Scion Mini “Carrie” Painted; a fond farewell!

Sadly, one of my players dropped out of my Scion game.  However, I painted her miniature for her and assured her she could come back at any time.

Above, see Carrie,  Once again, based on the “Lucky” model from Dark Age.  I kept Lucky’s red hair because Carrie is Irish.  I added freckles!  A first for me!  I also did custom detailing on the stomach buckler (a raven for her birth mother, The Morrigan) and on the holster (a Cadeuceus, for her adopted father, Hermes).  Note that since the previous picture, I’ve cut out the bayonettes and lengthened the hair with putty.

Next: More Scion Minis?  …or a secret project I’ve been working on?

Custom Miniatures for Scion Game

Back from Gen Con, and I’ve been working hard on a super secret project.  I bought several Reaper Chronoscope minis, and have converted them to model the characters in my Scion tabletop RPG.  Let’s have a look!

Up first is Kemo, Scion of Huitzilopochitli, the Aztec god of war.  Kemo wields the Sword of Freedom, a machete that spilt the blood of Conquistadors.  He also wears the “Hummingbeater,” an undershirt made of hummingbird feathers that works as a bulletproof vest without the weight. Kemo was made from the Terrel, Zombie Survivor mini with the head of Rex, Dark Future Hero, and a Machete from the Modern Weapons sprue.   The gun and nightstick were removed.  I added an index finger to make Kemo pointing at his next victim.  I then filed down the hair, and sculpted newer, longer hair.  I then sculpted the Hummingbeater with putty, and a piece of drinking straw desinged to make a “U” shape.

Next is Seth, Scion of Thoth.  He uses the Agent Smith body with the Daniel Sterling Head.  I Got rid of the Neuralyser and Raygun and added a custom sculpted Ankh and a Rifle.  I’m working on his custom Guitar Case.  I also flattened the bridge of the nose to make him look less European.

Next is Carrie, Scion of Hermes.  Carrie is Lucky from Dark Age.  I clipped the pistol and holster, and added a modified Dark Elf Crossbow from Warhammer, as well as a holster of bolts.  Lucky has pants with only one leg, so I sculpted the other pant leg to make it more even.  I also modded her odd sandals into boots.

Last but not least is Church, Scion of Thor.  Church is the Rex, Dark Future Hero body with the Terrel, Zombie Survivor head.  I filed off the bandana and added hair.  I then filled out the cheeks to make Curch look like Terrence Howard.  Next, I added the chain using putty, tweeezers, and a pin tool.  I then added the Raido Rune Pendant, carving teh rune with the pin tool.  I replaced the hand with a pistol hand from the Modern Weapons sprue, and sculpted a combat glove.

On order is a special mini for my 5th player.  More details, and paint jobs soon!

On my plate: 6-22-11

Hoo boy.  Getting laid off and finishing a school year takes more time that you’d think.  Plus intruders from Spain are visiting and my ability to paint or model will be nonexistent.  However, I’m getting back in the saddle.  With a little help from Forge World.  So, without further ado, here’s what I’m going to be working on.

-Azure Flames: Twin Linked Autocannon from Forgeworld.  I USED to have a left and a right to do a Rifledread.  This has somehow changed.  I lost the right TL Autocannon, and had to buy another from Forgeworld.  Priority one: Get this done by July 8th.  Why?  I have no idea. I’m certainly not taking a rifledread in a 40K game against Lexington.

-Epic 40,000: Finish Terminators.  I’ve got some basecoated, but I ran out of free time while working on them.  They’re next.  Then I fill out the rest of my 3000 pt. “teaching list.”  Then, strip my Great Gargant and paint 3000 pts of Orks.

-Warmachine: Menoth starter box after Epic.  ON HOLD.

-Necromunda: Delaque gang.  ON HOLD.

