+ inload: Updating models – Novamarine captain +

+ inload: Captain Mercian of the Novamarines +

Resolution, Dominance, Control. These three words will be etched into the hearts of every one in my command. The first we shall own, the second we shall bring, and the third we will force onto the greenskin.

– Attr. Captain Mercian, Novamarines Master of the Marches -

+ Every so often, it's good to go back and update a model with which you're not satisifed. My Novamarines Captain was one such.

Original version

+ Based on the Space Hulk (3rd ed.) Librarian, the original conversion, seen left, received a quick paintjob for a last-minute campaign weekend. The golds were brash, the whites were too messy (even for my taste), and the model as a whole had a feeling of incompleteness to me.

+ On top of that, he just didn't have the presence of a Captain. I've never been a fan of capes on models before, but here I just thought it would add what was missing.

Updated version

+ The new version received a cape taken from FW's Minotaur Terminator special character, which I attached below the backpack. I then used greenstuff to extend it over his pauldron and across to a jewelled brooch next to a new shoulder pad with Terminator honours. My Novamarines are set in the 37th Millennium, so they offer good opportunities to experiment with details like the Crux Terminatus that don't fit thematically or chronologically with my more austere Ultramarines (M31 era).

+ Painting wise, I cleaned up the white, enriched the blues and then muted the golds. With that in place I worked on the additional details like the Chapter Symbol (partly hidden under the cloak) and picking out the Ultramarines Legion symbol on his helmet crest. 

+ Little touches like this took less than an hour but really made a difference. With them in place, I used a torn-off piece of sponge (for a ragged edge) and suggested some dirt and weathering by lightly dabbing Dryad Bark (a new dark brown paint) on.

 + The cloak was pretty easy to paint. As the Master of the Marches, the company colour is black. I try never to use pure black except for undercoats, instead making things very dark green, blue, red etc. Here I wanted a neutral hue so I mixed Dryad Back, Orkhide Shade and Necron Abyss for a dark hue. This was then highlighted subtly with the addition of Rotting Flesh.

+ Rotting Flesh was also used for the decorative lining, a simple high-contrast design that add a little detail to the piece.

+ The addition of the cape also means he now matches his Epic-scale iteration. +