# Tyranids - Hive Fleet Leviathan



## Zero Effect (Feb 15, 2011)

Well Ladies and Gents, 

I am recently new to the Heresy Online and thought that I would post my project of painting the Tyranids, Hive Fleet Leviathan. 

Some say that I am crazy painting a swarm horde in these colours but on my travels I have only ever seen one HF Leviathan painted and that is from the GW Studios. I am sure some people out there have painted them before but I have not seen these yet.

Current Tyranids finished

Broodlord


Carnifex


Another view of the Carnifex


Hive Guard 

Base has been completed since this picture was taken

Hive Tyrant


Mawloc 


Another view of the Mawloc

The Mawloc took me around 42 hours of painting including a session at a paint-a-thon of 21 hours on the lower part of the body. Feathering the purple then lighter purple and then the grey took up most of the time.
Working on the base to complete it.

Termagants

Yes the bases need to be completed as always however got 15 of the 44 painted up. Currently takes me around 4 hours per miniature. 

In the next post I will show you all what I am currently painting - 8 Genestealers, 2 of them completed.


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## Zero Effect (Feb 15, 2011)

February's Project is to complete

12 Termagants 
Bringing the total up to 24 done

1 Tyrant Guard

8 Genestealers - 2 of them are almost done apart from the basing.

These are taking around 3-4 hours per miniature.

I am setting myself smaller targets to get the fleet up and running hopefully throughout the year I will get most of the miniatures I have done whilst adding more and more to the endless swarm.


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## sir_m1ke (Dec 7, 2008)

Really lovely models dude, 4 hours per model is insane!! but the effects are very effective

Love the Mawloc in particular

+rep for this anyway, keep us updated on the next models


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## Midge913 (Oct 21, 2010)

Love the Nids mate! The purple and grey feathering on the carapace is awsome. Great work. My hive fleet is an off shoot of Leviathan so I feel your pain. Painting the white is a real pain in the ass but you have pulled it off very nicely. Good work.


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## CLT40k (Jun 18, 2010)

Nice work + rep


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## Meldon (Dec 21, 2010)

I was bugging a friend of mine to paint his hive fleet in Leviathan colours when he began a few years back. But he settled on a brown scheme instead......... Love to se that someone dares to use the Leviathan theme 

+rep


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## Zero Effect (Feb 15, 2011)

Thanks for all the comments and positive feedback as well as the reps given.

Hopefully will have most of the 8 Genestealers completed over the next few days. Will update during the weekend!

Cheers again
ZE


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## Khorne's Fist (Jul 18, 2008)

A classic scheme you don't see enough of. Looks great. Well done.


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## DestroyerHive (Dec 22, 2009)

Leviathan is the best paint scheme in the game, in my opinion. I personally have a Leviathan army, but instead of painting them bright, I make them dark to instill the sense of approaching death:spiteful:.

+rep; very clean work!


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## Zero Effect (Feb 15, 2011)

Me again.

Further update first

Genestealers are coming along slowly but 3 of the 8 now almost completed and bases done. Hopefully have number 4 done later tonight or during tomorrow. Been off work with a flu or fever and not been able to do as much as I like but getting better each day now.

Below will be a whole list of the Leviathan Swarm. Further below that will be a picture of the Lictor I finished late last year.

Key
Painted and Based
Painted
Built
Under Construction or still to build

HQ

1 X Hive Tyrant armed with Heavy Venom Cannon
1 X Tyrant Guard, 1 X Tyrant Guard
1 X Tyranid Prime armed with Deathspitter

ELITES

1 X Hive Guard, 2 x Hive Guard
2 X Zoanthropes
1 X Lictor
1 X Death Leaper

TROOPS

11 X Tyranid Warriors consisting of;
3 standard setup, 3 armed with Deathspitters, 
1 armed with Venom Cannon, 1 armed with Barbed Strangler, 
2 armed with Rending Claws
15 X Termagants, 29 X Termagants
44 X Hormagaunts
8 X Genestealers, 16 X Genestealers 
1 X Broodlord
12 X Ripper Swarms at least

FAST ATTACK

2 X Raveners, 1 X Ravener all armed with Rending Claws and Devourers
10 X Gargoyles

HEAVY SUPPORT

1 X Carnifex armed with Crushing Claws
1 X Mawloc
1 X Trygon

As promised my Lictor

Again in pervious posts I have since completed the base.


