Ferrum Aeternum - A brief return - with Paint!

[PowerHungryMonkey]

Thanks Kolgrim and Son_of_Dorn.

I'm gonna try to keep this current hobby trend rolling along and so have been putting in a bit of time each night to keep work progressing on Feirros. He just keeps getting bigger and bigger:

Little bits of GS work to tidy up a few areas (I'm really trying to do it as I go on the model rather than leave it all to the end like I normally do) but the main additions are of course the shoulders and the head. Shoulders are from the FW Custodes Aquilon Terminators. Since I never used them for the unit I made I had 2 pairs spare. Was wanting to use them somewhere but never could find the right size guy to put them on. Luckily Abaddon is rather big. Perfect fit. Counter to that, every head I tried looked too big. Really odd but it just looked wrong every time. I think its the raised neck-line due to the Dreadnought chest piece I've used. Ended up using a Skitarii head that I always thought looks way too small on an Intercessor body. Again, odd, but I think its the perefct fit for this guy. Still unsure what to do with his right hand. I'm waiting on a power fist to come in with a bitz order that I think will work. We'll see.

Now since I had an actual Feirros model spare after using his axe, and since I always thought that heavy bolter he's totting would be much better as a Conversion Beamer, I did this while waiting for inspiration to hit me on the other Feirros (confusing?):

He's gonna be the brother to my other Conversion Beamer Techy. Still a lot of work on the back-pack to get done but very little else needs doing. The Feirros model is already so nicely detailed.

Gonna ride this hobby train till the wheels fall off so there should be more updates before end of the week.

Cheers

PHM

[PowerHungryMonkey]

More progress on Feirros!

You can blame Biohazard for the shield idea. I saw his own Abaddon conersion with a shield from the new Slaves to Darkness kits and loved it. I happened to have an IHs boarding shield in the bitz box I got of a mate when I began this army and have been wanting to use it somewhere. Serendipity. Not rules-legal but that's kinda becoming a moot point with this army.

I've also been working the groin pretty hard this week... Meaning, he now has a tabard, lots of dangly wires and a neet crotch plate (should probably learn the real name for that some day, I wanna say cod-piece but I know thats something else, right area tho). The devil is on the details and I really feel like now this guy is very distinctly NOT just Abaddon with a few additions/subtractions but a wholely new creation.

What do you all think? Still gonna add the heavy bolter and at least one servo-arm. I don't think I'll add the second, no room, but I can count a shield-bash as a servo-arm hit right?

Cheers

PHM

[Pearson73]

Absolutely cracking stuff here mate, all those wires and other dangling details fill the space well to solidify the model and give him a solid presence.

[Markus_]

Feirros is an absolute beast.

[DuskRaider]

You have a hell of a knack for putting together some awesome true scale Techy Bois. Such a great array of bits used for these, it's really inspiring!

[KrautScientist]

Feirros is coming along great! I was going to suggest a different option for the right hand, even though you already seem to have that sorted out -- how about the hand holding the controls for some kind of massive servo-arm (I think one of the older Tech-Marine/Forgemaster models rocked an arm like that).

 

In any case, the way you have managed to move the model away from its origins to the point where it no longer even reads as an Abaddon conversion is quite spectacular!

[PowerHungryMonkey]

Absolutely cracking stuff here mate, all those wires and other dangling details fill the space well to solidify the model and give him a solid presence.

 

Thanks Pearson73. I've found that the best conversions for me work by little detailing and layering. Do some details then don't be afarind to hide a bunch of it with another layer of detail. Just take a look at kits like the last version of Marneus and Lysander. Lots of things overlapping

 

Feirros is an absolute beast.

 

Cheers Markus. He's gonna get even more beastly once the heavy bolter and servo-arm go on. He'll almost double in height, heh

 

You have a hell of a knack for putting together some awesome true scale Techy Bois. Such a great array of bits used for these, it's really inspiring!

 

Thanks DuskRaider. I've raided a bunch of AdMech and Mechanicum bitz to make the characters in this army. Also helps having a marine bitz box that's been cultivated and honed over 20 years.

 

Feirros is coming along great! I was going to suggest a different option for the right hand, even though you already seem to have that sorted out -- how about the hand holding the controls for some kind of massive servo-arm (I think one of the older Tech-Marine/Forgemaster models rocked an arm like that).

 

In any case, the way you have managed to move the model away from its origins to the point where it no longer even reads as an Abaddon conversion is quite spectacular!

Funny you should say that about the controller. Since I'm running my Primaris units as a robot maniple the idea was to use Feirros as the 'controller' or alpha of the detachment. He's got master control of all the bots. I've got plans for the unit 'sergeants' that will kinda act like nodes for his commands. Think Hive Tyrant and Synapse Creatures.

