Grey hunters and their weapons ?

[Skagen42]

Greetings brothers !

 

Im wondering - how do you model your grey hunters weapons wise ?

 

Do you go for a mix and match of ccw/bp and bolters ?

 

Do you do one squad ccw/bp and another with all bolters ?

 

Do you do something completely different ?

 

Im asking because I'm assembling a lot of Grey Hunters and I can't really descide if I want to/should model some of them with bolters?

 

I feel they look more badass with ccw/bp's, but when you read the books and lore, marines are allways going for bolters first and secondary armaments later..

 

What would Russ do ? (so to speak) :cuss

 

 

Give me som advice brothers !!

 

Cheers

~Skagen42

[dswanick]

My Grey Hunter packs are a mix of :

- Holding Bolters, Bolt Pistol and/or CCW on the model

- Holding Bolter and CCW, Bolt Pistol on the model

- Holding Pistol and CCW w/ Bolter on the model

[Wulfebane]

Whether they're holding them or not, I always place a bolter somewhere on my Hunters to help segregate them from my Claws.

[Skagen42]

Nice ! good idears for sure.

 

@ dswanick : Do you just "mag lock" the bolter and/or chainsword to the model ? or do you use a scabbard or holster of some kind ?

 

Cheers

~Skagen42

[Valerian]

Most of my Hunters get the "classic" two-hands-on-the-bolter pose typical of a tactical Marine. Although perhaps not as cool as going full-out and representing every weapon on every model, there are at least two advantages that I can think of: first, they are much easier to fit into their transport case, and second, they are much less apt to get tangled up with one another on the gaming table, which can happen when you lock bases in close combat with a tangle of pistols and swords or axes.

I do, however, get some variety in my packs by modeling the Plasma Pistol guy with a Chainsword, the Power Axe guy with a Bolt Pistol, and the Motw guy with either Bolt Pistol and Chainsword, or even double Chainsword. I don't bother adding the other weapons to the models, as Space Wolves tend to be "busy" enough with pelts, tails, teeth, runes, and other bling.

You can click on the link in my sig to see what my Hunter packs look like altogether. Only one of the four packs in my force are comprised primarily of Pistol and Chainsword models, and that's because it was a Blood Claw pack prior to 5e.

Valerian

Edit:

Hunter Pack 1:

Hunter Pack 2:

[Skagen42]

Thats some mighty fine brothers there Valerian !

 

Thanks for the replies guys <_< Given me something to think about for sure.

 

~Skagen

[WG Vrox]

I will build a unit of 10 Grey Hunters together keeping a theme going for each. If I decide the unit is in a range combat pose then most of them will have their bolters out and shooting. This unit will also be sporting 2 Plasma Guns.

 

The next unit of 10 will be CC oriented, meaning they will all have their pistols and CCW out making it seem like they are in the thick of it. Because this unit has a theme of CC, I will put 2 Melta guns in the unit.

 

You can keep this type of theme based units going, just decide what it is they are doing prior to building the models and its pretty easy to keep the feel of it through out the unit.

 

Also to keep the units easy to identify I paint the slopped ringed area around the base different colors such as dark grey or light grey depending on what you do with the top of the base. You want it to match but not stand out such as a snowy white top base with a ring of red would not look good, but if you go with a light grey it blends well.

 

Vrox

[skeletoro]

I know this is a total necro, but posting in this thread seemed better than needlessly starting a fresh thread for an age-old topic.

 

Has anybody tried representing all 3 weapons along with holsters/scabbards on each model - or heard of it being successfully done?

 

I think you could just about fit a scabbard between a marine's back and power plant. You would probably need to slightly trim part of the power plant on one side to do so, but not excessively or anything.

 

I like what Night Runner has done - bolt pistols in holsters on all models, as well as a scabbarded close combat blade.

http://trueminiwargamer.blogspot.co.nz/2013/03/more-bloodclaws-and-grey-hunters.html

 

Also, some of the more recent HH releases inspire me...

