The Watchers on the Wall

More progress on the bases. Desert bases were

• Primed
• Painted Vallejo Khaki
• Wahed GW Seraphim Sepia
• Areas of playground sand were washed with Agrax Earthshade

Next up, copious drybrushing.

I’m also working on converting my first true character, a Deathwatch Justicar. I started with the Indomitus Justicar, then:

• Used a helmed head from the DW sprue
• Changed the sword for a Necron blade from one of the destroyers to create a large xenophase blade
• Using the head from a Deathwatch heavy thunder hammer, created a Xenos artifact to replace the hourglass. Like a cube from the upcoming necron chronomancer.

Still need to fancy up the backpack some.

Too long a day to paint tiny miniatures, so decided to hammer out a bunch of bases. My basing method is a variant of the baking soda and super glue method. My trick is I use Gel super glue. Unlike normal super glue, gel superglue won’t auto level, so will maintain some undulations and texture that will make it look like more realistic, uneven ground.

To start, squirt some glue on the base, and spread it around with a paperclip or toothpick.

After applying glue, dip in the baking soda, shake off, and set aside to dry. Unlike the normal baking soda method, some dry time is necessary, as the glue is thicker in areas, and won’t auto-set from exposure to the baking soda.

Once dry, use an old brush to clean off the excess baking soda. A warning, this is a messy process.

If using the indomitus bases with the peg hole, I would recommend cleaning the peg hole with a knife. Some glue/baking soda may have dried in the hole, and if this isn’t cleaned out, it could cause the peg not to fit.

The next step is to add small, irregular patches of sand to represent areas of rock and larger gravel. For this, I spread normal super glue in irregular areas, and them dip the base in playground sand. I use super glue instead of white glue, as white glue has a tendency to loosen when exposed to water-based paint.

I like this method as the baking soda is a more realistic dirt texture scale-wise when compared to a 28mm mini. Using pure sand makes a model appear to be standing in a field of large stones. I also like basing separate from mini painting, as both flocking and painting are such messy processes.

More to come in step 2

This was the first model I bought when starting this Deathwatch Army. I honestly wasn’t a fan of this model when it was first released. This, along with many other Phobos Armored Marines struck me as too “Rainbow Six” and not enough “Grimdark”.

however, the Deathwatch have strong tech theme with their special issue ammunition and bazillion weapon options. Where Grey Knights are holy paladins battling the daemonic, the Deathwatch are half navy seal, half exterminators.

There are a bunch of conversions in this fig.

1) I loved the heavy bolted sidearm, but decided to tweak it a little by adding a revolver style gun magazine that I 3D printed.

2) despite the power first, I decided to give it a (large) combat blade, in the form of a 3D printed necron phase sword

3) I 3D printed deathwatch icons for the shoulder guard and front armor.

4) I green stuff sculpted the raptor icon on the right shoulder guard. Not too hard at this scale.

Overall the results were ok. I only have an FDM printer, so the quality on the 3D printed components wasn’t great, but were ok for a large model.

The Genesis Chapter was the first of the new Space Marine Chapters created during the Second Founding following the Horus Heresy. They revere Guilliman, and are one of the strictest followers of the Codex Astartes. The Chapter views service in the Deathwatch as a pilgrimage, an opportunity to demonstrate to their less-adherent brother marines the wisdom of the Codex. They always carry a copy of the sacred text on their person, even in the heat of battle.

Ajax’s incessant reciting of excerpts from Codex has earned him the call sign “Bookworm”.

Model is mostly a straight easy-build Intercessor. Only modifications are:

1) Green-stuff sculpted Chapter Badge

2) copy of the Codex Astartes made from plasticard and various conversion bits

3) trimmed off the sculpted shoulder guard, and replaced it with the deathwatch shoulder pad.

The conversions in this model were very simple, and were all about completing a theme. The Imperial Fists are siege masters and fortress builders, and as I built this model, it looked like a walking fortress. It’s as wide as it is tall, and Dwarfs even normal Terminators. The Grenade launcher on the shoulders looks like the parapet of a Fortress.

The only conversions were

1) Green Stuff IF icon on the right shoulder guard. This was done to try and challenge my sculpting skills, and also because painting the IF icon on a yellow background  is difficult, and not forgiving of mistakes.

2) switching the Agressor helmet, which looks rather insect-like, for the Mk3 Iron Armor helmet from the Burning of Prospero box. It just looks like a Castle portcullis/gate, emphasizing the Fortress theme.

Top it off with the call sign “Rook”, as he reminds me of a Rook chess piece.

Brother Bael is Primarily an Assault Intercessor from the indomitus box. The only modifications are:

1) a helmet less head from the standard Intercessor sprue

2) A right hand chainsword from the Space Wolf upgrade sprue – double-fisting chainswords!

3) a fleshtearers shoulder pad from the Deathwatch kill team frame

4) shoulder pad knife – because he might lose a chainsword…in someone’s skull

5) the painful process of shaving off the old shoulder pad to add the Deathwatch shoulder pad

I also took a shot at painting scars on his face. I started with thick stripes of Bugmans Glow (dark flesh tone), and then painted thin lines of flayed one flesh along the center of the Bugmans glow to create the scar tissue.

Overall result is a chainsaw-wielding nutter

“Even the Deathwatch’s enhanced sensors didn’t detect the approach of the sleek, Carcharadons frigate which delivered Veteran Brother Aka to his term of service in the Watch Fortress. It drifted, completely unpowered,  like a silent predator riding ocean currents towards its unaware prey.  The first anyone knew of the vessel’s approach was the thundering of docking clamps, and the hissing of the airlock pressure release.

None know what massive leviathan creature Aka slew to create his massive bone blade, but Pack Leader Leif insists it couldn’t possibly eclipse the monstrous Kraken of Fenris… could it?”

Adding another Assault Intercessor to the army. I’ve had this bone-sword, from an old Wrath of Kings model, in my bits box for years, waiting for a model to use it on. I liked the overall effect, but still feel the sword might be a tad large for the model. I had to add an extended handle to attempt to balance the weapon. The only other conversions include adding a pistol scope, and using an agressor helmet, as I thought it looked like the old Mark V helmets that Carcharadons often wear.

I also took a swing at painting some Maori tattoo patterns on his hip guard and his grieve.