Well, It's been far too long since I've posted anything here on Dakka. My apologies, but I've been a very busy Moltar lately. My business is busier than ever and I'm expecting my first child here in the next few months. I cannot promise that this blog will get all the love and attention it truly deserves, but I am really pumped about starting this new project. I'm building a CSM army and I'm actually pretty ecstatic about this commitment. I've been collecting bits and ideas for years, so when I finally sat down to get to work, I was pretty amazed by how fast this started to come together. Every army has to start somewhere. Mine will start with a 10 man CSM squad armed with bolt pistols and CC weapons and their dedicated rhino. I hope you enjoy following along this gnarled and twisted path I'm forging.
The Everliving. Relentless in their hatred for you and your pathetic existence, they will stop at absolutely nothing in their eternal conquest. They are not so foolish as to worship one God, but willingly accept all four Ruinous Powers to guide them in their efforts. They are grotesque, in both size and appearance. Their time spent in the warp hardly goes unnoticed. They have grown claws, spikes, talons and fangs. All gifts, joyfully accepted by those deemed worthy enough. Their armor is adorned with foul trophies hung by dangling chains, dark rituals, ancient symbols, and litanies of hatred. They have fought countless wars over thousands of years and will yield to nothing. They gather under the symbol of the All Seeing Crow. The Ruinous Powers see and hear all actions and thoughts throughout the galaxy and whisper them into those worthy enough among The Everliving to hear. They will not stop. They will not die. They are Everliving.
Here is essentially the power armor paint scheme for The Everliving. The dark trim will actually be darker than the grey here. They will most certainly have some nasty mutations and quite a bit more decoration than this Bolter & Chainsword mock up allows.
Nothing slips past the baleful gaze of the All Seeing Crow. Expect to see this (or a variant) hand painted on the shoulder pads of The Everliving.
Here are four of my CSMs that I'm currently working on. They look a little less intimidating without their backpacks. So far, I have six csms that are almost ready for painting, but here and their they all need a couple touch ups and such. Though they may look it, they are not Possessed CSMs. These are my run-of-the-mill, nothing special, dead 'ard CSMs and they're going to kill you.
Progress is only slightly ahead of these pics. I have a melta gunner and aspiring champion also on the table right now (I know I can't take melta and plasma in one ten man squad - Don't jump on my case, I have a way around it ). I can take new photos today and tomorrow as I get some more work done. My plan is to build the squad and their rhino before I start painting them. Since, I don't actually have any one to play 40k with, I'm not in a big rush to get these dudes on the table top. This (for now) is a good thing. It means I can spend adequate time on each one of them, since their will be a good mix of airbrush, paint brush and freehand on each. I am really stoked to be doing this. It feels good to be back in the hobby, so needless to say any and all encouragement and C&C goes very far and is very much appreciated.
Thanks for looking and stay tuned for updates!
-Moltar
This is looking like a really nice start. I am really digging that color scheme and can't wait to see one painted up. I will be following this one for inspiration!
Thanks, Uncool Villain! It may be a bit before you get to see any paint, but I hope not to disappoint.
I've began work on my Aspiring Champion who is seen here with a plasma pistol and a shield. This arm is magnetized to swap out. Currently I have a combi-melta in the works, but sadly no pic yet. Here you can see the addition of chains and such. His additional leg armor is chained in place, so they're not just sticking there for no clear reason. His trophies are from here and there. Maybe a zombie dragon and the chaos warriors from WFB. It's all there to add some girth and make him look bulkier.
I'm planning to add a little more work to his helmet, but that is definitely the base of what he'll look like.
I've also done some work on his backpack to help him stand out even further.
I had also stated that I had begun work on my meltagunner, who can actually stand in as a normal CSM if I need him too. He's shaping up, but still needs more work, especially on his lower half.
Using this newer sculpted backpack, I can totally use him as a melta dude, if I don't want my plasma guy around.
In new developments, I have managed to piece together the start of my 7th CSM. I'm fond of the posing here. More pics as he's fully put together.
He's definitely out to get someone.
I also threw together this little tutorial of how I'm assembling these CCWs. This is nothing special, but if you're interested, they're fairly easy to do....
Spoiler:
1. The parts you will need:
-shoulder pad
-CSM or Loyalist marine arm
-CCW (in this case, daemonette claw)
2. Using a hobby knife, cut the arm in half, just above the elbow pad. Set aside the elbows and hands, you won't need them here.
3. This is the dremel bit I use
4. Using the dremel I burrow a small hole under the cut driving a hole up the arm. This part takes patience and make sure you have something to hold onto the small shoulder part of the arm. The dremel tool is a power tool and can cause harm, so be safe, ya git!
5. Work the hole ( ) to be large enough to insert the arm part of the ccw into. Use the hobby knife or a file to shave away any spill over that would cause the arm and torso not to line up correctly.
6. With the help of a notch cut out of the arm hole, the work conveys the look of this claw coming from inside the armor, not simply stuck on.
7. Ta-Da. That's it. Attach the shoulder pad and you've got one fierce looking gut-ripper.
Haha Dakka_Dok. I have those. My Aspiring Champion is possibly getting one. They're pretty huge though. They are longer than a CSM is tall Probably better suited for terminators. They do look awesome, though
Sorry to all for the poor-ish picture quality. I'm just using my phone for these WIP pics.
@LeadLegion: Thanks!
@Dok & Empchild: Haha. As I said, the size is a little too much for my tastes. Comes off a little cartoony to me on the regular CSMs. I think it still has potential on the termies though.
