Grey Knight HQ

Once the new codex dropped, I had no Grey Knight HQs since I previously only ever ran Inquisitors.  Granted, my Ordo Malleus Inquisitors in Terminators armor are almost entirely built from the grey knight terminator kits and therefore not official inquisitors.

They are both armed with thunder hammer (since it came with the armor) and psycannon (because they were awesome).   Usually, they would be upgraded to psykers and take servo skulls as well.  Servo skulls are especially appealing now with battle brothers sharing the awesomeness.  Expect them to go away with the next codex though.

The first one I built was a hand me down terminator model.  It already had a psycannon and hammer.  Unfortunately, the previous painter was a little heavy handed and the model needed a lot of repair.

The should pads were removed in favor of inquisition specific ones.  The head is a Dark Angel veteran.  The thunder hammer arm ended up being scrapped entirely and instead I used an arm from the normal assault terminator kit, but the hammer end itself is from the power armor kit.

I think some of the flaws really show up in the blown up picture around the psycannon.  I feel like I did a pretty good job cleaning it up.  The painting could have been better, some of the bits weren't ideal, and the pose was way too static.  I wasn't entirely satisfied, so I decided to build a second one.

This one was built using all custom ordered bits.  Everything but the head comes from the terminator kit, but they are all the inquisition specific ones as best I could.  I wanted a much more dramatic pose.  Additionally, I wanted a book bit that could count as a Liber Heresius.  The head is  from the thunderwolf cavalry kit.  Unfortunately, the bottom is flat, rather than rounded, but I made do with some greenstuff..  The eyes are terrible, I know.

The gun is much cleaner as is the paint job in general.  I'm very happy with this model.  The hammer is from the terminator kit and everything except the torso is different from the prior model.

The bases are from hi-tec, which makes great products.  Of course, they can be just expensive or more expensive than similar GW products.  They seem to be the premier place to get alternate HQs in terminator armor.  The painting was really simple, just a mix of dark blues and a highlight of the raised edges in light blue.  It looks really good and makes them stand out as ICs.  Too bad there are only 2 varieties of this base.

I could always use my inquisitors as Brother captains or grand masters.  The load out is fairly reasonable, but they're not particularly good for their points, especially when compared to the librarian. Unfortunately, librarians cannot take psycannons, so I was left with suboptimal choices.  I really felt gutted with the GK updates.  could run a Brotherhood Captain some dreadnoughts, strike squads, purgation squads, and dreadknights.  Other than the knights, this is probably the least efficient way to run a GK list.

I decided to build my own librarian from spare parts.  Since I didn't use the Terminator baby carrier parts, I had those arms, shoulder pads, and torsos.  I also have plenty of falchions and since it is a free upgrade, might as well.  The legs were spare from a Blood Angel Space Hulk terminator.  The BA iconography on this one was minimal so I just trimmed some off and patched over with some purity seals and presto-chango a GK librarian.

The main issue is that the DK Terminator isn't quite a full terminator torso so I had to do some less than optimal patching over of the gaps.  I ended up using a lot of spare bitz (taking a cue from my finecast librarian) around the waist to cover it up. It will look fine once painted.

GK Librarians, unlike other chapters, don't need to be blue.  I still want to incorporate blue somewhere.  It will be an interesting paint job, but probably not one I'll get to for a while.  Not bad for free.

Status of Orks and My Hobby Focus

I started this blog with a focus on Orks when their new codex released.  The rapid fire pace of releases that followed included supplements, a campaign, multiple codexes, dataslates, and a plethora of formations.  It's been hard to keep up.  I also play against a space wolf player that loves to take thunderwolves and Dreadnoughts.  Both of which, I really have no answer for with my current Ork lists.

I haven't really gotten into the supplements and formations for Orks.  Mostly because I find them rather boring.  I could maybe see myself doing something with the Bossboyz.  Otherwise it is mostly a way to spam out expensive ($$$) units I don't have (Bullyboyz with Meganobz or Badrukk's Flashgits), units that aren't good (Da Vulcha Squad-stormboyz), or armies that are dull to play (green tide).

My Grey Knight army was gutted and I have yet to play a game with them.  I built a terminator librarian using spare parts so I have a post coming up about it.  I will eventually get a minimum terminator squad to run a nemesis strike detachment.  I feel like I can make something work with legion of the damned, Tempestus Scions, and a bunker with a vindicare assassin.  Everything deep strikes in.

