Well hello there, long time no see.
I'd really like to be able to say, "Honey, I'm baaaack!", but unfortunately, this is going to be more like an unannounced visit from that crazy Uncle Bob on your Dad's side that your Mom can't stand.
I'd really like to be able to say, "Honey, I'm baaaack!", but unfortunately, this is going to be more like an unannounced visit from that crazy Uncle Bob on your Dad's side that your Mom can't stand.
Also , you'll notice that the subject matter is a little different than what you are used to seeing from me, though the explanation is rather simple.
My first and one true love is my Templars. I started them back a few years ago and fully immersed myself in their lore, when we still had the 4th Edition codex going for us, even as we were in the latter stages of 5th edition and jumping into 6th was not yet on the horizon.
Prior to that, I had started a DIY Chapter of my own design whose lore, which quite unknowingly on my part, was very similar to Templars in a lot of ways.
My first and one true love is my Templars. I started them back a few years ago and fully immersed myself in their lore, when we still had the 4th Edition codex going for us, even as we were in the latter stages of 5th edition and jumping into 6th was not yet on the horizon.
Prior to that, I had started a DIY Chapter of my own design whose lore, which quite unknowingly on my part, was very similar to Templars in a lot of ways.
I guess my final destination was pre-ordained and it just took me a little while to realize that and then embrace my future.
If you're curious about all that history, you can read about it here:
If you're curious about all that history, you can read about it here:
I know, you're to the point of "Ok, so enough of that reminiscing stuff, show me something". Well, it just so happens that I have something to show.
Once our group gets untracked from summer and other distractions, we'll get back to our Badab project, which sadly has languished in some side channels of our hobby river hoping to get back on course.
To help me in that regard, I undertook a modeling and painting challenge, that being to create a Land Raider Prometheus
I love Land Raiders...like to death.
When all the Internet Brainiacs were yakking about how Land Raiders were dead, I was too busy cramming them down the throats of my opponents. I built even more of them because a Templar Crusade cannot have too many Land Raiders.
I already have um...quite a few of the more common varieties, so I wanted to do something different and since the Prometheus can be taken as a dedicated transport in the Vanguard Siege List which I like to play (see IA10 Badab Pt. II), I thought I would give it a shot.
Once our group gets untracked from summer and other distractions, we'll get back to our Badab project, which sadly has languished in some side channels of our hobby river hoping to get back on course.
To help me in that regard, I undertook a modeling and painting challenge, that being to create a Land Raider Prometheus
I love Land Raiders...like to death.
When all the Internet Brainiacs were yakking about how Land Raiders were dead, I was too busy cramming them down the throats of my opponents. I built even more of them because a Templar Crusade cannot have too many Land Raiders.
I already have um...quite a few of the more common varieties, so I wanted to do something different and since the Prometheus can be taken as a dedicated transport in the Vanguard Siege List which I like to play (see IA10 Badab Pt. II), I thought I would give it a shot.
The first thing I needed to do was figure out the heavy bolter sponsons. I collected all the left over heavy bolter bits I had and was happy to discover that I had plenty. You need eight, four in each sponson.
The next exercise was figuring out how to construct the sponsons. This turned out to be easier than I thought in that the heavy bolters from the LR or Razorback turret, already are set up to be joined, so I put those together and then create a mounting point for the lower set of bolters with some plastic spar.
Once that was done, I just glued them to the Land Raider Crusader sponsons.
The next exercise was figuring out how to construct the sponsons. This turned out to be easier than I thought in that the heavy bolters from the LR or Razorback turret, already are set up to be joined, so I put those together and then create a mounting point for the lower set of bolters with some plastic spar.
Once that was done, I just glued them to the Land Raider Crusader sponsons.
The body construction is a fairly straightforward exercise, so the only thing left was the front turret.
Unlike other Land Raiders, the Prometheus has optical whatnots (technical term) in the turret and so I ended up using the standard Razorback turret mount and attaching one of those (turn on your way back machine) command mounts that came out on a sprue with the first version of Apocalypse.
Back then, if you bought one of their big bundles (I got the Vindicator Linebreaker box), you also got a single sprue with command goodies for placing on your command tank.
So that's what I did. Easy peasy.
From there, the next step was to prime and basecoat.
Unlike other Land Raiders, the Prometheus has optical whatnots (technical term) in the turret and so I ended up using the standard Razorback turret mount and attaching one of those (turn on your way back machine) command mounts that came out on a sprue with the first version of Apocalypse.
Back then, if you bought one of their big bundles (I got the Vindicator Linebreaker box), you also got a single sprue with command goodies for placing on your command tank.
So that's what I did. Easy peasy.
From there, the next step was to prime and basecoat.
Um...yes, seventh row with your hand up.
[listens to off mic comment]
Excellent question and I agree, it isn't painted black. I prefer softer contrasts and a more natural look to my figures and vehicles.
So my "Black" Templars are actually various shades of grey, though I do try to keep it to something less than fifty. That softer approach tends to confuse my opponents in a game as they begin to think that I'm not a hard line "black and white" kind of personality, which couldn't be further from the truth.
This confusion usually gets cleared up once the shooting starts.
[listens to off mic comment]
Excellent question and I agree, it isn't painted black. I prefer softer contrasts and a more natural look to my figures and vehicles.
So my "Black" Templars are actually various shades of grey, though I do try to keep it to something less than fifty. That softer approach tends to confuse my opponents in a game as they begin to think that I'm not a hard line "black and white" kind of personality, which couldn't be further from the truth.
This confusion usually gets cleared up once the shooting starts.
The next step was to peel off the reverse masking and reveal our glorious Maltese cross and the area allocated for the crusade badge*.
From there, it was just a matter of detailing, adding washes to the recesses and "Bob's your uncle!"
Overall, I'm pretty happy with the results. I'll eventually get some weathering powders on the lower hull to match my other Land Raiders and then he's ready for battle.
I named him "Occulus Imperator", which loosely translates to "the Emperor's Eye". Given the battlefield role and capabilities of the Prometheus, that seems fitting.
So I think that's about it for now. It went by so quickly. I do have to say that I'm not ready yet for a regular cycle of posting, but I do appreciate being able to come back.
Take care everyone.
Cheers,
I named him "Occulus Imperator", which loosely translates to "the Emperor's Eye". Given the battlefield role and capabilities of the Prometheus, that seems fitting.
So I think that's about it for now. It went by so quickly. I do have to say that I'm not ready yet for a regular cycle of posting, but I do appreciate being able to come back.
Take care everyone.
Cheers,
* Side note: The Crusade badge came from a gaming exercise the Bolter and Chainsword Black Templar forum conducted earlier in the year. There is no official Crusade of Wrath campaign badge, so we came up with this one.
