Mantis Warriors

[Dorns Padawan]

Hey Doghouse great to see you back again mate! Giving the Mantis Warriors back some much needed love huh? Can't believe I forgot all about these guys. Nice conversion, the wrist mounted weapon is awesome! What lovely new updates you got in store for us all?

[Doghouse]

MagicMan: Took your advice and gave it a try, I'm still not overly keen on the head but will keep trying stuff. Worse comes to worse I can always swap it out.

 

Dorns_fist: Don't worry mate my mocking of the CFs is out of genuine affection for them. ;)

 

Razblood: Thanks mate, it is a nice model in person but a little on the small side to be honest.

 

Tellos05: You're not going to let that Primarch thing go are you... ;)

 

Dorns padawan: Hello mate, long time no see. :)

 

Here's a few updates for you mate. ;)

 

Reworked the head a little on the 25th anniversary model but not really buying into it at the moment. Like I say I'll keep trying with this guy and see if I can get something I'm happy with, ideally I want him as a spare captain that I can use as Cantor.

 

http://i39.tinypic.com/2hy9ano.jpg

 

In other news...

 

I happened to buy the Castellan Crowe model the other day because I quite like the model and figured he might make a nice company champion. After opening the pack I realised that he is actually really big compared to normal marines so went on a converting frenzy.

The idea is that he is an updated version of my original captain I was doing for these guys using the AoBR marines. I've really enjoyed making this model and as I like the iconic image of the power armoured marine with a bolter I decided to take my usual no frills approach. I've just started painting him and am planning on painting his shoulder heraldry onto the back of the cloak.

 

http://i41.tinypic.com/34rx4lu.jpg

 

http://i40.tinypic.com/24cbqf5.jpg

 

As I had had great fun converting the captain I picked up a second one that I'm also converting in a similar way. As you can see next to the FW MkVI marine he is pretty big which is another interesting alternative approach on truescaling. I may have to make a honour guard of these guys but the downside is that they are a bit on the expensive side to make.

 

http://i39.tinypic.com/117u5xc.jpg

[Olis]

Interesting development, Doghouse. I didn't realise Crowe was a bit of a beefcake. ;)

 

Anyway, liking the conversion(s) - the no frills approach looks good.

[RedMoon]

as a Carcharadons Astra player i must say i hope they all die for being traitors B) BUT beautiful looking models as always.

 

what head did you use for the captain with the boltgun i cant place it?

[MagicMan]

Ahh well Doghouse. A noble effort to get Sean Bean into the army, but if you don't like it, you don't like it. Hah.

 

 

The new Captain is smashing though.

[Stuart]

I'm loving this army, so please keep it up!

 

The Crowe conversion is great, and reminds me of the Captain on the cover of the old Space Crusade box.

 

I actually love the Boromir head conversion -- gives off a very Rogue Tradery vibe.

 

What do you have finished atm? Could you post an army shot?

[Doghouse]

Cheers guys. :P

 

Olisredan: I was surprised as well to be honest. I bought the model on a whim but he is seriously big, if you use one of the smaller heads like the chapter masters metal heads then it allows the sense of proportion to creep back in.

He'd be great as a Black Templar High Marshal or Emperor's Champion.

 

RedMoon: I have been reading up on the FW Badab war for these guys and have to admit the Carcharadons gave the Mantis Warriors a serious kicking during the latter stages of the war. I may have to chuck in a few Space Sharks (for us low gothic fans ;) ) bits on the bases.

The head is from sergeant chronus of the Ultramarines, very nicely scaled for space marines as it makes the armour look all the more imposing.

 

MagicMan: I will stick at getting Sean into the army, I think I need to play around with the model a bit more before I'm happy.

 

Stuart: At the moment I'm afraid it's just these two guys as the original AoBR conversion guys feel prey to an accident which was the reason I gave up on them first time around. :)

I will try and get some serious progress done on them though, there are a lot of details I was playing around with before that fit quite well with what FW have done with them and what's not to love about a chapter fighting for it's very existence.

[Ironwrought Huw]

Only the second and last photos work for me, but I likes what I sees. Stirling as always Doghouse.

That's a really nice conversion idea, I'll definitely bear it in mind for future conversions.

 

Loving the green too, really is a very nice tone/shade (whatever the 'official' arty term is...) you've got going on there.

