40,000 Shades of Mechanicus Standard Grey: Hello Thallax

40,000 Shades of Mechanicus Standard Grey: Hello Thallax: I really like Thallax. Thallaxi? Thallexes? They came out of nowhere, foot troops for the Mechanicum that can stand on an even footing with the Legiones Astartes during the Great Crusade. They’re taller, stronger, have jet packs and are armed with lightning guns with chainsaw bayonets in the classic Rogue Trader style (up yours, Gears of Dudebro). They’re still human, in that there’s a few bits of human in that case, and they look wonderful – faceless, with nice clean lines but still loaded with that hardness that is so very, very Imperial.

These were bought on a mad whim at the Horus Heresy Weekender. The night before, at the pub quiz, I found myself as part of a team that would dub itself “Hello Thallax” in honour of the colouring-in competition that tasked us to come up with a colour scheme for a Thallax. Naturally, I went for pastel blues and pinks. Somehow, despite being stuck with me on the team, we won. So, it only seemed right I picked a cohort up, especially with all those delicious battle-automata on the horizon…
Like all my painting attempts, it’s incredibly basic. Almost painfully basic. The red is Mephiston Red, washed with Devlan Mud, then painted again with a fresh layer of Mephiston Red on the prominent areas, before highlighting with Evil Sunz Scarlet.

Thallax Primus, front

Thallax Primus, side

Thallax Primus, back

The metal was just Leadbelcher with a Nuln Oil wash then a drybrush of Necron Compound, much like how the brass was just Runelord Brass with a wash of Devlan Mud and Seraphim Sepia, before a faint drybrush of Necron Compound.

The face masks were just black primer with a faint Waywatcher Green glaze, then three coats of ’Ardcoat. The right shoulder pads were just black primer with Mechanicus Standard Grey highlights and a Nuln Oil wash, before applying a Sons of Horus transfer.

Thallax Secundus, front

Thallax Secundus, back

Thallax Secundus, side

Thallax Secundus, side

The glowy reactor bit is something I’m tinkering with, as I like the idea of OSL but I’m fundamentally lazy. So I painted up the engine with a base of Caliban Green, a highlight of Warpstone Glow, a quick wash of Biel Tan Green, a final highlight of Moot Green, and a final glaze of Waywatcher Green. I then drybrush the surrounding area with a light coat of Praxeti WHite, then gave to a few light washes of Waywatcher Green. It gave the area a faint, sickly green glow, without completely drowning the existing colours. I’m not entirely happy with it, but it’s an interesting start if nothing else.

Like last time, I finished up with a fast and dirty weathering job using some old sponge and Mechancius Standard Grey, aiming for exposed plates and edges, where the majority of the chips would be. Unlike last time, I added a shade of gore, but, in retrospect, I don’t think this was the best idea I’ve ever had. For one, red blood on red armour does look silly.

Thallax Tertius, front

Thallax Tertius, back

Thallax Tertius, side

It’s a technique I picked up from Tale of Painters, using a blend of Tamiya Clear Red and Nuln Oil. It’s the finest way to paint gore I’ve ever come across, and certainly puts a lot of attempts I’ve seen over the years to shame. The only downside is that Tamiya Clear Red stinks to high heaven.

They were then based in a similar fashion to the tester model, Sonny, which I will try to cover as soon as possible.

Thallax Cohort

And there we have them. The first cohort, which I intend to expand if and when Forge World release the weapon specialist options, and expand the Mechanicum army list into a proper army. Especially one I can use with my Sons of Horus, forever loyal to the Warmaster.
Next time I intend to have another Weekender purchase to show you, and then maybe I’ll actually post up that basing tutorial.