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Very very late three days ago and while watching 'The Empire Strikes Back' I began to formulate a slightly inane, 'what if' concept in that could I make a spin-off unit/small company of Imperial Guard based off the rebel forces of Echo Base (most likely station 5-7, or 3-T-8) So I began to brainstorm, sketch and research on how I could pull this off. So I came up with Tantaun riders, snowspeeders (scratch built), plenty of rebel infantry, the turrets from the films... and so on in to the future of impossibility (which included the like of Luke Skywalker in pilots overalls etc). The problem is my modelling standards arent fantasic, and I have never in my life used Greenstuff before. Nevertheless I decided I would at least attempt the concept, even if the guardsmen wouldnt quite look identical to their film counterparts and to at least try to bring a dream into reality (and to stick my head on the Dakka forum chopping-block). If I fail then its just more lessons learned.

My main references have been the various Star Wars books I have built up over the years, and pictures like this one:



The guard are based on Cadians, undergoing a slight change for their boots, extra armour and instead of imperial aquilas the Rebel Ranks as seen in the movies. So after four hours my test model has begun to come together (minus arms and head). I have tried to do the cross-thatched pads like so many of the troopers exhibit in the films, aswell as loosely shoring up the boots against the winter cold. Appologies for picture quality.




Side views, showing some carapace armour..


Front on view, belt still needs tidying up...

Please note this is very VERY WIP, and this is also my first attempt at using Greenstuff. Ultimately I will be improving on my original GS skills as I progress along. Comments on how to improve, what else would actually be in the army, how on earth I could go about things like the gun turrets and so on is all very much appreciated. Finally, thanks for reading and sorry about big chunks of text/me rambling.

Osh

This is a cool Idea, and I like the boots and the neck collar, you've done. If you did go for this it would be really fun to play. Definitely try and get at least a squad. Then do Sentinel AT-ST walkers. This could be really cool.

NICE!!! I was toying around with the snow idea as well, but being that I am still very much a noob, I decided to keep my orks in the desert.

Can't wait to see more pics!

CrazyMez wrote:This is a cool Idea, and I like the boots and the neck collar, you've done. If you did go for this it would be really fun to play. Definitely try and get at least a squad. Then do Sentinel AT-ST walkers. This could be really cool.

But AT-STs are Imperial...

Flinty wrote:

CrazyMez wrote:This is a cool Idea, and I like the boots and the neck collar, you've done. If you did go for this it would be really fun to play. Definitely try and get at least a squad. Then do Sentinel AT-ST walkers. This could be really cool.

But AT-STs are Imperial...

Thats what I was going to say...

If I have to go with Rebel Vehicles I expect I'm going to be stuck with the various hover vehicles from Force Commander.

AT-ST's are Imperial.. SO GIVE THE REBELS SOMETHING TO SHOOT AT!

Btw, I love (and would love to paint) the sculpted "rank" buttons from the movie. I might just take this green stuff idea and slap it on an officer to give him a "Grand Moff" look.

ImperialTard wrote:AT-ST's are Imperial.. SO GIVE THE REBELS SOMETHING TO SHOOT AT!

Btw, I love (and would love to paint) the sculpted "rank" buttons from the movie. I might just take this green stuff idea and slap it on an officer to give him a "Grand Moff" look.

Is it just me, or does 'Grand Moff' just sound... Well... Dirty?

And you gotta do up some Ogryns to look like Wompas or whatever the Yeti was called

It's just you. But now for the rest of my life I will try and figure out what dirty thing you were getting at.

Seconding the Wompa idea. And adding further "cold one" tauntauns.

metallifan wrote:Is it just me, or does 'Grand Moff' just sound... Well... Dirty?

And you gotta do up some Ogryns to look like Wompas or whatever the Yeti was called

Yes, metallifan, you are correct:
Wampas are a horned, clawed, white-furred, carnivorous species native to the frozen world of Hoth. They are a semi-sentient race of predators standing over 2 m (6.6 ft) in height, subsisting in the cold climate by hunting tauntauns.

As for the Grand Moff idea... hurr. I know what I will name mah war boss

Oshunai wrote:If I have to go with Rebel Vehicles I expect I'm going to be stuck with the various hover vehicles from Force Commander.

