Robin paints Genestealer Cults

So I’ve been planning this secret project for a while after finding a steal on eBay!

An Imperial Knight!

So my reasons for converting a knight are thus:

1. White Dwarf 126 references House Mortimer and a Genestealer Cult infestation. Referenced by their Iconography.
2. It matches with the lore surrounded by my cult of the bladed cog and the connection between Adeptus Mechanicus.
3. The Rule of Cool

As this Knight was bought on eBay it comes along with the baggage associated. Badly glued parts and poorly primed. My first task was to take apart bits and fulfil my concept of a Survey Neophyte from a ridgerunner in the latch.

Then my next task was to genestealer it up. With all their extra details like wires and vents it felt natural to add rivets and some wires to give a more industrial feel to it.

Then I took away the dirty imperial seal and replaced it with some of the genestealer icons from banners in by bits box. This included the shield on the Knight.

Finally I created the base using rocks, aquarium ferns, copper pipe, Ork boys, two neophytes and my favourite polyfiller. Creating a battle scene below the knight.

After priming black and highlighting corax white I noticed some gaps in the weapons… very frustrating. So I repaired  with polyfiller and with plastic glue before respraying.

I used a silver spray this time to make my job easier in the future with painting the panels.

I can’t wait to continue with this project and update you all.

So we’re off on our holidays; and in true Nerd form I hunted down a hobby store…

After a frantic search on Google I found the shop Nexus in the centre of Reykjavik that was actually opened til late.

Upon entering the shop I was blown away by the size of the place, the friendliness of the staff and the universality of 40K. There were some hobbyists gaming  and one of the staff showed me round the store very proud to show me what Iceland had to offer!!

Of course I couldn’t leave empty handed and bought a Locus for my Cult!

Hopefully my Viking Swordsmaster brings me luck in my next games! If you’re ever here definitely check out Nexus!!

WHAT A MILESTONE!

I’ve finally reached 2k of my Cult painted with this beautiful 10 man squad of Aberrants!

I tried some new techniques including my flesh shades with the airbrush.

Notably I used a “stencil” with a GSC painted purple then pressed onto the shoulder pads! This wasn’t a clean technique so I went over again with a fine brush to get the details but I’m tremendously happy with the results!

I think my next move is to swap and change units that Im happy with and move some that Im still unhappy with but that’s how you learn!

Enjoy my Aberrants! I promise there’s a full army photo shoot coming with the proper camera AND wish my luck we’re away to Iceland to take some photos over the Easter Holidays and I’m definitely going to be popping into my local (Ehm) hobby store!

Another milestone; the Goliath is finally finished! Just 10 Aberrants before 2k.

This model turned out beautifully and definitely was due to the airbrush layers! It would have taken so much longer without.

There includes layers of the mud texture and pigments to add rust; I never understand when I see clean GSC vechicles etc when so many strats deal with the cult clambering from the depths below to the centre of battle!

A new game and more things learned! Myself and Shay had a game over the weekend and unfortunately I suffered another loss! However with more things learned I wanted to talk about the fun I had with my cults and what I learnt about my play style with them.

A Hive Fleet has landed on a human world and began their usual preparations to turn the planet to BioMass to feed the hive; but alas a twisted Patriarch was unwilling to sacrifice his brood for the Star Children and turned this usual event into a conflict. Rebelling against their masters. Using the sewers of this planet a titan and several larger bugs hunt down the last remnants of the Revolution to feed on. After a short conflict the weapons of man were no match for the bugs and after massive fatalities only the Primus was left. He escaped to the sewer systems below to live in fear from the hive and doubting his existence and the legends of the Star Children…  

So we decided to have a fun home rule applied to our game. The first images are of a sewer system where an objective was hidden. The idea was that two sewers were led to the sewer system in the bottom right of the board. Only infantry would be allowed to enter the sewer system (size appropriate) and to escape out the single entrance roll a D6. Odds were the sewer closest to Shay’s deployment and Evens were the sewer closest to mine. This dimension was super fun and meant that small skirmishes were able to happen during the game apart from the main game itself.

Unfortunately as I mentioned previously it was a loss; 76 points to my 24. But I learned loads.

• I still don’t feel like my purestrains do the work they’re intended to and I do wish to focus more on Aberrants within my army.
• My Magus isn’t doing the work that I’d like (but I’m going to keep researching how I can make them punch!
• After a 4 turn game only my Primus was left along with the Tyranid Titan.
• My tactic to protect characters worked and my Nexos survived in combat for multiple turns and took out several Termagants with his keyboard! Amazing
• Strategically my Goliath getting destroyed early in the game led to a massive shift in control of my board control; I need to make sure to protect it more next time!!
• The stratagem “Return to Shadows” is my new favourite for the Kelermorph and Sanctus!

Fantastic day and another fun filled battle with my Cult!

As I reach the end of my draft 2000 point list I thought I’d post a milestone with pictures of the army so far.

The reason I say draft is I’m become increasingly aware that as I play Genestealer cults I’ve noticed certain changes in my play style and things that would possibly work better! I think really that’s the name of the game with playing the Cults; knowing what works for you; units and stratagems.

Anyway without further ado; here is what’s been painted up and what’s left.

I’m incredibly heartened that it’s just 10 Aberrants and my Goliath both part painted before the 2000k is finished.

Enjoy the pics of the Cult of the Bladed (Swamp?)

Small update in regards to work in progress. I finished my Abominant and am reaching the finishing the end of my Acoylte Hybrids! Just my Aberrants and Goliath to finish before my secret project. Enjoy the pics!

I tried melting the Kastellan Robot side with a lighter and ended up melting the Abominant familiar’s arm so I ended up chopping it off and using a Neophyte hand with dagger! I’m actually really happy with the conversion what a happy accident!

The Acolytes Hybrids just have the usual UV and leaf treatment left before I call them finished. I loved doing a different colour scheme to contrast with my previous acolyte hybrids. I tied in similar themes with the weapons to make the models fit within the scheme of my army! I also Reikland Fleshshaded the other Acolytes and now they look like a set.

Went to my local hobby store and asked my paint guru (John) how to make my airbrushed flesh on Aberrants and Abominant have some shades. I didn’t want to Agrax or Nuln oil and wanted something different after the work with the airbrush on the flesh. Reikland Fleshshade was just the ticket before I add fine details to these beautiful bois. This was achieved with Wazdakka Red all over , Kislev Flesh highlight, Corax White even lighter highlight and then Reikland Fleshshade with cotton buds to clear up the excess while still wet!