Author Topic: My other armies plus an update - Valetus's Blog (Read 50838 times)

Valetus · « **on:** December 01, 2008, 10:51:42 PM »

These are some of the test models for my Empire army. If things go well I might even add some core troops...

The first is my pikemen which are likely to be used as DOW pikes. The mould lines need to be removed on these but aside from that any advice will be taken on board:

This is the test colour scheme for the army. I already know i missed some bits on the armour (like the whole lower leg) and that the rear of the horse needs a considerable clear up due to glue spillage

. Also the helmet modifications were not my doing and the face fuard just looks weird in the pic. Any comments about either paint scheme or quality are welcome:

Apologies in advance if these pictures come out too big/bright/generally poor. If so please help on what size etc.

Sigmar's son · « **Reply #1 on:** December 01, 2008, 10:55:24 PM »

I love those pikes. Nice long pike and yes, the fluffy uniform, super.
The painting of that horse is just amazing and I love the dirt still with the little shiney bit too.
Great work, keep it up.

ZeroTwentythree · « **Reply #2 on:** December 01, 2008, 10:59:06 PM »

Looks great! I like the way you re-puffied the new Empire as part of your pike conversions.

patsy02 · « **Reply #3 on:** December 01, 2008, 11:38:04 PM »

That is awesome. The soldier positions actually look good with the pike, like an advancing pike formation would look like, and the much needed puffy clothes really improve the sculpts. I like the dirty look on the Pistolier as well.

Your Mother · « **Reply #4 on:** December 02, 2008, 12:14:45 AM »

The pikemen look really good.

Ad A Dglgmut · « **Reply #5 on:** December 02, 2008, 01:04:33 AM »

Nice execution with the greenstuff puffy sleeves. I was going to attempt the same, but can't stand the similar poses of the new figures. Are you going to add some puffyness to their pants also? They might look weird without it. You might also try some variations of the puffy sleeves (ie like the 6th edition figures).

Midaski · « **Reply #6 on:** December 02, 2008, 09:43:31 AM »

The problem with pikes as in your very first picture, is with actual gaming and close combat.

Great pose but a front rank of them will be hard to line up against your enemy - might just be worth considering before you go too far with this project?

I have one of the old Pegasus, and I swapped the wings with the old Griffin - I added the wings at the wrong angle and it is a pain alongside a friendly unit.
I need to either use a flying pole to raise the model height or break the pinned and greenstuffed wings off and redo it.

Doh

Donnachaidh · « **Reply #7 on:** December 02, 2008, 10:56:30 AM »

Yes, what Mark said with regards to pike angles.

I've done lots of pike armed armies, and they are always a pain to store, transport and play with.

What I do like are the steel pin pikes. They are very good at stopping people picking your figures up without asking after the first time

Do the new pistoliers have lower leg armour? I looked at a mates and the one I looked at had long boots with the upper legs and knees strapped over the top?

Valetus · « **Reply #8 on:** December 02, 2008, 10:01:49 PM »

According to the box art the pistoleers do have lower leg armour and i am going to fix this. Also in realtion to ranking up in combat I had considered this and therefore angled the two front row pikemen so that the pikes point to the sides of a typical five man rank. Apart from these outside two will be the command who dont have pikes anyway.

I have attempted the puffy effect on the legs but this has been difficult with the "bits" and equipment liberally sculpted over them. Some of the models have it though. Any advice on how to solve this would be good though.

Hoping to get the 10 painted but I have run out of brass wire on the 9th and want to get them done in batch. Perhaps the weekend...

Valetus · « **Reply #9 on:** December 29, 2008, 09:31:02 PM »

Right, now I got some models its time to start making an army.

For some reason I started with outriders rather than a core choice:

Musician:

Champion:

I also got the cannon done tonight:

Note this is my first attempt at woodgrain. Maybe it dosnt even show up though as these oics are from my phone.
And the crew:

Finally heres some work in progress of the pikemen, more will follow when i paint them:

Sorry again if the picture sizes/quality is all weird, im still using trying to get used to all that.

steveb · « **Reply #10 on:** December 30, 2008, 01:20:15 AM »

As far as I can tell the troops are looking pretty good, especially that pike man, get a good camera and dazzle us with your work. steveb

Siberius · « **Reply #11 on:** December 30, 2008, 09:00:28 AM »

Looks like the camera might not be so bad, but that maybe the pictures are just the wrong size and the white balance is set to 'outside' when the pics are actually taken under indoor light. Those two things can be sorted out pretty easily.

From what I can see that all looks pretty cool, but new pictures, a little bigger and a little less yellow would really help

Valetus · « **Reply #12 on:** December 30, 2008, 05:09:02 PM »

Well so far the camera and my photography skills are the main problem

Incidently the wall in the background is yellow which could partially explain the yellow colouring...
Here are some WIP wizards i got today, pictures shouldn't be a problem as they aren't yet painted:
Foot

For once a model with no conversion work; which is rare for me although no indication of skill lol
Mounted

For some reason this guy turned into sir Wilfred death or something equally over the top but hey. Only thing is I'm not sure about the green stuff job, cloaks are not exactly my speciality.
No real plan for the paint scheme yet but thinking of something "wizardy" yet still fitting with the neutral tones of the rest of the army.

