A New Chapter: RT Space Marines +++Reinforcements!+++

[Shadespyre]

Yes, with a brush, because I am a glutton for punishment. 

 

This is where I'm at now, it might not look much but I assure you there have been many hours of work since the last photo!

 

http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Shadespyre/WARHAMMER/Space%20Marines/DSC08941_zpsi4kkappa.jpg

 

The next stage is to go back through the whole lot cleaning up the mess left by the wash. I hope I can remember how I did this on the first three...

 

Here'e the secret project that's been distracting me for a while. This was actually inspired by a painting contest for am Undead model with the theme "Heavy Metal"...

 

http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Shadespyre/WARHAMMER/Space%20Marines/Codename%20Thomas/DSC08944_zps5hq17jex.jpg

http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Shadespyre/WARHAMMER/Space%20Marines/Codename%20Thomas/DSC08949_zps0gfsnuwn.jpg

http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Shadespyre/WARHAMMER/Space%20Marines/Codename%20Thomas/DSC08948_zpsfocwfa9i.jpg

http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Shadespyre/WARHAMMER/Space%20Marines/Codename%20Thomas/DSC08954_zpsruw8n805.jpg

 

I've got a bunch of WIP photos which I can put up if anyone is really interested...

[infyrana]

Feels like I'm back reading my copy of White Dwarf again when they released those metal LotD and I'm sure they were selling the rhinos with those skeleton shield emblems.

 

Very fitting - every time I see yours painted up I totally regret selling my originals off despite having all the new metal ones.  Was sourcing all the old bits easy enough?

[Bjorn Firewalker]

The Legion of the Damned Rhino looks AWESOME. Where'd you get the giant skull on the front hull, the rib cage on the rear ramp? Did you sculpt them out of green stuff?

[Shadespyre]

Glad you like that

 

The metal LotD are all over ebay, not cheap but not expensive compared to new models. I had to hunt a while to get as many with the Mark VI helmet as possibly because the squad boxed set only had 2 or 3 out of 10 in Corvus armour.

 

I'm pretty happy with the Rhino. There's a few things I'd do differently if I started again, you always learn a lot from these projects. Mainly, I re-skinned some parts of the track units with thin plasticard because they were so badly damaged, and I now wish I'd done the whole surface. Despite lots of filling and sanding, the damage behind the flames at the front is quite visible in these photographs.

 

How's it made? The track units were an extra set I had left from my Rhino / Tank collection - I must have completely destroyed one hull at some point? They were in terrible condition! The hull is a plasticard box made slightly bigger than old Mk1 Rhino dimensions.

 

I avoid sculpting where possible because it's not my skill set. The flames on the front and sides are sculpted from GS, so is the flaming skull on the top doors. The other skull and bone motifs are from old Undead shields and so on. The flames on the rear of the track units were cut from thin plasticard - they come out neater but it's harder to do fiddly small shapes. The rib cage is actually from a plastic skeleton chariot! I actually increased the size of the rear door simply by gluing sheets of 2mm plasticard to each side, so it matched the larger hull better.

 

The hatches are off old Predator / Rhino models and the storm bolter had a section cut out and replaced with an old plastic skeleton torso. My favourite little touch might be the side door hinges made from bones, I think. 

 

The big skull is a resin casting made by my pal Adam from a toy in his collection. He's a pro resin wrangler so I wasn't going to turn down his help, but it changed my design. Originally I was going to get a plastic skull and saw the "face" off flat - using the whole skull was more work but ended up looking much more impressive, I think.

 

http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Shadespyre/WARHAMMER/Space%20Marines/Codename%20Thomas/DSC08888_zpsrggy6q9k.jpg

http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Shadespyre/WARHAMMER/Space%20Marines/Codename%20Thomas/DSC08891_zpshktfyvkz.jpg

http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Shadespyre/WARHAMMER/Space%20Marines/Codename%20Thomas/DSC08900_zpsfs5fzzln.jpg

http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Shadespyre/WARHAMMER/Space%20Marines/Codename%20Thomas/DSC08901_zps28z8kevb.jpg

 

Having looked at these pictures, I might touch up some of the paint before taking my "official" competition pics, but I think it's nearly there...

Edited December 31, 2017 by Shadespyre

[Shadespyre]

Distraction over, this is what my desk looks like at the moment:

 

http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Shadespyre/WARHAMMER/Space%20Marines/DSC08998_zpsipwxvlei.jpg

 

Yes, I can't move for tanks, but there's some good progress being made. I need to tidy up the stripes a bit, then finish the assembly, then paint some details...

