Hive Fleet Lamashtu - The Nightmare

[kwisatzhaderach]

There is not much recorded about Hive Fleet Lamashtu, but what there is, even the Ordo Xenos speaks of it in a hushed tone. 
Its origins are believed to be a splinter of Moloch, but it has also been recorded as a splinter of Kronos.
Perhaps it is everywhere - a psychic projection of the Hive Mind, an emergency response to the Cicatrix Maledictum that tore the Imperium in two. 
It is this very theory that has driven Ordo Xenos researchers insane

I got into Tyranids mid 8th edition, and when looking for a color scheme, I came across Hive Fleet Moloch.
However, there weren't really any resources or paint guides, just guesses.
I loved the scheme, but I knew I wanted to change some things on it - make it truly my own Hive Fleet and not just a carbon copy.
Thus was born Hive Fleet Lamashtu!




Perhaps even more horrifying is the Genestealer Cult formed by genestealers of Lamashtu - that of the Vita Manducare Corporation.
They are a mass producer of Corpse Starch, except that they mix in Genestealer experiment parts.
Many Imperial citizens are unknowingly consuming genestealer DNA and being affected. 

Here is an image of a Genestealer Cult Primus. Lorewise he is an operations officer of the corporation.


More to come! Hope y'all enjoy. 

[NidNoms]

nice paint scheme, at first i thought it was Behemoth but then i read your story (my bad).

[terminatoruk]

Oooh crickey, I love this scheme nice work!

Black and red is a good combo:-)

[kwisatzhaderach]

Thanks all for the compliments! Really means a lot.

I'm struggling with figuring out why my images aren't uploading. 



In the meantime, you can check out the Carnifex here: www.reddit.com/r/Tyranids/comments/jg0pcu/a_terrifying_carnifex_from_hive_fleet_lamashtu/

[kwisatzhaderach]

Here's a Zoanthrope I've finished.

[hivemind03]

I like the nice clean lines of the carapace. I dont really have any criticisms about the painting. Excellent work.

The bases are so dark, though. I like that the models standout on the dark ground but it looks unfinished.

[kwisatzhaderach]

Feb 21, 2021 23:00:20 GMT hivemind03 said:

I like the nice clean lines of the carapace. I dont really have any criticisms about the painting. Excellent work.

The bases are so dark, though. I like that the models standout on the dark ground but it looks unfinished.

Hey Hivemind03,

Many thanks for your compliments! I've enjoyed painting the carapace like that as it reminds me a lot of the xenomorphs. 
Truthfully, I haven't actually begun on the bases yet since I'm not sure exactly what I want to do with them yet. So you are correct, they are unfinished.
It will probably end up as a muted brownish/desert, I keep going back and forth. 


Here's a WIP Patriarch/Broodlord that I'm working on: 

[thepounder]

Looking great kwisatzhaderach!

The red is particularly well done.

[kwisatzhaderach]

Feb 25, 2021 14:03:28 GMT thepounder said:

Looking great kwisatzhaderach!

The red is particularly well done.

Hey thepounder,

Appreciate that! Definitely took a while to figure out a consistent recipe but it was fun. 

Here it is, if you'd ever like to give it a shot yourself:



Khorne Red Basecoat
2 Washes of Nuln Oil (wait for first to dry before applying second)
Reapply Khorne Red over all raised areas
1st Highlight: Evil Sunz Scarlet over all raised areas, leaving some Khorne red showing
Final highlight: Pink Horror over all raised areas, leaving the Scarlet and Khorne red showing

[Kyokii]

That red makes me sad my army uses white lol. Very nice, the high contrast lends itself very well. Talons could be a touch brighter, maybe? That's all the criticism for the scheme I have, but that's more a gripe. I do agree that the bases could use more color
Edit: missed that they are unfinished, I can't read

[kwisatzhaderach]

Mar 2, 2021 22:48:13 GMT Kyokii said:

That red makes me sad my army uses white lol. Very nice, the high contrast lends itself very well. Talons could be a touch brighter, maybe? That's all the criticism for the scheme I have, but that's more a gripe. I do agree that the bases could use more color
Edit: missed that they are unfinished, I can't read

Hey Kyokii,

Thanks - haha, well, variety is the spice of life! I quite like the Dimachaeron in your profile photo. 
As for the talons, I'm trying to not make them too bright, as I don't want to take away from the red. I'm also attempting to maintain as much contrast as possible.
I've always loved the painting style of "chiaroscuro" (dark, high contrast). But I do appreciate the constructive critique! 