Convert a snowspeeder from an eldar falcon tank, stick a couple brightlances on the front and job's a good one

This has the potential to be a REALLY cool idea. So dont get my hopes up. DO IT DAMMIT!

tblock1984 wrote:

metallifan wrote:Is it just me, or does 'Grand Moff' just sound... Well... Dirty?

And you gotta do up some Ogryns to look like Wompas or whatever the Yeti was called

Yes, metallifan, you are correct:
Wampas are a horned, clawed, white-furred, carnivorous species native to the frozen world of Hoth. They are a semi-sentient race of predators standing over 2 m (6.6 ft) in height, subsisting in the cold climate by hunting tauntauns.

As for the Grand Moff idea... hurr. I know what I will name mah war boss

LET ME IN ON IT WHAT IS THE JOKE

ImperialTard wrote:Btw, I love (and would love to paint) the sculpted "rank" buttons from the movie. I might just take this green stuff idea and slap it on an officer to give him a "Grand Moff" look.

Thanks! All the rebels in the films have the rank insignia too (because I know a fair few of them were renegades from the Galactic Empire), either on their chest on arm. And then the generals all have their rank on their left side of their chest, which consists of 3 or 4 red circles in a square. Its definitely a nice idea I'm going to be keeping on those I manage to make.

metallifan wrote:Is it just me, or does 'Grand Moff' just sound... Well... Dirty?

And you gotta do up some Ogryns to look like Wompas or whatever the Yeti was called

You have a strange sense of humour... Wampas have now been added to my checklist though. A pack of five... with lots of fur. I'll try to think of converson ideas later.

Marushi wrote:

Oshunai wrote:If I have to go with Rebel Vehicles I expect I'm going to be stuck with the various hover vehicles from Force Commander.

Convert a snowspeeder from an eldar falcon tank, stick a couple brightlances on the front and job's a good one

I plan to scratch build my snowspeeders, as I already have their dimensions in 14mm scale, and so plan to double them and make a blueprint and then go from there.

KingCracker wrote:This has the potential to be a REALLY cool idea. So dont get my hopes up. DO IT DAMMIT!

Thanks. Motivation is what keeps me going.

Thanks to all for the kind and helpful words.

Excellent idea. I've always loved the Rebel SpecForce troopers. Only bloody decent thing about the alliance -EMPIRE ALL THE WAY!

Someone said about making snowspeeders. I think that's a great idea. Mix kits from SM Landspeeders and the Airfix Rebel Snowspeeder. Also, try your local library for inspiration. They usually hold lots of Star Wars graphic novels and will include lots of rebel gear.

If you can, grab one called "Entrenched" which focuses on a SpecForce trooper stationed in EchoBase and has some brilliant pictures. Like this:

infilTRAITOR wrote:Excellent idea. I've always loved the Rebel SpecForce troopers. Only bloody decent thing about the alliance -EMPIRE ALL THE WAY!

Someone said about making snowspeeders. I think that's a great idea. Mix kits from SM Landspeeders and the Airfix Rebel Snowspeeder. Also, try your local library for inspiration. They usually hold lots of Star Wars graphic novels and will include lots of rebel gear.

If you can, grab one called "Entrenched" which focuses on a SpecForce trooper stationed in EchoBase and has some brilliant pictures. Like this:

No Rebels are way better! (It also can explain why no two of my men will ever be wearing the same clothes...

Snowspeeders/landspeeders being researched, as are Tauntauns, which I have already decided will be based off cold ones, except with fur instead of scales (extensive greenstuffing).

I had already read Entrenched. Its useful for the pictures, even if its a shame he dies at the end.

Update! I have finished my first test mini, bar tidying up his overall look. Pictures below...









Now I have begun to work on my second model, a rebel vanguard with rocket launcher. Colour suggestions and other comments for the test mini are appreciated. Thanks once again.

Osh

It looks nice, but I do not envy you with the amount of green stuffing you will have to do.

Looks great so far! Hope you make the Hoth general guy, Dash Rendar, and other named characters too because they'd fit right in.

Oshunai wrote:

Flinty wrote:

CrazyMez wrote:This is a cool Idea, and I like the boots and the neck collar, you've done. If you did go for this it would be really fun to play. Definitely try and get at least a squad. Then do Sentinel AT-ST walkers. This could be really cool.

