[WIP]Salamanders: Ashen Brigade ++ The Old and the New

[BlueBelly1863]

Welcome to my WIP log for my Horus Heresy Salamanders army, the Ashen Brigade. Pictures of my work begin on page 2, but there's lots of helpful advice on the first page! The white text below is the post that started it all! I hope you enjoy looking through the thread, it's been a joy putting together this force, and I have no intentions of halting progress anytime soon. Please leave your comments, constructive criticism, and banter. I look forward to having you join me in the Age of Darkness! 

 

Oh! And remember..... Vulkan Lives.

 

Hey All! 

 

Still relatively new to the B&C, but like everyone on here, I'm super excited about the Horus Heresy box set. After much consulting with my brother, Son of Carnelian, I've decided to make them Salamanders. I couldn't be more pumped about getting into 30k, but as I read more about my legion and their traditions, I'm already running into a few dilemmas. 

 

Each Salamander puts a lot of work into their own armor, and each individual model deserves a lot of attention and specialization. However, I'm worried that just getting the Horus Hersey box won't afford me a lot of opportunities to customize and detail each model like I would love to do. I don't have the money to place a FW order to get lots of unique goodies, as much as I would love to do that. So, any suggestions on easy(inexpensive) suggestions for ways to kitbash and customize to make each guy look unique? I want to make my foray into 30k to be as good-looking as possible. 

 

Also, what should I do to model scales??? 

 

Edit(s): Updating thread title, added introduction (6/13/17)

[Slips]

Welcome! Just remember:

 

 

An easy and rather inexpensive way to model scales would be to Pressmold them with GS. There should be abundant tutorials on here and on the Internet in general to help ya.

Another would be to sculpt, again with GS, some flames or just paint the flames.

[Calas Typhon]

Slipstreams has pretty much covered it.

 

Try not to go overboard with Greenstuff however as it can sometimes look a bit overbearing. Alternatively, you can design a subchapter of sorts within the Legion with its own heraldry and markings. A few good things to point out is the use of Golden helmets on sergeants and changing colour of sholder pad trim's.

 

As a note: I am not sure if sergeants actually used golden helmets or if it was a veteran/individual thing

[Brother Dallo]

This dude is definitely worth a read if you are doing Salamanders.

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/294275-salamanders/

 

Dallo

[BlueBelly1863]

Thanks All! Going to hibernate until I can get my grubby little hands on some 30k....

 

That being said, Ashmantle needs to lend me some of his expertise.. Those models are gorgeous. 

[Kor'Vesh]

Welcome to the noble XVIIIth legion brother! Great to have another representative!

 

Also, great to see that you are thinking about the personalisation of your Salamanders already - there are lots of things you can do, and its something that is well worth the effort for the Salamanders. I have a mixed and matched my armour marks liberally, and I'm really pleased with the personalised look.

 

A press mold for some scales is obviously a good plan. Also, consider a look on ebay for some spare bits - there should be plenty of MKIII and MKII helms and shoulder pads out there, due to their replacement with upgrade sets, which you could drop in to your force to mix up the appearance.

 

I think painting gives you a big chance to personalise your force too. I've tried to paint some nocturnean glyphs on my guys (based on those in massacre), flames, hazard stripes, and legion numerals. I also like to mix up the paint schemes on my bolters - some are dark green, some black, some grey, some with stripes, some glyphs, some flames. The bolters are an easy thing to personalise without too much freehand work, and adds variation to your force. 

 

Finally, if you can afford forge world, one pack of a different type of bolter (phobos are great), some upgrade heads, or even a sigle pack of a different armour mark would go a long way when mixed into you plastics. The space marine sterngurard plastic set is also fantastic for some different looking bits to sprinkle through the army.

 

Basically, enjoy yourself with salamanders - every post-massacre warrior is a precious resource!

[God-Potato of Mankind]

Welcome to the XVIIIth!

I hope you enjoy your stay.

 

I can't see anyone's recommended this yet, but try Lizardmen bits. They're quite draconian and tribal, my Dreadnoughts large horns/teeth attached (to mimic Drake teeth they've slain on Nocturne). My Pyroclast seargeant has a power spear that's based off of a Skink Spear. Failing bits, I recommend free-handing flames on flat armour sections. It really brings out the Hotwheels in our Legion. It's time consuming though, of course any Legion is time consuming if you wish to make them look unique.