-Azure Flames: I recently bought 5 Maximus armour Marines from Forge World.  I’m going to custom-mod these by adding sculpted flames and braziers to them to make the Lightguard: Chapter Master Perseus’ Honour Guard.  I’ll never use ’em but they’ll look FANTASTIC.  I’ve also got a few plans for another famous Azure Flames character… Status: ON HOLD. The Flames are complete enough for now.

-Orks: Need to complete painting all minis, possibly buy one more box of Boys but no more. Status: ON HOLD though I might bump these in front of the Flames now that the weather’s nice.

-The Saratogan 58th: Need to build most of the minis and paint up at least 1500 points to start learning how to play Guard.  Status: ON HOLD.  Way too much on my plate to start an army from almost scratch.

The Dice Abide

Lexington just clued me into his new communal blog: The Dice Abide. Some good stuff there.  I’ve added them to the blogroll.  Check it out.

Ory-Hara the Silent, Chief Librarian of the Azure Flames

Modeling

Ory-Hara is the Dark Angels Grand Master Ezekiel model.  I added a Xavier backpack, and filed the winged sword off his book and sculpted a flame and a new strap.  Ory-Hara is named after the codename your character in Escape Velocity: Nova earns in the Vell-Os or Polaris story lines after developing psychic powers.

Background

During his life, Atrus, former Chapter Master, Chief Librarian, and spiritual mentor of the Azure Flames trusted one person with the secrets of his prophecies.  That person was Ory-Hara.  The warp is a horrible place, full of things that can drive men mad at a glance.  Space Marine Librarians are trained to look into that darkness without flinching.  But it takes a prodigy to look through the nightmare of the warp and actually divine the future.  Atrus was such a man.  There were things that Atrus learned that he shared with the chapter.  There were things he shared only with the command staff.

And then there were the things he told to Ory-Hara.

Ory-Hara joined the Azure Flames (then the Sons of the Salamander) just after Atrus earned his Black Carapace and joined the Librarium of the Sons of the Salamander.   The chapter liberated Ory-Hara’s world, Palshife, from the forces of Chaos.  Ory-Hara felt gratitude toward his liberators, but suffered from the stress of toiling under the whip of the blasphemous regime of Chaos.  Atrus noticed the boy’s latent psychic abilities immediately.  Despite being the newest Lexicanum, Atrus asked to mentor the young psyker.  Atrus slowly won the trust of Ory-Hara, and helped him to unlock and face the memories he had hidden in the darkest places of his mind.  Free from his trauma, Ory-Hara’s psychic talents exploded with creativity.

When the Battle Barge His Hammer was destroyed, and Atrus received his vision, Ory-Hara was the first person Atrus told.  Ory-Hara was initially reluctant to believe Atrus, but then he discovered something.  By touching Atrus’ forehead, he found a way to copy the memory of the vision from Atrus, as if he had experienced it himself.  Amazed at this new ability, he was able to immediately show Atrus how to share the vision psychically.  Had Ory-Hara not done this, the Azure Flames would have never been born from the remnants of the Sons of the Salamander.

Ory-Hara examined this memory copying ability.  His first trick was to copy the memories of a willing battle brother.  He was able to expand this ability to find memories without the subject even being aware.  Working together with Atrus, he found the ultimate expression of this power: to copy the memories of someone who had recently died.  While this talent had limited use, it provided insight into their deaths.  Ory-Hara copied the memories of several battle brothers that died.

This led to the current Azure Flames rite to promote a Scout to a full Battle Brother: by sharing the memory of those that died for him.  For non-psykers this can be a harrowing and physically dangerous experience, but the fatality rate is only 17%.  Before this, Sons of the Salamander Scouts had to travel to Nocturne, home of the Salamanders, and face one of the legendary beasts in the yearly Salamander hunt.  This rite had a fatality rate of 32%.

