Tyranid Units: Termagaunt Test Models

Here are the two Tyranid Termagaunts that I painted up as testers for the army colour scheme.

Finally settled on a quick paint scheme of the following steps:

1. Spray Chaos Black Undercoat.
2. Base coat of Gretchin Green foundation paint.
3. Paint all armour plates with Hormagaunt Purple foundation paint.
4. Paint claws and blades Chaos Black.
5. Wash entire model with Badab Black wash.
6. Wash armour plates and body with Leviathan Purple wash.
7. Paint eyes and tounges with Iyanden Darksun yellow foundation paint.
8. Paint base.

This is a quick paint scheme as after step 1, steps 2-5 can be done in a single sitting. After step 5 you need a day for the wash to totally dry, after which step 6 can be done, and a day later steps 7 and 8 can be done to finish up.

After step 6, further highlighting of the armour plates can be carried out using Hormagaunt Purple on the raised edges if required. This was done on the Zoanthrope as it was a larger model and has some  prominent armour plates with good ridges to highlight.

Using a batch painting process I should be able to do batches of 10 models and get through the 60ish Gaunts in no time.

Random Update - More Painting

Just finished painting the following units:

• The first Tau Crisis Suit Team, albeit without their Shield Drone.

• The two test Tyranid Termagaunts by painting the bases up - they now match the Zoanthrope.

• The Tau Etheral (HQ unit), also without Drones. This features my first real attempt at blending as the folds of the cloth were too tempting not to try it. I think it looks fine for my first attempt.

Pictures and unit descriptions will follow in due course.

Nova Storm Units: Troop Choices 2

Ok, next up for the Troop choices and the last ones for now till I get that last Tactical Squad built, are the Scouts.

Originally these were 2 squads of 5, but they are now one squad of 10 with the option to split into two five-man Combat Squads.

The first five are converted; with normal Marine upper-bodies and Scout legs. They were originally designed to denote Scouts who had completed their training and had become full Marines, but were being kept on in the elite 2nd (Special Operations) Company to work behind the lines and use special equipment, etc.

Now that that concept has gone out the window, they remain as cool models until I get round to replacing them with standard Scouts with the same armament.

They have a sniper rifle and missile launcher at their disposal for some heavy duty harrassment from a forward position after deployment, and the Sergeant has a power-axe for some close assault staying power. He also has a teleport homer so he can ensure the accurate arrival of Deep Striking reserves, such as the Terminator Marines.

The second five are all armed with standard bolt-pistols and knives, except for one who doubles as the combat squad leader who has a shotgun. Primary use for these guys is the suicide charge and then they're thrown to the wolves to attempt to delay a unit for as long as possible.

Nova Storm Units: Troop Choices 1

This is a summary of the current 4 Tactical Squads in the Army, which will be 5 when I finally get the last one built.

Tactical Squad 1: Designed to be dropped from Orbit.

This squad has a Drop Pod for it's transport option, as the Squad is designated as being from a specialist Orbital Assault Company consisting of Drop Pod equipped Tactical and Devastator Squads and deep-striking Assault Squads that I imagined dropping from the back of a high up Thunderhawk Dropship. Units from this Company arrive from orbit, directly on top of the enemy while support from the Ground Assault Companies arrives from a different direction.

The Drop Pod means it will always deploy using the Deep-strike rules on Turn 1 of the game. The squad consists of 10 Marines, with 1 Sergeant, 1 Marine with Plasma Gun for special weapon support and a Marine with a Heavy Bolter for fire support. The Sergeant has a Storm Bolter and a Power Sword; allowing him to move and fire two bolter shots per turn, and pack a reasonable punch in assault with the Armour Save ignoring Power Sword. Once deployed from the Drop Pod the squad can split into two five-man Combat Squads or remain as a single ten-man unit.

The Heavy Bolter marine is a subtle conversion; a pose change using the arm from a Sergeant (minus the sword that used to be in the hand) to hold a handle on the side of the weapon instead of the normal top-mounted handle.

Tactical Squad 2 :

Standard 10-man Tactical Squad, with a Sergeant equipped with Storm Bolter and Power Sword as above, a Plasma Gun for Strength 7 high armour-piercing shots for anti-heavy infantry, and a Plasma Cannon for mostly every thing else! (S7, AP2 3" Blast = most things wounded or dead).

Envisaged to be from a specialist Ground Assault Battle Company where troops and vehicles are carried down from orbit on Thunderhawk Transports and Dropships to attack over ground after having formed up a distance away from the enemy, instead of dropping in from above. As a nod to this, each Marine has a bayonet attached to his Bolter.

Tactical Squad 3 :

Standard 10-man Tactical Squad taken from the Assault on Black Reach starter set.

As such this squad has the basic Tactical Squad load-out. A Sergeant equipped with a Bolt Pistol and Chainsword, for the +1 Attack in Assault; a Flamer for the Cover Save ignoring Template shooting attack, and a Missile Launcher giving an ability to take on Vehicles and Large targets with the Strength 8 armour-busting Krak Missile, or the 3" Blast Frag Missile for infantry.

Envisaged to be from the same specialist Ground Assault Battle Company as the squad above (hence the same blue pad-trim).

Tactical Squad 4 is basically the same as Tactical Squad 3 as the models are taken from the old Battle for Macragge starter set. They are from the same Ground Attack Company as well and will have the same blue shoulderpad trim when (eventually) painted.

There are no pictures as I've not managed to undercoat them yet - as I almost ran out of black spray after doing almost the whole army in a single sitting!

Tactical Squad 5 is yet to be built; and will be put together at a later date when I need a break from painting Marines and building Tau models. They'll have a Sergeant with Combi-plasma gun, a Flamer and a Missile Launcher (unless I change my mind in the mean-time).