Field Marshal Zukas complete

Field Marshal Cosca Zukas is my first painted figure of 2013.  I'm terrible for painting the "fun" models first.  It means that many of my abandoned army projects consist of a couple heavily converted HQ or glam units and the term "army" ends up being a misnomer.  This time around I thought it was important to tackle the character first.  I have a general vision of what my "grunts" will look like but they are a radical departure from Zukas.  The infantry in the army are a fusion of cadian components and Perry plastics that overall suggest an early 2oth century model soldier.  The character was an opportunity to explore a more colourful uniform suggestive of the Napoleonic Wars.  By creating my character I was building my regiment's history.  That is my justification and I'm sticking to it. 

A nice model but just too Cadian

 Zukas is converted from a Castellan Creed model.   The stock model has so many characterful features but his utilitarian crew and clean shave marked him as inflexibly Cadian.  I looked to Otto von Bismarck to for inspiration for a means to reinvent him.  The craggy, heavy face was begging for a heavy moustache and glorious helmet.  With such a perfect face a Perry calvary helm and a tiny bit of green stuff were enough to suit the Napoleonic feel I wanted to instill in him and by extension the Pohlesian army.

Cosca's idea board

• Zukas is a fairly common Lithuaniuan surname.  When I was playing around with the origins of the Pohlesians they provided a flavour suggesting the Soviet Army of the Second World War but of military traditions that were much older than commuinisim.

• Cosca is a nod to a reprehensible but equally likeable condottiero created by Joe Abercrombie.  It flowed quite easily into the surname when used a first name and it's nice to have a Cosca around to blame all your troubles on.

• The Marshal's headdress is a symbol of his office.  I have a piece of statuary on the go that has a similar helmet.  The statue is of a saint revered by the Pohlesians.  Possibly the helmet is the relic or facsimile of the holy item.

• Like Creed he wears cam pattern fatigues beneath his ceremonial finery.  I have a few models in the command squad in "traditional" uniforms and wanted a bridge between them and the "modern" elements in the army.

I was midway through the paint when I cut a piece of the helm out and added an aquila pommel from a chainsword

 I still have to flock the base with snow scatter, neaten the brushwork a bit, and I'm considering adding some freehand to back of the great coat but overall I had fun with the model and like how he turned out.  I started hammering out a history for Cosca but it needs refinement and elaboration before I share it.  I'm uncertain if I've found an engaging format to share my models with you the reader.  I opted to try a "road less taken" and focus on design considerations and inspiration for the project rather than technique.  If you found this interesting or horribly boring please let me know.