 

What keeps me sane is the knowledge that, despite Sallies obvious catering to the forge, it's still a Legion of thousands. Your standard Line Trooper won't be that ornamented. A few flames on a pauldron would be enough, otherwise I use that as a way to get away from painting relatively bland tacticals which are just green & one drake on the pauldron. I then disperse FW upgrade torsos & shoulder pads throughout. Generally speaking NCOs & Officers get the FW bits.

 

Rhino & LR doors are excellent as well. Buying a couple from FW will only costs 30-40 quid which is a small amount (relative) to the variety it gives your forces.

 

Now, go and raise our Legion back into the fight! Plus post pics. Lots of pics!

[BlueBelly1863]

@Kor'Vesh

 

Thank you for the advice! Thinking about making all of their helmets black, as a way to make them look cool while setting them apart from other Sallies. Got the idea from the Iron Brigade of the West of Civil War fame, maybe nicknaming my company the Black Hats. Hopefully going to place a FW order with my brother at some point in the coming months for some customization fun.

 

@God-Potato

 

Thank you! I'll definitely have to scour ebay for some lizardmen leftovers. Freehanding flames will be a fun challenge, but not sure how to approach it. What paint combo do you use for the effect? 

[God-Potato of Mankind]

@Kor'Vesh

 

Thank you for the advice! Thinking about making all of their helmets black, as a way to make them look cool while setting them apart from other Sallies. Got the idea from the Iron Brigade of the West of Civil War fame, maybe nicknaming my company the Black Hats. Hopefully going to place a FW order with my brother at some point in the coming months for some customization fun.

 

@God-Potato

 

Thank you! I'll definitely have to scour ebay for some lizardmen leftovers. Freehanding flames will be a fun challenge, but not sure how to approach it. What paint combo do you use for the effect? 

 

I usually try to stick to black areas for flames, though it can work on green armour plating. 

 

I paint flames, then apply smaller flames to the same pattern in brighter colours. 

 

1) Big flames of red (I use Khorne Red)

2) Medium flames of orange (I can't remember, I think Squig orange)

3) Small flames of yellow (I use Yriel I think)

 

Feel free to mix and match, but I go with bigger flames with a brighter core (hence yellow)

Here are some ones I did, it's a lot of extra effort to do for dozens upon dozens of models :P

 

Here's a few I've done. I suppose it would look less terrible if you blended between layers, but I am happy with my mediocrity :) 

 

http://i.imgur.com/5AJEOtv.jpg

 

Reaper AC also has lizardmen bits

 

http://i.imgur.com/ArlOBEG.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/cNdlAF3.jpg

[BlueBelly1863]

Those look pretty great to me God-Potato! Thank you for all the advice, I look forward to being able to start my collection soon! 

[Atia]

You should also consider do sculpt some scales by yourself - it's pretty funny once you know how to work with your putty :)

Space Wolves, Lizardmen, Vampire Counts and Dark Elfs also have some cool parts - and FW's upgrade kits are awesome

you can see some more stuff at my WIP thread (http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/291212-atias-horus-heresy-thread-bloodletters-for-the-bloodqueen/)

hope that helps =)

[Kor'Vesh]

Its a pleasure to help sir. God-Potato had some good tips there too, and some nice models. I've not used lizardman bits myself, but it is a great option.

 

Black helmets could work nicely - I was thinking this morning of other ways to vary one salamander from another in painting. Changing the colour of the helmet face plate can work well too, I have mostly full green helmets, but a number have gold, silver and black. This could be something you use to add uniqueness to your troopers, or to unify your army with one colour, if you don't want to do the full black helm. Varying the number of knee guards you paint black between models is another simple option to vary your force a bit too. Most of my guys have one black knee, but some have two, some none.

 

It all depends on the look you are going for though, I want my guys to look pretty varied - they are all personalised in some way. I think the green armour unites them enough!

 

On flames - God-potato again has the core method bang on. I use the same approach, but mix the colours for more intermediate layers.