 

No real progress on him at the moment. Having a seriously hadr time getting a bolter and servo mount that I'm happy with. Want to do something like the FW Iron Father's mounting but I've gotta uilt it from botz and scratch. I'll get there but I'm focussing a little on my next Tactical sqaud just to keep my hobby-hands busy while I process ideas in the background.

 

More updates on something soon.

PHM

[Stix]

That whole thread is pure gold but Feirros is just outstanding! Keep on good work!

[Marshal Rohr]

That Iron Father conversion is pure gold. 

[Kolgrim DeathHowl]

Cool conversion so far!

[PowerHungryMonkey]

Thanks guys. The amount of love I've gotten for this guy here and on a few FB groups has been outstanding. Funny thing is I was really unsure about him till I got the shoulders and head on. I was convinced I'd wasted my time and money making yet-another character for this army. Boy am I glad I stuck to it.

Another funny thing is that literally straight after putting up my last post saying I was totally stumped on how to do the weapon mounts, and mentioning I wanted to try something like the FW Iron Father, I took a look at said FW model and then in the bitz box. I thought I had something...gasp, ideas! Then it turned out to be crap. But I then saw something else and it all clicked. Thank the Blackstone Fortress for X-101! I had one of his backpacks spare and it was just the ticket:

Man I am happy with this guy now. I was worried the weapons would throw it all out of whack but they actually bring it all home. The bolter is just dry-pinned at the moment while I do a little more detailing to it and the powerpack still needs to be hardwired into the armour but i'm happy with the look now. I literally had to cut all the components off the powerpack and reverse them to make it work the way I wanted. As ever, there is more detailing to do but at least this time I haven't left all the GS work till last.

There'll probably be another update on this guy before I call him 100%, just a little more detailing stuff to really tie all the components together and make it a cohesive whole.

Feedback is much appreciated.

Cheers

PHM

[Kolgrim DeathHowl]

Looks great so far!!

[PowerHungryMonkey]

Thanks Kolgrim.

Only a little bit of work on Feirros in the last week. Just finishing off a few connections and wires really. He's ready for painting (whenever that happens...)

Since I can't work on one unit at a time tho and the Tactical squad just wasn't scratching that conversion itch, I started work on the Devastator sqaud. I decided I wanted to get a similar look as the current Dev marines with their chunky leg armour (a great hark back to the old 2nd Ed Devs) and the best bet for that was with the Aggressors kit:

I've gotta still link up his left hand to the wepon with a handle or grip of some kind but as a proof-of-concept model I think he works. I was going to go with Heavy Bolters for the unit but on the Aggressor bodies they just look weedy. I don't have any more bodies at the moment to get the next 3 up and running but I can make the Sarge and once I get a bitz bag in from a mate I've got an idea for the Armorium Cherub too.

More stuff soon

PHM

Edited February 6, 2020 by PowerHungryMonkey

[PowerHungryMonkey]

While I wait for more Aggressors to turn up on my door I got back into doing the second Tactical squad. And 'boom!' they just came together super-fast. Here's a full squad straight up, no progress shots this time:

Here's a few of my favourites from the new boys:

I got a few more things from Shapeways recently inclding different chapter icons for the LH shoulders, squad numbers for the knees and some back-pack auspex-y thingies. Since I dodn't want to have the whole old squad with one chapter badge and the new squad with another, I mixed the guys up a lttle over the two Tactical squads. They now each squad numbers to identify them. Here's some shots of the revised old squad:

And coz I like them so much, the two sergeants together:

Oddly, it was really nice getting back to doing 'basic' marines again. Having two full Tactical squads makes me feel like I'm doing a proper Marine army now rather than just cherry-picking units I want to convert. A third squad will be in the works at a much later date.

Let me know what you think. Cheers.

PHM

[DuskRaider]

You have the hands down best Iron Hands army I've seen in quite some time. Seriously man, genius conversions, very well thought out. Can't wait to see some paint!

[Pulse]

What an amazing thread, so much inspiration, the detailing is fantastic!

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

You are a true source of inspiration .

[PowerHungryMonkey]

You have the hands down best Iron Hands army I've seen in quite some time. Seriously man, genius conversions, very well thought out. Can't wait to see some paint!

 

Thanks DuskRaider. Converting is really what I do in this hobby. I don't play (at least I haven't had a game since maybe early 6th Ed), and I barely ever manage to get anyhting painted. I just grab the next hand-full of plastic and resin and start cutting. I'm afraid the wait for some painted minis may still be a long one; I'm about 18 months into this army and back into the hobby as a whole and I still am yet to own a single paint Closest I've got is a pot of Liquid Greenstuff...