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## mixykym (Jun 27, 2009)

amazing work zero effect.:victory:
I too have a hive fleet leviathan,2500pts from a white dwarf battle report circa 2005 i think.
havent updated the models with the newer editions yet but more i see peoples tyranid armies the more i think,hmmm perhaps just a little.
great pics and fantastic planning skills on your painting,its all in the seven P's :grin:.
rep


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## Unforgiven302 (Oct 20, 2008)

Sexy models! I just starting a nids army myself and these are some of the finest examples I have seen yet. These are giving me a ton of inspiration for when I set out to paint my army. +rep indeed!


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## Zero Effect (Feb 15, 2011)

Update on the Genestealers

As the subtitle suggests the Genestealers are coming along nicely and below there will be a progress picture to keep your mouths watering. Five of them are now complete and just got 3 more to go for the squad.



mixykym said:


> amazing work zero effect.:victory:
> great pics and fantastic planning skills on your painting,its all in the seven P's :grin:.
> rep


Thank you but can I ask what are the seven P's?



Unforgiven302 said:


> Sexy models! I just starting a nids army myself and these are some of the finest examples I have seen yet. These are giving me a ton of inspiration for when I set out to paint my army. +rep indeed!


Thank you for your kind workds.
Trust me on what I say next. Choose a darker colour scheme unless you are as crazy as me trying to take on this swarm.


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## mixykym (Jun 27, 2009)

Zero Effect said:


> Update on the Genestealers
> 
> As the subtitle suggests the Genestealers are coming along nicely and below there will be a progress picture to keep your mouths watering. Five of them are now complete and just got 3 more to go for the squad.
> 
> ...


ZERO EFFECT.

Great looking stealers and Broodlord k:

the seven P's are...
PLANNING,PREPARATION,PRACTICE,PREVENTS,PISS,POOR...PAINTING :biggrin:

everyone starts off,my first ever back in 1994 were Legion of the Damned, luckily black mostly.

and I also agree with the craziness !! mine were a devil to do :shok:,but the lighter colours do look sooo cool ,especially when overrunning an IG army :good:


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## Midge913 (Oct 21, 2010)

Nice looking stuff there mate! I love the lighter color skin tones for nids. They really do look great on the table.


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## shaantitus (Aug 3, 2009)

Magnificent work. Precise quality painting. Most impressed. It is quality work like this that makes me keep my nids hidden away.


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## HorusReborn (Nov 19, 2008)

The mawloc is tits man.. great work. Your feathering is nice and thing and the army seems to be comming along nicely!


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## Djinn24 (Jan 12, 2008)

A flipping mazing. This is one nice looking mid army!


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## GrimzagGorwazza (Aug 5, 2010)

I love the colour scheme and your painting style. These are looking really cool and for that you get mega repped....well 4 points...that's all i can give.

The only niggling little "But" that i have is the gun of your hive guard. Whilst you have a nice contrast on all of the musculature showing through on the pale flesh you've not really reversed the effect on the red flesh of the gun so whilst you've got a nice highlight and shading going on i can't help but feel the squiggy internals of the gun would be better painted in the lighter flesh tones you've already got on the skin of the model. 

Maybe i'm just nitpicking but it just makes the gun feel incomplete to me.


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## philsminions (Sep 8, 2010)

Wow! Love the Leviathan colour scheme. The armored plating is an awesome contrast to the white bodies. Quite nice, mate! I can't wait to see the rest of the Swarm finished. Keep up the excellent work!


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## unxpekted22 (Apr 7, 2009)

you have some really big bugs on your desk dude, Oh wait those are just models.

all kidding aside These look really good. Is that as bright a white as you can get? I toulwd be nice if there was a highlight for white so the undersides could look sharper, not as mute. 

There is one thing that seems odd to me. for the most part these models look so real, but there is an occasional piece that looks way under your over skill level. The best example is the Hive guard. In my opinion it has the best looking hide out of all these guys so far, except maybe the carnifex. But its red gun looks like bland red plastic to me, monotone. 