The destroyers have 2 empty holsters each: I wonder how far it would be to lengthen a holster to have it bolter-ready. And, for that matter, how it would look on a marine's thigh (it might be a tad big and need placing elsewhere on the model). It looks like 1 set gets you 10 empty holsters and 2 holstered bolt pistols to boot (and they have dual wield arms rather than two-handed gun grip arms, an added bonus)

http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/New_Stuff/LEGION_MKIV_DESTROYER_SQUAD.html

 

The recon squad have quite interesting packs. They have a bunch of kit attached... including a combat knife. That's a great start, and technically between that and a holstered bolt pistol, you've got yourself covered. But looking at how much those marines manage to stow on their power packs makes me wonder... what else might fit there? I've tried "mag-locking" a bolter to a power pack before and it looked... OK (not particularly great), but maybe there's a more tasteful way to do it. Could a bolter holster fit between the torso and the power pack, for instance?

http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/New_Stuff/LEGION_MKIV_RECON_SQUAD.html

 

Anyway, just some things I'm musing about. I'm a bit of a perfectionist.. in over a year I still have yet to "finalize" my first grey hunter pack.

[Grimtooth]

On my 2-handed bolter GH and special weapons, I tucked a dwarven axe up under the backpack on the butt plate;

http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s89/Grimtooth_photos/2011-07-20_19-53-01_484.jpg

 

Those Destroyer Squad holster are pretty sweet.

[skeletoro]

That axe looks really good. From that orientation, I wonder what a holster/baldric/scabbard whatever would look like.

Dwarven axe, eh? Hmm! I like the aesthetic there.

[Grimtooth]

The other option that I am looking at is tucking one of the bolters from the tactical squad box up the sides of the backpack.  If you look at an assembled model, there is a flat space between the back of the backpack and the actual torso of the marine.  You can tuck weapons like the axe above and bolters into that area to make for a maglocked type scenario for the weapons you want displayed on the model.

 

I chose the dwarven axes after reading Prospero Burns and how at all times the Wolves had a a simple axe on them, Bjorn scratching in the eye of aversion on the Quietude mission.  In the hands of a SW, I am sure even a non-powered axe would be more then sufficient in terms of being an additional close combat weapon.

 

I keep adding stuff as I keep reading your post over.  A small gladius or knife like weapon would fit under the bottom.  A larger sword would fit along te side vertically.

[skeletoro]

Yeah, Your thoughts echo mine really closely. I was thinking of trying to craft some sort of holster, sling or scabbard too though, instead of going the mag lock route. So for instance, my GHs who are wielding their chainswords would still have a holster and scabbard on their backs (maybe one to left of backpack, one to right.)

 

I guess if the scabbard is supposed to be a hard material, it won't have any wrinkles or anything so I won't need to do overly intensive green stuff. Just a bit of plasticard, a couple of straps, a lip at the top, done.

 

The bolter holster might be a bit more involved... I really want to buy some of those destroyers so I can look at those holsters up close :) might have to restrain myself for a while, though. I appear to be caked In release agent where forge world is involved!

 

Was this the axe you used? http://www.bitsandkits.co.uk/dwarf-single-axe-b-p-3813.html What did you do about the detail obscured by the hand? GS?

[Wulfebane]

Looks like one of these axes.

 

This one's better, imo.

 

http://media.thewarstore.com/media/ss_size2/B83-0814.jpg

 

Thinner handle. Easier to "maglock."

[Grimtooth]

Yeah, Your thoughts echo mine really closely. I was thinking of trying to craft some sort of holster, sling or scabbard too though, instead of going the mag lock route. So for instance, my GHs who are wielding their chainswords would still have a holster and scabbard on their backs (maybe one to left of backpack, one to right.)

I guess if the scabbard is supposed to be a hard material, it won't have any wrinkles or anything so I won't need to do overly intensive green stuff. Just a bit of plasticard, a couple of straps, a lip at the top, done.

The bolter holster might be a bit more involved... I really want to buy some of those destroyers so I can look at those holsters up close might have to restrain myself for a while, though. I appear to be caked In release agent where forge world is involved!

Was this the axe you used? http://www.bitsandkits.co.uk/dwarf-single-axe-b-p-3813.html What did you do about the detail obscured by the hand? GS?

This is the sprue that you get them from, Dwarf Thunderers;

http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s89/Grimtooth_photos/dwarf-thunderers-x4-sprues-5928-p_zps3ba366c9.jpg

I think on the other sprue is where they keep hammers without hands as well. Maybe some modular holsters made from plasticard for bolters based upon the Destroyer squads?

Looks like one of these axes.

This one's better, imo.

http://media.thewarstore.com/media/ss_size2/B83-0814.jpg

Thinner handle. Easier to "maglock."

The dwarf axe is just barely short enough to stay within the silhouette of the SW when mag-locked under the backpack like my photo. That Chaos as to be mounted vertically or else it is way too long and would prevent the SW from even entering a doorway.