 

Here are a few of my boys so you get the feel.

 

http://i939.photobucket.com/albums/ad231/KorVesh/The%20XVIII%20Legion/17fc6c3f-728a-4229-ab15-b66e9200ec19_zps13bc9ab1.jpg

 

http://i939.photobucket.com/albums/ad231/KorVesh/april%20pledge_zpsgvl5cq39.jpg

 

Excited to see you get going - Vulkan needs more followers! Atia and Grand Master have both done some lovely Salamander work too, so their logs will be worth a look!

 

Edit: Damn, that Atia is a ninja! Nice to see your Sallies on show again my lady!

[Atia]

 

 

Edit: Damn, that Atia is a ninja!  Nice to see your Sallies on show again my lady!

hehe :D

 

yeah, I actually need to finish them early next year once my first wave of Khorne Daemons are done ... BattleBunnies and so :D

 

*vanishs in the shadows again* 

[Black Cohort]

This thread has been extremely helpful as I am looking to put together a Salamander force using the new plastics as a base for a pride of the legion force.

[God-Potato of Mankind]

You should also consider do sculpt some scales by yourself - it's pretty funny once you know how to work with your putty

Space Wolves, Lizardmen, Vampire Counts and Dark Elfs also have some cool parts - and FW's upgrade kits are awesome

you can see some more stuff at my WIP thread (http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/291212-atias-horus-heresy-thread-bloodletters-for-the-bloodqueen/)

hope that helps =)

I may kidnap you and force you to kitbash my Sallies .....

On helmets, I use a mixture of Gold and Black to represent officer cadres. I think I saw gold or yellow helmets in IA: Badab War book 1 or 2. So there's a fluff precedent.

I use Gold for officers, black for veterans; basically.

[BlueBelly1863]

Hmmm.. fluff precedents.. Well, in any case, my brother was gracious enough to ship me a few marines so I can paint up some test models, hopefully in a week or so I'll be able to start getting them painting up and getting your opinions on them! 

 

@Atia, any particular tips on how you made those GS scales? Those look fantastic! 

 

@Kor'Vesh, those figures are incredible, hope to do the legion proud with how I paint up my legionnaires. I didn't know Salamanders used the hazard stripes? Is that a legion thing, or just a 30k trend? It has been quite a while since I painting space marines... 

[Kor'Vesh]

 

@Kor'Vesh, those figures are incredible, hope to do the legion proud with how I paint up my legionnaires. I didn't know Salamanders used the hazard stripes? Is that a legion thing, or just a 30k trend? It has been quite a while since I painting space marines... 

 

Well... you could argue that, as the most humaintarian legion, the Sallies like to use hazard stripes to keep those silly humans away from their chainblades! But to be honest, I just freaking love hazard stipes. Why should it only be the traitors that get to rock them!

 

Thanks for the compliment too sir. I'm pleased with them, but I'm dead slow. Make sure you post some pictures when you get started, or stick them in the casual challenge for extra motivation. Any thoughts on the green you are going for? Lots of folks use a duller a green in the heresy - I'm a bit unusual being so bright, though I'm glad that the God Potato is in team bright green!

[Atia]

 

 

@Atia, any particular tips on how you made those GS scales? Those look fantastic! 

I sculpted each scale per hand, using a 1:1 mix of milliput and greenstuff - i want to do a step by step guide on battle bunnies in the future, keep an eye on the blog ^^ 

[God-Potato of Mankind]

 

 

 

@Atia, any particular tips on how you made those GS scales? Those look fantastic! 

I sculpted each scale per hand, using a 1:1 mix of milliput and greenstuff - i want to do a step by step guide on battle bunnies in the future, keep an eye on the blog ^^ 

 

 

Individual scales? They're so diddy! Do you mean those lil surgical robot hands that you spend £500,000 on? Otherwise I call witchcraft!

 

 

 

 

@Kor'Vesh, those figures are incredible, hope to do the legion proud with how I paint up my legionnaires. I didn't know Salamanders used the hazard stripes? Is that a legion thing, or just a 30k trend? It has been quite a while since I painting space marines... 