 

I almost wish I had a big pile of marines left to paint, to break this up.

[Shadespyre]

I think it's time to re-arrange the old to do list

 

Here's what the army now contains, and is painted:

 

HQ:

Captain

Terminator Captain

2 Librarians

2 Chaplains

3 Techmarines, 2 Servitors

1 Command Squad 

2 Apothecaries

Company Standard

Company Champion

 

*Inquisitor

 

Troops:

4 Tactical Squads

1 Scout Squad

 

Elites:

1 Sternguard Squad 

1 Vanguard Squad (with jump packs)

5 Dreadnoughts

1 Terminator Squad

1 Terminator Assault Squad

1 Legion of the Damned Squad

 

Fast Attack:

1 Assault Squad (with jump packs)

1 Bike Squad

1 Attack Bike Squad

1 Landspeeder Squadron

 

Heavy Support:

1 Devastator Squad

1 Predator Annihilator

 

Transport:

2 Rhinos

*Legion of the Damned Rhino

 

These items are in progress:

 

1 Predator Destructor

1 Baal Predator

1 Whirlwind

1 Vindicator

2 Rhinos

 

These items are otherwise pending:

 

2 Land Raiders

2 Rhinos

2 Servitors

 

These items are things I might add:

 

Terminator Librarian

 

 

 

Any further suggestions???

 

Edited January 6, 2018 by Shadespyre

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Flyers? Air defense units, e.g., Hunter and Stalker tanks?

[Shadespyre]

Hmmm, hadn't really considered either of those, as flyers really weren't a thing back in the Rogue Trader era. I need to count up my squads and transports - I'm not sure I have transport for every squad yet, so maybe a flyer to fill that role?

 

Which reminds me that I should consider getting a couple of drop pods, too.

 

If I can face painting even more tanks, maybe a Hunter and / or Stalker conversion based on yet another Mk I Rhino would be fun.

 

I've been thinking about adding units from other Chapters, such as Grey Knights or Mentor Legion (a Rogue Trader favourite) but I fear that would spark another whole army, so maybe not just yet. 

[infyrana]

What about some rifleman dreads - dual autocannons etc?

[Shadespyre]

I got that covered - check out page 9, I think ;) I could easily make more Dread weapons options though, as they are all magnetised.

 

I'm calling this lot done for now - I'm waiting for a few bits to arrive so I can put a top hatch on the Baal Predator. Then there will be more decals and markings etc to sort out - just like the whole army, so I'll do all that "at once" as the last phase of the project.

 

http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Shadespyre/WARHAMMER/Space%20Marines/DSC09010_zpscxiyliz1.jpg

http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Shadespyre/WARHAMMER/Space%20Marines/DSC09011_zpsbrshkqgs.jpg

http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Shadespyre/WARHAMMER/Space%20Marines/DSC09012_zpsalvlzvwz.jpg

 

 

Next job? Two more of these to build - considering some swappable turrets and other parts - and also two Landraiders, one of which is pretty much intact, one of which is a horrible mess....

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Great job on the tanks!

[Shadespyre]

Thanks, I'm pretty pleased with how those look myself.

 

News today is that my new decals sheet from Fallout Hobbies is in the mail from the US.

 

I also dug my two land raiders out of their box - one is fully assembled but missing a lascannon, the other is broken down into pieces many of which are in poor condition - much like the worse rhinos were, I suppose. The first thing I notice is that I hate the old "gun on a stick" weapon mounts on these, so I will try to replace those with proper sponsons of some sort. Which may mean I have to vandalize the intact model to do so. Such is a modeller's life!

 

http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Shadespyre/WARHAMMER/Space%20Marines/DSC09018_zps3rt2fhuo.jpg

 

If anyone has any clue how the new and old LRs compare size-wise, and how plausible it would be to fit the new LR weapons systems onto a RT model, that'd be very useful - else I'll just have to buy all the bits and re-sell them if it doesn't work. I'm tempted to try to rebuild the damaged one as a Crusader equivalent...

 

Also, I am painting two servitors, and have found a couple more of the RT "Rhino rider" marines in my box, so I'll be painting those up to ride Rhinos, I guess (the others are already in the army, on foot).

