The in-exorable Legion of Margrave Calaret de Balaur

[TheTrans]

@Duke, steal away good sir.

and again thanks guys, missed out on the bat, but I'll think up some ideas for next years.

Anyway, finally big progress made. All the blood dragon based models are like 90% done, just need some minor detailing, blood and shields.

I'll quickly get some pics up of my vamp lord and the demi-ghulf.

So the head honcho, old mate Lord Balaur, really happy wtih how he turned out.

So blown up that much you can probably see parts that I missed :tongue:. But over all I'm really happy with his colouration and pose. As most of the Blood Knights are all read I opted to give him silver army with red trimmings on the dragon like areas. I thought it was a nice nod of the head to the way they used the paint the blood dragons in the older editions (coincidently where is head is stolen from).

I'll enjoy this imagine of him as imagine him coming at you, leaping up like that. He will also be toting a large towershield, with a dragon crest on it once it is done :.

What do you guys think?

Now the demi-ghulf. He still needs some blood, glowing eyes and the severed head finished, but aside from that he is almost there.

Quite happy with how he has come out also and he looks quite at home with his blood knight brethren.

Just a gratuitous side shot to show of his plume which I'm oddly happy with haha. Also as to the suspect liquid trying in areas, although I was really excited to finish him, alas, that is just drying matt varnish.

Anyway hope you guys like them, I'll get the blood knights up soon .

Cheers,
TheTrans

 

[robtion]

Looking very cool, I like your colour choices. I look forward to seeing them finished and based,seems it will be one great looking unit, and they hit so hard

 

[TheTrans]

So, after being a mite lax, next up we have the Blood Knights.

Probably put too much work into this guys for 1 wound models, but hey, these are why I got into vampire counts.

I figured each is like a little demi-hero so their all converted and have some background etc.

First up is Froske Drappman, an ex-maruader that was turned in Lustria while Balaur was acting as a mercenary down there.

Can't see in this pick but he has a Marauder shield and axe attached to the horses other side.

Next up is Balaur's oldest confidant Istruito Borsista. He was once a Tilian scribe turned by Balaur while he was acting as a mercenary under old mate Walach after Blood Keeps fall.

And from the other side:

His bare hand will soon be holding up a banner as his is Balaur's banner bearer and well essentially book keeper and walking library.

Next we have an ex-kislevite tracker named Temur Unegan, he was turned after ambushing, but failing to kill both Balaur and Istruito. He did manage to injure them quite heavily, thus passed a decent fighter.

Equipment shot

Thought I'd add some bits and pieces (as with all of them) he also has a horn..well...horn so he can double as a muso if need be.

Next up is Ehre Rustung. An ex empire Blood Knight, killed by Balaur in a duel over land dispute. I've since repainted his horse a very dark brown as the 'dappled grey' looked like arse.

Dont have a rear shot of him sorry, he just has a large broadsword, shield and a few empirey bibs and bobs on his back.

Last but not least is well, I haven't thought up his fluff yet due to him being a recent addition.... We'll just call him something overly generic like 'The Black Knight' or 'Faceless one' or something eerie/creepy blah blah.

No prizes for guessing where he is from. He is probably my favourite just due to the simpleness of the conversions and how the horses robes turned out...

Any way, hope you enjoy, will have some picks of the finished Varghiests up soon as the tournament I'm playing in is a week off and I should (God and Girlfriend willing) get done in time..

Peace out y'all..

 

[lord marcus]

Your vampire lord is cool. but i can say from armored experience that pose is unnatural in the very craziest possible way.

 

[TheTrans]

Thanks mate. Also unnatural in the sense there is a living dead almost demi god that has slew thousands of people over 100s of years and the armour would be too heavy and constrict his movement?

 

[Mad 'At]

Great plog you got here

Love all the menacing vampires you got, including the blood knight. And I definitely don't think you've put too much work into them, cause all the work has really given them a lot of character (something you've further enhanced with their personal fluff). My favourite is the marauder one I think (great face on that one), followed by the scribe standard bearer. Really like the glowing eyes you got on the nightmare, what colours did you use for that?

Looking forward to seeing more.

 

[Raizi]

Pretty intimidating stuff you've got here. Nice work. Really nice conversions all the way, keep those bad boys coming!

Your drybrushing is really good, the only suggestion I could give is that you might want to try painting thinner layers with lots of water here and there and more washes if you want to try something different for shading.

 

[robtion]

Love your Blood Knights. Any chance you could put up a shot of them all together?

 

[jediguru]

Really great and creative stuff you have. Well done!

 

[benvoliothefirst]

Definitely agree with all the comments on your blood knights. A tremendously characterful unit that is also very cohesive... a tough balance but once you've achieved with great panache!

