Iron Warriors - XCIII Grand Battalion WIP

[Doctor Perils]

Hi there !

So I finally bought my first ever Forge World models at the Open Day in Amsterdam yesterday, and I will be starting the XCIIIrd Grand Battalion of the Iron Warriors.

Now, I don't know anybody who plays Horus Heresy, so this will probably be very slow in progress - I mean, even slower than my usual stuff - but I think I'll be aiming at collection standard painting (which means "low-tier table top standards" for normal people )

I'll also be trying out some proper converting (ie. not just head swaps), as well as some moulding, because I've got a couple of ideas for a special "Sapper" squad for them which should be kind of cool

Anyway, I'll be posting the stuff that goes through my head on this thread, as well as any modelling, converting and painting, but my fluff will be going in THIS post. Mainly, I'm going to try for an Assyrian vibe, who are siege and chariot oriented, which can fit the Iron Warriors pretty easily. Expect copious amounts of bronze and copper.

Models I've got

Might as well start at once:

so, I've got :

• One Iron-Father, whose Iron Hand hands are going to be shaved off, and whose axe is going to be replaced by a sword (I think)
• One rapier quad-mortar
• One mkIII techmarine
• One Iron Warrior T-shirt (well, that's beside the point...)

In addition to those, I have Sammael on a jetbike, that I'll be Iron Warrioring up, as well as my defiler, since I mean to be able to use them also as "sons of Hashût" in 40k.

Conversion ideas

Let's start off with the Sappers:

Since they are meant to dig things, obviously their main weapon is going to be a pickaxe... okay, not so obvious then... I'm also going to be giving them options for having meltas and flamers, and/or possibly volkites, as well as an "Assault Drill" (something along those lines). The purpose of these troops is to burrow under enemy lines and fortifications, placing charges under them when needed, then popping up and assaulting the enemy, leaving a tunnel for other troops (like Terminators) to assault out of.

Seeing the new Solar Auxilia's axes, I got the idea to do the pick-axes with the same handle style (with a front hand-guard), to show that they are indeed weapons as well as being tools. I have also been wondering about putting an axe-head on the reverse side, but I'm afraid that might look confusing. I'll try and post up a quick sketch of the concept.

For their heads, I was originally thinking of modelling mail avantails to the front of mk4 helmets (this kind of thing :

http://static.fastcommerce.com/content/ff80808117344aab011752895ad45036/Picture013%5B1%5D.jpg

but then i found some steampunk guardsmen helms from puppetswar which look a bit more modern and industrial (those Tommy hats look a bit like hard hats too). I think I'll be rolling with them for the sappers, but I'm keeping the mail idea for other possible models.

Next, Recon troops:

In my fluff, my Warsmith, like all self-respecting Iron Warrior, is extremely paranoid. He's therefore chosen to select recon troops in his Grand Battalion, but these will also work as his spies and secret police.

This role made me think of the old space marine Field Police (for those that don't know,

http://i49.servimg.com/u/f49/15/79/27/70/10000010.jpg

, and I decided to give my "Recon Group" the same kind of colour scheme, just with very dark metallic colours in stead of black, explaining in my fluff that the recon squads are skilled enough that their helmets don't give them away, but that they strike fear into the "allies" that see them (much like commissars in 40k). From there, I decided to go one step further by giving them the grimacing samurai masks, which puppetswars also conveniently do. The face-plate would therefore be red, but the rest of the helmet would be the same kind of metallic black. I'll probably have to chop those horns and things off, but I'm sure I'll find a place for them on my normal warband...

For "Sammael"/The Brigadier

I'm going to find a suitable mk4 body for the rider, and a cavalry hammer as cc weapon (they look pretty much like corvus hammers from the Ravenwing knights). Then I'm going to convert the Plasma Canon to some choomy sexiness

Finally (for the moment) I mean to model a "Kriegsmesser" because I think it would look awesome for Iron Warriors (let's face it, the name already fits ), and because the curved sword hearkens back to middle-eastern theme (even though Kriegsmessers are german, as the name implies ). This would be my "standard" power sword pattern, so this (with the pick-axes) would be moulded I think. I would also like to mould the mk4 helms with avantails, but 1) I don't know if it would be particularly practical and 2) I don't know if you're really allowed (technically) to mould and cast this kind of things...

Sooo, that's what I've got so far, what do you guys think ?

[Joeyray]

Sounds like a solid well thought out plan of attack brother! I look forward to seeing the Germanic sword idea come to fruition. I have always entertained the idea that the IW carry a more militaristic Prussian theme than the IF do. Remember war is merely a system of expedients as Moltke would say and I bet Perturabo would agree!

[1ncarnadine]

Choommael?

 

For modifying parts and casting them, I think you're fine as long as you're not selling anything? Poom did something similar with some of the FW World Eater helmets (with awesome results).

 

Anyway, clearly a lot of creativity and passion going into this from the outset, looking forward to it :)

[Charlo]

Quality idea, can't wait to see it done! Love the sappers a lot.

