While my blood is still warm from the frenzy of this weekend on Diamat, I shall direct my enthusiasm towards future planning. I'm quite content on picking up my Dark Mechanicum where I left them prior to rushing a Sons of Horus force for AOTE:HH.

I got hold of some more Forgeworld models to convert into Skitaari, COGs and tech-neophytes, but am first looking to outline ideas for the army lists before building and painting without a plan.

Working on the assumption that the existing lists won't deviate a lot, I will be taking Cult Mechanicus as the primary army, incoporating daemons where I can and using both SoH and Daemons in the allied missions.

As it stands, I would like to take a super heavy unit - so 8 months really needs to see some sensible scheduling to allow this. I fancy either a Warhound or 2 smaller units - perhaps Knight(s) and/or a Brass Scorpion. I have a scorpion model from a few months ago and already plan to paint it in December as part of the club's 'Tale of' project. Are these under 500 points? Will we be able to take 2 super heavies in the allowance?

Alongside these monstrocities, I have a work in progress Kaban Machine, Biologis Land Crawler and at least 1 Myrmidon Assault walker. It's all going monstrous walk abouts!

I really want a heavy presence of machine - robotics, cybernetics, augmented warriors. As many crawlers as feasible will be considered for lists, including Soul Grinders. These will be backed up by support infantry - largely Skitaari and Menials. Daemons, as mentioned, will be highly involved with a healthy dose of their own construct components. More robo-daemons on the way!

As for characters, Kelbor Hal is going to be built, whether I end up using him or not. I have a base model in mind, but will be doing some extensive custom work and sculpting to do him justice! My generic magus is built, pending a small reworking of his servo(s).

++TRANSMISSION TERMINATED++

Far too tired to include any images just yet! No promises for any before Thursday

I remember the robo-daemons. :D Look forward to seeing what you come up with!

Current compositions include:

Daemons
8 Bloodletters - built, mostly painted. 4 of these have small cybernetic components.
8-12 unbuilt Bloodletters. Ideally 3 or more of these will end up sat on my juggernauts. So likely 2x8 Bloodletters in total.
3 Blood Crushers. I love the models as-is, but despite being constructs, they don't seem to sit in the visuals well. I'm not too hot on their playability either, though they did kill 10 stalker-smurfs yesterday.
Khorne Daemon Prince. Un-edited. Lovely model, mostly painted. Solid army choice. Not very robotic!
Soul Grinder. Complete, fits the theme, awesome army choice.
Lord of Change. Semi-converted to fit a robotic theme, albeit just his staff and bionic eye! Would detract from the Khorne-exclusive side of the daemons though. Fully painted and good army choice.
9 Horros inc Changeling. Fully painted. Probably a weaker unit in AOTE and detracts from khorne again.
7+ Servitors. I made these to be played as Plague bearers. but they could easy become servitors/menials or similar. Likely to be used, just unsure what as yet.
5 Flamers. 3 are painted. Awesome gameplay potential, but not very themed in any way.
Misc unbuilt - box of daemoettes, 2 fiends, GUO, KOS, DPs, Winged DPs...

Sons of Horus
1 Tactical squad mostly complete. Need highlights and an arm replacement!
5-10 Scouts. Need some more paint work.
0-3 Drop Pods. Still Salamander colours, but far from finished. 1 doubles up as a Lucius/Deathstorm
6 Jetbikes, inc captain/techmarine
5 Vanguard
Predator
5 Justaerin
Abaddon/Horus
From my left-over Salamander, potential to poach: 2 Speeders, 2 Raiders, Whirlwind, Razorback.
Also marine bits pool could generate: Unlimited marines, captains, chaplains, 1 Librarian, 15 Terminators, 2 Vindicators, 2 Rhinos.