[Tellos05]

No im really not, im still thinking of legion colours for us all. Great stuff mate and nice to see one of the Alpha Legion up after all the convos we had. I will get some stuff up soon (Ive practically abandoned the Sons) just waiting for the excitment of mass effect 3 to wear off first.

[Doghouse]

Thanks guys. ;)

 

Huberticus: I think tone or shade are sufficient terms mate. :ph34r:

 

Tellos05: Well I certainly looking forward to seeing some of your stuff online mate after all our conversations about them as well. The Alphas are getting there, nearly got the first twenty done now and am thinking of using Crowe as the basis of Alpharius/Omega because he's a bit bigger than regular marines but not really enough to make him stand out too much.

 

Just time for a quick update. I've re-positioned the head as it was a little high, I drilled out the neck a little and sat it a little lower. I've also changed the colour of the cloak to brown and will probably paint it in desert camo. The idea is that these guys are expert in guerrilla warfare so to reflect this I'm giving them Dusk Shrouds which they were given by a tribe of one of the planets they fought to protect from the Space Sharks during the war.

I might add a helmet to his belt as well but will see how it goes.

 

http://i43.tinypic.com/2zgyqlu.jpg

 

http://i44.tinypic.com/zikhz9.jpg

[Tellos05]

Thats not actually a bad idea with Crowe as a stand in for Alpharius, especially since they use surgery to look like him/them. I should be doing some mk8 armor weekend with any luck.

[Doghouse]

Nice one, really looking forward to seeing them mate. ;)

 

Bit of an update.

 

Nearly finished the Captain now. I still need to clean up the company number and the wings on his personal heraldry but other than a few bits here and there he's nearly there. I did try camo on the cloak but it didn't really work so have opted for a simple brown instead, mainly because it was a gift from simple tribes people. My idea behind the Dusk Shroud is that is a legend among some of the people of Tranquility III that there were two warring tribes who had fought each other for decades, neither side ever gaining the upper hand.

During a great battle, each side painted in their colours of war, a great sky ship descended upon them throwing up huge walls of dust and sand. It is said that the sky changed colour as though dusk had come early. As the dust settled it covered both armies obscuring the war paint of the two factions so they all looked the same.

The idea is that they saw this as the Emperor's way of saying that all men on Tranquility were equal and so the Dusk Shroud amongst some of the desert tribes is given as a bond of friendship and equality. Obviously the Mantis Warriors, like a lot of chapters, wish to retain strong ties with the people they recruit from and adopt some aspects of their customs when it suits them. The greatest honour that a young warrior can receive is to be given a Dusk Shroud from a Sky Warrior and it is often from these youngsters that the chapter recruits it's aspirants.

 

Obviously the Mantis Warriors recruited from many different worlds, each with their own customs but I thought this would make for an interesting little back story to explain why my guys wear the cloaks.

 

I've kept the book as a heirloom given to him by their parent chapter the Marauders. The idea will be that it is a part of the Codex Astartes books.

 

The more that I look at him though the more I think I need to add a helmet to his belt on the right thigh.

 

http://i41.tinypic.com/301eiae.jpg

 

http://i40.tinypic.com/4nq7o.jpg

 

http://i41.tinypic.com/34o3nv4.jpg

 

 

Back up arrives, these are the next two that will be converted with the first Mantis Warrior you can see below.

 

http://i39.tinypic.com/34ngoj5.jpg

 

 

I've also dug out this guy that was left over from conversions. I never realised just how big this guy was when fully assembled so will probably try and get him a FW rapier to use as a counts as Thunderfire cannon.

 

http://i42.tinypic.com/6tk2zk.jpg

[Dorns Padawan]

Doghouse, love the Captain! The story arc for their cloaks is awesome. I like your little story lines, adds that extra bit of character to the models away from the converting side of things. I like the personal heraldry on the right shoulder pauldron. I like the overall look of the guys armour.

I am saving up at the mo to make a squad of Grief Bringers & your mini would fit the bill perfectly for their Captain (who's name I have forgotten). Also hoping to gather the cash for some NL Raptors, I'm on the verge of finishing Void Stalker (dang & blast A D-B for converting me towards Chaos & the NL!!! <_< ).

