The Apocalypse Crusade

[tvih]

I think it's the added bulk given by the jump pack that makes the shield seem not so large on the model. And as for the axe hand damage, it's luckily mostly on the side facing the model, so even less visible. Already magnetized the thunder hammer and shield as well! The model itself has been painted for over two years, but never got around to gluing the axe as I knew I wanted to try to give him other weapon options at some point. Finally got around to actually doing it. Though a few months ago I tried the a smaller storm shield with a plastic forearm, didn't work as it was way too bulky. Now I glued the axe part's forearm after cutting the wrist off, so even the shield uses the original forearm.

Edited October 28, 2016 by tvih

[tvih]

Progress is sloooow...

 

http://www.tvih.net/stuff/wh40k/bt-ironclad-basecoat2.jpg

 

Rubble is casting flash from one FW kit or another, cut up a bit to give it a more rubble-y appearance and painted with gray (of course, it was gray to begin with). Probably gonna give it a once-over with nuln oil as well.

 

Now to find out if my magnet-hiding operation for the frag launcher and missile attachments is a visual disaster, as I gotta try to file/sand the surfaces to try and finish the hiding procedure (a thin layer of milliput over the ever so slightly recessed magnets). Oh well, at least they're hidden when the launchers are in place. A wiser man with better memory would've done this before the basecoat, but I am not that man, as it turns out 

[tvih]

Kalev's new guns got a bit o' paint on 'em:

 

http://www.tvih.net/stuff/wh40k/bt-dread-ac.jpg

 

Pew pew!

[tvih]

Hmm... just noticed that three of the FW Templar shields I have are smaller than the other five. I guess they are recasts since they are yellow material. Odd though that they'd be so noticeably smaller despite being recasts? The detail and all is just as good as the genuine ones. However this smaller size does make them more suitable for power armored use too, and the shield on the Lord Executioner model earlier was one of these three, I guess that's another reason why it looked suitable

 

Well, despite being recasts, still gonna use 'em for sure. Gonna paint another one up to test a white base color scheme for variance, it'll likely be my "sigfig's" shield.

[tvih]

While ordering even more FW bits, mainly for the CF Honour Guard - man, that's gonna be one expensive 10-man squad all put together! - it seems I've cornered myself into ordering a Spartan Assault Tank as well. Reportedly local players mostly accept FW, so it should be possible to use it without too much problems. All else failing I suppose it'd be possible to use it as a Godhammer Land Raider, after all the size is very similar and weaponry "close enough". Although as I believe it can take regular LR sponson given it uses LR doors too, I could even use the second pair of sponsons from the DW LR I have on order to run it as LRC/LRR as well.

 

This will result in me having 2 BT LRC/LRRs and 1 Spartan, and 1 CF LR/LRC/LRR. Had I predicted this purchase would happen now, maybe I would've made the currently in progress LRC/LRR into CF after all. Not that it'd be technically too late to do so, I guess.... will have to ponder on that. Though until I manage to use Necron Abyss with an airbrush, any CF vehicle progres is rather dubious.

 

Also one thing to consider is the transport capability of the Spartan. As it is, unless I mix BT and CF models in the same detachment I don't have a large enough melee unit to take advantage of the extra space. I don't really use neophytes (I have what, three painted?) and I only have 6 BT assault terminators right now, and 7 for CF. I suppose I could configure some regular terminators to temporarily wield melee weapons as I have some spare (I just sold 5 assault termies, but kept some of the weapons as the buyer didn't need all of them). Or, if I get around to trying - and more importantly, succeeding - at making some custom terminator tabards, I could perhaps scrap the idea of the shooty IF terminator squad (because frankly, it'd probably just about never see the table anyway) and use the models for permanent BT assault termies instead.

 

After all that talk, a WIP of the paint scheme of my FW Ironclad:

 

http://www.tvih.net/stuff/wh40k/bt-ironclad-wip.jpg

[tvih]

My vehicle vow has been "stalled", I haven't worked on even the dread due to being annoyed at not finding my airbrush. I ended up painting something else entirely...

