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I don't know about you guys but I hate the sternguard set they sell. A few of the models I like but two I don't, and I prefer plastic models anyway because of the customization available. Now, my question is, if I bought a Tactical Squad, how would I convert these marines into Sternguard that won't raise eyebrows?

I was thinking I could recreate the drum magazines from the actual sprue itself. Take plastic bolters, cut off their magazines, and glue on blocks of the cut sprue rail onto the side of the bolter's feed. I still have a combi-melta from the Commander kit, and I can convert another from the tactical kit's meltagun. I have read the thread on converting combi's, and will probably start adding more meltas after a trip to the hobby store and picking up the materials. I also have several shoulder pads from the commander kit, as well as the adeptus mechanicus shoulders from my vehicle kits, and a few other non standard pads.

So, if I take the tacticals, add some of these fancier shoulder pads to them, add on a little extra detail with some purity seals and other things, could they pass as acceptable Sternguard for tournaments and such?

Of course you can. What I have done for some of my sternguard is, like you were planning to, kitbash the tactical box and commander box.

The tactical box does also have a few of the bumpy shoulderpads wich can be used.

GW do a bits pack of meltaguns which could be converted as well if you want a melta - heavy squad or two.

I used Robed Marines my Vanguard with Bolt Pistols and chunky chainswords my Sternguard same thing with beefed up bolters.

As long as they are GW mini's they will pass the bill at tournies just tell your opponent they are sternguard cant go wrong though 12 pounds for 5 robed marines and loads of sprue items.

Give it a go..

I used Dark Angel veteran bits, Black Templar bits, Empire Flagellant bits, some odds and ends, and cut off several bolter magazines with a little Green Stuff pouch to represent Special Issue Ammunition.

You could also check a bitz site and buy shoulder pads with bumps a tact squad and clip of the bolters and replace them for drums from storm bolters and rhino stormbolters
good luck il sure be following this one

I converted some Tactical Marines into Sternguard using the decorative bits I had left over from the 4th ed Battle Force. You should be able to easily get decorative bits with nearly any box of them still.

I was thinking to use dark angels veteran as sternguard. robes set them apart from tactical marines.

Other than bits, a good paint job can really help set them apart. Highlight lots of details in gold, and doodle lines that look like creeds and litanies on the armor. Kneepads and shoulder pads are good for this. And go heavy on purity seals.

maxdamek wrote:I was thinking to use dark angels veteran as sternguard. robes set them apart from tactical marines.

Thats what I did.



More here: http://www.pbase.com/crusader40k/sternguard

My 12 sternguard are all plastics.
Made from tactical quad parts.

Since I have a "clone wars" theme for my SM, my Sternguard are my ARC troopers. Distinguishable from the tacs by the armoured 'skirt' (kama) that protects their rears from blasts/frag) and a red colour (Foundation red) marks their helmets and pauldrons apart from the tac squads (who have the blue of the 501st).

maxdamek wrote:I was thinking to use dark angels veteran as sternguard. robes set them apart from tactical marines.

+1. The best way to regonize them from mass.

Take your time to convert and pose them in a proper epic style.

I made two sternguard for my bro, I posed them on junk so they're taller on their bases.

And for the bolters, rhino stormbolters are the best way. Just cut off the box magazine, and carefully file it down. Place it carefully on the bolter, compare a pic of the metal sternguard ones to get it right.

You can get two stenguard bolters from one rhino stormbolter. And if the gun is posed against the body you don't need to greenstuff the back of the cartridge!

So are you making any of these models?

I'd take Marines with robes (DA Veterans).

I'm working on them right now. Sadly I don't have spare storm bolters to take magazines from (I'd use them if I did, but the onces I have are already set up with my rhinos. Using the sprue has actually worked out well. The Guns clearly have drum magazines now, even though they don't look exactly like those on the sternguard models produced by GW.

I'm basically going heavy with non-standard shoulder pads. I found that you can take the ammo pouches that come with tactical squads, and glue them onto the shoulders so that it looks like they've got extra ammo handing there, and am I'm adding purity seals and other little decorations I forwent on my tacticals. I'll likely make use of Commander Endova's advice of adding in some fake writing on their armor once their painted as well.

I'm also being more dynamic in their poses. On is going to be carrying a apex scanner, and another will look like he's about to chuck a grenade. The various bits and pieces from the commander kit are being really useful, and I stuck the eagle backpack on the the Sergeant. So far I'm pretty pleased. They look like their a step up from the rest of my army on detail, but a step below my HQ units.

