Pre Heresy Luna Wolves

[tiny sam]

why is this army the exact representation I've had of Pre-Heresy luna wolves? I mean I'm shocked right now I wasn't expecting that at 8 o clock in the morning!

 

I also demand a tutorial on the white and the list of pieces (bolter mark etc!)

 

 

 

.... I'm stunned, Good job

[tagsta]

absolutely incredible! what is next? any vehicles? will we get to see some characters? Loken, Horus Aximand, anyone?

[Wibble]

Ok, so due to demand I have thrown together a quick tutorial.

This is Sergeant Kavan of Squad VIII, 1st Company, Luna Wolves

Airbrushing first giving progressively lighter coats as you go up the scale so by the time you get to white it is virtually only a dusting, giving the effect of a very light grey going to white. All I can suggest with this is practice and think of it as if you were progressively highlighting the model with lighter shades.

USA grey

Light Grey

Pale Grey Blue

White

(all Vallejo model air paints - so much better than games workshop paints for this sort of thing)

The edges of the plates are then lined in Light Grey as seen below

The edges of the plates are then highlighted with white

At this point I do all of the Black parts of the model just using ordinary Chaos Black (after this picture I have also added highlights of 50/50 Chaos Black/Codex grey and then a final edge highlight of codex grey)

Then the pouches and holster in Khemri Brown, Highlighted with a 1/2 Khemri, 1/2 Bleached Bone mix, then a final highlight of Bleached Bone on the very edges.

At the same time you can do the oath of moment on the left shoulder pad and any other scroll work or purity seals. Just highlight far more liberally with Bleached Bone.

Next I have started on all the red - wax seal on the oath, helmet crest and scabbard (this is supposed to include the eyes but I forgot this time around). The basecoat is just Blood red 70/30 with Chaos Black.

This is then highlighted up to Blood Red with a halfway stage of 90/10 Red to Black.

Grenades are Catachan Green highlighted with a 50/50 mix with Bleached Bone.

Then onto the metallics - The Gold is basecoated with a Shining Gold 70/30 mix with Scorched Brown.

This is then highlighted with Shining Gold

And then all of the gold is given a Windsor & Newton peat brown ink wash. After the peat brown dries (and after this picture) I highlighted the edges with a 50/50 mix of Shining Gold and Mithril Silver.

Next up, all of the metal areas are painted Chainmail and given a watered down Black ink along with all the black areas (this works if the black areas are severely highlighted and are small - do not do on large expanses of black as it goes all blotchy). All of the gold areas, the pouches, the purity seals, the red and the grenades are then given a wash of Devlan mud to dull them down.

And so back to the armour - the first stage of the weathering is a few chips, paint in a few dots, slashes and small smudges of 50/50 Charadon Granite and Skull White. Try to make this as random as possible and concentrate on the areas where the paint work is most likely to have been chipped such as the lower legs, knees and elbows, but you can add the occasional chip elsewhere.

Then highlight underneath all the chips with pure skull white to give them depth against the background colour of the armour (which as mentioned at the beginning should be a very light grey in colour).

In the above picture as you can see I have started on the freehand as well - I have tried to keep this as simple and free of excess colour as possible. The Luna Wolves are supposed to be a very businesslike legion who don't go in for unnecessary ornamentation. This means all of the freehand is in Black. I water the chaos black down about 50/50 so it flows well onto the armour and if it's a complicated design then break it down into simple geometric shapes which are easier to paint. For example the Legion symbol is started with a blunt triangle pointing down with a rounded top. The ears are 2 triangles coming off the top 2 corners. The cheek areas are 2 more triangles coming off the sides of the main triangle. This gives you the basic shape to then add eyes and fur. Then add the moon behind with a steady hand and practice.

Next up is weathering powders - I use 2 different shades, both from Forge World, these are immensely useful and a single pot will last you a decade. I apply these with a stiff paintbrush, rubbing the powder into the armour around the areas most likely to get dirty (blowing off any excess) - the lower legs, the knees and the elbows. I use my fingers to rub this in and to wipe off any excess (this may sound crude but touch really is the most effective way of judging this).

First up is Fresh Mud

Then a less thorough layer of Dried Mud which gives a change in tone, otherwise it's too flat.

Once this was done I finished off the base which is Khemri Brown 60/40 with Chaos Black as the basecoat highlighted with Kemri Brown. The rocks are Adeptus Battlegrey highlighted with a 50/50 mix of Adeptus Battlegrey and Skull White, the rocks are then give a thin coat of Devlan Mud to dull them down. Then patches of scorched grass and small patches of snow (the last vestiges left after a thaw). The snow is made from 1/3 GW Snow Flock, 1/3 PVA and 1/3 Skull White.

