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So many figures .... need a blog to post work in progress and keep myself motivated.

Objective: Paint pre-Heresy Death Guard so that they can be flexibly fielded as 30K, Codex CSM (Chaos Space Marines), or C: SM (Loyalist Death Guard most likely with Iron Hands Chapter Tactics).

Trying to get many of the figures magnetized (all the heavy support marines) as well as the terminator arms to create flexibility, reduce costs, and it actually makes painting easier.

Current inventory of figures

Mortarion (completed)
Typhon (still resting in box)
30 Mk IV Tactical Marines (will probably magnetize 10)
20 Mk IV Heavy Support Marines (plans to magnetize all 20)
5 Recon Marines (completed)
7 Jet Bikes (completed)
2 Praetors
10 Mk IV Assault Marines (completed)
5 Death Shroud Terminators (completed)
5 Cataphracti Terminators (completed)
10 Breacher Marines (completed)
2 Apothocaries (1 completed)
5 Grave Wardens
2 standard Land Raiders with pre-Heresy Space Marine crew (in assembly)
1 Sicaran Battle Tank
1 Medusa/Basilisk artillery platform

Color Palatte and process

Rustoleum Camo Green primer layer

Reaper Polished Bone over Citadel Rotting Flesh for the armor; white edge highlights

VMC American Dark Green and VMC Reflective Green for the secondary armor color

VMC Brassy Brass for armor edging

VMC Gunmetal Grey for weapons, hoses, etc

VMC Dark Grey for joints

VMC Chocolate Brown for pouches, etc

Nuln Oil was on all green, grey, and brown parts

Argax Earthshade was on all brass parts

Gloss sealer

MiG Brown Wash over rivets, lines, etc

Matte sealer

Charondon Granite with VMC Off White for chips,

Works in progress
Cataphracti terminator


First step in magnetizing support/heavy support marines


Mk IV Assault Marines

Nice, I love pre-heresy Death Guard so I'll be watching this with interest.

Thanks. They are my favorite as well. Mine tend to be more whitish than most I see on Dakka, and end up being a light grey green.

More pics

Closer shot of the Assault Marines


Death Shroud Terminator (test figure). Still needs a little garnishing on the base.


Jet Bike on a bike base for use in 40K. Basecoating stage. Rider is being test fit.

I'm really digging this. Keep the good work coming!

Looking good mate. Love me some Death Guard. Love them even more, pre-heresy. Keep up the good work!

Thanks. I'm deep in assembly stage (assembly and magnetizing) right now and hopefully I'll be able to post a pic of my staging board soon.

Not a super sexy update, but important none the less. I've done a bit of magnetizing and have one set of figures ready for priming.

Heavy flamers, heavy bolters, Melta guns, plasma guns, and flamers all share the same arm set as the basic bolter marines. I've magnetized my arms and weapons to be able to swap them out.


The missile launcher, heavy melta, las cannon, and plasma cannon all share a different arm set. There are partially magnetized. I need to add small magnets to the left hand and grip and these will be ready for priming.


Lastly, as the bases are all magnetized for storage in a Tablewars case, I bought a magnetic white board from Target and am using this to organize my project.


Next, off to the priming stand for some tactical, tactical support, and recon marines.

DG are looking good. I've never realised how long the jetbikes are. They look almost half as long again as a regular marine bike.

Those heresy-era heavy bolters/flamers are sexy as. The magnetic white board is a really nifty idea.

Looking good so far. I'll be following this blog with interest!

Looking good, I like the copper color you're using!

The copper color is Vallejo Brassy Brass washed with GW Argax Earthshade.

Actual paint on figures!!!!!!

Primed Krylon Camouflage Olive and ready for a basecoat of Reaper Polished Bone. The bases are all magnetized, so they are just stuck onto a steel ruler that has been covered with some blue painters tape.



Broke out the airbrush for the very first time. I think it's already paid itself back. I'm finding that 20 psi with 2 drops of Liquitex Airbrush Medium to 10 drops of paint seems to work pretty well.


The makeshift spraybooth. The arms are magnetized as well, so I'm basecoating a shedload of arms. I think there are 37 marines in the back.


