Jump to content

Idea on Siege Mantlets for SVA Marines


Recommended Posts

So I've been wanting to run the Siege Vanguard Army list for a long time now... however, I lack one of the best abilities the army list provides... Siege Tactical Squads. I've been looking at how others have done it online, but I feel I want to do something a little different. Originally, I was just going to use the boarding shields from Forge World... but I realized I could go about it a far cheaper way and save the money, and thus cancelled the order.

 

I have two basic ideas for the siege mantlets. Most people seem to use them as basic tower shields strapped to one arm, and a bolter in the other. While I think this definitely works, I'd like to be a little different and get closer to what an actual mantlet is. 

 

The first idea is to either use a basic towershield and attach it with magnets to the back of a Space Marine. This better represents a more deployable pavise-style mantlet, too heavy to be used on the arm, but still able to be carried by the marine into battle. 

 

The second idea is to use the new 32mm base and use plasticard to make a deployed mantlet on each of the bases. I haven't seen the new bases in person, so I'm not quite sure how well that and the Marine would fit together on the base. This would probably be the best looking and most unique choice... but I don't know how well it would go together. I COULD try to draw a compromise if it does not, and figure out how to model a custom made mantlet onto the back of the tactical squad... which I think would be a far better looking alternative than just some 3rd party tower shield strapped on there.

 

Any thoughts on the matter would be great, perhaps one of you has more experience dealing with the newer bases and how much space they have.

I actually have a bunch of men at arms from a failed attempt at getting into fantasy. I'll play around with them and figure out what the proper base size will be when I get home tonight. I'll definitely post up some pictures when I have a solution.

Historically are the siege mantlets on wheels, and used as mobile cover. That may be worth looking into. It would have to be pretty solid to withstand the weapons of the dark millennium. Maybe a brace type thing that could be picked up and moved? Small tracks?

 

 

Hmm, I need to play around now.

Okay, the Men At Arms shields are definitely going to be too small. They hardly come up to the chest of a space marine. 

 

However, I've found a sheet of plastic that'll be easily thick enough if I glue two plies of it together. I'm thinking of basically doing a solid slab "shield" of sorts, supported by a strut to brace it. I can use strips of the plastic to give it various sorts of raised areas and then extra aquilas to make it more characterful. I'll play around with it over the next couple of days and see what happens.

 

The only limiting factor in this is going to be base size I think. Hopefully the 32mm bases can mount the mantle and the marine, or else I'll have to rethink how I want to do it.

Victoria miniatures has fairly affordable siege mantlet type shields that could be converted to teched-up pavises with relative ease I'd imagine.  That is definitely a unique idea-- I hope you can make it work, I'd be keen on seeing how it all turns out!

 

Here is a blog which might be relevant to your idea: http://paulsbods.blogspot.com/2011/05/pavisen-in-172nd.html

Quick update on all of this:

 

The 32mm base is a very good size for fitting the marine and the siege mantlet. I'm looking at roughly a 1 inch tall by 3/4 of an inch wide slab. When upright, it comes to about to the collar of the marine. I'm still working on the exact shape and supports however, but I'll let you know more as I go. I've been pretty busy over the last few days, so I haven't had a ton of time to work on them.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.