Hi there fellow geeks

I have recently started a new Guard army, following 12 months out of the hobby. I've had the idea for an all infantry army for some time but fell out of love with the hobby a year ago just through burn out. I put together what I thought was a really sexy army (more on that coming) and played twice a week for about 6 months in preparation for a Grand Tournament (in the UK). The prep paid off as I qualified for the final, even after having stayed up until 4am finishing the tanks and losing the first game horribly. Anyway, I thought my army was really pretty but once I got there realised it wasn't good enough to qualify for the top 5. By my reckoning (based on how long the judges looked at the army, and what people said to me) I came in the top 10. What annoyed me though was that I could have done a much better paint job, which inspired me to paint an army "properly". One thing I picked up on was that I needed to do something a bit more interesting on the bases.

(I would post some pictures of the last army, but I can't find any and the models are packed away at the minute - I'll add some later)

Anyway, after all that preamble, time for some models! I have only painted 5 so far, and I've been busy building so I can actually get the army on the table.

Let me know what you think - a few more posts to come soon.

Liking the painting style, really nice camo. I'll be watching this

I really like the fatigues, but the camo on the shoulder and helmet makes it look a little too "busy" to me. Just my opinion. Other than that I think they look great!

I spent a long time planning the colour scheme before I started - these pictures were where the inspiration came from...

I basically went with Black Hawk Down - using the Rangers' scheme for normal troops, and I will use the Delta Force scheme for the Vets.

Okay first I am not a geek. I'm sorry that you feel that you are. Second, beautifully executed paint job. Do you think you can keep it up to that standard to finish the hoard?

They only took me a week to paint - so only 12 months to finish the army...

...gulp...

...I will struggle but reckon I can do it - things like posting on here should help. I'm also reading the Gaunt's Ghosts books, which help with inspiration.

Just built this guy, my angry priest...

Mostly a flagellant, with some imperial guard bits added on.

Sorry about the picture quality - I'm no photographer...!

Barksdale wrote:Okay first I am not a geek. I'm sorry that you feel that you are.

Geek is the new Chic! We're in style now!

Awesome paint jobs! I mean out of this world! Your attention to detail is amazing! I can't wait to see more!

these look great. I want to see the whole army. NOW

Thanks mate!

Remember Pulp's "Misfits"? Story of my life! We SHALL inherit the earth...! )

Just stay away from the nerds...

I think the camo pattern on your fatigues is fantastick! How long are you spending per model, again? A week for 5 troopers?

I do, however, find the two camo patterns on each model distracting. I think it would look better with solid color armor and lasgun furniture.

Keep it up!

Cheers,
Rawson

I really like the camouflage.

Especially the one with the lighter helmet.

But I do agree about the camo on the schoulderpads.
Maybe a bit toned down. Might be better a bit dulled down brown.

I'll be keeping an eye on this one.

Counting different 8 guards so 92 to go.

I hear what you're all saying on the double-camo issue but I did it for 2 reasons, which are actually tied together:

1) It ties in with the colour scheme from Black Hawk Down and other real-life camo schemes;

2) I want to use normal Cadians for my veterans (after trying some forgeworld vets with shotguns - why are they a different scale?!?!) and will use the same fatigues, with black armour and guns, as per Delta Force.

I think they will look ace on the table - there will be about 80 normal guys, with 20 uber-cool veterans.

That's the plan anyway...

You have done an excellent job with these camo. The desert camo is the same as was used by US Troops in Operation Desert Storm. My brother wore them. The uniform was quicker to update than the armor which is why you may often see them wearing Woodland camo armor mixed with desert. A similar thing almost happened to me when I deployed, we had older pattern desert armor with new digital camo (ACU). At the last minute with got matching Armor, but our packs and ammo pouches where still Woodland camo. Thats the way it goes... I have worn 3 types of camo at once...


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Oh and I can tell you from experience Delta wears whatever the hell they want.. I have seen a full beard with a red cap on backwards, an arab scarf around the neck and oakley sunglasses..

I didn't have that problem. Everything was still woodland camo when I was in. But I liked the desert camo. I don't care for the digital stuff at all.

My ONLY gripe with your models Jamumools, is the eyes...they're kind of...odd.

