1500pt DIY Marine Force

[karial]

Helmet:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v399/richard_milson/Command/20aprHelmet.jpg

[Appears a little rough as I just gave his forehead and cheekbones a little fine sanding and should have washed off the dust - my sculpting ability is coming along but small details like this Im still a quite shaky with :rolleyes: I wont be using the helmet here, its just a placeholder. I will be using the face from the FW commissar tank commander, its such an arrogant expression and the bionic left eye ties in nicely to the pintle storm bolter on his left shoulder]

 

 

Whoa... is it me, or does that thing look like Jigsaw's little model on the bike from saw?!!?? would be immense to have one of those in the army... the exact designs lol

[Rich]

Thanks for your kind comments. Sorry it has taken me a while to reply, my internet connection got cut off at the end of the contract! Silly not to notice that creeping up.

 

Kovah, it depends on the length of the pin. I used to have one long pin running from foot right into pelvis but now I only do that if the mini is going to be largely metal and in such a pose that the joint is under alot of pressure, then the extra strength is appreciated. However, for most normal minis (as I do for most of mine now) it is easier and quicker to use individual, shorter points for each joint. if something is well pinned it will take alot of bashing around anyway in order to break. Most, if not all of the minis I have posted in this thread have been dropped a number of times and survived well!

 

Although I don't have any marines to hand to take photos of where to cut Shrike, but I can explain. The ideal result when you cut the joints is that only the ribbing between armour is damaged. You want to do as little damage as possible to the armour to save sculpting it back. So to cut a mk7 marine leg apart at the knee, two cuts are normally best. One most of the way through from the back and then, at the front, a small vertical cut to separate the kneepad from the thigh.

 

The feet are slightly different in that they are trickier to cut out properly. You can just about cut the foot off without too much damaged to the legs but it leaves the foot very thin at the back. Because of that I prefer to cut it off at the ankle allowing me enough room in the foot to pin it and just re-sculpt the leg around around the thigh afterwards.

 

Feel free to be inspired by my minis Blind Knight, I'm just glad to know that they have inspired peoples conversions!

 

I'm not really sure what you're talking about Karial! 'Saw'? Do you mean those terrible films where people keep dying in all those hilariously contrived ways? If it is I've only seen the first one anyway, but your comment had me really stumped!

 

Ill actually have some more progress with minis after a few weeks when I have my degree show and all that panic out of the way.

Thanks for looking!

Rich

[karial]

lol, i'm sorry

 

yeah its the crappy movies.

 

here

http://www.sideshowtoy.com/mas_assets/large/4336.jpg

 

if you squint a little... and maybe have a few beers, maybe you could see the resemblance. i did, and i was sober and dont squint lol.

 

sorry again

[Rich]

Hello again B&C, it's been a while!

 

I have been very busy with my marines as of late. At the beginning of November I'm off to a tournie for 1000pt tournie way games so I needed a new army list and a new HQ as the Chaplain and his bodyguard (at 310pts) were a bit much for such a small game.

 

So on with the update, I have a lot to get through!

 

First up is a new HQ, Codicier Validus

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v399/richard_milson/LibrarianWIPOct23.jpg

He is nearly finished in his current state, except for his base of course, and I still need to paint scripty writing on the open book on his shin and the purity seals. I need to finish off his left shoulder pad iconography, but I only have 4 more marines in total needing iconography painted so was going to do it all at once.

 

Next up, Tehmarine Vulcius is finished

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v399/richard_milson/TechmarineGallery.jpg

As you can see from these two guys specialists in the Chapter wear not only their chapter colours on the left shoulder pad but have a golden arm too as the shoulder pad of this chapter isn't the marine's primary colour.

 

Here is also the progress on his servitor bodyguards:

Abel.845 is the more passive storage and supply model who is finished now

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v399/richard_milson/AbelGallery.jpg

 

I wasn't happy with the conversion on his brother in arms Cain.145 who is the more offensive looking, personal defence model so I bulked up his torso around the gun as if only particular muscles had been steroidally enhanced for this one purpose.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v399/richard_milson/CainWIPOct09.jpg

I had in mind a cross between the Quake games Strogg and 2000AD's Mean Machine while I was working on him. I have now started the initial steps of painting him and got his base done too - again, another step in the base!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v399/richard_milson/CainWIPOct23.jpg

 

I finished off painting the Tech Adept in the Vindicator's cupola. As he isn't a full techmarine I reversed the specialist colour with just his left arm bearing Ad Mech red. I have since painted some flashes of grey hair at his temples (seemed oh so appropriate) and, as I painted marine and cupola separately need to add a tiny ammount of ribbing in the wrist holding the gun and paint that.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v399/richard_milson/TechAdeptWIPGallery.jpg

His steed still needs some weathering done around the tracks such as sprayed and kicked up dirt along with some chips in the armour.

