Heresy Era Imperial Fists

[Ufthak]

Hey all!!!

FINALLY got round to posting the first images of my Fists!!!

Now: I decided to let them be part of Sigismunds 1st Company, which is why I gave them the Templar cross (black on white) as a Grand Company marking. I decided to put the chapter symbol on the left shoulder pad and the Grand Company marking on the right. I'm still not sure where to put the Company marking and the squad type marking - but I guess I'll stick them on the kneepads (I'm open to suggestions...).

Now, my first 6 Marines (1-4 are completed save the missing markings and bases, 5 and 6 are still in progress):

No. 1:

sporting MKVI helmet, MkV/VI/VII legs (MkV without studs, MkVI kneepad version, or standard MkVII), with a MkV torso, Goodwyn pattern Bolter

No. 2:

MkVI helmet and legs, plus a torso which could be a MkVI (with cabling relayed inside) or a MkVII (without Aquila), Goodwyn pattern Bolter

No. 3:

Full MkV suit, older pattern Bolter

Homemade studs on legs:

No. 4:

Full MkV suit, studs on both shoulder pads, legs missing studs, older pattern Bolter

No. 5:

Full MkVI suit, Goodwyn pattern Bolter (unfinished, work in progress)

No. 6:

Full Mk IV suit. Particularly proud of this one, since it took bitz from quite a few different boxes plus some Green Stuff to do. I think it turned out quite well (Unfinished, work in progress)

There's more on the way, but knowing myself it'll be a while yet before I can post more images...

Well then, watcha think? smile.gif

[wokkers]

great work man. well done :(

[Ufthak]

Thanks <_<

 

Though they're not perfect, they're quite ok, I think. I found a nice middle way between them looking good and speed painting. More on the way, I hope to have a few MkIII and possibly MkII suits ready within the next month or so. Hope they turn out well.

 

By the way, I got a question:

I'd like to give a couple of Fists Atutocannons (apparently the Marines used them during the Heresy). I've already seen a Tutorial on BoLS where a guy attached Imperial Guard Autocannons to his Death Guard Marines. Though his Models look great, I think the Imperial Guard Autocannon is just ridiculously large for a Marine. I'd like my Marines to be carrying Autocannons about the size of the Chaos reaper Autocannon, just with only one barrel. Any idea where i could get one or how I could make one?

 

Another question:

What other weapons did Marines use during the Heresy which 40K Marines use no longer? I'd like to eqiup my Marines with special stuff...anyone got ideas?

[son of nocturne]

Agreed with Wokkers, Brilliant work, really like the heraldry on the shoulders as well!

Id say normal auto cannons would do but cut down the barrel so it is just a little longer than a las cannon, any shorter im not to sure if it would look right! As for other PH weapons, best if you ask over in the heresy forum in frater as the brothers who purvey those forums may be more suited to answer that question!

Cant wait to see more buddy!

S.O.N.

[Ufthak]

Thanks SON <_<

 

Ok, I'll try the Heresy Forum...but if anyone has ideas it would be great!

[Pig Of Sparta]

Damn, those are some nice Fists! Good work there brother, the full mk iv suit is particularly impressive. Are you planning an army of these or is this just a wee project? Either way you've done well, each one is a unique character as marines should be :).

 

James

[The Either]

these r really cool, i like the mixs of the amour is well

[Mr. Bleak]

These are all looking really good!

 

One question- where did you get all the old-pattern armour?

[Sons of Horus]

i love pre-heresy astartes!! very nice

[Ufthak]

@Pig of Sparta:

That was my idea behind the concept - no Marine should look the same, as Knights in the Middle Ages wouldn't either (the Space Marines being Sci-Fi Knights of a sort...) At the moment it's more of a wee project, especially since I'm painfully slow at getting things done (and short of cash), but I've got something like 2 tactical (possibly one of them Dev) squads, a vet squad, a termie squad and possibly a MkIV Dread planned. So far only these 6 dudes I'm afraid...

@Mr. Bleak.

Hee hee. Well, before I started this project, I spent something like 6 months planning where to get the Bitz. The current miniatures range of Citadel Miniatures and Forge World has a lot of Pre Heresy bitz (see the list in my post in GRAVIS! Heresy Bitz - last post), but many are in metal, or heavily corrupted Chaos ones. Plus, I decided to stick with the eight standard designs

Example:

which unfortunately are only fully represented on Rogue trader era Marines. So in the end I collected Bitz from all over the place:

- The standard Space Marine boxed set

- Chaos Space Marine set

- Black reach Box (MkIV legs and MkV helmet)

- Armour through the ages set

and others...

Plus some Green stuffing was also involved.

Now, the Marines 1, 2 and 5 are composed entirely from bitz taken from the standard Space Marine Box, plus I made some cabling on No. 5's chestplate out of card. No. 3 consists of the Black reach head, a second Edition Bolter and otherwise standard Marine stuff. No 4...well...the head...is the MkV head from the Armour through the Ages box...and it's not the MkV head from the armour through the ages box, if you know what I mean. Otherwise he consists solely of standard Bitz. No. 6 was hardest to make:

- Black Templar head and torso,

- MkIV legs from Black Reach Box,

- the bit protecting his private parts is from the armour through the ages box...and it isn't,

- the Bolter is an old 2nd Edition one,

- the rest is standard Marine stuff

Hope that helped! ;)

[Ufthak]

Oh and thanks to everyone for your comments ;)

[Ufthak]

Still, a question to you readers...

 

Where would you advise me to put the Company marking (a roman or gothic "2") and the squad type marking? I was thinking of: right kneepad - squad marking, left kneepad - company marking. Any other suggestions?

[Fire Lord Captain]

I would put the company marking on the shoulder pad (A roman numeral). What squad markings, if any, did they have PH?