My inquisition force has sat idle along with my GK.  I can at least still run my razorbacks with psybolt.  Coteaz needs to give objective secured.  I feel like GW really owes us an update for 7th.  I completed my ninja (death cult assassins) but have never played them.  I still like my jokaero and stormbolter acolytes.  I'm sure I'll find ways to use them again eventually.

Blood Angels should have a new codex coming soon.  I've started looking at lists using them again recently.  I would love to see fast engines be an option for BA rather than a requirement.  Unless it lets you get out after moving 12" it isn't very useful on Rhinos.  MSU BA in razorbacks can make a comeback, but whenever I make a list, I feel like I'm missing 1-2 units because of the point  cost difference from the space marine codex.  I've got a relic whirlwind scorpius that I really like to fill several holes in my lists (barrage, AP3).  Mostly BA are missing high rate of fire guns.  We've never lacked in quality, but anytime I was called upon to kill a lot of enemies (cultists, mass drop pod marines (inc Grey Hunter spam), or IG) I would run out of time.  Jump packs are massively overpriced on priests, death company, honor guard, ICs, vets, et al.  Red Thirst is practically useless, especially compared to chapter tactics.  If BA can get drop pods in fast attack, I'm prepared to run purifiers and re-ignite my BA-GK alliance.

I have a rather large IG force that I've never run.  This includes 50-70 troops, a valkyrie, a command squad that I never built, several HW squads that are completely unbuilt, 2 manticores, 2 hydras, a griffon, and 7 chimeras.  At least the Valkyrie and chimeras can be used with my inquisition force.  I've never used them as IG or AM.  Mostly because they're unpainted and I don't really like using a whole unpainted army.  They need a lot of work but don't really some like a whole lot of fun to play. I woudln't mind running an armored company, but don't have the models to do it.  Troops seem really boring to paint for them, so I just haven't touched them and they sit in a box untouched.

All of my old armies, including ones that have gotten updates are mostly underwhelming.  Eldar, Tau, Knights, and Space Marines are so much better than my above armies that I have a hard time pulling them out.  I feel like I really made some poor decisions with army selection.

Instead I've focused on my Slaanesh Daemon army, which has been a blast to paint.  So far, I've put up pictures of my completed Soul Grinder and Seekers.  I have Be'Lakor finished, but unbased so I haven't done a full post on him, but do have pictures throughout.  So far 60 of my 80 daemonettes are painted but only have one squad based (post coming soon).  I have some really great alternate Fiends that I want to do a post on, plus 2 daemon princes, a Keeper, more seekers, heralds, and another soul grinder.  Lots of Slaanesh death coming.

I will eventually branch out to some limited Tzeentch elements and have a squad of pink horrors finished and ready to paint. Slaanesh is fun, but I'm rather limited in my ability to open tanks.  I may end up taking some small squads of screamers as well.  Flamers look like fun to paint. I might as well get one of each herald, you never know when a psyker will get turned.  It doesn't hurt to have one of each squad just in case they get created or summoned.  We'll see.

As I learn the army I'll be posting more battle reports and tactics articles.  I have an article nearly finished about warlord traits.  I've done a lot of research into bases.  I spent hours looking for alternative models.  Should be a lot of fun.

I'd also really like to start building terrain.  The shop needs and it seems like something I could really get into.  One of my favorite things to do is scavenge for alternate bits, models, discounts, etc.  So the creative aspects of building terrain really pull at me.  It was one of the big aspects that pulled me into the hobby, but I just haven't explored yet.

Seekers of Slaanesh completed squad

My entry in the Rarity games first painting contest was a squad of 5 Seekers of Slaanesh.  Even though the number of entrants was less than we were hoping for, I was still proud to take first place.  I'm very happy with them and spent considerable time coming up with the painting scheme for the riders (previously used on 60 daemonettes) and the mounts themselves.

Seekers were one of the main draws for a Slaanesh army.  With a 12" move, a run move of 6+D6", and fleet they can get across the board in a hurry.  They have 3 attacks base with rending, I5, and WS5.  They will destroy almost anything they get into contact with.

