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If you still need a good primer try MTN spray paint .they make a clear plastic primer that etches right into the plastic it's designed only for plastics . I found it by accident at a hobby shop
Yea... As a kid I thought the Middle Earth Mumakil model was the biggest since back then the next GW I knew was in a Mall in another town a 45min drive away. I was a huge fan of lord of the rings when I was 10 and therefore loved gawking at the models especially that giant elephant. Since I didn't pay attention to the other models but was only on the lookout for Middle Earth models to admire I never really noticed anything else that had similar size... Might be that 10yo me overlooked one or the other imperial knight in the display window or even on a table... Mini me only had the mission to find out if there was an Eowyn mini since she was my favorite character. Now I'm living 500km south of where I grew up for studying and I'm into 40k for more than a year now, working on the beginning of a imperial guard army and I got myself Eowyn to be painted as a display model. Thanks boyfriend! He got me into 40k and a while after we got together as a couple. Sadly last years struggles didn't allow any training games in the local store an the store in the mall isn't around anymore for several years and I'm still waiting for the 9th edition codex for my Guardsmen...
Hey, this is a really cool project but I can see some potential issues here. The manta is way bigger in your diorama compared to the sketch you made, that may mean that all the cool stuff you were thinking of having on the surface will be in shadow of the manta unless you install lights underneath the manta to light up everything below. The project is super cool :) just my 2 cents
For the tyranid part it would be cool for a tervigon to nest under the surface and little termagants (or hormagants might suit better as a picture) preparing the nest for new arrivals Also a hidden camouflaged lictor somewhere would be an awesome addition
Cool: One production suggestion, when your music comes in, it comes in way louder than your voices, which I know is on purpose but maybe it is too much. I find myself constantly moving my volume button between hearing you and cutting the music down.
I personally really liked the music choice and the fade in fade out, they gave a nice and decent rhythm to the video! However I agree they were “a little” too loud at times. Cheers!
@@simonm8221 Music should _add_ to the images on display. _Accompany_ the video. Loud, intrusive music has its place in films and clips, but only in very specific circumstances. It should be used sparingly. Hans Zimmering a clip on cutting foam is just not, well... cutting it. 🙄
@@SquidmarMiniatures As a chunk was paid for by the last massive saie - you could do a charity auction for it. Choose a charity that means a lot to you, or think of a few and let your Patrons vote for the final one.
@@CweordUK Theyve already sold everything else so far. He just said he might not sell it.. I dont think he should have to sell it for Charity necessarily.
@@jimmerseiber He doesn't have to do anything. He also need to fund his wages and keep his channel growing. I was just making a suggestion, that may also help grow his viewer base.
@@vindik8or Its a big project, its an easy thing to overlook considering the broad scope of the project, its possible they realised that they could used them after the facts. They might fix it later who knows. :)
I was wondering why Tau would have english letters/numbers on their ship... assumed it was 40k lore I didn't know. Thats a deep rabbit hole after all. Maybe this ship carried a specialized recon/espionage unit that was en route to infiltrate a human world, and was using the imperial markings as immersive training?
I love the concept, really amazing work. Hate to say it but I agree with a lot of the comments, I think the base needs to be a lot bigger to do the details justice and the manta needs to show some significant damage, at the moment it breaks the immersion as it looks like it is just sitting on the rocks. When you see a big ship crash land in the films etc. the ship breaking apart is what makes it epic in my opinion.
@@mikeysgametime8914 I do know for sure! I completely agree if it was from your average hobbyist I wouldn't expect them to start cutting up such an expensive model. But if anyone has the resources and creative freedom to do something out of the ordinary then I think it could be here!
@@fonesrphunny7242 I think you are right, if you are attempting something so epic you need to be all in to make it look right, expense not necessarily being the biggest factor. Easy for me to say of course not being the one actually paying for it haha 😅
hmmm Id really love to see the miniature itself show more actually deformation and damage ... right now there is no real structural damage to a ship that crashed into a mountain side ... that seems weird. Not talking about a scratch or dent here and there, but the actual form of the ship as a whole ... this thing should have folded like a taco on impact.
There is also not enough destruction of the mountain itself. Mountain peak on the back left (looking from the front) should be smashed when Manta crash landed. Now, it just looks like ship was literally put there from the top, and not crashlanded.
@@groke144 i hear you, but this is suppposed to be years after the crash so there wouldn't be much sharp edges or whatever on the rocks left, it would all have been eroded a little smoother
@@jaymz18 Still, mountains do not grow back in few years time (and mountain peak on back left is clearly higher than Manta) and big chunks of stone also do not dissapear. They may be overgrown, maybe a little burried unde rubble, but they should still be there.