Valetus · « **Reply #13 on:** January 04, 2009, 02:57:48 PM »

Has anyone else noticed this as i assume Im just being really stupid before :
Putting together the pistolier's horses today and I only just realised that yopu can use any of the two horse parts on the spur together, not just the ones next to each other. I cant believe ive been doing this for so long but i naturally assumed that they were next to each other for that reason. Now I can have more than 5 varieties of horse!

Dannyfave · « **Reply #14 on:** January 04, 2009, 06:23:47 PM »

For your pictures lay something white down under the model (like a white washcloth or even printer paper)

And put something black behind the model (I use a tray from my army transport)

Valetus · « **Reply #15 on:** February 08, 2009, 10:35:37 PM »

Havnt posted any pics in a while so until my next post you ll have to believe me when i say i got 10 handgunners done. Few new things on the to-do list as i just bought a few 6th edition models:

19x swordsmen (plan to do with round shields)
19x halberdiers (will be converting these)
16x spearmen (to become pikemen)
8x knights
15-20(?)x greatswords
cannon
mortar
5x pistoliers
assorted characters

Cant be 100% sure of the contents as i just bought it as a lot.

Guildenstern · « **Reply #16 on:** February 10, 2009, 10:28:11 PM »

Quote from: Valetus on January 04, 2009, 02:57:48 PM

Has anyone else noticed this as i assume Im just being really stupid before :
Putting together the pistolier's horses today and I only just realised that yopu can use any of the two horse parts on the spur together, not just the ones next to each other. I cant believe ive been doing this for so long but i naturally assumed that they were next to each other for that reason. Now I can have more than 5 varieties of horse!

I haven't took a look at the pistolier's horses but with regualr empire horses that would give very abnormal horse poses in my opinion. I'm not too deep in horse anatomy but from what I know that's the case.

Valetus · « **Reply #17 on:** February 11, 2009, 04:40:48 PM »

Yeah thats exactly why I would never thought of trying it with the pistolier horses as it dosnt work with any of the others. Anyway this is meant to be my painting blog so really must try and get a unit or two painted...

scarletsquig · « **Reply #18 on:** February 12, 2009, 10:01:29 PM »

Really like the Death wizard conversion, that turned out well.

Valetus · « **Reply #19 on:** February 19, 2009, 10:51:02 PM »

Finally a few more pictures. Still going to have to trust me that the handgunners are done but I have my first unit of Reiksguard Knights Done. No conversion work here but Im fairly pleased with the results.

And a close-up of the Preceptor:

I will admit the standard is not yet painted as I cant think of what way to do it:

The only problems I had with this unit was that as Id bought them as a lot all the tails had already snapped off. Apart from this the models were cut up and striped before I reworked them so any other mistakes are my own doing such as the few mould lines I missed.

Malvino · « **Reply #20 on:** February 20, 2009, 02:24:56 PM »

wow can you post some biggest picure of the death mage on horse?
i'm really interested!
nice work on rusty metal!

Valetus · « **Reply #21 on:** February 20, 2009, 06:38:23 PM »

I ll post another pic of the mage soon.

For the metal I painted a base coat of boltgun metal followed by a heavy wash of chestnut brown ink and then the same in black. Finally a drybush of mithril silver is applied and any rivets are picked out.

Albrecht von Hinkel · « **Reply #22 on:** February 20, 2009, 08:19:20 PM »

I like the look of the standard bearer. Simply the positioning of his head makes it a bit more unique instead of the standard look straight forward.

Valetus · « **Reply #23 on:** February 20, 2009, 11:23:51 PM »

Well not exactly the handgunner unit that ive had painted for the past age but handgunners none the less

These lads are the detatchment for my swordsmen unit (currently in progress):

They are all converted from the old edition troops.

Here is a WIP swordsman. Planning on a unit of 20-25 depending on how many shields I have.

Valetus · « **Reply #24 on:** February 25, 2009, 05:13:12 PM »

Heres a model that I put together from some spare parts that I got when I bought an army lot. The painting was rather hastily done as this is merely a test piece. I would apreciate feedback as to wheter this is a viable representation of a Knight with a great weapon. I usually don't like Empire on Bretonian horses so rather than do a standard knight on the wrong horse the idea is something similar to a mouted flagelant. I know full plate is hard to justify but perhaps this lads a rich penitent? All the same im not happy with the barding and am considering a checkered effect.

What do you think of using a checkered effect or even if you have an other "empire" uses of 10 old style Bretonian Knights.

Oh also my completed pistoliers. Note extensive repaint since original test:

The picture quality on the pistoliers could be better but they were hastily photographed.

News:

Author Topic: My other armies plus an update - Valetus's Blog (Read 50838 times)