Objective Markers: Xenomorph Themed

I've been converting up some Objective Markers for my Xenomorph Tyranids army. I finally got round to painting them up today. Just posting them as I finish putting the final highlights on them.

Objective Marker 1

I painted the Terminator on the first objective marker as a Deathwing Terminator. To me, the Deathwing were the first Games Workshop figures I collected after playing the PC game Space Hulk. Their exploits on the Space Hulks are legendary.

He was fighting off one of the Xenomorph facehuggers when the 2nd one burst from another pod and latched itself onto his face with lightning speed.

The power fist is an older bitz from the Space Marines box set many years ago.

Its also easier to identify this as the 1st objective as it has the only standing figure and the Terminator is from the Dark Angels version of the First Company- The Deathwing. Incidentally also pretty excited that the new Dark Angels Codex is now out!

Objective Marker 2

The Space Marine for Objective Marker 2 is from the Doom Eagles Chapter. I painted him in Chainmail and just washed on Nuln Oil.

He is trying his best to remove the offending organism. It is proving to be more difficult as he is running out of air.

I still retained the orange, blue and flesh colors of the xenomorph infected Hive Fleet.

I also painted the number 2 on his kneepad and the Roman numeral for '2' on his right shoulder pad to represent objective 2. It also shows the marine is from the 2nd Squad.

Objective Marker 3

For objective marker 3, I painted an Eldar Guardian from the Saim-hann Craftworld.

He's actually a Storm Guardian. The facehugger has disarmed the poor Eldar.

The agility of the Eldar was no match for the speed and ferocity of the organism, especially when it had the element of surprise.

He is the last objective marker with a humanoid figure on it. The rest of the objective markers 4,5 and 6 will be featuring the Xenomorph facehuggers on their pods.

Objective Markers 4,5 and 6

These are the Facehuggers only objective markers. It shows them coiling around their egg pods protectively. If the enemy approaches, I'm guessing they will blend into the many tendrils at the base in camouflage....until the time to strike.

All Together Now!

And here are the objective markers all together from a top down perspective.

I used some of the markers in games on the weekend. They were half painted then, but I had a lot of fun showing them off to people. They were a treat to paint as well.

I like that the objective markers can also be a tool for me to convey some background of my Tyranid army and gives more immersion into the army during games.

Have a splendid week ahead everyone! July beckons and I'm off to paint more Nids :)

Objective Markers WIP: Xenomorph Tyranid Themed

(Above pic obtained via Google Images.)

I was inspired by my gaming group guys who are making Objective Markers for their own armies. And all of them are all beautifully done with a theme specific to their armies. I decided to also do up some for my Xenomorph Nids. I went with the Facehugger from Aliens as the main theme of the objective markers.

I did not have to do alot of modifications. Merely greenstuffed tail/body of the Facehugger variant. The main body is a bit from the Tyranids box sets. I think its an Adrenal Gland bitz. I got a few spare miniatures lying around and used them as victims of the Facehugger.

I did the first 3 by just wrapping the Huggers around the base of their egg pods. They also reminded me of the first generation Facehugger from the movie Prometheus as its more streamlined and snake-like.

This Space Marine is trying to fend off the Hugger. He has dropped his Bolter and fallen to the ground trying to pry the offending creature off.

Not so easy as its got a death grip on his face. And he's fast running out of air.

I had to add a Space Marine Terminator to represent the Space Hulk busting heroes. Here the marine is surprised by a Hugger which has just launched itself onto his face.

Can't shoot it with a Storm Bolter and he doesn't really want to use the Power Fist on his own face.

The third of the unfortunates receiving a free 'hug' from the creature. An Eldar Guardian finds himself in a compromised position.

Can't use the Shuriken Pistol either. And the creature's blood is highly acidic. What a fix!

All the Huggerz together. And the moral of the story is: Don't be a hero. Always Wear Your Helmet.

I had a lot of fun making the objective markers and will try to get these painted up, but time is a bit tight. And I've not finished my models for Saturday's games yet! Time to get crackin'!

Cheers!

Tyranids WIP: Tervigon

Not much hobbying done of late due to being under the weather. Just recovering from a small bout of Nurgle's "blessings". Good thing there are no mutations haha! But no Feel no Pain either. Decided to get back in the painting saddle with my Tervigon. This will be for the Slow Burn League.

She helped me decide on the final carapace color for my Nids. I decided to go for a bluish turquoise shell for my army. I used Stegadon Blue for the base, followed by Sotek Green for highlights. The extreme highlights were done using Temple Guard Blue.

I have not stuck her on the oval base yet because I'm applying some sand and flock to make it complete.

I used the main colors of flesh, orange and blue the creature. The accent colors were some bleach bone on the cluster spines.

I'm happy with how she turned out. Also got a small 500 point game in with my Tyranids. It was a loss as I had not much to deal with armor, and she went up against the legendary Legion Sicaran tank to boot! But the Tervigon did manage to secure First Blood and Slay the Warlord.

It was a fun game and I look forward to having more battles with them. I keep rooting for my opponent as I love to see bugs getting mowed down lol! Its a strange dichotomy :)

I'm being distracted after painting my Tervigon, and am assembling some Mantic Corporation Marines.

