Progress. Slow, but Progress at least...

Just an update. I don't think anyone is really reading this so I am largely talking to myself.

But some progress is being done on the Chain-lord. Working up from the legs has been odd to say the least...and I'm at odds whether or not to do some scrawlwork or markings on the skulls or to keep them bleached and bare.

Suffice to say the metalwork I'm happy with, the progress is slowly getting toward the final bits  - head and shoulders and the weapons. Thinking for the daemon chainsword of going with a sort of...purplish OSL effect around the teeth, illuminating the weapon casing and some of the armour around it...but doing the teeth and blades themselves in purple tones and going for a 'slick' effect with inks.

But anyhow, enjoy the progress photos. Comments and all welcome as usual.

That Boy Ain't Right...

Well, now that I can get some decent sunlight I've done what any sensible lunatic has. I've set down and started painting.

My initial plan is to paint each of the 'figurehead' characters of the faction and a squad that follows them to get a better idea of their appearance. Of course, being characters I'm going to put attention into them and do them to the best of my ability. Weathering, scratches and all.

So the first character to start with...the Jump Lord.

Seriously, I need to hash out a name and background for him proper. For now, let the paint talk. And I will say I'm proud. So very proud. Thanks to a jank brush that I forgot about I can get away with tiny scratches and chipping and the result so far, on the legs is wonderful. Nowhere near complete - obviously I have to do the gold detailing, the skulls, the tabard and work my way up a bit...

But mmm-mmmh! The legs. The trims have come out just right. You can also just barely see hints of the blue mixed into the black as well. So far I'm happy with the result and dare say I feel this is some of my best. Just from trims on some damn legs!

The Path of Ascension: Rocco's Black Legion Successor Warband

The Ascended  

Parent Legion - Black Legion (Formerly Sons of Horus, formerly Luna Wolves)

Primarch - Horus Lupercal

Colours - Black, Gunmetal, Crimson (Gold details and trims on officers of rank)

Chapter Heraldry - Stylised Heresy-era Eye of Horus

Chaos God - Chaos Undivided 

Specialty - Strong Command Structure, Flexible Organisation

*****

Okay folks. Here goes. Over the years I've been a Chaos player at least...but never consistently stuck to one particular force. I started out Iron Warriors, went Death Guard, went Renegade (Extinction Angels), went Death Guard again, went Thousand Sons, went Emperor's Children, went World Eaters and now finally it seems I have settled on a Black Legion splinter warband. 

But why though? How do I know I'm not just going to sell the army like every other? Well, first the problem I had was that every other army, save the Extinction Angels who were sold off as I needed money and their paint scheme seemed a chore (though it was unique - unique enough that a Google image search for Extinction Angels results in my old minis being in the first two rows of results still after all these years) was simple - their playstyle stagnated and I felt trapped and inflexible. They were all specialists - exceptionally good at one particular playstyle but shitstomped in the Rock-Paper-Scissors meta that is 40k far too easily. 

A Black Legion splinter band allows me to be more flexible. I can add new units in from pretty much any Chaos army (I ultimately plan on perhaps one day going back to do Thousand Sons and Death Guard again) but I can paint them all as a Black Legion based scheme. So if I do decide I fancy an Emperor's Children or Thousand Sons army or whatever I can do them and add relevant units from the Black Legion without them looking out of place. Common sense prevails!

The paint scheme is simple - inspired by 2nd edition Chaos where there was no abundance of gold trims or details...simple black and gunmetal. To break up the monotony of colour I've decided the piping should be done in a deep crimson (rather than the 2nd edition orange. Ewww.). For squad champions I can pick out details (Chaos Symbols, Skulls) in gold. For characters I do do gold shoulders and details but keep the gunmetal trims. Chosen of course will be done in champion colours with their own champion being treated as a character.

Of course, it wouldn't be me without a somewhat complicated and convoluted background and some twists in the tail, would it? And in the case of The Ascended that comes in the form of the characters. My current forces have no less than 6 characters (!) and I've decided that a theme of the warband is its command structure. The Ascended is a proving ground for future leaders and champions. As such it's made up of smaller retinues and bands, who owe their loyalty to a particular character.

And of course, the Council of Traitors stratagem from Vigilus Ablaze is the perfect inspiration and reason for it so far...

There are 3 factions in the Ascended (so far) - The Fated, The Reborn and The Righteous.

The Fated are the main power of the warband - they consist of the Terminators and Chosen and are lead by two characters - a Chaos Lord with a jump pack - converted from Harkaan Worldclaimer and some Chaos Raptor chainswords (yay Chainlord) and his second in command, a Chaos Sorcerer who is simply a Dark Vengeance Chaos Lord without any conversion work! 

The unifying 'marking' for The Fated is simple - gold detailing. In order to join this particular faction you have to prove yourself worthy. Something the Chosen and Terminators will already have done.

The Reborn are a bit more sneaky. They have a Chaos Lord, using the Dark Vengeance Chosen with a Power Axe - but he's not the true power. Instead that comes to the Chaos Sorcerer (a converted Dark Vengeance Lord using Harkaan's Helspear, an outstretched hand and Harkaan's skull mask head). The idea for the miniature choice for the Lord is the horn growths and bone growths from the armour. I want to paint a soft glowing corpselight where they meet the armour and really, the principle is that the Chaos Lord fell several millenia back and is being animated by the Sorcerer as a facade

The Reborn consist of the Chaos Havocs and 2 of the CSM squads in the army.

The unifying marking for The Reborn is to be a bone-coloured vambrace.

The final sub-faction are The Righteous...a faction of zealots lead by a Dark Apostle (a converted Dark Vengeance Chosen Champion) and his right hand Greater Possessed. This is the more aggressive portion of the force and is 2 assault based CSM squads - well, assault-hybrid squads.

I've got the initial lot of things undercoated - I need to wait til Wednesday to buy more spray but hopefully can get started proper over the next week. I'll share pictures as I get things done.

The