The Beetles

They're all the rage just now, this lot.

Aren't you a little red for an Ultramarine?

GW's latest set of 40K releases has created a proper Deathwatch infestation, and no mistake. General Leofa has long been assembling a Deathwatch army, predating the new set of rules by a couple of years. I'm painting them, as well as a few sets of their adversaries down the line.

Whilst I think I've done them justice, it did feel a little sad to sit and follow the 'proper instructions' for their colours. Still, if part of me died a little inside each time I didn't get to freehand some elaborate shoulder pad, another part was entirely reborn, renewed and rejoicing, at the comparative ease.

Eek! I trod on a scary skull!

Wolverwho? Never heard of him.

And my paints! Salamander Green and Space Wolf Grey must have been thrilled, nearly twenty five years after their purchase, to finally be used as they were intended.

Man, I brought a knife to a gunfight again. Dammit.

I got a couple of new shades in, both drybrushes. Sigmarite for the gold trim, for a lick of highlight on top, and Terminatus Stone for browns. Came out particularly well on the eagle, I found, over Rhinox Hide and Skrag Brown.

Years of using the radioactive sword made his teeth glow.

Cyborg? Never heard of him.

Great models, each one with enough character for an army leader despite being grunts. Elite grunts, true, but grunts for all that. The Librarian and the Biker are my favourites, so I put in extra effort for the two of them.

Deathwatch Overkill, the game this guy comes from, takes place in a mine. Into which this loony is riding a bike. Man, if Jones had done that in Temple of Doom, the final chase would have been much shorter.

He must dismount occasionally, because he's got a shield too. Or maybe he just steers with his knees, I don't know.

I tried to paint it as though it's reflecting the sky (stupid, he's in a mine, remember?), which wasn't bad for a first attempt. Hard to get the light right with all that detail though. I've seen this done beautifully on a smoother shield, and I'll be trying again until I get it right.

Sons of the Opposite of Anarchy

Nah, mate, that's not a preposterously outsized gun. This is a preposterously outsized gun.

No, wait, I take it all back about the tiny details. As soon as I discovered that in the fluff, the Librarian is called Jensus Natorian. Come on, GW! You seriously expect me to try and paint 'Natorian' legibly on a shoulder scroll the same size as one of the tines on a toddler's fork? Thanks a lot for that headache.

Quiet! This is a public study area!

Legible was a bridge too far. Introducing Codicier Natofublrb.

Still, lovely looking set of models, colourful and fun to paint. Fairly quick too, I expected the fine detail to take a lot more work than it did. If my renditions are nothing spectacular compared to the crisp and exotic specimens out there in Webland, they're nothing to be ashamed of either. More to come for them in due course.

When I find the barber who did this to me, he shall feel the Emperor's wrath!

 

Everybody - The Blackstreet Boys