This Week's Monsters

 This week, I relaxed by not painting any tiny checks on any metal Eldar. I had some time off work, so I was able to sit down and finish a few models that I'd had lying about and to tidy up an old conversion.

First off is a troll. I love the look of Games Workshop's trolls, who have a nice sense of cartoony, dim-witted menace. It's a shame there isn't a purely-troll army, as I'd be tempted to make one. Unfortunately, you need about six million goblins, and I'm not as keen on the goblin models.

Anyhow, this guy has the upper body of a GW Rockgut Troggoth (aka a stone troll). You get six upper bodies in the standard set, all of which are very good, but only three pairs of legs. This strikes me as a great waste, so I built the lower legs of this troll out of a Reaper Bones troll (a much worse model), which I sculpted over with DAS clay and green stuff. 

I've done this conversion before: for a better guide, click HERE

Here's a WIP - the black bits are standard GW.

And here's the finished troll. I love all the details on this model, especially the baby bird reaching for a worm that's dangling off the rock he's about to throw. Presumably he's been wearing a nest as a hat. Painting the rock was difficult - is that quartz? - but satisfying.

Then I repainted a model that I made ages ago, as part of a 40k inquisitorial warband. He's a somewhat cartoony demon. His arms and lower body came from tyranid bits; the upper body is an old Dark Eldar part, and the head is a kroot head with a face from a snotling. He looks suitably silly, and a bit sinister. I would not buy a used car from this guy.

Third is a simple plastic beastman from the old days. You used to be able to buy a set of ten identical beastmen to bulk out units. He's not an amazing model, to be honest: perfectly serviceable but to my mind lacking the detail of newer miniatures or the charm of older ones. I think he looks more sinister with a bare human-style chest.

And finally, I ordered some squig faces off ebay, on the grounds that they might come in "useful" somehow (I mean, squigs are basically balls of clay with faces, right?). One of them looked a lot like a deep-sea angler fish, so I sculpted him a body and some fins.

And then painted him to look like something surfacing in the port, much to the disgust of everyone.

All The Old Harlequins - Painted At Last!

Do you like Eldar harlequins, especially small metal ones? Then this is the post for you! A long time ago, I started repainting a few harlequins that I bought some time in the dark ages (one of them seemed to date back from me being 14 or so - that's three decades). Then, as my painting became more confident and I enjoyed painting them more, I got a few extra ones. And then I decided to collect the set. And here they are.

This is the first batch, which I started during the pandemic. My painting wasn't quite as good back then, and I might go back and tidy them up.

And here are some more...

 

All of these guys were damaged in some way and needed repairs. I think they're okay and work fine.

Here are some special characters, in the form of an avatar (whatever that is) and three death jesters, who look as if they are about to do the voodoo hoodoo that you don't dare do, people (yes, I did grow up in the 90s!).

This is the shadow seer, who is basically a wizard for the group.

This is a better shot of the avatar. I painted him very recently. I aimed for a black and white look inspired by Pierrot clowns, but hadn't factored in how difficult black and white are to paint. So I added some colour to him, including some shading on his guns.

And last of all is my favourite and the most recent. This is the high avatar, the leader of the entire unit. I spent ages on this model, as I wanted him to look particularly dramatic and insane. I am really pleased with the result. I think he might be the best thing that I've ever painted.

And that's that! All 32 of the old harlequin models, done and dusted. I've seen enough checks for now.

More Old Genestealer Hybrids

 I've been painting more genestealer hybrids, for what is now becoming a small mob of hideous mutants. They're really nice models: very well detailed and very enjoyable to paint. Doing these guys gives me the opportunity to try out different ways of painting skin, to depict the various levels of hybridisation. 

Here are four of the more human guys. I used old metal bodies and plastic arms from the Stargrave Scavengers kit (you get loads of spares). A little bit of cutting was required, but nothing drastic, and I'm really pleased with the way that they've come out.

Here are a pair of less human members. The model on the left is identical to one that I've used earlier. I gave this one a skirt made from some drab green material. Perhaps she hacked up an army blanket. Her equally nasty friend has a plasma pistol and a suitably deranged expression. Obviously, Tyranids aren't especially pretty creatures, but the genestealer hybrids have a really scummy, rabid look.

I also painted up a magus for the group.  This particular magus is the one who came with the seated metal patriarch. This model came miscast, without a proper left arm and with some rough bits around his head. I replaced the damaged left arm with a plastic arm from the modern Genestealer Acolytes set. He's now holding a staff with a speaker on top of it, to broadcast his ravings to his crazed minions. 

