Introducing.... Project X!

As usual, a little less progress than I'd liked, but at least some, and a new project to boot!

More after the break:

I'm just about finished with the bellies of the heavies, which had a bit too much time spent on them for something that will never really be seen, but I wanted to test some new ways of getting good bone gradients, in preparation for my FSA Aquan RotO ships.

The top side is making me reconsider my entire painting process.
At this point I'm getting burned out with highlighting blue panels, and I've got a lot left...
I've decided to put these on hold for a while, and concentrate on a new project, which I've tentatively called Project X!

There is a fleet I've been interested in for some time, which no-one in my local group plays, so I've decided to bite the bullet and make a quick 800 pts list.

Painting-wise, I'm aiming for speed over detailing, a simple scheme that can be finished quickly, but still with some visual interest.

 Here is a quick snapshot of the prototype (top right), and some WIP models.

As you can see, the fleet is Relthoza, and I've tried to find some old mk1 and mk2 ships, to mix in with the newer ships to get a rag-tag feel to the force (the Gilas technically have their add-ons glued the wrong way, but I like that look better).




The paint scheme so far is simple:

• Spray Army Painter Skeleton Bone
• Make a few uneven patches with VMC Cavalry Brown
• Highlight the patches with AP Bright Red
• Paint engines and guns with VGC Bright Copper

For the prototype I then applied liberal amounts of AP Dark Tone from a bottle, but for the rest I'm going with AP Strong Tone in a can (either dipping or brushing on), to get a more brown nuance.
I'm debating a quick drybrush of Skeleton Bone on top of the dip, but I've not settled yet.

Quick and a lot less detailed than my usual schemes, but it should ensue that I can get the entire fleet up and painted quickly.

The fleet list will be based on a shunting force, with Carrier accompanied by a Bane, a squad of Shunt Cruisers, Ba'kash Destroyers, and one squadron of each frigate type.
Fluff wise, I'm going with a Corsair type fleet, operating from a asteroid base somewhere, using quick ambush style raid to capture convoys and raid fleets.
The whole sector will learn to fear Rac'no'noss*, the Crimson Corsair...

+++ Crimson Corsair (790pts) +++

++ Relthoza Fleet (Standard Fleet) (640pts) ++

+ Tier 1 (280pts) +

Carrier (280pts)
····Theridion (280pts) [Corrosive Primaries (10pts), Self Repair MAR (10pts), Shunt Matrix (4) (20pts), Stealth Systems (10pts)]
········Rules: Corrosive, Self Repair, Shunt Matrix, Stealth Systems, System Network
········Bane/Araneae Accompaniment (65pts)
············Bane (60pts) [Corrosive Primaries (5pts), Shunt Matrix (8)]
················Rules: Corrosive, Shunt Matrix, Stealth Systems
············Bomber Token (5pts) [Bomber (5pts)]
········Bomber Token (25pts) [5x Bomber (25pts)]
········Fighter Token (15pts) [3x Fighter (15pts)]


+ Tier 2 (180pts) +

Shunt Cruiser Squadron (180pts)
····Araneae Squadron (180pts)
········3x Araneae (180pts) [3x Corrosive Primaries (15pts), 3x Shunt Matrix (8)]
············Rules: Shunt Matrix, Stealth Systems


+ Tier 3 (180pts) +

Frigate Squadron (100pts)
····Nidus Squadron (100pts) [4x Nidus (80pts)]
········Rules: Difficult Target, System Network
········Fighter Token (20pts) [4x Fighter (20pts)]


Frigate Squadron (80pts)
····Widow Squadron (80pts) [4x Widow (80pts)]
········Rules: Difficult Target, System Network


++ Ba'Kash Fleet (Natural Allies Accompaniment) (150pts) ++

+ Tier 2 (150pts) +

Destroyer Squadron (150pts)
····Tashak Squadron (150pts)
········2x Tashak (150pts) [2x Ambush (2), 2x Special Forces (10pts)]
············Rules: Ambush, Special Forces

Painttracker Status 10042015:

Acquired:
FSA: 21 (+4, the Relthoza ships above)
FSP: 10

Completed:
FSP: 27
FSA: 1

Sold:
FSA: 6


*Bonus point for recognizing the name... And I actually just realized that the paint scheme bears a small resemblance, if I were to add some more red, and black.