Salamander army development

[Gothical]

With the release of a new edition of the Space Marines codex, I decided it was time to re-vamp my Salamander army and go to town converting some models.

 

These are all at a WIP stage, and I hope to have these models, and many more, completed to an above-tabletop-standard.

 

Currently, my painting is justabout tabletop-standard, here's an example of my work:

 

A slightly older one with completed details:

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a33/Treadhead2005/Space%20Marines%20-%20Salamanders/IMG_0243.jpg

 

A slightly better model, though unfinished.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a33/Treadhead2005/Space%20Marines%20-%20Salamanders/IMG_0271.jpg

 

I'm not a great painter - still learning basic techniques really, so that'll be another thing I hope to learn to do whilst working on this project - or at least on older models alongside the building of the squads, just so I don't have to replace whole units as my painting skill improves (that's assuming it's not a lost cause of course).

 

NOTE: All models you are about to see are very WIP. This is just to show what I'm starting from. And every model with a Robe will have the robe modified to be wearing a Salamander's hide.

 

But enough waffling! Here's a very WIP Captain for the force (needs work finishing the Mark III helmet and a pair of Thunder Hammers, as well as more honour markings. That thing on his...extra special MkIII plating...is about to be turned into a Salamander - I've just to add the head and legs and all will (hopefully) become clear.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a33/Treadhead2005/Space%20Marines%20-%20Salamanders/Headquarters/IMG_0331.jpg

 

Helmet is the one on the left here (need to add side earpieces and a nose-bridge as well as honour markings):

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a33/Treadhead2005/Space%20Marines%20-%20Salamanders/Headquarters/IMG_0306.jpg

 

So that's the boss, and here's his retinue...so far, anyway.

 

Apothecary, with very minor conversion, just his light turned a little:

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a33/Treadhead2005/Space%20Marines%20-%20Salamanders/Headquarters/Apothecary1.jpg

 

1st Flamer dude:

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a33/Treadhead2005/Space%20Marines%20-%20Salamanders/Headquarters/IMG_0328.jpg

 

2nd Flamer dude:

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a33/Treadhead2005/Space%20Marines%20-%20Salamanders/Headquarters/IMG_0325.jpg

 

Both need some honour markings and repair work where I got rid of some icons (such as on the shoulder pads and knees).

 

The other 2 blokes for the Command Squad and their Razorback will be following shortly. Just waiting on a FW order for some Razorback parts.

[Gothical]

So now onto the Troops.

 

Every man and their dog seems to be building Marines as combat-squads, so I thought I'd do something different - the Special Weapon and Sergeant are providing cover while the Heavy Weapon moves up into position. A nice little reversal of the traditional modelling, I thought.

 

Tactical Squad Shango:

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a33/Treadhead2005/Space%20Marines%20-%20Salamanders/Troops/IMG_0333.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a33/Treadhead2005/Space%20Marines%20-%20Salamanders/Troops/IMG_0334.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a33/Treadhead2005/Space%20Marines%20-%20Salamanders/Troops/IMG_0335.jpg

 

Their ride, the Rhino Ozain

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a33/Treadhead2005/Space%20Marines%20-%20Salamanders/Troops/IMG_0336.jpg

 

And Sergeant Shango himself:

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a33/Treadhead2005/Space%20Marines%20-%20Salamanders/Troops/IMG_0321.jpg

Have to remove the winged gem from the shoulder pad. I just started working on the scales too, they're going to take a long time - but probably not as long as my old Emperor's Champion model did, as that had some really awkward double-folds. I apologise that the scales don't show well in this picture, they're a little on the small scale and the camera was having trouble focusing on them.

 

 

Tactical Squad Oya:

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a33/Treadhead2005/Space%20Marines%20-%20Salamanders/Troops/IMG_0337.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a33/Treadhead2005/Space%20Marines%20-%20Salamanders/Troops/IMG_0338.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a33/Treadhead2005/Space%20Marines%20-%20Salamanders/Troops/IMG_0339.jpg

 

Their ride, the Rhino Erinle:

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a33/Treadhead2005/Space%20Marines%20-%20Salamanders/Troops/IMG_0340.jpg

The thing on the front will eventually be two crossed-hammers. Forgot I'd started working on it, will go back to trying to smarten it up and finish it off.

 

Sergeant Oya:

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a33/Treadhead2005/Space%20Marines%20-%20Salamanders/Troops/IMG_0319.jpg

Have to remove the Plasma Pistol and the winged skull from the shoulder pad, then sculpt the scales.