The mountain is one thing, but I don’t image the ship would be too much damaged. It’s a super alien ship made of alien metal with possible shields that didn’t go down until the crash
I like the idea but leaving the Manta in such a pristine condition after a crash does make it look odd at least so far. Maybe the warped parts could have been put to use by not really fixing them and they come out as crash damage and metal warping 😅. It’s too late for that now anyways so looking forward to the final result and I’m hope I wrong 😉 Best of luck team Squidmar !! :)
I don’t think it needs physical damage, it can be done through the paint process. I’d imagine a ship like this has pretty substantial shields and made from an ultra durable material
@@JustSomeDumbDude If it was on a plain field I get that, But stuck in a Mountain ? … it’s a stretch 😕 I was also under the impression that they were going to use it as a terrain piece to play war games on 😅 that would have been epic and takes on what Emil said, “You don’t play with it, you play on it” 🤣🤣
You know what you should do? Make a concept sketches of the lone, stranded fire warrior you want to put ontoo a diorama, than go to Fiverr and order a professional sculptors, to sculp you the little guy, than paint them all, and let the community decide whitch one to go with. Hell... make all of them a totally unique designs, and hide all of them arround the diorama, all in diffrent situations. Last surviving squad, maybe composed from warriors, from diffrent branches of TAU military- pathfinders, breachers, eternal, air caste pilot, water caste ambassador that they try to protect at all costs... you know what I mean. There are alot of crew on the Manta after all ;)
I thought it would look cool if there was a Lictor, camouflaged into the surrounding environment, waiting for the right moment to pounce on the Tau warrior. Sort of like those moments in horror movies, when you know what's coming, shouting at the tv to turn around or run, but the protagonist has no clue.
Just a suggestion, but you should create more damage to the exterior of the manta so that it blend in more because for now it just look like it as been laid there. But for now everything look great tho
Idk, in the end it's a 2000$ model. I think it's more suitable to paint some battle and crash damages instead of ruining the integrity of the Manta. The best choice i think, it's to be removable, for the transport but also to continue to use it in tabletop for a objective or decor.
@@WestCoastChomeur yeah your kinda right but in the first episode I think he said that he wanted the make something different then others so making it like a full diorama and not a playable figurine was what I think he intended to mean. And to make it more real that it as crash maybe just break a little bit of the nose of the spacecraft and some of the wing so that it look like it as scrape de ground of de planet before getting stuck between those mountain 🤷♂️
Plus tau tech would keep it from just crashing even at the cost of total power loss after the crash It actually shows off the tau tech and pilot skills But nids would definitely have a buffet of food from a manta lol
I know how much it takes to plan, fit and execute, to precision, custom models. Man this thing looks great so far!! Can't wait to see it finished and the process up to it!
This is going to be incredible. I never want these videos to end, but I know between three people how much you guys are putting in for a project of this massive scale.
Wow, this is really looking good. Impressive. I like the fiber optics idea, they can be manipulated to make the cave light look sort of dull or brighter if you want to make it that the Necrons have a really good system of lighting and technology in their caves. The Tau lettering idea is nice too, adds some realism.
This was such a cool project that i had to show my appreciation. I normally don’t comment on videos so this comment says something about the video. Keep doing what your doing Squidmar!!!
Looking good! With the modeling compound, you have to let it set up on the model for 10 minutes or so before it's very moldable. If you try right away it won't hold.
It’s already looking impressing! Have you considered making a lid (top and sides covers) for diorama to protect it from dust? Maybe even an transparent one? On the other hand simple blanket can be enough ;)
Just so you know for the future you can melt foam together with a heat gun and it is a permanent bond stronger than any glue. Look for something around 200 celcius and hold the foam about 1 inch apart and heat between the 2 peices for about 5 seconds and then push firm together
For the tyranid's addition, I recommend adding some aspect of mawloc coming out from the ground - not necessarily the full-blown model... but maybe portions of it (tail/limbs) alluding to its lurking and menacing presence.
For the modelling compound: You need to wait for like (half) an hour after applying, then go over it with a little water and you can sculpt just like the clay.
I think a semi Tyranids theme would be awesome in the ship. It reminds me of Prometheus or Alien Covenant. You could have a bunch of egg like things in a section of the ship with a Tervigon watching over them, making more little bids!
As the painted up vehicle bay is visible from the back, and the manta is on such a steep angle from the crash, it would be fun to paint up a few tau vehicles all smashed up and burnt at the lowest front end of the bay. That way it looks like the impact slid the vehicles forward instead of having a strangely empty bay. (I'm picturing the space battle at the start of Star Wars Revenge of The Sith as the ship starts to tip forward and all the vehicles slide around in the hangar)
The terrain looks massive when one of you are next to it. But when you put the manta on, it actually looks tiny... who had this idea in the first time? This is really another level hobby. 👏👏👏👏👏
This is SO rad! I love it! So cool to see a project like this all the way through. Most people would have no chance of doing this in their hobby time so it’s awesome to see what’s possible.
