Schrödinger VII Crusade: Helbrecht strikes back - Firstborn army restoration project

[nightwing1511]

Greetings brothers, I bring good tidings from the far reaches of the Emperor's golden light.

At the conclusion of my glorious crusade during the 7th Edition, I have amassed nearly 4000 points (by the standards of the time) of Righteous Crusaders.

On returning from the warp, it has become apparent that my nobel battle brothers are now outclassed and outsized by the children of Belisarius Cawl.

[/inCharacter]

 

So not to come very very late to the "ah, Primaris scary" discussion, but what do I do with them? Half my HQs have no equivalent wargear choices in the new game, and are chunky metal, so re-kitting them is beyond what I can do.

 

Do I just pop them on a display board as a monument to the game I used to play? Or is there a clever approach I haven't thought about to keep them game-legal? Can a bike-squad approximate Outriders? Can I 'counts as' my bolt pistols as their heavier counterparts?

 

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Edited November 21 by nightwing1511

[AutumnEffect]

 

I can only speak to my own experience, but I kept all of my painted Firstborn models and sold what was unpainted. I keep the painted stuff in my display cabinet and still enjoy looking at them and remembering past games.

As far as gaming with them or having them count as primaris stuff, I think anyone in a casual setting probably wouldn't mind, but it'd be a non-starter for anything 'competitive'. 

[Grotsmasha]

7 hours ago, nightwing1511 said:

Half my HQs have no equivalent wargear choices in the new game, and are chunky metal, so re-kitting them is beyond what I can do.

7 hours ago, nightwing1511 said:

Do I just pop them on a display board as a monument to the game I used to play?

This might be the way to go with some of the most outdated loadouts, but as long as you're not playing tournaments, as long as you are clear with your opponant about wargear BEFORE a match, most should be ok with "count's as" to accomodate some older models. 

 

7 hours ago, nightwing1511 said:

Can a bike-squad approximate Outriders?

This is GW's very own suggestion. To make things a little easier for your opponant, I would consider rebasing to the current equivelant unit base size, by either pulling the models off their bases and rebasing, or my preferance, just gluing the old base right on top the new one, and doing a little basing work to level it out.

Spoiler

 

7 hours ago, nightwing1511 said:

Can I 'counts as' my bolt pistols as their heavier counterparts?

Most reasonable people should allow you to play an old Firstborn Assault Squad as a "counts' as" Assault Intercessor Squad.

 

 

You've so much time, energy, and effort into painting your models, it would be a shame to allow them to just gather dust on a shelf, and personally, I'd rather see a fully painted "count's as" Firstborn Army, than an unpainted WYSIWYG Primaris army across the table.

[The Praetorian of Inwit]

@Grotsmasha "I'd rather see a fully painted "count's as" Firstborn Army, than an unpainted WYSIWYG Primaris army across the table." - Wise words

 

 

[Brother Christopher]

I'm stuck with a Firstborn army of around 300 models and in the end I decided to stick with them and finish the project. For many years, my army/collection was an unorganised mess since I've lost sight of what I wanted to have and tried to pursue GW's changes in an attempt to 'future proof' my crusader. As a result of that, I ended up with mode models than I ever needed and more models that are healthy for me.

 

Right now, after I'm done with updating some models that need a redo of their paintjobs or whose wargear/poses were changed, I'll still have around 30 'new' models to paint. To be completely frank, I don't feel like working on them but, at the same time, that feels like the right thing to do. I'm sure that I won't add any new Firstborn Squads to my army but not because they are inferior to Primaris (in a nutshell: I like the better proportions/size of Primaris but I don't like their aethetic) but because I assembled, converted and painted enough Firstborn models to last me a lifetime. With my Primaris models, I intend to keep things under control for the same reason: I can afford an army of 100 models but that's 100 same-y looking Marines which doesn't seem like an exciting thing to paint.

 

My advice is the same as you got above: Keep your models, even if they're a keepsake. The army looks like a beautiful, self-contained collection. If you want to get back into playing 40k, use them as proxies (perhaps with updated base sizes). In a twisted way, this is now more easier than ever since GW pushes for more fixed loadouts. Use jump marines as Assault Intercessors; use your plasma marines as Hellblasters; use your bikes as Outriders. Personally, I'd go even further and say 'use your Razorbacks as Impulsors,' but I'm more of a beers and pretzels kind of player who definitely doesn't chase the meta and who doesn't care about all the updates to units. If your opponent refuses to play your painted proxies, don't worry about that and simply find a more like-minded, understanding and friendly person.

[nightwing1511]

On 11/20/2024 at 8:44 AM, Brother Christopher said:

My advice is the same as you got above: Keep your models, even if they're a keepsake. 

 

Yup, this is certainly where I've landed. A few days of looking at them and remembering how much fun I had kitbashing and painting - very Marie Kondo - I couldn't possibly get rid of them.

 

So the plan is:

- Finish Initiates - I've got about a dozen bolter and/or chainsword fellas who need their paints finished.

 

- Finish Apocatharion - I've got 1 built, needs some more work on his paints, and 2 still in pieces.

 

- Paint Castellan - got a snazzy jump-pack Castellan with dual powerfists who once punched a BloodThirster back to the warp. Never got him properly painted though.

 

- Finish Bike Chaplain - currently a pair of legs on a SM bike. Need to source a crozius, torso, etc 

 

- Generally they're better painted than I remember - want to go through and touch them up now that I know how to highlight properly, ans have white paints that actually work (RIP Skull White from 2012).

maybe fix the quartering on my banners so theyre consistently the same colours in the same places 

 

- Consider acquiring some Neophytes to fill out my squads - will investigate ebay rescues and see what I can get my hands on. Metal preferred, but I'll see what comes up.