[Gothical]

Finally (for now at any rate), the Heavy Support section:

 

Devastator Squad Aganju:

 

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a33/Treadhead2005/Space%20Marines%20-%20Salamanders/Heavy%20Support/IMG_0341.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a33/Treadhead2005/Space%20Marines%20-%20Salamanders/Heavy%20Support/IMG_0342.jpg

 

In sticking to the fluff, every Marine in the unit has a head with a Targetter (listed as the Devastator modification in...How to paint Space Marines, I believe), and for those models that have boltguns, sights.

 

I need to pick up a Razorback for this squad too. The Sergeant is also a stand-in model until I can finda more appropriate, more convertable, robed metal model to suit my needs.

 

+++

 

So that's it for the moment. Not terribly impressive now, but this is just the start of an army. I have a lot of sculpting to do, and need to expand with the follwing units:

 

5x Assault Terminators, with Sergeant made from a Terminator Chaplain.

 

I also have to pick up:

 

1 'regular' Dreadnought (with 2 sets of FW arms)

1 ForgeWorld Dreadnought (with 2 sets of FW arms)

2 Razorbacks (with 1 set of FW Vehicle Icons)

1 Whirlwind

 

And that should round my army off nicely. Plenty of conversions, and plenty to paint up.

 

 

I hope someone's enjoyed looking at the WIP conversions presented here, heck maybe I've inspired someone (though I doubt it with my 'skills') and I hope you'll stick around to see the finished results over the next few months. I intend to have a fully-playable 1500 point army by Christmas, or the start of next year at the latest. So 2-3 months to convert and paint the whole lot.

 

TTFN.

[Salamander Bob]

Hi!

Imitator... :D (joke)

 

Nice looking Army, but don't you think, you build on to many elements?

altough, i make roughly the same... :D

 

btw, Mark III helm: Why don't use a Iron Warrior Helm?

http://www.games-workshop.com/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m1370069_99060102120_BitzIronWarriorsConversionMain_873x627.jpg

 

Cheers,

Bob.

[elijahdprophet]

I like the second flamer guy, the pose works well. The first one is cool, although that right arm with flamer will be pretty big, footprint wise, on the battlefield.

[The_Chaplain]

1 ForgeWorld Dreadnought (with 2 sets of FW arms)

 

what forgeworld dread and what weapon loadouts?

 

(sorry im obsessed with forgeworld dreads)

[Gothical]

It turns out Sergeant Shango's head is mis-cast, and the entire side (not visible in the pictures) is slumped in comparison. I never noticed this before, but a friend pointed it out to me and now it bugs me whenever I see it.

 

So he'll be getting a replacement model - posibly something from the Black Templar range (suitably converted of course).

 

 

@Salamander Bob:

 

The middle helmet in that picture is the one I'm using in that converison. Didn't have any of the ones on the left spare. Removing the horns was a right pain.

 

@The_Chaplain

 

The "standard" Dread will have the regular GW dread body (I need the flat, plain panels to work on, but each arm will have the Autocannon arms (mortis style).

 

The "other" Dread will be using the Mark IV. I've not decided between the Standard and the Venerable yet. Though I am thinking of adding a Salamander hide to each side, at least the top half of each armour panel would be visible, so maybe the Venerable version. The 'regular' Mark IV if I do coat it in hide though. The arms will be a Plasma Cannon and a Mark IV combat arm, but maybe with a re-modelled 'hand'.

 

So not terribly exciting really - but I wanted to make some walking, badass monuments to the Salamanders artifice skill, and Dreadnoughts seem to fit the bill (that or a Land Raider).

[Gothical]

Major re-work of the army list has been done (I'll throw up a list of what I'm building at a later date), but not so much work on the models, I've been focusing on my Guard recently. However, I'm trying to finish both armies off (yeah, finishing from scratch...I'm a nutter) so I can actually play some more games, instead of sitting round on the internet in my free time (I've a helluva awkward job to work around too). So here's my attempt at getting my Salamander mojo back.

 

I tried to keep this as out-of-the-box as possible, to keep it looking neat and un-cluttered - that'll be for the Guard tanks. However, I tried to give the vehicle the feel of a "spearhead" vehicle, one that could lead an armoured assault upon the enemy, and double as a battledfield tractor, should one of the other vehicles become too damaged to recover (this is the reason the Rhinos have the single-tow-hook on the front) - so I did have to borrow a part or two out of other boxes I had lying around. All that's left to do is drill out the Storm Bolter (and glue down the coupla, that's been left separate for ease of painting). Please let me know what you think about it, and I hope it meets peoples' expectations for a self-styled "treadheads" vehicle. All the parts that should be moveable currently are - even the rear hatch (though I'll either glue this shut at a later date, or scratch-build some sort of interior).

