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Hi, I'm a semi-long time lurker around this and other miniature forums, decided to join up to gain access to the wealth of modeling knowledge and advice that you fine people seem to be able to offer.

My friends and I recently started an Only War campaign and I decided that I must make unique miniatures to represent us and our enemies.
Right now we're using some AT-43 U.N.A. guys as stand ins, but I'd like to make the minis myself - just for the satisfaction alone.
We're drop-troops, we have photo-visors, rebreathers, enviro-suit thingies (I can't remember the exact term, but I think it's what Van Saars wear), chamoline cloaks, and use lascarbines. Our special/heavy weapons are Meltaguns and Heavy Stubbers and we have a Tauros Assault Vehicle. We're a mixed sex unit.

So here's my idea:
Legs from MaxMini ( http://tinyurl.com/MaxMinilegs ) and Kromlech ( http://tinyurl.com/Kromlechlegs ) - considering using Blight Wheel ( http://tinyurl.com/BlightWheellegs ) as well. My hope is that this will allow for an intersting variety of appearances and posing, and that it will look unified once the paint's applied.
Torsos from Blight Wheel ( http://tinyurl.com/BlightWheeltorsos ) or alternatively just modified Cadian torsos. Depending on how thick and form fitting the armour looks I may have to green stuff the chest a bit for the female troopers.
Arms from Defiance Games UAMC Marines (I have a tonne just lying around) and perhaps ForgeWorld Elysians as well.
Grav Chutes, general assorted pouches and equipment, and the melta (I also have the one from the Cadian Command Squad already and may just use that) from ForgeWorld Elysians.
Lascarbines from MaxMini ( http://tinyurl.com/MaxMinirifle ) modified with a lasgun charge pack and muzzle brake.
For the stubber, I was thinking of modifying the one from the tank accessory sprue, though this solution is a little stop gap; if someone has a better idea, I'd love to use that instead.
Rebreathers from the Cadian Command Squad box.
Female heads from Statuesque Miniatures ( http://tinyurl.com/Statuesqueheads ). I know that they're not heroic scale, but I'm hoping they'll look alright. I already ordered some from Statuesque along with some Resistance Fighters, so I guess I'll know when they arrive.
Male and female unhelmeted heads from a variety of companies - really spoiled for choice on this one.
Cloaks and various bits of armour and etc. will have to be greenstuffed.

For the female characters I'll likely have to make some modifications (file down the shoulders a bit and such) and go with the slimmer bits, but I can't see this posing too big an issue.
I'm trying for something like the attached file.

So, as to why I posted all this:

I need suggestions and advice.

I have not ordered from all of these companies before; while it is not too difficult to find general scale comparisons of bits from each of them to, say, plastic Cadians, I haven't managed to find a good comparison of how they'll look when used together on one mini. I find it's often hard to tell how well bits work together until one tries to actually assemble them - so any pics or opinions on using these manufacturers conversion parts would be most helpful. Could save me quite a bit of time and trouble.

Also, I need male helmeted heads - if the heads from Statuesque work out, I'm going to need male heads with similar helmets. To me the helmets look quite similar to Soviet or US helmets in WWII. I'm guessing my best bet would be Westwind, but all the shots I can find online show only the German heads on Cadians. Since scale and sculpting quality can vary quite a bit between lines from the same manufacturer, I'd love to hear from anyone who might have used these bits on heroic scale models, and how that worked out.
Alternatively, there are a number of plastic US WWII infantry kits now on the market (Warlord and Wargames Factory), but the pictures I have seen made them look incompatible scale-wise with heroic scale minis, though I'd love to be proven wrong on this.

And generally helpful advice and suggestions would be quite helpful. This is a rather ambitious project for me and, though I've done conversions and mixed manufacturers before, never quite to this extent, I'd love to hear from more experienced modellers about how realistic/terrible my idea is.

Cheers, thanks for your time.

PS: I tried to conform to the forum rules, but it is entirely possible I screwed up - I'm a little new to actually posting on forums instead of just stealing ideas from them - so pointers on that topic would be welcome as well.

Well i never done something similar and i also can't give you hints and tips what bits work with what but i can maybe add a few ideas to the idea pool.

Have you looked at http://victoriaminiatures.highwire.com/?
They have a bunch of bitz that are designed to go on IG models so scale should be no problem as far as i've heard.

Also http://www.madrobotminiatures.com/zencart/ have a few heads and maybe some helmeted ones that fit with the statuesque ones.

Then there is http://www.pig-iron-productions.com/ They have a bunch of stuff that would go well with IG and i think they are more or less heroic scale. But i'm not 100% sure on that.

