet has a halo of spikes, further reinforcing the angelic feel. His shoulder has the name ‘Gaius’.

Third is a Raptor. His Mark 6 Corvus ‘beakie’ helmet and winged skulls on his jump pack link him to the bird theme of his chapter. He uses a pair of lightning claws, held in a close quarter stance. The left arm and claw is of course silver, contrasting nicely held across his body. His shoulder has the name ‘Falco’.

More to come!

French & Indian War tables

As long as I’m posting pics of the progress of my French and Canadian forces for Muskets & Tomahawks, I figured I’d post some pics of some of my group’s recent gaming tables. most of these tables were 4’x6′ (400 points), but the second is a 4’x4′ (200 points)

The buildings used here are laser cut wooden pieces from 4ground from Warlord Games, and the trees and shrubs are a mix of suppliers. The fences are scratch built and resin prepaints. Felt pieces mark out fields and orchard boundaries.

We tried to make ‘organic’ looking frontier settlements, with at least some resemblance to a real farmstead or trading post. The better to attempt to burn down, right? Gives the games a bit more flair than too scattered and random.

Militia Fire!

Highlanders March!

Marines and Highlanders Clash!

Mid-Battle Chaos

These are a few pics of units during some of the games. The Canadians and Marines are from my French force (previous posts) while the Highlanders are from a friend’s British army, though I painted those as well (shown in previous posts).

The big scrum between some French Marines and Highlanders was a decisive point in one battle, with both units crushed from the sprawling melee. After the sides broke off the fight there were only a pair of Highlanders and a single fleeing Marine left. The Marine got revenge though, managing to fight off a British Officer who cowardly charged him in the back, taking the oafish Brit out of action. The losses from the fight pushed the Brits into a Morale card situation, which eventually broke the force (good thing too, since my own force was teetering on the edge as well).

The fourth pic is a 2v1 game, with mine and a friend’s French forces versus a British force. At that point in the battle, units were depleted and scattered all over.

Pour la couronne et le pays!

France calls on reinforcements for its forces in Muskets & Tomahawks. Pour la couronne et le pays! (“For crown and country!”).

The Compagnies Franche de la Marines unit is complete for the 200-point skirmish force.   The core of the unit is their officer, a musician with a horn, and a ensign or two in proper uniforms. The rest of the unit wear variations on the uniform and more traditional marine outfits. They have enough variety in their uniforms to show off the looser training, as well as their acclimation with life in New France. Once I add French Regular infantry units they’ll really stand out.

This 9-man unit can be fielded as Regulars (gaining the Firing Line rule), thus a pic of them in line formation, or as Irregulars (gaining Scout), thus a pic in a skirmish screen.

Joining the French are a unit of allied Indians, in this case members of the Ottawa tribe. These miniatures were from Warlord Games Woodland Indians set. They got nice individual poses, as well as personal war paint.

Only a few more until the 200-point force is done.

Empire: Thunder

 

I’ve been working on the Fancy Lads force for the Empire. Most of what I’ve done has been duplicate units (Halbderdiers, Handgunners, etc.) so I haven’t added new pics.

Here is another unit of Handgunners. They carry on the Lads’ color scheme.

The new unit I’ve been working on is the Knights. A welcome change from the Lads’ color and details, these guys have nice heavy metal armor covering them and their horses. They still have yellow and purple shields and saddles, with purple lances. Feathers and ribbons also match the army’s scheme. To make them stand out a bit more their shield devices are washed with blue ink and highlighted silver.

There’s a full unit to get to, and then a couple units of Demigryph riders. More to come!

Field of Glory: Armored Might

With a renewed interest in Field Of Glory at my FLGS, I’ve returned to my Hundred Years War English force. It’s fun to get back to 15mm and all the heraldry for the army. Old posts feature the rest of the army; these battlegroups constitute the final units for the army, except for the camp and commanders. Like almost all of the rest of the army, they are from Old Glory 15’s miniature line.

The English force is designed to represent the army that fought the French at Crecy in 1346. The commanders will be Edward III, King of England; Edward of Woodstock, the Black Prince; and Thomas de Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick. Those will follow soon.

These pics are the English Knights and the dismounted Men-at-Arms.

The Knights were fun to do, following the heraldry of the lords who actually fought at Crecy. A good mix of color, though the English seemed to favor red, white, black, blue, and yellow. They of course fly a banner of St. George. Doing checkers on 15mm models was not easy, but they came out pretty nice.

The dismounted Men-at-Arms are similarly armored and marked. All the 4-base battlegroups have a standard, including the standard of Edward III, The Black Prince, St. George, and the one here, the banner of Thomas de Beauchamp, the army’s Marshal at Crecy. This gives the army more color and variety, plus makes it easier to tell battlegroups apart on the table.

Muskets & Tomahawks, eh?

More work on the French force for Muskets & Tomahawks. The force is about halfway done, painted between other projects.

The first pic is a Canadian militia unit. They have a nice look, with their buckskin clothes and mix of colors to make them all individuals. They’ll get expanded later with more members and a second unit for larger games.

The Compagnies Franches de la Marines members are the second pic. I painted them with a majority of white coats and blue trousers, as well as the ubiquitous sock cap. I wanted their more professional demeanor to be obvious, in contrast to the militia. However, being stationed in the wilds of the north they have adapted, so show a little bit of variation in the unit (a couple members wear buckskin coats instead of the white Marine uniform). The member with the tricorner hat is the unit’s leader. The pair facing left show off the back detail, with their various bags and powder satchels. It’s funny how relatively simple minies can get complicated with 3 bags and their straps on every guy.

Next up the rest of the Marines unit, as well as the Canadian Officer and the Natives.