Right, so about time I started a new army I thought, having had my fill for the time being of single miniature painting and Malifaux, and what better way than to look to the army that was almost my very first, Chaos Dwarfs.
I loved the idea of the Chaos Dwarfs when I first got into fantasy, the big creatures of Chaos, the magic, the stoutness of the dwarfs, all seemed to add up. Unfortunately they didn’t have a proper army book, just a “White Dwarf Presents” (this was 4th ed folks) so regular dwarfs became my first army.
Now, much like Dr. Sam Beckett, I have the chance to put right what once went wrong, praise Hashut!
I have never really used lots of resin minis before - just a handful from a limited number of ranges, so this will be my first adventure into a resin army, which is nice. I decided to go for a bright red colour scheme for the dwarfs, with a darker, muted lava base. Here are my first models…
This picture shows my patented red technique. I started by using the Citadel Spray Gun to undercoat the model Hot Orange (a vallejo colour). Next I use a series of Citadel washes, from Baal Red, Ogre Flesh, Devlan Mud and eventually Badab Black, to bring the colour back to a deep red.
Having completed that, I went over with black on the bits that would be black or metal, and started with another Hot Orange highlight. The model on the right in the pic above is at that stage, but the model on the left has also had an Orange Fire highlight too.
In this picture, the dwarf on the left now has a pale flesh fine highlight, to really bring out the colour. All that remained then was to highlight the black bits (through Sombre Grey and Ghost Grey), and to get some evil looking metal. Most people make evil weaponary rusty, but not the Chaos Dwarfs! Instead, it is a dark metal, with a bright edge highlight.
The lava base was done with Tierra Earth followed by a drybrush of Plague Brown, and a coat of Badab Black. The lava itself was as simple as Red, Orange, Yellow and white highlights (or lowlights in this case).
Finally a group shot. I have 20 done now, and boy will those things NOT rank up. Harrump indeed, praise Hashut for the sturdiness of the Dawi-Zharr!
Looks like a very nice start. How do you find the citadel spray gun to use? is it just useful for undercoating or can it be used for finer detail work?
On the topic of ranking the IG up, for my fire glaive unit, I got all the bases in the movement tray and as I worked through assembling them. I tested each position before gluing to the bases. Sometimes moving them about to get a better fit. In the end it worked out and they just about line up where they are now. Magnetic bases help for this, so they can be transported as a single unit.
Looks like a very nice start. How do you find the citadel spray gun to use? is it just useful for undercoating or can it be used for finer detail work?
On the topic of ranking the IG up, for my fire glaive unit, I got all the bases in the movement tray and as I worked through assembling them. I tested each position before gluing to the bases. Sometimes moving them about to get a better fit. In the end it worked out and they just about line up where they are now. Magnetic bases help for this, so they can be transported as a single unit.
Coopervisor
I havne't tried the spray gun for detail work, and probably wouldn't. Overall, it is a mixed product - it burns through paint remarkably quickly, and it is hard to get the consistency right. They claim that you can use the washes straight out of the pot, but they are far too thin, and you will burn the whole pot in seconds and have wet, pooled models. On the other hand, you get an unlimited range of base colours!
As for ranking up, I started using the method you use, but they have to go down in weird positions that are not natural. Also, it means you do need to number troops and put them down in the right order, that is harder in a tournament environment where you quickly assemble and reassemble units. It also restricts the formations you can use, and also restricts the unit sizes you can go for (i.e. if you build 2 units of 40, but wanted to use a single 30 in a game, you are no better off). I have just gone for wider movement trays instead!!
Some guys on the Aus forum suggested I try some accent colours, so here is a mockup.
I mocked up the hawk turquoise on the beard and the grip as follows. As expected, I think it is too busy in the beard, but on the grip is a subtle touch that I quite like, what do you think?
Nope that just doesn´t fit together.Try purple or maybe green if you want colour but i would keep theese things metal and do the bases more contrast rich.
Right, I have been busy, believe it or not, most of the time spent on the Magma Cannon (a month’s worth of hobby time no less), and I have finished off the command group for the Infernal Guard.
So, without further ado:
And now the magma cannon - before I forget, I need to make a note of it, the skin recipe was one part Dwarf Flesh, one part Tan and one part Dheneb Stone. Washed with Ogryn Flesh, and highlighted with Dwarf Flesh/Dheneb Stone.
I haven’t been idle, I paint a little bit most days - it just takes a while to get the effects I am after. Anyway, the next update is two Death Shriekers. Love Death Shriekers, two war machines for the price of one. Basically they are identical, but one has a silver pay load, and the other gold, for when I need to tell them apart.
I like the different theme. Congrats for thinking outside the box! Personally I think the blue doesn’t fit what is considered an evil army but overall the minis are very nice.
[/align]
