This week on Warhammer+ sees the arrival of the last episode of animation series Pariah Nexus, and it’s a stunning conclusion to an amazing series.
To mark its release, both Citadel Colour Masterclass and Loremasters have been inspired to explore aspects of the show. We spoke to Masterclass Tutor Ed and Loremaster Alex to tell us more…
WarCom: Why did you choose to focus on the Necrons this week?
Ed: I wanted to try and emulate an aspect of the key figure from each episode as we move from tutorial to tutorial, and as we have already looked at the heroes in the Pariah Nexus series, I couldn’t let us round everything off without looking at the antagonists!
WarCom: Previous Masterclass episodes have looked at soft pale skin, and freehand flames to represent the Sisters of Battle and the Salamanders, what will we be looking at in this episode?
Ed: We are going to get our brushes ready for plenty of glazing as we look at green object source lighting (OSL), a technique that emulates how light interacts with various surfaces. One of the strongest identifiers for the various Necrons in the animation is that bright, cold green light that emanates from their weapons. OSL can be used both subtly, and as the main focus of a miniature, so I think this is a great technique to learn for anyone who wants to have their Necrons glowing on the battlefield!
WarCom: Do you have any tips for readers wanting to copy more of the aesthetic from Pariah Nexus across their models?
Ed: The show really nails the dark, gritty atmosphere of the 41st Millennium and I think a good way to show this is by ramping up how much chipping and grime we paint on our miniatures. This doesn’t necessarily mean dipping our model in Agrax Earthshade as subtlety can be more effective in conveying a theme. Looking at including more weathering on different surfaces, while still keeping in scale with our models will go a long way to mimicking the look of the animation.
WarCom: Loremasters is inspecting the Thunderhawk Gunship, What inspired this episode?
Alex: The very first episode of Pariah Nexus opens with a damaged Thunderhawk Gunship. The Thunderhawk is known as a rugged and reliable craft and it has served the Space Marines for over 10,000 years, so we felt it deserved its own episode.
WarCom: So it’s been around for quite a while!
Alex: Indeed, the Thunderhawk was originally introduced as a cost-effective, temporary measure towards the end of the Great Crusade. The expeditionary fleets had spread across the galaxy and the Legions had grown tremendously. With more Space Marines came more demand for Stormbirds and other transports, which were expensive and complicated to produce. Hence the introduction of the Thunderhawk.
WarCom: If it was supposed to be a temporary addition, how come it’s still in use?
Alex: Well, despite some initial concerns by the Legions regarding the lighter construction of the Thunderhawk, it proved itself to be a very effective and versatile aircraft! While not the size of a Stormbird, the Thunderhawk has a big cargo hold, heavy armaments, including a spine-mounted turbolaser destructor* and the capability to carry an array of guided bombs, made it a jack of all trades. This came to be appreciated, and since they could be churned out far faster than other craft they soon became a common sight!
WarCom: It seems like a pretty useful aircraft.
Alex: It absolutely is, and in the years since the Horus Heresy it has only become more useful.
Thanks to Ed and Alex! You can watch this week’s episodes of Citadel Colour Masterclass and Loremasters over on Warhammer TV with a Warhammer+ subscription. Not only does a subscription bag you loads of shows, but if you subscribe for a full year you’ll be able to pick one of two superb and exclusive Warhammer+ miniatures for free. The latest episode of Pariah Nexus also lands today.
* A massive gun derived from those used by frigate warships!
