CSM on a Shoestring Budget
201 - 215 of 215 Posts
Joined
·
4,224 Posts
Spent the last 6 hours painting blue, in "sloppy basecoat" mode. Okay, and a little brown for basing and a little silver trim and a bit of red and maybe a touch of pink.
Have a campaign coming up in May and aiming for a blitz to finish these pictured minis to (a perhaps slightly rushed) tabletop standard, above the contempt-inducing "3-color minimum." If I can get more evenings like tonight in, it seems doable--this is the first time I've gotten lost in the painting zone like this in a while. In a very long while, if you don't count my recent one-day Belakor blitz.
![]()
Squad of lasHavocs, 3 blastmasters, 2 Rhinos, a Predator, 3 squads of Bikers, 2 BikerLords. These are the aim by then. Going to primarily work on expanding my Alpha Legion contingent, given that they're the force I'm taking into the campaign, but... the Bone Machine forces are getting what lovin' is needed to them, too.
I've noticed the can of white primer I used, until it ran out (or perhaps my ham-handed application of it) ended up slicking paint right off so it dries real blotchy and leaving white undercoat patches (to say nothing of letting the paint rub off to the slightest touch, which has prompted me to finally start matte sealing). That's a solid coat of brown on the horse-biker bases, there, and see how ugly that splotched out? Also several coats of bone on the horse-bikerlord, which is still not up to taste, for all that it's a bit small and distant in this photo. Any suggestions as to how to get the paint to spread better (even if the suggestions amount to "reprime the bastards!")? Watering down the paints like I'm suppose to just lowers the surface tension and makes it wick off and bead all the more--especially on non-flat base surfaces.
I split my force into the Alpha Legion and Bone Machine sub-divisions on account of the ability to field, say, CSM allied with Crimson Slaughter, or Black Legion allied with Khorne Daemonkin. I've generally defaulted along the lines of "shooty, Alpha Legion, choppy, Bone Machine," so I have a definite Khornate trend in the Bone Machine minis I've posted. I have run into a bit of a conundrum, though: which force, if I'm limiting myself to one, should I paint my designated Khorne Daemonkin forces as?
And I was just talking about choppy Bone Machine in semi-Khornate colors, Juggerlords and all, in the Bone Machine colors. That's all I need, no? Well, there are two counts of evidence against this particular idea.
First up, the Maulerfiend that's featured pretty heavily in the past few pages. It started life as a Forgefiend, so I painted it all Alpha Legion, but then the idea for magnetization entered my pretty little head and gave it some nasty claws. Now, I want all the Maulerfiends I can field in my Daemonkin list--I dunno about you.
And then there's my pressing need for Possessed, to be able to field a legal Slaughter Cult. I was looking at my Havocs, who all have the "dragon's breath" gargoyle heads from chaos vehicle sprues, and I realized that the arm of two of those selfsame Havoc squads' champions were from ye olde Chaos Mutation Sprue, and that the gargoyle heads I was slinging on them made them look pretty, well... possessed. I could throw together another 3 such mutants from my bitz box with relative ease--I even have a few untouched Berzerker sprues sitting around I could draw from. But these gargoyle-headed Havoc champs are in the blue-drybrushed-green of the Alpha Legion, unfortunately, so if I were to make me some Possessed from them, well... I'd have to embrace the Alpha Legion Daemonkin, split my army between Alpha-painted minis and Bone Machine minis, or build my Possessed from the ground up as Bone Machine minis only taking inspiration, rather than actually using, the two minis that could well form almost half their squad. To say nothing of the Maulerfiend quandary, which I am quite hesitant to repaint.
