Legions Imperialis & Epic hobby chat!

[LameBeard]

I’m a bit of a 3d-printing sceptic, but I decided to give it a try.

[Captain Idaho]

Looks cool. What size did you print the Marines off?

[LameBeard]

9 minutes ago, Captain Idaho said:

Looks cool. What size did you print the Marines off?

Sorry when I said give it a try I meant try a paid 3d printing service I found online.
 

My historical scepticism is because (a) running one yourself seems a lot of fuss with chemicals and clean-up and potential for things to go wrong and (b) buying from shapeways always seems extraordinarily expensive. 
 

My measurement suggests that they are 8mm or so from floor level to about their eyeline, so I am expecting them to be a smidgen smaller than the new plastics but they are comfortably bigger than the old 6mm epic models so I am calling them 8mm scale. I will post more once I paint and base, maybe with something as reference.

[Captain Idaho]

That sounds good enough size comparison. Close enough.

 

I've got a bunch too. Looking forward to comparing them to official models. If they're close enough I'll build plenty more. If not, I suppose they'll need replacing with more 3D printed stuff! 

[malika666]

On 11/26/2023 at 2:30 AM, vadersson said:

Has anybody seen STLs for the new size and thickness Titan bases?  I want to base my AT starter in LI size bases.

 

Thanks!

Apparently also around 2mm thick, like the infantry bases.

[Black Cohort]

I have mostly been trying to get some terrain done while I wait for the pre-ordered stuff to show up.

[SkimaskMohawk]

Got the initial bunch of iron warriors done! Of course i see more areas for touch ups, but that's the way she goes.

 

 

[LameBeard]

How did you do your bases @SkimaskMohawk? They look great - are they printed and do they have holes for the round base of each model to sit in?

[SkimaskMohawk]

6 minutes ago, LameBeard said:

How did you do your bases @SkimaskMohawk? They look great - are they printed and do they have holes for the round base of each model to sit in?

 

Most are from Vanguard miniatures: https://vanguardminiatures.co.uk/shop/25mm-round-plastic-bases/

 

But when I ran out i used printed ones, though I'm not sure which file it is (there should be a few on cults). Both have the 5 holes for the models to rest in.

 

As for the basing, i slopped on some AK rough terrain texture glop:

 

 

It's a white paste and can be primed over if you do it early, or tinted with shades/washes/contrast. I applied it post-paint, so i used some diluted cygor brown to make the bases brown initially, then covered it with dark earth weathering powder (the powder honestly might have made the cygor brown redundant), and then finished it off with a skragg brown dry brush on top.

[Pacific81]

Those look stunning @SkimaskMohawk, absolutely spot on. Think you've got just the right extra bit of colour (with the visors on the troops, weapons and missiles on the terminators etc.) to make them stand out, which is always difficult to do with IW I think. Those textured bases look great too. 

 

So, am making plans for a next 'big' project and participation mega game to follow on from the Orks Vs. World Eaters Great Crusade game (which I think was about 20,000pts in the end) some pals and I ran earlier in the year. Perversely am doing this just as New Epic is about to land, as it's not going to be set during the Heresy, but again during the Great Crusade. I will just drop a hint for now as it's early days, and am just putting first models together (so think possibly 18-24 month project) but I will just say for now it is going to include possibly the *biggest* danger humankind ever faced (and that includes within both the 30k & 40k settings!), very nearly bringing the Imperium to its knees, a lot of Astartes in black, and there is almost *zero* written about them! So have to do a lot of combing through forums and articles to get even very basic (and even then, practically useless) unit descriptions for them. So a fair amount of filling in blanks involved and a few jumps, but think I have got an idea for something semi-cohesive. So more to follow and hopefully will get a new thread started here for the project at some point! 

[DuskRaider]

I went a bit looney yesterday after I found out my order got cancelled from Canadia and went hunting on eBay. Managed to grab the Ruins, Kratos, Rhinos, Thunderhawk and the Astartes half of the Starter for around $230 all in. It’s all going to arrive faster than the Starter Box as well 

[Captain Idaho]

Good haul!