Mechanicus
1 Magus Prime

WIPS + Bits:
Kaban machine
Assault Walker
Biologis Land Crawler
Chimera
Leman Russ
~24 Skitaari
~12 Menials
2 COGS
3 Robots
Knight Warden
2 Tech priests
Misc servitory bits
a dozen servo skulls

Preliminary list thoughts - using v1.0 SOT missions:

Invasion (doubles)
1,000
0-1 HQ
1-3 ELITE
0-4 TROOP
0-4 FAST ATTACK
0-1 HEAVY ASSAULT
No supers, legendary, artilley, ordnance, formations.
Objectives (all walkers and non-vehicles). Kill Points if draw.

Immediate thoughts - lots of walkers!
This mission brings back the classic Deathblow. I fully expect to see Primarchs, Primarch Guard and Terminators, so a very tough bunch to face!

T - 10 Plague bearers [155]
E - Athena [120]
E - Myrmidon Assault Engine Magnus [155]
F - 2 Warden Sentinels, Plasma cannons [130]
H - Kaban Machine [280]

840

Heavy Assault
3,000
1-4 HQ
2-9 Troops
0-6 Elite
0-6 Fast attack
0-6 Heavy Assault
1 Superheavy (max 1,000 pts)
Max 1,000 on allied forces
Annihilation

The big one! I need tarpits and uber units here.
Definitely using a superheavy. Most feasibly a Brass Scorpion - once Stuart confirms its use. If not, then a toss up between a Knight Warden and a Warhound. The BS would save me a lot of time as it will be painted regardless for my demon project in December! Not sure how much these cost or if the new Vraks book has a bigger datasheet (drool).

Q - Kelbor Hal [235] 235
+ - Protectors Maniple [140] 140
Q - Archmagos Prime Myrmidon (Koriel Zeth) [100+] 100
T - 13 Plague bearers, instrument (my lobotomised servitors) 200
T - 30 Menials, inc Imp. Menial, 2 COGs [182] 182
T - Hypaspist Maniple, melta bombs, 2 melta guns, (Tank Hunter, Heavy Bionics) [135] 135
* - Secutor (rules are still WIP, but a definite choice!)
E - Myrmidon Assault Engine Centurion [155] 155
E - Myrmidon Assault Engine Magnus [155] 155
E - 5 Data Daemons [275] 275

H - Kaban Machine [280] 280
H - Biologis Land Crawler, extra armour [190] 190
H - Soulgrinder, Phlegm 160
S - Greater Brass Scorpion [550] 550

2757 so far!

Brought some models to work today to begin painting: Magos, COG, Krieg-pattern Skitaari :)

Had to tweak my Invasion list as I can't take 2 walkers without a specific Magos, so that's shy of 1k for now. Pondering what to do with it, but more importantly wanting to playtest these things.

I built a 2nd COG last night and began my prototype Krieg-Skiitari tribute. Preview picture (aka [I'M ILLITERATE] photo), not progressed much beyond their undercoats yet:



I'm trying to picture the army in my head to see how the whole composition feels. I can't help but think it's a little motley crew, which is somehting I want to avoid. I'd like to aim for a nomination, so there needs to be a strong, flowing theme to pull the army together. Any suggestions are most welcome!

I imagine the Myrmidon Assault Walkers to look like Defilers minus the torso, or at least that's the easiest route for me to take when building them. My existing defiler is without torso, built to resemble a more scorpion stance.

The trick will be finding a way to combine the organics of the Brass scorpion and chunky plates
on the other walkers within the army in a way they they flow together. This will be tough for my land walker as it has a Land Raider hull!

I'm going for a black scorpion with yet undecided etchings on the plate. Somehting that big can't be plain single colour!

Scary crabsticks!

Wish the pic gave me a better idea of what is happening there...

The conversion work sounds like a real ask, but well worth it if you can pull it off effectively ;)

I love conversion work, so not a big deal if I pace it properly over the enxt few months.

The Skiitari paintjob will look like this but a bit darker:


The COGS will be painted like my servitors in my daemon army here:


I want to take some of the blocky vehicles - rhinos with neuron lasers and maybe a raider, but ideally converting them to have insectomorphic. These will be a struggle to sketch!

