Welcome to Smithy's Painstation - Ultramarines 4th Company Blog
29/05/2014 – After a bit of an absence, time for a reboot! If this is the first time you’ve looked at my blog for a while, maybe have a bit of skim through below!
So, due to some personal problems as well as a bit of a hobby lull, I’ve taken a bit of a sabbatical with this project- so apologies for anyone who missed the updates (though I wasn’t exactly expecting an uproar). I’ve revamped the OP a bit for clarity.
This is a little bit about me and my Painting, modelling and gaming history (from the original post)
Spoiler:
Hey bro's and lady-bro's,
I thought that I'd finally jump on the P&M blogging bandwagon and be another Smurfs painter/collector/player who puts his efforts on here. So, I'm Dan and I've been painting since Summer 2010, but only started gaming last year.
In these 3 years, I'd like to think that my painting has gotten a lot better since my first feeble efforts in my introduction to GW. I stumbled into the Leeds store wide-eyed an naive one afternoon when I was still at University and haven't looked back since. I've spent probably somewhere in the region of £3000 (hope my missus doesn't read this) and I've only ever collected Ultramarines, so I should have a massive force, right?!
Nope. I've only got quite a modest force, maybe 2000ish all totted up and it certainly wouldn't be competitive. The problem is, I kept scrapping/selling/giving it away in waves because a) I would look at my brand new squad, the pinnacle of my painting ability and decide the older, more poorly painted stuff wasn't worth the shelf space or b) I needed the money to fund my next project or <insert deity here> forbid, a none hobby related luxury(such as food or rent).
I'm in Manchester now and I aim to run a full on 2.5k Drop Pod army, with lots of infantry, dreadnoughts, fliers and of course... Drop Pods (I have a love/hate relation ship with these).
Since I started my project in early Dec, here’s my list of completed units: 4th Company Chief Librarian – kitbashed Librarian, using Tigurius’ rules
4th Company Captain – using Chapter Master rules.
10 man Sternguard Squad
3 Stormtalons
1 Stormraven
2 Tactical Squads
3 Devastator Centurions
3 Drop Pods
2 x FW Contemptor Dreadnoughts (One counts as Venerable, the other an Ironclad)
As of now, and after a hefty investment, I’ve got a large WIP pile: Shadowsword super heavy – Built, undercoated, basecoated.
Land Raider – standard pattern w/ Lascannons - Built, undercoated, basecoated.
Land Raider Redeemer - Built, undercoated, basecoated.
10 Honour Guard, kitbashed from a variety of boxes – being built.
4th Company Chaplain using Cassius’ rules, kitbashed from a variety of boxes – being built.
Below is the picture taken by the manager at GW Manchester of my old army when I started this project in December, so you can see how little I've done since
Looking good. That's librarian is great and I like the subtle OSL, nice and understated. Looking forward to more shots of the other stuff.
Are we going to be seeing any characters from the 4th Co novels any time soon? I've made my own versions of a few, and I'm intrigued to see what other people have done with the characters.
An update for you, a few more of my older creations.
@ Paradigm - apart from the characters in the codex, I don't have any from the two omnibuses. I think I should though.. you've given me inspiration. Hmmm... I might do Learchus first, as my Sternguard sergeant. Thanks for the idea!
Cool stuff. I like the way you've got a clean look without appearing flat, which is always a challenge.
The blue helmets on the termies is something that is unusual but works really well, and I like the use of red as a spot colour on the scouts.
Learchus as a Sternguard Sarge would work. I've done Passinius as a Command Squad flamer dude and Ventris as a captain with the Burning Blade. Ventris was fun to do as, compeared to the other SM captains, he is quite plain, so I ended up using a lot of parts from the Tactical squad set rather than the more blingy stuff.
Very nice, neat, clean army. Goes a long way in my book. Bet it looks fantastic on the tabletop too! Great basing by-the-way, looks terriffic with the blue.
@ Paradigm - I'm building my Sternguard at the moment, so I'll update when I have one. So far he's got a Chainsword, though he'll also have a nice bolter.
@ GItsplitta - Thanks! The problem is neat and clean is rather time consuming. I can't leave it unless it's pretty much 'perfect' or at least as good as I can make it. I do like the basing, completes the model for me and helps it looks that bit more finished - took plenty of trial and practice to find the right one.
Well, my blog nearly failed before it started.
I know that there are plenty of smurf collectors, so it's not the most original of concepts.
However, one month later, here's my latest update. 3x stormtalons and my 10 sternguard. I kit bashed the sternguard kit and the tactical squad kits with the finecast shoulder pads. I find the sternguard kits a bit too ostentatious and a bit too 'blingy'. Do you think it works?
I am NOT a fan of the recent "blingification" of 40k commanders and veterans. They didn't survive to get to that level my wearing jewelry that screams "Shoot me, I'm important!" So yes, I definitely approve.
Don't sweat the blog, takes a while to get established and to have people find you and figure out what you're doing.
They look great. If I might make a suggestion. Post WIP pics as you're working on things. Ask for input and thoughts of others while doing so. It will lengthen your blog and allow for some creative input.
All common sense stuff, but stuff you can't help but forget as you go along!
Does everybody else think of their next project before they've even got towards finishing their current one?
I've got 20 infantry and 3 vehicles to do, and I'm already looking wistfully at new models.
I was thinking of my 1800 list, with a) A stormraven b) 3 devastator centurians with 3 cannons and c) A contemptor dreadnought counting as an Ironclad.
The idea (for any gamers reading) is to put Tigurius in the flier with the Centurians, using his divination powers to buff them.. and a dreadnought for lulz.
At any rate, a few questions!
a) Are the Forgeworld brass rubbings any good? I've got my Raven already, and it looks a bit plain to be honest, and I'm not a fan of transfers!
b) I've never used FW before, so what are they like? Are the models good? What's the resin like to use compared to say, finecast or plastic?
I build and paint, to play really, so ultimately I'd like a decent army to kick backsides.
I'm doing a lot of drops pods to fit my tactics, so I've got 4 so far. I'm thinking of doing to nice Chapter Master using an honour guard model from Marneus' crew, and then making an honour guard from a sternguard kit. But I want it to look a bit more bling than my current "toned down" guard, but not too much.