![]()
I also expect my Soul Grinders to end up quite an array of colors, so it's not like one Alpha Legion-ish colored Maulerfiend in that garish panoply would stick out, over-much, but... I'm still hesitant to split the coloration like that. Thoughts on the matter? Is there some simpler way that I can cut this Gordian Knot, Heretics, that I'm too invested in the problem to be able to step back and see? I mean, I could just buy a Necrosphinx, a Maulerfiend, and Onager, and a Talos and make the 2 more Maulerfiends (from the first two) and 1 more Soul Grinder (from the second two), and paint those 3 Daemon Engines (plus my current unpainted Soul Grinder) in fairly Daemonkin-ish colors and only bring my current Maulerfiend when I want to go 3 Soul Grinders + 3 Maulerfiends for a positively cruel weight of Daemon Engines... but that's a lot of investment and time down the road. Plus doesn't address the Possessed aspect of things.
I could just stop whinging and repaint my Maulerfiend, already, of course. That's the shortest (read: the 15 hour) solution, then I build myself some Possessed from scratch. Cost me 0$, too, not counting the Simple Green bath.
Have a campaign coming up in May and aiming for a blitz to finish these pictured minis to (a perhaps slightly rushed) tabletop standard, above the contempt-inducing "3-color minimum." If I can get more evenings like tonight in, it seems doable--this is the first time I've gotten lost in the painting zone like this in a while. In a very long while, if you don't count my recent one-day Belakor blitz.
Squad of lasHavocs, 3 blastmasters, 2 Rhinos, a Predator, 3 squads of Bikers, 2 BikerLords. These are the aim by then. Going to primarily work on expanding my Alpha Legion contingent, given that they're the force I'm taking into the campaign, but... the Bone Machine forces are getting what lovin' is needed to them, too.
I've noticed the can of white primer I used, until it ran out (or perhaps my ham-handed application of it) ended up slicking paint right off so it dries real blotchy and leaving white undercoat patches (to say nothing of letting the paint rub off to the slightest touch, which has prompted me to finally start matte sealing). That's a solid coat of brown on the horse-biker bases, there, and see how ugly that splotched out? Also several coats of bone on the horse-bikerlord, which is still not up to taste, for all that it's a bit small and distant in this photo. Any suggestions as to how to get the paint to spread better (even if the suggestions amount to "reprime the bastards!")? Watering down the paints like I'm suppose to just lowers the surface tension and makes it wick off and bead all the more--especially on non-flat base surfaces.
I split my force into the Alpha Legion and Bone Machine sub-divisions on account of the ability to field, say, CSM allied with Crimson Slaughter, or Black Legion allied with Khorne Daemonkin. I've generally defaulted along the lines of "shooty, Alpha Legion, choppy, Bone Machine," so I have a definite Khornate trend in the Bone Machine minis I've posted. I have run into a bit of a conundrum, though: which force, if I'm limiting myself to one, should I paint my designated Khorne Daemonkin forces as?
And I was just talking about choppy Bone Machine in semi-Khornate colors, Juggerlords and all, in the Bone Machine colors. That's all I need, no? Well, there are two counts of evidence against this particular idea.
First up, the Maulerfiend that's featured pretty heavily in the past few pages. It started life as a Forgefiend, so I painted it all Alpha Legion, but then the idea for magnetization entered my pretty little head and gave it some nasty claws. Now, I want all the Maulerfiends I can field in my Daemonkin list--I dunno about you.
And then there's my pressing need for Possessed, to be able to field a legal Slaughter Cult. I was looking at my Havocs, who all have the "dragon's breath" gargoyle heads from chaos vehicle sprues, and I realized that the arm of two of those selfsame Havoc squads' champions were from ye olde Chaos Mutation Sprue, and that the gargoyle heads I was slinging on them made them look pretty, well... possessed. I could throw together another 3 such mutants from my bitz box with relative ease--I even have a few untouched Berzerker sprues sitting around I could draw from. But these gargoyle-headed Havoc champs are in the blue-drybrushed-green of the Alpha Legion, unfortunately, so if I were to make me some Possessed from them, well... I'd have to embrace the Alpha Legion Daemonkin, split my army between Alpha-painted minis and Bone Machine minis, or build my Possessed from the ground up as Bone Machine minis only taking inspiration, rather than actually using, the two minis that could well form almost half their squad. To say nothing of the Maulerfiend quandary, which I am quite hesitant to repaint.