And on that note, I wish everyone a great rest of the week!

Tyranids WIP: Neurothrope

Yet more Tyranids being painted up again by the Hive slave (me). Only by painting them will the incessant chittering in my head stop hehe! I put paint to my converted Neurothrope to almost near completion. Wanted to test out the carapace color. Decided to go for purple.

I didn't want to make the purple too bright as I still wanted the Xenomorph look of a black slick carapace. I felt that leaving it totally black was a bit dull.

In the end I went with slight purple tinges. I used Citadel paints for the carapace. Naggaroth Night for the base purple. I then highlighted with Xerxes Purple. The third highlight was Genestealer Purple (which I found really apt). I mixed a bit of white in the Genestealer Purple for edge highlights.

I kept the bottom most carapace section black and gave it a gloss look to retain a bit of the Xenomorph look. The fluff for the army is that the Xenomorph parasite finds it much more difficult to mutate Tyranid organisms with stronger psychic powers.

I painted the spine a bone color to introduce a contrast to the model. This also highlights the spine as it is quite a nicely sculpted piece by GW.

The unmistakable bulbous head of the Zoanthrope genus. Looks like an orange balloon flying in the wind here lol!

And on that note, I wish all a great work week ahead!

Moar Tyranids WIP

(Above pic obtained from Google Images. The colors look very similar to my current Hive Fleet)

More time is coming up from the work break and I've embarked on an ambitious plan to complete up to 1300 points of Tyranids by 26th of this month of June.

I'm still working on my Tyranids Neural Node for the Slowburn League which clocks in at 730 points. But its a formation, so I can't use it in the 2v2 500 point event coming up at the end of the month lol!

So I've decided to paint up another 500 points just for the 2v2 Event. It'll come it at about 580 points. I'm painting up an extra 20 Termagants as I'll be fielding a Tervigon for the game as my HQ.

So all in all, it may be a bit tight till the finish. But I'll be giving it a try. It'll be especially challenging due to so many distractions like the new Space Marines and I heard, even Dark Angels are on the near horizon!

Neural Node Update:

Some improvement from my last post. The Zoanthropes have been based coated another time and washed. I have also filled in the base coat of Bugmans Glow for the neck and brain areas of the creature. Will plan to wash and highlight again.

500 Points 2v2 Tyranids WIP:

I greenstuffed the Xenomorph carapace on the Termagants first. Used a mix of old and new models. They are watched over in the background by the Maleceptor and a Zoanthrope. Always have synapse lol!

A closer view of the greenstuffed heads. Only the top half was covered in greenstuff. I also based them all first before priming them black.

Painted on 2 coats of Game Color Parasite Brown. It took quite some time as there were so many. I'm painting up 32 Termagants.

Painted on Citadel Bugmans Glow on the gun and lower neck areas of the gribblies.

Next up was my Tervigon, the Termagant's mommy . Primed black.

Remembered to get a pic in as I applied the first brushstroke of Parasite Brown haha! I tend to go into full paint mode after basing, forgetting pics till the end product.

Here's the Tervigon at point of post. Washed the base color with Reikland Fleshshade and colored the birthing sac and head with Bugmans Glow.

Same treatment given to my 3 Tyranid Warriors.

Also repainted and based with sand a Carnifex I painted halfway previously. Also gave the Carnifex the same color scheme.

My 500 point list will consist of:
HQ
1 Tervigon with Cluster Spines

Troops
3 Warriors (2 with Deathspitters and 1 with Venom Cannon)
10 Termagants

Heavy Support
1 Carnifex with Twin Linked Brain Leech Devourers

Have a great time with your loved ones as well as miniatures everyone :)

Tyranids WIP: Zoanthropes

Am still working on the models for the Neural Node formation. Did a test model for the Zoanthrope today using the same color scheme as the Malaceptor.

I'm liking the Fanta Orange look hahaha!! I gave the veins on the brain and the vents a brighter green to make the accent color more visible.

But I'm still quite bit stuck on the carapace color. I was going for blue. But the black looks really good too, maybe just a bit plain. Any suggestions would be most welcome :)

I used Knarloc Green as a base for the veins. Then a highlight of Gretchin Green. I added Ushabti Bone to the Gretchin Green for final highlights. Then gave a wash of Biel Tan Green on the edges of the veins.

Still got lots of highlighting to do on the model. I'm kinda digging the creepy shadow effects in the photo lol!

Anyways I put color on the rest of his buddies. They now look happier. I can see their smiles.

Hive Fleet Mandrasar Character

I also dug out an old mini I got in Perth a while back. I think its a Genestealer Cult oldie. Its going to be a main character featuring in the origins of my Hive Fleet. I'm casting it as the mad scientist who manage to blend the Xenomorph parasite into a Tyranid Hive Fleet.

Gave him a staff with a Genestealer skull whom he keeps talking to for "advice". A warp entity that inhabits the skull? Or just the "voices" in his head?

Put some blue tac on his arms for some possible poses. He's holding the helmet of a departed Astartes Terminator.

Look forward to painting him/it up soon! And also fleshing out the fluff for this mad alien scientist.

Have a super weekend all!