Guardians of the Emperor - First Custodes Squad Complete!

I made quite a few leaps since my last Custodes post, getting the full squad assembled and painted! These guys are quite challenging to paint, needing quite a lot of time to get each one done. I painted each one individually as batch painting these guys would've been a bit of a crushing task!! I also think painting them individually is quite 'fluffy' as each Custodian is said to have their training personally overseen by the Emperor.

In all I'm very happy with this squad! There are a few things ill change for next time. I need to make the red's pop a little more, so some more push on the contrast will be good. I also think i over cooked the final white glaze on the guardian spear, so they'll be a little less of that next time. I did use a purple wash selectively in the recesses to help deepen the shadows which i think worked quite well.

The 10,000 are well underway. Still a way off 10,000 but hey ho! more soon!

Oh, and what do you all think of the new black photo background? Better/worse than the old navy blue one??

The GunGrave

Army Showcase - Vostroyan Firstborn 2017

Another one of my beloved Imperial Guard Regiments has now departed to fresh warzones. My Vostroyans were my very first Imperial Guard army, so hold the most sacred of places in my heart. The entire army has been painted, and then re-painted its that old! However, they have been left neglected for well over 2 years now without a game, so it's time for someone else to enjoy them.

So for the final time, here is the Firstborn Sons of Vostroya!

The GunGrave

Dropfleet - Saratoga Light Cruisers

As i wasn't quite ready to get off the Dropfleet train just yet, i cracked on with the 2 Saratoga Cruisers i ordered with my copy of the boxed game. These were only on sale until the end of April this year, and then only available as a show only model. It'll take 2 in that case then!

So i understand that these Cruisers are an alternative configuration for the New Cairo Light Cruiser (getting to know those names now!) and use the same rules in-game. I have to admit, i do prefer this build!

The burnthrough laser is built into the main hull in this configuration, rather than on the underside of the hull on the New Cairo.

To make these Cruisers stand out a bit more, i added a white stripe to the top of the hull. I wouldn't recommend these markings en-mass, they were a pain to get right!!

The engine layout is different on this Cruiser as well, another bit i prefer to the New Cairo!

The fleet so far! There's only 1 more Cruiser to go now and then I'll move onto the Scourge fleet that came with the boxed game. Maybe I'll be able to get some games in then!!

More soon.

The GunGrave

Dropfleet - First UCM Cruiser Complete

After much highlighting and one repetitive strain injury (possibly related to painting...) the first Cruiser is complete! This is the light Cruiser configuration armed with a burnthrough laser (it does have a name but i forget!)

Tried to get some glowy bits in on the laser itself - this thing is  meant to be able to slice ships in half!

I drilled the engines on this cruiser and hit them with some blue and white to simulate engine glow. I quite like the effect!

Here's the family so far! As i write this I've noticed another Cruiser has got into the shot here which I thought I'd already photographed!! Consider this his official unveiling, so todays Cruiser is actually the second! I assembled that cruiser in the 'heavy' configuration, again i forget the name! Once i start playing I'll learn the names!

More Dropfleet soon!

The GunGrave

Guardians of the Emperor - Legio Custodes Test Mini Complete!

So after a quick re-supply i was able to get the Guardian Spear completed and get this guy into the light box! 

I have to say, the boy looks goooooooood!

Although the detailing does take a bit of time to complete properly (including retouches and adjustments!) it's totally worth it!

I went with a blue power blade for the guardian spear. While i am very happy with the result and look of the blade, i may try straight metallic grey for the next one just to compare.

Very happy with the base selection, perfect for my 'war in the webway' look I'm going for!

I think i may have nailed the colour scheme first time here! The only think i will try is to make the tones and shadows a bit deeper in the pre shading stages. It will just make the details pop that bit more. I may need some sunglasses to look at all this bling!

The GunGrave

Guardians of the Emperor - Legio Custodes Test Mini

Now, i don't know about you, but when the Horus Heresy range first dropped i remember thinking "Aw man, how cool would it  be if they eventually did Custodes!?" Well, that day of course did arrive, and I'm just as excited about them now as i was then! More so given the insane levels of cool that the model range has shown so far!

So true to form, as soon as Mrs Gungraves back was turned, i casually logged onto Forgeworlds website and ordered myself a....modest....selection of Custodes!! More on those in the coming weeks. First up though i had to nail down a colour scheme. 

I have to admit, GW's tutorial on these guys was pretty good, so i more or less followed their guide for this mini. I did swap out some of the paints for the Vallejo Game Air equivalent in some cases. 

I base coated the model in white, then hit it with Vallejo Game Air Glorious Gold. Once dry, i applied an zenithal highlight of Polished Gold, again using the airbrush. 

I then washed the whole model with Seraphim Sepia (or whatever its now called!)

I then started refreshing the gold with thinned down Polished Gold, being careful to leave plenty of shadow in the recesses.

Then finally i applied a tiny highlight to the apex's using Vallejo Game air Silver. I called the gold areas done at this stage, so i blocked out the other areas in their base colours before doing any more. I was still happy with the gold afterwards, so left it at that!

As the Custodes are going to be quite a special army for me, i wanted to make sure i got some sweet bases for them. I always wanted the theme of this army to be the Webway, where they spent so much time fighting daemonic incursions with the Emperor! No i haven't read Master of  Mankind yet, so no spoilers please!

Scibor's do a great range of bases, so i was confident I'd find some there. These are some of their SF Elven bases in 30mm (2mm off the standard size for some reason, but i don't think anyone will notice!) As the Webway was build by the ancient Eldar, i think these fit my theme perfectly!

I basecoated them in Army Painters Desert Yellow.

I then dry brushed them with Ushabti Bone.

Then lightly dry brushed them with White Scar.

Finally i added some shadows to the bases. I did this using an airbrush with Vallejo Beasty Brown and then Dark Fleshtone for the deepest recesses. I then edged the bases in Abbadon Black. Suitably ancient Eldar-y i think!

Here's the (nearly) finished test model on a finished base. I completed the shading and highlights on the other base colours, but ran out of thinner before i could get onto the power blade!! I will go for a blue glow effect on the blade initially, but i may do it in silver metallics. We'll see.

I'll get this guy in the light box once I've done the blade. In the meantime please let me know what you think!

The GunGrave