Specialist Arms Forum
Specialist Games General Discussion => Modeling & painting => Topic started by: marell le fou on October 22, 2013, 04:08:00 AM
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As the rules for the undead fleet was published officialy in Citadel Journal, there is a possibility to play necromantic fleets in Man O'War. Halas, the figs where never released and we have to create our ships in order to be able to play this fleet, either Khemeri oriented or Vampiric.
I have decided i wanted a correct vampiric fleet. I had first decided to create Ghostship for pleasure, but now i have started i will probably continue until the fleet is complete.
You can follow my work on my MOW blog in french (http://manowarfr.blog.fr/ (http://manowarfr.blog.fr/)) or when i have time to translate the articles, on the international blog of the Yahoo group TheSeaOfClaws (http://theseaofclaws.blog.fr/ (http://theseaofclaws.blog.fr/)).
I have started the job of the Ghostship from standard plastic galleys, and warmaster pieces (undead chariots).
(http://data8.blog.de/media/726/7006726_61456116d9_l.jpeg)
I have removed the forecastle and added a new one with the undead warmaster pieces, to have an undead style. I have removed the oars, in order to have a ship hardly looking like Galleys.
(http://data8.blog.de/media/717/7008717_f3f82f8342_l.jpeg)
I have removed the figure head too, and modified the front. The prew is now orned by a squeletton spar, that originaly was the medium part of the chariot, between the two horses.
I obtain a ship bigger than Galleys, almost like Wolves, what is perfect for powerfull SoL ships as Ghostships are supposed to be.
(http://data8.blog.de/media/721/7008721_02ca5bacad_l.jpeg)
I have painted them in vampiric way, black and red.
(http://data9.blog.de/media/541/7302541_35cba86fd9_l.jpeg)
I have been hesitating for the front spar, but i preferred it with a clear color better than red or black, for the ship is already very dark.
(http://data9.blog.de/media/168/7317168_8d251c73b0_l.jpeg)
And here they are with sails.
(http://data9.blog.de/media/176/7317176_d7384c8e34_l.jpeg)
(http://data9.blog.de/media/177/7317177_02a28b5cc3_l.jpeg)
I have added few enlightments. I'm not very good at that and maybe i should have used dark blue color instead of grey... We will see if i change that. Any remark or opinion appreciated.
(http://data9.blog.de/media/712/7336712_93336246d7_l.jpeg)
And lested the empty part with those old pieces of metal from various figs i had kept for years saying to myself "one day they will be usefull"...
(http://data9.blog.de/media/717/7336717_1b9d982c8f_l.jpeg)
With daylight and attacking imperial forces.
(http://data9.blog.de/media/710/7336710_6d554e419d_l.jpeg)
(http://data9.blog.de/media/711/7336711_78ed033ff2_l.jpeg)
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Oh so cute. =) Nice conversation man. Wish I had gotten into that game back in the day.
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Really nice work!
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Lovely! Well done!
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Genius conversions!
Looking good.
Dave
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Thanks for encouragements.
I'm not fully satisfied by the squeletton spar. But i could not find a way to make it better, without painting it black. Vampires usually prefer smarter colours, like black/red/silver. BUt it would have been a little bit kitch to paint it silver.
It'd done for now, maybe i will make a second squadron and change that.
I'm on the admiral ship now. Pictures comming within few hours.
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After those three ships, i needed an admiral ship corresponding (in rules) to the floating necropolis, as described in the Citadel Journal presenting the rules for the undead fleet.
As the necropolis quickly described on the shipcard is clearly oriented "Tomb King", i had to chose an other style to represent a vampiric building.
I have decided to start the adaptation at the MOW scale of the DreadFleet ship of the Noctilus Count.
This decision rely on two things :
- I like the appearance of some parts of this ship, mainly the assembly of wrecks aspect.
- According to rules, you can only have one building of this type in your fleet. So i could decide the ship would be a unic ship, in the sens it's a well known ship, personnalised and ith his own story.
DreadFleet as developped the Count Noctilus background and make it official. I think the undead fleet for MOW lacks precisely this official state, as the figs where never released. In my opinion, it helps reinforcing the fact that the undead fleet can be played like anyone else.
So... Here are some pictures found on the internet, of the BloodyReaver (well) painted.
(http://data9.blog.de/media/822/7323822_64856a6a63_l.jpeg)
This ship is a castle animated by necromantic magic and allowed to sail the seas thanks to the wreckage assembly that supports it.
The stern, mainly, is an agglomeration of various ships, probably taken during former battles won by the Count Noctilus.
(http://data9.blog.de/media/819/7323819_815b68500f_l.jpeg)
I could not take the original figurine, far too big for our scale. And there are some thing i dislike in it :
- The castle, that is not very much vampiric style to me. Vampires are megalomaniac tyrans, adpet of dark magic. I'd like a castle that shows that at first sight.