[Ufthak]

Pre-Heresy, the Legions were organized into "Grand Companies" (other terms: Chapters/Cohorts?), which in turn were organized into companies (10 each?). My Fists are part of Sigismund's 1st Veteran Grand Company, 2nd Company. This means I need to put 2 company markings on the marines: the Grand Company one (already put it on the right shoulder pad), and the company one (left shoulder pad's already occupied by studs or the chapter symbol). So, where to put it?

 

Most of the Legions during the Heresy apparently used the standard squad markings (arrow for tactical etc.). So, where to put it?

[Fire Lord Captain]

On the shins?

[Ufthak]

Hm, I guess it's really shins or kneepads. Possibly also forehead, though the MkV helmets have too many studs on that place. Yeh, Kneepads or shins then. Any ideas on colours? What colour for the arrow, what colour for the 2, what colour for the background?

[Retrograde]

Hi Ufthak

 

Love the models dude.

 

I've been making older armour types lately using the same bits as you. The only thing holding me back is the studs. How did you make them?

[Ufthak]

Hi Stoner!

 

Studs...there's quite a few tutorials flying around on this site and the rest of the net, but I kinda fused a few new ideas with the method of using PVA glue (the white stuff usually used for glueing wood).

 

Now...short tutorial (Sorry I ain't got pictures...):

 

1. Aquire some PVA glue, the unpainted (and ideally already assembled) model, a toothpick and something metallic with a very small point to it (a needle probably won't be strong enough, try using a really pointy modelling knife or something similar)

 

2. Using the knife point (or whatever you decided to use) make tiny holes in the places you want the individual studs. Try to keep all the holes the same distance from one another (difficult, I only partly succeeded), since it'll look better when finished. Also, bear in mind that the more studs you make, the more difficult painting will become (especially when highlighting, for example) - it took me endless ages to properly paint the shins of this guy. The holes needn't be deep or perfectly round, in fact it's even better if they're a little irregular - I'll explain later why.

 

3. Take the toothpick and dip its tip in the PVA so that you have a tiny blob of the thick stuff on the tip. Now carefully dip the blob onto/into the holes. This is easier than it sounds; the glue will suck into the hole and form a stud. If you're unhappy with it, just wipe it away before it can dry, then try again.

 

4. Having done this to all the holes, put the model aside and let it dry, ideally for a couple of days, but one night should suffice. Now, when PVA dries, it shrinks, meaning that your studs will have sunk into the holes somewhat. This is no problem, since you can simply repeat the process with the toothpick again until you have studs which suit you. It took me 2 takes.

 

Remember me saying that it's even better if the holes are slightly irregular, with notches and the like? That's because PVA needs something to grip onto, and notches and irregularities around the rim of the hole provide a better grip.

In my first try with PVA studs I tried it without the holes, simply marking the spots where I wanted them with a pencil and then applying the glue. After it had dried, I passed over it with my finger, and the studs simply slid off, having nothing to grip onto.

 

5. Spray your model and paint :)

 

6. Show off to others and act the know-it-all :P

 

Hope this tutorial helped!

 

--Ufthak--

 

P.S.: Bear in mind that I didn't do the studs on the shoulderpads - those are just the ones from the standard Marine Box. I personally made the ones on the MkV Marine's shins.

P.S.S.: Also bear in mind that even with the holes and the paint applied, being too rough with the model can make the studs drop off. But then, being too rough with the model can also rip its head off... ;)

[Retrograde]

Thanks alot Ufthak :)

 

Finally the final piece of the zigsaw falls into place. I've got no excuses now, I'll start on the studs tomorrow :P

 

 

 

Edit: Oh and as for the autocannons, have you thought about using the 2 Ork big shootas from the AoBR boxset. I think with a bit of modification they could be perfect.

[Ufthak]

Hm, Ork Shootas! Nice idea Stoner! :) I'll check those out at the store tomorrow...

Oh, and would you let me know how your studs come out? Looking forward to those and hoping my tutorial is worth something...

[Karitas]

If you want something a tad larger you might consider some of the Heavy Stubber models that are out there, FW do a few and there are also vehicles mounted ones you could rig to me man-portable. maybe even in some kind of "Aliens-esque" harness...

[Ufthak]

:) If I had the money to get FW stuff I'd have a Death Korps Army by now *sigh* No, generally speaking, I'm looking for smaller things, weapons which aren't ridiculously massive, such as the standard IG Autocannon. Nor do I want anything un-human ('cept maybe the Ork Shootas). But thanks anyway Karitas!

[Ufthak]

Update:

Today at the store I forced myself to do a little painting and am nigh on finishing the two unfinished marines. Here's a detail of the shoulder pad of marine no. 5:

Plus I couldn't resist modeling a further Fist in full MkV power armour using different bitz:

Detail of the home-made studs, this time unpainted:

Hope to get Marines No. 5 & 6 finished soon, with this new guy coming up :huh:

[Ufthak]

Alrighty, update:

I added some Heraldry to the finished Marines, finished the new MkVI suit Marine and am almost done with the MkIV suit one.

Group pic of the finished and almost-finished:

Updated heraldry on shoulder pads:

Updated heraldry on kneepads - I decided this would be the symbol (or coat of arms) of the 2nd Company, 1st Grand Company:

The newly-finished Marine in full MkVI armour:

These two guys are current works in progress. At the moment they've had a black undercoat, then Iyanden darksun brushed over, then Badab Black wash. Next will be Bubonic Brown, then the details:

My new veteran sergeant coming along:

Here I'd like your advice: I was thinking of giving him a top-knot, but having tried it, it just didn't look right to me. What do you think? Top knot or not top knot, that is the question...

[Ufthak]

Small update.

Slow progress, but getting there :-)

Any comments or suggestions?