2008 P3 Painting Competition

[Pop goes the world]

Greetings all, I need some help deciding on models to use for entries for this years GenCon P3 Painting Competition (Which I dominated last year with two big wins). I am having trouble deciding on an entry for the 'unit' category. Thus far, I am thinking of painting up a unit of Cephalyx Mind Slaves (all pictures provided are from the Privateer Press website for reference, NOT of models I have already painted...)


In order to make this unit really shine, I did a little bit of converting on mine (to fix poses, weapons, etc), and planned on doing a lot of really cool metals and zombie-ish flesh tones. THe problem is, I don't know if this is really a 'winning' set of models; they are just not that impressive.

So, I need help deciding what I want to paint before I put a ton of time and effort into something. My stipulations are thus,

• It needs to be a playable unit, and may include unit attachments or special weapons.
  
• I want a unit from a faction I actually play (Cryx, Menoth, or Everblight), so they are of use to me after the competition.
  
• I need a unit that is really awesome- impressive models will make for impressive paint jobs.
  

Last year I took home first place with my unit of Exemplar Vengers cavalry, so I don't think I want to do another Cavalry unit.

For reference, here are links to the pics of units I am contemplating...
www.privateerpress.com/WARMACHINE/gallery/default.php?level=album&id=17
www.privateerpress.com/WARMACHINE/gallery/default.php?level=album&id=27
www.privateerpress.com/HORDES/gallery/default.php?level=album&id=6

I already own many of these units, but I am not averse to buying new ones for the competition. The frontrunners thus far are the Crix Mind Slaves or the Everblight Incubi.

Lemme know what you think.

[RARE CHOICE GAMES]

ZEALOTS!!!! ZEALOTS !!!! ZEALOTS!!!! I think these are great models and could be made to be even more interesting with your sculpting skills. Add a monolith bearer to boot and thats sounds like a menothy good time.

[Pop goes the world]

Seriously? I actually think the Zealot sculpts are crap. None of them actually have faces (just oddly proportioned scarves and caps), and they otherwise bland studies in cloth drapery. They lack the detail that I think a winning entry requires. I suppose I could do a bunch of sculpting to get them up to par, and I do have an unopened box of zelots, but I can't even imagine what I would do besides just cutting all their heads off and re-sculpting from scratch.

I am actually leaning towards the Cryx Withershadow Combine.



THey are super detailed (each one is it's own character Lich Lord), there are only three of them (meaning I don't have to do TOO much painting), and their bases will be fun to work up (as their whole thing is that they tear enemy warjacks to shreds and rebuild them into Cryx jacks... Lots of basing options). What do you think?

[bloodangellh]

I think the Combine are a good choice as they fit all your criteria.

My only thought is that they are already visually interesting to begin with.

I am always drawn to people who can make run of the mill units special or simply interesting. I think visually, most people tend to take more notice of something out of the ordinary among the mundane.

But either way, good luck Adam.

[Pop goes the world]

Very good point, Loung (I have no idea how to spell your name). The 'character' of the Combine really might be too much, plus their small unit size (only 3) might detract from their impressivness against three cavalry models or six regular troopers.

PP actually has some pretty mediocre trooper models. Their characters, jacks, and beast are amazing, but many of the troopers are just blah. Almost none of them have faces (zealots, trenchers, Winterguard w/ their giant hats and high collars), and their poses tend to be awkward and unrealistic.

In order to make the combine more interesting, I am going to have the leader reviving a Cygnar jack (which will be challenging to pull off on a small base without making the model ridiculous). I am going to have one of the others manipulating a marionette (strings and all), but I have no ideas for the 3rd (the one reading the book). Her power is to nullify magic, but I don't know how to represent that on a small based model.

I know that the guys who judge the competition are intimately familiar with Iron Kingdoms lore, and they judge accordingly. With my entries this year, I am really trying to capture the essence of each model with their conversion and basing. Anybody with ideas for a base that can represent magic nullification, I would be in your debt.

[bloodangellh]

Do you know the exact rules/lore for model? How does she nullify magic? Blocking? Absorbing? Shielding?

[Pop goes the world]

The spell is called 'Unbinding,' and causes enemy upkeeps within 5" to expire, and the caster of said upkeep to suffer D3 damage. Otherwise, I am uncertain as to the details in the fluff.

[RARE CHOICE GAMES]

Well F' you in the ass adam. Zealots rule and while you cant see their faces I think with some verting and awesome basing you could make them awesome. Whatever you stick with silly cryx models which are made for people who are lame.

Anyways, I think magic would ve something really hard to represent on a model. You could always do the lame pillar of crap coming out of their hand that is a wierd transparent purple or green color. I dont think that would look right though. I do think those models would be good for the competition though with only being thrre and smaller I think they might get looked past a little. Your menoth last year was only three but it was cavalry and stood out because of their larger bases. Can you do a scenic diorama/base for them something that would give them that more impressive look as it would be larger then it would also allow you to model jacks and such on the scenic diorama base and not on the individual models base and those three models could still be taken off that base for gameplay. That might also solve your problem with the magic cryx guy cause you could put an enemy warcaster (cygnar journyman warcaster comes to mind) being knocked over by the "magic" from that guy or something.

[Pop goes the world]

Telling a story on a small base is really hard. For the leader dude, I am going to have him atop a destroyed Cygnar Charger jack that will be in the process of reconstituting as a Cryx jack (his eyes will be glowing green- it will be the modified jack from Epic Magnus's base). The one dude will have his puppet, representing his control spell. THe third will be... presumably reading up on how to nullify magic, unless I can think of something else to do with her.

I think I can make the Combine even more impressive than the three cavalry models through scenic basing, conversion, and epic feats of painting.

[bloodangellh]

"epic feats of painting."

Is that what it says on the back of your card, Adam?
"Feat: Epic Painting"

As for your third figure...I'm not sure what you can do that wouldn't look tacky or fanciful.

[Pop goes the world]

That is about right- I can only employ 'Epic Painting' with the frequency of a feat too, because it takes so goddamn long and requires tons of motivation that I don't always have.

I am just going with a basic base for the nullify-ing-Combine-robo-skeleton-chick. I just did some minor conversion work on her to make her robes look more drapey and fabric-like.

[ddaypunk06]

Yo adam what about the sea dogs you picked off of me. They will allow for lots of nice colors and with the unit attachment of Walls it should look pretty tight...even with the riffle man. Lots of different looking models to look at.