I did use those spears to repel boarders akin to long boats for my old Rhinos;

http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s89/Grimtooth_photos/IMG_1069.jpg

[skeletoro]

Hrmmm!!! I've been playing around with some bits (and some template scabbards/holsters cut out of 1.5mm plasticard), and have come to the conclusion that there isn't quite enough room to fit a scabbard (an axe, maybe, but only one with a thin haft) without modifying the armour. There are a few logistical hurdles:

 

1) Shoulder pads. Shoulder pads use up a bit of space when the arm is up and the top of the shoulder guard is facing back. Shoulder pads with rims make things even worse.

2) Top of the backpack. It bulges out forwards towards the top, making it quite hard to fit a straight object.

 

I think it might be doable with some modifications to the armour. The question is: Which modifications would look seemless enough? A few ideas I've had:

 

1) I've tried filing down the back armour to widen the gap. This only helps a little bit because it doesn't do anything about the shoulder pad issue. Nevertheless, filing down the part of the back armour that is closest to the backpack connector could free up maybe 0.5 - 1.0 mm front-to-back (thus helping with the backpack issue) without looking bad.

2) Filing into the part of the back armour that connects to the backpack. This might free up some width... maybe 1mm? Thus helping to keep the scabbard out of the way of the shoulderpad.

3) "Spacing" the backpack. A smallish spacer placed between the backpack and the back armour ought to free up another 0.5 - 1.0 mm front-to-back.

4) Modifying the backpack itself. Perhaps the backpack could have a built-in scabbard?

 

Anyway, back to experimenting :P

[skeletoro]

Night Runner at TrueMiniWargamer has written a nice tutorial about adding sheathes to grey hunters.

[skeletoro]

OK so some bits have arrived and I've had a bit more of a play around.

 

The dwarf axes: they're great. They actually do *just* fit down the side of the backpack as well as horizontally underneath it. I've also started "tech-ing" one up to see if I can make a chain axe out of it. So far it actually looks pretty good when placed next to a chain sword. It doesn't really look too small, and I don't think it would look small relative to a marine's arm. The only comparison that makes it look quite small is if you put it next to an especially big power axe, such as the wolf guard terminator or thunderwolf cavalry axes. They are MUCH bigger. Personally, I think that if you were to convert dwarven axes to use as chain axes, you'd need to be careful to reserve the biggest GW power axes for wolf guard, etc, because they'd REALLY stick out, relative to the dwarf ones.

 

I also picked up some khorne scabbarded swords as used by Night Runner in his blog linked above. They are pretty nice. I was surprised to discover that they're actually the same length as a chain sword. So if you look at Night Runner's models and think they look good, I think a straight scabbard (as befitting a straight chain sword) should work as well.

[Grimtooth]

OK so some bits have arrived and I've had a bit more of a play around.

 

The dwarf axes: they're great. They actually do *just* fit down the side of the backpack as well as horizontally underneath it. I've also started "tech-ing" one up to see if I can make a chain axe out of it. So far it actually looks pretty good when placed next to a chain sword. It doesn't really look too small, and I don't think it would look small relative to a marine's arm. The only comparison that makes it look quite small is if you put it next to an especially big power axe, such as the wolf guard terminator or thunderwolf cavalry axes. They are MUCH bigger. Personally, I think that if you were to convert dwarven axes to use as chain axes, you'd need to be careful to reserve the biggest GW power axes for wolf guard, etc, because they'd REALLY stick out, relative to the dwarf ones.

 

I also picked up some khorne scabbarded swords as used by Night Runner in his blog linked above. They are pretty nice. I was surprised to discover that they're actually the same length as a chain sword. So if you look at Night Runner's models and think they look good, I think a straight scabbard (as befitting a straight chain sword) should work as well.

For me there is only one choice for chain axes and that is getting them from the Khorne Berserkers bits.  They are just designed too perfect with the only mod needed is shaving off the Chaos symbols.  in addition, their knives look pretty decent as fishing/sailors knives when you scratch off the Chaos crap.

[skeletoro]

Hmm, I hadn't looked at those closely.

Looks-wise, you prefer them to the FW phobos chain axes? And the older FW axes set?

Hmm. I think I agree with you. They do look a tad more suitable to space wolves, aesthetically. I am guessing that they're not going to easily fit behind the backpack though...

Actually... if you have both the khorne and dwarf axes and are able to do a quick size comparison for me, I'd be most obliged!! My assumptions about the relative size of bits has already proven wrong recently - those khorne scabbards are just as big as a chainsword, which surprised (and delighted) me.