Ory-Hara served in the Librarium of the Azure Flames with distinction, leading up to the conflict for the Chasma Spica.  On Iperin, Atrus sent Ory-Hara against the horrific Daemons of Chaos to the south of the main city, Daskros.  This was the one time Atrus had kept something back from his most trusted confidant.  Had Ory-Hara known of Atrus’ plan to sacrifice himself, he would have demanded to die by Atrus’ side.  Being denied the chance to save his only friend, Ory-Hara took a vow of silence.

He has not spoken since.  Nor has he written a word outside of his official log, carried on his person at all times.

Lack of communication is a problem in a commander.  Ory-Hara explains his wishes through psychic transmissions of images, or emotional impressions.  With his extensive library of memories collected from Battle Brothers, he can communicate any thought, tactical or mundane.  Ory-Hara has not revealed the contents of his log to any person, save Atrus and Perseus, and then only after Perseus had become Chapter Master.

Ory-Hara leads the Librarium shrouded in secrets.  When he passes, his log will be inherited by whichever Librarian takes his place.  Then the truth about Antonius, gene-son of Atrus, and his role in the fate of the Chapter will be revealed as Atrus intended.

In loving admiration: Dan’s 18th Company Night Lords

HOLY.

CRAP.

This is one of the most extensive and professional collections of unique conversions and paint jobs.  This guy, Dan, is making a huge Night Lords army.  Check it out here: http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/index.php?showtopic=172506

Treat yourself.  Read the whole thread.

Finally able to join Mini Art of War!

The above shot of a ridiculously cool Chaos army is courtesy of Ogre44 of Mini art of war.  There’s a new link off to the right.  I’ve posted on this blog about them, but it’s time for a recap.

In February I was playing a game of Gothic against John.  I met some Epic players who were very nice and directed me to the forums.  Sadly the confirmation email system was broken and I couldn’t join.  But now I’m registered and looking forward to getting some Epic games on!

…I need to get painting.

What does Sanguinius have that I don’t have?

40K Space Marine players are familiar with different options that each chapter can take.  Every chapter can take almost all of the options, but the Blood Angels have been different since 2nd edition.  They have special variants, and they don’t want to share with the other children.

For example, in the fluff the Space Wolves were assaulting a planet and their Land Raiders were destroyed in some kind of accident.  Lacking mobile lascannon support, they cannibalized their Long Fang lascannons and mounted them on Predator tanks, making the Predator Annhilator pattern.  This worked well, and the design was almost immediately disseminated to all the other Space Marines in the galaxy.

The Blood Angels, on the other hand, have Furioso Dreadnoughts, Baal predators, overcharged engines (which now make their Rhino Chassis vehicles Fast) and most recently the Stormraven Gunship.  Admittedly the Grey Knights also have the Stormraven, but that seems like an odd combo.  No one else has these unique vehicles.  I envision conversations like this happening when Sanguinius chapters meet other chapters.

Dante: Bro, what’s up?

Marneus: DUDE!  Just hanging out, how you been?

Dante: Oh, I gotta tell you about this sweet new tank my techmarines made.  It’s the Shizzle fo’ rizzle!

Marneus: HELLZ YEAH!

Dante: So get this: We mounted a twin linked assault cannon on the Predator Turret.  We call it the Baal Predator.  Bitchin’ huh?

Marneus: Aww, you gots ta get me that design, bro.

Dante: …uh.  Hmm.  Well about that…

Marneus: Come on dogg!

Dante: Sorry bro, but no-can-do.  Mephiston would kill me, and that dude is, like, totally psycho.  Plus he’s 250 points.

Marneus: Harsh, bud.  Look, I got some girls coming over, you’d better go.

Dante: Oh.  I see how it is.  Later.  Bro.

Kajun Gogwurr, da Zombee Masta

Modeling

Kajun was modeled mostly from the Ork Nob box.  His snapping fingers are a hand holding a combi-weapon with the gun carved out of the palm, and the fingers custom sculpted.  The Skull is from the Ork Trukk sprue and the cane is brass rod with putty.  The Suit is sculpted out of putty, as is the hat.  The brim of the hat and the red ribbon are plasticard.