Now remeber, despite his little loin cloth. ALL these marines still need GS work and extra bits. Definitely still a WIP.
Didn't get as much done as I wanted to, but here's where my Champion stands...
As I said, I've started work on his combi-melta. It's magnetized to swap with the plasma pistol if I need to. It is taken from an old, metal CSM lord. The mutated aspect really fits my aesthetic.
For his left arm. I've decided to use this Warp Talon's claw as a Power Fist, Lightning Claw, or plain CCW. I'm debating if it is worth magnetizing or just gluing it. Again, you can see what I'm drawn towards. The claws erupting out of the armor goes with the look of the rest of the mini and the whole unit.
That's about it for today. I leave you with the combi- build for now. Supposedly I get out of work early today, if that's the case I plan to be back at my workbench later this afternoon.
Okay, I'm definitely following this project. Looks like you're off to a great start, Moltar. This army looks like it's going to bristle with character.
I, too, particularly like the twin-clawed charging-forward Marine-number-7 guy.
@Tinfoil: Glad you're tagging along for the ride. More work on CSM#7 too!
Not a whole ton of stuff to show you guys. I managed to finish off the overall look for my seventh CSM in this squad. His backpack has had some work done to it. It's compact and chained up. More motion created with this addition.
Here he is:
Here we can see how I've condensed his backpack. It has chain around the inside and chains that attach to the GW bits.
In other news, I've begun picking bits for my 8th CSM and here is where I've gotten so far:
In addition to marine number 8, I've been trying to get something decent out of these descending sanguinary legs, but I'm not sure about them. Please let me know your opinions on this basic structure and such.
From This:
To This:
I'm just not sure. Maybe they're too goofy looking. They would have a ring of chain or something else that surrounds the skull on the left leg, I just didn't finish it off as I'm unsure of the whole thing. I may fiddle around some more, but not really feeling them. Marine number 7 (top of this post) has sanguinary legs as well.
Thanks guys! Definitely appreciate you looking and commenting.
If I can keep this rate going, I should be able to start painting in just a couple weeks. Got to finish off this squad and then their rhino. After that, it's painting time!
I like where this is going! Some nice conversions there, the 7th looks especially good! The head and claws fit great and you really captured a sense of movement in him
Thanks Tobber! The movement was key. I definitely wanted him to look like he's in a full on charge towards an enemy (or small child). Glad you're diggin' my stuff.
.
Yes! Slowly dripping super glue down the chains and bending them to the shapes I want (for the dangling ones). But it's important that they are all fully super glued in place. Leaving them actually dangling will make them difficult to paint and over time they may damage paint on the model if they swing wildly enough. So, all the chains are in place.
Still trying to get some serious work done on these guys. I keep going back to them and rethinking possibilities. Most recently, I'm thinking about dropping the (alternate) melta gunner and making an additional plasma gunner. I've been reading here and there and seems like I would get more consistent success with my two specialists having the same weapons and since meltas are not what they used to be, double plasma may be the best bet. Down the road, with the addition of another CSM squad, maybe one more focused on ranged attacks, I could then mix it up, but for now I think I'm going to go with two plasma guns. Since, this is the new line up, I may be retooling that would be meltagunner quite a bit. Wish I had some stuff to show you today, but no pics worth anything. More work has been done on the 8th CSM and the squad has been getting minor tweaks all around. Hopefully before the end of this week, I can get some serious hobby time in and will get some pics up to share as well.
Thanks for looking! I'll post new stuff as soon as I can!
I know what you mean. In all fairness, I should follow the rule of cool more than anything at this point. I don't really see myself playing anything more than casual games. I had sort of intended to run two meltas with a squad of Raptors as support to the plasmas in the CSM squad. Seems like decent fun to be had with raptors dropping in and doubling up the melta fun.
Definitely appreciate your thoughts on the topic. Thanks!
Truth be told, I've always been a "plasma guy", even when everyone was all about meltaguns, and even before that... I've always loved their aspect (coil, muzzle, cables), the OSL potential, and the S7/AP2 (or whatever save modifier it had in 2nd Ed) !
But now that I'm playing a bit more, I've learned to appreciate the meltaguns, and their looks too...
As for the specific case of Raptors, I definitely think they should tote meltaguns :
- Their Jump Packs allow them to cross the distance quicker to / deep strike near the enemy armour ;
- Raptors are "assault troops" (even if they're not the most efficient at it), so you shouldn't have to weigh the option of rapid-firing a plasmagun : if I shoot, I cannot charge vs. If I charge, my plasmaguns are then useless...
All in all, to me, Plasmaguns are more a "tactical" weapon, while the melta should go to "assault' squads...
And to make up for it, nothing prevents you from giving a plasma pistol to the Raptors champion
Out of interest, what size/diameter of chain did you use?
Thanks for the kind words! I'm at work right now, but I'll let you know the size of the chains as soon as I get the chance, Medium.
Yggdrasil wrote:Truth be told, I've always been a "plasma guy", even when everyone was all about meltaguns, and even before that... I've always loved their aspect (coil, muzzle, cables), the OSL potential, and the S7/AP2 (or whatever save modifier it had in 2nd Ed) !
But now that I'm playing a bit more, I've learned to appreciate the meltaguns, and their looks too...
As for the specific case of Raptors, I definitely think they should tote meltaguns :
- Their Jump Packs allow them to cross the distance quicker to / deep strike near the enemy armour ;
- Raptors are "assault troops" (even if they're not the most efficient at it), so you shouldn't have to weigh the option of rapid-firing a plasmagun : if I shoot, I cannot charge vs. If I charge, my plasmaguns are then useless...
