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

[Dragonkin Arenis]

Half 'n' half, as others have said

[Shadespyre]

Gah! That was damn quick! Thanks guys.

 

Like this, or all the way down the face?

 

http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Shadespyre/WARHAMMER/Space%20Marines/DSC01347_zps0a57d135.jpg

[Aqui]

As he is in the latest picture

[Dragonkin Arenis]

Looks sound as a pound, does that :)

[Shadespyre]

Cheers, always good to get a second opinion (or two). Should have these presentable in a couple of days now :)

[JeffTibbetts]

Agreed that latest version is great! I also agree that it's awesome to see these guys again. 

[Shadespyre]

Here's where we are now then:

http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Shadespyre/WARHAMMER/Space%20Marines/Dreads22_zpsd55ff045.jpg

 

That's with the original weapon fit, and here are some variations:

 

http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Shadespyre/WARHAMMER/Space%20Marines/Dreads23_zpsce189e96.jpg

 

So far I've got two assault cannons, the twin heavy flamer and two twin lascannons built, plus the original arms and weapons of course. I've just used various modern plastic weapons and a few bits and bobs to make them. The various landspeeder weapons have turned out to be a good size: some of the tank weapons are much bigger and totally unsuitable. I still need to source suitable plasma cannons, heavy bolters and autocannons for the full range of options.

 

Just like the Marines, my Dreads are lacking any Chapter markings. I expect the white roundels will get a Chapter badge. I might be tempted to add some Rogue Trader staples like red and white checks or black and yellow chevrons to "brighten" them up, too.

[Urael]

Simply Awesome!

A suggestion on a name for the chapter: There used to be an old western program, "Have Gun, Will Travel",  that comes to mind when I see your chapter Icon (not sure why)... that being said, "The Grand Paladins".

[Shadespyre]

I like "Paladins", I'll put that on my list of ideas.

 

It's a slow month for miniatures, I've fallen out of the mood for it a bit. Much as I'm enjoying my marines, I'm going to slow it down a bit while I concentrate on my other projects. Mostly because my Chaos Marine painting pal is a long way behind me and prospects of playing games with these guys are slim at the moment!

 

One bit of news, I have abandoned hopes of providing all of my marines with the original metal backpacks. The rarity and expense of these things is prohibitive, especially as the army keeps getting bigger. Instead, I have started hoovering up the very nice Forgeworld resin versions off ebay - still expensive, but less than half the going price of the RT metal ones. Sadly FW don't seem to sell them themselves so I'm watching bits sellers all around Europe for them!

[Shadespyre]

I stumbled upon this webcomic, http://www.servantsoftheimperium.com and just had to share this page with you:

 

http://www.servantsoftheimperium.com/comics/soti185.jpg

[Shadespyre]

Hello everyone! I'm still alive! I stopped working on my Marines to concentrate on other projects, but now I am bored of those so I might be back here soon. If only I could sort out this damned insignia problem to my satisfaction...

[Volfen]

Taking further inspiration from the old "Have Gun, Will Travel" suggestion earlier,  maybe a side view of a Chesspiece Knight in silouette?   Black on the white background?

[Shadespyre]

I like that idea - it's not dissimilar from the unicorn that I've been messing around with. It's just getting it onto the miniatures I'm struggling with!

 

I think perhaps I'll have a go at retro-fitting the backpacks to the 35 marines I've painted so far. I assume the normal procedure is to paint the packs half-and-half as well? My lazy side fancies doing them in one colour (possibly a different colour even?)

 

And also, I have some of the old metal back packs with standard poles attached. What ranks / officers do people think I should assign those to?

[deathspectersgt7]

I also like the have gun will travel take on the Sigil. Sgts

[Argent aquila]

wow, i bet a lot of these are older than I am!

 really cool look into the past of 40k, i love it!

[Shadespyre]

Most of these models are from 1985-9 I think, later than that and I don't really think of them as Rogue Trader period!.

 

I dusted off my box of marines and found some constructed bases, so to get back into it I finished them off...

 

http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Shadespyre/WARHAMMER/Space%20Marines/DSC01841_zps90b6b83f.jpg

 

The rusty ring is in fact a rusty washer I found in the car park at work... though I have cleaned it up and painted it to match the rest. I might part bury it under more black scatter to "hide" it a bit?

 

This is the first time I've tested my new BLACK PVA glue on these models. It's PVA with black carbon powder mixed into it - yeah, pretty simple. Seems to dry rock hard and matt black, so no problems if I get it on top of the scatter or on the base edges. At some point I'll need to make enough to paint a whole battle ground of course!

[JeffTibbetts]

Those look great! I love the irony of cleaning a rusty washer so you can add the right fake rust effect. I don't think it looks out of place, so good job! 

