New painting, old list

This pic was the best of the bunch...

Work continues on Orsus.  Today I got the armor done, green and red, and prepared the metal areas with a layer of black.  I had a harder time than usual getting a picture today, and of the four I took the somewhat washed-out on to the left was the best representation.  While I'm settled on the overall red and green scheme there was plenty of debate over what parts should be which colors.  Making sweeping changes would put me back an entire session, so I decided to plunge on ahead with the scheme as it stood.  Starting with the green base, Russian Uniform Green or somesuch, I re-established the base color after the Umber wash that ended the last session.  I mixed in increasing amounts of Bleached Bone, probably ending with about a 4:1 bone to green mix.  I didn't keep a close eye on what the ratios were as there was no need to match other models in a squad.  If the Butcher is a slightly different shade than the rest of the army it will just help him stand out more as an individual.  There wasn't as much highlighting to do as I was anticipating, thanks mostly to the arms-across-body pose that shades most of the gut, as well as the coat.  I broke from tradition a bit with the red.  Previously I would wash a base of Blood Red, then go back with the Blood Red and finish with a slight mix with Blazing Orange.  The base was different this time though, Vallejo's Heavy Red getting the wash instead of the usual Blood Red, so I took a different approach to painting it as well.  Red Gore formed the first post-wash layer, then a mix that I think I'll call Blood Red Gore established the base red.  After that I mixed Blazing Orange in for two sets of highlights.  The result was a darker, richer red than I usually produce, with more appreciable highlighting, all without turning out orange.  The only potential problem, aside from considering swapping how I do red, is that the final product is darker than I expected, which means that it will be more of a challenge to make a darker-still red for the coat.  That coat will be the next item I tackle, along with the metals and the big fur collar.  Though it seems like a stretch, it's possible that I'll be finished after the next time I hoist the brush.  That said I'm not at all happy with the pants, which are in limbo while I decide what, if anything, I want to do with them.  I'd have to introduce another color to make them stand out, though I suppose I could make them leather pants and keep my palette together.  I'll have a bit of time to consider before I have to decide.



While in the midst of Harkevich frenzy, I finally succeeded in making a Strakhov list that I think might work.  Strakhov has an odd history with me.  I came in with Mk. II, so Strakhov was the new hotness when I first looked around on the interwebs for Khadoran goodness.  Between his spells and feat he can rocket a jack across the table while supporting it with other rocketing pieces, but the exact interaction is a bit convoluted.  I'm still not sure I have a complete grip on how he works, but I don't think I'll make any further progress until I put him on the table.  The potential learning list:

35+6 points, 21 models

Kommander Strakhov  +6 points
* Kodiak  8 points
* Torch  10 points

Eiryss, Mage Hunter of Ios  3 points
Great Bears of Gallowswood  5 points
10 Kayazy Assassins  8 points
* Kayazy Underboss  2 points
Kayazy Eliminators  3 points
Manhunter  2 points

After having chewed on it for a while, the list strikes me as very simple.  Everything either has Stealth (Eiryss, Kayazys, Manhunter), will have Stealth from Strakhov (Great Bears), or can produce some sort of cloud effect (Strakhov and the jacks).  The result is a force that can operate with near-immunity to any sort of ranged threat, and once the enemy is close enough to see through Stealth it should be too late.  Strakhov is definitely an assassination caster, so everything is geared towards that.  Torch is the designated hitter and will have the Kodiak as a running mate to help clear charge lanes.  While my initial thought was to put Superiority on Torch, I think the Kodiak might wear it better.  Torch's chainsaw arm should be enough to cut any caster in half and only needs to hit once, thanks to Sustained Attack.  The Kodiak generally wants to boost to hit, but with MAT 8 after Superiority it has a decent shot at getting off the combo throw without having to boost anything, leaving more Focus for chainsawing.  The Kayazys can all do their Acrobatic shenanigans to get where they want to be, I've been coveting the Great Bears for a while, and Eiryss is self-explanatory in any assassination list.  The big problem with this list is the same as all the Harkevich lists: lack of models.  I have none of the units, no Eiryss, no Torch, and the Eliminators don't even have models yet.  Torch should be the biggest hurdle as the rest have been on my short list for quite a while, but regardless of how much there is or how long it takes to amass the reality is still that this is a theoretical list that won't see the table any time soon.  Using just what I have on hand has still yielded no returns as I don't want to run the WGI Deathstar with him and, more importantly, I lack a jack that I feel at ease sending in to finish off a caster.  I could squeeze a Juggy or Kodiak into the role, but that would also require squeezing the WGI in, and that's too much squeezing for me.  A victory is a victory though, and I'm happy to have finally come up with a Strakhov list I like.