Thus started my previous army build. This one, however, was one i didn't know i was doing until it started emerging from the printer (more or less).
There has been a bit of local chatter regarding playing some 30k Epic (regular is 40k era), so Horus Heresy (aka HH). We're looking at doing some games at the start of next year (2021) to give people time to put together some kind of 30k appropriate army - plus of course we will continue to play regular 40k based for people who don't want to get into the 30k thing too.
So i was looking at my print-queue wishlist and i've long had the idea of putting together a Sons of Horus (a fabulous green-blue army) or my fall back Imperial Fists (which can double down on duty within 40k).
For reasons not entirely know i decided instead on Death Guard (DG). These are back from the lime-light in terms of HH fiction and fluff - a less popular faction from my still limited knowledge.
Not normally the kind of army i'd consider myself playing but i'm actually warming to the idea quite a lot and looking forward to seeing how the project pans out.
They're a chaos/traitor faction and aligned with Nurgle (one of the four chaos gods, specifically of disease and pestilence... perhaps there's a mind-worm regarding the media bleating on endlessly re current RL events).
Generally i prefer running loyalist forces, with the exception of having a mix of 'opposing forces' to i) learn how they work, ii) to be able to mix up the armies being played in the local meta, or iii) provide an opposing force for my opponent if they only do loyalists too.
The 30k era version of the game runs off the normal rules, so a short learning curve there, however the army structures are a bit different - though the differences largely reflect fluff aspects for the various factions rather than major structural changes.
The 30k era is a 'civil war' setting, with 9 vs 9 Astartes legions facing off, plus loyal and traitor guard (regular humans/army), titans, knights, and naval fleets. There are few/no non-human based forces in the 'official' epic lists with the exception of demons; so no Eldar, Orks, Tau etc.
My plan to start on an Eldar force has once again been shimmied down the list. Oh well.
So i started looking at the lists and working out how the formations and units work in general, and also the specifics for the DG. Some time later i've compiled a general print queue and the printer has been off and running.
First off the rank is Mortarion. This is the Primarch (head-honcho) of the Death Guard. Can't wait to get this painted up as it will better show up the contours of the model. He's about twice the height of a regular marine model. The Primarchs were like super-enhanced and generally described as far taller than even the roided up Astartes.
Next i printed some Tartaros pattern terminators.
The 30k models i did previously were a different style so i had to quickly remodel some aspects of the armour. Turned out ok, and there's about 5 different poses. I don't actually intend to be using 'regular' terminators (though they may be required as part of Mortarion's retinue/body guard based on the list), but this (re)model paved the way for a DG specific variant which i was interested in.
The Death Shroud Terminators have space-scythe weapons and i've actually liked these models (28mm/full scale) for quite some time. I have some of the (28mm) helmets around which i intended for a different project (just a really simple style which i liked).
Quite a bit to go obviously, but it all has to start somewhere.
This army will probably be a bit more substantial than the Custodes army. There will definitely be a larger variation on the model types being used, and probably 25%-50% larger in terms of model numbers being printed.
Old vs New Death Guard...
The Death Guard has seen some releases in recent times within the 40k era. Generally rotting corpse demons, zombie-esque hordes, and miasma-trailing plague marines are the theme, in sort of a bland khaki-based colour palette.
The 30k DG on the other had are a really neat/tidy force. A 'screaming skull'/bone coloured base with medium-green highlights. Really appeals in terms of painting for some reason. Eyes could do with a break from black or !!BLING!! most likely.
Later 2020-03-31
I remodelled the Fellblade, adding in a bunch of divots and bumps for textural variety. Not that you can see from here... but there is.
Have done all the infantry that was printed. Here the marines on the right are just base sprayed, the ones on the left have a wash of agrax.
Went with the chalky effect paint again, Baudeaux Cream. Quite happy with the finish and colour.
Speaking of paint... again i have accumulated quite a collection of leadbelcher pots (being the base colour for the Custodes probably contributed a bit). Probably four of those are all but empty, with little more than a sludgy smear at the bottom.
Skip ahead several session and the infantry are done. Not a great deal of variety in the type of units. 3 sets of Tacticals, 1 set of Regular Terminators, 1 set of Death Shroud Terminators, 1 Mortarion.
Mortarion turned out ok. Good enough anyway.
He's a bit of a shag-on-a-rock within the army. Most of the infantry models are quite solid and chunky, where as Mortarion is smooth planes, artsy contours and overall a bit nebulous. I don't hate it as it kind of adds a 'wraith-like' feel maybe.
I decided to leave the vehicles behind... hahaha apt (given fluff for this army)... and press ahead painting just the infantry to keep progress going.
In part because i was 3d modelling transports etc (which is still a WIP) and wanted to batch paint all the vehicles as much as possible. Now my printer is waiting for a part so i might end up doing the vehicles i have... which is just 6 Sicarans and 2 Fellblades.
Anyway the army is coming along nicely, with possible the majority of small fiddly painting done.
Until next time...
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