All in all, to me, Plasmaguns are more a "tactical" weapon, while the melta should go to "assault' squads...
And to make up for it, nothing prevents you from giving a plasma pistol to the Raptors champion
I totally get what you're saying and again, sincerely appreciate it. I'm pretty sold on the 2x meltas with raptors and the extra punch from a plasma pistol could add some more fun to that assault squad. I don't know all of my initial troop choices yet, but I do know that I want raptors and I want raptors more than Warp Talons as fast attack assault. So, they will probably be toting the meltas and CSM squad will get plasmas for now, at least. I also agree about the aesthetics of the plasma gun. Something so unique when compared to the melta/flamer/h.bolter! And the OSL oppurtunities! They are already keeping me up, debating which color to use for my plasma coils.
Hahah see!? They all work. That's the problem. I intend to do minimal OSL around their eyes in a light blue, so I'm not sure if I want something that compliments that glow or something a little more contrasting to really pop and make my plasma gunners really stand out, like hot pink. Decisions, decisions.
Out of interest, what size/diameter of chain did you use?
Medium, it is from Galeforce Nine. It's their IRON CHAIN 1.5mm and the product number is GFS103. It's fairly easy to break apart and work with. It comes in a small spool that is about 6 feet long (or 2 meters).
Not much on the build-front. Unfortunately, I was not able to get anything of note done and I leave on a work trip tomorrow. I'll be back next week, but I assure you I'll be quick to get back in. I just got a sweet load of bits to help me round off the rest of the squad.
Thank the dark gods for more variety in my shoulder pads without having me convert a bunch of them!
Possessed look terrible to me, imo. But, those pieces, individually, are pretty awesome, for the most part. Not crazy about the head/helmet options, with the exception of the one I snagged. The other pieces I acquired come from the mostly-god-awful WFB Forsaken kit. I already scooped up the Raptor set. The lightning claw/powerfist for my champion is from that kit. I've used a helmet somewhere too. That is a pretty useful kit for CSMs. Nice, clean molds. I wish the legs were a little bit more useful. They are pretty much all descending. A running option, like the SM Assault option would have been great.
Just my two cents on the raptor/warp talon legs; I'd thought they might be good as running/leaping legs if added to some creative basework... rocks... skulls that kind of idea. I don't own the kits so i've not had a try at tinkering with them yet, so this is all just based on eyeballing them on the GW site.
Looking forward to seeing what you do with those bits. Totally right about the Forsakken kit, but it seems you picked out one of the best pieces.
I haven't had the best of luck trying to work with the raptor legs. I've managed to come up with a build using one set, but I had to get pretty creative.
Sorry for the lack of updates. I was out of town for a work trip and have had several hurdles in my way between me and my workbench. I have managed to get my 8th marine put together. I've also sketched out how I want marines 9 and 10 to look and I've slowly started building them up. Still excited about this project. All the marines still have some details missing (extra chains, bits, GS work, etc.), but hopefully they'll get completed sooner rather than later. After the 10 marines are complete, I can build up their rhino. Enough rambling though. Here's a quick pic of marine #8 ready to beat someone down.
I'm off of work tomorrow, so I'm planning on getting a lot done for this squad. Marines 9 &10 will be the other plasma guy and a normal csm. Pics as progress develops. My plan is to have the ten marines built (maybe not finished) by the end of tomorrow. Here's hoping...
@HoeJarris: Thanks! I'm excited to get some paint on these guys, but don't want to rush anything.
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED
Thankfully, on my day off, I was able to build the remainder of my CSM squad. I also managed to get some GS work in, but was unable to finish all of it by picture time. I still have work to do, therefore, these are still WIP pics. I wasn't able to get as far as I wanted, but was quite happy to have all these dudes built. Few more bits and GS workings and they'll be ready for paint!!!
Here they are, my full squad. Not quite finished, but really close. ALL back packs are tacked in place and will not be glued until finished. Some of them may even trade backpacks before I've settled on a final decision. The bases are also all temporary. Most, if not all, will be transferred to a different base by time of completion.
(Spoilered for pic dump)
Spoiler:
Plasma Gunner #1
Plasma Gunner #2
This guy is leaping over rubble. The cork board has been sealed in super glue, but will also get treatment to fill in all those gaps/cracks across the surface. This dude will also be pinned in place. He'll need the most work, but the least added bits and GS.
Aspiring Champion
As always, I'm very open to C&C. Let me know what you think of my builds. Next up is to finish the details on these guys and then construct their rhino. After that, this squad will be complete and ready for the painting process to begin.
/shrug they sit on the back and they are a pack...so i guess its your call...
they could be power packs but i dunno bl and gw is not to clear ont he matter so it is really up for interpretation all i do know is that they are a power supply for the armor
@AlabamaHeretic: Seems legit. I'll stick with how I've been referring to them.
@neil: Thanks! We're super excited about our new addition. I really like that guys helmet too. A lot of these guys have had horns, ornaments, and arrows removed from their helmets. I've seen that one shaved down without the studs and that is a good look too.
Love the :
- chains ;
- custom backpacks ;
- plasma gunner #1.
One thing that seems amiss : Model #3 (the one with the mace) - I think there should be another spike on top of the mace. Right now, it just seems unnaturally... flat ? But that may just be the perspective.
Another thing is, I thought that Daemonette arms were too small to look good on CSM, but you definitely proved that to be wrong
One thing that seems amiss : Model #3 (the one with the mace) - I think there should be another spike on top of the mace. Right now, it just seems unnaturally... flat ? But that may just be the perspective.