But the detail of the camo makes up for it!

Nice looking army, you have done a good job of putting that camo on them.

Barksdale wrote:Okay first I am not a geek.

Hate to break it to you but this is a wargaming site and ywe paint, play games with and discuss little fantasy men, i think that makes us geeks, but its nothing to be ashamed of !!

RSJake wrote:I didn't have that problem. Everything was still woodland camo when I was in. But I liked the desert camo. I don't care for the digital stuff at all.

My ONLY gripe with your models Jamumools, is the eyes...they're kind of...odd.

But the detail of the camo makes up for it!

Any suggestions on the eyes greatly appreciated - they are VERY small!!

No painted stuff but a few posts showing all the built models. Firstly a chimera. It's not finished as I am going to add some chain and some bandage for camo netting, once I've been to the supermarket. The other day I was driving home (from Workshop!) and this Armoured Personell Carrier followed me home for a mile or 2 - in desert camo! Brilliant! Which reminded me about camo netting.

I haven't put the stupid lasguns on as they look like autoguns. Not entirely happy with the balls but will probably cover those parts with camo netting.

I tried to make the driver look like he was consulting his map...

I am finding that, with the all the attention to detail I'm lavishing on them, I am putting models together like I did when I was 10 - i.e. cramming on every single extra thing onto the model. Most people stop doing that when they realise it takes longer to paint, but now I'm going back to it because they look cool. Does slow down the process even more, but I think it's worth it.

This is what I spent last weekend doing, after having placed a mail order for 3 battleforces...!

These were all the spare bases I had - I was actually quite impressed I had that many.

Missile Squad

Lascannon Squad

I seem to have lost a picture somewhere. Oh well, you get the idea. Sorry the picture's not properly focussed - I think my wife's camera is too good for me!

I know how you feel, I too am painting a Guard army of 120 men...I am almost finished though, 20 miniatures to go... Good luck to you

The savanne/steppe basing looks great btw, nice idea

Cannot WAIT to paint these 3. Soo impressed with the fine cast models - they're stunning! Unfortunately I am rationing the good models so I will have to paint a quarter of the army before the angry priest, another quarter before the commissar, another before Kell, and Creed will be the last model I paint.

And finally, this is going to be a veteran, made with the bits I had left.

Wow you've been busy! Loving the veteran his helmet looks great.

The helmet was either from the Chimera or Sentinel sprues.

That is a cool helmet, I can see getting my hands on some for an officer of the fleet or similar. I can confirm it is not from the sentinel kit though.

As a Guard fan I really love your work. The camo scheme is great, I like the lighter fatigues and darker armor. Regarding the idea of cramming everything on the model I do alot of the same. I think it dresses the up nicely and adds a touch of reality. In particular it looks good on the vehicles. If you check out my IG gallery on here, I have a couple tanks and Sentinels up, as well as my converted Ogryns. Keep up the good work!

Love the guard and the camo scheme. Bases are cool too.

Depraved wrote:
Oh and I can tell you from experience Delta wears whatever the hell they want.. I have seen a full beard with a red cap on backwards, an arab scarf around the neck and oakley sunglasses..

That sounded like a challenge, so a quick head swap and some green stuff later and this guy was born...!

They're more like aviators than oakleys, and the red cap ain't gonna happen, but you get the idea!

Nice looking army! Liking the converted vet and hairy dude. Finecast models look great! I see one of the eagles heads on the banner is missing but apart from that they look very well cast.

Love the camo scheme you have got going there and the bases are very cool, keep it up!

Great delta guy, he needs some fancy optics on his rifle...

ooh - good thinking! Will check my old marine bits and see if I've got any spares!

Jamumools wrote:I spent a long time planning the colour scheme before I started - these pictures were where the inspiration came from...

I basically went with Black Hawk Down - using the Rangers' scheme for normal troops, and I will use the Delta Force scheme for the Vets.

Ah, a fellow fan, I purchased some 200 figs two years ago to make the entire battle recreated, even made humvees out of clay and choppers form tin foil.

I plan on starting a guard army with a Vietnam theme.

Barksdale wrote:Okay first I am not a geek. I'm sorry that you feel that you are.

By posting here you forfeit any right to deny that you are a geek.