Well, I think you're well on your way. At this point its a trial and error thing. See what you like. If you end up not liking what you've done you can strip and redo it.
It's nice to see this back in action, and nice work on the Sternguard and Talons. Like previously, they are nice and understated without looking bland. And painting 30 tacs at once must require some serious dedication.
I agree about the Drop Pods, building the 2 I have cost me the majority of my will to live and I haven't even got near them with a paintbrush yet.
That Honour Guard Champion (I think that's the one you're on about) would fit the toned-down style nicely as someone of a higher rank, and Hounor guard should be fun to kitbash. I'd suggest perhaps going for the Vanguard Veteran box instead/as well though, as the poses are a little more dynamic.
As for looking forward to new projects, guilty as charged. I currently have half an inquisition army on my desk, along with around a thousand points of Space Wolves, and a WIP Ultramarines battle company (I know, so original ) that I need to get back to.
Regarding the Tiggy/cents/raven idea, it's something that I'm in two minds about on a tactical level. On one hand, it counters the mobility issues of Centurions and gives them far more reach, but on the other hand, if the raven goes down (heavy interceptor would be a disaster here) then each one is getting hit with S10 AP2, so will probably die, and that's 400ish points down the drain. There's also the fact that they can't be anywhere useful until Turn 3 at the earliest, by which point there's every chance you could have walked there anyway. That said, there's no requirement to put them in the SR, so you can always just use it as a gunboat while the tig-cents shoot stuff up.
Ironclads are awesome, just be sure to give him a pod and he can wreck anything.
Good luck with those drop pods. I hate them with a fiery passion. I forced myself to do them bit by bit. Interspersing more fun minis between parts. And I have one in my to-prime box. <twitch>
As for the “next project” I always have thoughts and ideas bubbling away on the back burner. The problem is when thinking about the next project distracts you from the current one. Finishing that last guy or two can be a chore when you’ve already done the rest of the squad. The new project shine has worn off and you are just pushing to the finish.
What is the extent of your current project? Is it to fill out a playable list, or to collect the whole 4th company? Either way, you should get yourself a roadmap of where you are going. If you are building the whole company, you need to decide if you are going with the classic 6/2/2 squad disposition, or if you want to dedicate some of your marines to bikes/centurions/etc. If you are more focused on a playable list, think about what tactical gaps you need filled and grab that.
From a gamer’s perspective on your next suggested purchase (Tig/raven/cents/dread) I like all the parts, just not together. If you have too much of your army in reserve, the parts left on the table are going to be outnumbered and outgunned. That’s just too many points in one very expensive basket for my tastes. I like ravens empty as gunboats. Tigurius is powerful and underpriced in the latest codex. I think the dev cents make a a good firebase, but am not sure they would be a good match for a drop pod army. If you are going to use an ironclad, drop pod him. Relying on ravens to deliver assault troops is a mistake IMHO. You are looking at a turn 3-4 assault, many games are wrapping up by the time he’s going to impact the fight.
@ Paradigm: Thanks mate, appreciate it.
Thought that having dropped of the grid, no-one would notice/care, or that I came back on either!
Thankfully, it's only 20 marines, as 10 of them are the Sternguard I've done. My target is three weeks. Then another two for the pods, because I hate them so.
I'd be interested to see yours, once you've done them!
It's the guy with the two swords and the entirely golden helmet I was thinking. With a toned down paint scheme, I'm thinking it won't be too excessive.
Vanguard for honour guard? Sounds interesting, I might mash it with the Grey Knights kit for all the funky power weapons.
Oh dear, do you have enough of a work load there? :p
Right, see this is the plan... after I arrive using my uber loaded Raven, I'll use the Strike from the Skies rule from the Stormraven, and jump out. It's just difficult a terrain test, so hopefully the risk is minimised and they can still fire as normal, thanks to being relentless. They will have to either pick the Raven or the contents, rather than a huge juicy target or them all. All of this at turn 2!
Great thread a must follow! Your Ultramarines look great the and have to agree that the overly gaudy look just doesnt do it. If you don'nt mind what is your color scheme? I've gone through 10 different color blues and finally found the one i like (painted em up last night!) but I dig the vibe you were able to achieve.
That dude should make a neat chapter master, it was the one I was thinking of.
A mix of GK and either veteran kit (or even the DA veteran kit if you're looking for less-overtly-blingy ones) should give you an ample amount of power weapons and decorative bits, and the GK kits are just a joy to build.
Of course, I forgot about the air-drop rule on the Raven. In that case, it makes the plan very viable, and you could even escort it with a Stomtalon for more flying dakka.
It is something of a workload, and that's not mentioning the 30+ deadzone models I have, as well as terrain, as well as 3 rhinos, 2 drop pods and various odds and ends I have lying around. Oh well, everyone knows a gamer's arms fall off when he's finished his last model anyway...
@ Nev - The final plan is to have a killer drop pod list, somewhere around 3k, with plenty of Drop Pod filled goodies and fliers to support.
As for the gaming side, I agree there's a lot of tricks in one basket, but considering the amount of "in your face" Drop Pods and Fliers, hopefully there will be enough distraction. All of my army starts in reserve, so hopefully it shouldn't provide too much of an issue. But granted with the Iron clad, that's best left in another pod. The centurions should be shooting turn two, so I thought it would work OK? Maybe it's something I should play test..
Definitely appreciate the feedback though, I'll certainly run my list by you.
I was thinking as a quick draft -
Tigurius with Cents in Stormraven.
Chapter Master with Honour Guard in Drop Pod.
A few Tactical squads with melta/other load outs in Drop Pod.
3x Stormtalons
Sternguard in Drop Pod.
FW "ironclad in Drop Pod"
All that would be somewhere in the 2500 region? I'll draw up a list a run it by you and anyone else actually. I want to to be casual yet playable!
Automatically Appended Next Post:
CoyoteCasket wrote: Great thread a must follow! Your Ultramarines look great the and have to agree that the overly gaudy look just doesnt do it. If you don'nt mind what is your color scheme? I've gone through 10 different color blues and finally found the one i like (painted em up last night!) but I dig the vibe you were able to achieve.