Almost finished with this Broodlord / Genestealer Cult Patriarch.
Just need to get the base done - apparently they are my eternal foe!

[hivefleetkerrigan]

Looking great! What schemes are you thinking for your bases?

I was also intimidated by basing but now really enjoy it. It makes the models look so much better.

[kwisatzhaderach]

Mar 4, 2021 12:08:06 GMT hivefleetkerrigan said:

Looking great! What schemes are you thinking for your bases?

I was also intimidated by basing but now really enjoy it. It makes the models look so much better.

Thanks Kerrigan!

Truthfully I've been going back and forth over a couple different schemes. No matter what though, it will probably end up being something very muted. 
I do have a desert scheme for my Imperial guard, and while I would love for it to be similar (so that I can have battles where they all look the same), desert bases blend in too much with the claws I have for my guys.

I've been looking at some places for ideas and I really like the Eye of Terror basing scheme in the photo below.
What I might end up doing is having a very muted desert scheme and then use a lot of dark washes with those blue/purple colors to make it look like the life is being sucked out of the land. I want them to look good while not taking away from the miniature itself. 

And, honestly, I'd be more than happy to accept any thoughts from anyone on what direction I should go! 

[hivefleetkerrigan]

I think for nids there are three dominant philosophies:

1. Make the base contrast with the model. This way the model will pop
2. Make the model blend with the base. Nids are predators, so camouflage is probably a guarantee
3. Hey this looks cool! That's my scheme.

For your models, I'm not sure the dessert scheme would be an issue with the claws blending into the base. Maybe the nids are starting to evolve to camouflage into the planet?

You could also try to blend the dessert scheme and the eye of terror scheme into one. You could undercoat part of the base in whatever color you would use for your dessert (for me it's a dark brown), do about a third of the base as a transition zone, then the last chunk of the base as described. When you go to apply the textured paint, apply half as the dessert scheme and half as the mordant earth. Then take a toothpick and mix the transition zone. This way you get a dessert that's being leached of life. I'd test on a base first before putting it on a completed models base.

I'm personally partial to a jungle base for nids. It fits my head cannon of nids invading worlds with the most life for the best bang for your buck in biomass per invasion. You can also go wild with the scheme: I do a dark brown, dry brush a light brown, add flocking, glue on moss, glue on some rocks, attach some fake moss, and add some fake grass. For some big monsters, I make ferns by cutting up and glueing together leaves off of aquarium plants. The advantage to a base with green is that the color contrast will make your models pop.

Hope this helps and looking forward to seeing the final results!

[kwisatzhaderach]

Mar 7, 2021 21:04:03 GMT hivefleetkerrigan said:

I think for nids there are three dominant philosophies:

1. Make the base contrast with the model. This way the model will pop
2. Make the model blend with the base. Nids are predators, so camouflage is probably a guarantee
3. Hey this looks cool! That's my scheme.

For your models, I'm not sure the dessert scheme would be an issue with the claws blending into the base. Maybe the nids are starting to evolve to camouflage into the planet?

You could also try to blend the dessert scheme and the eye of terror scheme into one. You could undercoat part of the base in whatever color you would use for your dessert (for me it's a dark brown), do about a third of the base as a transition zone, then the last chunk of the base as described. When you go to apply the textured paint, apply half as the dessert scheme and half as the mordant earth. Then take a toothpick and mix the transition zone. This way you get a dessert that's being leached of life. I'd test on a base first before putting it on a completed models base.

I'm personally partial to a jungle base for nids. It fits my head cannon of nids invading worlds with the most life for the best bang for your buck in biomass per invasion. You can also go wild with the scheme: I do a dark brown, dry brush a light brown, add flocking, glue on moss, glue on some rocks, attach some fake moss, and add some fake grass. For some big monsters, I make ferns by cutting up and glueing together leaves off of aquarium plants. The advantage to a base with green is that the color contrast will make your models pop.

Hope this helps and looking forward to seeing the final results!

Hi Kerrigan,

Love that idea of that transition base. I'm definitely going to roll with that one. And I'll for sure test it out on a base. It's kind of funny, I think I have 30 gaunts + 20 stealers awaiting basing. 
Part of the reason I've been big on desert bases is because that's what my Imperial Guard army has, and I'd like to have something similar that matches up with that. I've even painted my IG to be reminiscent of Starship Troopers. I'll get a photo up of them once I get them out of storage, it's been a while since I've used them. 

But I also recognize that I need to make some concessions to ensure that the base isn't too bright and taking away from the model itself (see your philosophy #1).
So again, I appreciate all your insight! I think these bases will come out looking great.