Jamumools wrote:

Any suggestions on the eyes greatly appreciated - they are VERY small!!

For the eyes I'm starting with a ellipsiod black dot then I'll paint in there a white dot with carefull to not let it touch the edges of the black.
And then i'll put in the black dot for the pupil which does touch the black edge.

Now you will have and eye with eyelashes. If the last dot is to hard you can make it a small line and work from there. ( ( ) )

You can try to patch up with white on the sides. Which I don't since it's easier just to try it again from the white second step.


I just lent my gf photocamera so will try to put up some images up on monday of my catachans. You inspired me.

Really like that the chimera commander is reading the map.
Just put a chimera together

Good Luck!

Fab wrote:

Jamumools wrote:

Any suggestions on the eyes greatly appreciated - they are VERY small!!

For the eyes I'm starting with a ellipsiod black dot then I'll paint in there a white dot with carefull to not let it touch the edges of the black.
And then i'll put in the black dot for the pupil which does touch the black edge.

Now you will have and eye with eyelashes. If the last dot is to hard you can make it a small line and work from there. ( ( ) )

You can try to patch up with white on the sides. Which I don't since it's easier just to try it again from the white second step.


I just lent my gf photocamera so will try to put up some images up on monday of my catachans. You inspired me.

Really like that the chimera commander is reading the map.
Just put a chimera together

Ok, thanks. Am nearly ready for hands and faces on the next 5 so will try your method. Look forward to those Catachans!

Great start, camo looks good but 100 models? Man thats a challenge! How long have you given yourself to finish?

As long as it takes - but I reckon about a year. I'm taking a week to paint 5. Even if I have time off I don't think I can paint much more in a week as the level of detail does your head in after a bit...!

Oh ok, that sounds do'able. I thought you might have an upcoming tourney or something!

But it's still a challenge, worst part is keeping the momentum going and dealing with the same old paint job over and over again, I did my ork army in a pretty short time and found that doing about 10 orks or so, then a trukk, bike or dread really helped with the stir crazyness!

But good luck, i'll be watching!

Hey, i have a massive 200 or so IG to finish painting along with tanks and vehicles, once you get past this first hurdle, it will be smoother sailing!

Also, wonderful work on your camo idea and execution.

Very well done IG. Really like the piantjobb yu have done

Awesome work! I just started up a footslogging IG army myself. Got me 130 models to get through ._.
Half of them are going to be from the Pig Iron heavy infantry range, and the scale matches suprisingly well. If you're looking for more ways to differentiate vets, you could check out their head sprues. I'm doing an urban scheme, but I really love the camo you've got going on!

I attached a quick shot of the mostly-painted (faces need work once I get new paints) Pig Iron minis if you haven't seen any of their range

Nice work! keep it coming!

Really nice models. Nice work. Subscribed.

I'm liking where this is going!

Models coming soon - just got to finish a few bits like pouches... Then I have some questions for you lot!

Jamumools wrote:
Any suggestions on the eyes greatly appreciated - they are VERY small!!

Sorry I didn't respond to this before. I don't know how I missed your posts, but there are so many people posting these days, new stuff gets dropped to the bottom of the lists in record time!

I know they are very small, I hate them! I don't have a good method, in fact I don't do eyes well at any rate, I usually don't do them at all and just shade the heck out of the area, and hope no-one says anything!

However, I am grateful for the post by Fab, as I will most likely try his method. But just painting that ellipsiod black dot for outside of the eyes will be a problem for me.

Below is my best attempt at eyes so far, and you can hardly see them. I think I will keep it that way.

Good luck! Can't wait to see how your next batch turn out!

Nothing too exciting I'm afraid, just the other half of the squad, but it does now take me up to 10 men! Except the grenade launcher has been dropped from the list, and the list upped to 114 men. So only 105 to go...!

Following the eye comments I had a look at Fab's method but stuck with my own, just tried a bit harder! I think overall these models are slightly better than the first 5, as I am starting to get my eye back in. The bases in particular look much better, and I've dropped the static grass as it wasn't working for me.

Re my eye method - I paint a thin white line and then put a black dot in the middle. You don't want white above and below the black dot as it makes the eyes look wide open - like a crazy man (unless you actually want a crazy man of course).

