Painting tutorial: N'dru Suhlak Z-96 Headhunter

By Mordjinn, in X-Wing

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Here's a reader's digest version of how to paint N'dru's Headhunter. For longer version with step by step images please visit my blog at:




The colors are very basic ones (grey, black, white, dark red, brigh red) but for those who wish to use the exact same ones as I did I added the names of paints I used in brackets after each step.


If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask.


1. Basecoat the ship light gray (Vallejo Model Air Light Grey)

2. Apply a black wash all over the ship (Citadel Nuln Oil)

3. Drybrush the whole ship with medium grey (Citadel Dawnstone)

4. Drybrush the whole ship with light grey (Citadel Longbeard Grey)

5. Paint the flames and the ship's nose dark red (Citadel Mephiston Red)

6. Highlight the flames with brighter red (Citadel Blood Red & Citadel Wild Rider Red)

7. Paint the cockpit windows black (Citadel Abaddon Black)

8. Paint the outlines of the mouth and eyes with black (Citadel Abaddon Black) and when satisfied color them black

9. Paint the teeth with white and add the while dots inside the eyes (Citadel white)

10. Wash the nose of the ship with thinned down black wash to get some soot and grime on.

11. Paint the yellow stripes on the engines (Citadel Averland Sunset)

12. Varnish with spray matt varnish

13. Shoot down some Rebels/Imperials.


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Edit: Haha, just noticed the typo on the topic. Oh well, it is an advanced model afterall :D

Edited by Mordjinn
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HECK YES

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Nice tutorial and nice model!

One question: do you have any trouble getting the white (for the teeth & eyes) to cover the black undercoat? Will it take more than one or two coats?

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One guy painted the white areas then used a sharpie to do the black lining.. it came out very nice and looked very professionally done.. I dont remember who it was but they are a great painter typically as well.. just a thought..

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Nice tutorial and nice model!

One question: do you have any trouble getting the white (for the teeth & eyes) to cover the black undercoat? Will it take more than one or two coats?

Cheers! I used the Citadel paints Ceramite White which covers very well so I had no problems with covering the black. Two coats was ok in some bits even one. The shapie method oneway mentioned works as well, but didn't have one thin enough handy and I felt safer to paint with acrylic paints and a brush.

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Beautiful.

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Great stuff! I've been looking for a tutorial of N'dru myself!

Quick Q: Which varnish spray do you use*, and how does the varnished model compare to the stock ones? Is it possible to get a side-by-side comparison picture of this model, and a standard Z-95.

The reason I've hesitated is that I'm worried a varnished model might stand out against the regular ones.

Thanks for the post! Again: great stuff!

* Edit: I read your link, would still like a side-by-side, if at all possible.

Edited by Kapten Vendetta
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Just as a quick aside, you might not want to use a sharpie if you are using a clear lacquer as varnish. Most lacquers will dissolve and smear sharpie.

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Thumbs up for the tutorial! Definitely agree with using greys for the base coat; I attempted an N'dru repaint with metallics and er... uhmmm... let's just say I'm down one badly melted Z-95.

Between N'Dru, the Nashtah Pup and Leechos, I'm thinking I might have to pick up a few more Headhunters just for repainting fun.

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cool thanks for writing that

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Great tutorial

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Great stuff! I've been looking for a tutorial of N'dru myself!

Quick Q: Which varnish spray do you use*, and how does the varnished model compare to the stock ones? Is it possible to get a side-by-side comparison picture of this model, and a standard Z-95.

The reason I've hesitated is that I'm worried a varnished model might stand out against the regular ones.

Thanks for the post! Again: great stuff!

* Edit: I read your link, would still like a side-by-side, if at all possible.

Hi mate. Thanks for the compliment and looking forward of seeing your take on N'dru's ship. With proper matt varnish you cannot tell the difference. Here's a picture so you can see for yourself. The other ship is a stock HWK-290 straight out of the box. I use Vallejo matt spray varnish just because it is easiest to get for me. Army Painter Anti Shine Matt Varnish is also quality stuff. Citadel (Games Workshop) and Reaper have matt varnishes too and I'm sure they will do the trick as well. The trick is to apply a thin layer first and then another thin layer if needed, take it easy and let the previous layer dry for 24h or at least overnight before applying another. Mine has only one layer and could maybe use another at some point. But I'm feeling too lazy to do it right away. Also make sure that the weather isn't very humid when spraying the varnish on (not really a problem here in Finland) as humidity can cause an effect called "frosting" on the varnish and ruin the look of the model. It can be fixed, but just wait for a less humid day if you can.

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Edited by Mordjinn
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Oh I know this isn't appropriate, highjacking someone else's thread, but I figured it belonged here. My own tutorial of this particular model. http://alternativewargamer.blogspot.se/2015/04/painting-ndru-suhlaks-z-95.html

Good stuff and great looking model, thanks for sharing. If someone else has a written tutorial or just a picture of N'dru's Headhunter they painted I welcome you to add the link or a pic here. That way people can choose their favourite way to paint this ship.