I also expect my Soul Grinders to end up quite an array of colors, so it's not like one Alpha Legion-ish colored Maulerfiend in that garish panoply would stick out, over-much, but... I'm still hesitant to split the coloration like that. Thoughts on the matter? Is there some simpler way that I can cut this Gordian Knot, Heretics, that I'm too invested in the problem to be able to step back and see? I mean, I could just buy a Necrosphinx, a Maulerfiend, and Onager, and a Talos and make the 2 more Maulerfiends (from the first two) and 1 more Soul Grinder (from the second two), and paint those 3 Daemon Engines (plus my current unpainted Soul Grinder) in fairly Daemonkin-ish colors and only bring my current Maulerfiend when I want to go 3 Soul Grinders + 3 Maulerfiends for a positively cruel weight of Daemon Engines... but that's a lot of investment and time down the road. Plus doesn't address the Possessed aspect of things.
I could just stop whinging and repaint my Maulerfiend, already, of course. That's the shortest (read: the 15 hour) solution, then I build myself some Possessed from scratch. Cost me 0$, too, not counting the Simple Green bath.
Joined
·
4,224 Posts
Sudden vacillation. I finally got to play a game with Khorne Daemonkin, and the Furious Charge, Rage, challenges all over the place, many bite-sized squads assaulting frequently, absorbing losses from shooting to rack up Blood Points, summoning in Bloodletters and the like absolutely wherever I needed them...
Honestly, it was a blast. Considering changing my campaign force to Daemonkin, based around Bone Machine minis, so... would have to blitz painting those up, instead. So swapping out that bunch of squads wholesale.
Honestly, it was a blast. Considering changing my campaign force to Daemonkin, based around Bone Machine minis, so... would have to blitz painting those up, instead. So swapping out that bunch of squads wholesale.
Joined
·
4,224 Posts
As long as players don't cotton on to the fact that Inquisitors with servo skulls will absolutely spoil a Flesh Hound's picnic, yeah, Daemonkin is going to treat me well, I think. Even the Possessed, lagging behind everyone else, come in with Rage and Furious Charge and a random bonus to hit like a sack of bricks.
It's interesting playing almost exclusively units I've written off as "not worth it" for so long, now that they're feeding into some greater bloody scheme. I gladly accept their loss when shot at, having so many more interchangeable units like them--and it's a pleasant surprise when they aren't, say, killed by enemy shooting, because then the last mini or two soak up Overwatch and purposefully die in close combat for the blood tithe point, while my less-damaged units charge in free.
I've realized sergeants are a lot more valuable, now, given that even dying in challenges, they can manufacture you Blood Points twice as fast (especially against enemies who have to challenge, like CSM or Black Templars). And if your opponent turns down challenges, well, there's that power klaw Nob no longer striking! Sergeants are no longer ablative wounds, so you might as well throw on the meltabombs in that biker squad...
I think I am going to stick with Slaaneshi stuff for this campaign, just because I already sent in that as my choice, but... I'm certainly going to be playing games on the side with all sorts of fun bloodbloodblood pain.
It's interesting playing almost exclusively units I've written off as "not worth it" for so long, now that they're feeding into some greater bloody scheme. I gladly accept their loss when shot at, having so many more interchangeable units like them--and it's a pleasant surprise when they aren't, say, killed by enemy shooting, because then the last mini or two soak up Overwatch and purposefully die in close combat for the blood tithe point, while my less-damaged units charge in free.