 

I've been looking at the transport breakdown of the army, here we go:

 

Squad:                                                                  Transport:

 

Tactical 1                                                               Rhino                                       

Tactical 2                                                               Rhino  

Tactical 3                                                               Rhino  

Tactical 4                                                               Rhino  

Devastators                                                           Rhino  

Assault                                                                  Jump packs

Vanguard                                                              Jump packs

Sternguard

Terminators                                                           Land Raider

Assault Terminators                                              Land Raider

Command Squad                                                  Razorback

Scouts

 

Arbitrarily assigned the Rhinos from the top down, that can be changed. I've got two more Mk I Rhinos left. As I've got some of the parts to build a Razorback turret, I will probably do that and assign it to the Command squad. That then leaves one more, which I could build as a Predator, or...?

 

I'm also warming to the idea of getting a flyer or two, it's really only the cost putting me off. That and the fact that the Storm Raven doesn't look too pretty! (As soon as I look at new vehicles I wish I was building Tau or Eldar, frankly). But it would be a fitting transport for my Sternguard, maybe? 

Edited January 13, 2018 by Shadespyre

[infyrana]

Can't wait to see those, always wanted an old land raider!

 

There are other sponson variations if you check out ebay, no idea how they fit sadly.  Try to find one that would work as a generic fitting where possible.

 

As for the last Rhino model, do you have enough for your LotD ?  Do you have sufficient Predator redundancy - or how about a relic Scorpius (find a suitable aftermarket turret replacement with a feeding style Whirlwind type rocket launcher) or Laser Vindicator conversion, maybe even a command rhino?

 

Stormraven is probably a good shout judging by what it can do.

[CMDR_Welles]

How are you doing Jump Packs? Back with Rogue Trader, what is considered a Backpack now were the actual Jump Packs. What we call Jump Packs today would be considered Jet Packs. 

[Shadespyre]

I've found some old metal Crusader parts on ebay which I'm going to order and see how they fit on the old landraider. They should have similar footprint to the modern lascannon sponsons, so that'll give me a hint there, too. 

 

The front and top parts of the one LR gull are really in bad shape - I think someone modeled battle damage with the aid of a cigarette lighter! My new idea is to extend the hull out to meet the tracks (hiding that front radiator type thing on the assembled model)  and install some sort of assault ramp / doors in the front, like the modern LR has. This should give more of an impression of an assault tank, and also make it look more like it can swallow a whole Terminator squad!

 

Oh, jump packs.... I used, umm, jump packs. Try page 9 or 10

 

 

Edited January 16, 2018 by Shadespyre

[Shadespyre]

I had an enforced day of work this week due to my car breaking down AGAIN so I spent some time on my Land Raiders. A bit like the Legion Rhino, I just took the basic parts of the broken down LR, threw them back together and then started adding bits of plasticard to make a hull. The idea was to make this one bigger and bulkier and to provide a suitable exit for a squad of Terminators (even small RT ones!) 

 

This is where we are so far. It might seem strange to have done so much work on the underside already, but I wanted to mimic the unmodified one. They're pretty basic models to start with, so I hope this approach makes it look more like a model and less like a hunk of plastic!

 

http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Shadespyre/WARHAMMER/Space%20Marines/Land%20Raiders/DSC09036_zpse4sqnqsf.jpg

http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Shadespyre/WARHAMMER/Space%20Marines/Land%20Raiders/DSC09033_zpsnzcerka8.jpg

http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Shadespyre/WARHAMMER/Space%20Marines/Land%20Raiders/DSC09035_zps4ezkuejo.jpg

 

I received a set of old metal Hurricane Bolters, which are a bit fiddly to assemble but not as bad as mythology would have had me believe! What I didn't realise is that half of the bulk of the weapon goes INSIDE the body. Which means either

a- filling the exisitng side doors with them

b- cutting holes in the side (in front of the doors) to fit them

c- building an external structure to hold them

d- leaving off the ammo boxes and just fitting the weapons without them

 

But

 

a - I want to have side doors

c - this makes the model ridiculously wide (it will already be roughly cubic as it is)

d - just seems a waste

 

so I think b wins

[Brother Pheidias]

Looking forward to the re-sponsoned Raiders. Never sat right with me either, and it is my sole regret when it comes to the FW Deimos Predator. Solid Sponsons please!

[codyrstuart]

Followed this thread for a while. Really great stuff. In response to your hurricane bolters, you might can try the sponsons from a Storm Raven. A bit slimmer than the Land Raider’s, doesn’t have to fit in the door if I remember right, and will add a little more enclosed, armored look. Hope that helps.

[Shadespyre]

That's a great idea, now if I can just  find some to buy in the UK without getting a whole Storm Raven...

[Markus_]

That LotD Rhino is the most heavy metal thing I've seen in a while in this hobby.
Really awesome to see all the old school stuff brought to life with a high modelling standard.

[Shadespyre]

Thanks for that, glad to have such an appreciative audience!