 

I got early Christmas presents tomorrow due to arrive/collection. Nothing like a near death experience to get decent early gifts lol

 

Should have all the Astartes infantry in the world and a box of Kratos. More coming Christmas day...

[DuskRaider]

Yeah, it’s a nice start all things considered. Still have to figure out how I want to arm my tanks. 

[Pacific81]

I see the news thread has been closed so posting this here as a number of people were asking for them: plastic order tokens

 

I've ordered a fair bit from Mighty Minis before, Dave is one of the long-term mainstays of the Epic community so definitely fine to order from in my book

Loyalist/Heretic order counters

[Burni]

My order arrived! Most of it has gone into the Christmas cupboard but I managed to keep hold of a box of Rhinos. Lovely little kit, you just can’t appreciate the size until you have it in your hand - so tiny!

 

After seeing a few videos and comments about the smoke stacks, I was worried about how fiddly they’d be but having built one, it was a pleasure compared to the bombs and missiles on the AI planes!!

[Interrogator Stobz]

Do we know any good file sellers so I can get a friend to print them?

[Pacific81]

I was going to PM you @Interrogator Stobz then noticed you were a mod and worried now that this is entrapment!

 

What is actually the forum policy on 3d prints and files for this sort of thing?

 

I have just painted up a few quick stands of Auxiliaries. Going to keep the infantry basic (as there will be a lot of them) and add a bit more to the tanks and walkers.

 

[Lupercals chosen]

Received my copy this morning. Must say I had some reservations seeing some of the pictures and comments on here regarding the sculpts, but when I opened up my box and looked at the sprues, seeing those little guys hit me right in the feels. Took me back 25 years to when I got my first copy of Space Marine. Can't wait to get home and pour over them in more detail!

[Captain Idaho]

1 hour ago, Pacific81 said:

I was going to PM you @Interrogator Stobz then noticed you were a mod and worried now that this is entrapment!

 

What is actually the forum policy on 3d prints and files for this sort of thing?

 

 

Don't worry, we can discuss 3D printing. It just needs to be on subject. 

 

So in a relevant sense you can post here, but if you need to discuss things in depth, a new thread is relevant.

 

Sharing files... don't share them in posts just now. I'll double check on that one. Though what happens in a PM capacity is as always subject to the usual privacy advice.

[Marshal Rohr]

Finishing up the last Tercio Militaris of my first Sub-Cohort today and a little miffed they didn’t release Leman Russ and Malcador’s the same time as the launch box. They are such awesome kits, and I can wait to start detailing them. 

[apologist]

I've uploaded a personal view/review of the Astartes infantry box to +Death of a Rubricist. It's a bit long to copy across here in total, but if you don't want to link across, here's the summary:

 

This is a good but flawed kit, and while well-engineered, I think GW ought to up their game. Plastics have many advantages over other materials for Epic, but a key one – economy of scale – is not being used here, and as a result the decision to buy these or source alternatives is not clear cut at all. The compromises made to the sculpts for the sake of single-piece models is – in my opinion – fine, but at full price, and with so many good alternatives, this is a kit I feel reticent to recommend whole-heartedly.

 

Are these models nice? Yes. Are my opinions coloured by nostalgia? Doubtless. Are these models worth picking up? Well, as always that'll depend on your own preferences. They are unarguably a huge improvement over previous editions – and not merely the expected result of thirty or so years of manufacturing developments. These have clearly been very carefully planned and thought-out, and invested with a lot of love by the designers. Nevertheless, there are also some unarguable niggles that even someone keen to like them and prepared to overlook a few flaws might find not merely annoying, but properly off-putting.

 

To finish on a positive note, in isolation, these are a delight. For a fan of older editions of Epic, if you'd put this kit in front of me ten years ago, I'd have been absolutely blown away. Full of the weird charm of their bigger cousins, this kit is varied and interesting, and a good balance of crisp detail, and gameworthy sturdiness. These are perfect little miniatures of your miniatures, and I defy anyone to build a few stands of them and not end up with a big grin on their face.