I've realized sergeants are a lot more valuable, now, given that even dying in challenges, they can manufacture you Blood Points twice as fast (especially against enemies who have to challenge, like CSM or Black Templars). And if your opponent turns down challenges, well, there's that power klaw Nob no longer striking! Sergeants are no longer ablative wounds, so you might as well throw on the meltabombs in that biker squad...
I think I am going to stick with Slaaneshi stuff for this campaign, just because I already sent in that as my choice, but... I'm certainly going to be playing games on the side with all sorts of fun bloodbloodblood pain.
Joined
·
4,224 Posts
With hell-twisted ire and iron, we rise!
After an extended period with no painting desk or workstation, I'm finally more or less settled. Well, enough so to start fusing the bignasties into kitbashes again. Got me a Maulerfiend and Necrosphinx, and after a good few hours tinkering to create horrific some hell-forged daemon engines, I am willing to stand by my previous assertions that the best thing that ever happened to the CSM model line was a Tomb Kings monster.
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
Still need to patch a few joins and seams with GS: the underside of the Mauler-torso and Warsphinx neck join, and vice-versa on the other. Also some swapped feet on limbs,
All together now! The projects, so far, that my 2 Necrosphinxes have markedly improved:
![]()
I may yet make a twin to the Mace Prince there, since I have another Cockatrice in a box that I got for sale recently. Plus, well, some Necro-faces and -wings too.
I also have a Necrosphinx upper torso, maulerfiend face, and pair of maulerfiend brawler's arms that are just begging to be fused into each other and then to something. Perhaps either the old Bloodthirster/Helbrute mashup I was unhappy with from a few years back, or something to do with the new mega-Thirster that I got in the same sale as the cockatrice.
Now to figure out a list that can run all of these at once for tomorrow night at the local game store...
After an extended period with no painting desk or workstation, I'm finally more or less settled. Well, enough so to start fusing the bignasties into kitbashes again. Got me a Maulerfiend and Necrosphinx, and after a good few hours tinkering to create horrific some hell-forged daemon engines, I am willing to stand by my previous assertions that the best thing that ever happened to the CSM model line was a Tomb Kings monster.
Still need to patch a few joins and seams with GS: the underside of the Mauler-torso and Warsphinx neck join, and vice-versa on the other. Also some swapped feet on limbs,
All together now! The projects, so far, that my 2 Necrosphinxes have markedly improved:
I may yet make a twin to the Mace Prince there, since I have another Cockatrice in a box that I got for sale recently. Plus, well, some Necro-faces and -wings too.
I also have a Necrosphinx upper torso, maulerfiend face, and pair of maulerfiend brawler's arms that are just begging to be fused into each other and then to something. Perhaps either the old Bloodthirster/Helbrute mashup I was unhappy with from a few years back, or something to do with the new mega-Thirster that I got in the same sale as the cockatrice.
Now to figure out a list that can run all of these at once for tomorrow night at the local game store...
Joined
·
4,224 Posts
Been a day or two building. Seem to have misplaced my box of paints since the last time I painted, way back when, so it's time to start digging into storage, since I've been bitten by the hobbying bug.
![]()
D-Thirster, 3 Plague Drones (riders separate for basing as infantry), Culexus, and 2 Spawn.
D-Thirster, 3 Plague Drones (riders separate for basing as infantry), Culexus, and 2 Spawn.
Joined
·
4,224 Posts
I... I have the itch. I was sitting there cleaning out sprues and assembling the various extra limbs and wings and heads, etc, that these big monsters and monstrous vehicles have been jumbling around, then setting an unbuilt Cockatrice I got on heavy discount and an old kitbash I wasn't ever happy with beside them... and let me tell you, that way danger lies.
But first, on my recent Maulerfiend kitbashes, some tweaks. Filled a neck gap with a Defiler armor plate. A bit clunky, but better than a massive wad of green stuff or a centimeter-wide neck gap.
![]()
Also wasn't really happy with its slick shell, since I put the armor piece on its sibling:
![]()
So I bent and warped and shaved the spare new-thirster breastplate to make a makeshift new-armor-plate curved to similar dimensions.