 

http://www.tvih.net/stuff/wh40k/vostroyan-pfist-wip.jpg

 

The thing of it is, I had kinda decided to sell of my IG. Well, I did sell my only two (remaining, as I sold the Valkyries last year) IG vehicles, the Chimera and the Manticore just the other week. Now, I was gonna keep this particular model since it's pretty cool and I figured I could maybe even use it as an Inquisitor or something, but after taking stock of the Vostroyan and Steel Legion figs I had, I ended up ordering another SL plasma gun and heavy bolter and started painting this. That's... not what was supposed to happen. In addition I'm looking at "Start collecting: Militarum Tempestus" for the transport (I don't like Chimera that much anyway) as well as the models for a nice option for the elite slot for the IG allied detachment. Aaaand maybe a Leman Russ to replace the Manticore..... sigh. As if I haven't burned enough money in the last month or so on marine stuff, while I was supposed to downside the marines too.

[tvih]

Massive reinforcements arrived yesterday for the Crusade, with more arriving today.
 
One thing that arrived was the Burning of Prospero box. I've been contemplating what to keep and what to possibly sell onward. On such contemplation is the Tartaros terminators. I assembled one to see how they look in person. Alas, he looks like he's reciting Hamlet or something:
 
http://www.tvih.net/stuff/wh40k/tartaros-hamletpose.jpg

I've been a bit undecided. Looks-wise they're OK, but aside from being a change of pace from Indomitus, not really better. Running them as shooty would be pointless given how bad shooty ones are these days, and I already have plenty of shooty ones especially as CF. But they do have claws, so I've been thinking of adding them to my assault terminators as I only have 6 for the Templars, while the Spartan that may be among the stuff I'm receiving today can hold a full squad of 10. This would of course mean running them with Indomitus rule, but from my understanding the only real change rules-wise is likely to be being able to sweep anyway. Running them "counts-as" shouldn't be a problem. I also considered keeping just 1-2 models just for variance, but selling a less than full squad is tricky (I'd have a local buyer if I sold the full squad).

 

Too lazy to list everything that I'm getting, but getting to build my CF Honour Guard will be nice (might post a pic of it later today if all the parts indeed arrive and I have to put a mock-up together), and also I got two more Vindicators to get the Apocalypse blast formation!

 

Oh, and also got a regular dread kit, so I finally have a missile launcher too, just for the sake of the completionism I guess This dread will be in BT colors, but will be consigned to the Deathwatch when needed, with probably the missile launcher probably being the weapon to be painted silver, I'd like to have CC ability for the BT use, thus a black CC arm. I've been trying to get him a more dynamic pose, here's what I have so far:

 

http://www.tvih.net/stuff/wh40k/bt-newdread-pose.jpg

 

I'm not sure if I should repose the other leg too, or keep it like that. I should've really reposed to left leg to begin with, now it's the same foot forward as for the Ironclad, doh

[tvih]

http://www.tvih.net/stuff/wh40k/bt-champions.jpg

 

I reckon the doubt as to who are the Emperor's Champion and Honour Guard Champion is now in the past... only perhaps which is which, but then going by what purpose the models are originally sold for, I guess Krieger gets to keep his EC title and the new guy gets the HG Champion role

Edited November 15, 2016 by tvih

[Brother Christopher]

 

One thing that arrived was the Burning of Prospero box. I've been contemplating what to keep and what to possibly sell onward. On such contemplation is the Tartaros terminators. I assembled one to see how they look in person. Alas, he looks like he's reciting Hamlet or something:

 

http://www.tvih.net/stuff/wh40k/tartaros-hamletpose.jpg

 

I'm absolutely loving the pose

[tvih]

I'm absolutely loving the pose

 

Yeah it's a keeper, though adding the claw parts on his left arm would partially ruin it I reckon

[NoPityNoRemorseNoFear]

I would suggest keeping 5 tartaros claw-minators solely because they can sweep, this makes them fully compatible with our chapter tactics and the bane of many traitor marines!

[Ciler]

 

 

One thing that arrived was the Burning of Prospero box. I've been contemplating what to keep and what to possibly sell onward. On such contemplation is the Tartaros terminators. I assembled one to see how they look in person. Alas, he looks like he's reciting Hamlet or something:

 

http://www.tvih.net/stuff/wh40k/tartaros-hamletpose.jpg

 

I'm absolutely loving the pose

 

Me too. There's the Hamlet thing but it also screams "come at me bro".

