How I did it: Space Marines Razorback (Iron Hands)

- I believe in three tenets of battle: firepower, firepower and more firepower. Should the Omnissiah have wished otherwise, he would not have provided me with such a mighty tool as the Razorback.

- Iron Father Kardan Stronos, leader "de facto" of the Iron Hands Chapter

   Hello my friends! My latest trip was through the cold and merciless Medusa's plains as I finally decided to take over my first Space Marines project and give it a definitive shape. I've always been battled between two (or three, yeah better say three) loyalist Astartes Chapters: Imperial Fists, Iron Hands and Raven Guard.

    Talking about the first, IF, I liked their color scheme, as I love yellow (you can see traces of yellow in almost every army I painted); and, you know, it's quite important digging on when you paint. On the other hand I almost hated their BG; although the defending of Terra is quite evocative, they are definitely too zealous for me.

   Raven Guard and Iron Hands instead offered me both a great background to build an army, even if I didn't like their schemes so much. Black is a beast, and you can make striking black models, but at the very high cost of time. It is also true that if you want to go fast and have some experience, things will simplify. My final choice fell on Iron Hands for I liked much more their way of making war (and play); tanks, dreadnoughts and tactical marines. 

   I know now for sure that my choice was the best and even if it took 2 years to see something born, it was worth the wait. 

    I had already painted circa 15 models two years ago, about them I just decided for a rebasing process and few minor changes on the body of the miniature. The whole project, as I would build Clan Company Sorrgol, involved around 90 models and, although I started with the intention to make the whole thing in a single shot, I lately changed my mind and divided it into two main parts.

    The first part I painted, a "demi-company" in his own right, was 50 models, including a lot of tanks, dreadnoughts, marines and three HQ (3000 pts 8th ed.).

    I worked on them since the end of July and I've had some slowdowns due to the intense summer job but now I'm in holiday and I can finally take the thing in consideration even on the blog.

    We start with a fast-but-effective paintjob on my Razorback, called "Sthenelus" over Medusa's system great sun.

1. Coating and Drybrush Weathering

    No need to say, your main colors are black and silver, in the beginning.

    The drybrush process is:

1. Dawnstone

2. Administratum Grey

3. Leadbelcher (during this step you have to paint all the remaining silver and metal parts)

   After that wash with Nuln Oil on the silver and metal parts and, when it gets dry, drybrush again with silver.

2. White

   Basecoat, using water, two times with Caelestra Grey.

Add a second basecoat with Ulthuan Grey, two times.
You need to be very careful in this step, so take your time if you don't feel comfortable. Remember to use water and thin the paints.

Edge highlight with White Scars.

3. Adding Transfers

    Choose the places where you want to apply the tranfers and paint the surface where they're going to be placed with Ardcoat.

   Put transfers in warm water for ca 20 seconds and using a fine tweezer and a medium brush (and a lot of water) "slide" them on the model.

    Don't panic since as long as you have water on the transfers they won't stick to the model, and you'll be able to move it. Again take your time and with the wet brush move them in the exact position you desired.

   Once you have found the simmetrical position use a piece of paper and make a single push on the transfer. After this you won't be able to move it anymore.

   To complete the process add on them a thin cover of Medium. This will help to mantain them in position and remove a bit of gloss.

4. Advanced Weathering on the Tracks and White

   Cover all the tracks, and the surface right above them with Typhus Corrosion. Wipe it a bit with your finger to complete the step.

   Dip a piece of foam in Dryad Bark and tap on the white parts, indulging on the edges.

   Do the same on the transfers, removing almost at all their glossy surface.

   Paint delicately Nuln Oil on the vents.

5. Pigments

   Using a worn medium drybrush (but it has to be soft) put a generous amount of Forge World Orange Rust on a piece of paper.

   

   Drybrush powder on the tracks, and on all the surface you have previously covered with Typhus Corrosion.

   On the tracks, and inside them.

   Add a fine layer of fixer, spray of brush.

Final Model:

    Thanks for reading!