After all this, I thought it would be cool to try to recreate one of my favourite bits of Oldhammer artwork. Here we see a horde of genestealers rushing down some kind of manky tunnel.

And here are my guys, looking like a dodgy tribute band. I suggest clicking on the picture, because it's come out quite well.

Right then. Back to the harlequins...

Genestealer Cult Limo

So, in the comments section of the last post, Merijn asked if I had a limo for the genestealer cult. Good point. Every self-respecting old-school GSC has a ridiculous armoured limousine. So, I dug my old limo out and gave it an upgrade or two.

It's based on a Hispano-Suiza MC-36 armoured car from the Spanish Civil War, which has to be one of the meanest-looking vehicles ever. I added parts from a variety of sources: ork cannons, a taurox turret, and a pulpit made from a High Elf chariot. But enough from me. Let's hear from the manufacturers.

*

 As the leader of an entirely legitimate religious movement*, you know how important it is to travel in style. Whether you're going to a meeting with the Patriarch, denouncing your rivals to a baying crowd, or just passing yourself off as a human being, it's vital to look the part. You're a "man" of taste: you know that a converted mining vehicle that looks like a Tonka toy just isn't enough.

Here at Cultech Customs, we're on your side. Built around the classic Dominator chassis, our new Firebrand armoured limousine offers a perfect blend of armour and finesse. With the ability to run off promethium and power cells, the engine is just like you - a powerful hybrid. At last, you can own a car whose physical perfection is matched only by its hostility.

It's a dangerous world out there, and the Firebrand has your hunched, ridgy back. When the autoguns start shooting, our plate armour's got you covered - literally. Electro-conductive running boards guarantee that, when Slaaneshi cultists try to fornicate with your wheels, you can get them off quickly (not like that). Plus, they glow purple.

And as for weapons, the Firebrand is like all your best friends - it's got lots of arms. Twin front-mounted autocannons guarantee that you won't be stuck in traffic for long. If that's not enough, why not check out our gatling turret: it's the last word in self-defence, provided that word is "bullets". 

Alternatively, why do all the hard work yourself, when you can tell your minions to do it for you? A fully-equipped travel-pulpit gives you the option of whipping the masses into a frenzied rage on the go. Just pop the sunroof, enjoy a quick rant and be on your way.

The new Cultech Firebrand - the choice of a (fourth) generation.

 

Pure class. Pure style. Purestrain.

* We have been asked by High Magus Elron the Litigious to stress that the Genestealer Cult is not a cult.

More Genestealer Hybrids

 First up, thanks very much to everyone who commented on the last post. There were some really useful suggestions. I've been watching some of the videos of Tabletop Minions, which is well worth a look. I was interested when the presenter pointed out that practice has made him not so much better as a painter but faster. I have exactly the same experience.

Anyway, I'll look into the various tips for photography I've received as well, and hopefully my pictures will improve!

*

In the meantime, I've been painting some more genestealer hybrids. I don't intend to make a large force of these, but they're enjoyable to paint and the metal models are really good. They're full of details: their armour reminds me of the House Harkonnen armour in the 1984 film of Dune, and they're carrying lots of odd techy gadgets that look really cool. As Games Workshop models go, they're quite cyberpunk.

Here are two more humanoid hybrids. The guy on the left has arms from the Stargrave Scavengers kit, which is the right scale and suitably battered. The chap on the right has a metal autogun from Necromunda. I really like his face, which is extremely detailed and has an expression as if he's just heard some really good news.

Here is a rear view. You can see the odd computer-type machines they're carrying on their backs. Happy-face man has an extra arm clad in some kind of futuristic armour, held down by his side. It's a really nice touch.

These two are somewhat less human. The person on the right is a one-piece metal model. It occurs to me that this might be a female hybrid, as it's smaller and seems to be wearing a skirt. The one on the right has very old plastic Imperial Guard arms and a Stargrave gun that I trimmed down to fit.

And here is something of a rarity. It's an old genestealer/ork hybrid, made in metal. It's in the old blue Citadel catalogue, under "Freebooters". It actually looks quite a bit like the later style of ork, with a face like a mantrap. It's a really cool miniature, and gets the balance between being ridiculous and scary just right.

Finally, here's a group photo. Ever since the original Genestealer Cult army list appeared in White Dwarf, together with limousines, I've always thought that there was something rather gangster about the GSC: less of an army than a weird street gang. They look low and scummy, which feels about right!