I shall ounce again recommend you to make this a modular part of a bigger gaming table. Perhaps even centre leaving some space on the sides for armies to cross form one half to the other. 😉 This will allow you to either use it as a diorama or take it out of shelf and game on the table around making it useful too
Amazing!! Add some water to the hangar area to represent the rain that was collected there maybe?? Like some kind of reservoir where the waterfall begins!
Cracking work Emil and the gang :) its looking really good and loving the ambition. Still hoping there will be an unearthed Necron Tomb entrance. Keep up the fabulous work.
This is looking so good!!! Please consider making the genestealers very primative looking by adding GSC heads to some tribal looking models like the Darkoath Chieftan for leaders and AOS Orks for the Abhorrents for example, maybe they have just discovered some old mining equipment in the caves and are trying to get them working?
Tip for fixing your plaster rocks, set cocktail sticks in them when you pour them, then you can push them into the foam to give better fixing, alongside the glue.
For the Tyranid part, Kit bash up a slick looking Tyranid Squid to put in the water. I feel like you could really do something neat with driving a narrative home there while also paying homage to your namesake.
Really can't wait to see the finished product - it is shaping up to be absolutely epic :) Since you have Tyranids, Space Marines & Necrons (and Tau), maybe instead of hiding the Necron stuff in the greenery, that would be a great place to hide traces of an old webway to get a little Eldar in there as well. I suppose a few orcy shrooms/spores could be tucked along the mountainside as well. Might be neat to see the lone Firewarrior attempting to build an antenna using an amalgam of Tau & Imperial techs.
The diorama, the airbrush, give it to meeee. Seriously, loving how this is turning out. Still agree with putting the top patron names (Im totally not bias) for names on Tau graves.
I have to say guys that this diorama is looking amazing. The “buy the biggest model” pissing contest amongst You Tubers was getting boring. But by pivoting this into genuinely creative modelling project with a story you’ve totally reengaged my interest. It’s great to see the three of you working on this. Squidmar channel is best when painting modelling and this is great. I’ve just bought a Harder & Steenbeck airbrush via your affiliate links on Emil recommendation but very best wishes for the Squidmar branded version. 👍🙌
It’s looking great so far and the concept is awesome. I’d be tempted to add another central support to the base if you can as mdf isn’t that strong at about 1/4 the strength of a solid piece of wood. I learnt this the hard way using it for book shelves and having to add strips of pine later to stop them sagging.
I think a big space ship like a manta would not hit the ground an not break apart. Maybe break off one of the wings and show the insides of it. I think it'll look more natural.
Depends on how it crashed, if it was a emergency landing and not a full on crash it is possible it would still be stuck together, even if I would say the impact sites would feel it a lot
Might be worth seeing how much some hardwood like walnut to make a surround for the frame/base would be! Would look super nice if it's done by a carpenter with some good machine tools.
So pumped for the finished diorama. This may have been suggested or be in the plan already but would love to see some hint at a creature lurking in the water or coming from that underwater cave.
You guys should get some 2 part silicone mold putty, it’s for press molds, you can cast rocks or your bark or whatever you want and make texture stampers.
If you want to make droplets running down something, try brushing an optic fiber with varnish several times. It's very fragile and hard to do, but the illusion is very good
Agreed with everybody, this projest is stunning as always but based on the size from the Manta, the diorama looks too small here. If you want to fit a graveyard, rhinos + a lot of stuff/details etc under the Manta, I would have place a bigger Diorama and maybe a higher moutain to get more visibility on the field. Regarding the damage of the Manta's structure It can be arranged later on ;). Nevertheless you are all doing an awesome work, and I'm a bit jealous :)
So the final organisms of a Hive Fleet are usually the big siege behemoths, and Ripper Swarms. Rippers devour the leftover biomass and then hop into some pools that get sucked up by the fleet. It's logical to have some sort of smaller clusters of eggs that could then hatch out to continue the devouring. As for what organisms a hive fleet sends out to scout new planets, genestealers and lictors are usually the first that come to mind. They can work independently of the hive mind, and can also build up a sort of biomass-beacon for the main fleet to home in towards. Keep in mind tyranid DNA also mutates local wildlife and plants, so anything goes for, say, the fish in the lake.
The cave holloed out spots are really cool maybe take more out from under the mountain to show case more armies? Like at the very top where the "tundra" would be have a small cave for a space wolf?