I'll see if I can get a pick up when their done. Sadly my camera hates producing non blurry images, so it might take me a few tries XD.

Thinking about it, special helms are a really good way to go about it too.

Black Templar Studded Helms.

Bezerker Helms. Cut and file off the "horns."

I just added loads of purity seals onto mine.

As a Black Templar player, I am partial to the Sword Brethren. I think the robes from the Black Templar Upgrade set, along with the chained bolters, would make excellent sternguard bits.

Some of my Sword Brethren. Sorry for the lousy pictures. These are old.

Commander Endova wrote:Bezerker Helms. Cut and file off the "horns."

I prefer to think of them as "Bunny Ears".

Regarding Sternguard, make sure their bolters all have scopes!

The Deathwatch bolters also work well. Have linked in scopes and everything!

The simplest way is to give the bolters and combi bolters a box mag. The best place to get them is from Storm bolter spares, I would also recomend giving the some alternate options like shoulderpad or helmet type.

kronk wrote:As a Black Templar player, I am partial to the Sword Brethren. I think the robes from the Black Templar Upgrade set, along with the chained bolters, would make excellent sternguard bits.

Some of my Sword Brethren. Sorry for the lousy pictures. These are old.

Those are really cool model.

BUT didn't you ONCE while taking, transfering and maybe cropping pictures think; "Maybe a black pattern behind my black models might be a silly idea"?

I found spare Mark VI Tacticals make reasonable Sternguard with the addition of just spare parts like Purity Seals and such (including an older pattern Bolter !). Using all Mark VI, with studded left pad, gave a uniform feel to the unit whilst suggesting they were older, more experienced marines than the normal rank & file.

Steelmage99 wrote:

BUT didn't you ONCE while taking, transfering and maybe cropping pictures think; "Maybe a black pattern behind my black models might be a silly idea"?

Si, which is why I now have a photobooth.

Steelmage99 wrote:

maxdamek wrote:I was thinking to use dark angels veteran as sternguard. robes set them apart from tactical marines.

Thats what I did.



More here: http://www.pbase.com/crusader40k/sternguard

COOL!!!

I'm thinking of picking up the Company Command squad box for more bits and pieces. I do want to make my own Librarian as I don't like any of the Librarian models they sell (I don't like metal models in general really. The assembly part of 40k army building is my favorite). The Company champion looks like I could convert him into a fine Librarian, and I'm sure there are other bits in there I can use.

The Marauder skull shoulder pad and some horns makes a great Librarian pad.

Commander Endova wrote:Other than bits, a good paint job can really help set them apart. Highlight lots of details in gold, and doodle lines that look like creeds and litanies on the armor. Kneepads and shoulder pads are good for this. And go heavy on purity seals.

This. My vets all have a gray stripe on their central helmet and on their collar/gorget piece. Makes 'em super easy to ID as vets from a couple of feet away.

I did this for my Crimson Fists. I used bits from the tactical and commander squad sets. I also made them stad out a bit by using the old crimson fists metal packs and pads. I wasn't sure how to convert a drum mag so i used some left over Deathwatch bolters instead.

Are there any tutorials around for converting a Librarian? I'll be damned if I ever get this forums search engine to work. Half the time I get some kind of HTML error -.-

Also. What kits have lots of bits in them? Loincloths, fancy shoulder pads, etc. I see some interesting pieces in the Command Squad kits, as well as the DA and BT conversion sets but am curious what else I might be able to find. Are there any kits that contain deathwatch shoulder pads? There was one in the commander kit, and it would be great if I could find more. EDIT: I'd love them for my Librarian, as I'm thinking of him not actually being a member of my army, but of the Deathwatch. It would certainly add a little color.

PS: I'm rather enjoying the Sternguard conversion. The Commander Kit left me with a spare set of legs, so I made a second sergeant with a lightning claw, and the cape back. The first sarge has the commanders back pack and the crux terminatus shoulder pad. I'll try and get some pics up but I can't find the cord for connecting our camera to the computer. I know its around here somewhere.

You can get a Deathwatch conversion pack from the GW site. It has a load of heads, special bolters and shoulder pads (enough for ten men). but they are all metal.

Try a site like bitz and kitz, you might be able to order the specific pads you're after.