The whole effect is finished off with a mat spray. I've used Testors Dullcote but seeing as it's virtually impossible to get hold of this outside the US you will have to find an alternative.

Here's the final model;

So that's it, I hope that's answered a few questions. I realise this guide is a bit crude but I was in a bit of a rush this evening. If you have any questions then just ask and I will be happy to answer if possible.

PS. Thanks to Koran for sourcing the Testors Dullcote and for forcing me to buy the whole set of FW weathering powders (and for the tips on their use)..

PPS. In reference to the other questions:

1. I will be doing vehicles (2 Rhinos, 2 Drop pods, 1 Vindicator and a Landspeeder), I will be attempting to convert the existing models to resemble the older mks.

2. The army will be led by Ezekyle Abaddon in Terminator Armour leading his Justaerin (the army is 1st Company).

3. So that means no Loken to begin with but I may be tempted to do him later.

4. The total contains 46 power armoured marines (all will be FW - a mix of mostly MKIV with the occasional MKIII - this does kind of break the bank but they're so very very very shiny),

5 Terminators, 2 Rhinos, 2 Drop pods, 1 Vindicator and a Landspeeder

5. I will post the army list tomorrow if you want a look (this uses the Space Wolf codex).

6. In partial answer to Tiny Sam's question - All the marines are MKIV or MKIII from FW, the bolters are all Umbra Ferrox pattern (also FW), I've used the missile launchers and meltaguns from the FW special weapons pack (the combi weapon above is made from an Umbra Ferrox and a cut down FW melta). The helmet crests are from Warlord Games Praetorian Guard 28mm. I've tries to use as many of the FW arms as possible but otherwise they are from the normal plastic kits.

[ephrael]

Very impressive work so far. I am looking forward to more of your work with the MK 3 armor as well. There is a fellow over on The Great Crusade forums making some very good looking conversion parts for the Rhino chassis to make it look like the RT era one. I can get you a link if you are interested in checking them out.

[Wibble]

Here's the army list so it should give a fairly good idea of whats to come. This uses the Space Wolf codex as it seemed to fit best with the mainly infantry based dynamic of the Luna Wolves (and only a Grey Hunter is hard enough to match up to a normal Luna Wolf). I have of course dispensed with all the post Heresy equipment and anything that is exclusively Space Wolf.

 

Luna Wolves 1st Company

 

 

HQ

 

Logan Grimnar (1st Captain Ezekyle Abaddon) = 275pts

 

 

ELITES

 

6 Wolfguard = 108

1. Terminator, Cyclone Missile, Frost Blade (Justaerin) = 55
   
2. Terminator, Storm Shield, Chainfist (Justaerin) = 45
   
3. Terminator, Storm Shield, Power Weapon (Justaerin) = 30
   
4. Terminator, Combi-Melta, Power Weapon (Justaerin) = 20
   
5. Power Armour, Power Fist, Combi-Melta (Squad VIII) = 25
   
6. Power Armour, Power Fist, Combi-Melta (Squad IV) = 25
   

Drop pod (for Justaerin) = 35

Total = 343

 

 

TROOPS

 

8 Grey Hunters (Squad VIII) = 120

Meltagun, Power Weapon = 20

Drop pod = 35

Total = 175

 

8 Grey Hunters (Squad IV) = 120

Meltagun, Power Weapon = 20

Rhino = 35

Total = 175

 

10 Grey Hunters (Squad III) = 150

2 Plasma Guns, Power Weapon = 25

Rhino = 35

Total = 210

 

6 Grey Hunters (Squad XVI) = 90

Plasma Gun = 10

Total = 100

 

 

FAST ATTACK

 

Land Speeder - Multi-Melta, Heavy Flamer = 70

 

 

HEAVY SUPPORT

 

6 Long Fangs (Squad XII) = 90

5 Missile Launchers = 50

Total = 140

 

6 Long Fangs (Squad XII) = 90

5 Missile Launchers = 50

Total = 140

 

Vindicator - Siege Shield = 125

 

 

GRAND TOTAL = 1750pts

 

 

I've used Logan's rules to represent Abaddon as he is the only one hard enough (also once you've added all the extras to a Wolf Lord to make him good enough to be Abaddon then he's pretty much the same points as Logan). Logan's rules can all be justified with Abaddon and the Axe Morkai can be represented by Abaddon's claw, he either rakes with the talons, counting as a frost blade or he punches them, counting as a Power Fist (before anyone has a go at me saying he got this from Horus, according to Galaxy in Flames he has one when he fights Loken and Torgaddon). Also Abaddon has a combi-bolter so a Storm Bolter is close enough.