Make the base larger and break apart the ship, maybe some debris chipped and used in the tau warriors camp or in the mountain possibly? Can't wait to see what comes of this piece though!! 🔥🔥
few ideas for the fire warrior portion - could be nice to have him making his home in a crashed devilfish (maybe embed it in the ground at like a 45° angle and carve out the inside and set it up like a little caveman house). could also be nice for him to have some semblance of technology, maybe a crisis suit hooked up to some solar panels like he's jury-rigging it to try and get some charge into it to protect himself.
This an awesome project. A cool idea would be to have a tau drone scanning the cave system trying to map it out like in the Prometheus movie with red scanning circle on the walls of the caves but its being followed/stalked by a tyranid.
*I ... Can barely put any words in front of such a promising Centerpiece....* You do not disappoint, definitely, i can already *"Picture It."* [ In my own, humble opinion of course, haha! ] Magnificent, truly and i wasnt waiting for less than that comming from you and your Team. [ Wonderfull work , i can *"hardly wait"* to see the final results. even if i have a little *"Reservation"* about one of the future addition right now. *But i am certain you will actualy surprise me!* ] *A hard work for sure...* But i am absolutly sure you will pull it of in a Brilliant manner, has always.
You should add one of the gene stealer cult guys that has the digital map with it. The nexos model. Maybe as like a center of command in a cave. You could do some osl in the cave coming from the nexos map on the walls. That would look so dope !!!
Anymore, anyt hing with water I use marine plywood, this was awesome, nice work , edit, also when stacking your foam blocks to avoid them from coming apart make two holes on each peice of and cut out two dowels, and hot glue those , or u can also runs a metal rod through it
I still think a full-blown Genestealer Cult operation right beneath the Tau castaway's feet is straining credulity a bit. A clutch of Tyranid eggs is one thing, but active Genestealers is another. That said, the mountains look like they're shaping up nicely.
If you use resin water for the lake, be very careful and make sure all of the foam is insulated away from the resin. Resin water can get hot when mixed and wind up warping the foam.
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I have no idea YET how to spray paint but I am going to buy one of yours.
Ooof, now I don't know what to pick. Squidmar or Iron Man (the red and gold Infinity)
@@UnyieldingRylanor Squidmar of course :)
Lol
If you still need a good primer try MTN spray paint .they make a clear plastic primer that etches right into the plastic it's designed only for plastics . I found it by accident at a hobby shop
Jesus just imagine this thing as a centerpiece in a games room, or as a massive window piece for a shop! Just amazing. So creative, too
Nah dude let's get this sucker to Warhammer World!
I was thinking it would be cool to see him build a coffee table around it.
Yea... As a kid I thought the Middle Earth Mumakil model was the biggest since back then the next
GW I knew was in a Mall in another town a 45min drive away.
I was a huge fan of lord of the rings when I was 10 and therefore loved gawking at the models especially that giant elephant. Since I didn't pay attention to the other models but was only on the lookout for Middle Earth models to admire I never really noticed anything else that had similar size... Might be that 10yo me overlooked one or the other imperial knight in the display window or even on a table... Mini me only had the mission to find out if there was an Eowyn mini since she was my favorite character.
Now I'm living 500km south of where I grew up for studying and I'm into 40k for more than a year now, working on the beginning of a imperial guard army and I got myself Eowyn to be painted as a display model.
Thanks boyfriend! He got me into 40k and a while after we got together as a couple. Sadly last years struggles didn't allow any training games in the local store an the store in the mall isn't around anymore for several years and I'm still waiting for the 9th edition codex for my Guardsmen...
I think he said in an earlier video that it was going to be the right size for a game of Kill Team
Yes that is true but man do I want to play on it
Hey, this is a really cool project but I can see some potential issues here. The manta is way bigger in your diorama compared to the sketch you made, that may mean that all the cool stuff you were thinking of having on the surface will be in shadow of the manta unless you install lights underneath the manta to light up everything below. The project is super cool :) just my 2 cents
I was literally thinking the same thing!
Could be a cool opportunity for some fireplace LEDs or torches
ya see the problem is that the mantis is big. you should get a miniature... wait a sec
For the tyranid part it would be cool for a tervigon to nest under the surface and little termagants (or hormagants might suit better as a picture) preparing the nest for new arrivals
Also a hidden camouflaged lictor somewhere would be an awesome addition
Camouflage lictor is a great idea
Genestealer spawning nodes (the old objective markers) with one birthing something?
There are already 30 lictors in the diorama! You can't see 'em? o.O
Cool: One production suggestion, when your music comes in, it comes in way louder than your voices, which I know is on purpose but maybe it is too much. I find myself constantly moving my volume button between hearing you and cutting the music down.
And the "music" is actually more than annoying as it is, even at a normal volume... 🤨
I personally really liked the music choice and the fade in fade out, they gave a nice and decent rhythm to the video! However I agree they were “a little” too loud at times. Cheers!