Another thing is, I thought that Daemonette arms were too small to look good on CSM, but you definitely proved that to be wrong
Keep it up mate !
Thanks for the kind words! That mace has been throwing me off a bit as well. I got it in a bits bag and it was not attached to a sprue on that side. I haven't had a chance to look online, but it seems off to me as well....
Daemonette arms are actually perfect. Keeping the outer/upper portion of the arm armor helps. If they stick straight out from under the shoulder pad, then they do look a little scrawny.
Thanks for the link, subbed and will be following along as often as I can.
The creative vision and exceptional execution you've displayed here is par with every other effort you have shared, and the Moltar standard of excellence continues.
As far as modeling time goes, you're about to have more of it than you could possibly want. The chubby little Nurgling you and yours are about to spawn will ensure many, many sleepless nights. May as well make the most of it.
Whoa definitely subbed. These conversions are top notch, very unique and individualized. I guess that is one of their major pluses of building CSM. If these guys ever need to murder some people in the name of all that is mean spirited I have a fully painted DIY marine chapter they can take out their frustrations on. Or give em a black base and they can compete in mini hammer! Anyway I really like these conversions. Can't wait to see some paint. Will be watching closely.
@Skalk: Cheers and thanks for the kind words! I guess you may have a point. I may have more hobby time that what I had previously presumed.
@Strombones: I'm a total newbie when it will come time to play, but I'm down. Minihammer may be an easier way to slip into gaming as well.
I have about half the squad completely finished and ready for paint. I've also started work on my rhino, but since it's a basic shell of a rhino, as of now, I didn't think I would share a pic. I also managed to scoop up a box of CSM Terminators. I technically have enough to make a squad of raptors, a squad of termies, and a demon prince (if I want one), but not really sure where to go after that. Gonna take it a step at a time though. Still want to finish off squad #1 and their rhino before I get anywhere else.
Nobody is worse at actually playing 40k than myself.
I feel like taking things one step at a time generally yields higher quality results. Once I start getting exited about future units I go out and buy more than my time and energy will allow me to build, paint, ect.. Eventually I'll just wind up with a mass of grey plastic and think " man I don't want to have to paint all this crap". If I only have a few models on the workbench they get a lot more attention.
Well, that's why I would love to get my airbrush working and my skill with it more competent. Just to do the base colors of their power armor would save me hours and hours of painting time. But, gotta build stuff first. Damn you, GTA V for coming out now!
Just thought i would stop in and check out your blog. Lookin good. I really like the use of chains on a few of your models. The running mini with chains streaming out behind him is going to be fragile, but it looks awesome.
I also really like the conversion use of the blood angels assault marines. Nice use of bitz dude. I love to do conversions with loyalist bitz. They all start out as loyalists right.
Thanks for stopping by, sennacherib! I appreciate your comments. The running guy will, most certainly, be pretty fragile. I was actually just thinking about how fragile my little guys will be all together. Picturing some dude with cheetos fingers picking up my painted rhino makes me cringe. I'm also not a huge fan of varnishes, but realize they will almost be a "must" if I want to actually play with them. I remember back when I played WHFB and Necromunda how things happen and minis will tilt and fall over unexpectedly. Glad you noticed the BA legs and such. It's hard to find good legs with movement for CSMs and when I've converted them to run I can really only get one, full stride, pose. So, having some sanguinary and Death Company legs helps. Just need a little chaos tweak and they're good to go.
The dual-edged sword of open gaming. Basking in the aura of ultimate glory when you show off your awesomely converted and lovingly painted army to an entire legion of new minions while simultaneously recoiling in horror when Recluse McNeckbeard succumbs to his 'must touch everything that isn't mine' disorder and states in the most stereotypical nerd-voice you can imagine 'you really should have used the glue I use on my models. It's way better than this stuff' as the faintest sound of breaking plastic barely escapes his grease-covered cheesy sausage nubs.
... if that didn't scare you away from FLGS gaming I don't know what ever will.
Thanks strombones! I promise they are on their way! My wife and I just had a baby boy, so I'm not out of the hospital yet. I expect quite a bit of quiet time once I'm home, that should be spent mustering the powers of chaos while the wife feeds my little spawn.
I assure you this isn't over. More stuff incoming. I'm already eye balling new purchases before I finish this squad I'm currently working on. The kid should keep my spending in check though.
Thanks for stopping by and giving me a little kick. Should have some updates this week, I'm hoping.
I've been off this thread for a few weeks, as I've had everything flipped since I had a baby. I have been working here and there though. Just so you guys know, I haven't forgotten about you or abandoned this project. I have practically finished all these guys up. A couple of them still need some gap filling and extra grenades glued in place, but for the most part they are done and I have begun some serious work on their rhino. I can only get a little done at a time, but I am working on busting this out quickly.
I have also put together an initial 1500 point list that I will strive towards building. I'll post that soon. I've ordered some more bits to warp the forthcoming wave of reinforcements these blokes will receive. Last night I happened to find another set of Possessed shoulder pads, so that will help immensely. So much to do and all my time is stolen away by my baby (could be so much worse, I suppose). So, to leave you guys salivating a little bit longer, here is a nice little peek of all but one of Squad 1's backpacks ready for paint.
(The one not included has the dangling chains and it will be on a stand of its own. )
Seriously big things are going to be happening in this space in the next month or so. Stay tuned, fellas! I appreciate you following along and fully accept any questions, comments, or criticisms.
