1.30.2014

The Horror in the Dark

My first set of five Genestealers is complete! Here's proof:

 
 


Overall, I'm pretty satisfied with these guys. They're not as intensively blended as my Hive Tyrant, and the lack of armor plates makes them much more monochrome. One thing I do not like about them is the bases. The sand and such is good, but in order to use all parts of a given model and eat up some slotted bases, I cut the slotta tabs off of the models, then glued them into the bases. I left the little decorative pieces on the bases. Each one includes a little rock and some sort of Nid-flesh spike or growth. At first I thought they'd look neat, but after I painted them up to match the green I use, they looked like crap. For the next batch, I'm just going to trim those off and throw them in the bitz bin.

You'll also notice that all of the models (except one, see below) use Hormagaunt talons instead of the humanoid secondary claws Genestealers normally use. Something about those hands bothers me, so I decided not to use any. But because I only had four spare sets of Hormagaunt talons, I needed another set of arms. I blatantly stole an idea I saw over at Warpshadow. I cut the hands off the arms and attached Daemonette claws in their place. I think they turned out pretty well.

Genestealers are my favorite Tyranid unit and model, so I decided to make up another batch of five to bring this to a respectable brood size while also giving me the option of a super tiny playable force when combined with my Tyrant. The next batch will also have one model with Daemonette claws, as well as one of the biomorph heads (the toxin sac head aka "Ballchinian"). I ran out of the normal heads, and didn't feel like waiting to trade away the biomorph heads I do have for plain ones. Before the new codex dropped, I had planned to turn all of the old implant attack heads into Ymgarls with custom-made Green Stuff tendrils (another idea blatantly stolen from Warpshadow). I'll probably still do that at some point, but the strong incentive isn't there any more. Instead of full broods, you'll see one-offs here and there.

I'm also still slowly picking away at my drop pod. I put the first few licks of paint on the fin assembly last night, so I'm inching forward on the Marine front.

 

11 comments:

  1. These look great! I really like the blending on the claws/talons/whatever. I also think the bases look good and you're just being hard on yourself. You started with a big model and elaborate basing so everything else will pale in comparison.

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    1. Thanks. The claws and talons are actually kinda fun to paint in that manner. I think the lighting and photos make the blending and shading stand out a little more than they do in person.

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  2. WOW! Those Daemonette claws worked out great and you did an amazing job joining them perfectly. I especially like that these guys don't fall on their faces and you might even get them in base to base contact.
    The bases look great and WAY above average for troops. If you don't like those bits then by all means chop them off. Either way they look great!

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    1. Thanks. That was the main point of snipping them off the slotta tabs, to move them back some and keep as much of the arms over the base as I could.

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  3. You nailed it, best looking nids I have seen in a long long time, the bases are perfect too! Can't wait to see more. Come on exocrine!

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    1. Thanks.
      Not sure if I'll ever get to an Exocrine. I've got a lot of Genestealers and Warriors to get through!

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  4. I'll parrot everyone else in saying these look great. Pretty much what we've come to expect of your work. I also agree it was a great idea to move them back on the base. Stealers are notoriously clingy and tippy so this will probably save you frustration in the long run.

    I think the 'nid spikes on the bases would look better in the colors you used on the claws, but I also think they look pretty good as they are.

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    1. Thanks.
      I thought about doing the parts on the bases in purple, but the ivory color might work.

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  5. I thought you were giving up on the Nids?

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    1. I'm fickle. I vacillate between wanting to run them and not wanting to run them. These guys were built and started a long time ago, and only recently finished.
      I dumped all my Gaunts, but held on to my Carnifex, Warriors, Lictors, and Genestealers. I might not ever play a game with them, but they're a nice diversion from the assembly-line nature of my Ultramarines.

      Of course, I now have this idea regarding Orks....

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  6. If you decide you need a horde of 'em, I have several armies worth of Orks I'm planning on selling. Just waiting for the codex to come out to amp up the hype...

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