 

Here is a pick of the finished assault marines so far. I will only be fielding a 5 man squad for the 1000pt army and the last two are held up as one of them was sculpted a long time ago and needed some improvement.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v399/richard_milson/NewAssaultMarines.jpg

The two marines still need the gunmetal highlighted as well as painting the oxidisation and scorching on the flamers muzzle.

 

The assault marine Sergeant Ionns is pretty much done too.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v399/richard_milson/AssaultSgtGallery.jpg

I have since added a tiny I to his shoulder pad to show squad designation and I need to blackline around the marble wings on his jump pack to make them pop a bit more.

 

And lastly the Dreadnought Carcer is pretty much finished too.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v399/richard_milson/Dreadgallery.jpg

The freehand on his armour needs a bit of touching up (especially that rather dodgy looking Aquilla) and I also have a pair of weapon destroyed arms as I didn't like just pulling an arm off to show a destroyed weapon in previous games I have played.

 

Thanks for looking in on this big update, C&C is always welcome.

Cheers,

Dicky

[Rich]

Hello chaps,

 

No comments then? Oh well, I'm nearly there now!

 

I have a bit more here for you all today. I have done a bit more work on the loot counters which are now, nearly ready for painting.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v399/richard_milson/LootCounters-1.jpg

 

I've been working on Cain.145 as well.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v399/richard_milson/CainWIPOct26.jpg

I kept working on his skin to make it look dead and slightly decaying. If I remember the Bible from school then Cain was older than Abel so this is somewhat appropriate that Cain looks more rotten than Abel. His spotlight bulb has been painted but there is still a good deal of painting left to do. Detailing, highlighting of the gunmetal, paint the gold sections, the base and so on and on!

 

Hope you like this small update, C&C is always welcome.

Cheers,

Dicky

[wokkers]

this army is one of the most ambitious projects I have seen for a while. and may i say that you have delivered the 'royal flush' of armies here sir. absolutely stupendous (which is a word that i spelt wrong in an earlier post).

 

i am taking your advice and just 'doing it' as far as sculpting goes. so far to no avail but this army inspires me not to give up :D

 

kudos to you Rich

[Brother Corvus]

This is amazing!! All the smilies in the world could not express the awe I feel! I take my hat off to you sir.*Takes hat off*

Consider the pinning ideas borrowed, they are amazing work! ^_^ ;) :lol:

[Bigger-than-Jesus]

:jaw: wow. Words fail me. All I can say is thank you for giving me the confidence to make things like this

[Rich]

Hello, It’s me again with another update!

 

Thanks for the kind comments guys, I’m glad you like them and it’s great that my work has inspired some others of you too!

 

@ Wokkers: Just going for it and having a try is the best way to get to grips with sculpting I think. It’s the way I taught myself anyway.

 

Go on, you know you want to have some fun experimenting Bigger Than Jesus

 

On an un-illustrated note, I glued down another layer of cat littler on the loot counters and gave them a coat of watered down PVA to stick it in place and now they’re ready for painting, along with the remaining Assault Marines too.

 

Sorry for the quality of the photos today, the light really wasn’t good for photography and I have lost a lot of highlights and detail in the gloomy light ☹

 

Now then, I have nearly finished Cain.145. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v399/richard_milson/CainWIPOct27.jpg

Of course I haven’t finished his base and there are a number of details still left to paint on him – script on the purity seals, along with the wing detail on the side of the storm bolter as well as the skull on the searchlight and, of course, his name written down the side of the hull.

 

And here he is alongside the Techmarine with his retinue. I really like how these guys look together now that Cain is practically done. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v399/richard_milson/TechmarineRetinue.jpg

 

I also snapped a picture of the quick jobs I made for the dread’s inevitable destroyed weapon results.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v399/richard_milson/DestroyedArmsWIPOct27.jpg

The metal has only been basecoated and the green still needs a coat or two more of snot green and subsequent highlights. They aren’t the appropriate weapons for my dread as I don’t have a spare lascannon and missile launcher arm. However, I want to add a venerable dread with an assault cannon and CCW so I won’t be doing any details on these arms as they will need converting again to look suitable for the next dread and then I will have the correct spares for the current dread!

 

Getting so close I can taste it now! C&C welcome guys

Ta ta, Dicky

[Ekkanus]

I've got to say this is one of the coolest DIY chapters iv ever seen!!! Love the techmarine on the bike but especially love the Chaplain - i don't think anyone else has asked so i will - how did you sculpt the head and face on the chaplain?

[darkmarauder]

Hi there Rich,

I'm just on the brink of re-starting my collection. To begin I'm going to convert a command squad then a tactical squad.

I was wondering, in regards to command squad conversions, could you recommend any good sprues for parts and accessories? I've chosen a few individual parts I plan to order off the GW Web site, but I would appreciate it if you could point me in the direction of some sprues.