 

Here's some work on the Mk I Crusader

 

http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Shadespyre/WARHAMMER/Space%20Marines/Land%20Raiders/DSC09045_zpsdnk7kans.jpg

http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Shadespyre/WARHAMMER/Space%20Marines/Land%20Raiders/DSC09046_zpspa9lf4zf.jpg

http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Shadespyre/WARHAMMER/Space%20Marines/Land%20Raiders/DSC09044_zpsvlchza4q.jpg

 

I've gone with the old metal Hurricane Bolters, as I couldn't easily source the Storm Raven ones and I wanted to get on with it! You can see they are bordering on crazy in size, but it just about works. They do take up a lot of the side of the tank, so I will place large doors behind them, taking up the rest of it, probably. This is not a big deal on this model, as it has the big front assault doors, but it would be an issue on the plain Mk I Land Raider where the side doors are the only access / exit.

 

Back to this model, I'd like to be able to fit on the Assault Cannon turret and also some other details rescued from the original hull, but it's quite a tight fit. Thinking of raising up the turret so it can fit further back on the body, probably modifying it so that it can be depressed downwards to fire at things in front of the tank.

 

http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Shadespyre/WARHAMMER/Space%20Marines/Land%20Raiders/DSC09047_zps94xzjnml.jpghttp://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Shadespyre/WARHAMMER/Space%20Marines/Land%20Raiders/DSC09049_zps56ajplr4.jpg

 

Tons of work left to do on this!

 

Finally for now, here's the state of play with those last two "Rhinos". How nuts is the size of that old Razorback turret compared with the Annihilator turret with the same weapons? I suppose it justifies having cargo space left inside. I had to cobble together a hull adapter because that bit was missing from the turret that I bought (my fault, I didn't look closely enough). I've actually managed to make all my turrets interchangeable, I hope, so I can pop a Predator turret on this model, or the Whirlwind turret on a tank, or similar nonsense!

 

http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Shadespyre/WARHAMMER/Space%20Marines/Land%20Raiders/DSC09043_zpsclpqx2b6.jpg

[infyrana]

Yeah my old Razorback turret always perplexed me too - very large indeed!

 

Great job with the Land Raider updates - despite those sponsons looking a bit pokey-out to the sides, they don't look half bad at all.

[Major_Gilbear]

I honestly think the weapons look a bit too big on LR.

 

If you were willing to do a cut-n-shut job on the LR to widen and lengthen the hull and tracks, it would look better proportioned - but it's a lot of work, and a shame to hack up a classic model so.

 

Another alternative (maybe a better and kinder one) would be to source smaller weapons. For example, use plastic bolters to make your own more compact side-mounts, and perhaps assault cannons taken from Terminators.

 

Since the Crusader weapons were never around when this LR was, whatever you do won't really be more or less "authentic" anyway.

 

(Also, I don't mean to be rude in making these comments either, so please don't be offended! I love your project and your work here, and just want to offer my thoughts. :) )

[Shadespyre]

Happy to listen to any feedback - the stuff I might not have thought of is always useful and interesting :)

 

However, I'm going to press on with this weapons fit. It's a bit dorky but I've come to like it. It's very over-the-topness is a bit RT in itself, I think.

 

So here is some more progress, added some side doors and a top hatch (stolen from the old model)

 

http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Shadespyre/WARHAMMER/Space%20Marines/Land%20Raiders/DSC09065_zpsyrscopxm.jpg

 

http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Shadespyre/WARHAMMER/Space%20Marines/Land%20Raiders/DSC09066_zpst1394el1.jpg

 

The assault cannon turret is going on top too, I'm still not sure in what position. The offset window slot may get a weapon (multimelta, probably) fitted into it if I can find a neat way to do it.

 

Not made much progress with the other LR, still no clue how to do tidy lascannon mounts. It'll come though. However, I did make up a pintle mounted multimelta, and I stumbled across this look I quite like...

 

http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Shadespyre/WARHAMMER/Space%20Marines/Land%20Raiders/DSC09070_zpsnrfzexko.jpg

 

Doesn't this look miles better than the original front? I'm 90% sold on this look...

[TechType]

I have to say I love this log. The classic models, the in-your-face combo of turquise and mustard yellow... It's perfect, and VERY RT-era. Kudos on a well-executed army!

 

For any other period of 40k, I'd agree with Major Gilbear on the weapons. They do look silly and unbalanced on the LR, but for RT I can see it work, and work well. This is from a time when an inquisitor could be named Obiwan Sherlock Clousseau, after all...