Some quick research on forms:

Hey look, i drew a rhino with legs

You a cheater.... :P

those tech guard look awesome dude
cant wait tae see fit other concoctions you create ;)

The Skiitari above aren't mine. They bwlong to The Hoff:
http://www.warseer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28995

I have COGS for you, bring one on wednesday

Prototype Krieg-class Skiitari.

Need to tone down that red!

http://fulgrim.com/minis/dark-mechanicum/dm_skiitari_01.JPG

And Biologis Land Crawler

http://fulgrim.com/minis/dark-mechanicum/d...ndwalker_01.jpg

Image of a tripod, hosted by...tripod.. Hohoho.

Mustard!! (gas....)

Your conversion-fu is strong.

Looking really good dude!

nice B)

nice use of the krieg infanty, will look really funky all together

The Skitarii works really well. Is it just literally a Death Korps model with a hood sculpted on? If so I may have to yoink that when I finally get back to my AdMech!

I know what you mean about the motley crew thing. I was heading for a daemonic traitor army with a few daemons and lots of nasty looking guardsmen and then I saw the army pack and thought ooh cultists, ooh beastmen but what about a primarch etc. Its proving hard to stick to the theme without being penalised in the gaming stakes. :-/

Don't get me started about Beastmen! (fap!)

The Skiitari is a Korps trooper. I'll do a quick tutorial soon, but it's literally a helmet scalping, then sculpt a hood.

I have since found out that only Grenadiers have this carapace armour which makes it looks super for Skiitari. The regular Korps don;t have that square plated armour :(

simple enough to add plating with plasticard or sculpt though right?

I'd rather not when Grenadiers cost the same.

So, i mashed together a Chimera and Demolisher to make a dirty StuG :)

Looks sweet, had any thoughts on the Perturabo Storm Tanks? Looking at those pics has given me a few ideas....

Not sure I'm a fan of D3 Lascannon shots with Bs3 for 185 points. I lose skiitari crew too.

With custom chassis, I can pass this off as a Sabre / Destroyer / maybe a Thunderer / Vanquisher at a push.

Awaiting arrival of 4 more Chimerae to build my transports. Say bye-bye stupid lasguns! :)

Panzer or VK1801

That tank is BEAUTIFUL! Looks more like a Hetzer than a StuG.
I'd like to see it as a Destroyer if it can be made to look laser-y, and not cannon-y.

Good work!

What's my blog doing down there?

Big update time I guess!

Last night I started work on some tech adepts and... dunno what I'm using the other guys for yet. They're Wyrd and Heresy miniatures respectively but I'm customising them and adding GW bits.

Got hold of a new cam, but Kidjal stole my studio, so will do some better picks later.

Work on my Protectors:

Love the army. Is it possible for you to do a tutorial on the StuG as it's just what i've been planning for a while but couldn't work out how to do it. Thanks

Thanks Lucius.

The basic chassis and tracks were derived from Kasyrkin's tutorial here:

http://www.warseer.com/forums/showthread.p...&highlight=stug

If there's anything specific about my version you want to know, just shout.

Here's my latest crack at the Skitarii. Modified Krieg Grenadier:

thats gotta be one o the best skitarii models iv seen made, you should add one or two little aumetics to authenticate it as skitarii or something. otherwise lookin awesome dude

That works very, very nicely. :)

Looking very good!

Liking the figure selections for the conversions and your gs work is vey intricate.

regards
DiStudios

Beautiful model and a spot on conversion. Never really thought of using DKoK as skittari. Very creative and well initiated.

How heavily are u planning to augment them? Or are you just keeping them close to the original models?

I'd like to do more conversion work. Currently I only have the Centaur crew to work my prototypes, but am looking into acquiring at least a squad of Grenadiers. I have some normal Krieg troopers that will need a lot of converting as they lack this nice carapace of the Grenadiers.

Most likely I'll add pipes, skull servos and different weapons.