[AndrewChristlieb]

[tvih]

I'm thinking of trying to put a skull or xenos head in his outreached hand Hamlet-style. Not permanently glued or anything, but removable.

 

Also, assembled the CF HG Champion candidate:

 

http://www.tvih.net/stuff/wh40k/hg-champions.jpg

 

Must say I do prefer the sleeker look of Mk IV especially for a melee character. I do have 5 Mk IV update torsos as well, but that sword comes attached to a Mk III arm and I don't want to go cutting it (it's from the Templar Brethren upgrade kit). Hmm, or maybe I'll use that for an IF Honour Guard Champ - I realized I have 4 excess MkIII/IV upgrade torsos after making 10 CF HG, so I could use some bits to make a fifth and have a 5-man IF HG too - and make a Mk IV champ from separate bits for the CF.

 

Though I must say the temptation is there to just paint them all as IF for HH purposes but... too much monetary investment when I'm not likely to actually play HH and in 40k I prefer the CF colors.

[Ciler]

I would make the helmet of the IF champion look along the direction of the sword. turned toward his left as you have it seems... wonky.

[tvih]

It's temporary anyway, the head isn't glued (and won't be) and arms are magnetized. And besides it's the BT champion, pff

 

He looks pretty badass with a bolter too, by the way

Edited November 15, 2016 by tvih

[tvih]

Oh no, mutation has struck my new HG champion :(

 

http://www.tvih.net/stuff/wh40k/bt-champion-mutant.jpg

[tvih]

That aside, what do you think?
 
http://www.tvih.net/stuff/wh40k/cf-termi-cfshield.jpg

The shields are rather big to use as PA stormshields despite new, huge Deathwatch storm shields and even though they are normally PA shields for the Phalanx Warders. At any rate would seem like such a waste to leave them unused, so this is what I was thinking as part of the "makeover" of these termies into CF colours. I tried to make the cut of the original PW arm as clean as possible so it might be possible to magnetize it so that it could be used on PA models as well, but I'm not sure a 2mm magnet would be able to hold the weight of that shield. Could test it to find out I guess.

[tvih]

I was really looking forward to the Spartan, but now I'm more bummed by it than anything else :( I didn't expect an easy build, but even so the degree by which the parts measurements are off from fitting together properly for the main hull caught me by surprise. What a mess. It doesn't help that apparently the resin is very superglue-resistant, sucking the moisture from the glue while still making it take forever to dry didn't help. I'm thinking of drilling in some metal rods to make sure it even holds together at some points because of the lack of gluing surface contact, but I don't have anything heftier than 1mm rods.

 

But what's the worst part is the tracks. Two pieces snapped snapped just while removing the molding excesses from the hull halves, and had to be glued back. Another snapped off at some point, I don't know when, and though it's from the bottom side, it's from the outer edge and thus visible. I guess I'll have to carve something up to replace the part because I couldn't find it after the fact, but I'm not good at making even simple parts myself.

 

Even that's not the worst of it - if these tracks snap so easily, how is it gonna hold in a gaming table when placed on uneven terrain? I reckon those things will snap under the model's own considerable weight! Lifting will have to be done two-handed as not to grip the tracks by accident. And also transport is going to be tricky at best, even in a padded carrying case. What good is a gaming model you're afraid to even touch or move?

 

From a model for the price of which I could've bought 2.5 Land Raiders or 6 Chimeras or an Imperial Knight etc etc and have had durable, easy to build models, I can't not be disappointed. I really enjoyed the Mk IV Ironclad from FW despite it also being costly with the weapon arms factored in (£55 total, half of the Spartan) but this... sigh. And the BT LR doors I got for it were/are a bit of a mess too.

 

In the end I guess I should've read more about people's experiences with building and using the Spartan.