Alright, getting more minor things done here and there, I need to ask a question though.
In the last pic I posted (with all the back packs), the two packs on the right are from MaxMini and they are resin. Do I need to scrub them with soap and water before painting? I don't think I have ever painted resin materials and feel like I recall that they need to be scrubbed. Can anyone shed some light on this for me?
As I said, I will present to you my tentative CSM list. I know it's not competitive. I'm more for fluff and the rule of cool. But if I have miscalculated or misinterpreted a point value, by all means feel free to point it out or offer up any alternatives.
HEADQUARTERS
Warpsmith.
(110)
TROOPS
Csm x 10
Plasma gun x 2
Icon of vengeance
Champion
power fist
Plasma pistol
Melta bombs.
+ rhino
Destroyer blades
Dirge caster
(295)
Csm x 10
Melta gun x 2
Champion
+ rhino
Havoc launcher
(207)
FAST ATTACK
Raptors x 5
Meltagun x 2
Champion
Melta bombs
(120)
ELITES
Terminators x 5
Autocannon
Lightning claws
Chainfists x2
Icon of vengeance
(248)
HEAVY SUPPORT
Havocs x 5
2x ML w/ flakk
2 x autocannon
(145)
Havocs x 5
2x ML w/ flakk
2 x autocannon
(145)
Land raider
(230)
TOTAL 1500
Just have some gaps to fill on my first CSM squad. Rhino details are coming along nicely. Waiting on just a few bits for the interior and should be able to post some WiP pics soon, but don't want to bore too many of you, as there are plenty of WiP Rhino pics on Dakka. Next up I'm going to go ahead and build my 5 man Raptor squad, since I have all the components. Afterwards I may move straight on to my termies, but don't know if I have the right bits for all 5 of them.
Much more to come!
Thanks for looking and I always appreciate any comments.
1. I'm not sure Dakka allows for such level of details regarding army lists... I think you should just write, for instance : Havocs x5, 2xMLw/Flak, 2xAC (145) but no item-per-item point costs...
2. Where will the Warpsmith go in battle ? No room in any of the Transports, so will he join a Havocs Squad ?
3. Well, there ARE a lot of Rhino pics on Dakka... But we want to see yours nonetheless !!
1. Thank you. Copied it from elsewhere and it was a huge oversight on my part. Hopefully caught it soon enough that I won't get a smack from Lego.
2. I haven't fully decided, but I kind of picture him trecking along as support where needed or following behind the raptors. I have noticed he's kind of left in the dust.
3. I'll post some pics soon. In-laws leave today, so I can get cracking at a better pace.
Well, having ID'd a DE Lord with a single plasma shot in my last game, I HAVE to tell you than "trekking along" or "following behind" is definitely NOT a good place to be for an IC...
Thanks monkey! Glad your along for the ride and thanks for the compliments.
I have a clue that it's a pretty rubbish looking list , but should look great on the tabletop or, most likely, a shelf. I just want my chaos space marine army to have chaos space marines.
On second thought, couldn't you remove 1 Marine from the melta squad?
It would prevent you from taking a second melta, but would free up points to offer a combi-melta to the Aspiring Champion & HQ, in addition to leaving room for the War(p)smith in their Rhino...
@Yggs I like that idea and yeah, I definitely could do that, which is why I magnetized the champ in the beginning, so that I would have options. I'll look at my list and codex again, but since I don't really have anyone to play against it's not a huge deal. If I get to the point that I go beyond 1500 points I'd consider additional or alternative HQs as well.
As it is, he's kinda stuck on his own (where he will die) or he has to keep my Havocs company or try and stay behind a rhino wall. None of these are all that viable though, so I'll definitely consider attaching him to squad 1 if I actually get to the point of playing.
Thanks for the input, Yggs! I truly appreciate it.
Automatically Appended Next Post: @Yggs: See below for alternate combi melta arm. Always wise to plan ahead, I suppose.
He has also had a head swap since the last time he popped up in here.
Other musings and ideas are reaching out to me from the warp and I think I have a convincing 3 arm build for one of my terminators. ( I know I'm way ahead of myself)...
(((Ignore the blob of blue tac)))
Adding shoulder spikes may be over the top or may be straight-up awesome. Will play around with it some more when I get the chance.
Managed to add some liquid GS where I needed too and assuming it has done its job, the squad is done, except for their bases. So, here's hoping things look good when I get home.
The black one. What I'm going for is the look of the top hatches, the lowered headlights, and the three-prong ram. I'm not crazy about the smoke launcher placement and I am unsure if I want to add the WoC shields on the sides. I already have 4, just not sure I want to use them or not. I'm not 100% sold on that idea. I also have tossed the idea around about using the smaller gargoyle heads in place of the smoke stacks, but haven't decided on that either. This morning I was working towards magnetizing the top, so that it is removable. It was coming along, but not without some difficulties.
As for my raptors, who should assemble relatively quickly (I'm hoping) they're technically up next. Two will have meltas, champion will have two chainswords for looks, one will have chains and hooks to scoop people up with and the other little terrorizer will have this menacing beast of a buzz saw:
Designed by dakka's Malika2 and ordered through Shapeways. It's pretty fething rad and as soon as I can, I'll get some pics of it in the hands of one of my Raptors.
Things keep happening. I'll try and take as many pics as I can and I am always open to questions and comments!
Moltar wrote: @Yggs I like that idea and yeah, I definitely could do that, which is why I magnetized the champ in the beginning, so that I would have options. I'll look at my list and codex again, but since I don't really have anyone to play against it's not a huge deal. If I get to the point that I go beyond 1500 points I'd consider additional or alternative HQs as well.