Looking Great!
Thanks a lot!
I try to make it look fairly minimalist, so you can always "go up" one level, so your top guy doesn't look out blinged, and the whole think looking like a gypsy wedding.
My blue is: Macragge blue, the blue wash. Heavy drybrush of Macragge blue, then a lighter Altdorf then another even lighter Calgar blue drybrush (and highlight if it's an important model).
@ Nev - The final plan is to have a killer drop pod list, somewhere around 3k, with plenty of Drop Pod filled goodies and fliers to support.
As for the gaming side, I agree there's a lot of tricks in one basket, but considering the amount of "in your face" Drop Pods and Fliers, hopefully there will be enough distraction. All of my army starts in reserve, so hopefully it shouldn't provide too much of an issue. But granted with the Iron clad, that's best left in another pod. The centurions should be shooting turn two, so I thought it would work OK? Maybe it's something I should play test..
Definitely appreciate the feedback though, I'll certainly run my list by you.
I was thinking as a quick draft -
Tigurius with Cents in Stormraven.
Chapter Master with Honour Guard in Drop Pod.
A few Tactical squads with melta/other load outs in Drop Pod.
3x Stormtalons
Sternguard in Drop Pod.
FW "ironclad in Drop Pod"
All that would be somewhere in the 2500 region? I'll draw up a list a run it by you and anyone else actually. I want to to be casual yet playable!
Like all drop pod lists, you are high risk, high reward. But it looks like you have all the major bases covered. I’d recommend getting some games in, proxy new stuff, and see how things work for you, vs. the guys you play against. It’s one thing to talk about the theoretical internet meta, it’s another to push some plastic around with your friends at your FLGS. My concerns about reserving too much of your army don’t matter if you go up against other reserve heavy lists, for example. Same thing with how much anti-tank fire you need to pack.
I'll do the pods all in one go, but I'm doing the 20 marines as 4 combat squads of 5 men each, so I don't get bored. How do you guys stay motivated?
Motivation is a fickle thing. What works for one person might not for another. There are a few things that I try to do to keep at it.
Set goals, and ones you can reach. Keep it realistic, else you just fail and get disheartened. This can be a weekly progress goal (x minis per week) or a deadline (I want the models for this 1,500 point list ready for a game in 2 weeks)
Work a little bit every day. Slow and steady wins the race.
Work bulk troops in batches. I try to work 4 at a time, but if 5 works for you, go for it.
Reward the boring with the fun. Don’t try to bang out 20 marines in a row. Do 5, then a dread, another 5, captain, yet another 5, librarian, etc.
Take breaks, and intersperse painting with other hobbies. Put a layer of paint down, read a chapter in a book, another color, watch an episode on TV, drybrush, etc. Not only does it break up the tedium, but after a certain age, being hunched over the paint bench for hours does unkind things to your back.
Showcase your results. It can be encouraging to watch your "to be done" pile migrate over to your “ready for battle” shelf.
Read the rules, and envision the nasty tricks your current projects are going to inflict on your hapless opponents. Maniacal laughter is optional but encouraged. This obviously works better for meaner units. But the image of drop pods screaming down from orbit, disgorging the Emperor’s finest into the heart of my enemies is one of the lights that got me through painting those darn things.
Here's a few tips for motivation, other than what's mentioned above:
- If you play regularly, limit yourself to a max of 1 unpainted squad per game. You'll want to play bigger games, so will paint stuff faster.
- Put something on in the background. I find that stuff you can listen to and still appreciate without watching is best, like some sitcoms or panel shows or the like. There's no need to watch them, but it helps to break the silence and monotony.
- The shelf-migration tip is a good one. If you have 2 places you can put models, then have an unpainted and painted area, and just move them across as you do them. I like putting my recently completed stuff on the top shelf so I can easily see what I've done. Seeing what you've already achieved and how it expands is a great motivator.
- Also, never force yourself. If you are too tired/distracted/stressed to paint, it's the worst thing you can do to make yourself do it, as you're bound to miss bits or not give the models your full attention.
5 works for me, 20 certainly doesn't...
I've spent £80 based on your experiences, I've purchased the Honour Guard w/ Calgar, using the Champion as CM as planned. Once I've done 5, I'll build him, then another five, and I'll build my new Centurion purchases, etc etc.
I'm quite looking forward to Centurion-Tiggy star, which is why I'm going to dust off the half done Raven and get move on! Drop Pods, tearing through the atmosphere, smashing up lines with orbital assaults. Purge the heretics!
This blog is a proper motivator as well though.
I'll seperate my done and to do piles, as a show of what needs doing - perhaps I'll show it here too.
I'm really surprised guys, I was kind of expecting this to be a "look what Dan can do" journal, but this is more of an education for me. Thanks!
Looking forward to what you do with the Honour Guard. Any plans to do up Calgar as well?
Combined with the Drop Pods, the Tiggy-Cent Raven-bomb (that needs to be an official unit designation), you should be able to do very well in terms of being able to pick when and where you fight. You've got a lot of early-on mobility, which is always a boon.
Sounds like a plan as far as mixing up your painting goes.
No plans for Calgar though and no real plan to either. I don't like the model/rules though.
Of my entire list, the TCR bomb (now it's definitely a thing), is what I'm quietly confident about.
Right... here's my Chapter Master with power weapon (burning blade) and storm shield (shield eternal). What do you guys think?
I've picked the combat shield over a storm shield, I reckon it looks more elegant for a sword fighter as opposed to it's chunkier variant. I've had to modify it as well... as apparently there's no such thing as a right handed shield :/
So.. all in all, does it work. Does he look captain/chapter master-ish?
Yep, I think that works well. That model is easily as decorated as some of the Captains and CMs before the hyper-bling days, and especially with the rest of the army so understated there should be no confusion as to what he's meant to be.
If you have a back banner spare from anyone and feel he needs just a little more to set him apart, banners are great ways to designate leaders and show off with freehand.
Burning Blade and Shield Eternal is an awesome combo, if expensive. Hitting with 5 S7 AP2 I5 attacks on the charge should wreck most stuff, and the shield should keep him alive long enough to rinse and repeat.