 

[Raven Torrid]

Love the work on the Blood Knights. Great usage of various added bits and colours...really gives them a LOT of character and makes them truly stand out, just as they are supposed too!

 

[TheTrans]

Hey Guys,

Back from the dead......

Had a tournament weekend before last and managed to score players choice on army so was happy with that.

Thought I'd get some pics up for you, will get some more up tomorrow aswell.

Anyway here is a pic of the vamp lord in his skellington unit.

Yes there is some converted cursed company in there . I just love how big of a unit the Vamp Lord is, such big, all large, much lord.

'Aerial' shot of the lords unit.

Next up is the Blood Knights as a unit that some of you wanted to see.

Pretty happy with how cohesive they look as a unit, while still being in the way of all different flavours.

Side shot to show off the banner.

Cheeky 3 units of dogs, happy with how they turned out and died like champions on the battle field.

Will get some more pics up soon. To come will be the Demi-Ghulf, Zombies, Varghiests and a couple of MK2 Varghiests...

Cheers

 

[Orlaster]

Your army looks awesome. I especially like the blood knights and the story that goes with them. I really like the way you've done the banner. It looks so much more dynamic that way. What model did you use for Balaur on foot? It looks great!

 

[Eternal Salvation]

Great converting! I also love the vargulf idea!!

 

[Mad 'At]

That blood knight unit really did turn out brilliant, great work. They all have so much character, and I must agree with Orlaster that the banner looks awesomely dynamic.

 

[Duke Danse Macabre]

The banner bearer on the Blood Knights does look allot better with the banner flowing to the side, much more like what you would expect from Cavalry.
Awesome looking Blood Dragon force so far mate.

 

[John Rainbow]

What models are those wolves made from?

 

[Alastor]

That vamp lord is huge. I LOVE IT!!

 

[TheTrans]

Sorry for being quite slack y'all haha, went down the Mordhiem path for a bit.

The wolves are made from the old metal hounds of chaos, directly pilfered the idea of Rob Hawkins (Infernal Skull or something to that effect on here), here is some of the guide he made http://robhawkinshobby.blogspot.com.au/2012/11/modeling-and-painting-dire-wolves-part-1.html.

The banner was nice as easy, for those that didn't pick it, it is just a grave guard (which I'm sure we all have millions floating about) cleaned up and turned on its side .

Now things that will be getting build soon is a zombie dragon, and I must say it is impossible for find a dragon model that I really liked... But I bit the bullet and ordered a FW Magma Dragon for Zombification and lord mounting (sounds a little sexual...).

So I shall stop being a slack bastard and actually update this from time to time... I'll attach a quick pick of another zombie unit filler, hope you like it.

And a quick look at my Varghoyle, as I wanted them to look a little more Blood Dragon-e.

Little bit of armour, still using a weapon etc, and his friend.

hope you like them.

Cheers,
TheTrans

 

[Archean]

The Vargs are wicked!

 

[TheTrans]

Thanks mate, Pics aren't great but I reckon people can still get the 'feel' of their poses.

 

[Undying Scourge]

Your conversions are great, but you need to work on your painting skills I think. I like the Blood Knights, especially since I am their NUMBER 1 fan anyway haha, but they do look a tad... messy on the painting side. That being said what you did with the Vargheists is just brilliant, what a great idea!

Also about your background... I didn't think Blood Dragons cared about land or power? I thought they only cared about fighting and being the ultimate warriors?

 

[TheTrans]

Ah, thanks Scourge. I'm more than happy with the old painting skills (picked up best painted army with this at a tournament a month or so ago), may be messy but I find it hits a good balance between speed and quality.

I enjoy writing back ground and by my reasoning the stuff GW writes is just a guideline to go off, like who would of thought

*SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT* that Walach would turn to Khorne as Chaos and Undead loathe each other, seems like a slap in the face to cannon doesn't it? *End Spoiler*

So who is to say that old mate Balaur enjoyed lands when he was alive, thus turning him undead and really pushing some traits, he enjoys holding lands when dead?

 

[Undying Scourge]

Well tbh Walach Harkon was always a brute and a butcher. Him turning to chaos isn't as farfetched as you think, in fact he probably should have turned to Chaos a long time ago. It's good that you won best painted army, I won Armies on Parade lol. You should have a look at my painting log.

 

[TheTrans]

Yeah saw yours the other day mate, look really nice, but I'm not a fan of the nice, clean overly 'fantasy' look to them, much more of a grim, their in the fields fighting and butchering style thing.

Hmm I don't see Walach as any more of a butcher than a normal Blood Dragon, it was just the most recent iteration of him in Nagash that made him seem like a dumb shit...