@@simonm8221 Music should _add_ to the images on display. _Accompany_ the video. Loud, intrusive music has its place in films and clips, but only in very specific circumstances. It should be used sparingly. Hans Zimmering a clip on cutting foam is just not, well... cutting it. 🙄
Agreed, came here to post this exact comment. The music volume is intrusive to the point I considered turning off the vid.
So... we're waiting for a new record on ebay? I can't really imagine what would the price be. It's beyond stunning.
Not sure we'll ever sell it though haha. Gotta finish first :D its tough to store though as its so big.
@@SquidmarMiniatures As a chunk was paid for by the last massive saie - you could do a charity auction for it. Choose a charity that means a lot to you, or think of a few and let your Patrons vote for the final one.
@@CweordUK Theyve already sold everything else so far. He just said he might not sell it.. I dont think he should have to sell it for Charity necessarily.
@@jimmerseiber He doesn't have to do anything. He also need to fund his wages and keep his channel growing. I was just making a suggestion, that may also help grow his viewer base.
He and Lucas did also give away a pretty large tau army. Just gave it away no auction. If he gives everything away the channel is gonna suffer lol
You should have used those Tau Characters on the Hangar for the wall decals. =P
I'm really loving this already, can't wait to see it finished!
Yeah, that really annoyed me. They even know about Tau characters and they just went with Imperial lettering anyway.
@@vindik8or Its a big project, its an easy thing to overlook considering the broad scope of the project, its possible they realised that they could used them after the facts.
They might fix it later who knows. :)
I was wondering why Tau would have english letters/numbers on their ship... assumed it was 40k lore I didn't know. Thats a deep rabbit hole after all. Maybe this ship carried a specialized recon/espionage unit that was en route to infiltrate a human world, and was using the imperial markings as immersive training?
@@nicholasstahl713 Could be, or could also be that this group of T'au came from a Guevesa planet and thus were fluent in both gothic and t'au?
I love the concept, really amazing work. Hate to say it but I agree with a lot of the comments, I think the base needs to be a lot bigger to do the details justice and the manta needs to show some significant damage, at the moment it breaks the immersion as it looks like it is just sitting on the rocks. When you see a big ship crash land in the films etc. the ship breaking apart is what makes it epic in my opinion.
Yeah, u obviously don't know how expensive this model is, if u can find a decent one, he did it this was , so he could still use it
@@mikeysgametime8914 I do know for sure! I completely agree if it was from your average hobbyist I wouldn't expect them to start cutting up such an expensive model. But if anyone has the resources and creative freedom to do something out of the ordinary then I think it could be here!
@@fonesrphunny7242 I think you are right, if you are attempting something so epic you need to be all in to make it look right, expense not necessarily being the biggest factor. Easy for me to say of course not being the one actually paying for it haha 😅
How do you know the Manta didn't just float down onto the rocks and stop working. I mean it does have the ability to hover.
The three of you working together really makes this channel unique. Love the team, keep up the amazing work.
hmmm Id really love to see the miniature itself show more actually deformation and damage ... right now there is no real structural damage to a ship that crashed into a mountain side ... that seems weird. Not talking about a scratch or dent here and there, but the actual form of the ship as a whole ... this thing should have folded like a taco on impact.
There is also not enough destruction of the mountain itself. Mountain peak on the back left (looking from the front) should be smashed when Manta crash landed. Now, it just looks like ship was literally put there from the top, and not crashlanded.
@@groke144 i hear you, but this is suppposed to be years after the crash so there wouldn't be much sharp edges or whatever on the rocks left, it would all have been eroded a little smoother
@@jaymz18 Still, mountains do not grow back in few years time (and mountain peak on back left is clearly higher than Manta) and big chunks of stone also do not dissapear. They may be overgrown, maybe a little burried unde rubble, but they should still be there.
The mountain is one thing, but I don’t image the ship would be too much damaged. It’s a super alien ship made of alien metal with possible shields that didn’t go down until the crash
Amazing how everyone is a specialist on geology, alien spaceships and crashing of those said spaceships
I like the idea but leaving the Manta in such a pristine condition after a crash does make it look odd at least so far.
Maybe the warped parts could have been put to use by not really fixing them and they come out as crash damage and metal warping 😅. It’s too late for that now anyways so looking forward to the final result and I’m hope I wrong 😉
Best of luck team Squidmar !! :)
Maybe it was a semi-controlled forced landing?
Agreed. But some scratching - big and small, impact craters on the body or melted engines/front part still can be done - IMHO.