A bit of building something new refreshes my will to paint, which is good. I'm gonna spray these and captain searches and get back to my tactical marines.
Chapter Master completed, though I'm really not sure whether I like him or not. There's so much detail on there and I don't think I did it justice. Comments and criticisms please! Doesn't help that the photo isn't great either.
Also, a 5 man combat squad is done too, though the bases aren't finished.
There is something about him that strikes me as a little off, but I can’t put my finger on it. It might be the bright green contrasting with the otherwise matte marine. The red leather belt thing seems to contrast poorly as well. Either one separately might not have bothered me, but both together strike me as “off”
Obviously, as the 4th, you need to keep some green highlights. So I might try a more brown, rather then red, for the leathers.
Just some random thoughts, overall he’s not bad looking. The problem is as your captain, he’s a focal point of your army and you want him looking his best.
I've dulled down the green on the plume with washes as well as adding some flock and snow to the base. He looks better, though not as good as I'd hoped.
The problem was I was thinking of "red-ish leather" and started off with red, rather than brown. Earthshade can only do some much. I've learned a fair amount with this model, so overall it's been a fairly positive experience.
Thankfully he's an expansion on my current list, so he's not crucial. I can do him again at a later date if he's not grown on me by then. The threat of theFairy Power Spray looms.
Centurions next and I expect to have them done within the week. No issues this time, promise
I have no idea what the modern equivalent is, but I have a pot of “Vermin Fur” which is a very nice reddish brown. One problem with all my old brown paints is that they don’t cover well, so I need to do a number of coats to get anywhere.
I would not strip him, he’s not that bad. Give him some time to grow on you. If instead of growing, he just irritates you more, then you can toss him in the drink. But I’d focus on getting more stuff done the tweaking the last guy to “just right” Who knows, by the time you get back to him, you might have improved and learned new techniques, and he’ll end up better then you can imagine now.
The Chapter Master is looking great, but the one thing that struck me as 'off' was the helmet. I know you're trying to avoid overdoing the ornamentation, but personally I'd go for painting the grille of the helmet the same gold as the wreath. With the strong green of the crest and the strong red of the belts, the eye is drawn away from the centre of the model, which is usually the focal point. Might be something to consider.
I like him smithy. The muted, earthy blue sets them apart from your typical ultras, and the red and green are good compliments. For color balance... I might have gone with a red crest rather than a green one, that way you'd have red top & bottom and green left & right. Nice and... symmetrical.
I have to chuckle smithy... you have no idea how many times I put up a mini that I thought was done and ended up changing it because of the ceaseless pressure and browbeating I was taking from the readers of my blog. The good part is, they're usually right. Usually...
That's one heck of an army! A collection of that size and quantity is something to be proud of. The timeframe you've completed it in is equally impressive.
Paradigm wrote: 5 months is still an achievement, I dare say most would struggle to complete an army to that standard in that time.
4 fliers is a fearsome prospect for most armies.
This on both counts. Coming together very well. I know there is a list of models to be done back on the first page, do you have an army list written up for a goal?
Thanks guys - I spend a couple of hours most nights doing it though, so my time investment is actually quite high!
Perhaps this is where you guys can help. At the moment, I'm thinking a drop pod/flier only list for 2400. Knowing what I've got, can you think of an effective list for me? Between us, perhaps we can concieve something nigh unstoppable! (well, not quite).
Yeah, I just realised I made the fatal 'even-number-of-pods' mistake (although to be fair, that list was off the top of my head). In that case, I'd certainly throw in an Ironclad in a pod to go with the Sternies on an alpha-strike. Maybe another Sternguard squad if you have the points.
If you want to throw in some dreads, then I'd go with-
In Raven: Ironclad with HurriBolters and a HF (or 2x HF for maximum burniness)
In Pod: Ironclad with Melta and HF, Seismic Hammer and DCCW.
I wouldn't bring another Raven just for the Dread-drop, as you just have too much off-board on T1 for it to be worth it in my opinion.
Hi Smithy, I stumbled across this blog and read it through from the first post and I have really enjoyed it. your army, panting and models look fantastic. I am just the same mate I have been collecting for a life time (literally) but due to scrapping stuff, not liking what I done ect ect. I never really had anything to show for it. So it really struck a chord when I read this thread. I have also decided to knuckle down and like yourself I have found having a thread on here is a real help and gives lots of encouragement. So rather than ramble on much more I'll just say your army and models look amazing. your blog inspires me to push on with my project to. I look forward to seeing what's next, keep up the great work, it looks epic.
It's been a whole month and I've had absolutely nothing to show for it. Had a bit of a non hobby month to be honest, but those centurions have been annoying me since Thursday so I thought it's time to grit teeth. Apologies to those who even expected an update, welcome aboard to anyone new
As always, comments, criticisms and scathing indignant guffaws appreciated.
A month break isn't a bad thing though. Let's ya reset the painting batteries and look at everything in a fresh light. Glad to see some more done though I enjoy reading your blog and checking out you marines. Helps with the inspiration.
And I'm so jealous of the centurions I wanna buy a set so bad but forcing myself to finish other projects first. They look great!
Just realised that photo really isn't great :/ Might have to take another.
Ectus - I'm really glad to be a source of inspiration, thanks for your comments, I appreciate it I'll make sure to check out your work too!
Thanks Coyote - Centurions are a fun model to build and look good when finished, but I found them to be a bit of a pain to paint, though I think that was mostly me resisting just getting on with it.
Stormraven next and I'm offering a dakka promise, that I'll get it done within 2 weeks as an absolute maximum.
@ Para - I actually got started on my Raven in earnest last night, the blue and all the silver is done! Might get done faster than expected.
On an interesting note, I went into my local GW after a couple of weeks of absence (walking past it every day on my way too/from work makes me a regular) and the manager goes up to me and says he wants me to represent the store as part of a local GW tournament they're planning.
