Imperial Guard, Space Marines and a new faction

If you have seen the lables for this post, then you already know that the new faction is Tyranids. So let us start there and let the cat out of the bag. I have bought my first Tyranids. I was at Warhmmer Oslo today and they had four of the new Leviathan boxes in the store so I got one. 

I have long stayed away from the Tyranids because I have no idea how to paint them up. I have tried with some Genestealers but have not been satisfied so I have stayed away. But as the years have passed I have given it a lot of thought and seen a lot of nicely painted 'Nids and now I feel the time is here to give it  go. I plan to give them a light paint scheme with some sort of off-white and light purple and maybe some pink or light red.

Today Games Workshop revealed models that will replace some of the old range and they look really good, so I look forward to expanding the force over time. But I do not want to do it too fast, as I have way too many models to build and paint as it is.

The Leviathan box also includes Space Marines and they have made new versions for several of the units. One unit that is all new is the Terminators that has been made bigger than the old ones and apparently the heads are placed in a more natural place compared to the shouders than on the old ones. I look forward to building and painting them, and I will get more of them when they are released as a separate box. I already have so many Terminators, but I think there always is room for a few more. 

I have also started on a new unit for the Walpurgian 3rd. This time it is a Valkyrie from the 1st Airborne and I have an idea how I want to paint it up. I have painted most of the interior of the troop or cargo compartment, but  the weapons and gunners remain. I am working on them now.

I think the Valkyrie will be black and dark gray just like the vehicles I have painted up for the army, but I will have to think a little bit more on what parts should get what color. The inside of the troop/cargo copartment is black, and I think the cockpit interior will be the same. The pilots will have dark gray pants, or maybe Death Corps drab if I want it to look like a rugged flight suit. I will see how they look when I come to that step in the instructions.

I have one big problem with the Valkyrie, and it is a showstopper so it will not be completed for a while. One of the two side panels for the front cockpit is gone from the set. Probably it has broken off, and I have managed to loose it when opening the box and looking at the sprues some time before. So I have to wait for the Valkyrie to come back in stock so I can get a new one. I talked to the staff at the Warhammer store and asked if they know if GW makes spares but they told me they don't but they would contact customer service for me anyway, as it could be possible that they had a spare sprue if something went wrong in the moulding of new sets. But I am thinking I will buy another one and then use most of the parts for an Ork flyer. Then I have extra crew and some extra parts to use on future builds. My plan is to have three Valkyries and kit them out a little differently for each.