 

I'm intrigued by this black PVA. Where'd you get the idea to do that? Very clever. Or can you actually buy something like that? If you did it yourself, how did you do it and do you know if you can use other mix-ins for different effects? 

[Shadespyre]

Irony. Rust. I like what you did there Jeff!

 

Old metal has some nice textures of its own, but it's one of those questions of scaling. Not all twigs make good model trees, not all pebbles make good model rocks, and sand is a poor representation of model sand (too coarse of course!). I find myself collecting scrap materials of all sorts now, I have a couple of shoe boxes of potential Space Marine basing / scenery material.

 

Black PVA is my own idea though not exactly genius. I've tried adding paint to PVA in the past and achieved very little - you have to add so much that you lose the consistency and gluey-ness of the PVA. I was thinking of buying some old-fashioned powder paint to try (the just add water sort) but then I remembered that we use powdered carbon in the lab at work. Not much is blacker than soot! And being very fine powder you can lash a lot in, I think I used about 50-50 by volume in the end. I don't know how easy it is to get but you could always grind up charcoal in a pestle and mortar (outside, and please use a dust mask!)

 

I'm not sure what else to try. Talc / baby powder if you wanted white? Titanium oxide powder is used in white paints if you can get that. Then perhaps adding a dye / ink / paint would give a stronger colour? A green PVA would be nice for static grass etc. If you can buy traditional paint pigments then they would be great.

[JeffTibbetts]

Irony. Rust. I like what you did there Jeff!

 

Old metal has some nice textures of its own, but it's one of those questions of scaling. Not all twigs make good model trees, not all pebbles make good model rocks, and sand is a poor representation of model sand (too coarse of course!). I find myself collecting scrap materials of all sorts now, I have a couple of shoe boxes of potential Space Marine basing / scenery material.

 

Black PVA is my own idea though not exactly genius. I've tried adding paint to PVA in the past and achieved very little - you have to add so much that you lose the consistency and gluey-ness of the PVA. I was thinking of buying some old-fashioned powder paint to try (the just add water sort) but then I remembered that we use powdered carbon in the lab at work. Not much is blacker than soot! And being very fine powder you can lash a lot in, I think I used about 50-50 by volume in the end. I don't know how easy it is to get but you could always grind up charcoal in a pestle and mortar (outside, and please use a dust mask!)

 

I'm not sure what else to try. Talc / baby powder if you wanted white? Titanium oxide powder is used in white paints if you can get that. Then perhaps adding a dye / ink / paint would give a stronger colour? A green PVA would be nice for static grass etc. If you can buy traditional paint pigments then they would be great.

 

So much wordplay. I love it. :D 

 

And this is a really good idea. I do ash bases, and I think I could def do something like this. I don't yet know what I might add in, but I'm excited to start brainstorming it. Thanks for the idea! 

[Shadespyre]

And now, some bikes on those bases. In my haste I failed to highlight the metal, I've gone back and done that so that dark blob on the head light is gone now.

 

 

http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Shadespyre/WARHAMMER/Space%20Marines/DSC01868_zpsbf4049b5.jpg

 

I have now amassed about 20 of the original metal backpacks, and at least 70 of the resin Forgeworld ones (don't ask how much...) so that is more than enough to be going along with. I suppose next I blu-tack them all to a board and get painting!

[JeffTibbetts]

And now, some bikes on those bases. In my haste I failed to highlight the metal, I've gone back and done that so that dark blob on the head light is gone now.

 

 

http://i1147.photobucket.com/albums/o541/Shadespyre/WARHAMMER/Space%20Marines/DSC01868_zpsbf4049b5.jpg

 

I have now amassed about 20 of the original metal backpacks, and at least 70 of the resin Forgeworld ones (don't ask how much...) so that is more than enough to be going along with. I suppose next I blu-tack them all to a board and get painting!

 

Good old Vincent Black Shadow bikes. I've never gotten over how cool the bolters look underslung like that. May have to convert some. 

[Shadespyre]

Yup. Impractical - surely too easily damaged, and must be difficult for targeting - but looks the business!

 

Eventually, there will be more of those, though the crew are harder to get hold of. 

[The_Chaplain]

 

 

Good old Vincent Black Shadow bikes. I've never gotten over how cool the bolters look underslung like that. May have to convert some.

The Legion Outrider bikes have underslung bolters like that-- but are designed to fit onto the front fender and wheel well of a scout bike.  Put a scout bike front wheel on a regular biker and the Black Shadow can ride again ;)

[JeffTibbetts]

Oh wow! I never looked too closely at those bikes, but they for SURE are an update to the old Black Shadow design. That's awesome! Thanks for pointing it out. 

[Shadespyre]

Just spent an hour fishing for bits of Dreadnought from behind a cupboard using a garden cane and a magnet... lost an assault cannon barrel but  no other damage. But am now wondering about filling the gap behind the furniture with expanding foam!!!