The Zombee is the Zombie Champion from the old Fantasy Zombie Command Blister.  The Shield arm was modified with a rokkit and putty to be holding an overflowing beer stein.  The Mardee-Grah Beads are putty.

The “voodoo dolls” are a placeholder mini designed to represent Kajun’s extra attacks.  They are a mix of Epic minis and putty.

Background

Smartyskull’s rise to power involved incorporating several other warbands into his. Mostly, other Ork Warbosses resented a Boss who was a dirty stinkin’ Humie lover.

Gurrshak Wart-rot was one of these. He and Smartyskull raided each other for resources until the clash came to a head at the battle of Da Great Round Clearin’, a clearing in Wart-rot’s forest that was generally squarish. Smartyskull dueled with Wart-rot, and managed to get the upper hand. His Ork instincts telling him to kill competitors overrode his Humie-machine logic preaching mercy, and Smartyskull killed Wart-rot.

As the death blow was struck, green lightning pierced the sky, and a strange Ork appeared. Surrounded by a green haze of psychic energy, he wore a tattered black suit coat, and face paint like a skull. He doffed his strange stovepipe hat and proclaimed to his tribe that Poindexta Smartyskull was their new Warboss. The tribe answered with a joyous WAAAAAAAAGH!

Suddenly, a large KLANK sounded as a Power Klaw impacted Smartyskull’s back. One of Wart-rot’s drinking buddies decided that he would be a better candidate for Warboss.

*SNAP*

As the strange noise echoed through the forest, Smartyskull rose to his feet to find the Nob who had backhanded him replaced by an emaciated rotting shadow of his former self. The strange Ork in the hat approached.

“You not lissen what I say, an’ dat’s da las’ mistake you goan’ make. I’s Kajun Gogwurr an’ you’s a Zombee, so you’s do whatta I says oh you’s goan’ stay dat way, heah?”

The zombified Ork moaned and lunged for Smartyskull. Kajun shot forth his hand and sprayed a reddish powder. It covered the Zombie from head to toe, and he burned with green fire. A bit of the powder got into Smartyskull’s nose, and it burned hotter than the hottest pepper-shroom. After a mild sneezing fit, he turned to Kajun.

“Kajun Gogwurr, you gotta lotta mojo. How’s about you be my number one advizer?”

“Das’ jus’ fine. Come, we celebrate wif’ mah fahnest Squig-Gumbo. Fire up da pot, boys!”

After barely choking down the hideous spicy goo, Smartyskull and Kajun Gogwurr made a pact. Smartyskull would allow the snakebites to keep to the old ways if they wanted, but to give them newer supplies if they wished, and lead them to battle. He would also let Gogwurr organize Mardee-Grah, a festival of masks and heavy drinking. Gogwurr would keep uppity boys in line, and dish out gumbo. He is Smartyskull’s wisest source of council (not difficlut considering the competition) and the warband’s greatest chef. His Gumbo is so spicy you can’t tell it’s been rotting.

Gogwurr has also made a habit of making little dolls of all the powerful Orks in the camp. After all, one day he might need to do something to them…

Da Grand Baron Skippy Von Peanut Butta and his Flash Gitz Mob

Modeling

Da Grand Baron Skippy Von Peanut Butta is the one in the first two pics.  He is the body of an old pewter Bad Moons Nob in Mega Armor (2nd ed) with Snikrot’s head.  His arms are taken from the new Plastic Nobz box, and the shoulder pads are extra armor from the Boyz box.  The gun is a plasma gun from the old 2nd ed nob with a Space Marine Godhammer pattern Lascannon from the Land Raider.  The banner pole is brass rod pinned to the Bad Moons symbol from the 2nd ed Nob.  The Belly is sculpted out of putty.  A diet rich in peanut butter packs on the pounds!

