True-Scale Deathwatch (24/10 - Guardian of the Covenant)

[Commissar Molotov]

Hey! 

 

Thanks for remembering me amongst the excitement surrounding the Deathwatch Codex release. I was told back in January that they would be coming, but I certainly didn't expect it to end up this way. There's some awesome bits on the sprues, and I will certainly be harvesting them to see what I can add to my Marines. 

 

I got up early and refreshed my computer about a million times to ensure that I got myself one of the special edition 40k codexes. Whilst I don't intend to really play 40k, I wanted those beautiful Deathwatch mission markers and I wanted to ensure that my kill-team is adhering to the 40k fluff. 

 

It's been a long process making these Marines - I'm a slow builder with not a lot of free time, and I know that it sometimes seems like I'm just re-posting the same pictures again and again. But it's taken me time to collect the bits I need. One of my curses is buying large and expensive kits solely for a few bits and pieces. This is an example:

 

http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd464/INQ28/Branatar_zpspifuwyye.jpg

 

I've bought ten or so of the Brannatar model, simply for the shoulderpads. Now I hear that the Deathwatch upgrade sprue will have two terminator pads, so hopefully I can try to sort things. If you're a Salamander player (or someone who wants these fancy melta-fists) then get in touch with me! 

 

+++
 

The coming of the Deathwatch has led to me doing a roll-call to see where I am and what I need to do. My stated purpose has always been a kill-team of ten, plus a Librarian. So, after dusting them off the shelf: 

 

http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd464/INQ28/DW20161_zpszcbe5vur.jpg

 

I began to separate the models into two groups. I have the ones that are complete (or near-complete, needing only a few more changes to be completed:) 

 

http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd464/INQ28/DW20162_zpsvgoacvwv.jpg

 

http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd464/INQ28/DW20163_zpselk2oun2.jpg

I've used bones from the Ghoul kit to make this shield more Deathwatch - I need to do some sculpting, but I think it'll work okay when painted. 

 

 

The other group are the models that haven't come together, for one reason or another. 

 

http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd464/INQ28/DW20164_zpsnpsthlnc.jpg

 

My Crimson Fist, though he has a lot of bits in the right place, just isn't working at the moment. In this case, it's because of the chest, which needs to be sorted. 

 

Then there's the new terminator praetor. I really like the legs, but the sculpt is in an odd "shape", and I think I need to work out what pose he's going to be in. 

 

My Iron Talon has been reduced back down to a basic state, because I couldn't get him to work in a way that I liked. I think that I'd like to give him a shotgun. 

 

I've then got two models fro the two terminator praetors - Forgeworld and B@C. I'd love some input on these guys. 

 

Lastly, I have a model that started as a concept for a true-scale Horus Heresy White Scars force. He could become a White Scar, or something completely different. 

 

The other project I've been working on has been the Gladius, my Kill-Team's transport:

 

http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd464/INQ28/Gladius_zps085xsfk9.jpg

 

Whilst the Corvus Blackstar is perhaps supplanting some of the need for this craft, I have planned this for a while. I need some plasticard work on the craft, but I think it has some potential. 

[Urael]

I understand the pain of taking forever to get a project just right, Commissar! :)

Since you are considering a shotgun for one of your marines, are you also going to arm one with the Xenophase Sword?

As for feed back on the Praetors, are you asking for opinions on chapter, role, or load out?

[Commissar Molotov]

http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd464/INQ28/deathmasque_zpsokxa5jjx.jpg

 

I'd been waiting for the Deathwatch upgrade sprue to see what the Terminator pads would look like, and I have to say I'm a bit disappointed. They're different from my existing pads, taken from the Overkill box:

 

http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd464/INQ28/DWpads_zpsrbyqrcii.jpg

 

It raises an interesting issue. The stocks of Overkill are remarkably low on the various bits resellers, so I'm going to have to work out what to do. 

[~Drakzilla~]

I guess the new terminator pads are good for a little variety?

If you look at the Deathwatch thread, there is confirmation that GW is going to start selling Kill Team Cassius on its own, so there's a solution for you.

[Commissar Molotov]

I will leave this here, and hope you like it! 

 

http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd464/INQ28/unnamed_zpsrdrc1ug7.jpg

[sheep]

That is brilliantly done Mol! Best idea for a true scale dread ever.

[Urael]

Absolutely Brilliant Dread!

 

As for the differences in the DW pads, the newer style could be integrated on older marks of armor, perhaps.

Edited August 23, 2016 by Urael

[Pearson73]

Ace idea for the dread!

[the Belgian one]

this dread is ... badass !!! WE WANT MORE !

[Nomus Sardauk]

Ooo, stompy, I like. :)

[Commissar Molotov]

Thanks so much for the comments, guys. This is still a work in progress, and upon reflection I probably ought've waited for the forthcoming Red Scorpions Leviathan, because it has some of the baroque 40k ornamentation that I'd like to include in mine. 

 

I love Space Marine Dreadnoughts, and I have a huge affinity for their boxiness. For that reason, I'd never really connected to the Contemptors and Leviathans. I find the idea of an injured Marine within a sarcophagus evocative , and this image was always really cool to me: 

 

http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd464/INQ28/Dreadnought_by_Blood_Angels_zpslnz5csu4.jpg

 

When the first pictures of the Leviathan came out, I had the idea that I could use the plastic Dreadnought sarcophagus on it to hybridise the looks. I was amazed, when I got the model, just how much bigger than the Contemptor they are! Like most of my better conversions, this was heavily made up as I went along. I still haven't finished, and I am still going to have to adjust things to finish it. 

