Loyalty and Mayhem - Aspiration

[hushrong]

I have extra bits I can rummage through for a predator if you need them. Maybe I can throw something else with them for that sweet, sweet Sons of Horus etched brass you mentioned having and not using. Shoot me a pm if you are interested.

 

I think the damage on the front isn't overly concentrated. It would make sense that a tank kept its front facing the enemy since that's where its armor is thickest. And seeing that damage it proved that. Maybe some damage to the side, like where the exhausts are could be a nice touch.

[Pearson73]

Thanks for the offer brother, I'll send you a pm now.  As for the damage, the exhaust housings on the sides stick out with some nice angles, so they'll certainly provide some intersting areas to add damage and effects.

[Vairocanum]

Congrats on your exchange to Germany! I'm actually going on exchange for my last semester as well! The tank is looking good, I think a little more weathering and grime would look nice. Looking forward to seeing more!

[Pearson73]

For those who followed this log and were unaware, I've started a log up in the chaos forum (Blades of Perfection) where my warband will be more deeply explored. As mentioned, this thread will now be used primarily to seek advise on projects before presentation there.

I'm planning on adding two dual butcher contemptors to my warband and though I have the two dreads, I'm lacking anything suitable to use for the cannons. Whilst thinking this problem over, I began to consider that multiple missile pods could make an acceptable proxy; they match the high strength, armour penetration and output of the butcher profile and I imagine that rapid firing ordnance would have quite the negative effect on morale. I've used the old mock-up of a havoc launcher I made for my rhinos a while back (now discarded due to their size) but I need to know if it looks right:

Do they work? If not, what might improve them, or should I try something more traditional?

@Vairocanum - Thanks buddy! I think exchanges are a great opportunity, where in the world are you headed? More weathering is certainly needed, it's an area I want to explore more with the warband, as though they're not going to be squeaky clean, they're also not going to be caked like my loyalists. Finding a middle ground will be interesting.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Do they work?

Depends on how you want the Contemptor to look. As is, the oil barrels-turned-missile launchers look crude, like something a World Eaters Techmarine would "kitbash" out of whatever materials were available- materials so low in quality, only the most impoverished or desperate would use them. Is that the impression you want us to have?

[Pearson73]

Thanks for the feedback Bjorn; as my chaps are a fairly elite, martial pride style warband hailing from the IIIrd, the ramshackle look isn't quite what I'm after; though it's certainly coming across at the minute. On the other hand, they certainly don't exist on good terms with their parent legion and the long war won't have been easy on them, so a less orthodox, more alternative weapon system would probably be likely. I'm hoping that with a little work, the cyclinders will look less like oil barrels (any tips would be appreciated).

 

I'm starting to really like this missile idea, as it'll give me some unique war engines, but still represent the rules. Plus, shelling out for four Decimator butchers or sets of Defiler reapers would cost as leasr as much as the two dreads did originally...

[Bjorn Firewalker]

I like the Contemptor because its arms look articulated, with shoulders that can pivot to the sides as well as up-and-down, and elbows so the interred Marine can fire arm-mounted weapons from behind cover. As is, the lack of elbows limits the Contemptor's posability, making him look static; he can't extend his arms to look dramatic as he fires the arm-mounted missile launcher, or bend the arm so his elbow forms a sharp point with which to brain an enemy that's "danger close" (he can't fire the missile launcher without putting himself in the missiles' blast radii).

 

Restoring the elbows will certainly reduce the Contemptor's apparent crudity. Another would be to add plasticard strips to reinforce the oil barrels, but that will be difficult to do (the oil barrel is ribbed, which will get in the way).

[Pearson73]

Thanks for those ideas Bjorn, I think restoring the elbows will help immensely, and I'll add some banding, probably directly over the ribs, filling the gap with a little putty. Your comments are always very considered and the questions you ask help folk to look deeper into their projects, the same was true here and is much appreciated.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

By the way, will you expose the scratches where a loyalist Contemptor would display his banner and purity seals- paint them the silver of bare metal- as a statement? (For comparison, note Talos, the protagonist of Aaron Dembski-Bowden's Night Lords stories, exposes the defaced Aquilas of the breastplates he salvaged from loyalist Marines he killed, instead of covering up the Aquila with a Night Lords Legion symbol.) Or would you green stuff Chaos or Chaos Space Marine symbols to cover up the scratches?

[Markus_]

As is the barrels look more like something a Ork would conjure. If you're fond of the round missile pod idea, I'd try and find better references for it, like the rocked pods seen on Soviet aircraft.

[Pearson73]

@Bjorn Firewalker - Some of the scratches will be left exposed, but I might try make a chaotic motif in the centre of the torso. A corrupted, clawed Aquila might work well, linking back to their lineage.