I'm not even the best player there, but he was saying about how it's about having nicely painted, wysiwyg, fluffy armies as well as an honest and sportsman like play style. So I came out with a proper puffed out chest, feeling nice and smug with myself. Which isn't good, becuase my ego is massive :/
Wow, that’s cool that he picked you. And he’s right about not wanting the best player, but one who embodies the whole hobby, not just the win/loss rate.
And you seem like a nice guy, and have a very cool army. So win!
Very cool congrats on being picked! You do have a great looking army and the fact you have a place that actually has tournaments is awesome in an of itself.
Nev - it's just a ruse, I'm a massive douche really Coyote and Para - thanks guys. The tournament will be in a few months, so I've got enough time to devise a truely devious list as well as buying, building and painting it all. I'm not sure of the points value, but I'm thinking it will be in the 1500-1800 range.
On a P&M side of things, the Raven is showing progress, should be finished by the end of the week. That said, I got South Park: The Stick of Truth on xbox last night, so I've been a little pre-occupied
Hey everyone, apologies for the lack of updates - I must admit it's been a while! Unfortunately, I've had some goings on in my personal life which weren't wonderful, so I've had to put the whole project on the back burner. However, time to get things on track again!
I'd finished my Stormraven a while ago actually, and has been a staple part of the Centurion delivery system which seems to work quite well.
I've bought few bits and pieces for a planned 10,000 point apocalypse match with a friend who plays in my GW store against the manager and one of the staff. We're using 5000 points a piece, however I'm only just over 3100 all in, and it's not exactly a streamlined list.
So I thought to couple the drop pod/fliers, I'm going armour heavy (especially considering 7th ed. favours tanks and dreadnoughts).
I've built and sprayed 2 FW contemptor dreads, using them as a ven. dread and an ironclad.
1 Shadowsword (just had to, having read know no fear).
1 Redeemer Landraider - Chapter Master, Honour Guard and Cassius delivery system.
1 Standard Patter Landraider - Tigurius/Centurions.
10 Honour guard, which I'm kit bashing using some sternguard, grey knights, command squad and tactical squad bits.
Not pictures yet, because I'll get them on soon. Just a quick update, but I'll have some more fun updates in the near future
Good to have you back. Hope things get better, whatever is going on.
That is quite the armored fist you are adding to your army. Looks pretty solid, and should cause some pain. Part of me would have liked to see you boost your force to a full battle company, but that’s a lot of guys to paint, and might not be the best on the battlefield.
Have you read the apoc book? Or are you just building to points for a game? There is a formation “Masters of the Chapter” that you can use if you have a CM, 4-10 captains, and a HG squad. Has some nice game effects. Might be worth removing some of the honour guard from the LR and adding some captains. I’m not sure what other formations you have the minis for, but it might be worth looking. There are some nice perks on some of them.
Thanks guys, good to be back. Recharged after my break
Nevelon wrote: Good to have you back. Hope things get better, whatever is going on.
That is quite the armored fist you are adding to your army. Looks pretty solid, and should cause some pain. Part of me would have liked to see you boost your force to a full battle company, but that’s a lot of guys to paint, and might not be the best on the battlefield.
Have you read the apoc book? Or are you just building to points for a game? There is a formation “Masters of the Chapter” that you can use if you have a CM, 4-10 captains, and a HG squad. Has some nice game effects. Might be worth removing some of the honour guard from the LR and adding some captains. I’m not sure what other formations you have the minis for, but it might be worth looking. There are some nice perks on some of them.
Nev - The battle company is coming, but it's all going to be in the form of the formation that comes from the Damnos book. Marines in drop pods, all coming down turn 1 with crusader and fear for two turns. Also anything else that can use drop pods also benefit from these rules.
My HG are shrinking just due to the lack of nice bits to do a really nice HG, so I'm down to 7. With the intention of packing in a librarian (not Tiguirus), Cassius, CM and who knows what else.
The Dreads are coming along quite quickly, and should have some photos soon!
Contemptor Dreadnoughts - A picture heavy update this time.
The assault cannon version is a Venerable, while the two power fist edition is the Ironclad. I've been relatively productive this week, it's not taken as long to do these as I thought
C&C appreciated!
Next on the list is either the two Land Raiders or the Shadowsword - which do you guys want to see next?
I like how you’ve painted them, but I still dislike those FW dreads. Too smooth and potbellied, not enough baroque bling for Imperial war machines. I recognize that I’m in the minority, and they should serve you well on the battlefield.
Typical - started the Shadowsword in the time between me asking and you guys suggesting it. There's just so much blue space, I hope I do a good job... they're not exactly the cheapest models ever. Any suggestions when it comes to super heavies?
I plan on getting all three done fairly quickly, maybe within the next couple of weeks.
See where you're coming from with the FW dreads Nev - they're definitely a lot more human-like in stature as opposed to something you can make a reasonable representation of with Lego.
The shadowsword is cool enough at any rate. As for painting tips, (an this is mostly conjecture as the largest thing I've painted is a Land Raider) I think the huge model is a good place to show off some freehand or other designs and techniques. I know you like the models understated, but if there's one place they're going to go all-in with showing off, it's on a tank the size of a small office block!
Since it's being discussed, I love both the Contemptor and the standard Dread. The Contemptor does have the cleaner shape and lines, but it's a relic from a more practical age, whereas the standard Dread has that boxiness that just says 'Damn you, Physics, I'm standing upright!'. On another note, I must try and make a lego dread at some point...
Tigurius wrote:See where you're coming from with the FW dreads Nev - they're definitely a lot more human-like in stature as opposed to something you can make a reasonable representation of with Lego.
Paradigm wrote:Since it's being discussed, I love both the Contemptor and the standard Dread. The Contemptor does have the cleaner shape and lines, but it's a relic from a more practical age, whereas the standard Dread has that boxiness that just says 'Damn you, Physics, I'm standing upright!'. On another note, I must try and make a lego dread at some point...
I will admit to having done some mental exercises on how I’d build a dread out of lego. Not hit the bins to drag out bricks yet though. And I might be downloading a lego digital design program in another window while I type this...
Hey Nev linked me to this blog since I'm starting to work on a 4th army as well. Your models look amazing btw.
If you don't mind I have one question, what greens did you for for with the accents? Like the should pads, bolter casings, etc. Thanks so much! and awesome work again!.
