15mm Sci Fi - Alternative Armies Asgard Space Marines 2.0

Several years ago I painted several dozen Asgard Space Marines by Alternative Armies.  At the time I wanted to do a proper scheme but I didn't have the skill necessary to accomplish what I wanted (basically to replicate Sam's own scheme which is used on AA's web site for the 28mm versions).  Subsequently I painted them in a shameful metallic scheme which I can proudly say is now no-more (stripped).

To my great pleasure I have recently discovered the beauty of Army Painter Washes.  I have used Dark and Strong tone for years but only recently did I pony up and purchase their whole line of washes in a single kit.  To my surprise they are quite different than the GW products.  They flow better, do not stain the underlying paint immediately and can be worked with a lot longer on the model than GW products.

So, last week, while playing with them on some practice GZG models I had lying around I discovered that one wash in particular, Military Shade, works WONDERS on a plain flat white basecoat.  The wash goes on black green but that is a deception.  It shades the recesses and leaves the white more or less intact (a tad darker, but not much).  I found it shaded the infantry model perfectly (assuming I wanted a stormtrooper).  I immediately tried it on a Laserburn Imperial Trooper and was stunned.  It produced, basically, a Space Marine from the White Scars Chapter, with no fuss, extra drybrushing or staining of the underlying white (needless to say I will be redoing my Laserburn Imperials in this scheme).  Anyway, I decided to have another crack at my Asgard models with this new recipe.

15mm Alternative Armies Asgard Space Marines

The models were basecoated in Tamiya Flat White.  Details like weapons and hoses (there are a lot!) were picked out with metallic paints and greys.  They were then washed in Army Painter Military Shade.  Once dry they were washed again in Army Painter Light Tone.  This was the key.  It gave the models a needed accent color and took the edge off the white.  Once dry I highlighted areas in Vallejo Grey White.

The flames were done in Orange, then washed with GW Orange and Yellow.  I could have just used the yellow and orange washes over a white basecoat and the flames would have looked much better I think.  That is the beauty of painting with washes.  Various other areas were washed in blues and greens to give some additional color and eye candy to the models.

My models had a casting defect which I overlooked initially: a hole in the backpacks which I forgot to fill.  Subsequent models will not slip by me like that.  Gavin at Alternative Armies was kind enough to drop in a surprise on my next order.  Also, I always seem to miss filing off a mold line or two.  They are particularly hard to see on these guys for some reason.

15mm Asgard Space Marines

One guys foot is messed up, due to casting.  I could have fixed it, but its so damn hard to see beforehand.  I did fix the one boot afterwards (where the wash pooled).

Still playing around with the smoke.  Flocked one and decided to strip it off.

Prototype Laserburn Imperial Trooper in my new white scheme.  Identical to the Asgard Marines basically.  The only change will be that the pouches will be left white and washed GW Green.  All white models need splashes of color to keep the eye moving around.

Overall I am pleased on how they came out (the real thing is always better than pictures I find and at a distance, meaning anything other than right in front of your face or a super-zoomed photo,  they look good).  They were not too difficult to paint, now that I have mastered this scheme.   Surprising there is a lot of little fiddly things on them which just beg for detailing.  More so than you would think.  Hopefully I have the fortitude to finish up the remaining troops I have left.  They are intended to be used in Alien Squad Leader as an Imperial Strike Force and Rogue Stars as character models (hopefully).