 

- Base and/or re-base the whole mob. Have Helbrecht, so thematically thinking of them as a Crusade to Liberate Schrödinger VII, so grey and snowy to contrast the warm reds and blacks of the army.

 

 

[Brother Christopher]

This looks like a very reasonable plan. Good luck! On a very personal note, I cant' wait to see some of your progress. I'm sure it would offer a great morale boost with my own heroic endeavours connected with updating/touching up/basing older models.

 

Also, good luck with scouring the Internet for metal Neophytes. Out of all the metal models I worked on, for some reason, these were by far the easiest to paint. Also, they have an amazing set of very flavourful sculpts; the later plastic kits, especially with their faces, were a bit of a downgrade, to be honest. Having said that, I do recommend that you don't get too crazy with the number of Neos. Your choice of colours for the bases makes sense, too. It's very conscious and will work well with the primary colours, as you noted. I kinda regret doing the generic sand bases for my models but I can't be bothered to redo them.

 

If you have the time, I'd love to see some close-ups of your marines. In the group photo, they're looking great - I really like the consistent paint scheme.

 

[nightwing1511]

On 11/22/2024 at 9:02 AM, Brother Christopher said:

 If you have the time, I'd love to see some close-ups of your marines. In the group photo, they're looking great - I really like the consistent paint scheme.

 

Thanks for the prompt!

 

Here is the Marshal of the Campaign, Marius von Falkner

Spoiler

 

 

(Can't quite nail the white balance tonight, machine spirit not playing nice...)

Hes made from the base of the AoBR captain, I think, with bits and pieces from various other kits. Foreword shield, DA hood, etc.

 

I've just finished up his re-base tonight as a bit of proof of concept. Quite pleased with how it's turned out. 

 

Also did some touch ups on his cloak and armour to make the colours a tad cleaner. Feeling like he's pretty good for what he is at this stage. 

 

And here is a Castellan (yet unnamed) who still needs a bit of work done:

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Stay tuned, more to come! 

Edited November 23 by nightwing1511

[nightwing1511]

Another on the to-do list:

Apocatharion support for the Crusade.

 

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Particularly chuffed with my past self for using a servitor's arm as a prosthetic for the metal fella on the right. So grimdark :p

 

Looking forward to getting some white paints going 

Edited November 24 by nightwing1511

[Helias_Tancred]

I think its entirely up to the individual and the rules you play them under only have to do between you and those you play with. Everything outside of that does not matter.

 

Paint schemes, models, rules, kit-bashes and parts, lore, etc.

Edited November 25 by Helias_Tancred

[Brother Christopher]

These are some cool, oldschool conversions. I like the defensive shield'n'hammer captain, the Pedro-Kantor-conversion Castellan and the grimdark Apothecaries (some, I think, might be based on pewter Death Company models). That's a nice collection of models that bring back memories I long forgot that I had. Looking at these brings me back to the times I persused How to Paint Space Marines and the more limited internet of the early 2010s to look for inspirations for my stuff.

[nightwing1511]

I recently dug out my 4th edition Space Marine Codex - used to love looking at the pages where they encouraged wild and wacky conversions and paint schemes. Very much informed how I built this army (starting back with the first Black Templars standalone codex, as well as Codex: Armageddon)

Edited November 26 by nightwing1511

[nightwing1511]

On 11/26/2024 at 9:46 PM, Brother Christopher said:

Apothecaries (some, I think, might be based on pewter Death Company models)

 

Correct - I just looked and I can see where I've shaved blood drop logos off that model, and also a couple of sword brethren in my infantry.

 

Spoiler

 

10 internet points to you, good sir.

Edited November 27 by nightwing1511

[nightwing1511]

On 11/22/2024 at 9:02 AM, Brother Christopher said:

Also, good luck with scouring the Internet for metal Neophytes. Out of all the metal models I worked on, for some reason, these were by far the easiest to paint. Also, they have an amazing set of very flavourful sculpts; the later plastic kits, especially with their faces, were a bit of a downgrade, to be honest. Having said that, I do recommend that you don't get too crazy with the number of Neos.

 

Dug out my battleline, forgot I even had these two:

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While I'm there, here's the rest of the Black Tide!

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[Brother Christopher]

I like the look of the gritty style. It looks very time-efficient - I kind of regret that I've never found myself brave enough to take a similar approach.

 

It's also a strange feeling (nostalgia?) to see these old Sword Brothers and Chaplains posted in 2024! I think that you have the coolest Chaplains evert - the "Chaplain with Skull Helmet and Crozius" is the best power armour Chaplain ever; the come-at-me-bro power fist Chappie is also great - he has a very imposing presence; I still kind of regret that I didn't get him, even thought there were many occasions to do so (I've always talked myself out of it on financial grounds, as well as on the silly idea that I have enough Chaplains). I also appreciate the additional bits sprinkled here and there - the holy hand grenade, the fancy chainsword on the Sword Brother with the Storm Shield or a heretic's severed head on the Chaplain's base.

Edited December 2 by Brother Christopher

[nightwing1511]

It was at some point very important for me to make my army feel like my own, so I went hard on the decorations.

 

Ooh, here's a good one for base decoration, The Man himself:

 

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The old Chaplains were such a vibe. I've also got this fella, Master Recclusiarch with a very Templars axe:

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Edited December 4 by nightwing1511

[nightwing1511]

On 11/23/2024 at 9:30 PM, nightwing1511 said:

And here is a Castellan (yet unnamed) who still needs a bit of work done:

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He's starting to take shape:

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Sculpt has slightly derpy, uneven eyes. Might give him a different dome down the track, but I do like the implication that he wears a Bane mask because he's constantly jump packing himself into fist fights with daemons.

Edited December 6 by nightwing1511