Looks very good! The only thing I'd suggest is to put some black text/numerals/icons on some of the white areas (and maybe the same with white on blue) but other than that, damn nice work!
MitchellTyner wrote:Hey Nev linked me to this blog since I'm starting to work on a 4th army as well. Your models look amazing btw.
If you don't mind I have one question, what greens did you for for with the accents? Like the should pads, bolter casings, etc. Thanks so much! and awesome work again!.
Thanks a lot! I'm glad you like my work.
It'll be good to see a fellow 4th Company player and perhaps some of your projects too? The green is waargh flesh and then orkboss green ( I think that's what they're called). It's more of an olive green finish. Caliban green might be a good way to approach it too.
Paradigm wrote:Looks very good! The only thing I'd suggest is to put some black text/numerals/icons on some of the white areas (and maybe the same with white on blue) but other than that, damn nice work!
Yeah, it's something I thought of doing. I could well take that advise soon. The flash makes it look really white though, there's a bit more texture without the stark brightness.
Played my first game with it yesterday - What a beast. That D cannon eliminated 2 tactical squads in 2 shots. Lascannons and heavy bolters scything down terminators en masse. Might only use this for more serious games. A bit OP for a friendly game.
Those things put out a massive amount of firepower. Then again, they cost a chunk of points. The baneblade chassis superhevies struck me as actually balanced. I think the shadowsword is probably the best of the lot, but it’s been a while since I looked at the details.
The lighting is a bit harsh, so it’s hard to comment on the details. I think it might be nice to get another color in there to help break things up a bit. Right now it’s basically black/white/blue. I know there is more going on, but at a distance that’s what comes across. I might slap a chunk of purity seals all over it, the red/parchment would add a spash. You could put clusters at places you want to draw the eye.
Overall it looks quite nice. And it’s good to have a big chunk of tank for when things get real.
MitchellTyner wrote:Hey Nev linked me to this blog since I'm starting to work on a 4th army as well. Your models look amazing btw.
If you don't mind I have one question, what greens did you for for with the accents? Like the should pads, bolter casings, etc. Thanks so much! and awesome work again!.
Thanks a lot! I'm glad you like my work.
It'll be good to see a fellow 4th Company player and perhaps some of your projects too? The green is waargh flesh and then orkboss green ( I think that's what they're called). It's more of an olive green finish. Caliban green might be a good way to approach it too.
Honestly my work is so bad it shouldn't be shone lol. I ended up going with castellan green for the base, Loren Forest and Elysian Green. Honestly I think it's a little too dark.
That is the darker route, but perhaps you need to drybrush/highlight with the brighter colours a little more?
In other news, Land Raiders started. Built, sprayed black and are now basecoat blue. One's a redeemer, the other is a Godhammer.
These will be back to the old 4th company Green colour scheme.
Automatically Appended Next Post: Right, so I'm starting my Raiders, and I'm really looking for some direction on how I should bulk my armoured contingent.
There's a competition in my local GW at the end of October "Armies on Parade", where you put at least 1HQ and 2 units on a 2x2 gaming tile, to make the coolest looking thing possible.
Obviously there are a few approaches, including making it look like a battlefield or where you dump a feth load of units on a board and go "ta da! look at all my stuff" followed up with the jazz hands.
I thought my submission might be based loosely on the Armoured Might unbound one-click from GW. My shadowsword,(with some planned improvements, thanks guys) my Land Raiders and who knows what. I was thinking more fliers and tanks, with my chapter master looking at it all from a nice view point. Any thoughts?
If I may, I'll suggest - as other have already said - some markings on the white panels, to break them up a bit, and, maybe, some dirt or mud, at least on the tracks and side skirts?
Or not, if that does not go along with your taste or the rest of your army, it certainly looks the part as is as well
Tigurius wrote: Right, so I'm starting my Raiders, and I'm really looking for some direction on how I should bulk my armoured contingent.
There's a competition in my local GW at the end of October "Armies on Parade", where you put at least 1HQ and 2 units on a 2x2 gaming tile, to make the coolest looking thing possible.
Obviously there are a few approaches, including making it look like a battlefield or where you dump a feth load of units on a board and go "ta da! look at all my stuff" followed up with the jazz hands.
I thought my submission might be based loosely on the Armoured Might unbound one-click from GW. My shadowsword,(with some planned improvements, thanks guys) my Land Raiders and who knows what. I was thinking more fliers and tanks, with my chapter master looking at it all from a nice view point. Any thoughts?
I think doing an armoured column might be cool. Lead with the Shadowsword, the pair of LR behind it, and then 3 of something behind that. Vinidcators or Preds, maybe even Rhinos. 1-2-3 would give a nice 'spearhead' sort of look.
I like the idea of a Chapter Master and his staff watching from on high. Maybe have Chronus in the lead tank, or standing with the Commanders?
Tigurius wrote: Right, so I'm starting my Raiders, and I'm really looking for some direction on how I should bulk my armoured contingent.
There's a competition in my local GW at the end of October "Armies on Parade", where you put at least 1HQ and 2 units on a 2x2 gaming tile, to make the coolest looking thing possible.
Obviously there are a few approaches, including making it look like a battlefield or where you dump a feth load of units on a board and go "ta da! look at all my stuff" followed up with the jazz hands.
I thought my submission might be based loosely on the Armoured Might unbound one-click from GW. My shadowsword,(with some planned improvements, thanks guys) my Land Raiders and who knows what. I was thinking more fliers and tanks, with my chapter master looking at it all from a nice view point. Any thoughts?
I think doing an armoured column might be cool. Lead with the Shadowsword, the pair of LR behind it, and then 3 of something behind that. Vinidcators or Preds, maybe even Rhinos. 1-2-3 would give a nice 'spearhead' sort of look.
I like the idea of a Chapter Master and his staff watching from on high. Maybe have Chronus in the lead tank, or standing with the Commanders?
The other option would be to have a captain/CM on a bike, with a bike squad or two working as outriders for the armored column. Any force lead by something as massive as the shadowsword is going to have some FA units screening it. If not bikes, some scouts in LSS, (on on their own bikes) or some speeders fit the role.