Also www.anvilindustry.co.uk/ or http://www.ragingheroes.com/ are some companies to look out for. Anvil industry seems to be in the process of adding more and more converstion bitz aimed for IG models (called regiments on their side) and raging heroes has a kickstarter running to create models for an entire female IG army. There might be some models in it that would work as a base for the female side of your models. (athough they tend to go for the "less cloth is more" kinda look that might collide with drop troopers... who knows.)

Thanks for the reply

I'm familiar with those sites and love Ms. Lamb's offerings particularly (there will definitely be an early 20th century Commonwealth themed army in my future - I sketched more than a few designs of just such a thing over the years).

Just looked over that Kickstarter, and it is a good suggestion - I especially like the Kurganova Heavy Troops. And even a few of the less pin-up posed Jailbirds look salvageable with a little GS work.

You've given me some food for thought.
Cheers and thanks again.

Ok, first off, welcome. Next, I can personally vouch for the Westwind Productions heads, I use them for my primary army. They are closer to true 28mm scale than the heroic scale used by GW but they do not look out of place.

Please keep us posted on the Statuesque heads, I would certainly like to see them. And of course we would love to see the converted models as well.

Also, you may like to check out Mantic, specifically the Corporation faction.
http://www.manticgames.com/Shop-Home/Warpath/Corporation.html

I've had good experiences with the Mantic corporation marines personally. However, I used them primarily for their bodies (lol) and used Elysian arms and heads.

I did use the large rifles as snipers, however.

I've let this sit for so long that this almost counts as thread necromancy on my own thread!
In my difference, I've been moving house and up 'till now internet connection has been spotty at best.

In regards to the Mantic Corporation:
I have a few metric tonnes of these guys and love 'em (less hot on the HW teams, but like 'em overall).
However, excepting a couple of the really small heads (or should I say, somewhat realistically scaled heads) from the command sprues, GW heroic bits look downright goofy on Mantic soldiers and the opposite is also true for similar reasons.
If Elysians work with Corporation that means they're even smaller/more true scaled than I thought they were... which may pose a problem as I'm pretty sure the rest of the bits i was looking at are scaled at gawd-awful Cadian heroic scale.

As to Raging Heroes, scaling there seems to have taken a turn for the heroic, though they promised to reconsider after some feedback, so we'll see how that develops.

Anyways, should know soon enough. Placed a small sample order from FW to get a look at 'em in person. I'll update with pics when I get them.
... on that note, I'm beginning to wonder where those Resistance Fighters are? I'm hoping not lost in the post, that was a rather pricy order.

Cheers, and belated thanks for the comments.

So it turns out I'm a daft fool. No surprise to me, but might come as a shock to the rest of you.
My order to Statuesque seems not to have gone through altogether. Usually I'm pretty conscientious about double checking this thing, but it's been a busy few weeks.
On the plus side, the Elysians arrived. And I've got to admit, I'm impressed. The crispness of the details is jaw-dropping. Forgeworld is really something else.
I'm going to let this thread rest for a bit until I have some actual pictures to upload. It might be some time, but they will come! ...just need to wait for that pay-cheque now...

Cheers!

I have several squads of heavily-armored Elysian veterans made from mostly GW parts. The heads are Pig Iron Heavy Infantry visored heads, and the grav-chutes are Hasslefree. Legs are GW catachan legs, and torso/arms are GW cadians. I went to a lot of effort for this specific look though, as these guys are modeled as Grenadiers, with carapace armor.



Alternatively, you could just use straight Forgeworld Elysians. They look pretty sick, although a bit pricey for Only War minis. I only have one squad of these guys, but they are fantastic.

I'll defniately be revising my plans to use as many Elysian bits as possible. I love these minis - but I still plan to use plenty of third party bits. I want to underline the idea that these are an original regiment, I like to try and vary things up a bit, as the potential for variety in the guard is nearly endless.
Also been considering using one of these ( http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/arx/arx05301.htm ) in the place of a Tauros Assault Vehicle.
I'll likely place an order soon and grab a selection of bits from most of those companies and try mixing and matching to see how it turns out.
Also, very impressed by Victoria's female guard WIPs. Can't wait for those to be released.
Also been looking over some of the Anvil stuff and a few of the bits and bobs they've put out could be quite useful, so we'll see how those work aswell.

Cheers.

I was considering doing drop troops using SM backpacks.

They look very cool though!

I've considered that as well. Especially with CSM backpacks, with the air intake/outake ball things extended out from the pack on little struts, with a little conversion, they'd make excellent grav-chutes.
But I decided to be lazy and just bought the Forgeworld ones.

No pics just yet, but the Statuesque stuff arrived today.
First comment, these are beautiful minis, may well put Infinity to shame. Second comment, there is no way these will work with bits designed to fit either the regular GW guard or the Forgeworld guard. They will look like someone stuck a child's head on an adult's body. They do fit in nicely with Infinity though.
I'll probably post some pics on Wednesday,
Cheers