Deimos the Steel Forge: #NewYearNewArmy

Hi all it's Neil here and today I'll share the first unit I've painted up for my #NewYearNewArmy project which will be Adeptus Mechanicus.  The idea is to paint one box before getting the next one so that I don't create a new backlog in addition to those I already have.  My project will be to using a slightly different forge world that I haven't seen around, Forge World Deimos.  

The kick off unit, I was given as a Secret Santa present from fellow warlord James, which is a unit of 5 Skitarii Vanguard.  The Deimos colours are a sky blue for their cloaks and robes with red under garments to reflect their heritage of being a moon of Mars.  I really like this colour scheme as it gives a very bright colour on the Adeptus Mechanicus to go with the dark metal of all their bionics.  I decided not to go with the red metal that the one picture of a Deimos Skitarii as I preferred the idea of 

My first unit of Skitarii Vanguard are armed with the standard radium carbines except for the Alpha whom I've given a Radium Pistol and Power Sword, mostly because I though it looked pretty cool when I was building the unit.  I skipped the Enhanced Data Tether and the Omnispex as I thought that for a small unit like this it wouldn't be worth the points.

For the paint scheme I did the following;

• For the cloak:
• Undercoated the outside of the cloak in Grey Seer
• Used Aethermatic Blue in two glazes over the Grey Seer to give the sky blue and to get a flatter colour on the cloaks
• Then base coloured the inside of the cloak in Celestra Grey
• Washed the Celestra Grey in Agrax Earthshade
• Layered the inside of the cloak with Ulthuan Grey
• Highlighted the Aethermatic Blue with Baharroth Blue
• Highlighted the Ulthuan Grey with White Scar

• For the trousers & undershirt kind of materials
• Base coloured with Mephiston Red
• Washed Carroburg Crimson
• Highlighted Evil Sunz Scarlet
• Highlighted Wild Rider Red

• For the Armour & Bionics
• Base coloured Leadbelcher
• Washed Nuln Oil
• Washed Agrax Earthshade
• Highlight Ironbreaker

• For Leather
• Base in Rhinox Hide
• Wash Nuln Oil
• Highlight Gorthor Brown
• Highlight Baneblade Brown

• For Pipes
• Base Abaddon Black
• Highlight Eshin Grey
• Highlight Dawnstone

• For Radium Carbines
• Base Mournfang Brown on wood areas
• Wash Agrax Earthshade 
• Highlight Skrag Brown
• Highlight Deathclaw Brown
• Base Leadbelcher on gunmetal parts
• Wash Leadbelcher with Nuln Oil
• Highlight metal with Stormhost Silver
• Base trim in Retributor Armour
• Wash it with Reikland Fleshshade
• Layer with Skullcrusher Brass
• Highlight in Stormhost Silver

• For Lenses
• Base Mephiston Red
• Wash with Cassandora Yellow
• Highlight Troll Slayer Orange
• Highlight Fire Dragon Bright

• For Purity Seals
• Base wax with Mephiston Red
• Wash wax with Cassandora Yellow
• Highlight wax with Troll Slayer Orange
• Highlight wax with Fire Dragon Bright
• Base parchment with Rakarth Flesh
• Wash parchment with Agrax Earthshade
• Layer in Pallid Wych Flesh
• Highlight White Scar

When it came to the basing I decided to stay with the same style I've been using on my Ultramarines, Tyranids and Dark Angels as this has now become my standard 40k basing style.  This is to use the Astrogranite Debris, washed with Agrax Earthshade then dry-brushed with Tyrant Skull.  On top of this I then use patches of Valhallan Blizzard to make it look partially snow covered.

Next up for Deimos are another unit of 5 Skitarii Vanguard, pretty similar to this unit to give me some more troops as well as finish up the box ready for the next addition.  In the next post I will also probably go through my thinking on what forge world rules I'd be using to represent them after I find and read every scrap of background about the Deimos forge world I can find.  If you want to check out what I'm currently painting I post WIP pictures on my Instagram.  Come back soon for more Adeptus Mechanicus posts following my new army building.