Thanks for all the supporting comments - they help keep me going (especially when painting Aquilas - those damn things took about 2 hours...!)

Now, for some input from you mob. I am planning on painting the different elements of the army with different camo on their armour, guns and helmets. These models are from platoon 1, led by Al-Rahem, and the whole platoon will be the same. The veterans will have black armour etc. Creed's squad will have desert camo on the armour etc on the basis they'd get first dibs on the new equipment as it becomes available (btw I see Creed's squad as really hard, but really square, as opposed to the vets who are really hard, but also really cool). Where I need help is on the second platoon, which contains all the heavy weapons squads. There's also a second company command squad but I'd probably copy Creed's squad. Any thoughts on the camo for platoon 2?

Next up - a Sentinel!

Just noted there weren't any "eye" shots!

Love the chocolate chip camo! REALLY love the chocoloate chip camo! And the basing idea worked out very very well!

Nicely done on the 'chocolate-chip' pattern fatigues, really good paint job.

That said if you want to get the 'Blackhawk Down' look to them, save the 'chocolate-chip' pattern for the helmets and go with 'US three-color desert' for the uniforms;
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r89/Ash-1_photos/misc/c1003-l.jpg
'US woodland' for the body armour and don't bother to cam the weapons.
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r89/Ash-1_photos/misc/lrg-544-rba1.jpg


100 of these will be 'fun', I did 70+ in the three colour camo, about 40 in the woodland and the last platoon switched to MTP

Now you mention it, it does look a bit like Ben and Jerry's cookie dough!

Really nice paint job on these guys and the bases are top-notch, keep up the good work!

Your men looks abit pale.

lasgun lens are very impressive. meow~

Great painting! And the eye was mcuh cleaner and not "odd" looking at all!

I like how Lone Cat Demonstrated my point regarding white above and below the black dot making someone look crazy...!

The work on the desert camo is top notch.

You might want to rethink the woodland green camo. Having an offset color is good but it detracts from the overall effect of the desert scheme.

I'm not sure if you're military but there is a reason the troops in Somalia (and Iraq) wore mismatching camo patterns: cheapness.

The US government didn't want to make everything in two camo patterns so they only made flack vests and MOPP suits (MOPP is biological warfare suits worn during OIF I) in one color.

So, I'm not sure if you are doing the scheme because you like it or because you thought it was how combat troops are supposed to dress. In any case, I think you paint the desert camo much too well to include the green woodland pattern.

Maybe try a flat camo green armor or codex grey?

Just some thoughts from a fellow guard player.

I agree, leave off the woodland camo on the helmets, one solid color..mismatched fatigues is actually a pretty cool idea though..just not woodland, solid Green is even better than woodland. But do another test model in the woodland fatigue scheme...you might like that too.

Ok here's the deal - I'm not using the Grenade Launcher dude anyway so I'll repaint his armour and hat etc.

The reason for doing the 2 schemes was because it seemed accurate during my research. I reckoned that the real military had done it that for cheapness as you say, markoseugene. Also, I'm better at painting clothes than armour, and the camo scheme hides that to an extent.

I shall refer back to the rule of cool - i.e. if it looks cool then do it!

I shall do the hats desert camo, and do a solid colour for the guns and armour. Probably black.

Might be a couple of days though as I've got a lot on for the next few days.

Thanks for the advice though - really helpful.

Jamumools wrote: I'm better at painting clothes than armour, and the camo scheme hides that to an extent.
I shall do the hats desert camo, and do a solid colour for the guns and armour. Probably black.

Actually, the highlighting on the armor looks pretty good. I'm not sure if pure black is the way to go, might be too much of a contrast (and conflict with the "cool" rule you mentioned). I would stick with a little bit lighter color, grey or green.

Just my 2 cents.

See you painted some nicer eyes. Good job!

Now try to get the black dot a bit more round and less a stripe and it's perfect.

With everything practice makes perfect.
You dont want to see the first eyes I painted. Looked more like pandabears

markoseugene wrote:

Jamumools wrote: I'm better at painting clothes than armour, and the camo scheme hides that to an extent.
I shall do the hats desert camo, and do a solid colour for the guns and armour. Probably black.