As it is, he's kinda stuck on his own (where he will die) or he has to keep my Havocs company or try and stay behind a rhino wall. None of these are all that viable though, so I'll definitely consider attaching him to squad 1 if I actually get to the point of playing.
Thanks for the input, Yggs! I truly appreciate it.
I think dropping a 13-pts Marine with his 10-pts Meltagun should free up just enough points for two Combi-weapons (be they 5 or 10pts each)
Automatically Appended Next Post: @Yggs: See below for alternate combi melta arm. Always wise to plan ahead, I suppose.
He has also had a head swap since the last time he popped up in here.
Like that version... Looks great !!
Other musings and ideas are reaching out to me from the warp and I think I have a convincing 3 arm build for one of my terminators. ( I know I'm way ahead of myself)...
Adding shoulder spikes may be over the top or may be straight-up awesome. Will play around with it some more when I get the chance.
Love that claw... Is that from a Skaven Abomination ?
The pronged, stabby claw is actually one of the few decent bits from the dreaded Chaos Forsaken kit for WHFB. That's where that shoulder pad comes from too and the pincer claw is from a daemonette.
Looking at your list the only thing I would change would be to drop the flakk missiles they really are a waste of points, your better off just ignoring flyers then spending the points on flakk missiles. That should free up the points for the combi melta.
@Gir I'm not sure where else I'd use those few points (not that I couldnt find a place), but do you really not shoot at flyers? I can't fathom ignoring them altogether just to save a few points. I am seriously asking though. I don't have any experience playing, so I truly am curious.
Not too much to report. Unfortunately, no pics either.
What I have done is assembled Squad One completely. I am having a little difficulty working out some details on one of these fine gents' helmets, but other than that, they are done. Still unsure about washing/scrubbing those maxmini backpacks, so I'm still looking for an answer on that. Progress on the rhino, hopefully pics tomorrow. Frame is coming together. Magnetizing the roof was a success. Now I just have to play around with hatches, details, and ornaments.
I've been slightly distracted by the Junk Pile Competition. Working on that, but thinking of leaving my WiP pics in the dark
I'm not expecting it to get too far in the way of this CSM project though. I was hoping to get some bits in the mail by today, but it seems hoardobits wanted to sit on their butts and not get my order out until 7 days after I placed it. Grr!!! So, my supply drop is due in on Thursday, but tomorrow is my day off! The horror! I'll make it through. As soon as I get a decent pic of my rhino (even with the tiniest bit of "Moltar" flair), I will post some pics.
I agree that they are expensive. I just don't know about fitting in a quad gun and I'm not really sold on the drake. If I dropped all the the flakk missiles and dropped one of the melta guys in squad 2 (as per Yggs' suggestion) it would free up 53 points. Not sure where I would spend it but that gives me a lot more options. It also gives me at least one more addtional thing I have to buy or convert.
Alright!
Hard to fit in too much (if any) hobby time while dealing with a newborn, but I managed to get a little more work on my rhino done, so I'll share the progress I've made.
This is essentially the look for the front:
Nothing too crazy or anything. I like the star in that awkward corner and the three pronged ram will look better once the back brace is thinned down and it appears more sunken in with the tracks on the sides. I may add some chain to the front to hang in the negative space, but I don't want it to look cheesy.
For the top, I've gone with this side vent.
I think it adds a little character and mixes it up from the standard look. It is from the included predator turret plate. It's been removed from the circle it was attached too and filed down. It needs just a little bit more filing to even out the hatch side of it. For the side without the vent, I'm thinking of adding some kind of prisoner/slave/future-cultist tow cable that runs down the side and off the back. Essentially a tow cable, but bloody and with several smaller, people-sized hooks, not one large tank/truck hook.
Here's the initial look of the rear:
I think I may wrap chain around the entire chaos eye block and have it strapped to the top and bottom of the door, without affecting the closure or hinge at the bottom. Not sure. It's not glued in place or anything yet.
I'm going to go against the gargoyles that I debated using in place of the exhaust pipes. I like the look, but I think I may just postpone it for another rhino or not use it. Once those exhaust pipes are gone they will never come back the same.
Although The Everliving are gifted with mutations, I aim to keep my vehicles mutation free. I prefer the look of dark gritty war engines that harbor these mutant maniacs opposed to a mutant tank. Just so you know what to expect.
Thanks for looking and reading! I realize that it isn't the most exciting or awe-inspiring update.
I've begun removing/sanding/filing/scraping away on my raptors, who should come together pretty quickly and easily. I have pretty much settled on a final build for my Junk Pile for the terrain competition and I have been trodding along on my rhino. I've come up with some more ideas and would love to hear your thoughts.
I figure that for the most part, less is more. So I thought that I may add some simple trophy chains like this:
These WoC bits scale much better than the clunky chain bits that come with the tank accessories. I can also add some of the metal chain I've used on the marines in place of some of these bits.
Then I was tinkering around and came up with this:
I can't recall seeing this done before, but I'll tell you why I like it. It's different. It's imposing and doesn't appear to be too cartoony. But what I think I like best about it, is the idea of the CSMs exiting the rhino underneath this trophy rack, like gladiators entering a pit. Skulls and giblets hanging overhead as the sounds of battle roar to life.
Here's another angle:
Am I crazy? Does it not look cool? Does it look dumb or too OTT? I would love to hear some opinions on it or see examples of someone else who has done this.
