Monday 23 July 2018

Captain Precarius


A bit of a hiatus but shit just got real in my life and I haven't had much time for hobbying lately.  Anyway, I am temporarily back in my comfort zone and its time to finish the Red Scorpions.  I've got until late September before the next tournament so still cruising.  Next cab off the rank is an HQ choice: Captain Precarius.


Not strictly legal in a tournament sense, (Primaris Captains can't take jump packs) I'm playing Captain Precarius as a shawty marine.  I could have used an actual assault marine to make this model but he would have looked like some sort of midget general amongst the towering Intercessors, Reivers and Hellbasters.  Additionally the model is a Sergeant, not a Captain, and he somehow managed to steal Grand Master Voldus' Inquisitorial Thunderhammer. A theft which I'm sure the Daemonhunters will find most perturbing.


Nevertheless, I'm pretty happy with this conversion.  Its not big or clever but there's something about the pose that reminds me of a superhero.  I want all my marines to be heroes.  I'm tired of playing the bad guys.  Of course I'm speaking relatively here since the noble Astartes have been known to brutally murder their human wards on occasion and drink their blood.


Ironically, I picked up a real Primaris Captain, for free, when GW Wellington had their anniversary (I don't want to think about how much money I had to spend to get it free).   He looks awesome and I suppose I could just stick a jet pack on his back but I've watched 'The Incredibles' and I know that flying superheroes and capes do not mix.  Plus, its such a nice model that I didn't really want to ruin it.  So I haven't even removed the shrink wrap yet.  I'll save it for a rainy day.


I find it a bit worrying that I've started naming my models.  Not all of them, but most of the characters I painted recently have been baptized along with one or two others. (My Necron Destroyer was inevitably named 'Conan').  In this case I couldn't think of anything as pithy as 'Slamguinius' or 'Captain Smashfucker', but 'precarious' seemed to fit nicely because it took about 10 attempts to make him stick to the Carnifex head. 


He is now essentially welded on with plastic glue and I even considered pinning him.  I just need to learn to leave well alone and let the glue fully dry before fiddling with the model again.


21 comments:

  1. He looks amazing dude, really fantastic work, your painting is as always top notch and the posing and sense of movement is brilliant :)

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    1. Thanks! I'm hoping he'll be more useful than the Gravis captain on the tabletop too.

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  2. Looks awesome, certainly better than using a midget marine.

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    1. Yeah, if my idea for scouts works well then my entire force will be Primaris apart from the tech marine. Cheers.

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    2. Well, it was your idea for scouts really. But don't tell anyone!

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    3. Your skills that will make it look amazing.

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  3. He looks great! Definitely with you on the pose. Got kind of a "TO INFINITY...AND BEYOND!" or "I must go! My people need me!" vibe there.

    In addition to Jump Packs, I think of Edna Mode's feelings on capes* whenever I see Dark Angels Bikers with robes on. You just know that ends badly sometimes.

    I'm not sure what your intent was in this regard, but I get a very strong impression from the basing that the Fex is not chopped apart, but still alive, just submerged in a swamp or something, and shouting stuff along the lines of "Oi! Where d'you think you get off, stompin' on me 'ead like that! Get back 'ere! I'll bite yer kneecaps off!" Not entirely sure why I think of him shouting like an Ork, but that's more or less the impression I get.

    *Speaking of which, I just saw Incredibles 2 last night. Very fun. Definitely a worthy successor to the original.

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    1. I considered doing a live fex but it would have been a lot of effort and the model would have ended up *really* tall. So its meant to be sinking into digestion pool which is extremely easy to portray by just painting the base green and varnishing it!

      Not seen Incredibles 2. My sons went to see it without me and I'm sulking. Probably cutting my nose off to spite my face though so I'll just have to go on my own.

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    2. Go see it! Totally not worth denying yourself that fun.

      Also, he reminds me of a conversation I was having a while ago about times when it's best to break the usual rule about having a Model's center of gravity over the center of the base, and this is a perfect example of one of those times. He wouldn't have nearly the same sense of motion if he were centered on the base.

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  4. Excelsior! I really like this combination of old and new Marine bitz. I probablyy ould have carved of the Inquisitorioral symbols of the hammer but your story of him stealing the hammer is also good!

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    1. Damn, I was hoping nobody would mention that! Yeah, the inquisitorial symbols definitely look out of place but it was such a lovely sculpt that I didn't have the heart to vandalise it. I doubt I could have improved the look so I left it as is. Stealing a sacred relic from the militant arm of the Inquisition is likely to have very grave consequences indeed! But it looks good!

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    2. You sure he's not actually a Blood Raven? ;)

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    3. I had to wiki that one :D Didn't know the Ravens had a bromance with the Ordo Malleus. Since the Scorpions are also a chapter of unknown founding, its entirely possible!

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    4. Actually, I had no idea about that, either. But apparently in the video games, the Blood Ravens end up with gear from pretty much every other Chapter in existence, so it's become a meme that they're total kleptos and just steal stuff from anyone they happen to fight alongside.

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  5. How did you alter his leg? Did you cut it off at the knee? How much did you have to cut out of it?

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    1. I've been asked that a couple of times now. This is the pointing sergeant from Dark Imperium. I cut his right leg off at the hip and knee, bending the knee a little more than the original pose and just gluing it. I angled the leg back further at the hip too and gap filled with green stuff, sculpting it as a ribbed seal between the armour plates.

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  6. I really like the pose & base. That and 'Precarius' is a fine name, it both has the latin-esque sound of most marine names, just with a touch of humor!

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    1. Cheers Cheef. He is likely to live up to his name on the battlefield with idiotic flying charges into the midst of his enemies.

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  7. Looks great, nice job, smooth as ever. Precarious is a good name.

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    1. I was just looking at Red Scorpions by Legofingerz ( https://www.instagram.com/legofingerz/?hl=en ) and seething with jealousy but you made me feel better! Thanks Siph.

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    2. Wow, his are exceptional too. He has a lovely grey hue. Both supremely well done mate.

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