But AT-STs are Imperial...

Thats what I was going to say...

If I have to go with Rebel Vehicles I expect I'm going to be stuck with the various hover vehicles from Force Commander.

Ah yes good point they are imperial. But they would work well.

I was thinking how could you get Darth vader involved in a rival army, I guess he'd have to be a Chaos Sorcerer.

But would chaos marines work as stormtroopers?

And back on topic that finished model is amazing, it looks just right, its properly proportioned too so it doesn't look like a caricature.

Good work.

That is some SWEET texture.

guardpiper wrote:It looks nice, but I do not envy you with the amount of green stuffing you will have to do.

I don't envy me either, but once I get into doing it, I really enjoy it.

Cane wrote:Looks great so far! Hope you make the Hoth general guy, Dash Rendar, and other named characters too because they'd fit right in.

Dash Rendar, General Rieekan and Bren Derlin are all on my impossible to do list, in the future.

CrazyMez wrote:

Ah yes good point they are imperial. But they would work well.

I was thinking how could you get Darth vader involved in a rival army, I guess he'd have to be a Chaos Sorcerer.

But would chaos marines work as stormtroopers?

And back on topic that finished model is amazing, it looks just right, its properly proportioned too so it doesn't look like a caricature.

Good work.

There is no way I'm going to try and start another far fetched scheme, and I have seen Darth Vader done in warhammer form at least 3 or 4 times now. So no AT-STs and such. Rebels only!

Thanks for the words on the model.

ImperialTard wrote:That is some SWEET texture.

Thank you sir. It turned out quite easy to achieve.

Now to finish my Vanguard model...

Update. My Rebel Vanguard, nicknamed 'Kenny' is now finished, again bar the tidying up stage! Painting my test mini, aswell as another infatryman begins tomorrow/Monday. Pictures (apologies for poor quality) below.





Comments, advice etc are once again very much appreciated!

Osh

Nice. Probably some of the best Star Wars themed conversions I've ever seen.

Shattered Soul wrote:Nice. Probably some of the best Star Wars themed conversions I've ever seen.

Thank you sir!

Right. Update time!

My nooby war against greenstuff continues, and I now have 'finished' five infantrymen! So without further ado, pictures!

Crouching trooper, needs tidying up (like all other models so far)


'This is Echo station 3-7. We have spotted Imperial Walkers' was the impression I wanted from this Corporal


The Youngblood of the squad, awaiting further greenstuffing and tidying.


And lastly, a blurry group photo!


Still, I'm happy with the progress I've made so far. It seems my idea isnt failing as I expected it to. I might even be able to make an army out of this... We shall see.

And for my next trick I intend to get started on the prototype one of these DF.9 Anti-infantry turrets (counts as autocannon):



Thanks again for reading! Please do leave comments as appropriate!

On a side note, 200th post on this forum!

You should go work for GW and direct the modeling of a whole line of these. The Rebel scum look excellent.

Kenny looks especially great - nice work on the parka hood. Slap some paint on 'em!

ImperialTard wrote:You should go work for GW and direct the modeling of a whole line of these. The Rebel scum look excellent.

Rebel Scum? Never! They are freedom fighters (that and I want to be different from all the filthy empire lovers). For the record I would never work for GW. It'd probably make an even worse hash of running the company than they do. Still, the models I am working on are 'mine' and different from most other things I have seen.

Necroagogo wrote:Kenny looks especially great - nice work on the parka hood. Slap some paint on 'em!

Thank you sir! I'm happy with Kenny. In regards to paint, you took the words right out of my mouth. I intend to get started on them tomorrow after finishing my prototype model of a DF.9 gun turret.

nice

Captain Shrike wrote:nice

Short and sweet answer. Thank you.

Update

I have mostly finished my test mini's paint job, minus his base and general tidying. The trousers look far darker in the picture than they are in person.A picture speaks a thousand words, and so:

Front:


And the back:


Thanks for looking.

"....I have the feeling I can take it on with the whole imperium today."


These conversion let me feel 10 again.

It's 40k mixed with Star Wars. whats not to love! You know I gotta watch this one!

this is such an awesome idea
Props