As is the case with almost everything Slaanesh, they are fragile.  They are no more survivable than a daemonette with 1W, T3, and a 5++.  All high volume firepower will take them out, including even lasguns.  You can count on losing a few to overwatch no matter who you assault.  This can be a problem with them since you're losing nearly 3" from the front due to the length of the base.  Another weakness is dangerous terrain tests from difficult terrain.  This can quickly add up if you have to go into terrain, then run or assault.  They don't have grenades either.  They rely on their fast init to kill units before they can swing, so dropping to I1 sucks.  Hopefully, they can move fast enough to stay out of terrain.

To keep them alive, I've been heavily relying on the grimoire to get a 3++. Unfortunately, when it fails they are dead meat with only a 6++ unless Be'Lakor is around to give them invisibility.

I chose to give them the Rapturous standard and instrument to make them look cooler.  I used the daemonette version rather than the seeker version mostly because they were already finished.  They are magnetized.  I find it rare that I want to take these options.  The standard is decent even though they are one use only dropping my opponent by D3 WS during assault.  Usually, this is enough to force them to hit on 5s or at least prevent them from hitting on 2s. For 30 points though, I have other areas to spend the points.

I plan on making this one into a herald on mount.I want to use the amrored Seeker bodies from the exalted chariot kit for her.  The left arm is from the herald kit.  The head is one of my favorites.  There seems to be 3 different sizes of heads in the kits, so I've elected to split them out to herald/heartseeker/rider levels and make my own.  Not that I have a choice, there isn't a herald seeker model. 

The herald with 6 attacks on the charge at WS and init 7 is going to mess some stuff up.  It's worth upgrading her to a greater etherblade for 20pts.  She's then Str5 AP2 (plus master crafted).  The real decision is which loci to give her. 

The locus of beguilement is fantastic.  You re-roll all your hits plus when you challenge you get to choose who accepts.  It's easily the best exalted locus.  However, so far I've been taking the locus of grace, which gives move through cover.  It really adds up in time saved to not have to take dangerous terrain checks.  For seekers, you have a 1/9 chance of dying every time you move through terrain.  This seems over harsh for such a graceful unit.  I hate losing units to terrain, so I'd rather take the hit on assault power than risk losing units and restricting my movement.

This is a daemonette head, but looks really good on the seekers.  So far each of them have a distinct head.  I don't think I can keep this up for 2 full squads of 20 though.  I really like the horns and pose of the arms.

Unfortunately, the  lower leg still has some mould lines that only show up with the flash. I didn't notice it while painting.  This is a big problem with miniature photography.  Things look so much better in person than when photographing them and they appear 3-5 times larger.

The spine heads took a lot of adjustment but I'm pretty happy with them.  The drybrushing on the underside just looks fantastic.  I'm really happy with these.

The color correction I do on them makes the seekers appear a little more fluorescent then I'd like, but at least the purples show up well.

The bases are from tabletop art and ended up looking even better than I expected.  They really make the models pop with the monochromatic bases contrasting the

The toes of some of the seekers line up perfectly with the bases.  Unfortunately, there are only 3 so I had to order 7 sets.

I used the smallest magnets I could find and they still are too big.  Several of the daemonette arms have the magnet sticking out.  For the seekers I had to actually drill into the body partially.

The instruments hold well, but the standards are a bit too heavy and jostle more than I'd like.  Nothing I can do about it at this point.

This seeker was my test model.  The color palette is the same as the daemonettes although, I don't use the temple guard blue anywhere.  This helped speed up the process.  I did struggle on some of the webbing and spines, but nailed it pretty much exactly as I wanted on the first try.

The standard doesn't have any special process for it. Just a basecoast, wash, and highlight.  I should probably go in for a 2nd layer of highlighting.  I still have a long way to go in blending.

I think I might redo the tongues.  They were the last thing I painted.  I used retardant to try to blend the colors but there were still somewhat sharp divides, so I use the bloodletter glaze then slapped on a layer of 'ardcoat, which makes them too shiny.  The white tip is a bit much too, maybe just the bright orange would be fine.

I still need to pin these to the bases.  The legs are so flimsy and touch the bases with such a small area that I feel they won't hold up to repeated usage.

My painting process for them has improved already and I was able to knock out a second set of five.

 

10 down, 10 to go.