 

Cheers,

 

Tom.

[BOBMAKENZIE]

I thought IG use either parachutes or gravchutes to air drop their gear but that seems awfully slow and crude for the fast moving marine strike forces and that lead me onto thinking ... ammunition and weapon containers shot from orbiting strike cruisers an so on. And that is what these are, shown imbedded right into the street.

 

Consider this Idea Stolen...eventually :teehee: (Reminds me of the personal Drop Pods in Halo which I always thought would make much more sense for marines to use so I've been trying to figure out how to do that...)

 

I am yet to actually make an objective marker but that will be a marine sitting on the edge of an ordnance crater, both legs blasted off, but still holding the company banner aloft firing around him with his bolt pistol. of course the marines wouldn't be that bothered about the wounded marine, retrieving his gene-seed is enough, but the banner, now that is important!

 

This sounds really cool and made me laugh cause it would really happen

something like:

 

*Rescue team makes it to the Banner's Last known sight. *

Sergeant: "Oh....you're still alive...."

Banner Carrier:"What? Why you thought I would die while the chapter's banner was still with me?!"

Sergeant: "It appears this marine is hysterical from the stress. Apothecary give him the Emperor's rest and retrieve his geneseed before we take the banner and leave"

 

....

Ok maybe I imagine things abit much :lol:

[Rich]

Hello again everyone,

 

Thanks for the comments. I'm busy doing some work at the moment so I will answer all your questions soon, I promise!

 

After many many years it seems here it is: a group shot showing the full 1000pt army ready to deploy to Portsmouth for Carnage this weekend.

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v399/richard_milson/1000ptArmyGroupshot.jpg

Or a full size pic here.

 

I feel so chuffed to get these guys done now (although there are a few little bits I need to change. Cain's light is still oddly yellow and he needs his name stencilled on the side and a lot of purity seals need some small text on, only minor things I feel).

 

Although, next year I am off to another tournie in February where I will need to finish another 500pts for it, so here's to that then!

 

Thanks for looking in again,

Cheers

Dicky

[The Rubberduck]

What are you counting the servitors as?? I mean, they can't have bikes ot havr i just missd it??

Like what i'm seeing on the army, looks grat :P

[Draakur]

Being infrequent here has somehow made me miss out on all this. Fantastic stuff and really inspiring (gives an ex-player, potential-repeat-DIYer hope, it does). Great painting, cool theme and colours, nice characters, I like it all. Top job man, let's see more :tu:

[Mac Gal]

This certainly is one of the best set of conversions i ever saw. Techmarina and servitors are simply awesome. I bow before your skills, good sir.

 

*bookmarks thread*

[Rich]

Hello again!

 

Thanks for all your comments guys!

 

@ Rubberduck: You're right, servitors can't take bikes. The servitors here counts as marine attack bikes. Although they don't much look like bikes they are mounted on a base that would be suitable for an attack bike as well as having every weapon the bikes have represented - even little grenade launchers to represent the driver frag grenades.

 

@ Draakur @ Mac Gel: Thanks! There is definitely more to come for this army as I will round out this fully finished 1000pts in to a 1500pt list too. I have about 1600pts converted at the moment, just some not fully painted. Then after that I have plans for something really quite exciting - I'll go in to that at the end!

 

After a long sleep after far too much staying up late drinking and getting up early I have to say I survived the Carnage tournie!

 

It was loads of fun and, amazingly, I came tenth overall, although that was mainly down to some lucky consolidations into the objective on the last turn. That game was loads of fun, against three lovely armies where we were all circling around the objective attacking each other - luckily my Vindicator was immobilised pointing at the objective.

 

The first day didn't go so well as one game not one of my minis was in the objective and in two other games only the scouts managed to dash from cover in to the objective in the last turn.

 

I also won Best Army as well, which I'm very pleased with and I have a nice little glass shield thingy now too!

 

I have some pics here that another player took of things on the weekend:

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v399/richard_milson/IMG_0523.jpg

This was a great moment against another player's lovely Imperial Guard. He charged his guardsmen at some marines and my Librarian declaring he was going to flame them. I just couldn't help but point out, laughing, the Sergeant's combi-flamer he hadn't noticed and how much more the concerned the Guard are by flamers compared to marines.

 

These are two of the pics taken of my army at the end, laid out for the nominations. They look good here and one of the whole army along with a close up of the Librarian (who must have forgotten to turn on his psychic hood as he was rubbish with it! :cuss)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v399/richard_milson/IMG_0528.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v399/richard_milson/IMG_0524.jpg

 

So, next stop is another 500pts for another tournie in February which will be fun and after that my brain is already surging with ideas for an Apocalypse tournie this time next year. I think I'm leaning to making a detachment of Skitarii from the Ad Mech and the rest of the points filled with a Warhound titan. I think a FW one would be a great project to take on and suits me fine as it will be a fun and in depth build and nothing works as well as a points sink than a titan!