Actually, the highlighting on the armor looks pretty good. I'm not sure if pure black is the way to go, might be too much of a contrast (and conflict with the "cool" rule you mentioned). I would stick with a little bit lighter color, grey or green.

Just my 2 cents.

I'm going with graveyard earth, devln mud wash, highlight with graveyard earth and then kommando khaki, finally a bit of white mixed in.

Waiting for the wash to dry, but going out shortly (

Will probably do the guns black though...

Jamumools wrote:

I shall do the hats desert camo, and do a solid colour for the guns and armour. Probably black.

I don't think you should go solid black. If you are dead set on solid I think green would be better.

I think you should stick to your guns honestly. I was looking closely and I noticed you used some desert color spots on your woodland armor. I think this might be what is throwing people off. It doesn't give enough contrast. Try filling these in black, there should be larger black spots on woodland camo anyway.... just a thought.


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I think I know why I am so partial to your paint scheme, It reminds me of my brother during Operation Desert storm. I know I mentioned it before, but I found this picture...

Depraved wrote:I don't think you should go solid black. If you are dead set on solid I think green would be better.

I think you should stick to your guns honestly. I was looking closely and I noticed you used some desert color spots on your woodland armor. I think this might be what is throwing people off. It doesn't give enough contrast. Try filling these in black, there should be larger black spots on woodland camo anyway.... just a thought.

What threw me off was the multi colors all over the model. I can tell he is a good painter, I just think two camo patterns make it look excessively busy. I like his idea for the Graveyard Earth armor, it works.

You could have a different camo pattern or just different colors for the armor for each different squad! Personally, I wouldn't change from the first batch, I think it looks great.

Jamu...i think you should do what YOU want to do. I like the two different patterns, i dont have a problem with it, and you paint extremely well and tidy, so the world is your oyster. The only thing to remember is that, sometimes, whats realistic, doesnt transfer well to miniatures. But in the end, especially when you paint like you do, whatever you want is gonna end up looking pretty freaking good anyway.

Been painting with the big brushes all day (decorating) and my head hurts (sniffing the white spirit!) but I'll post a picture in the morning of the new scheme. Wife doesn't like it, but as she readily admits her opinion (on Workshop stuff only!) doesn't really count.

Love the real picture of your brother, depraved, completely justifies my scheme but, as bebopdrums says, realistic doesn't always look good on the models.

Night night zzzzzz

Great work man, the all Chocolate Chip uniforms threw me at first because the guys were wearing DCU's in Somalia, but I think you made the right choice, if you had tried to do CC for just the helms and DCU's for the fatigues it may have looked to busy. Great job on the camo also, I don't have the patience to do that much

I was just about to post some pics but the wife has half-inched the camera battery for some reason. Too early to wake her up yet, especially with a "I want to play with models" request...

Ok, new camo scheme, next to the old.

Thoughts please...

I like the BDU pattern armor and helmet, break it up nicely and it's sorta funny for me to see because I remember crap like that happening in the military, gives em that sorta unprepared look that would come from a mass mobilization.

I like them both. I think i like the woodland camo scheme better...but, actually i like them both together. Maybe instead of assigning each platoon or whatever a camo color, why not mix/match? all with the basic desert camo fatigues i dunno...i dont think they are too busy at all either.

Jamumools wrote:Ok, new camo scheme, next to the old.

Thoughts please...

I'm loving the new scheme! I understand the reason that you (and others) like the old scheme, but I agree with Bebop on this one:

bebopdrums2424 wrote:The only thing to remember is that, sometimes, whats realistic, doesnt transfer well to miniatures.

I think the new scheme captures a lot of realism (fan-frickin-tastic job on the desert camo, btw) while not being too busy.

My vote is wholeheartedly for the new scheme!

Keep up the great work! What do you have now? 90 troopers left

Cheers,
Rawson

That new scheme is pretty slick looking. I like it.

Rawson wrote:

Jamumools wrote:Ok, new camo scheme, next to the old.

Thoughts please...

I'm loving the new scheme! I understand the reason that you (and others) like the old scheme, but I agree with Bebop on this one:

bebopdrums2424 wrote:The only thing to remember is that, sometimes, whats realistic, doesnt transfer well to miniatures.