[tvih]

Updated marine force tally:
 
BT:

• Helbrecht
• Grimaldus
• Terminator Captain (plastic)
• Terminator Chaplain
• DV LE Chaplain
• Jump Chaplain
• Techmarine + servitors
• Lord Executioner
• 2x Emperor's Champion (old metal special edition + new finecast)
• Dreadnought (AoBR)
• Mk IV Ironclad Dreadnought
• 6 Assault Terminators
• 5 Terminators
• 10 Sternguard
• 15 Honour Guard (gotta reassign some of them..)
• 10 Jump Vanguard + 2 Foot Vanguard
• 33+ Initiates
• 6 CCW scouts
• 5 Assault Marines
• Attack Bike
• 2x Land Speeder
• Rhino
• Razorback
• Stormtalon
• Stormraven
• 2x Drop Pod
• Land Raider Crusader/Redeemer
• Spartan
• Predator
• Vindicator
• Whirlwind

CF/IF/other sons of Dorn:

• Pedro Kantor
• Darnath Lysander
• Terminator Captain (metal)
• Chaplain
• Witch
• Terminator Witch
• Ironclad Dreadnought
• Venerable Dreadnought
• 10 Honour Guard
• 9 Terminators
• 7 Assault Terminators
• 15 Sternguard
• 5 Jump Vanguard
• 3 Centurions
• 17+ Tactical Marines
• 15 Scouts (of which 5 snipers)
• Drop Pod
• 5 Assault Marines
• Assault Bike
• Land Speeder Storm
• 2x Land Speeder
• Stormtalon
• 2x Land Raider Crusader/Redeemer
• Predator
• Razorback
• Rhino
• Whirlwind
• Thunderfire Cannon
• 2x Vindicator

Deathwatch:

• Chaplain
• Captain
• 6 Terminators
• 8-11 Veterans
• Razorback (likely shared BT duty)
• Dreadnought (shared BT duty)

Misc/Unassigned:

• 18 DV Tactical Marines
• 10 AoBR Tactical Marines
• Something like 15+ other "modern" Tactical Marines probably (most likely to be IF/CF/other successors)
• 20 Mk III marines
• 25 Mk IV marines
• Cataphractii Captain
• 5 Cataphractii Terminators (likely to get sold)
• 5 Tartaros Terminators
• 5 Terminators
• Assault Bike
• 6 Bikes (likely shared BT/Deathwatch duty)
• 3 DV Bikes (most DA markings removed)
• 2 old school Witches
• old school power axe marine (SW I think)
• two older metal Captains
• Painted DA Captain
• 2 TDA Calgars (one painted), PA Calgar, 8 UM Honour Guard
• some second-hand DA Veterans
• 3 old Legion of the Damned models + additional bits to convert several more if I so choose
• 4 GK terminators (likely to get sold)
• 10 Space Wolves (likely to get sold)

[Brother Christopher]

I was really looking forward to the Spartan, but now I'm more bummed by it than anything else I didn't expect an easy build, but even so the degree by which the parts measurements are off from fitting together properly for the main hull caught me by surprise. What a mess. It doesn't help that apparently the resin is very superglue-resistant, sucking the moisture from the glue while still making it take forever to dry didn't help. I'm thinking of drilling in some metal rods to make sure it even holds together at some points because of the lack of gluing surface contact, but I don't have anything heftier than 1mm rods.

 

But what's the worst part is the tracks. Two pieces snapped snapped just while removing the molding excesses from the hull halves, and had to be glued back. Another snapped off at some point, I don't know when, and though it's from the bottom side, it's from the outer edge and thus visible. I guess I'll have to carve something up to replace the part because I couldn't find it after the fact, but I'm not good at making even simple parts myself.

 

Even that's not the worst of it - if these tracks snap so easily, how is it gonna hold in a gaming table when placed on uneven terrain? I reckon those things will snap under the model's own considerable weight! Lifting will have to be done two-handed as not to grip the tracks by accident. And also transport is going to be tricky at best, even in a padded carrying case. What good is a gaming model you're afraid to even touch or move?

 

From a model for the price of which I could've bought 2.5 Land Raiders or 6 Chimeras or an Imperial Knight etc etc and have had durable, easy to build models, I can't not be disappointed. I really enjoyed the Mk IV Ironclad from FW despite it also being costly with the weapon arms factored in (£55 total, half of the Spartan) but this... sigh. And the BT LR doors I got for it were/are a bit of a mess too.