 

I present to you Iemanja, Predator and relic of the Salamanders Chapter from the Great Crusade, currently in action with the 3rd Company on Armageddon under the command of Captain Olokun, Master of the Armoury.

 

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a33/Treadhead2005/Space%20Marines%20-%20Salamanders/Heavy%20Support/IMG_0443.jpg

My favourite shot. Mood-angles are fun!

 

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a33/Treadhead2005/Space%20Marines%20-%20Salamanders/Heavy%20Support/IMG_0444.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a33/Treadhead2005/Space%20Marines%20-%20Salamanders/Heavy%20Support/IMG_0445.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a33/Treadhead2005/Space%20Marines%20-%20Salamanders/Heavy%20Support/IMG_0447.jpg

 

What do you think? It's none too fancy, but I like it, which is good I guess.

 

The only trouble is now I'm going with 3rd Company Salamanders, so I have to re-paint all the decals in bright Orange (which I think will look dead nifty). In order to show the "armoury" nature of the vehicles, all the drivers have the Mechanicum cog on their left pauldron (contrary to the Codex) and will have a simple flame motif on the right. They'll be red, like all vehicle drivers should be, but the shoulder-pad trim will be Snot Green, just to tie them to the Salamanders. The vehicles will still have the "chapter standard" white icons however. Hopefully this will tie the vehicles in as a part of my force, but also show that they come from the armoury, not the specific Company (ie, my Terminators have the white of 1st Company, and the Dreadnoughts will have the orange of 3rd Co. for the same reasons.)

 

Oh, background question: Are Speeders a part of the armoury, or are they a part of the company (since it's Assault Marines that are trained to pilot them)?

 

Side note: my FW order turned up: Terminator bases, Commander Culn, special Razorback kit (low-slung guns look so uber!), Salamander plates and an Eagle rear-door for said Razorback. So that'll be next months' project - and the Razorback will be Olokun's personal transport too (so even though it's transporting another Tactical squad [don't ask how] it'll have Command markings)

[mega_marines]

Great work on them all. Only thing I don't like is the fuel tank on the front of the Predator. Just screams "Shoot me!" Other than that, fantastic work.

[Gothical]

Thanks!

 

The fueltanks were trying to emulate this picture I saw of a Challenger II out in Iraq, which had an upturned dozerblade-like structure on the front filled with jerry cans. I thought that it would be a good idea for a srugical strike force to pack extra fuel and some equipment to get damaged vehicles out of the way/out of terrain as quick as possible, and the cans really didn't look right on the back of the trackguards, and with no rear housing to stick stuff too (thanks to the rear hatch) I went for the front.

[Author]

Great work. I like the pred. I agree that the fuel tank is rather unprotected but maybe in the heat of battle noone will notice it? Good luck to you. Also: Squad Oya = Squad Oh Yeah?

 

Brother Author

[Gothical]

Nah, all my names come from the names of Orisha, which are the deities of the Yoruba religions (some African/West-indian religions). Here's a rundown:

 

Captain = Olokun = guardian of the deep ocean, the abyss, and signifies unfathomable wisdom

Terminators = Eshu = Eshu is the messenger between the human and divine worlds, god of crossroads and beginnings. Eshu is recognized as a trickster.

Dreadnoughts = Taiyewo/Kehinda = Ibeji (Twins) = he sacred twins, represent youth and vitality [thought it ironic]

 

Shango = warrior god of thunder, fire, sky father, represents male power

Oya = warrior goddess of the wind, sudden change, hurricanes, and underworld gates (primary lover of Shango - bit not used in fluff, lol)

Aganju = Aganju is said to be the orisha of volcanoes, mountains, and the desert (father/brother, depending on story, of Shango - again not used in fluff).

 

Speeder = Ochosi = Hunter and the scout of the orishas, deity of the accused and those seeking justice or searching for something.

Predator = Iemanja = divine mother goddess, divine goddess of the sea and loving mother of mankind ('loving mother' ties in with new Predator fluff).

 

Rhino = Ozain = Ozain is the keeper and guardian of the herbs, and is a natural healer.

Rhino = Erinle = orisha of medicine, healing, and comfort, physician to the gods.

Razorback = Babalu = [babalu Aye is full name of the Orisha] deity of disease and illnes, also orisha of healing and the earth.

 

 

Yeah, maybe I went a bit OTT trying to find the right names for all my units, but I think it really adds something to the continuity of the force...even if only I get the reference!