Modelling Skitarii

[Skoby]

I've been looking into starting an Ad Mech force to compliment my Iron Hands and give me a side project to work on. I've settled on using the Guard Codex, perhaps with inq allies but for now just using guard to represent them. I think I've found what units I would want to use, mostly infantry platoons for standard skitarii, veterans (with grenadier "option") for slightly more augmented skitarii and storm troopers for their more advanced weapons. I've also seen some good conversions with defilers being turned into knights to count as leman russ, perhaps with more standard leman russ tanks for variety. The main issue I've got now is how to model skitarii so that they don't just look like guardsmen. I've seen some great models done using High Elf archers legs, but I am hesitant to have to buy 3 boxes for 20 models and the bits sites seem constantly out of stock of the legs. Ive also seen the more "mech" style skitarii which whilst I love the look off I don't think they look suitable for the guard codex. Finally there is the style that I really want to avoid, skitarii who look like red and black guardsmen.

 

Now for my idea, for standard skitarii, is to use cadian guard as the basis and giving them greenstuff hoods in a similar way to the techpriest models and give them a few bionic and augmetic parts, increasing the bionics and having more advanced armour and equipment for the veterans and command. The main issue is I have never had a close look at the Cadian models so how well would the hoods fit with the models? How hard would it be to model the hoods? I'm not great with greenstuff but I'm not totally new to it so I could give it a go. Finally, would this really give the impression of skitarii or would I be better off paying a bit extra and using high elf archers to give them full robes?

 

If anyone has any examples of skitarii I've not mentioned or who think could be good inspiration then I'd love to see them. I have looked back a couple of pages on here and seen a few but I'm sure there are more that I haven't found.

[morcus]

I think you could sculpt on a hood very easily. I'm not good with green stuff but I've managed to do some okay looking armour conversions on plastic cadiads with a bit of emery board to grind the plastic away and some very basic green stuffing, and simple stuff like that can make a big difference, I've been planning on using some plastic card and GS to model carapce for some of my vets and I've converted some already with chainmail jackets under their armour (I only kept the top of the breastplate, the loweer segment I ground off and put the mail ontop of) which could work for a darker look.

[WingsOfTheFalcon]

I don't know if it will be much help, but I've used Cadians as the basis of my tech-guard. Might give you some idea re: hoods etc. I didn't find them that hard to sculpt, just took a bit of patience.

 

My Ad-Mech

 

:D