The Dyslexic Raw Gamer

My latest secret project is finally done and will be posted tomorrow. It fair to say I have gone pre heresy. I love the mk 3 iron armour, but they are somewhat limited. They only really have the normal marine available. The kit is fully compatible with the current range, but arms, with the distinctive vembrances on the lower arms are part of the charm of the model. The also. Don’t have the mk 3 assault squad yet, so no close combat arms are available. To convert anything in mk3, you need think about the arms. As I wanted a character, it was always going to be a difficult choice as to how to make him stand out. In the end i converted up the arms and used the tops from a plastic arm and then the lower resin arm cut off from the forgeworld kits. Capped off with grey knight hands this seems to work.

A second problem came with the chest plate. On the mk3 the chest is blank. Only the emperors children where allowed to carry his personal icon, the twin headed eagle on their chest plates. It was not until post heresy that guilliman added it to all the marines. On the mk6 armour. This lead me to ponder the use of the chest plate icon.

My early attempts, with a blank chest, were ok. But again,did not scream HQ choice. In the end I chose to add a smaller icon, that suggests the way things will go in the future. The effect is just what I planned and he now looks like a commander. With his brooding head, taken again from a grey knight, his pose, weapons and the paint scheme, he will fill the HQ slot and take his place in the regular force.

Next up will be either a sternguard unit in mk3 or some form of tank, the demios executioner being high on the list, but a land raider crusader also featuring on my list.

The pic of the secret project will go out with tomorrows brilliant miniature Monday. Keep your twitter eyes out for it soon.

I am getting ready for something a bit different. I am loving the pre heresy vibe at forge world. I am planning on getting some pre heresy terminators when the assault troops are released and the mk 3 iron armour is just awesome, I can see some sternguard in the near future. With the release of the new ‘old’ Deimos predator I feel some heavy support coming soon as well, the one area of weakness in my ultramarines force. But until then I am planning a little pre heresy project to have some fun with some bits from model bits.

I have also just read the brilliant ‘no know fear’ by dan abnett. This has made me even more focused on my pre heresy stuff. I want to grow the force, keep it useful to my current army.

Not going to tell you all what yet, but I am hoping for something a bit different. It will still be blue and wearing power armour, but the who and what will have to wait for now.

So, I have been busy working away on the fully magnatized captain. The body is about 80%done and 3 of the 10 arms are well under way. The challenge of painting arms separately is becoming apparent. Getting them to dry following a wash is a pain. Any ideas would be appreciated. The storm shield, using scibor bits is finished, the power weapon and the bolt pistol are nearly done and then on to the claws. I wish games workshop would release a pair of plastic lightning claws, that aren’t brands so heavily as one chapter ( space wolf in this case) trimming it and then re sculpting is a pain.

This got me thinking about what is missing for the plastic range? What would you like to see?

So I have spent another few days on the magnetised ultramarine captain. I have added the storm bolter and a chainsword to the mix now. The options not completed are the 3 combo weapons and the thunder hammer. Not sure about how to do the combi yet but the hammer will be done when I get some terminator parts.

I have also sculpted some parts on the model. The loin cloth was tricky (for me any way as I can’t sculpt!) and the severed neck of the ork nob I will do a second layer on to the neck to give it skin this will be a ragged affair to make the injury look brutal.

Once all the green has dried I will accessorise the waist band. This will end the sculpt and on to the easy bit. Painting! Not sure of the process yet, it will be a challenge to get all the blue to match up on each arm. The mix of shoulder pads will also make life interesting. I need to ensue that they alway match up and look good as pair, with the mix and match design this will need to constantly checked.

I’ll post pics tomorrow once all the assembly is completed with some detailed pics of the green work ( if it’s any good anyway!)

So i started well with good intentions yesterday to crack on with the battle company. However when I threw together a list For 1500 Pts of ultramarines, I soon discovered that my current captain left me with out options. I soon started to plan a new captain. I wanted to make some thing that I can change and be flexible. The answer of course is magnets. After the mother of all bits box raids I now have enough bits to arm a captain with lots of options

I can arm him with the following

Right arm.
Bolter
Storm bolter
Storm shield
Plasma pistol
Bolt pistol
Lightning claw

Left arm
Power fist
Power weapon
Lightning claw

Either normal back pack or jump pack

So that the plan. Not to mag it all up and see what happens.

With all the excitement of the Contemptor, It’s going to be hard to re focus on normal Stuff, but to paint up the Battle Company I need to get on with it. 

Next on the List is the 5th Tactical squad. They are assembled and the first 5 have been started (a few weeks ago) the Sgt, armed with a Power weapon is well on the way as is the Flamer armed Squad man. My plan is to get these 5 done by Monday and then onto the 2nd half of the Squad. once this unit is complete, it will be time to add 5 more scouts (close combat armed troops with a Missile launcher) this will bring the 10th Company up to 20. 

For May I aim to add 1 more Rhino and a Battleforce boxset. if I do this then I will only need 10 more marines and 3 Rhinos to finish the Battle Company!

Completed total so far.

Capitan (In term Armour)

Command Squad in Razorback

4 tactical Squads, 3 in Rhinos

1 full Assault Squad

1 full Deavastator Squad

2 Dreadnoughts. (OK, so 1 is a Contemptor!)

Remaining

2 Tactical (1 half done)

1 full Assault Squad

1 full Deavastator Squad

5 Rhino

That it then! I have been at this for 2 years on and off and the Ork horde, grey knights and some Space wolves have slowed me down, as has a full Honour Guard, 10 vets, several characters and the odd Land speeder, but I might just get to finish up the Battle company this side of September!*

*please note this is wildly optimistic and not a legally binding promise!