I don’t think it needs physical damage, it can be done through the paint process. I’d imagine a ship like this has pretty substantial shields and made from an ultra durable material
I agree! And this thing needs ALOT of rubbles around contacts on the rock
@@JustSomeDumbDude If it was on a plain field I get that, But stuck in a Mountain ? … it’s a stretch 😕
I was also under the impression that they were going to use it as a terrain piece to play war games on 😅 that would have been epic and takes on what Emil said, “You don’t play with it, you play on it” 🤣🤣
You know what you should do? Make a concept sketches of the lone, stranded fire warrior you want to put ontoo a diorama, than go to Fiverr and order a professional sculptors, to sculp you the little guy, than paint them all, and let the community decide whitch one to go with. Hell... make all of them a totally unique designs, and hide all of them arround the diorama, all in diffrent situations. Last surviving squad, maybe composed from warriors, from diffrent branches of TAU military- pathfinders, breachers, eternal, air caste pilot, water caste ambassador that they try to protect at all costs... you know what I mean. There are alot of crew on the Manta after all ;)
I thought it would look cool if there was a Lictor, camouflaged into the surrounding environment, waiting for the right moment to pounce on the Tau warrior.
Sort of like those moments in horror movies, when you know what's coming, shouting at the tv to turn around or run, but the protagonist has no clue.
Just a suggestion, but you should create more damage to the exterior of the manta so that it blend in more because for now it just look like it as been laid there. But for now everything look great tho
Idk, in the end it's a 2000$ model. I think it's more suitable to paint some battle and crash damages instead of ruining the integrity of the Manta.
The best choice i think, it's to be removable, for the transport but also to continue to use it in tabletop for a objective or decor.
@@WestCoastChomeur Agreed. That'd make this a REALLY good display board for the manta while still allowing for you to use said manta in an actual game
@@WestCoastChomeur yeah your kinda right but in the first episode I think he said that he wanted the make something different then others so making it like a full diorama and not a playable figurine was what I think he intended to mean. And to make it more real that it as crash maybe just break a little bit of the nose of the spacecraft and some of the wing so that it look like it as scrape de ground of de planet before getting stuck between those mountain 🤷♂️
Plus tau tech would keep it from just crashing even at the cost of total power loss after the crash
It actually shows off the tau tech and pilot skills
But nids would definitely have a buffet of food from a manta lol
You need polyurethane glue for the foam boards, it reacts with water to form a foam, which bonds them together much better
This.
Seconded! Most hardware shops will have the glue you need, you just need to find out what your surface is made of first!
I know how much it takes to plan, fit and execute, to precision, custom models. Man this thing looks great so far!! Can't wait to see it finished and the process up to it!
The manta is so big, you need to make it look like it took out half the mountain as it landed - have loads of rock debris underneath it!
"We Just started on our..." would be a more fittings title. Seems like your friends do as much work as you do xD
No.
This is going to be incredible. I never want these videos to end, but I know between three people how much you guys are putting in for a project of this massive scale.
Wow, this is really looking good. Impressive. I like the fiber optics idea, they can be manipulated to make the cave light look sort of dull or brighter if you want to make it that the Necrons have a really good system of lighting and technology in their caves. The Tau lettering idea is nice too, adds some realism.
This was such a cool project that i had to show my appreciation. I normally don’t comment on videos so this comment says something about the video. Keep doing what your doing Squidmar!!!
I am so excited to see the finished product i dont think ill be able to wait long enough without going insane
Looking good! With the modeling compound, you have to let it set up on the model for 10 minutes or so before it's very moldable. If you try right away it won't hold.
Squidmar vs Manta is my favourite anime rivalry subplot
This is such an amazingly cool project, thank you for sharing it with us.
It’s already looking impressing! Have you considered making a lid (top and sides covers) for diorama to protect it from dust? Maybe even an transparent one? On the other hand simple blanket can be enough ;)
I love the way you created variations in the rock by using the plaster, clay, and bark, it looks a lot more natural
What have you got planned in the way of actual damage to the ship? Looks great so far!
Awesome how this comes together
Just so you know for the future you can melt foam together with a heat gun and it is a permanent bond stronger than any glue. Look for something around 200 celcius and hold the foam about 1 inch apart and heat between the 2 peices for about 5 seconds and then push firm together
For the tyranid's addition, I recommend adding some aspect of mawloc coming out from the ground - not necessarily the full-blown model... but maybe portions of it (tail/limbs) alluding to its lurking and menacing presence.
Someone saw dune
For the modelling compound: You need to wait for like (half) an hour after applying, then go over it with a little water and you can sculpt just like the clay.
I think a semi Tyranids theme would be awesome in the ship. It reminds me of Prometheus or Alien Covenant. You could have a bunch of egg like things in a section of the ship with a Tervigon watching over them, making more little bids!
