RTB01 +10 = 40 beakies!

[Sandalphon]

Hi folks, i recently returned to the hobby having spent some time away (8yrs since i was last here!) and thought that by posting something it would force my hand to actually completing it.

I've been collecting on and off for 20 something years and clearly a lot has changed, but thankfully my stash of hoarded minis (while many are missing) turned up some gems when i decided to pull them out of storage.

Most notably - these guys:

some might scream sacrilege, but the box had been opened years ago, although i couldnt bring myself to clip the sprues and actually assemble them for fear of not doing them justice..

but since its now 2020 and theres not a lot to do ive busted them out, results below:

turns out the photo looks a lot better on my phone.. might have to work on photography as this project progresses...

you will also note that while RTB01 came with 30 marines i have 40 assembled! magic? heresy? turns out i actually had a little 10man squad handy too :)

Turns out its still a pretty great kit to mess around with and considering the limited number off individual pieces i tried to make sure they were as interesting/dynamic as i could get them, to reduce the monopose factor.

here they are in a more detailed weird montage form:

Now that the modelling part is done (over s series of weekends) i need to get them painted!

I'm a little torn about this because being a long-standing DA fan i can really see them all being painted in the old first legion black, although part of me wants to set a few aside and recreate some of the other legions from back in the day.. BA, UM, CF, SW, LotD etc.. but here's always something nice about having a consistent dedicated approach - first world problems i guess!

Anyway, just wanted to share and will be sure to keep progress (and motivation) updated.

[N1SB]

By the Throne, it's like you just stumbled upon a full carton of Faberge Eggs, Brother.

 

But please do take your time thinking this through.  One does not simply crack a Faberge Egg open to make a simple omelette.  They could be late Heresy models for the Siege of Terra.  Raven Guard the most obvious choice, but maybe BA in the Blood Angel Orange of RT maybe?  And of course 1st Legion testing out Corvus armour certainly makes sense.  I dunno, but this is worth discussing the the larger 30k forum or Black Library forum before you commit.

[Yosef Hausakluif]

CLASSIC!!! Love the addition of resin terrain bases to these guys as it gives them some much needed height. Great job with the variety of poses too; brings back a ton of memories from roughly 29 (!) years ago. If you go RG or DA, def use more chain glaive bayonets too!

[Dark Rage]

I do really like the classics, very nice stuff you got there.

[Sandalphon]

So i've made some progress, but haven't 100% committed to them all being all DA.. if anything the 30 resin basis might remain DA with 10 to re-base yet..chapter TBC.

I have the old centurius model so was considering Legion of the Damned, kinda cheesy wit the flames and skulls but also kinda great and very RT..

For varieties sake, BA and CF/UM's would also liven it up, and a black base doesnt necessarily preclude this from happening.. the struggle is real!

yes i know theyre rough looking but im just blocking them in!

[Sandalphon]

OK some more progress, colour blocking done, bases begun and stripes!

currently using the yellow lense scheme per the box, but not sure how to progress it - thinking red glaze over yellow with white highlight to read more as a glow than a lense/gem effect..

anyways here's where they're heading (yes they're all DA :O)

Again they're WIP so i haven't cleaned up the blocking, sharpened stripes, outlined eyes, added highlights etc etc...

Here's a bit more detail, i worked up the sgt's face a bit and have started with some details like the hazard stripes etc.

Going with a tapered stripe to match the helmet shape rather than a dead straight and thinner stripe.

Hoping to finish them by the end of the long weekend - see how we go!

[OakRiver]

Really nice work. I wish GW had released boxed sets for Space Marines for each mark of armor sooner than the Heresy sets. 

[NightHunters]

Yup, that takes me back 30 years. The first minis i ever bought, the colours i painted them in too, very very cool, though the realisation of just how old i am has set in.

[Thousand Eyes]

They look wonderful. You really did them justice.

[BadgersinHills]

Lovely models. I love to see old models like this painted up. Looking forward to seeing Land Speeders. 

[Oshikai]

Love it big Time, as someone with an Army made of from Vintage Metal Models, albeit Warhammer Fantasy, this is right up my alley. Good on you for doing soemthing with them rather than stashing them away forever.