[Interrogator Stobz]

5 hours ago, Pacific81 said:

I was going to PM you @Interrogator Stobz then noticed you were a mod and worried now that this is entrapment!

 

What is actually the forum policy on 3d prints and files for this sort of thing?

 

I have just painted up a few quick stands of Auxiliaries. Going to keep the infantry basic (as there will be a lot of them) and add a bit more to the tanks and walkers.

 

 

Thanks Brother, 

I'm no longer a Mod, wouldn't dream of entrapment even if I wasn't retired, as the good Captain Idaho has mentioned PMs are fine... unless the rules have changed 

[Captain Idaho]

Just checked in with the Admins and we're ok to discuss 3D printing and even provide links, with a view of following our rules as normal.

 

However, it has been confirmed we cannot become a hosting site for such reasons as memory space and not wanting to host IP violating files.

 

So files sent via PM or posted are a no-no.

 

There is nothing to stop folk (safely and carefully) sharing personal email addresses etc via PM to share what they wish outside these parameters. 

 

Hope that cleads it up for us all. 

[Black Cohort]

38 minutes ago, apologist said:

I've uploaded a personal view/review of the Astartes infantry box to +Death of a Rubricist. It's a bit long to copy across here in total, but if you don't want to link across, here's the summary:

 

This is a good but flawed kit, and while well-engineered, I think GW ought to up their game. Plastics have many advantages over other materials for Epic, but a key one – economy of scale – is not being used here, and as a result the decision to buy these or source alternatives is not clear cut at all. The compromises made to the sculpts for the sake of single-piece models is – in my opinion – fine, but at full price, and with so many good alternatives, this is a kit I feel reticent to recommend whole-heartedly.

 

Are these models nice? Yes. Are my opinions coloured by nostalgia? Doubtless. Are these models worth picking up? Well, as always that'll depend on your own preferences. They are unarguably a huge improvement over previous editions – and not merely the expected result of thirty or so years of manufacturing developments. These have clearly been very carefully planned and thought-out, and invested with a lot of love by the designers. Nevertheless, there are also some unarguable niggles that even someone keen to like them and prepared to overlook a few flaws might find not merely annoying, but properly off-putting.

 

To finish on a positive note, in isolation, these are a delight. For a fan of older editions of Epic, if you'd put this kit in front of me ten years ago, I'd have been absolutely blown away. Full of the weird charm of their bigger cousins, this kit is varied and interesting, and a good balance of crisp detail, and gameworthy sturdiness. These are perfect little miniatures of your miniatures, and I defy anyone to build a few stands of them and not end up with a big grin on their face.

 

This seems like a balanced take on the issue.

 

I find it interesting how many odd choices GW made with the release of LI.  They have been very clear that it is a HH not 40k setting, yet chose to make the base armour mark, Mk VI.  There are no Land Raiders at release, despite them being iconic to space marines.  As you mention the variety of units in the infantry boxes is both cool, but also annoying as getting enough specialists without tons of unwanted stuff will be challenging.  Some parts of the core box are sold separately, others are not; how are people supposed to get enough Russes for their SA or field terminator units?  Overall the quality of the models is great, but then there are specific models way below that standard.  Some of the extra choices make no sense, did we really need that many contemptor leg variations or would that space have been better used on other bits?  Why does the rhino suddenly have a multi-melta option, but no heavy flamer or bolter?  Why, in a shooting army that already has melee focused Ogryn are the SA veterans only option power axes?

[Pacific81]

Thanks @Captain Idaho  - guys so if I now disappear, please hold Captain Idaho responsible 

 

@Interrogator Stobz to get you started, most popular seem to be (linking here from My Mini Factory

The KMFP Designs Mark II: https://www.myminifactory.com/users/KMFP_Designs/collection/the-mkii-project

Or anything if you search for 'orbital knights' which has a variety of older-looking armour mark type bits: https://www.myminifactory.com/object/3d-print-orbital-knights-kit1-orbital-knights-tactical-troops-6-8mm-208167

 

Quite nice actually as it means you can have a mix of the modern stuff (mk6 from the Legions boxes) or the older ones, especially if you wanted to do Great Crusade-era.