Hive Fleet Kraken

 Here's part two of the Genestealer Job. As appropriate to something hulk-based, I painted them green.

When I play Relic's Dawn of War II game (a very infrequent occasion these days), I always customise my army's paintjob rather than select the pre-established ones. Because I take my gaming seriously, obviously, and half the point of the army is painting them. Even if it takes thirty seconds and is done by clicking on colour selection pallets. O life in games, how you mock our daily drudgery.

I can't help but think that the one on the left is rollerskating on all those skulls.

When I play as Tyranids, this bone-and-green scheme is usually what I go for. Not quite this, actually, the green I use for the Kraken - Gothenburg Tendril is a metallic one. My original plan was to use Glistening Green for these guys, just as an edge highlight. But it looked crap, so I didn't.

Skulls are also used as ball bearings in Imperial sliding doors. Standard practice - if in doubt, bung skulls in it. Works every time. 

Lovely models, in terms of dynamics, and I love the vignette-style bases. But I discovered I had reservations as I painted them. There's some lazy lazy sculpting that's snuck in there, not least because the models aren't as varied as they look from afar (triple repeats of several stances).

Take this trio, for example. That 'stealer on the left is missing an arm! You don't spot it immediately (well, I didn't, you might be a bit brighter than me), but it's only got five limbs.

Base jumping is really catching on with the Genestealer teens at the moment.
Only 25mm bases, though. 

And the middle and right ones here? Same model. Identical, just mirror imaged and given different bases and bowling balls. Seriously, almost half the models are bowling. Tyrannids? More like... search for a laboured pun, search for a laboured pun... Tenpinnanids!

Strike!
(As in 'please go on writer's')

Meh - small complaints, I know. The only other one I can manage is that I actually prefer what they did with the original models' backs and carapace. The skeletal look these guys rock is good too, don't get me wrong. I just like the older ones with their weird exposed musculature.

The marines in Space Hulk are usually Blood Angels, but I know Leofa has some Crimson Fists knocking about somewhere. Well, I guess they just found their Terminators.

Crimson Fists are also nice and easy to paint (other than the bloody logo, which is a pain) - plain dark blue. Simples. Not that it influences my choice in any way. 

Not all of them, that would have been boring. So one Blood Angel head in there at least.

Alas poor Brother Captain Yorick! I ate him, Horatio.

Painting Guide:

• Limbs and Head - Bleached Bone, washed with Brown Ink, then layered up with Bleached Bone again (which was a right pain, because my old pot has gone the consistency of putty and needed a lot of diluting, never an exact science with acrylics) then drybrushed with Tyrant Skull
• Carapaces - Death World Green given a heavy Green Ink wash, then layered with Death World Green again and drybrushed with Hellion Green 
• Talons and teeth - Bolt Gun Metal. Runefang drybrush for teeth, 'Arcoat gloss for talons. 
• Tongues - Tentacle Pink, Red ink wash, Tentacle Pink drybrush
• Skulls on bases - Bollocks, knew there was a reason I shouldn't paint their limbs bone colour. Steel Legion Drab, Agrax Earthshade wash, White Scar drybrush
• Dead Terminators - Marine Dark Blue drybrushed with a 50/50 Marine Dark Blue and White Scar mix, then washed with Deadly Nightshade. 
• Metalwork - Various, mostly Mithril Silver with Typhus Corrosion, Black Ink and Runefang drybrushes

Twenty five all told, I think. They don't tessellate at all well. The claws get all enmeshed with one another. Very clingy, the second generation.

Slightly different colours for the Broodlord, who's a great model. So great, it looks like they're doing almost exactly the same one for next weekend's rumoured Blood Angels/Tyrannids boxset.

An apple a day keeps the Grimdark away. 

I thought he might be a bit older and gnarlier. Also grumpier. His bowels must be agony. One look at what he's just pooped out and you know he's not a happy chap.

He's probably got skull piles too.

His carapace is the same colour mix, although I used more drybrush and was a bit more painstaking with the layering. But the limbs are Bleached Bone washed with Nuln Oil, then layered with Eshin Grey before the Tyrant Skull drybrush. And then drybrushed again with Underhive Ash, making it a bit greeny-browner than the others.

He's also a bowling addict. Just can't stop. Every time he tries, he gets a cold Turkey. 

And that's the lot! I'm now going to take a short break from painting, but I'll be back amongst the Dark Elves before long. Speaking of which, everybody got hold of the copy of the new All-Elf End Times?

No, me neither.

Turn off night vision! Turn off night vision!