 

I really like the base on the Captain, goes very well with his cloak (hence the story behind it ^_^ ). Very impressed overall sir :tu:

[Doghouse]

Thanks mate. :D

 

Yeah a little bit of a back story can go a long way to helping to direct the path that the models will take in terms of converting and paint work. I personally like the little things that come together to define the character of the model.

Been ages since I've seen anything of the Grief Bringers so am looking forward to seeing what it is that you come up with for them mate. ;)

 

Just a quick update for now. Added a Mk III lid to his belt and am in the process of painting it up at the moment, I'm working on the first three guys of the tactical squad today but hope to get this guy finished by the end of the day.

 

http://i42.tinypic.com/4pxi7p.jpg

 

http://i40.tinypic.com/dyxcef.jpg

[Gitsplitta]

Stunning work Doghouse. From the face through the weathering on the armor... even the arrangement of colors on the bolter housing. Very well done!

[Doghouse]

Cheers mate, coming from a dedicated Mantis Warrior player such as yourself I appreciate the compliment. Big fan of your army mate. :)

 

Just a quick update.

 

Nearly got the first two guys finished but still need to work in some detail here and there.

 

http://i40.tinypic.com/5zdj8.jpg

[Olis]

I like them - they remind me of the red bodyguards from star wars for some reason... :)

[Gitsplitta]

@Doghouse: Well, I still have a lot to learn. Your painting and modeling are leaps and bounds ahead of mine. But it's a real pleasure to see a craftsman at work, especially one with whom I share a common passion. Going to be a delight watching you work on these guys.

[Grizzly_bear]

PRIMARCH DOGHOUSE!!!!!

 

Fantastic work here mate. Loving the models.

[subtlebrush]

http://i42.tinypic.com/4pxi7p.jpg

 

http://i40.tinypic.com/dyxcef.jpg

 

Hang on let me pick my jaw up off the floor...

I never thought to use Crowe for a Captain.

Gotta say I love the "low-level" feel to him.

Your stuff is always so inspiring, I may have to drop by the local hobby shop and grab Crowe to make my own Captain.

 

+++Mr.M+++

[ephrael]

The helmet on the captain certainly does add greatly to the conversion. I also love the MKV helmet on the newest conversion. I hope you don't mind if I try that myself very soon. I already have the Crowe figure and was trying to think of what to do with him. You certainly are an innovator.

[Doghouse]

Cheers guys. :sweat:

 

Olisredan:Yeah I can sort of see that mate. :confused:

 

Gitsplitta: I really think that your guys are seriously inspiration stuff mate. The way that you think outside the box including rogue trader era models is awesome and your conversions are really cool especially the use of the Tranquility campaign camo scheme on your guys.

What I'm hoping to do with my guys is use the Tyrants Legion list to bolster the marines with human Chapter Bondsmen to represent their dwindling numbers during and after the war.

 

Dorns_fist: Thanks mate, we really need to talk about this Primarch thing though...

 

Mr.Malevolent: Yeah the Crowe model is really cool for Captains, doesn't really take much work to remove the GK icons either with is a bonus. The size of the model really makes him stand out as a heroic character as well, he is pretty imposing.

 

mikhail: Be my guest. The head comes off pretty easily at the collar and then it is just a case of drilling or carving out the neck piece and chucking the helmet in there. With a bit of GS work to repair the back of the cloak it is possible to even remove the torso as well which I'll be doing later with a few of these guys to add some variety.

One handy thing I found was that I can create a little bit of variation by using a hair dryer to bend the flapping part of the cloak back around on itself a bit as well, so with a little work you can really go to town on this guy.

[Tellos05]

Hail Primarch!!!

[A D-B]

Thanks mate. B)

 

Yeah a little bit of a back story can go a long way to helping to direct the path that the models will take in terms of converting and paint work. I personally like the little things that come together to define the character of the model.

Been ages since I've seen anything of the Grief Bringers so am looking forward to seeing what it is that you come up with for them mate. ;)

 

Just a quick update for now. Added a Mk III lid to his belt and am in the process of painting it up at the moment, I'm working on the first three guys of the tactical squad today but hope to get this guy finished by the end of the day.

 

http://i42.tinypic.com/4pxi7p.jpg

 

http://i40.tinypic.com/dyxcef.jpg

 

...Jesus, man. What a model.

[Tellos05]

Damn praise from ceaser himself. No pressure mate! You keep carrying on like this and i might have to commison you instead of rob!