 

In the end I guess I should've read more about people's experiences with building and using the Spartan.

 

I hope that everything ultimately turns out fine for you. Yet, I can only imagine the disappointed you're experiencing. A slight consolation is that after you are done with the necessary work (though, as you've said, this should not be the case with a model that expensive), you''' have a great looking model.

 

I had a similar problem with a Sicaran I got (which turned out to be a recast), but its price just barely justified the additional work. It is a shame that FW insists on using resin, which I find to be a grossly inferior material. The talk about more detail does not convince me and does not justify the amount of warping, problems and processing required before you are able to put the model together.

 

Good luck with your efforts and don't give in to the frustration.

[tvih]

I've not minded resin in the past. Of course it's not perfect, but I've found it easier to properly "clean up" the spots where it was joined to the sprue compared to plastic, for example. Of course, durability is worse, there's the occasional bubbles, and nowadays plastic doesn't really suffer in terms of level detail either. Even so, the couple of FW infantry models I got are fantastic and were very easy to prepare and the same goes for the Ironclad dread, but of course the cost was a bit nuts for those too. Cost in general is the biggest annoyance with FW. I guess I'm not helping with getting them to lower them since I finally shelled out for their current prices, though :P I suppose they're not likely to switch over to plastic any time soon, either, despite GW's new plastic Heresy offerings (it'll be interesting to see if they'll expand to vehicles at some point).

 

I had some therapy yesterday in dry-assembling a Vindicator and a Razorback - it's always a pleasure putting Rhino hulls together, so easy and simple, but all the much more so after the Spartan struggle (which I haven't been able to force myself to continue yet). Will dry-assemble another Vindicator today, plus gonna take a look at the Centurions as well, likely assemble at least one to check it out as I've never seen one in person. Currently examining the new Devastator sprues, looks like I'm gonna keep 'em after all since there's so much new stuff. But I have so many heavy weapons now I'm not sure what I'm gonna do with them all :P 6-7 lascannons, 6 multi-meltas, at least 8 heavy bolters (+ Heresy ones) and plasma cannons, who knows how many missile launchers... only the two grav cannons though (aside from the centurion ones, of course), and I guess only two heavy flamers but regular squads/devastators don't get to use them anyway.

Speaking of the Devastator sprues though... I really wish they hadn't skimped out with the combi-weapons in these new sets. Being only able to make one per set is a bit disappointing. I tried cutting a bolter to fit one of the other combi-options from a tactical sprue but the end result wasn't very pretty and it was still a lot of work. Just that with sternguard, deathwatch veterans and whathaveyou having more of the combi-weapons available wouldn't hurt even if this set itself only needs one for its loadout options.

[tvih]

Assembling the first Centurion, I think I'm gonna leave out the tassets. It just makes the model look too clumsy, something that always bothered me about it. It's like "either I can move, or I can have these giant plates protecting my nuts".

[AndrewChristlieb]

Assembling the first Centurion, I think I'm gonna leave out the tassets. It just makes the model look too clumsy, something that always bothered me about it. It's like "either I can move, or I can have these giant plates protecting my nuts".

If I had to choose it would be the latter. $.02 ;)

[tvih]

 

Assembling the first Centurion, I think I'm gonna leave out the tassets. It just makes the model look too clumsy, something that always bothered me about it. It's like "either I can move, or I can have these giant plates protecting my nuts".

If I had to choose it would be the latter. $.02

 

 

In real life, yeah (I do medieval armored combat as a sport so trust me, that's one of the first things you gotta remember :D), but in a setting where I leave people with bare heads on their armor set...  Even the practicality aside, the tasset just manages to look awkward. Without it the model's pretty nice, though I haven't put the arms on yet (might magnetize them so that the models take up less space when transported, if the cabling allows that - I can't seem to figure out how the cabling connects properly, haha - I blame fatigue). Would be nice if the model allowed for some more posing though, arms and legs alike The arm poses seem slightly awkward on such static leg positions especially.