Sternguard

[stuckinbermuda]

I am looking for advise on how to make my Sternguard, the main issue I'm having is the bolters and weapon loadouts.

 

The current army I'm working on is very regimented in the way I have built them, armor types and helmet styles denote roles, so all my assault jumppackers have the heads with the two breathing tubes on the sides, all devestators have the armor with the power cables exposed on the chest and helmets with the extra targeters etc. I've managed to maintain this theme through the whole army so it is kind of the opposite to conversion in that is is a very uniform army, like one that is very strictly following the codex and also has brand new equipment that hasn't had any modifications made yet.

 

I have a Pedro Kantor model I'd like to include in the army eventually but it seems redundant without sternguard to go with him. Representing veterans while maintaining the look I'm going for had me puzzled until I realized I had not allocated the beakie heads to any particular role yet. As an older pattern of armor it seems appropriate so I'm using them and the chest armor that has the eagle with the skull in the center and the backbacks with the skull on the back (I've even allocated backpacks to roles). I've been searching for two days for weapon options for the sternguard and liked the ammo box look but if going that route I'd have liked to equip the whole squad with storm bolters but that means they don't get the use of the special ammo, so going in the opposite direction I figured I'd load them with standard bolters but with loads of extra ammo pouches to represent them choosing which type of clip to load and fire off in a given turn. When looking through my selection of bolters in my bits box I kept coming across loads of the old style ones with the folding stocks. These appeared to be the same size as the new bolters but looked a little wider and more "Tactical" and practical for being carried in a confined Drop Pod or Vehicle. I tried out putting one like this together for comparison with my dead standard Tactical Marine and the gun just looks too short, I'm considering chopping it and just using the back half of it and sticking a standard bolter with grip on the front end.

 

I plan on building a combi-melta from whatever style of bolter I end up using and a melta from the SW sprue and using also building a PW/Bolter marine to lead them.

 

Help appreciated.

 

 

http://i55.tinypic.com/2ev7sd1.jpg

[averykess]

Sounds like you need to investigate the Umbra Ferrox pattern bolters from Forgeworld.

 

http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/New_Stuff/SPAC...FERROX-X10.html

 

 

I have been doing my own Sternguards, maybe something will inspire you or help you out.

 

WIP here: http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/index.p...howtopic=201742

 

My combi-melta: http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/index.p...howtopic=205408

[tiny sam]

I would definitivly stick with the new pattern as the old one seems realy short and not adapt to the power armor (the butt seems to be realy cumbersome)

 

maybe add some scopes of give them scout knives to represent the special role and versatility of the sternguard

[stuckinbermuda]

The Umbra Ferrox pattern bolters are very nice! Thank you for pointing them out.

 

I'd still like to use the older bolters since they are "Authentic" oldskool and would be a nice homage to the past as I think an ancient workhorse of a boltgun should be. I'm going to experiment and see if I can come up with a combination of the old and new or an extension to the old one maybe with a bayonet attachment like the forgeworld ones, good inspiration there.

 

Thanks for the help so far, going to work on the bolters some more.

[stuckinbermuda]

Where I'm going with this at the moment...

 

http://i55.tinypic.com/99ea2h.jpg

Trying different styles of Bolters

 

http://i52.tinypic.com/33z7n89.jpg

This might be too big but looks pretty tough to me

 

http://i52.tinypic.com/b9gex4.jpg

a standard new bolter with scope and an old style bayonet

[elohimalpha]

I'm liking the second picture - there's no such thing as a bolter being "too big"! Plus it'll really stand out I think, and looks more robust than the standard bolter. While I like the idea of a bayonet, it just seems kind of awkward. Although, if an assault squad had small bayonets on their bolt pistols . . .

 

Like where you're going with this. Are you giving them any special decorations to denote their veteran status?

[stuckinbermuda]

I'll attach the pistol holsters, pouches, extra purity seals etc. once I've worked out the basics for the whole squad so I can use the extra to balance them out. Just working out the basics like the weapons for the squad, will be built as a full ten man squad. The paint scheme for the army is going to be similar to the Iron Snakes with a bit of Crimson Fist influence so I'm going to stick with the traditional white helmets which will really make the beakies pop.

 

I was thinking of using a PW instead of a PF since I have lots of PF in the army already but it might be worth it to keep a fist in for uniformity with the rest of the army and as backup in case of a MC assault, plus PFs just look cooler imho. That big bolter might have come from an old Ork sprue or it might have been from a necromunda set, I'm not sure but I've found at least two so far, so they might be a good base to use for the two combi-meltas for the squad, unless I scrounce a few more up in my bitz bin.

 

I've already finished building the rest of the army and so far it is a whopping 2600pts before adding Pedro and a sternguard, will cap it at 3k. Build, Paint, Play is the plan for this army, batch painting and lots of airbrush shortcuts coming soon.

[SCC]

FW also do two other Bolter variant packs that might suit:

 

Umbra Pattern

 

Phobos Pattern

 

I've got both on Marines at the moment, I'll try and get some pics for you so you can see that they're both a touch more imposing than the regular bolter types without being too different.

[Terminatorinhell]

Where did that biggerized bolter come from?

[stuckinbermuda]

I think the big bolter is either an old Space Ork weapon or it is from a Necromunda Sprue, after searching I've only found two so far but still looking. Update: Found one more still on a sprue but nothing else on the sprue except "GW 1995" so we have a time at least if not the kit.

 

While I like the Forge World stuff it takes almost two months to get an order from them where I am so they are only good for inspiration for me, I am limited to the contents of my bitz bins (more than ten years of steady collecting) and what I can beg from friends bitz. I think I'm pretty happy with just the scoped bolter and going to drop the bayonets since they are just asking to be broken off in play/transport. With the helmets white and nice painted on laurels and all the purity seals and pouches they should look enough like veterans. I haven't figured the crux terminatus symbol yet as I don't have nearly enough shoulders for the whole squad so I might need to look into using one of those GS tools for producing a few.

 

I think at this stage I'm about ready to "start" doing an IA for this army.

 

I think the very last model I will assemble for this army is going to be the Thunderfire, I started it last night and it brought back memories of a badly miscast metal dread I had to fix for my brother. I already have three devestator squads so I could run without it and try and pass it off on some sucker...

 

Assembling the majority of the Sternguard unit tonight :)

 

Update: Just realized that with Pedro the Sternguard count as SCORING, not as TROOPS for army selection :blush: I've already got three Elite slots filled so these guys are going to have to act as my sixth troop choice in massive games and only as Sternguard in smaller games. So, I'm only giving them bolters and putting a PF and Combi-Plasma on the Sergeant so the unit will work rules wise in either roll, saves making the combi-meltas too. Only room for one more model, a Speeder, and I'm at 3k with a full composition :angry::):wacko:

[KhornateKiller]

what about doing some "saw" bolters for them like dan the demon does he has done a quick tutorial on how he does them

post #663

Dan's SAW bolter tutorial

[stuckinbermuda]

Very cool looking! I'm going to experiment with a version of the "Saw" bolter...