- The central part of earth is too empty. And brings nothing intersting to the figs in my mind. Same for the rock part advancing. Too uncredible and no interesting addition.
- The dragon squeletton at the front is so kitch...
- The front is ugly. I think i will try to make it like the rear, with wrecks assembled and not this sort of dragon-fish part.
First, i have taken everything i could find as bits to see how they could fit together to become a part of this BloodyReaver.
(http://data9.blog.de/media/216/7332216_b8071d0334_l.jpeg)
- Loads of plastic galleys i had bought in a lot few years ago. They are ugly, badly changed in... A Hell hammer attempt ? Anyway, they are good material, ready to be cut and transformed.
- Several metal castles. Mainly from the Mighty Empire markers range, and some of other casters.
- Bitz of the Black Ark and from the Tzeentch Tower.
- A Mighty Empire plastic grey ship.
- An imperial Greatship castle.
For the main castle, i have very quickly decided to chose the Mighty Empire Necropolis. THIS is a vampiric castle. Ths figs has flaws for my project, but it will really identifiy the ship as a malefic vampire ship at first sight. And i will never use it if i don't use it now !
The first step of the conception are not so easy. Really ! To assemble ships to make a bigger ship... Conserving both the wreckage aspect and a correct line for the final assembly... It's really not that easy. I have puzzled with my pieces for few minutes before deciding to begin with the rear. My bits should fit correctly what i have in mind, directly inspired by the original fig.
(http://data9.blog.de/media/217/7332217_8b6ed77e89_l.jpeg)
After that, you have to begin work to make the ships clear wrecks. And differenciate them.
I worked them with cutter, and then on a sanding block, to give them inclination.
(http://data9.blog.de/media/218/7332218_31c65fb568_l.jpeg)
I cut in two the ME ship. Both sides will be usefull in different places of the final model. And then again, cutter and sanding block.
(http://data9.blog.de/media/222/7332222_990ab50557_l.jpeg)
Here is what could more or less be the final forecastle.
(http://data9.blog.de/media/227/7332227_8572ecf067_l.jpeg)
It does not stand correctly yet. I will add a borken mast on the Me ship, to support the upper part (Greatship forecastle). It will allow to see the deck of the ME ship, what should be sympathetic. And you alsways need broken masts on a decent wreck.
(http://data9.blog.de/media/228/7332228_a12cec8e24_l.jpeg)
For flancs, i had no real choice. The plastic galley would fit. I have cut one in two, to use on both sides.
(http://data9.blog.de/media/229/7332229_2cf3e3a439_l.jpeg)
After removal of the oars, and same treatment as the two other hulls, here is what could be the starboard aspect.
(http://data9.blog.de/media/232/7332232_0f443451d5_l.jpeg)
On portside, i will keep the oars. It gives a nice asymmetrical aspect. And everything that can help to differenciate the various parts of the assembly is good to take. I want the galley parts to be as different as possible.
(http://data9.blog.de/media/235/7332235_892fb60d9d_l.jpeg)
All this remain very rude for now. No placement is defintive. And i'm not satisfied at all by the front part. Too little. Too thin. The wall thing is clearly off balance.
(http://data9.blog.de/media/236/7332236_85b9039a11_l.jpeg)
Here is an attempt to see if a galley could fit as front part. But i'm not convinced. Still too thin. The front part othe ME ship have been put at the rear, to see ho it could fit.
(http://data9.blog.de/media/240/7332240_46e2bf2d21_l.jpeg)
I needed a way to differenciate both sides and i have added a part made from various pieces i had cut before on starboard. I had to begin to fix things, and i have glued those three parts together. I have to go on.
(http://data9.blog.de/media/247/7332247_70083490b0_l.jpeg)
The front part i have to complicate, to make the whole ship coherent. The blue galley is divided in two parts.
(http://data9.blog.de/media/248/7332248_2a2598a8e3_l.jpeg)
Those two parts will represent different forecastles correctly after few transformations. Here is a correct aspect that could looks like the final version.
(http://data9.blog.de/media/253/7332253_3eeff93654_l.jpeg)
Eveything is correctly equilibrated here. The rear par tis not glued yet, i don't really knw how i will place the red galley.
(http://data9.blog.de/media/254/7332254_a8a1ec95c5_l.jpeg)
Front aspect.
(http://data9.blog.de/media/256/7332256_73183bdc19_l.jpeg)
Portside view.
(http://data9.blog.de/media/263/7332263_712ddd2558_l.jpeg)
I don't know yet how i will fill the holes here and there on the galleyx and between the wrecks. Probably green stuff or plastic cards.
The most funny part of the job begins : how to differenciate the various wrecks. They have to seem from various ships at first sight.
I add a central beam and a bowsprit to the blue galley prew.