As the painted up vehicle bay is visible from the back, and the manta is on such a steep angle from the crash, it would be fun to paint up a few tau vehicles all smashed up and burnt at the lowest front end of the bay. That way it looks like the impact slid the vehicles forward instead of having a strangely empty bay. (I'm picturing the space battle at the start of Star Wars Revenge of The Sith as the ship starts to tip forward and all the vehicles slide around in the hangar)
That is viewtiful! Well crafted. Cheers to all the makers. You guys rock.
This is already looking amazing, can't wait until it's finished!
The terrain looks massive when one of you are next to it. But when you put the manta on, it actually looks tiny... who had this idea in the first time? This is really another level hobby. 👏👏👏👏👏
I suggest some battle damage on the manta, it doesn't look quite like it's crashed
Honestly cannot wait to see how this turns out!
This project is coming along really well, looking forward to the next update! Great work.
This is SO rad! I love it! So cool to see a project like this all the way through. Most people would have no chance of doing this in their hobby time so it’s awesome to see what’s possible.
This is the first Manta I've seen with a painted interior. Even the example on FW's store page doesn't.
I love how sheer you made the peaks, very cool.
Looking great so far. The nerves calming now
I shall ounce again recommend you to make this a modular part of a bigger gaming table. Perhaps even centre leaving some space on the sides for armies to cross form one half to the other. 😉
This will allow you to either use it as a diorama or take it out of shelf and game on the table around making it useful too
This looks amazing! you guys are doing everything super high quality and making your money worth it!!
Amazing!! Add some water to the hangar area to represent the rain that was collected there maybe?? Like some kind of reservoir where the waterfall begins!
Cracking work Emil and the gang :) its looking really good and loving the ambition. Still hoping there will be an unearthed Necron Tomb entrance. Keep up the fabulous work.
I’ve never been so excited for a series on RUclips as this one.
This is looking so good!!! Please consider making the genestealers very primative looking by adding GSC heads to some tribal looking models like the Darkoath Chieftan for leaders and AOS Orks for the Abhorrents for example, maybe they have just discovered some old mining equipment in the caves and are trying to get them working?
Tip for fixing your plaster rocks, set cocktail sticks in them when you pour them, then you can push them into the foam to give better fixing, alongside the glue.
It looks BEAUTIFUL!
For the Tyranid part, Kit bash up a slick looking Tyranid Squid to put in the water. I feel like you could really do something neat with driving a narrative home there while also paying homage to your namesake.
Looking amazing! Would love to see a Sink hiding in the woods looking at the lonely soilder!
Gotta say, never seen cork bark before, and am really impressed with the texture and how easily it can pass for rock
Really can't wait to see the finished product - it is shaping up to be absolutely epic :)
Since you have Tyranids, Space Marines & Necrons (and Tau), maybe instead of hiding the Necron stuff in the greenery, that would be a great place to hide traces of an old webway to get a little Eldar in there as well. I suppose a few orcy shrooms/spores could be tucked along the mountainside as well.
Might be neat to see the lone Firewarrior attempting to build an antenna using an amalgam of Tau & Imperial techs.
The diorama, the airbrush, give it to meeee. Seriously, loving how this is turning out. Still agree with putting the top patron names (Im totally not bias) for names on Tau graves.
I'm so jealous of people watching this in like a year who can binge the series - I'm so excited to see how this turns out!
Great job and project.... Sculp mold is my go-to to blend everything together....
This is absolutely fantastic. Can't wait for the next episode in this series because it's looking very promising already!
The Biltema hobby primer is excellent, its worked great on lots of different materials for me. Love the build!
I have to say guys that this diorama is looking amazing. The “buy the biggest model” pissing contest amongst You Tubers was getting boring. But by pivoting this into genuinely creative modelling project with a story you’ve totally reengaged my interest. It’s great to see the three of you working on this. Squidmar channel is best when painting modelling and this is great. I’ve just bought a Harder & Steenbeck airbrush via your affiliate links on Emil recommendation but very best wishes for the Squidmar branded version. 👍🙌
Holy cow, that's INSANE! -ly amazing! Great job!
Content so likable. Thanks a lot Emil for all your work
It’s looking great so far and the concept is awesome. I’d be tempted to add another central support to the base if you can as mdf isn’t that strong at about 1/4 the strength of a solid piece of wood. I learnt this the hard way using it for book shelves and having to add strips of pine later to stop them sagging.
I think a big space ship like a manta would not hit the ground an not break apart. Maybe break off one of the wings and show the insides of it. I think it'll look more natural.
It would bury quite deep. possibly hit some necron tomb.
What if it’s made of a 40k element such as vibranium from the Marvel universe?
Tau ARE very advanced after all.
Depends on how it crashed, if it was a emergency landing and not a full on crash it is possible it would still be stuck together, even if I would say the impact sites would feel it a lot
T'au Nick better starts working on that manta of his, 'cause this is looking hella fine!
