I started this page on September 17, 2022, the day preorders went live for the LoV army starter, and officially began working on my army the day that box arrived, September 29. It’s pretty sparse for now.
Thinking out loud
At this stage, I know a few things:
- THA: I’m playing Trans-Hyperian Alliance. That orange armor is going to be a blast to paint!
- Edge highlighting: I’m going to learn how to do proper edge highlighting while working on these guys.
- Pin washes: In that vein, I’m also going to make pin washes my default for my Kin, with all-over washes reserved for bases and possibly a few elements on the model itself.
- Weathering: If ever a faction called for weathered armor, this is it — and weathering and battle damage should be a blast do do on their orange Void Suits.
- Don’t attempt to one-shot it: I broke with my usual approach for my Custodes army, working on 100% of the army at every stage. It made sense, given that spraying them gold was best done all at once, and should have saved enough time to overcome the momentum-killer that is having an entire army to paint at once. But it didn’t work: It’s been over a year since I touched a Custodes model, and I’ve never finished a single one. For my Kin, I’m going back to painting squad by squad.
I’m on the fence about trying to learn to paint non-Ork faces, but leaning against it. I have two new techniques to try, both a significant step up from my usual approach, and that’s more than enough. It’s most likely all helmets, all the time for my Kin.
Trans-Hyperian Alliance color guide
In the past I’ve written a color guide for each unit, but found that one of them serves as the main color guide and gets referenced most often. So for my Kin I’m just putting the main guide here, on their dedicated page. If specific units vary from or add to this guide, they’ll get their own posts.
As always, this is based on the Citadel studio guide, Warhammer TV (Battle Ready, Parade Ready), and a few tweaks and things of my own. Nothing is drybrushed unless noted.
Bases
My concept is “alien moon,” primarily grey with notes of blue to contrast with their orange Void Suits (since blue is opposite orange on the color wheel).
- Terrain: Astrogranite Debris > Drakenhof Nightshade all-over wash > Calgar Blue drybrush > light Baharroth Blue drybrush, just kissing the high points
- Crystals: Bits of sprue trimmed to blocky points, and then painted: Calgar Blue (note this is a layer paint) > Drakenhof Nightshade all-over wash > Baharroth Blue edge highlighting
- Rocks: Dark Reaper (note this is a layer paint) > Drakenhof Nightshade all-over wash > Russ Grey drybrush
- Skulls: Corax White > Agrax Earthshade all-over wash > Corax White drybrush
- Tufts: A mix of Amry Painter winter and deadlands tufts.
- Base rims (edges): Russ Grey
Models
Layers are typically edge highlighting, although it depends on the bit being highlighted.
- Void Suit (armor): Jokaero Orange > Fuegan Orange pin wash > Troll Slayer Orange edge highlighting > Fire Dragon Bright top-level highlighting.
- Helmet lenses: Mephiston Red > Nuln Oil all-over wash > Evil Sunz Scarlet > Wild Rider Red
- White stripes on Void Suits: White Scar
- Pants, shirts, knee/elbow pads, glove bits, boots: Mechanicus Standard Grey > Nuln Oil pin wash > Dawnstone
- Skin: Pick one:
- Dark brown: Catachan Flesh > Reikland Fleshshade all-over wash > Bloodreaver Flesh > Knight-Questor Flesh
- Ruddy: Rakarth Flesh > Reikland Fleshshade all-over wash > Flayed One Flesh
- Hair: Pick one:
- Black: Abaddon Black > Skavenblight Dinge > Stormvermin Fur
- Blonde: Averland Sunset > Casandora Yellow all-over wash > Yriel Yellow > Flash Gitz Yellow
- Brown: Dryad Bark > Agrax Earthshade all-over wash > Gorthor Brown > Baneblade Brown
- Grey: Celestra Grey > Agrax Earthshade all-over wash > Ulthuan Grey > White Scar
- Leather goods, boot uppers: Zandri Dust > Agrax Earthshade all-over wash > Ushabti Bone
- Weapon housings and handles, boot soles, backpack elements: Abaddon Black > Thunderhawk Blue > Fenrisian Grey
- Blades, gun bodies, faceplates, studs/bolts, other bare metal: Leadbelcher > Nuln Oil all-over wash > Runefang Steel
- Mole grenade dirt “spray”: Dark Reaper (note this is a layer paint) > Drakenhof Nightshade all-over wash > Calgar Blue drybrush > light Baharroth Blue drybrush, just kissing the high points. Then paint the grenade (as metal).
- Weathering:
- Void Suits: TBD.
- Dusty legs: TBD, but drybrush feet and legs very lightly with Russ Grey or maybe Calgar Blue.
Hidden elements
- Primer: Vallejo White, brushed-on
- Sealant: Vallejo Matt White, brushed-on, one coat
