Horus Heresy 30K - Death Guard - Primarch Mortarion, The Pale King

Hello Readers, thanks for dropping by. I have been away for a while unable to do any hobbying, however, whilst away I commissioned Den of Imagination to buy, construct, and paint The Pale King, Primarch Mortarion, father of the Death Guard Legion Space Marines, Child of Death, Lord of Death, Lord of Contagion.

I'm not sponsored so this is an honest review - Den of Imagination did a great job, superb service, good communication and photos were sent with feedback from me taken and the painted re-touched a few bits. Postage and packing was through FedEx and I got a very smooth service when compared to a previous commission service - so I would thoroughly recommend them if you have more money than time! I hope this inspires me to progress with the Death Guard forces, I have only the Primus Medicae done so far.

A great job was done on the pale cloak, I re-painted the censers myself after giving the go ahead but on receipt I fancied a more brassy look to them, I also added a spot of colour on the Manreaper "Silence" battle scythe power blade, and some Stirland Mud on the base to complete the job and match with the Primus Medicae.

The base is magnetised, the front (shown as the right upper base piece above) is removeable, and Den of Imagination added magnets to secure the piece.

I love the pale face of the Pale King, and the artist followed by recipe I gave for the rest of the force yet to come, so this will fit in nicely and lead the fledgling future force.

Here is the magnetised base, the playable base is also magnetised underneath to the main base, this ensures a nice firm display base. 

The only piece I really added to the commission job was the blue power blade to the Manreaper "Silence" battle Scythe, using my recipe from the Custodes Power Blades. This adds a nice spot colour to an otherwise (rightly) drab miniature. And a few tufts of grass and the Stirland Mud to match the future force's scheme.

Primarch Mortarion will look over the Death Guard as the forces grow in the future...

Cheers, Siph.

Horus Heresy 30K - Death Guard - Primus Medicae and Death Guard Legion Scheme

Well, well. Yes it's a new army but one I have had for a while in the to-do pile, not jumping in Horus Heresy yet, just fancied a change of colour and watching a few YT videos to find a method and scheme I like. Here is my latest purchase, an eBay job painted as a White Scar Legion however with a change of trim and shoulder pauldron and a test of a YT 'Marine Juice' for weathering I give you a Primus Medicae in Cataphractii Terminator Armour.

So the original model when it was released I thought of one Legion and one only, it screamed Death Guard, its leather apron made the model look to have a distended belly like corrupted Death Guard, I liked it and once I had made my decision to choose a Legion, Death Guard it was - in some small part to this model which was then OOP... so I hunted for a fair priced one on eBay and the above was a good (enough) price and decent paint job. Instead of a strip and re-paint, I opted for a modification and wash.

Metal details were picked out in Decayed Metal - from Scale 75, a totally awesome metal for Death Guard Legion. The blood transfusion bags I opted to keep the turquoise wash the apron was and overpainted the apron with whites and contrast Skeleton Horde. The plain pauldron was a test for the Death Guard scheme, Death Guard Green (obviously), Nurgling Green highlight and edge of Kreig Khaki. 

The base was Stirland Mud with a Baneblade Brown drybrush and a black rim. Different from all of my 40K armies using Calthan Brown/Mournfang Brown base and edges.

The best thing is I really liked the scheme and the sickly green. I will get some test models done for Tactical Marines but before I forget or misplace the recipe I will be using:

Undercoat - Spray Chaos Black

Basecoat - Heavy-ish Zenithal spray Wraithbone

Greens* - DRPA Goblinoid Green (Citadel Warboss Green); highlight DRPA Troll Snot Green (Citadel Skarsnik Green); wash DRPA Necrosis Green Wash (Citadel Athonian Camoshade)

Metals - Leadbelcher, highlight Iron Hands Steel

Weapons - Black then Leadbelcher on metal parts, highlight Iron Hands Steel

Eyes - Blood Angel Contrast

Chipping - Rhinox Hide, White Scar on lower edges of big chips

Trim - Scale 75 Decayed Metal, washed AGrax/Terradon Turquoise 4:1 ratio, Balthasar Gold Highlight

Wash Everything - Marine Juice (Nuln Oil/Reikland Fleshshade/Lahmian Fluid 1:1:1 ratio)

Rust spots - Streaking Grime and Thinners

Base - Stirland Mud base, drybrushed Baneblade Brown, Black rim

* new green recipe, much more vibrant green as seen below. 

New green on shoulder plate and Mortarion's knees (his Shoulders are fabric)

Cheers, Siph (10pts)