I think the new scheme captures a lot of realism (fan-frickin-tastic job on the desert camo, btw) while not being too busy.

My vote is wholeheartedly for the new scheme!

Keep up the great work! What do you have now? 90 troopers left

Cheers,
Rawson

I upped the model count in the army list so I still have 105 to go...!

Thanks for your (and everyone's) supportive comments - although I am completely undecided!! )

The rest of the army is finally getting delivered on Monday so I will be building for the next couple of weeks. I also have a veteran built and base coated that is now not in the list (he has a melta but got upgraded to plasma) which I may paint with black armour just to see what it would be like. I think I am swaying towards the brown armour, primarily for one comment that someone put - the BDU detracts from the cookie chip on the fatigues. Also, although mismatched armour is more realistic by all accounts, the brown armour looks authentic as the whole piece is geared up for desert camo.

What are your thoughts on putting a white circle with black numerals for a squad marking on the left shoulder pad (assuming I stick with brown armour)?

What about doing a flat coyote tan sort of color for the armor?

Random pic snagged from google

I think they both look great! My personal take on the matter would be to keep doing them green but have like either an desert regiment thing or make the brown guys elites (like do kasyrkin and things like that with the brown scheme)

I bought 3 Imperial Guard Battleforces today so I now own the army, although most of it is still on the sprue...!

Some pictures of the veteran squad below, with my Harker conversion.

Had a long discussion with the guys in GW Birmingham today. I am going to try the brown armour, but go a shade darker. I have also come up with a scheme for squad markings which you're gonna love. Unfortunately I will be building for the next week or so as I want to get the army put together so I can play with it.

Anyway, I'll post up cool models as I build them, but won't bore you with 6 more infantry squads!


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PS sorry the pics are so rubbish - I think I'm high on superglue and can't hold the camera straight!

PPS do you reckon yay or nay to drilling gun barrels on Plasma guns?

I like your Harker conversion! Take a closer shot of him please?

In the morning - sleepy time now!

Go Catachans!

Looking good! Like the heavy bolter/harker conversion

btw I drilled my plasmaguns, it seemed better.

Close ups on Harker-man as promised...


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PS he only has Catachan arms, thank you Mr Dsteingass!

I like Harker, but his hat and goggles look a bit odd on him. Maybe give him a LR tank helmet instead? Cool if not, though.

I love custom charaters!

The stance he has now looks a bit unnatural. Maybe if he was holding onto the top instead of the bottom?

Good luck!

Rawson

Wonderful painting going on here, looking forward to seeing more in the future

Thanks Logan, I'm in build mode at the minute but they all have to be built by Thursday as I have a game, and then I'm painting the Veterans, which I'm really looking forward to...!

Sorry no updates for a while, been building and now painting the veteran squad- 5 of them nearly done and will post up soon.

However, I have some plans afoot.

What do you all think of this idea for Vendettas?




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Having done my maths I think 1/48 size would be better, as the 1/35 will be nearly 2 foot long...!

Jamumools wrote:Sorry no updates for a while, been building and now painting the veteran squad- 5 of them nearly done and will post up soon.

However, I have some plans afoot.

What do you all think of this idea for Vendettas?

Don't ask me. I'm a GW/scratch build purist

I love the air cav idea, I dream of that for my Catachans too, but I'm just not sure that the choppers can be pulled off in 40k for some reason.

I had to think about this. I had been tossing the idea around a while ago about making an IG army based off the modern day 101st Airborne Division. (mostly because I was in it)
I like the idea of Blackhawks and even Chinooks. But the rotary wings just don't seem 40K enough. (maybe for Orks, but not IG) But, if you took off the rotars, and added external jet engines to the side sponsons (I assume the kit comes with side sponsons, if not, you could make some), and made it look like they could pivot for vertical take off, I think it would look great! You would have to do something to the rear area too. I would suggest additional jet engines for manuvering.

And of course you wouls have to add weapons, I think thats a given.

Something similar to this:


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Or...like the "helicopters" in Avatar the movie.

Yeah, that's cool, but you'd also almost need to replace all the smooth, aerodynamic curves with blocky angles.

Well, there is that.....