[Sandalphon]

Hey all thanks for the kind words, fortunately im still working but unfortunately its prevented much progress.

Ive spent a few hours here and there mainly on the helmets, as well as spending some facetime with my sgt's. I shaved one of their heads to give him a bit more personailty.

believe it or not theree about 5 layers on the helmet lenses now.. white base, averland, red glaze, yriel yellow, lamenters yellow glaze.. feels like a lot of effort for little gain but they look much better in person!

ive also spent time tidying up the helmet and hazard stripes, and picked a missile colour im happy with.

next steps will be the metallics and some more detail and clean up of the bases.. black highlights and then the dreaded 40x insignia....

with any luck some of that will occur over the weekend..

@Oshikai - thanks! i felt they were wasted just sitting in a dusty box somewhere, while they're somewhat a potential collectible goldmine i think there is more value in being able to share them (and also have them entertain me per their intended purpose)

@NightHunters - yes! they do have the habit of making people (myself included) feel older than we might want to believe :)

[Guest Triszin]

BEAKIES!!!

 

they look great

[K0rtmer]

Wow. What an awesome find, and your painting scheme really does do them justice. Thanks for sharing. Made my day. 

[Yosef Hausakluif]

They look great! Good choice on classic scheme; with super clean execution on those hazard stripes. Maybe a small white dot at the back of the eye lenses will finish the ‘pop’ factor for them. And thank you for sharing these with us ! Cool seeing how much variety you got out of the old models and really reminds me of the genius built into these old kits regardless of how simple they are compared to a modern tactical squad box.

 

I wish I had all those sickle Mag bolters as they look so cool all together. Same with the old school missile launchers.

Edited April 18, 2020 by Yosef Hausakluif

[Kriegsmacht]

Awesome looking minis. Great work. 

[Sandalphon]

They look great! Good choice on classic scheme; with super clean execution on those hazard stripes. Maybe a small white dot at the back of the eye lenses will finish the ‘pop’ factor for them. And thank you for sharing these with us ! Cool seeing how much variety you got out of the old models and really reminds me of the genius built into these old kits regardless of how simple they are compared to a modern tactical squad box.

I wish I had all those sickle Mag bolters as they look so cool all together. Same with the old school missile launchers.

Thanks! Yeh big fan of the ML's wish I had more but can't complain. It's a great kit and if anyone's holding onto it for posterity I strongly suggest busting it open. Cutting them up for re-posing felt a little sacrilegious but they were designed for that to happen...and once cut, you cannot un-cut lol

 

I've been debating whether to do the eyes as lenses (+dot) or backlit glow (which I was trying to achieve) I feel the photos are flattening the eyes a bit, but if that's not working i might go the lense path after all - thanks!

 

I got some work done the other day on the metals and bases, hopefully I'll find some more time to get those extra details in.

 

@all Thanks for the comments, it's really helped keep the momentum going

[BadgersinHills]

Great work on them! The eye lenses really pop. Are you going to play with them? The new HH book might be a good opportunity for these to come to the field.. ;)

[Sandalphon]

ok progress has been slow, partly time restrained partly 40x everything takes a while.

Ive finished the metals, with a lot more weathering so it looks more dust blown and ive weathered some of the hazard stripes etc as well as competed the bases to a point im happy with, although looking at them now they probably need another drybrush/ highlight.

the final touches are obviously legion insignia which im terrified of and might actually hunt down some old transfers instead of painting 40x freehand DA markings :S i probably have enough 2nd ed. transfers but its a little anachronistic so might not go there.. ive managed freehand with my deathwing previously, but their shoulders are obviously bigger and there are fewer of them.. any tips appreciated!

in the meantime i knew i had some metal RT marines stashed away somewhere, and under the guise of cleaning out the garage i found them!

Goldmine! and while its annoying i found these after spending a few weeks painting the rest of the troops - cant complain!

the intent is keep them all DA with the chaplain, apothercary and techmarine helmet and shoulder colours per the box art.

might be a while before i get into them (as much as i want to!) but will try to keep the updates coming.

@BadgersinHills it would be nice to have them see some HH action, but im not sure they ever will.

++EDIT++ just noticed a few yellow chain blades and some other bits that need cleaning up - thanks a lot camera!

Edited April 24, 2020 by Sandalphon