 

I had a great time at the tournie as I don't play much a laid back tournament is always nice as a chance to play some games. Thanks for looking and keep an eye out for more updates in the future.

 

Cheers

Dicky

[captain_shrike]

Hi Rich! I was always a big fan of your stuff. Great to see it coming along! Can't wait to see more.....

[Brother-Morticain]

that techmarine :D

[Alluvium]

You sir, have the best-most-awesome-coolest-bestest and many other positive adjectives..army i have every seen in my life. Great attention to detail.

 

You should maybe write a full fluffy background for your troops (if you have not already) as i think it would round off the experience that is your army, in a very cool way.

 

yes your army is an experience.

 

great work :teehee:

[Rich]

Thanks for the kind comments everyone!

 

Thanks Captain Shrike, there is more to follow as well! I have only finished a 1000pt army at the moment and it will be growing to 1500pts for a couple of tournies early next year.

 

Here's the new army list I will be using:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v399/richard_milson/Adeptus%20Mechanicus/1500MarineList.jpg

 

I enjoyed using the Librarian so much recently that I have decided to drop the Chaplain (for now) and give the librarian a jump pack to hang out with the assault marines, now just 9 men to accommodate him in the 10 man structure!

 

Thanks Alluvium, I actually have a full Index Astartes article written with illustrations and colour scheme break downs. Unfortunately, I have never posted it here as I can't upload a file as it's in .PDF format. If you're interested in taking a look I can e-mail it to anyone who would like.

 

If any of you would be interested in seeing what I am beginning work on next I have recently started a thread on Warseer. I'm working on a 2000pt Adeptus Mechanicus force for an team Apocalypse tournie, accompanied by their own Warhound too. The thread can be found here.

 

Thanks for looking,

Dicky

[Ju'kosian]

WOW very interesting topic mate !!

Great work on a very very nice looking army !

 

Like that Dread, weapon destroyed thing..

[Rich]

Hello again everyone,

 

Thanks for your kind comments Ju'kosian. The destroyed weapons were just so that the dread didn't have to wander around with the arms pulled off when his weapons get inevitably destroyed!

 

I've been beavering away on the rest of the Terminators at the moment.

Here is a group shot of the squad as it stands now:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v399/richard_milson/TerminatorGroupWIPNov19.jpg

I haven't started working back in to any of their bases, I need to change the inscription on the base a bit. As I won't be using the Chaplain in the 1500pt force I still need to make a fifth termie now they aren't a command sqaud.

 

Rest assured though, that Chaplain will get finished and will show up further down the line!

 

The Sergeant is nearly finished now, although there are still a few bits left to do - like paint the shell casing, highlight the lens clusters on both of these two and paint script on the purity seals. I still need to paint the Chapter symbol on the cloth on the Sergeants shoulder pad too.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v399/richard_milson/TermieSgtWIPNov19.jpg

Trouble is I don't really like the way his face has turned out, the painting looks sloppy and undefined to me - serves me right for using a Catachan head, eh!

 

I made lots of progress on the (obligatory!) second Assault Cannon too. I am still yet to paint either this guy's helmet or the Sergeants helmet for his belt.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v399/richard_milson/TermieAssCannonWIPNov19.jpg

The old fluff for the Crux Terminatus said each had a speck o the Emperor's armour embedded in the stone symbol. So I am continuing to paint these termies with different stone details on them. Each termie has all the details painted in the same stone as the crux, as if each suit has been built on a different Forgeworld at different times. The Sergeant has some sort of nice smooth Alabaster details, but I particularly like the stone on this Assault Cannon guy. I painted it a reddy stone, similar to stone in Arizona) as if this suit were actually manufactured on Mars itself.

 

I've been enjoying painting these Termies again. I've decided as a long term goal I will make a close combat squad to accompany the Chaplain (and for Apoc possibly a Terminator Captain as well) while this sqaud stays as a regular squad for fire support.

 

I don't have a massive amount to boost the finished 1000pt force into a 1500pt force. I just need to paint 5 tactical marines, rework the conversions slightly of 4 Assault Marines and paint and then convert another termie. Not much seeing as I have over 3 months to do it all in :woot:

 

Thanks for looking, C&C welcome.

Dicky

[Favoured of the Emperor]

I have known about this thread long enough to reply and spill congratulations in a frothy foam based way, so here goes:

 

This army is amazing Rich! The best models are the normal infantry guys.

 

How do you do the bases?

 

ALL HAIL RICH!

 

FOE

[larundel]

i have just looked over all 5 pages and i got to say i love the models and im so hoping you are going to be adding more and more to this marine force.

 

great job...cant wait to see more.

 

keep up the great work.