 

@Markus_ - I'll be sure to check them out, thanks for the idea! I think you're right about the current appearance being too crude; it's a comment that's keeps coming up.

[hushrong]

If you are interested I have the two guns from a space marine stalker (on sprue) that may be suitable for butcher cannons.

 

...and now I kick myself for not thinking about that when I was building my last contemptor who I wanted to have two butcher cannons. Let me know bud!

[Pearson73]

Those Stalker cannons are a really good idea, I'd never have considered them. I'm currently bidding for a few different lots of chaos bits on eBay, including Helbrute and Defiler cannons, so I'll decline your offer for now, but thank you!

[hushrong]

Yeah, I built the hunter to use as an artillery gun (yup, weird I know) so I just have those bits sitting around if you change your mind.

[Pearson73]

Thanks man, I'll have a go at refining the missiles and see what cannons I acquire and get back to you.

[hushrong]

Sounds good! I am interested in seeing how you get the cannons work out.

 

I'm always on the prowl for ideas to borrow

[Chiwie]

He was a slaughterer.

King of the arena.

A red terror.

That was before.

Before the daemon.

Now?

He's unstoppable.

A monster.

Thanks brother, the extra size brings a few challenges matching the scale, but is also very rewarding with the extra space to play around with.

Holy smokes that is awesome.

[Pearson73]

Thanks @Chiwie though I must admit he might be my least favourite of the three Aspirants I've built. Think it's because he looks so different to the other two, due to the Stormcast base, his pose is definitely something I'm happy with though. There'll be a few more Aspirants coming in the near future too.

 

@hushrong 'Borrow' away, though it'll be more than even with the ideas you've given me!   I won the Helbrute lot and received it yesterday, so I now need to figure out how to graft the reapers to the arms in a way that doesn't look too ramshackle.

[hushrong]

Nice! Interested in seeing what you cook up! Are you trying to attach them without an elbow to the rest of the arm/shoulder of a contemptor?

[Pearson73]

I was looking at that initially, but it looked too compacted, the elbows give some much needed spacing and, as Bjorn said, give the Contemptor its look. I actually spotted a conversion on Instagram that used the Brute's lascannon arm and part of a Daemon Prince arm to connect it to the Contemptor chassis. At the minute, I'm going to try use the elbows, but could use parts of the Brute close combat arms if necessary; should hopefully get some mockups posted today.

[hushrong]

Looking forward to the mock ups! I think an elbow is necessary. Just for the practicality of the walker being able to take more accurate aim. Plus, the posing opportunity increases too :)

[Gang Zu]

Interesting approach on the fists of the Contemptor - looking very brutal and am curious how he turns out painted! Also the Posessed got me interested. After listening to all the HH audiobooks recently, especially the ones including Word Bearers, I'm looking forwards to seing more.

[Pearson73]

Not working today, so a Contemptor mock-up should be inbound by the afternoon.

First though, I've done a quick mock up of what could be my warband motif, or at least one that I would like to put on one of the Contemptor torsos, it's a corrupted Aquila which represents the warband's heritage in the IIIrd. This was done very roughly in Word using the crop tool, as I don't have and wouldn't know where to start in Photoshop or any other such program, so if anyone has any suggestions there, I'm all ears:

@Gang Zu Thanks brother, as the discussion here revealed, the barrel launchers were just too unrefined for Fulgrim's sons, but I would certainly be developing them further for a World Eaters band as I feel the cruder, more apocalyptic look really suits them. My possessed Aspirants are really some of my favourite models that I've made and I'm really looking forward to cranking out some more. The Gal Vorbak (both the models and in the books) were, of course, a huge influence as they have the bulk and warping that I imagine in possessed Astartes and is, unfortunately, lacking in the current kit.

[hushrong]

That's a pretty damn sweet emblem! I like that it represents the Aquila but more, elaborate and corrupted from its original form. Plus, it also reminds me of the eagles used on royal crest throughout Europe. So that fits even more since a lot of EC were sons of Europa if I am not mistaken.

[Pearson73]

Thanks @hushrong I definitely wanted to go for a corrupted Aquila and my initial starting point was that the claws would be more vicious and cruel, though I was unsure on how to alter the heads. I then spotted an alternate Emperor's Children 40k icon with the section of Chaos star and it all fell into place from there.

I've had a bash around with the Helbrute parts for the Contemptor and have decided to try the hammer arms to heft the weapons, as I detest the actual hammers, so have no qualms about cutting them up. This is how we're looking right now with copious amounts of Blutack:

Obviously the pose isn't sorted yet, but let me know what you think of the arms and weapons.