Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I am almost finished painting my first Tact Marine squad. Its my first time painting anything so it has taken me a loooooong time trying to get it right.

Over this past weekend I picked up the DV set as it has the rulebook, and is something I can use to learn the game. I knew right away I dont want to use Dark Angels, as I want to add the figures to my custom SM army. I was told converting them would be too hard, not worth it. I searched and read/watched the very little information there is on conversions for this set. Not much info.

After shaving/scraping/filing I am making progress. The SM's are not too shabby and primed for paint. The Librarian is looking ok, but might need a left arm change, and the Chapter Master looks like mission impossible.

Where I am having issues is the Terminators. Arm symbols no issue. SOME feathers, no issues, some I need to work on. There are some areas that just seem impossible...like the Sgt right leg.

I have green stuff, plenty of paint, a hobby knife, a separate Terminator Command Squad (new in box waiting to be put together) and no experience on how to proceed. Any tips?

I converted them to Ultramarines. Harder than just buying a box of generic space marines? Yes. Worth it in the end? Well, it was for me but I like a challenge.

 Vulcan wrote:
I converted them to Ultramarines. Harder than just buying a box of generic space marines? Yes. Worth it in the end? Well, it was for me but I like a challenge.

It is worth for me as well. What did you do with the Terminators feathers and symbols? Especially on the chest?

Vaxx wrote:

 Vulcan wrote:
I converted them to Ultramarines. Harder than just buying a box of generic space marines? Yes. Worth it in the end? Well, it was for me but I like a challenge.

It is worth for me as well. What did you do with the Terminators feathers and symbols? Especially on the chest?

A sharp xacto Knife/Scalpel should take them off or a Dremel. If you are looking for a replacement icon afterwards I can recommend using 'Blue Stuff' to create a rubber mold of an icon you like then green stuff that onto the marines chest. Blue Stuff is heat activated block of rubber, so just drop it in boiling water for 30s or so then press over a design you like and presto mold. Once you have the mold you can press some greenstuff into it to take the shape and either wait for it to dry a bit before peeling it out and sculpting it onto the model. You can even make your own icon and use the blue stuff to stamp out copies of it.

If you take this approach then you don't have to worry about taking too much off, you just sculpt over the dents.

For me though when I did dark vengeance conversions it was to nurgle so I just took a soldering iron to the models and melted the icons into goopy bits!

wtnind wrote:

Vaxx wrote:

 Vulcan wrote:
I converted them to Ultramarines. Harder than just buying a box of generic space marines? Yes. Worth it in the end? Well, it was for me but I like a challenge.

It is worth for me as well. What did you do with the Terminators feathers and symbols? Especially on the chest?

A sharp xacto Knife/Scalpel should take them off or a Dremel. If you are looking for a replacement icon afterwards I can recommend using 'Blue Stuff' to create a rubber mold of an icon you like then green stuff that onto the marines chest. Blue Stuff is heat activated block of rubber, so just drop it in boiling water for 30s or so then press over a design you like and presto mold. Once you have the mold you can press some greenstuff into it to take the shape and either wait for it to dry a bit before peeling it out and sculpting it onto the model. You can even make your own icon and use the blue stuff to stamp out copies of it.

If you take this approach then you don't have to worry about taking too much off, you just sculpt over the dents.

For me though when I did dark vengeance conversions it was to nurgle so I just took a soldering iron to the models and melted the icons into goopy bits!

Sounds like a plan. I will do some research on blue stuff and see what I can do. The exacto has worked ok, but left odd shapes, and a few bloody fingers for me

Appreciate the advice.

X-Acto knives and needle files, with some extremely careful backup from a dremel.

As far as the aquilla on the chests, I just left them. They're a bit different than the VSM standard, but not exceptionally so.

The "Blue stuff" mentioned here is also called oyumaru, repackaged as Instant Mold. It's not too hard to rework the marines in the DV set. Mostly you're just cutting stuff off. If you have to rebuild an area after removing an icon or something, check out some liquid green stuff to just fill the gap and level out the surface.

Vaxx wrote:
After shaving/scraping/filing I am making progress. The SM's are not too shabby and primed for paint. The Librarian is looking ok, but might need a left arm change, and the Chapter Master looks like mission impossible.

Looking at the Chapter Master the DA specific iconoraphy seems to be limited to;
- vambraces
- honor token on back
- broken sword icon on rope
- backpack
If you painted and converted him to be from a chapter with an avian connection that would explain the feather icons and the head could be easily swapped out.

For the Librarian an upper arm conversion and new shoulder pad should be all that is needed, as well as some minor work on the chest.

 Dreadclaw69 wrote:

Vaxx wrote:
After shaving/scraping/filing I am making progress. The SM's are not too shabby and primed for paint. The Librarian is looking ok, but might need a left arm change, and the Chapter Master looks like mission impossible.

Looking at the Chapter Master the DA specific iconoraphy seems to be limited to;
- vambraces
- honor token on back
- broken sword icon on rope
- backpack
If you painted and converted him to be from a chapter with an avian connection that would explain the feather icons and the head could be easily swapped out.

For the Librarian an upper arm conversion and new shoulder pad should be all that is needed, as well as some minor work on the chest.

I was looking at the Chapter Master yesterday and figured why not try to convert him. If I mess up...not a huge deal...I mean I might have sold him for 5 bucks.

I scraped the bracers to remove the icons.
Scraped and cut the feather off the shoulder.
Clipped the sword icon on the rope under the crotch.
Scraped the feather and icon on the back down a bit (will put a purity seal there to cover).
Scraped down the winged icons on the lower part of the robe by the legs. This is a bit rough, but looking ok. Hope paint will help.

So, yes, Chapter Master is moving forward.

The shoulder pads of the reg SM's looked good even with primer. After a base coat, if you look close you can see some of the variations. Nothing horrible, but annoying. After painting the tact marine box seeing the much lower quality of the DV SM models is disappointing.

The Terminators are almost done. The left leg of the Sgt will look a bit rough as well.

Sadly, now that that you mentioned it....my custom chapter IS avian based. And now I am looking back at some the "wing" icons thinking they may have looked good. LOL.

Would the wings on the front of the bikes be ok to use? I mean they are "wings" but seem very specific shaped to the Dark Angels.



I have a reg SM spare head and backpack leftover from my tact squad!

Attached Pics.

I came across another problem regarding the bike squad and converting them to generic marines...

Supposedly a regular bike squad cannot use a chain sword. The Sgt model has one.

On my spare parts list I have a left hand holding a grenade and another with the pointy finger. Would either of these look OK?

On that note, the other bikers have a pistol, and a plasma gun. Are these acceptable?