I'm liking the idea Could also work at the bottom of the door as a running board type affair, or one top and bottom as part of sponsons for a predator. I say go for it.
And yes you are crazy....but what's wrong with that
Looking good. I'm happy to think that there may be a nice looking non WaacCSM army in the area soon. There are a few older guys around charleston who have painted stuff and enjoy casual games, so no need to shelve the Everliving.
@Monkey: I like that idea too. I don't know if it would work on the bottom also, because I think it would awkwardly block the door. I'll check when I have the chance.
@ Strom: I hate that CSMWAAC is just anti-fluff. Nurgle Biker Lords and robo-dinosaurs. If I wanted to do Robo-Dinos I would have converted an entire army of awesome looking, power armored raptors and stegosauruses.
Stay tuned. Hope to get some decent hobby time in this weekend.
For now, I will leave you with a WiP sneak peek of the inside of my current rhino/death machine:
Malika2 wrote: Hey man! Awesome stuff. Do you have an update on what you did with the buzz saw? Very curious to see that one.
Getting around to it. Sorry it's taking me awhile. It's in the works though and out on my table for assembly with my havocs, so I should be taking some pics of it soon and I'll get them posted up.
Still minor stuff, unfortunately. With the holiday approaching and the crazy weekend that will follow (I work retail), I don't know how much I'll get done this week, but I do plan to get some paint out. I have to work on my Junk Pile so that needs some attention. I also would like to paint a few shoulder pads for The Everliving for practice. I'll share what I can.
In the mean time, here is how my rhino is looking for now:
No where near finished, but it's starting to really take shape. Not sure if I want to leave the non-combi hatch low profile like it is in this pic or if I want to add the extra raised ring that the hatch is intended to sit on.
Here is the very WiP on my Havoc Champion. He likes to cut things.
He is made using these bits:
Shaved down khorne beserker helmet (sorry bunny ears )
CSM chest torso.
Guitar string tube
Space Wolf belly plate with icons removed
Chains,
Raptor Shoulder Pad
Possessed Shoulder Pad
Sanguinary Legs
Chaos Space Marine Skulls from spikes
Raptor arms
Raptor Chainswords
Raptor Jump Pack
Let me hear what you think! I would be happy to show you guys at least something with paint on it this week. Even if it is just some shoulder pads. So, hopefully I'll get something done. Progress is progress, I suppose.
EDIT: I missed you, Yggs! Thanks for commenting! Glad it meets your approval
@Empchild Thanks and I can feel you on those. The chains are a little OTT, but I think they may tie in better once more chain is added to him and throughout the squad. I don't think they'll pop out quite as much.
I like your list. It will take a few games to tweak in order to fit how you want to play it, but you decent balance. I've never played Fast Attack anything and cannot remember the last time I took Terminators.
I'm torn on how to manage Flyers. I know Flakk missiles aren't the best punch and are expensive, but I'm also not going to give in to the GW arms race and buy a flyer. And if I ever did you can be sure it wouldn't be that hossed-up WFB PokeMon thing. I haven't had a terrible 'game-changing' moment involving Flyers so for now I'm going to stay the course and stick w/ my ML Flakk.
Great choice on that Havoc Launcher! Again, not a terribly popular vehicle upgrade from what I have seen, but I really like using them. Great range, ST 5, Blast, and Twin Linked. Not great at killing Marines (AP 5) but it wounds on a 3+ and every time you force a save is good. Having 3 Rhinos with Havoc ML makes for a good turn of shooting, especially if you are shooting at fleshy things 'Nidz and Guardsmen. *SPLAT*
I'm really focused on my 1,500 pt list right now. I'll share it with you if you'd like.
I don't know what I was thinking. I had planned to get a lot of stuff painted while baby sitting my 7 week old son. Let's just say I didn't get around to what I had planned on finishing. In the four hours I had to "paint," I managed to get one half-assed attempt on a shoulder pad.
To my credit, I haven't painted anything in months and this was a simple test performed while heavily distracted.
APOLOGIES FOR THE BLURRINESS
Clearly the icon needs less "feathers" as it comes off blotchy and crowded. This will also help when it's applied to a CSM shoulder pad, since they tend to have the little spikes and arrows cutting into the frame. The eye needs to be bigger and the PA color is a little too bright. That being said, I like the top half of the icon. The tallest feathers and the head/beak look good to me, but the bottom half of the icon is rubbish.
Nothing wrong with some more practice.
practice. practice. practice.
I'm liking the shoulder pad a lot. And I kind of like the "blotchy and crowded" design, myself. Looks sinister and chaotic. (I agree that bigger eyes, and perhaps less round, more pointed-oval, would improve the look.) Just my opinion, of course.
Well I agree with your opinion, tinfoil.
The eye definitely needs a more oval like shape and pointed sides to help define it. I don't mind the busyness of the shoulder pad so much as I think I just need a little more practice to make the bird look better.
Glad you like it. I'm fairly pleased with it overall.
Actually, LeadLegion, that is a rhino hatch. I think GW uses the same initial mold, as it is identical to a marauder (I think) shield I've seen. On my rhino it doesn't have the exterior ring around the hatch, which makes the whole hatch look a little smaller.
Not too much to report, unfortunately. I've been ever so slowly poking at my raptors, rhino, and junk pile. I managed to get some very minimal work done on the pile, but I am beginning to worry that the child and wife may prevent me from getting it done on time. I'll post pics as soon as I can take some.
I didn't forget about you, Malika2! I'll get those pics up soon.