Lastly, a bit on keeping magnetic polarities straight. I made myself a very simple tool, which is essentially a stack of 1/8" magnets taped together. A longer magnet sits are one end. As the picture shows, I can use this to check polarity and then I know that any magnet at the end of the long pole magnet, will always be oriented right for the body magnets. For the arms, move the long pole magnet to the back of the yellow handle, check polarities, and then any magnet at the pole should be automatically correctly oriented for the shoulders.

Cool theres something very art deco about the jet bike isn't there.

Been working on my recon marines with the first figure in a fairly advanced state, The bolt gun is modified slightly by snipping off the barrel and replacing it with a length of brass tubing. The resulting gun is a bit shorter, but the thicker all the way through. I wanted a barrel that was more like an MP5SD6 where the silencer runs the entire length of the barrel.

The camo pattern basically uses the same color palette as mid WW II German armor, but with splotches instead of lines. The base is Vallejo Middlestone, washed with Argax Earthshade. The splotches are Vallejo Reflective Green and Vallejo Chocolate Brown. Middlestone is used again to stipple inside of each splotch.

Recon Marine (WIP1)


Recon Marine (WIP2) - Close up of camo pattern

Loving this! Pre-heresy Death Guard are fantastic.

Beautiful pattern on the cloak too.

Will be keeping an eye out for your progress!

More progress. Generally happy with my test figures ... time to move into full production mode.

Trying to get the full squad of Recon Marines completed this month. Got the basic colors blocked out and will gloss varnish for pin washes next, followed by basing and weathering.


Also trying to get my first jet bike completed. Basic colors blocked out. Need more work on the green areas and many more details. Still trying to figure out the best sequence for painting these things.

I'm not a huge fan of those recon marines. There is something about the sculpts that just puts me off them. (Not that thats your fault Ifurtia )

But I do agree with Liquidbass, the patterning on the cloaks is fan-smegging-tastic. Must take a steady hand to achieve.

The camo pattern really isn't that hard. #2 flat brush is used to stipple irregular blotches of the Reflective Green and Chocolate Brown. A fine detail brush is then used to make 3 dots of Middlestone in the middle of each.

I was thinking about doing a squad of guard like this too ... grey pants, camo smocks.

That could look really good on some guardsmen. I'd like to see that.

I think I'm calling the Recon Marines done. May have a few touch ups here and there, but it's time to move on.



The jet bike is probably won't get too much more work .. time to work on the riders, other bikes, and the 50 other Death Guard figures I have in the painting queue. Need to set up my light box too, for better pictures.





Nose weapons are magnetized to swap out between the plasma cannon, heavy bolter (stock), or volkite culverin.

Riders arms are magnetized at the shoulders so that when I want to swap out the sergeant's weapons at a later date, I can.

Bases are Secret Weapon rubble bases.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Next step is to finish the first rider, the remaining 6 bikes, and my Cataphractii terminators.

I figure that after the scouts, the vanilla marines should be pretty easy to crank out.

Beautiful army so far. Lots of great work.

I like the idea of magnets under the bases and sticking them to a white board. I should do that for my BT army!

Thanks. I got the bases magnetized in anticipation of picking up a Tablewars case. The white board was a flash of inspiration while walking around Target. So far, it's been great for organizing the project, taking notes, etc.

Progress!!! Finished Death Guard Cataphractii squad with special weapons and first completed jet bike. Arms on the Cataphractii, heavy weapons on the bikes, and biker arms are magnetized to allow for flexibility.

5-man squad of Cataphractii terminators


Sergeant and one of the lightning terminators


Jet Bike with rider


Side profile

The Cataphractii terminators are great looking. The blue on the claws is really well executed.
Jet bike is also pretty swish. The chipping and scrapes down the side are well done.

Thanks. The look I was going for was as if just the tips and cutting edges were energized and not the entire claw. Next up is a combination of my Death Shroud, the remaining jet bikes, and a Land Raider for them to ride around in.

Looking great. Death Guard are currently my favourite of the traitor legions. Defiantly doing them justice, just wish I could afford it, ah well I'll just follow this instead

Young Logan

looking good, especially the Cataphractii.

With the new Tyranids coming up next week, my Death Guard will be competing with the new bug models for a little bit.

Death Shroud now have heads!!!!

Love the recon marines.