![]()
But now onto the real treat: the orgy of creative bitz-bashing. Like, look, there are clearly a monstrous creature and/or daemon engine of some sort or three in this jumble.
![]()
I could clearly stick the Sphinx wings and a head on the Cockatrice and make a twin for Macey, and/or make a second Burning Chariot, but honestly... Chaos seldom draws from the same well twice, I figure. Onward to new horizons!
So. Where to begin. Hmm. The only real "limbs" that seem to fit with the arm sockets on the NecroTorso are the magma cutters from the maulerfiend (which aren't included in the instruction booklet in any way--they just... assume, I guess, that you want to build the Maulerfiend with the more-expensive lasher tendril upgrade), which seems like with some hacking they might fit magnets for the spare Forgefiend weapons I never ended up using.
![]()
The question about the HACs is whether to include them in that magnetization or buy some Kataphron Destroyers and magnetize them as Rapier weapons platforms. I suppose I could magnetize them too, and have the best of both.
Let's see, now. I already have a face-in-necro mini on my other Mauler/Forge Necro guy, so maybe...
![]()
But what should the torso go on? Let's break the old crappy kitbash to its salvageable and good chunks-
![]()
And--no. Nope. Awful, ungainly aesthetic. Unless I hack off 2/3 of an inch off the bottom of the Necro body, in which case I'm left with a bipedal Forgefiend.
![]()
So. Hmm, I kinda want to make a sort of quadripedal, mechanical centaur--necrosphinx-like, I suppose. I figure I have the front arms of the Maulerfiend I never used, rear legs of the old Helbrute, just... no connective tissue for the lower torso, the, erm, horse ribcage of the centaur.
Eh, the aesthetics of the Skull Cannon were always kinda wonky anyways.
![]()
I can work a fix to the sawn-off front soon, I figure.
![]()
ANYWAYS,
![]()
![]()
![]()
...I think we have real potential here, folks. A lot of work and a lot of ugly seams, still need a real ribcage-to-pelvis connector, but I think we have a workable concept.
So on to the spare finecast old-thirster torso and wings. Let's see if it's compatible with the new thirster bits! Ok, he looks more roided than the Rock, but I think it'll work with some hacking:
![]()
Maybe... oh yes, that's going to pair nicely.
![]()
So. Hmm. There's the basis for my 2 conversions. Although... headswap?
![]()
Clearly that secondary Maulerfiend head is going to be an important chunk of wherever it does end up.
Thoughts, folks? Suggestions for combinations I may have missed out on? A use for the OHGOD i JUST HAD ANOTHER IDEA-
![]()
I think we have a chariot in the offing, folks. And after I chop the top half off of the Cockatrice, there will be some Tzeentchi bitz to customize-
*chokes off train of thought before it can escape too far*
But first, on my recent Maulerfiend kitbashes, some tweaks. Filled a neck gap with a Defiler armor plate. A bit clunky, but better than a massive wad of green stuff or a centimeter-wide neck gap.
Also wasn't really happy with its slick shell, since I put the armor piece on its sibling:
So I bent and warped and shaved the spare new-thirster breastplate to make a makeshift new-armor-plate curved to similar dimensions.
But now onto the real treat: the orgy of creative bitz-bashing. Like, look, there are clearly a monstrous creature and/or daemon engine of some sort or three in this jumble.
I could clearly stick the Sphinx wings and a head on the Cockatrice and make a twin for Macey, and/or make a second Burning Chariot, but honestly... Chaos seldom draws from the same well twice, I figure. Onward to new horizons!
So. Where to begin. Hmm. The only real "limbs" that seem to fit with the arm sockets on the NecroTorso are the magma cutters from the maulerfiend (which aren't included in the instruction booklet in any way--they just... assume, I guess, that you want to build the Maulerfiend with the more-expensive lasher tendril upgrade), which seems like with some hacking they might fit magnets for the spare Forgefiend weapons I never ended up using.