Time is flying since he came along. Damn near impossible to get ANYTHING done, let alone, hobby stuff. I'm off tomorrow, but most likely I'll be catching up on RL stuff like bills and cleaning... Oh boy!
I would like to at least assemble my pile of junk. I have the bits and the layout all configured. Photos have been taken, so I know where everything goes. If I get it glued together, I can prime it. That would mean some actual progress to me. I feel that I may actually get more done with the baby around if I'm painting instead of modelling. I think applying base coats and such would be a little easier to start and stop than trying to facet chain to a chaos marine. We'll see. I would hate to no-show or have to drop out of the comp, but as I said, we'll see.
That was a little bit of a downer, so I'll leave you with a happy note:
That was a little bit of a downer, so I'll leave you with a happy note:
The Ruinous Powers love you just the way you are.
Aww. That's the nicest thing anyone has said to me all week.
As for the junk pile, even if you don't finish you can still submit. You'll take a hit on the painting aspect but the bitz and the build still count for judging. Don't forget your free +5 points if you send me an 'action shot' of you picking up a random hunk of junk off a sidewalk or somehting like that. In the end what's really important (to me anyway) is that everyone that entered winds up with a new piece of scenery that they will enjoy on their tabletop.
Have a few new things to take pics of, but may be on a short break due to the fact that I bought a house. Plus side of that is that it comes with some studio space for me to work in without lugging all my nerdery in and out of closets. Hope to post some pics and get some painting time in over the holidays.
Malika2 wrote:Happy holidays dude! Very curious to see what you'll do with my buzz saw. Enjoy the new house.
Same to you! Hope you had a great holiday. Excited to finish up my raptors and get pics of that saw. I will say, it broke in two places as it is apparently fairly fragile. I've fixed it easily, but word to the wise, be a little more gentle when handling
alabamaheretic wrote:Merry christmas moltar!
awesome purchase on the bnew ouse and heres hoping for an awesome things to come when you get everything set up.
Merry Christmas, heretic! Hope it was a good one. Thanks!
I'm very stoked to have purchased the house and having some "studio" space will be a huge advantage to getting hobby stuff done.
I also managed to get some sweet X-mas loot from the wifey.
I'm pretty impressed with her support! Usually she rolls her eyes at the cost GW demands, but she succumbed, like we all do!
Glad to get more reinforcements. I just have to get some building time in. With all these troops and tanks it's starting to really feel like I'm building an army. 2014 will be exciting. Up until The Everliving kill us all.
Same to you! Hope you had a great holiday. Excited to finish up my raptors and get pics of that saw. I will say, it broke in two places as it is apparently fairly fragile. I've fixed it easily, but word to the wise, be a little more gentle when handling
Hmm odd. Which parts broke, and what material did you use to print the model in?
Yggdrasil wrote:Yeah ! That means we'll get to see more Everliving !!
Merry Xmas mate
Thanks, Yggsy! Hope you had a merry one!
Malika2 wrote:
Same to you! Hope you had a great holiday. Excited to finish up my raptors and get pics of that saw. I will say, it broke in two places as it is apparently fairly fragile. I've fixed it easily, but word to the wise, be a little more gentle when handling
Hmm odd. Which parts broke, and what material did you use to print the model in?
The handle towards the back and one side that holds the saw in place. I got it in the frosted clear. It wasn't super fragile, just more fragile than I clearly anticipated. All good now though.
Chaos Legionnaire wrote:Looks great so far. I look forward to seeing more.
Here is the very WiP on my Havoc Champion. He likes to cut things.
I love this guy. He's all like "NEVER ENOUGH KNIVES!!!"
Thanks, Boss! Glad someone gets it. He's actually glued into place now (sans jump pack) and looks pretty awesome, if I do say so myself.
Thanks for taggin' along. Should have some decent conversions to post here in the near future. Love your Dubstep tau. Don't stop cranking those dudes out. Also scored a PS4 for xmas, so you and I have transcended.
This project and I still live, we're just dragging our feet.
I unfortunately haven't had any modelling or painting time, but everything went through and I did get the new house!!
We're renovating a few things, well, actually a lot of things, so we cannot move in yet, which puts all my nerdery on hold. That is unfortunate, but it will all be worth it once everything is complete. So, I do apologize for a lack of pics and updates all around.
I have a question, though!
My new hobby space will offer a lot of storage and work space with some decent lighting. What I'm looking for are suggestions for a good painting desk. I will have 6 feet from side to side and depth isn't really an issue. This will be for painting and modelling, not wargaming, so I need a DESK, not a table.
Can anyone offer some great painting-desk recommendations?
Thanks, Ivan! I'm hoping to get back to work on them soon. Finishing up my new house has been quite the task, but I do have a small studio space where I'll be able to paint, which is way more promising than doing my work at the dinner table. Hope to be able to start painting withing the next few weeks.
It's been far too long since I've posted anything here on Dakka. My apologies, but I've been a very busy Moltar lately. My business is busier than ever and I'm expecting my first child here in the next few months. I cannot promise that this blog will get all the love and attention it truly deserves, but I am really pumped about starting this new project. I'm building a 
). I can take new photos today and tomorrow as I get some more work done. My plan is to build the squad and their rhino before I start painting them. Since, I don't actually have any one to play 
) to be large enough to insert the arm part of the 
Probably better suited for terminators. They do look awesome, though
!!
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED 
Side Note: Should I be calling them something other than backpacks? I'm some what surprised I don't really know another (or proper) name to call them.
Thanks for looking 
)
Here is the very 
