Cloud Giants - Homebrew Space Marines

[Levaticus]

I'm glad to see you've got enough time to paint again. I've been keeping tabs on this project since it started and i absolutely love it. Your work (on your miniatures and your fluff) serves to continually inspire my own efforts in making a homebrew chapter.

[primeministersinister]

So guys, I got some progress made on the Contemptor. These models are a joy to paint and I've been enjoying sourcing lots of photos of other people's dreads. I'm lucky we're such sharing community.
I've been trying out some marco photography apps lately on the ol' smart phone and I think it's pretty handy for crappy-light snaps of in-progress work. I'll keep it on the phone.

Here's a close up of the head in the recess. I'm pleased with the lenses on the eyes, I gotta say. That was last night's progress

And here's how far I am tonight. I'm just waiting for a wash to dry so I figured I'd snap some pics and get them up for you guys to see.
Thoughts?

[Levaticus]

Looks great. Just curious what you've been using to base the army with?

[interrogator_chaplain]

Looks like cork and basing sand if I'm not mistaken...

[Darren Richardson]

the new contemptor looks a right fearsome beast, good work!

[primeministersinister]

Thanks guys!
Yup--Basing is just cork and Gale Force 9 gravel or sand, I can't remember which. The cork was purchased as a tile from a dollar store. It's a bit thicker than I need sometimes, so I usually split it with a utility knife or something. It'll dull the blade very quickly, so you should use a cheap one. Some people say it's a good idea to seal the cork with diluted PVA glue, but I think as long as you hit it with a solid coat of primer, you'll be good. Note that I try to prime my bases separately.
You can find lots of gravel and sand cheaper at model railway places too.

[primeministersinister]

In life, Hiron Delle was the first Sargent of the Nephilim. His last mission as a natural Astarte was leading his men on a daring raid against a radical and clandestine Mechanicus cult that had begun to twist their tendrils into the upper echelons of the leadership of Rivitsgrad, a forgeworld in high-standing with the Cloud Giants. It was agreed by the masters of the chapter that this taint had to be ripped out by the root, quietly, before it could spread, so the most brutal, hateful Astartes within the chapter, the Nephilim were employed.
The attack was swift and spared few; the terminators teleported inside the factory-shrine and began the cleansing with little resistance.
Hiron was the unlucky individual who stumbled upon the leader of the cult, Magos Al'Rey Dim. The two clashed, the Magos' altered body an even match for a Nephilite.
When the rest of the squad found them, flesh and machine were torn asunder, but lift still clung to Hiron. The loyal elements of the Mechanicus on Rivitsgrad bore his body away in an attempt to help and for years, that was the end of it.
Eventually, he was returned to the chapter as a living artefact.

Since his return, he has been known as Rephaite, the Unslain, so named for the legends of ghosts that haunt the mountains of Respite.


Rephaite still watches over his Nephilim whenever they are deployed along side a regular detachment of Astates, but he is most often awakened as council as his ability to understand the battlefield psychology of foes, both traitors and xenos, is unmatched within the chapter.

[Darren Richardson]

love your paintwork, and your fluff is very well thought out as well

Great Work

[primeministersinister]

Thanks Darren.

I've been reading the new(ish) Crimson Slaughter book and the character of Captain Eli Dzarton really struck a chord with me. I've always been into the individuals that stick to their principals in the face of rebellion. So once I read about him, I just knew I was going to build Dzarton of the 4th company of the Crimson Sabres.
And I did.

Obviously, I had to arm him with a sabre. I also thought that he should have a plasma weapon because it mirrored Kranon's pistol and it's great for blowing open chaos marines. I went with a combi-plasma over a pistol because it seemed like a more disciplined weapon, and I imagine something that Dzarton would be constantly wrestling with discipline; both of his men and in himself.
As for notes on the crimson colour, I used whatever the blue was that GW has out over their base red. I like to shade cool colours with warm and warm with cool. I think it turned out.
I think I might do a small army of the 4th company. It's a nice break from blue and it would make me practice my weathering quite a bit. I might finally get around to getting some powders. Can someone recommend any?
Thoughts?

[Darren Richardson]

wow that guy is beautiful....

Sadly I haven't used any weathering powers before, I'm interested in them myself.