 

I was initially going to make the army 10th company (I am a loyalist at heart) but I just couldn't find a place for a Captain with a Power Sword and Bolter. Also I got tied up in modelling ideas for Abaddon, a much more interesting project.

 

Anyway, back to painting and I will post any new models as they come along.

[Natanael]

Spear Tip FTW. I like it a lot, the army and the list. It has a Luna Wolf feel to it. Lots of power in a small package. Are the LFs supposed to be the same squad, XII?

 

Also, I dont think that you are allowed to post specific point values here, so just post squad totals.

 

I hope to convince my friends to start some pre heresy armies soon. I want cool battle reenactments :P

 

- Natanael

 

Reason for edit - spelling

[Bolt16]

Wibble this is one seriously great thread!!! Your skills at painting and modelling are stunning and these have to be amongst the best if not the best pre-heresy marines I've seen ;) I love how clean and simple they are yet how dynamic and imposing they look - the white/grey is just jaw dropping :P

 

Just one thing I wonder if the horse hair crescents might not look better with a top knot of metal between the helmet and them? Doubt it makes much of a difference though and I just seriously love these models!!!!

 

The tutorial was also really really great one of the best I've seen - clear simple to the point.

 

Can't wait to see more and a group shot.

[Wibble]

Spear Tip FTW. I like it a lot, the army and the list. It has a Luna Wolf feel to it. Lots of power in a small package. Are the LFs supposed to be the same squad, XII?

 

Also, I dont think that you are allowed to post specific point values here, so just post squad totals.

 

I hope to convince my friends to start some pre heresy armies soon. I want cool battle reenactments :P

 

- Natanael

 

Reason for edit - spelling

 

 

 

Oops the Long Fangs are 2 squads - 2nd one is supposed to be Squad XIII

 

Sorry about the seperate points costs - I didn't know, I shall behave in future. ;)

 

 

 

Just one thing I wonder if the horse hair crescents might not look better with a top knot of metal between the helmet and them? Doubt it makes much of a difference though and I just seriously love these models!!!!

 

I did try a gap initially but it just ended up raising the crest too much above the helmet and looked a bit odd.

[Hyperion]

Utterly fantastic Luna Wolves.

 

Thanks for the tutorial - I really hope I can match the style on my White Scars.

 

Please come and visit www.thegreatcrusade.co.uk - PH/HH modellers always welcome! ;)

[Rogan]

Those are the best Luna Wolves I've ever seen.

Same here. Nothing to add.

[Marshal Traben]

These Luna Wolves are fantastic!! <_<

[angryswarmofbees]

Thanks for the tutorial...I tried weathering and battle damage and it just wrecked my mini. Do you use the same technique on vehicles? Can't wait to try it out. Thanks man.

 

Keep up the awesome

[Wibble]

Good evening everybody.

I have finally finished my second 'Tactical Squad'

So here are the pictures of Squad VIII led by Sergeant Kavan from the above tutorial.

With that done I decided to do some group shots of what's done so far.

I hope to start work on the Justaerin now. However with Christmas in the way and the tardiness of my mail order, you may have to wait a week or so for any further updates.

Thank you to everyone who's posted comments on my thread and have a great Christmas.

[Ramora]

looking pretty awesome

[Pulse]

Oh man these chaps are coming on a treat, fantastic to see more of your work!! :D

[xenofexx]

Wonderful work!

 

I'm feeling very inspired to go and do some SM-painting after seeing these. Your marines go to show that a little extra attention given to each mini can really make a squad stand out. Without a doubt the coolest pre-heresy squad I've seen ;)

[Natanael]

I need to speed up the work on my Alpha Legion, your guys make me all pre-heresy-ish :D This is so awesome!

 

- Natanael

[MagicMan]

Fantastic.

 

They look exactly how i imagine them in the novel. Great work.

[Lord Kharloth]

;)

 

 

That is all.

[-=Dan=-]

Hi, make me a Loken figure... :)

 

Other than that, stunning minis! love the clean paint job as well mixed with the battle damage, works well!

[tyrannosaurus]

Jesus wept...

[ewhile]

how did you make the helmet crest? Never mind

[Dosjetka]

make me a Loken figure...

Answer:

2. The army will be led by Ezekyle Abaddon in Terminator Armour leading his Justaerin (the army is 1st Company).

3. So that means no Loken to begin with but I may be tempted to do him later.

 

Ludovic

[Durfast Spiritwolf]

I think this is looks like a fantastic little army with spades of imagination and flair.

 

Well done little brother :)

[kingsandy]

@wibble

 

We need to finish making up that board to look the same as the bases. Of your now 14 armies I think this is probably the one most deserving of its own board!