Might be worth seeing how much some hardwood like walnut to make a surround for the frame/base would be! Would look super nice if it's done by a carpenter with some good machine tools.
So pumped for the finished diorama. This may have been suggested or be in the plan already but would love to see some hint at a creature lurking in the water or coming from that underwater cave.
You guys should get some 2 part silicone mold putty, it’s for press molds, you can cast rocks or your bark or whatever you want and make texture stampers.
Those mountains look amazing already
I’m so excited about this!
You should totally do more warhammer dioramas! This is awesome!
Man I love this so far. Wish I could afford to buy it when your done and put it in my LGS would look amazing.
If you want to make droplets running down something, try brushing an optic fiber with varnish several times. It's very fragile and hard to do, but the illusion is very good
Agreed with everybody, this projest is stunning as always but based on the size from the Manta, the diorama looks too small here. If you want to fit a graveyard, rhinos + a lot of stuff/details etc under the Manta, I would have place a bigger Diorama and maybe a higher moutain to get more visibility on the field. Regarding the damage of the Manta's structure It can be arranged later on ;). Nevertheless you are all doing an awesome work, and I'm a bit jealous :)
So the final organisms of a Hive Fleet are usually the big siege behemoths, and Ripper Swarms. Rippers devour the leftover biomass and then hop into some pools that get sucked up by the fleet. It's logical to have some sort of smaller clusters of eggs that could then hatch out to continue the devouring. As for what organisms a hive fleet sends out to scout new planets, genestealers and lictors are usually the first that come to mind. They can work independently of the hive mind, and can also build up a sort of biomass-beacon for the main fleet to home in towards. Keep in mind tyranid DNA also mutates local wildlife and plants, so anything goes for, say, the fish in the lake.
Was skeptical till I saw the air dry clay fill in the gaps. That really started to bring the piece together. Nice work.
Yes! Can't wait to watch this!
The cave holloed out spots are really cool maybe take more out from under the mountain to show case more armies? Like at the very top where the "tundra" would be have a small cave for a space wolf?
Squid is an absolute Rock Star.
Make the base larger and break apart the ship, maybe some debris chipped and used in the tau warriors camp or in the mountain possibly? Can't wait to see what comes of this piece though!! 🔥🔥
Man I love Kodiak, such a nice background song
love that.
cant wait to se what you do with it.
Those rocks are looking brilliant!!
cant wait to see the result :D
Gotta be hard to organise such big of a project :)
The editing in this one is on point 👌
So glad I found this channel. This is amazing...
few ideas for the fire warrior portion - could be nice to have him making his home in a crashed devilfish (maybe embed it in the ground at like a 45° angle and carve out the inside and set it up like a little caveman house). could also be nice for him to have some semblance of technology, maybe a crisis suit hooked up to some solar panels like he's jury-rigging it to try and get some charge into it to protect himself.
So satisfying to watch
It looks awesome guys!! One thing to consider is why the Manta crashed in there first place. Perhaps damage on an engine would be good?
This an awesome project. A cool idea would be to have a tau drone scanning the cave system trying to map it out like in the Prometheus movie with red scanning circle on the walls of the caves but its being followed/stalked by a tyranid.
*I ... Can barely put any words in front of such a promising Centerpiece....*
You do not disappoint, definitely, i can already *"Picture It."* [ In my own, humble opinion of course, haha! ]
Magnificent, truly and i wasnt waiting for less than that comming from you and your Team.
[ Wonderfull work , i can *"hardly wait"* to see the final results. even if i have a little *"Reservation"* about one of the future addition right now. *But i am certain you will actualy surprise me!* ]
*A hard work for sure...* But i am absolutly sure you will pull it of in a Brilliant manner, has always.
You should add one of the gene stealer cult guys that has the digital map with it. The nexos model. Maybe as like a center of command in a cave. You could do some osl in the cave coming from the nexos map on the walls. That would look so dope !!!
Omg I need a clip of Emil just silently nodding and looking dozily at the camera for 10 minutes straight
Anymore, anyt hing with water I use marine plywood, this was awesome, nice work , edit, also when stacking your foam blocks to avoid them from coming apart make two holes on each peice of and cut out two dowels, and hot glue those , or u can also runs a metal rod through it
I still think a full-blown Genestealer Cult operation right beneath the Tau castaway's feet is straining credulity a bit. A clutch of Tyranid eggs is one thing, but active Genestealers is another.
That said, the mountains look like they're shaping up nicely.
Most mini painters: I want to make a Warhammer diorama
Squidmar: *Hold my Manta*
I can't wait to see its final form. :D
You can use spray adhesive (M77) if you keep a good distance don't oversaturation it.
If you use resin water for the lake, be very careful and make sure all of the foam is insulated away from the resin. Resin water can get hot when mixed and wind up warping the foam.