[Doctor Perils]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. As I said, this will be very slow in progress, and it will basically be at a stand-still for the next month or so, while I'm finishing my internship abroad. I will still be trying to think these things through, seeing if I can add things while I haven't got my Greenstuff and paintbrushes.

 

I've been thinking a bit about the rules I'm going to give my sappers for when they are accepted, and the counts-as when they aren't. I've never really created any rules in the past, so I'll be posting up the ideas progressively, hoping for feedback from you guys to make it advance on the right track (or in the right tunnel)

 

Sapper Rules WIP

 

Obviously they are going to get DeepStrike, but I think they'll be allowed to assault as soon as they leave their tunnel. However, they won't be getting any "teleport beacon" equivalent, so this may be quite risky. Otherwise, to make matters more complicated, they could have two modes: one where they don't scatter but can't assault, and the opposite (scatter and assault).

You place a "tunnel" token on the board where they appear: every turn after their arrival, one unit in reserves can use that tunnel to arrive, as if it were from their own board side (so shooting and assaulting possible).

 

The pick-axes are pretty much going to be two-handed power-axes, if possible with a bit more AP then S, though that may be difficult to achieve in a balanced way. I'm not sure if I should give them bolt-pistols, I must admit I'm quite inclined to not give the "standard" trooper any shooting weapons, but allowing the squad to throw two grenades rather than just one.

 

As options, I'd say one special weapon option per five squad members. Options include Flamer and Meltagun. One member per ten men can take a Siege Assault Drill (subject to name change), which is essentially an eviscerator (S x2, AP 1/2, Armourbane, Two-handed, Unwieldy), but you can only ever have 1 attack (even when charging). This SAD adds 1 to your reserve rolls (you can still only arrive turn 2 min), and an integrated flamer allows you to burn people on the inside of tanks that take a penetrating hit in close combat against the SAD.

I have also toyed with giving them Mole-Mortars like the Krieg engineers, but they are already pretty complicated as it is.

 

They can also buy Demolition Mines (subject to name change), one or two per unit. At the beginning of the game, once deployment is finished but before Infiltration and Scout movements, you can make this Demolition Mine blow up a piece of Terrain, possibly hurting people inside it. It also has the Wrecking Special Rule since it is being used by Iron Warriors.

 

 

I really have no idea of the kind of points cost, and I haven't got access to the books right at this moment, so I'll post more info on these when I do.

 

However, feel free to comment if you are so inclined, C&C is greatly appreciated !

 

 

EDIT: Done a very rough sketch of how the Sappers' Pick-axes would look like

 

 

http://i21.servimg.com/u/f21/15/92/38/07/sapper10.png

 

 

Notice the extended hand guard allowing hand mobility and protection (like on the Solar Auxilia Power axes) and the spike that can be used for thrusting but that is short enough to prevent any problems when using the pick-axe as a tool.

[AlphariusOmegon108]

awwwww yeshhhh

[Doctor Perils]

Sooo, getting in gear for the Liber Challenge VIII, and I've been reading up a bit more on the Assyrians: I'm increasingly inclined to include a siege tower super-heavy vehicle on this kind of model:

http://www.bible-history.com/ibh/images/fullsized/assyrian-siege-tower.gif

 

It should be possible to have it built on a fellblade chassis. Of course, nowhere near enough money for a real super heavy tank yet, so this would stay fluff only for the moment.

 

 

I've also settled on the name of Myrmex Sappers as a name for the Sapper squads, I feel it would give them a warrior like yet industrious sounding air. (myrmex is an ant, but the name of the myrmidon gladiators is supposed to derive from them)

 

 

any remarks ?

[son of the forest]

I'd say a Lord of skulls with obviously a lot of conversion work could be a better base for the siege engine

[Zebulon]

Those avantails you have in mind are for me very reminiscent of the helmets on FW Salamander Pyroclasts.

 

Unfortunately I just had a look to remind myself and they don't yet do those heads separately though :-/

[Doctor Perils]

I'd say a Lord of skulls with obviously a lot of conversion work could be a better base for the siege engine

 

That's a pretty good idea, I'll have to have a look.

 

 

Those avantails you have in mind are for me very reminiscent of the helmets on FW Salamander Pyroclasts.

 

Unfortunately I just had a look to remind myself and they don't yet do those heads separately though :-/

 

Yeah, that's the kind of shape I'm looking for, but with mail rather than scaly dragon hide.

[Hydriatus]

Iron within!

ALways good to see more IW's joinging the fold! :P

 

Iron Father's make very good warsmiths (I'm part of the camp that has done so after all...) and I like the idea of recon squads being the spy network of your warsmith - at first the idea of the grimacing samurai masks made me go "?" then I remembered that IW are based on Persia and those masks would make them look like the Immortals from 300...might have to nab that idea for my Vigilator!

Looking forward to seeing how those sappers come along :)

[Doctor Perils]

Thanks !

