Space Hulk Filler

Heavens, is it already nearly a year since I last painted a Darvon VI Genestealer?

Yes, it makes me feel sick too.

General Leofa sent over a clutch of Tyranids earlier in the year, the last part of a commission I've done for him. There is a rumour in the air that he will one day GM over a large Space Hulk campaign, and these are doubtless going to feature when that airs.

Good game, Space Hulk. Between that and Advanced Heroquest, it got me thoroughly trapped into the abyss of GW products. Even now, twenty five years on, I am only slowly emerging from those depths. On the plus side, I've levelled up a lot and have much better equipment.

There's only one original and best 'stealer in this pack. The rest are modern day Tyranid ones, with the scything talons upgrade and the extra shoulder pads that they can rock. They look good too, the old one from the box fits in well. I still prefer that exposed muscle look on the veteran, mind you, but that's just me.

The 'alt head' triplet - Blind'n'Boney, Wishing I was Cthullhu and Royal Navy Dartmouth.

These guys have their younglings with them - a triple set of triplets, small and savage Ripper Swarms. Nice models, fast and savage looking. Leofa asked for them to be a paint scheme somewhere between the Darvon VI guys and the Bone/Green ones I did from the last lot. These have gunmetal armour and dark green tails.

The gunmetal allows them to go with these egg clusters, gunmetal being a specific request. Makes them look appropriately Geiger-esque, I think. I've half a mind to dig out some of my original box set 'stealers and see what they'd look like painted to look like the xenomorphs they originally ripped off. Probably pretty good.

As payment for this lot, I chose a 40K basing kit. Partly to help with the 40K stuff I'm doing for Kasfunatu, but also because the slate can be used in Fantasy too. I've reinvested a little back into these tyranids, with another Crimson Fist helmet lying punctured on the deck somewhere.

Painting Guide:

• Blue Shell - Blue Grey basecoat, double washed with Drakenhof Nightshade. Altdorf Guard and Etherium Blue drybrushes.
• Purple Skin - Xereus Purple base for the head and hands, then Druchii Violet wash and Lucius Lilac drybrush, selective Changeling Pink touches like ears or throat
• Purple Muscle Flashes -  I wanted this a bit lighter and more eyecatching than the rest of the skin, so Druchii Violet over the washed basecoat, then Changeling Pink drybrush.
• Talons - XV88, Agrax Earthshade, Ushabti Bone, Tyrant Skull, White Scar, Blah Blah Blah why can't I try something original for boney bits for a change?
• Tongues and Tentacles - Incubi Darkness, Cabalite Green layer, light Hellion Green drybrush. Same on the Broodlord's base slime and the Ripper tails.
• Geiger Gunmetal - Leadbelcher, Nuln Oil, Mithril Silver drybrush
• Eyes - A dot of Mephiston Red

Leading this brood is what used to be called a Patriarch. Broodlords these days, is that right? Bigger and angrier Genestealers, at any rate.

This one is from that boxset that got released last summer, the one with the Blood Angels in it. It got a Deadly Nightshade base, Nuln Oil wash, Teclis Blue layer and very light Etherium Blue drybrush, so it's much darker.

He's nicely massive, and posing on some kind of Tyrannoform bone spike. A nice touch, although I think his final destination is probably on a more Hulk-appropriate base. I based these guys on autopilot, I know that gravel isn't really the best for them. But it's dark and not terribly eye catching, so it ought to do for now.