A scheme fit for heroes - Errhile painting the Steel Phalanx

Well, time to put a final stamp on the year 2020:

Spoiler: More of Teucer

 

And on with it - this time, Diomedes and one of the Thorakitai box (the rest of the box are scheduled to hit my workbench on March 1st :)).

Spoiler: More of Thorakitai and Diomedes

 

And, well, here we are: the last of the Thorakitai

Spoiler: More of the Thorakitai

And I guess that's the last of this scheme (unless my customer changes his mind about Thamyris, Ajax and a few other models).

Since he intends to branch over into OSS, the models who are available in both armies (Andromeda, Rebots & Probots) are intended to have a transistory scheme, between this one and the more muted one I intend for his OSS.
I'll keep you posted :)

 

Well, it took me a few months to get my hands on the Rebots:

Spoiler: More Rebot pics

Which is the take on the transistory color scheme - grayish blue replacing the ultramarine blue, and tinny tin replacing the brassy brass (the greens are there to stay). Still, I think I'll keep tiny bits of ultramarine and bronze in the intended final OSS scheme (as mentioned above, an intentnion of branching over has been once indicated), as I'm afraid the darker, more flat grayish blue and tin would result in a dull color scheme.
Even if one befits the OSS.

Also, I must say the models were very difficult and unnerving to assemble with those tiny contact points on their legs! But, what can you do when you are doing a commission job, and the customer takes whatever is available at the store... doesn't want to wait for restocking of more current models.

 

...and Probots:

Spoiler: More on them:

Now, model-wise, I hate their guts (and especially their legs. A nightmare to assemble, and prone to bending). But my customer has fixed himself on these, and wasn't willing to hear that a resculpt is supposedly due this year.

 

Next stop: Andromeda, in the transistory theme (well,and an attempt to present her Mimetism ability as a camo pattern. I'm not satisfied with that one).
Absolute nightmare of a model - I had to paint her in parts (to get to her back and underside of the cloak), then assemble her, paint Cetus separately, then set Cetus on the base and finally get Andromeda on the base.

Spoiler: More Andromeda & Cetus

I'm however happy with Cetus' scheme. Grayish blue, tin, gunmetal, with small bits of brass. That should work fine with OSS troops, if we come to that. I considered putting a camo scheme on his blue-ish panels, but decided against it, seeing how it came out on Andromeda.

Next stop, I'm being told, is going to be Hippolita (Aristeia! version, for the Infinity one is availalbe only with two O-12 models in tow. The accompanying Aristeia kickboxer will end up in Aleph colors, to make for a HVT).

 

Again...? Damn it.

From previous experiences - give it a moment, like, till tomorrow. They should start showing up.
Also, in a minute I'll just post a link ot the gallery in the opening post....

 

Just a minor piece this month, an F-13 turret for Aleph (on the right, of course - the color scheme gives it away, I guess...).
Kitbashed out of spare old gen Rebot tail and Combi for it.
The other F-13 is for my 6 armies combined, and made out of non-CB parts I bought years ago as an element of the Vega-class REM project.

Spoiler: More of the turrets

 

And, I guess, the final batch of Steel Phalanx (my customer is aiming to start OSS for Christmas :P).

Spoiler: Hipolyta & HVT

 

@Golem2God generally yes, thank you. I must admit some models were PITA to assembly though, especially the older drone sculpts (Rebots were bad, Probots and Devabots were awful).

I had also luck developing the color scheme. Really came well together!
Let's see how I'll fare further, with the OSS.

 

I can't tell, really - I liked most of them. The scheme was simple, bold, and generally quick to paint.

OSS will look similar, if more subdued - I intend to maintain cohesion within the Aleph force, so their owner will be able to deploy vanilla Aleph as his 3rd army (i.e. in addition to ASS & OSS). The REMs and Andromeda are already heading that way - what I called transistory scheme here.

Although, looking at offical OSS pics yesterday I faceplamed - why haven't I got the idea of adding some purple as detail...?
So, I'm going to try that. In fact, I should try the scheme on something, I just lack a suitable test model (yup, my "pile of shame" is next to nonexistent, I'm scraping the rock bottoms of it, some models I tried to paint 20 or so years ago... they get into a jar of acetone these days!).

So, as for the color scheme planned for the OSS:

• both greens (Valejjo Goblin Green and Emerald Green, IIRC used for shoes and webbing, primarily) stay as they were.
• Ultramarine Blue is to be replaced with bluish gray Valejjo Sombre Grey, if memory serves me). Some accents of Ultramarine Blue may still show up.
• Brassy Brass is to be replaced with Tinny Tin (again, some details in the brighter metal are going to show up here and there).
• gray, blue and gunmetal on the weapons are to stay as they were.
• Also, as per customer's request, skintone will remain the same, despite the more artifiical "feel" of OSS LHosts.

 

I use Valejjo Bronze Skintone & Citadel Sepia Wash. Sometimes, if it feels right, the skin gets a drybrush with the same skintone after washing.

I have chosen this color for my Haqqislam years ago (assumed it will represent slightly darker complexion of people raised under the Bouraq sun), and it kinda stuck with me - when it came to painting other models, it was what I had in stock. So yeah, my Corregidor/Starco & Druze Bayram Securties get that skintone too.

...guess I could add one or two more skin colors to my paint rack...
Did not mention Dark Fleshtone I use on some of my Haqq & Nomad models - starting with Moran Massai - to depict people of African descent. None such in ASS, after all!