I always try to give some constructive feedback. keep up the good work!


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## Zero Effect (Feb 15, 2011)

GrimzagGorwazza said:


> I love the colour scheme and your painting style. These are looking really cool and for that you get mega repped....well 4 points...that's all i can give.
> 
> The only niggling little "But" that i have is the gun of your hive guard. Whilst you have a nice contrast on all of the musculature showing through on the pale flesh you've not really reversed the effect on the red flesh of the gun so whilst you've got a nice highlight and shading going on i can't help but feel the squiggy internals of the gun would be better painted in the lighter flesh tones you've already got on the skin of the model.
> 
> Maybe i'm just nitpicking but it just makes the gun feel incomplete to me.





unxpekted22 said:


> you have some really big bugs on your desk dude, Oh wait those are just models.
> 
> There is one thing that seems odd to me. for the most part these models look so real, but there is an occasional piece that looks way under your over skill level. The best example is the Hive guard. In my opinion it has the best looking hide out of all these guys so far, except maybe the carnifex. But its red gun looks like bland red plastic to me, monotone.


Thank you for all the praise and constructive comments.

I have taken it all on board and looked at the Hive Guard Impaler Cannon and I now can see and fully agree that there needs to be a improvement and bring it on par with my standard of modest painting. This will be done after my February painting challenge! Thanks again  



unxpekted22 said:


> all kidding aside These look really good. Is that as bright a white as you can get? I toulwd be nice if there was a highlight for white so the undersides could look sharper, not as mute.


I have to say I am looking at a wash of Sepia Brown as an experiment over the weekend when I visit GW. If it turns out to be a good one then I will be looking at going over the swarm slowly as I continue to paint up the swarm.

I do not want to make them too white as the Hive Fleet is a lighter version of Bleached Bone base coat. I am always learning especially with the washes that have come out by GW.

Kind Regards, 
ZE


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## unxpekted22 (Apr 7, 2009)

Zero Effect said:


> I do not want to make them too white as the Hive Fleet is a lighter version of Bleached Bone base coat. I am always learning especially with the washes that have come out by GW.


Definitely with you there on the washes, I have only used four of five of them by this point I think. But I have been using them for the same army so I guess thats ok haha.


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## Siskin (Mar 23, 2010)

Great but busy color scheme! Not a lot of room for mistakes, I really like the execution on your models have some rep, and keep them coming.

Siskin


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## Djinn24 (Jan 12, 2008)

Yeah that feathering is insane but it makes the army.


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## Zero Effect (Feb 15, 2011)

Thank you for the following quotes and praise.



Siskin said:


> Great but busy color scheme! Not a lot of room for mistakes, I really like the execution on your models have some rep, and keep them coming.
> Siskin





djinn24 said:


> Yeah that feathering is insane but it makes the army.


Little comments like that make a painters day and keeps you motivated especially on a swarm list. :grin:

Update:

The Genestealers are coming along and now working on the last one to have all 8 up and painted with their Broodlord leading them into battle! 

Will post pictures tomorrow evening once completed!

ZE


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## TheMissus (Dec 1, 2010)

Very nice and clean work. It has given me tons of inspiration.
Keep it up.


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## Zero Effect (Feb 15, 2011)

Update



GrimzagGorwazza said:


> I love the colour scheme and your painting style. These are looking really cool and for that you get mega repped....well 4 points...that's all i can give.
> 
> The only niggling little "But" that i have is the gun of your hive guard. Whilst you have a nice contrast on all of the musculature showing through on the pale flesh you've not really reversed the effect on the red flesh of the gun so whilst you've got a nice highlight and shading going on i can't help but feel the squiggy internals of the gun would be better painted in the lighter flesh tones you've already got on the skin of the model.
> 
> Maybe i'm just nitpicking but it just makes the gun feel incomplete to me.





unxpekted22 said:


> you have some really big bugs on your desk dude, Oh wait those are just models.
> 
> There is one thing that seems odd to me. for the most part these models look so real, but there is an occasional piece that looks way under your over skill level. The best example is the Hive guard. In my opinion it has the best looking hide out of all these guys so far, except maybe the carnifex. But its red gun looks like bland red plastic to me, monotone.