 

What an amazing thread, so much inspiration, the detailing is fantastic!

 

Thanks Pulse. I'm really trying with this army to get some detail into every model. Its what I've always loved about the IHs artwork: lots of wire, pipes, hoses, techy do-dads, and bionics. The hard part is knowing when to stop on a model like Feirros or the other Techmarines. I think I've hit the right balance on everything so far. Although I feel the Terminators should have had some visible bionics. Maybe need to bust out the clippers again and give them a second look.

 

You are a true source of inspiration .

Cheers BBF. I spend A LOT of time going through all the WIP and Hall of Honour threads here and get so much inspiration from all of you. I'm glad I can give a little back.

 

Thanks again to all you guys who have liked and commented on the army so far. Its really helped me to stay on track with this army and not get pulled away by other shiny things like a full Drop Troop Astra Militarum regiment with Invictor War Suits as Hellhounds... Or a Spider-worshipping Exodite Wych Cult... Or an Undead Ethereal Dark Mech Clade... Or a Black Templar Crusade using only Stormcast models... Or a Truescale 13th Co. Space Wolves army bashing Wulfen and Gore Chosen together... Or...

 

You see what my brain does? I've got a full list of ideas and conversions just busting out of my head for all of these as well and any number of other Marine or Chaos armies. And those new Adepta Sororitas kits

 

Yeah

[StraightSilver]

Some truly amazing stuff in here, the way you put bitz together is inspired, especially Abaddon to Iron Father.

[Pulse]

Thanks Pulse. I'm really trying with this army to get some detail into every model. Its what I've always loved about the IHs artwork: lots of wire, pipes, hoses, techy do-dads, and bionics. The hard part is knowing when to stop on a model like Feirros or the other Techmarines. I think I've hit the right balance on everything so far. Although I feel the Terminators should have had some visible bionics. Maybe need to bust out the clippers again and give them a second look.

 

If you were to tinker with the Terminators i think just a simple bionic leg or arm on a few of them would be enough to add that spice you are after!

Edited February 14, 2020 by Pulse

[PowerHungryMonkey]

Some truly amazing stuff in here, the way you put bitz together is inspired, especially Abaddon to Iron Father.

Thanks StraightSilver. I'm really loving bashing all these guys together. The change in the standard and range of models in the last 5 years has really made a difference as well. There's just so much more out there to scavange off of. Plus finding a local BuySwapSell page on FB has helped to no end. I'm getting the bitz I really want but not having to but whole boxes to get them.

Thanks Pulse. I'm really trying with this army to get some detail into every model. Its what I've always loved about the IHs artwork: lots of wire, pipes, hoses, techy do-dads, and bionics. The hard part is knowing when to stop on a model like Feirros or the other Techmarines. I think I've hit the right balance on everything so far. Although I feel the Terminators should have had some visible bionics. Maybe need to bust out the clippers again and give them a second look.

If you were to tinker with the Terminators i think just a simple bionic leg or arm on a few of them would be enough to add that spice you are after!

Yeah, that was my initial thikning but I've looked over the models again in the last day or so and I'm thinking now swapping out limbs is gonna be really hard, especially with all the work I've done on the tabards and such. I may just add a bit of 'Tech' stuff to them, like on their chests or legs, rather than lop off whole appendages. We'll see.

So yet another preview from GW has my brain changing direction on a unit in this army again. These big brutes:

I'm thinking heavy-weapon totting servitors for my Techmarines. I was gonna use Kataphrons originally but I can't get ast the shiny. Another thing to add to the wish list.

Cheers

PHM

[PowerHungryMonkey]

Since the Tactical Squad is knocked over and the ETB Aggressors turned up I've gotten back to doing the Devastator Squad. Here's just a quick WIP of the squad showing the Plasmacannoneer, Sarge and a cute little Armorium Servitor:

Working up the strength to build the last 3 Plasmacannoneers as its a bit of a slog to line everything up. Soon tho.

Cheers

PHM

[Markus_]

I never get tired of seeing a big well made squad of regular old tactical marines. Good stuff.
Great start on the plasma cannon team as well, looking forward to see it come together.

[PowerHungryMonkey]

Well, IHs got nerfd, I'm out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nah, never, bionics for life, keep on going till im more machine than man. Like the thread says, Ferrum Aeternum!

[Cryptix]

Well, IHs got nerfd, I'm out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nah, never, bionics for life, keep on going till im more machine than man. Like the thread says, Ferrum Aeternum!

Your army wasn't even legal in the first place, you don't get to pull that over on us