Of course, with a pair of LRs, having the HQ in them makes a lot of sense. I could see this going a lot of different ways.
Paradigm wrote:
I think doing an armoured column might be cool. Lead with the Shadowsword, the pair of LR behind it, and then 3 of something behind that. Vinidcators or Preds, maybe even Rhinos. 1-2-3 would give a nice 'spearhead' sort of look.
I like the idea of a Chapter Master and his staff watching from on high. Maybe have Chronus in the lead tank, or standing with the Commanders?
Nevelon wrote:
The other option would be to have a captain/CM on a bike, with a bike squad or two working as outriders for the armored column. Any force lead by something as massive as the shadowsword is going to have some FA units screening it. If not bikes, some scouts in LSS, (on on their own bikes) or some speeders fit the role.
Of course, with a pair of LRs, having the HQ in them makes a lot of sense. I could see this going a lot of different ways.
Perhaps I can do both! Excellent inspiration guys.
Might use fliers rather than bikes though, maybe some landspeeders, shove some Vindicators, the two LR's and the shadowsword in the 1-2-3 formation, with a couple of talons and landspeeder or two.
On a practical standpoint, you need to fit everything on a 2’x2’ display? What’s the footprint on a shadowsword? aren’t they close to a square foot on their own?
You might have to switch themes to a garage or depot, with techmatrines squeezing between tanks to finish loading them up before they deploy. There would just be too much armor to fit into a realistic field deployment.
Updates. My Land Raider and Redeemer are finished, I shall post some pictures of those at some point soon.
I've acquired 5 Vindicators, because after all, if there's any point in having 1, there's plenty of point in having 5! These 5, along with the LRs and Shadowsword will be the bulk of my "Armies on Parade".
I've also gained a large carry case from a local hardware store full of pick and pluck foam, which has allowed me to squeeze loads in!
I need some advice though! I've gone for Nev's idea to put a Chapter Master on a bike, and give him some pals. But I want to know - a) what kits should I use and b) what should I equip them with?
The Ravenwing stuff looks nice, to kit bash with but I'm seeking guidance, especially considering I'd like my CM to look special, without being overly blingy. In terms of kitting him out, I'm thinking a lance (possibly as a burning blade) and a storm shield (shield eternal).
Also, on a personal note - I've got a new job that I start next week, which will give me some additional time to tinker and paint, because there are often some periods of down time
Congratulations on the new job, and finding one with hobby time to boot!
5 Vindicators will ruin anyone's day on the table! Have you seen the Forge World Seige Assault Vanguard list? Its all about aggressive play and I believe you cab take Vindicators (as well as whirlwinds, preds and dreads) in squadrons. Might be worth looking into, the download is free on the FW site.
Looking forward to seeing the LR.
As for the bike, I think you're best off mixing Vanguard or Sternguard parts with a bike. Maybe not a Ravenwing one unless you fancy removing a lot of DA icons. How confident are you with Green Stuff sculpting? It could help decorate a plain bike.
When I built my bike captain I used parts from the ravenwing, sternguard, vanguard, and multi-part captain kits. The DA ravenwing sprue that you get 3 of with the DA battleforce has a number of useful things that aren’t caked with wings and broken swords. And some of the wings, if given a nice gold paintjob, invoke the image of the aquila, so are generic enough for any imperial force. Looking at the sprue pics of the newer DA bikes, they have a lot of stuff sculpted on that’s not going to be easy to remove. Might still be some bits worth harvesting, but probably not worth the price tag. But the old RW sprue is free with a number of bundles.
If you are adding bikes to your army, the DA battle force is still probably you go-to box. Less so then it used to be, since the 3 bikes for $40 boxes were introduced, but you do get the speeder and extra DA sprues for about $3, so it’s still good. And the bikes are the basic kits, so universal.
The “what to give them” question is a lot harder. As this is for an army on parade, my first though would be “what looks coolest?” On a more practical standpoint, what does the rest of your army look like? Do you have another HQ? If so, you could run a command squad on bikes. Do you have other troops? If not, you are going to need a pair of 5 man squads. Your first troop squad should probably be full melta. 2xMeltaguns, MM attack bike. I’m on the fence about the sarge, he might want the c-melta, or it might be overkill. If you are rolling with 5 vindicators, I’m not sure you need to have a grav bike squad, but they also work well.
There's a formation in the damnos book with vindicators - mahoosive blasts and such.
No abilities with greenstuff, beyond dodgy gap filling.
I might have to use tactical squad bits and all the bits and pieces to really bring the squads to life.
£20.00 for a box of 3 bikes. How many would you say to be a good size for my CM? 6? 9? Attack bikes, yay or nay?
You posted while I was writing, but I want to address your last point about the attack bikes: I’ve seen arguments about not taking them, but you should IMHO. Particuarly with the squad the CM is going to be in. If you have him out front tanking wounds, the attack bike can be behind him for a look out sir check. It’s got 2 wounds, so can basically take a hit for free for the guy up front.
From a mechanics POV, one of bikes' perks is the ability to get all the toys at a small squad size. If you have a HQ making them troops, 5 models strong is the way to go. Sarge, two special weapons, one basic biker, and an attack bike.
For a fluffy/display piece, I could see a full 10 man squad with 8 normal and one attack bike. While you could combat squad that on the table, IMHO you would be better taking 2x5 bikes at the list building stage to cram in more guns.
Interesting thoughts, and an excellent contribution as standard Nev.
I'm looking to play them as well, so combat ready would be awesome. So, I'm thinking - Dark Angels Battleforce, as you've said. Convert the sargent with bits to make the CM. Use the rest as a 5man melta squad, with the attack bike and the landspeeder with melta too.
Perhaps I'll buy a second one, make an librarian on a bike too with a second squad loaded with grav.
Are close combat weapons on bikes viable? Or does bogging them down in combat make them rather redundant?
Tigurius wrote: Interesting thoughts, and an excellent contribution as standard Nev.
I'm looking to play them as well, so combat ready would be awesome. So, I'm thinking - Dark Angels Battleforce, as you've said. Convert the sargent with bits to make the CM. Use the rest as a 5man melta squad, with the attack bike and the landspeeder with melta too.