 

http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd464/INQ28/Dreadnought1_zpsiqyc1uik.jpg

http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd464/INQ28/Dreadnought2_zps6rmhvusj.jpg

 

Here you can see a lot of the cuts I've made in order to mesh the two pieces together. 

 

I've also made some effort on making an underslung storm bolter for the power claw. This is made from two storm bolters, with some very careful and deliberate twists to accomodate the bends in the arm.

 

http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd464/INQ28/Dreadnought3_zpsuophfoyo.jpg

http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd464/INQ28/Dreadnought2_zps6rmhvusj.jpg

[Andvarr A]

Wow man...I had always envisioned a leviathan being the standard dread set up...you've nailed it

[KrautScientist]

Whoa, that's totally crazy and totally awesome at the same time! Plus it's the first truly convincing true scale Dread I have seen -- even the best truescalers usually just phone it in and just use standard vehicles and Dreads ;)

 

It always amazes me how you are completely unwilling to compromise when it comes to getting an idea like this perfectly right, even if it hurts the wallet ;)

 

On second thought, maybe my favourite part is how adding a Leviathan as a base model automatically removes the issue of the ridiculously short legs normal 40k Dreads are plagued by.

[~Drakzilla~]

You know, I always thought that the Leviathan chassis would look too big for a truescale box-naught conversion, but you've proved me wrong.

 

Boy does it feel good to be wrong.

[Andvarr A]

You know, I always thought that the Leviathan chassis would look too big for a truescale box-naught conversion, but you've proved me wrong.

 

Boy does it feel good to be wrong.

In this case yup... and it's dammned good

[Andvarr A]

Whoa, that's totally crazy and totally awesome at the same time! Plus it's the first truly convincing true scale Dread I have seen -- even the best truescalers usually just phone it in and just use standard vehicles and Dreads ;)

 

It always amazes me how you are completely unwilling to compromise when it comes to getting an idea like this perfectly right, even if it hurts the wallet ;)

 

On second thought, maybe my favourite part is how adding a Leviathan as a base model automatically removes the issue of the ridiculously short legs normal 40k Dreads are plagued by.

Usually there were washers or they combined torsos...or sentinel legs

[Commissar Molotov]

Whilst I haven't done anything with the Dreadnought (waiting for them to release the Culln Leviathan) or, actually, anything really, I have bought a few bits from Prospero to continue to work on my Deathwatchers. 

 

As a proof of concept (and a sign of life) here's a set of plastic Tartaros legs with a Monkeyballistic-pattern Torso: 

 

http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd464/INQ28/WP_20161113_21_59_49_Pro_zpsk7fxmwbm.jpg

[KrautScientist]

Haha, I was actually waiting for you to start doing this to the plastic Tartaros Terminators, so I could learn from you and steal the best ideas ;)

 

How did you go about creating the torso, though? Is there a Tartaros torso underneath it all, and did you add a GK Terminator torso back?

 

 

...

 

...oh, and because I haven't said so a hundred times already: Man, that Lamenter would sure look sweet with the bulky BA head with sculpted blood drops on the visor. Just sayin' ;)

[Marshal Rohr]

Mol, you have outdone yourself with leviathan conversion.

[Commissar Molotov]

Haha, I was actually waiting for you to start doing this to the plastic Tartaros Terminators, so I could learn from you and steal the best ideas

 

How did you go about creating the torso, though? Is there a Tartaros torso underneath it all, and did you add a GK Terminator torso back?

 

 

...

 

...oh, and because I haven't said so a hundred times already: Man, that Lamenter would sure look sweet with the bulky BA head with sculpted blood drops on the visor. Just sayin'

 

The torso is a Grey Knights torso front and back, with a power-armoured connector grafted onto the back. There's a picture of it here: 

 

 

http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd464/INQ28/Monkeyballistic1_zpszw2sifpz.png

 

It's been four months or so since I properly updated, but yesterday I had the opportunity to do some modelling and put together this model. If you've been following my thread, you'll have seen this model in various configurations - with a chainsword, with a stormbolter/grenade launcher... finally, I managed to put something together. One of my objectives has been to try to use some of the new Deathwatch equipment. This model came together really quickly today, after cutting together a couple of pairs of arms. 

 

http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd464/INQ28/Segesvar1_zps9xu389ww.jpg

 

This is Durav Segesvar, brother of the Iron Talons (JackDaw's own Chapter.) JackDaw previously wrote to me that he envisioned Segesvar as a brutal warrior, and the fusilade of shrapnel being unleashed by the frag cannon seems entirely appropriate. I like that the frag cannon seems to be particularly man-portable with the added bulk afforded by the true-scaling.

 

http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd464/INQ28/Segesvar2_zpsm80j93on.jpg

 

On this arm you can see that I've added one of the wrist-screens from the Deathwatch plastics. I really like the layered cabling. 

 

There's still more to do once the model dries a little more - I need to add Green Stuff to the shoulder pads and clean up the model's wrists. At the moment, though, I'm very pleased how he's coming together. 

[That Guy Matt]

Excellent as always.  This log never ceases to amaze me.

[El-Diablo]

Superb. Glad you managed to get a frag cannon in somewhere, would be a shame to not get the unique Deathwatch equipment in.

[iandanger]

Wow, just got done reading this thread and...this is inspiring stuff! I really love the bulk and brutality of your conversions, it has me seriously considering where I could attempt a truescale army (I would have done death watch but I have too many of the official models and want to get that army done lol). Maybe my 30K 1K sons once they finally get an army list...

[Vairocanum]

Love the new frag cannon marine! I really like the bulkiness of all your true scale!

[Candleshoes]

Such constant excellence from your long term project. Please never stop.