The question about the HACs is whether to include them in that magnetization or buy some Kataphron Destroyers and magnetize them as Rapier weapons platforms. I suppose I could magnetize them too, and have the best of both.
Let's see, now. I already have a face-in-necro mini on my other Mauler/Forge Necro guy, so maybe...
But what should the torso go on? Let's break the old crappy kitbash to its salvageable and good chunks-
And--no. Nope. Awful, ungainly aesthetic. Unless I hack off 2/3 of an inch off the bottom of the Necro body, in which case I'm left with a bipedal Forgefiend.
So. Hmm, I kinda want to make a sort of quadripedal, mechanical centaur--necrosphinx-like, I suppose. I figure I have the front arms of the Maulerfiend I never used, rear legs of the old Helbrute, just... no connective tissue for the lower torso, the, erm, horse ribcage of the centaur.
Eh, the aesthetics of the Skull Cannon were always kinda wonky anyways.
I can work a fix to the sawn-off front soon, I figure.
ANYWAYS,
...I think we have real potential here, folks. A lot of work and a lot of ugly seams, still need a real ribcage-to-pelvis connector, but I think we have a workable concept.
So on to the spare finecast old-thirster torso and wings. Let's see if it's compatible with the new thirster bits! Ok, he looks more roided than the Rock, but I think it'll work with some hacking:
Maybe... oh yes, that's going to pair nicely.
So. Hmm. There's the basis for my 2 conversions. Although... headswap?
Clearly that secondary Maulerfiend head is going to be an important chunk of wherever it does end up.
Thoughts, folks? Suggestions for combinations I may have missed out on? A use for the OHGOD i JUST HAD ANOTHER IDEA-
I think we have a chariot in the offing, folks. And after I chop the top half off of the Cockatrice, there will be some Tzeentchi bitz to customize-
*chokes off train of thought before it can escape too far*
Joined
·
2,753 Posts
They look very interesting Mossy! I can't wait to see what you end up with in the end.
I thought I would let you know, as you have been using the Necrosphinx a lot, that it is now on "Last chance to buy" on the website. If you want to get some more for future conversions, now may be the last chance you get - Excluding overpriced OOP selling on eBay.
I thought I would let you know, as you have been using the Necrosphinx a lot, that it is now on "Last chance to buy" on the website. If you want to get some more for future conversions, now may be the last chance you get - Excluding overpriced OOP selling on eBay.
Joined
·
4,224 Posts
Thanks, but I've already said my "whew, already got my second Sphinx" piece on the thread announcing that. I don't imagine I'll buy a third one; I think I've kind of tapped out the daemon engine kitbash potential here, by now.
Joined
·
2,364 Posts
Wow that Oni style Daemon head on the tomb kings' body looks pure evil! Great to see the bug back mate!
Joined
·
4,224 Posts
Thanks! I've been meaning to get back into this, so thanks for bumping the thread--I will have the next 2 days off work, so I'm hoping to make a dent in my podcast backlog and get some hours of modeling/painting in. Looking back at these photos after the initial modeling craze has worn off, I'm inclined to agree: that particular quoted combo is the best one available there, and the most original use of the available parts, so I think that's the direction I'll head. Stay tuned for further developments!
My next big idea is that winged chariot with 2 horrors on the back as the Blue Scribes--but one of them magnetized, so that it can also serve as a Burning Chariot. I'll also be able to salvage the Screamer I've designated my Scribes-Disc too, back to have a full squad of 9 Screamers, if I do, I think. Though it may have some globs of superglue from all the papers and books I've tacked onto it.
Joined
·
2,364 Posts
Awesome, I am really looking forward to seeing the fruition of this evil combination!
Superglue? The very unguent of change itself!
201 - 215 of 215 Posts