(http://data9.blog.de/media/271/7332271_bae984fe52_l.jpeg)
The rear red galley is transformed. As it will be just nearby an other galley part, it have to be changed profundly. Crenels have been removed. Vertical beams too. This part have then been scratched with cutter blade to flatten everything. The plastics is easy to model. A real pleasure.
(http://data9.blog.de/media/267/7332267_6fa557fcd3_l.jpeg)
The floating necropolis has no canons, but i wanted some on the general aspect. I have added several ones everywhere.
(http://data9.blog.de/media/280/7332280_06f32c3e09_l.jpeg)
(http://data9.blog.de/media/285/7332285_aa749ba801_l.jpeg)
(http://data9.blog.de/media/291/7332291_1a9d142239_l.jpeg)
I have glued those two parts. The formery backcastle become the forecastle of what was probably a well armed imperial gunboat.
(http://data9.blog.de/media/279/7332279_34e615430e_l.jpeg)
The general aspect is now far better and more armed. I have added some masts where possible to give an idea of what the ship could be at the end. Even if we are far away from that for now.
(http://data9.blog.de/media/292/7332292_964639db1b_l.jpeg)
Front as been repeled and outspread as much as possible to give a general aspect of thinness.
(http://data9.blog.de/media/293/7332293_2faa812e87_l.jpeg)
Something still bother me. I had the idea of a squeletal spar, as i had done for the Ghostships. I have a warmaster part that could fit but i could find no way to put it. The front part still lacks something. I will see what is possible.
A friend told me the ship could be towed by undead giant monsters... It's an idea.
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This is simply awesome!
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The Ghost Ships look great.
The floating Necropolis is coming together as well. Nice to see your thought process as you assemble it.
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Personally I'd have gone for the castle directly underneath the one you used; more of a count dracula vibe to it, and I like it when vampires have style ;)
Fantastic work on the converting and building, looking very good.
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Thanks everyone for your feedbacks and encouragements.
Personally I'd have gone for the castle directly underneath the one you used; more of a count dracula vibe to it, and I like it when vampires have style
I agree, this model would have been interesting. Two things made me push it apart.
It's a very thiin model, very high, and i needed somehting more massive. This castle whould have been strange in the middle of a big ship i think.
There is a large part of rock in the figs. And this stone has a very "liquid" aspect. I don't know how to explain it very well. It would have been hard to make a jonction between the wrecks and this stone.
But i agree the style is sympathetic for a vampiric castle.
I have in my plans to rebuild a new Black Ark one day. I just really don't like the appearance of the official fig. What is this big skull in front of it ? And it's supposed to be a rocky fortress magicaly activated... Naaaah... Maybe the castile you're talking about will be a part of this future model.
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Here are three pictures taken very very quickly with a bad light. Just to illustrate the possibility to have the ship tracked by undead mosnters.
I like the idea, but it makes the complete model very big.
Note that the metal part is probably very badly set. I would have to turn it completly i think, to put it on the other side. Well, here are the pictures to discuss the mater of "yes or now the ship should be tracked by undead monsters".
(http://data9.blog.de/media/835/7345835_350a6b36ea_l.jpeg)
(http://data9.blog.de/media/837/7345837_e6b4c01511_l.jpeg)
(http://data9.blog.de/media/834/7345834_b91364894a_l.jpeg)
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I would base it on the back of a bigger monster (mabe a turtle ?? ;D ) that way it will have a more reasonable footprint
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Yes, but then the wrecks would be udeless. We could put the castle on top of a monster and that is all. And i want to keep this wreckage as a floating thing.
And to put the castle on the back of a monster would be too Dark-Elves styled.
That is why the "trackted" option was interesting. Different, but still with a monster.
By the way, the monster could be anything, and not necessarily those zombies wales i had set for the nurgle fleet.
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What about the wreckage being propelled by a hoard of leaches? I love the whales, very cool but they are not saying Vampire to me. It needs something more ummmmm sinister? Not that I know a lot about Vampires. I’m with Islacrusez on the castle choice except I’m thinking about the castle to the lower left of the one you chose. Although I’d also like to see the castle from the upper left hand corner. Really cool build and most excellent pictures. Thanks for sharing you’re making me want to get to my desk!
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Superb
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What about the wreckage being propelled by a hoard of leaches? I love the whales, very cool but they are not saying Vampire to me. It needs something more ummmmm sinister?
What are leaches ? Google could not translate that to me correctly.
I just used whales for they are the only undead creature i have, but of course it would be possible to take some other monsters. From the MOW range or not. I will take pictures with various monsters after i have finished to assemble the ship. Monsters will be possible to add, or not, after that.
For now, here are the advances.
The main thing is it's very very long to advance... Each wrecked ship is different, so it's like painting a complete fleet to build this admiral ship.