The other Flash Gitz are plastic Nobz from the box set.  The one with two pistols was my first Flash Git, he has two of the Nob pistol from the Boyz box set, and putty sculpted mirrorshades.  His name is Nee-yo.

The next one has a combi-rokkit launcha with two electrodes cut from the head of the Mek from the Loota/Burna box set and a coiled paperclip to make a bullet electrifier.  He’s TeslaDakka.

The one with the bow has a bow made of brass rod and paperclip, with putty feathers and rokkits from the Deffkopta.  That’s what I think a Snakebite Flash Git would look like.  He’s Blam-bo.

The one that has a lot of Tau bitz uses a lot os stuff from the Tau Suit box.  Front plate, drone up top on the bosspole, burst cannon and carbines on the gun.  The club is a Tau Suit leg with a spiky shoulder pad.  He’s Runtsmasha.

The next one is Rokkit Rokkit Rokkit.  He uses every rocket from the Space Marines, Orks, and Imperial Guard that I could find.

The one with the long barreled double big shoota has the shoota taken from the Assault on Black Reach Warboss with two Autocannon barrels glued on,  He’s Dubba-tap.

The one with the pewter backpack has combi weapons made from Tau plasma and melta with a Space Marine Melta and an Ork Slugga.  The shoulder straps were putty sculpted and the backpack is Snikrot’s.  He’s Nooka.

The last one is sighting down a Space Marine Godhammer Lascannon and has a Guard Heavy Bolter too, with the Gretchin Backpack from the Loota/Burna box.  I really like the pose, as it looks like he’s trying to aim.  He’s Dedeye.

That’s 8 Flash Gitz and a Character for 9, plus a Dok is a full unit of 10.

Background

Baron Peanut Butta: a tale of addiction in the 41st Millenium

Grutz was a shoota boy, nothing special about him. While looting a Human encampment, he came across a pantry, and in the pantry was a can of light brown goo. Its smell was like nothing Grutz had experienced, and he tasted it.

It was the best thing. EVER.

He couldn’t get enough! He wolfed down the whole can in minutes; despite its annoying but pleasant sticky texture. He smashed apart the pantry looking for more, then inquired around. The only other intact can in the entire encampment (a BIG can, from the Mess Hall) was in the loot pile of the biggest Nob in the whole warband.

So Grutz beat him to death with a shoe.  Why? What would YOU have done?

Well, ol’ Grutz made that big can last, because he realized you don’t get to raid Humie camps every day. When he ran out, he went to see Boss Smartyskull, and showed him the can. Da Boss could read Humie somehow, and he said that it was called “Peanut Butta.”

Grutz said that HE was called Peanut Butta too, and asked how he could get more. Smartyskull grinned. He said that stuff was real expensive, and Peanut Butta was gonna have to have a lot of teeth to get it. Peanut Butta put every ounce of his brainpower into becoming a shrewd and kunnin businessman. He tried everything from helping out Mad Mek Upzindownz, to outright theft from other Boyz, to selling Squig-aid. Needless to say, all of these activities were highly profitable and suicidally dangerous, especially the Squig-aid.

But Peanut Butta came through mostly intact and filthy stinking rich. He had enough to buy a can or two from The Boss (who stockpiled Humie stuff for some reason) and had enough left over to buy the shootiest gun the Mek could make and some wicked snazzy armour. His brutality and economical prowess caused him to grow to Nob like stature, though he insists on being calld “Da Grand Baron Skippy von Peanut Butta.”

With his fancy shoota he put together a mob of da best Flash Gitz around, whose services he rents out to Smartyskull for more cans of Peanut Butta. If it weren’t for his crippling addiction to that wonderful delicious rich creamy brown nutty stuff, he’d be the boss around here.

Incidentally, whenever Smartyskull finds a human civilization willing to trade, he always purchases as much Peanut Butter as he can. Insurance is expensive, but Peanut Butta’s Flash Gitz are worth every can of loyalty he can buy.