I'll likely be waiting for the plastic kits before making the sappers (less expensive if I botch them ), but I'm also looking forward to see them

Anyway, I've got some short holidays, so, after catching up on a bit of housework and schoolwork I'll be able to get down to some of my first resin crack... Yippee

[Doctor Perils]

So I've got my copy of Betrayal at Calth, and therefore the core of my eventual army. Yay !

So I started off painting two test models (mk VIIs that I'd got under my hand). I'll have to start off by saying that my photos are horendous, so sorry about that, I'll try and get something a bit better up. But here are a couple of pictures anyway :

From the box, I'm going to take the "Ultramarines" models (as in one squad of tacticals, the terminators and the praetor), since I'm trying to rope my girlfriend in to paint the other side . Here are a couple of pictures of the unpainted models so that I can enter the casual hobby challenge :

EDIT : I've already made some progress on my first Cataphractos

For the moment the recipe's been pretty simple (some of my paints are old pots, left over from ye olde namyng system):

- Chainmail base coat over most stuff, with a Badab Black wash,

- Balthasar Gold for the parts in bronze, that will soon receive a wash of agrax earthshade,

- Ungor flesh as a base for the parts that will later be painted over in yellow (I have a big tube of non-brand acrylic paint for that, that has a nice colour but a bad coverage; still, measure for measure it must be easily ten times cheaper, and I've got a reserve for life)

- For the moment a single coat of skull white for the dangly bits. I'm not actually completely sure of how I'll be doing those, probably a kind of dirty looking light grey/white, a bit like most death guard, but less creamy

- I plan on doing light blue eye lenses, and a coloured band down the middle of the helm (each of my companies will have their own associated colour for the stripe or helmet plumes in the case of officers)

I'll be of course expanding this recipe, but the results I had on the test minis were pretty promising, especially considering I can't have spent more than 5 minutes on each, (excluding drying time where I was doing something else). I've also bought a pot of typhus corrosion so I'll be trying out some basic weathering...

EDIT EDIT: a few more WIP shots:

And some shots of the (near) finished model :

Tell me what you think guys

[Doctor Perils]

So I've finished my two first models for the Horus Heresy, and I've got some better image quality, here are a couple of pictures :

Comments and criticism welcome and appreciated

[Hydriatus]

That bronze/tin is beautiful! Also I like the dirtied chevrons! :D

[Doctor Perils]

Thanks ! The recipe for the bronze is so simple I can hardly call it a recipe: balthasar gold => agrax earthshade => typhus corrosion for some parts

Which chevrons are you talking about ? I've used a few different methods for them and I'd like to get an appreciation of which works best (for the tactical marine's bolter, the kind of dark yellow was a case of a wash that spread out while I wasn't looking, but I thought it didn't look too bad, and the yellow I've got covers about as well as a glaze

[Charlo]

The blue mark is a very nice contrast. Looking great and a little alternative :)

[chaplain mortis]

Thats made me want to start Iron Warriors again

 

Nice work ;-)

[Doctor Perils]

Thanks guys !

 

For each Grand Company (or Grand Company equivalent) of my Grand Battalion, a specific colour will be painted on the helmet (and other details) : for the terminator contingent, it is yellow ; for this tactical marine, it's blue.

 

In fact, it's this guy's Grand Company that started this "tradition": it is composed with much younger soldiers than the other Grand Companies of the XCIIIrd, and so they were nicknamed the "blue bloods" by the rest of the Grand Battalion. Even after many years of fighting alongside each other, the pejorative nickname stuck. Deciding to embrace it rather than reject it, the Blue Bloods all chose to paint a blue stripe down the top of their helms. Though this action did not impress their commanding officer, it did earn them a certain amount of grudging respect from the rest of the XCIIIrd.

[Doctor Perils]

Small update for my fluff.

[Doctor Perils]

So I missed the November deadline for the casual heresy challenge :( :( :( but here are some pictures

Not completely finished with them, but they aren't too bad already

Betrayal at Calth Praetor (Which I shall use as a Delegatus for fluff reasons)

Terminators :

Tacticals

[Doctor Perils]

I've come around to doing some greenstuff work on my samael, and chopping off his left arm and details (which was actually quite a bit of work with him being metalic and all). I'm really a beginner in sculpting, so I'm quite pleased with the results, despite being quite rough still.

Have a few pics:

I've also cut up and bent some swords, which I'll be moulding soon hopefully. There's also a mk4 helmet to which I've added a crest. I'm unsure whether I should replace Samael's bare head with it, what do you think ?

[CaptainStabby]

Looking good overall, I really like the idea of using the RW beaked picks.

I dont know if I would get my hopes up on the trencher/sapper heads if I were you though. I've bought a LOT of pupperswar stuff and their helmeted heads tend to run on the small side to be good Astartes helms. I don't know about those in particular, just speaking to the stuff I've got from them. Strangely enough the Samurai ones don't run small and look great on marine bodies, so there's that...

[Doctor Perils]

Thanks for the compliments and the advice CaptainStabby. I'll have to see when the time comes for making the sappers and recon squads, but they're still a bit down the line :) I think I'll be aiming at a solid core army before crafting custom squads :P