Perhaps I'll buy a second one, make an librarian on a bike too with a second squad loaded with grav.
Are close combat weapons on bikes viable? Or does bogging them down in combat make them rather redundant?
Bikes are one of those units that can do almost anything OK. And sometimes you need to charge a unit to make the shooting stop. Bikes get hammer of wrath when they charge, and have the speed to get to their target, but don’t have a lot of attacks when stuck in. With the changes to jink saves, CC bikes are a tempting option. You need to snap fire your guns, but jinking doesn’t affect your melee ability. So you might as well pile in and crump some heads. Obviously a tooled up command squad is going to do better, but a vet sarge with a toy and a chapter master should be able to do some harm.
From a modeling POV, the bikers are very basic marines, but compatible with the rest of the range. You might find yourself just using the legs, and getting better looking torsos/heads/shoulders from other kits. You will also need to get the special weapons for other locations. There are robed legs without DA iconography on the RW sprue, but the robed torso has a big symbol on the front. If you are doing a librarian, you might need to find a good torso elsewhere.
Any chance you could give me some measurements from one of those Deredeo Dreads? Looking at scratching something up as a counts-as since I'm broke at the moment.
It's me! Yes, it's 8 years later - but I have returned.
If this is thread necromancy; I apologise sincerely, but I thought as it is my P&M blog it might be permitted. If not; lock, nuke from orbit or whatever is applicable.
So, it's been a chunk of time since I posted. The 4th Company was continued a little while longer (the photo below shows you most (but not all of what was achieved)), but was eventually shelved. I did some more armies, mostly Tau.
But to be honest, I've been busy with life. I started teaching Physics, I got married and had a little one.
I am back though! 8 years is a long enough time for me to restart the project. I've long since sold the original 4th, so I'm back to square one!
Got a stormtalon WIP at the moment, but I look forward to sharing updates soon!
Well this thread is a blast from the past! Back when Space Marines were just Space Marines, Guilliman was still dead and the word Primaris hadn't even occurred to anyone!
That final army short of the 4th Co. is truly impressive, but it seems you've not lost your talent in the years since, as that Stormtalon is looking sharp already!
Welcome back, and congratulations on the job and family!
The Stormtalon is complete. Took a gamble on enhancing my skills on painting glass effects, which I think have been reasonable on the canopy.
I dry fitted the flight stand piece in the under-carriage so well, that it's err... never coming off.
Vindicator next.
Automatically Appended Next Post:
Paradigm wrote: Well this thread is a blast from the past! Back when Space Marines were just Space Marines, Guilliman was still dead and the word Primaris hadn't even occurred to anyone!
That final army short of the 4th Co. is truly impressive, but it seems you've not lost your talent in the years since, as that Stormtalon is looking sharp already!
Welcome back, and congratulations on the job and family!
Yeah, 40k is a different beast entirely. 4 editions later I'd completely forgotten about Dakka, having drifted off into the mainstream social media and not having a proper project to speak of.
I've been hobbying still, but flitting continually between projects. Picked up a few more skills lately, which I think translate into a better painting. For one thing, I'm much quicker now, as adulting time restraints mean I can't mess around forever on projects.
Thanks for the welcome back mate, good to see you're still a prolific poster!
Alrighty, so I've got my Vindicator painted. I've not really gone over the top on 4th Company colours this time as I don't think the paint job would benefit from it.
Started a pair of intercessors and a pair of new terminators to dip a toe back into infantry.
I have a habit of avoiding infantry; my friend has imposed a quota of 1 vehicle per 3 infantry, to ensure I have a good ratio This did get us into a discussion about whether dreadnoughts count as infantry. Put short, he wasn't having any of it!
If you want to scratch that treat-head itch, you might be interested in looking into the Horus Heresy game, see if it’s active in your local area. You can run pure tank armies, with exotic stuff that didn’t make it into 40k.
You have a plan on where to go? Recreate your old collection? Modernize? Embrace those new-fangled primaris boys?
Glad to see you sticking with the 4th company. They are sadly underrepresented in Ultramarine collections.
Dreadnoughts count as Dreadnoughts, and therefore are the best, and thus you can paint as many as you want and anyone who says otherwise must be a filthy heretic...
Nice clean work on the tank, and good call not adding too much of the 4th Co. green, I don't think it would add much there and the simple blue/white contrast looks plenty striking enough.
Handful of that pesky infantry, more of an experiment on technique/look. Reasonably pleased with how they turned out - first quick attempt at a blended power sword.
Paradigm - Yeah, I do have a fair few of these in the to-do pile. Must admit, wasn't terribly impressed with the push fit quality of the Ballistus though.
Nevelon - Thanks dude, good to be back While tank armies do look like good fun, I enjoy having infantry in the force. Just rather slow going for me.
I'm definitely not going for that kind of scale! I'm a teacher now, looking to get my Warhammer club up and running: having a small, manageable army with 30 or so models of different types is the main goal. Definitely going with Primaris because I think their scale is right, and while I'm not in love with the belt-fed rocket launcher guys, a lot of them are alright
I like the look of the green shoulder trim; it's not something you see very often despite the fact that the 4th is a Battle Company (it's not like it's one of the reserve companies). Terminators look good too.
Not much progress over the last 3 weeks. Completed the Techmarine above which took a lot out of me, motivation wise. Not particularly pleased with the photo, but there you are.
This quick snap shows my 4th Company hobby efforts over the last couple of months.
Switching now to my British Late War "Flames of War" for a while. Does that progress go on here too - or is that against a rule somewhere?
Hope you guys are all well - any feedback to help me improve is always appreciated.
It’s your blog, you can post whatever hobby stuff you want. Some people just lump everything together, others have separate blogs for each project. Whatever works for you.
It's only been... 3 and half months, so that's an improvement! Just a small update, this apothecary.
Quite a lot of detail, so it was pretty intensive from a motivation perspective. Recent getting a lot more satisfaction in turning around models more quickly; this was a good few hours.
Going to try and churn out some intercessors so there are more boots on the ground!
) that I need to get back to.
The timeframe you've completed it in is equally impressive.
