Some time ago, I showed you my WIP model for my World Eaters’ counts as Dark Apostle. Now since I wanted to enter the finished model into cormadepanda’s modelling/painting contest over at Dakka, I had a real incentive of actually painting up this guy sooner rather than later. So today, I would like to talk about painting the model and show you the finished piece.
Here’s where we left of last time:
Before breaking out the paints, I seriously considered adding a backpack to the model to 40k-ify it a bit more. Yet after trying several options (regular CSM backpacks, old Space Crusade backpacks, still sporting that semi-organic look of the Rogue Trader days, and even one of the new Dark Vengeance Chosen backpacks), I found out that adding a backpack would always mess with the model’s silhouette, especially with the nice flowing lines from the huge warhorn along the model’s horned head and down its left shoulder to the left hand. So I decided to just leave it off and come up with a fluff explanation for the unconventional armour: After all, it could be a relic from the Dark Age of Technology, a custom job from the Dark Mechanicum or even a prized chaos artifact: In any case, I would rather have a cool-looking model than be 100% correct about background minutiae all the time 
Anyway, this model was a joy to paint, mostly because I managed to glue everything together at the start, instead working in four tidy sub-assemblies, as suggested in my earlier post. So while every area of the model remained easy to reach with a brush, the different components could just as easily be slotted together whenever I needed to take a look at what the complete model would look like.
The different portions of the model could be finished independently from one another, so I always had something to do while waiting for a particular colour to dry. The first part that was actually finished was the base (with a part of the model’s right foot):
The colour did a good job of blending together the sculpted plastic rocks and the bits of cork added by me.
Here’s another snapshot of the PIP model, with the base colours and washes in place and some areas of red just receiving their second coat of colour:
As for the overall colour scheme, I stayed true to my tried and true recipe, with dark red armour, bronze trim and very pale skin. The one deviation from my usual approach was that I chose to paint the model’s cape in a dark turquoise to add in an additional spot colour.
All in all, this guy was finished fairly quickly, in about two sittings. The first one took about 2-3 hours and ended with the model mostly complete. The second sitting (about one hour) was just to finish the fine detail, add a few visual flourishes etc.
Anyway, without further ado, here’s the finished model:
As you can see, I added quite a few accents to the cape, in order to give it as much depth as possible. The pictures also nicely show off the depth of the sculpt. It really is a lovely model!
Here’s a couple of additional detail shots:
Even though I tend to limit the use of chaotic mutations for my World Eaters, the horned head works rather nicely in this case. The Khorne rune is a nice touch as well.
I had originally planned to paint the runes on the horn in a small OSL effect to show that they are glowing with daemonic energy, but I feared that would have made the model look a little too busy, so I chose a different, simpler approach. I feel this might have been the right decision.
In hindsight, maybe I should have painted a small planet into the gaping maw on the model’s right bracer. It would have looked even more like a stylised representation of the World Eaters’ legion badge…
I think the armour of the model comes together rather nicely. Oh, and I also added a skull trophy before painting — the codpiece was looking a little funny, and a few dangling skulls are never the wrong way to go with a follower of Khorne…
Lastly, here’s a closer look at the base:
I have never been a huge fan op piling huge amounts of skulls on bases, but I hink it works this time. The base also fits in really well with the bases on my other models.
So with that, the model was complete. I am rather happy with how it turned out:
As is my usual custom, I also thought about the models actual background, and wrote a short piece of fluff to add a bit more depth to the character. Check it out:
Huntmaster Stian Gul, Bearer of the Horn of Leires
Many forces of the traitor legions let themselves be inspired by the flaming words of heretical preachers and orators, among them the fanatical Dark Apostles of the Word Bearers. Yet the warriors of Khorne’s Eternal Hunt have little tolerance for sermons: For them, war itself is the sole worthy act of worship, and the sounds of hunting horns, howling chain weapons and pounding artillery are all the inspiration they need. And so the task of fueling the fires of their belligerence falls not to any preacher, but to Huntmaster Stian Gul, also called the Apostle of War:
Even in a force of superhuman warriors, Gul is an arresting presence: Clad in full baroque plate of uncertain origin, his head crowned with a set of horns, Gul resembles the appearance of the archetypal god of the hunt as described in a million different mythologies. He wields the Horn of Leires, a huge warhorn etched with runes of dark power, said to be fashioned from the horn of a Greater Daemon. Its sounds incite the legionaries’ rage and bloodlust far more than any sermon ever could. And it is well, for Stian Gul is a mysterious and taciturn figure, only seeming truly alive at the heart of battle, while shadowy and reclusive between engagements.
Those who have to face the World Eaters’ 4th assault company in battle fear the mournful sounds of the Horn of Leires, for they signal not only the beginning of battle, but also the fact that the Apostle of War has come and demands his due, to be paid in blood.
C&C always welcome! And, as always, thanks for looking and stay tuned for more!
Filed under: 40k, Chaos, Conversions, Fluff, paintjob, World Eaters Tagged: 40k, background, chaos, chaos lord, chaos space marines, conversion, counts as, dark apostle, huntmaster, khorne, khorne's eternal hunt, paintjob, warhammer fantasy battles, wfb, world eaters