Thank you for all the praise and constructive comments.

I have taken it all on board and looked at the Hive Guard Impaler Cannon and I now can see and fully agree that there needs to be a improvement and bring it on par with my standard of modest painting. This will be done after my February painting challenge! Thanks again  

Well here is the improvement to the Hive Guard Impaler Cannon, definitely seems to make the model a little more complete. 



Hope you like it as much as I do now. Thank you.

Further Squad completion - Genestealer Squad with Broodlord.



Finally final update. Thank you for the tip of using Gryphonne Sepia on the bleached bone and I have started to use it on my second Tyrant Guard and makes the recesses stand out more.

ZE


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## Midge913 (Oct 21, 2010)

I am a big fan of the changes to the impaler cannon. Definitely looks better and breaks up the colors. The stealer squad is also really impressive. Keep 'em coming mate!


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## TheReverend (Dec 2, 2007)

Hey, this is some amazing work, especially on the purple armour. I like the finish you've achieved. The dark bases contrast well with the pale skin too. 

I love that broodlord model too, i keep meaning to get me one of them just to paint 

Looking forward to seeing some more of these

Rev


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## Zero Effect (Feb 15, 2011)

Midge913 said:


> I am a big fan of the changes to the impaler cannon. Definitely looks better and breaks up the colors. The stealer squad is also really impressive. Keep 'em coming mate!


Midge, thank you for the kind words.



TheReverend said:


> Hey, this is some amazing work, especially on the purple armour. I like the finish you've achieved. The dark bases contrast well with the pale skin too.
> 
> I love that broodlord model too, i keep meaning to get me one of them just to paint
> 
> ...


Dark bases are done this way:
Graveyard Earth.
Badab black wash and then again once dry.
Graveyard Earth dry brush over.
Graveyard Earth and a small tip of Skull white mixed in and dry brush over.
Dheneb Stone painted over the larger gravel and stones on the bases.
Graveyard Earth around the rim until a smooth finish is achieved. 

I am thinking towards doing some Hormagaunts for March's painting challenge and looking at modeling up some of the many ripper swarms I already got piling up.

To all, 

Thank you for the encouragement that I am receiving since joining the website. I, personally am inspired by your own personal blogs and tips and constructive eyes which will improve my painting further.

Thank you again.
ZE aka Craig


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## Zero Effect (Feb 15, 2011)

All, 

Lack of a update this week due to serious work load at work (of all places).

I am off to my local GW today so I will get a few hours of painting and gaming hopefully in. With that in mind I will do my Hive Fleet Leviathan colour scheme tutorial with WIP pics as well and will post over the weekend. 

ZE


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## Siskin (Mar 23, 2010)

I am a fan of your work! As i said earlier busy sheme but one thing is to choose one for an army way another to choose one for the horde army. "chapeau bas" Sir.

Siskin


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## Zero Effect (Feb 15, 2011)

Update

Just finished my first Hormagaunt today but then was gaming all afternoon.




Sorry for the lighting again due to the camera on my phone.
As you can see I have also used the Gryphonne Sepia in building up a better painting scheme. Loved how it has turned out, just another 11 to go!

ZE


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## Midge913 (Oct 21, 2010)

Excellent! My only critique would be that the tongue looks kinda flat compared to the rest. It is a really visible part of the model and is where the eye is drawn just due to the way that it protrudes from the rest of the head. Another highlight or two on that would sort it. Other than that great looking model.


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## Zero Effect (Feb 15, 2011)

Midge913 said:


> Excellent! My only critique would be that the tongue looks kinda flat compared to the rest. It is a really visible part of the model and is where the eye is drawn just due to the way that it protrudes from the rest of the head. Another highlight or two on that would sort it. Other than that great looking model.


Midge, cheers again for your constructive comments. The eyes are quite in depth on the miniatures as you know and the colour scheme I am using is Iyanden Darksun. The tongue is just a coat of Liche Purple.

I am going to go over the eyes again with more Darksun. I will also take a better angle shot of the miniature and hopefully it will show it off better!

ZE


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## Pride365 (Apr 17, 2012)

I really like all of the work you do!


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