So what takes my time for now are layers and layers of paint, and it finaly do not brings loads of changes.
The general aspect at half this new session.
(http://data9.blog.de/media/516/7360516_a619faa0f9_l.jpeg)
(http://data9.blog.de/media/518/7360518_17d583c501_l.jpeg)
(http://data9.blog.de/media/517/7360517_3d8832af84_l.jpeg)
(http://data9.blog.de/media/523/7360523_9052f5767a_l.jpeg)
And progression on each element :
At rear portside, the ship is probably tilean or maybe a private armed ship, with loads of decorations. I wanted a free hand to occupy space on the forecastle.
(http://data9.blog.de/media/524/7360524_e27b04e829_l.jpeg)
(http://data9.blog.de/media/531/7360531_96f534d25d_l.jpeg)
I tried to add red flowers, but it was a bad idea. It looked like christmas decorations... I have added green to errase red and went on.
(http://data9.blog.de/media/532/7360532_aeec57fa3a_l.jpeg)
The Greatsihp part that will be my main rear castle is a little bit flashy. I don't really like it like that but i'm not fond of the idea to strip it and repaint it... We will see. Opinions and idea welcome.
(http://data9.blog.de/media/526/7360526_67ea058e69_l.jpeg)
At starboard, the blue ship had been decorated with yellow strips, and gold after that.
(http://data9.blog.de/media/572/7360572_f5e0ac6beb_l.jpeg)
Prew has been painted brown dark and light. And the bowsprit broken.
(http://data9.blog.de/media/574/7360574_bc76aadf1d_l.jpeg)
Galley has been painted red, the classical imperial colour. And oars painted, and then shadowed (not seen in pict).
(http://data9.blog.de/media/573/7360573_58ebd6167c_l.jpeg)
Definitive version of the portside aspect.
(http://data9.blog.de/media/534/7360534_3094948747_l.jpeg)
I have chosen a warmaster catapult piece in order to build a spar with the same bone aspect than the Ghostship ones. It will be the mark of the fleet, finally.
(http://data9.blog.de/media/540/7360540_ea64dccf18_l.jpeg)
I had to cut it with my knife because i could not use my dremel on this. I will have to make the extremity pointy and remove the head you can see for now.
(http://data9.blog.de/media/541/7360541_a49e4fa21e_l.jpeg)
No comment on the cutter aspect...
(http://data9.blog.de/media/542/7360542_a318331af8_l.jpeg)
And then i had to make things better at the rear castle level. It was too moving and i did not like the very scrunched aspect. I did not wanted it just posed on the other ships under it.
So I have added broken mast to support the upper structure.
(http://data9.blog.de/media/545/7360545_b49dd696aa_l.jpeg)
(http://data9.blog.de/media/547/7360547_f2efbbff64_l.jpeg)
But it was still moving a lot, and desequilibrated.
(http://data9.blog.de/media/548/7360548_42e7562587_l.jpeg)
(http://data9.blog.de/media/550/7360550_eaf051400e_l.jpeg)
So i added some other supports and a mast at the rear of the grey ship. I like it like that, anyway.
(http://data9.blog.de/media/562/7360562_fe4b7a4993_l.jpeg)
It remains not completly right, but it' has a far better like that than it was before. A little bit more structured and elaborated. It will stay like that i think.
(http://data9.blog.de/media/564/7360564_ffdbdcb3cf_l.jpeg)
I did not knew how to customise the red part of the starboard flanc, and i thought there was too few battle damage visible in those wrecks. So i have added some. And it helps cancel the customisation and glued parts.
(http://data9.blog.de/media/561/7360561_1e911ef853_l.jpeg)
(http://data9.blog.de/media/566/7360566_50c51d9a76_l.jpeg)
Ended for today. light was fading quickly.
Now, the big part of the remaining job will be the necropolis itself. It remains for now a big black fig with some few red additions. I think i will paint it bone red and black. I still have to see what i put where. Maybe the base mainly bony and the top red.
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My bad, that should have been leeches. I don't spell well on a good day. At any rate I do like the whales, I was just thinking leeches could be a fun green stuff project and they could help you fill spaces if so needed. I like what you're doing keep up the good work!
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I have began to sculpt with my smaller drill the extremity of the spar, but ther is still loads of things to do. I plan to shape it in a triangular at the extremity, with the bone aspect maintained.
(http://data9.blog.de/media/958/7367958_cd8eef5b84_l.jpeg)
I have put a bone layer of paint on the necropolis, just to have an idea what to do with it.
(http://data9.blog.de/media/959/7367959_718389111e_l.jpeg)
Here are other pictures of it painted i could find, but i'm not satisfie with those schemas.
(http://data9.blog.de/media/960/7367960_18738ae890_l.jpeg)
(http://cf.geekdo-images.com/images/pic223538_lg.jpg)