On modeling Gladiator/Legionary armour...

[LongGone]

++Standby for just a smidge of rambling. I take you on a nice little walkabout, but I eventually get to the point++

i have a question for the brothers and sisters of the B&C. How would you model gladiator/legionary style armour on your Astartes?

Recently, I decided to bite the money bullet and join the Horus Heresy mania sweeping the world, choosing the World Eaters of the XIIth Legiones Astartes to be my lil' resin avatars of tabletop destruction.

Now from what I understand, the World Eaters have a very Gladiator/Roman Legionary-esque vibe going on, which I definitely dig. I see it as a down and dirty counterpoint to the Greek hoplite feel many attribute to Ultramarines. That's not to say there isn't some crossover or shared imagery, just that one is a little... grittier. And grit definitely works in the land of 30/40k. I know some of you are going to immediately think of Rampager models, and you're right. They do have some gladiator imagery going on, especially with falx blades and bare arms. But overall, they seem to scream Chaos and Khorne more than anything. And for the loyalist in me, that doesn't really work.

Now I'm a big fan of the mix n' match armour style. I used to be a straight up Mk IV fan, but after seeing Brother Chaplain Kage's model below, I have changed my view. What I have in my head for my force now looks something a lot like what BCK has done.

http://i.imgur.com/jz2O16M.png

Now, some may say the above model doesn't really scream 'gladiator,' but I would ask you to look again. The hodge podge of armour and and plating. The rim that sweeps up from the shoulder pauldrons. The extra protection on the vambraces and greaves. All he needs is that tricked out helmet and he could be a Heresy era murmillo. What are your thoughts so far on what I'm thinking?

Now, building off of that, does anybody happen to know how well a Sang Guard torso would work instead of that Mk IV one when used with Mk III everything else? Thanks to the likes of Russell Crowe and Liam McIntyre, I can't think of gladiators without seeing warriors with either moulded breastplates or just straight up shredded torsos cutting es apart on the sand. One can even see a moulded breastplate in some of the Angron artwork. At least in the chest, and then his giant aquila belt buckle covers the rest. My one big worry is that the blunt features of Mk III would not mesh well with the... lets call it grace, of the SG torso. The plastic THO would be filed down of course, but what are your thoughts so far?

I know the SG stuff mixes with Mk IV stuff incredibly well, as there are some Emperors Children Astartes floating around the B&C that just ooze smexy. That's not really the visual theme I'm going for though (although financial considerations may send me that route regardless). I've got SG torsos in my bitz box, but have yet to make a FW order for resin. If someone could blue tac a model together and post a pic, I'd be forever grateful.

Anyways, enough of my prattle. I'd love to hear your thoughts on gladiators, grape nuts and other grapes. No nuts. Discuss amongst yourselves.

LG

[Brother-Chaplain Kage]

 

Now, building off of that, does anybody happen to know how well a Sang Guard torso would work instead of that Mk IV one when used with Mk III everything else?

 

You tell me.

 

http://i.imgur.com/s9g7VUT.png

 

To make it look a bit more gladiator-like without actually going to a bare arm, I slapped one of the MK IV shoulder pads from my Destroyers onto the right arm.

[Slips]

What about using the Honor Guard Dual Layer'd pauldron on one arm? 

[LongGone]

 

 

Now, building off of that, does anybody happen to know how well a Sang Guard torso would work instead of that Mk IV one when used with Mk III everything else?

 

You tell me.

 

http://i.imgur.com/s9g7VUT.png

 

To make it look a bit more gladiator-like without actually going to a bare arm, I slapped one of the MK IV shoulder pads from my Destroyers onto the right arm.

 

 

Good sir, you are a scholar and a gentleman. I think it looks good! What do you think?

 

Is this something you had already put together and I just missed? Or a one off, just to show me what it looked like? Either way, thank you. 

[Brother-Chaplain Kage]

Just something I slapped together. I think it looks pretty good, although it makes me think of a Blood Angel more than a World Eater.

[GrandMagnus]

The only problem I see with MK III legs is they look so damn wide compared to the torso and the rest of the body due to the additional armour plates and makes it look weird. Or is it just me?

[Kilofix]

Someone was saying use some WFB Beastmen - Bestigor or WFB Warriors of Chaos - Marauder torsos / arms.

[LongGone]

That's actually one of the reasons I like Mk III legs. They're much beefier than Mk IV. And the mismatch works in a way. Several styles of gladiators had armored/padded greaves, but very little on their torso, if they had anything at all. Obviously things won't translate perfectly, the the style will have its detractors, but I think it looks pretty good.

Just something I slapped together. I think it looks pretty good, although it makes me think of a Blood Angel more than a World Eater.

Because it looks a little more ornamented (<- that word looks weird to me for some reason)? Could it be because the SG models are an easily recognized piece of Blood Angel style? I can definitely see what you mean, but at the same time I think the mix and match aspect of it takes away from the grace/nobility commonly attributed to the sons of Sanguinius. Like no self respecting Blood Angel would be caught lookin' that rough.

At the same time, It makes you think of one of the two recognized close combat-oriented legions. Maybe not the right one, but its a start.

Edit:

Someone was saying use some WFB Beastmen - Bestigor or WFB Warriors of Chaos - Marauder torsos / arms.

Oh my, them Bestigor axes! They definitely have the look, like spot on, but it almost seems like too little armour for the grim darkness of the far future. Does that make sense? If I was going for the more Chaos berserker look though, I would take those torsos and arms before I took the Rampagers.

[Kilofix]

Also check:

http://www.anvilindustry.co.uk/Exo-Lords/Torsos-and-Power-Plants