 

Well... you could argue that, as the most humaintarian legion, the Sallies like to use hazard stripes to keep those silly humans away from their chainblades! But to be honest, I just freaking love hazard stipes. Why should it only be the traitors that get to rock them!

 

Thanks for the compliment too sir. I'm pleased with them, but I'm dead slow. Make sure you post some pictures when you get started, or stick them in the casual challenge for extra motivation. Any thoughts on the green you are going for? Lots of folks use a duller a green in the heresy - I'm a bit unusual being so bright, though I'm glad that the God Potato is in team bright green!

 

 

Oooo that's a great idea. We all know mortals (aka the average member of the public) are morons so that works. Plus I've always been envious of the IW hazard stripes. That said my Predator Infernus has a stripe of hazard lines on the back, as a sort of 'don't stand near the incendiary weapons platform' which should be obvious but...I guess not to mortals :D

[Arkangilos]

Individual scales? They're so diddy! Do you mean those lil surgical robot hands that you spend £500,000 on? Otherwise I call witchcraft!

She's a witch! Burn her!

 

Nah, but the scales do add to it if you put in the work.

 

Also, good job on your guys so far!

[BlueBelly1863]

 

 

@Kor'Vesh, those figures are incredible, hope to do the legion proud with how I paint up my legionnaires. I didn't know Salamanders used the hazard stripes? Is that a legion thing, or just a 30k trend? It has been quite a while since I painting space marines... 

 

Thanks for the compliment too sir. I'm pleased with them, but I'm dead slow. Make sure you post some pictures when you get started, or stick them in the casual challenge for extra motivation. Any thoughts on the green you are going for? Lots of folks use a duller a green in the heresy - I'm a bit unusual being so bright, though I'm glad that the God Potato is in team bright green!

 

I'm definitely one for brighter, more vibrant colors so I think I'll be going with the bright green look on my guys! I'll be a bit slow to paint as well most likely, as college is (sadly) taking up most of my time. As soon as I get some figures and get started I'll show everyone! 

[God-Potato of Mankind]

 

 

 

@Kor'Vesh, those figures are incredible, hope to do the legion proud with how I paint up my legionnaires. I didn't know Salamanders used the hazard stripes? Is that a legion thing, or just a 30k trend? It has been quite a while since I painting space marines... 

 

Thanks for the compliment too sir. I'm pleased with them, but I'm dead slow. Make sure you post some pictures when you get started, or stick them in the casual challenge for extra motivation. Any thoughts on the green you are going for? Lots of folks use a duller a green in the heresy - I'm a bit unusual being so bright, though I'm glad that the God Potato is in team bright green!

 

I'm definitely one for brighter, more vibrant colors so I think I'll be going with the bright green look on my guys! I'll be a bit slow to paint as well most likely, as college is (sadly) taking up most of my time. As soon as I get some figures and get started I'll show everyone! 

 

 

I shall also recommend Army Painter Greenskin spray. It's a bright colour (I like mine with an undercoat of black, though technically AP sprays are primer/undercoat!) that works perfectly for sallies.

 

I'd also recommend playing with a yellow wash on green, it really makes the green *pop*

[BlueBelly1863]

So I'm working on the fluff for my sallies, and I think I know what kind of theme I want, but I have a question: Has any Salamanders collector on here made a 6th, 7th, or 24th Company for the Legion? I dont want to step on anyone's toes. 

[Atia]

So I'm working on the fluff for my sallies, and I think I know what kind of theme I want, but I have a question: Has any Salamanders collector on here made a 6th, 7th, or 24th Company for the Legion? I dont want to step on anyone's toes. 

< first company, realm of hesiod ^.^

[God-Potato of Mankind]

 

So I'm working on the fluff for my sallies, and I think I know what kind of theme I want, but I have a question: Has any Salamanders collector on here made a 6th, 7th, or 24th Company for the Legion? I dont want to step on anyone's toes. 

< first company, realm of hesiod ^.^

 

 

My Salamanders are the Wardens of Geryon's Deep, so not technically a company but a mixture of all companies. I envisage the fluff as Salamanders are sent there almost like Space Wolves are sent to Terra. I also have a bunch of Istvaan survivors who made their way to Geryon, so a mis-mash of companies so no fret there.