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Been visiting, but New to Dakka, Dakka (actually new to the world of forums and posting)

So I am from New Orelans, the wonderful swamp surrounded city, and I wanted an IG army to feel like they were protecting New Orleans. So I created my filth covered Louisiana Guard.

I have just recently got into warhammer, my wife and I had played some warmachine, but I wanted to try and go back to this game that I had collected years ago. Recently I was cleaning out alot of the old junk Hurricane Katrina destroyed (Yes there still is damage in the city, we are a lazy lot who moves at a slower pace then the rest of the world.) Anyway I came across some really old models and bits. I decided to use these and other bits to try and make your typical IG army a little different.....

Bare in mind that I suck at painting, and am just starting out in this world of table top gaming....but I wanted to see if people had any ideas for other guard conversions or unique units to add.

I have got about a 1000 points built and ready to go.

So here are some my Louisiana Guard.

First up: SWS (demo team-made up of 2 demo guys and a flame). the demo squad all sport a different helmet from the rest of the army, a little consolation prize for they guys with the most dangerous job (outside of crab fishing in Alaska).

I am sorry the image is large...not sure how to make it smaller...





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Next up my favorite vets, Harker and friends.

This is a vet squad with 2 snipers and a plasma, along with an AC.
The camo AC is in the next picture.

I have some other conversions, but does anyone have any crazy IG conversion or stuff that would fit a swamp theme?

Hey there, these look excellent, especially if you´re just starting out!

As for constructive criticism, they really deserve to be based, and I hope you´ll be doing that at some point..

They look really good with the variant heads, and the veterans look suitably hardbitten and mean.

Good job, now let us see more.

Thanks for the comments, I know that they are no where near painted the quality of the majority of the minis on this site, but I am proud of them. I have never based before but I think I will once I am done with this special squad I am working on now....

Here is my "Militia" (counts as penal legion...I would never have criminals defend my honorable swamp).
I wanted them to have the feel of local farmers/hunters hence the birds and rabbits (that they hunted) attached as some of their gear. They are alot of fun to use in game, but tend to really just get shot up quick.





Any ideas for swamp themed stuff?

Somehow, when I hear swamps mentioned, I get images of illtempered alligators and those special swampboats with the big propeller ontop...

So how about converting dark elf cold one knights for your rough riders (gators) and hovercraft for tanks, sentinels or troop transport (swamp transportation)?

Those militia guys are great too, loving the autoguns and assorted junk they are carrying.

I think you´ll be surprised at how much of a difference basing makes. I never used to do it myself, but these days I can´t be without it.

Make rough Riders on Alligators.

And yeah, I can totally feel the soul here. I really like your Guard. Keep at this.

You should also cut a Chimera in half horizontally and put mud water and weeds around the base of it so it looks like it's using it's amphibious special rule in a swamp.

Nice job, great theme. Basing can be hard once you have painted your mini's, but you can mud your base and then add aquarium plants for extra detail. Looking forward to seeing more pics.

This is really fantastic. I second the suggestion of going with a skimmer chimera or something similar. There are photos around here somewhere of someones attempt.

So thanks guys for the compliments and ideas.... I like the gator riders and the idea of a swamp boat transport would be cool. BUT, I just really like the all infantry force. So far it has been weak in the few fights I have played so maybe I should get some sort of mobility in there.

Here is my company command squad. There is my CCO with bolter and PW, then there is also my vox, banner, medic, sniper, converted MoO, and Duke my bodyguard.

I have a great dane and I wanted to involve him some how into the army...

Why does that guy have binoculars and a blindfold?

(Nice theme, BTW.)

really great looking minis!
I think that folks are right about the basing helping with the theme, that would really make the swampiness come out.

I'm thinking something like the bases on these awesome tau

I am not sure if you are joking or not....Ya, my painting sucks. The guy with binoculars actually is supposed to have glasses on. He is the master of the ordinance. Although his glasses make him look like that guy in star trek.

Anyway.... any idea where I could get gators from? I know PP make some expensive gator men, but does anyone else have any ideas?


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Wow, I like those tau bases, Ya I defiently plan on basing once the whole force is done.... I have never based before , but I have too.

Decide if you really want "rough riders" first. I spent a good amount of time painting my Tallarn rough riders, only to leave them on the shelf most of the time. Very fluffy; not terribly useful, especially now. You can use Cold Ones from the fantasy line without much trouble.

See something like this: http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1205/1112889209_06893ff5e2.jpg?v=0

I love them so far. Nice simple conversions with a good theme and it makes for a great army. I urge you to base them to really finish them off.

I love your army. Everyone in your army is awesome! The militia are very cool. The militia and the autocannon are my favorites though.

Those heads in the first post, where are they from (unless they're greenstuff)

Also, awesome painting, seriously puts my models to shame

I think the army needs some monster crw-daddys to ride to war on! But seriously, this looks very cool. The tilly hats are a nice detail.

Thanks guys, This is my first Warhammer army.
I hope to base them all in the next couple of weeks, but first I want to finish a truly unique element to my army....

Werdes: The first pic is of my SWS consisting of demo troopers and a flam. I figure they are my demo guys who deserve to have a cool helmet which helps the small six man squad stand out form the horde of infantry they usually are around. The heads and helmets are from the bretonnionan men at arms set from Warhammer Fantasy
.
sdf boy: Actually I really like the idea of getting some craw-dads (crawfish/crayfish/mud puppies/ swamp bugs/etc.) into the army. Ya I am a big fan of those tilly hats on my vets.
10 points if you can guess where they are from.

I like the style ya got going. When I heard "swamp IG" Sentinels covered in vines and mud stomping through the muck came to mind. I think they'd fit with a more mobile infantry based IG army and it'd be fun to mess around with all the weeds and vines hanging off the Sentinel.

Just got the camera from my wife. Next up: my carpace armored vets. (I know not the most original kitbash). In a redneck army from the South, protecting their property I had to have something with shotguns....

Anyway, there is the The sgt. with powerfist and boltpistol, a HB team, two meltas and a plasma.

Not bad man not bad at all. I think you have inspired me to do a squad like yours. I am from Carencro bout 2 hours out of New Orleans and this seems like a great idea lol.

MOLD LINES lol
Seriously if you want people to look closely, then remove them.

Yeah, dipping isn't very forgiving when it comes to mold lines.

You guys are completly right, the mold lines are embarassing, especially with my cheating type of painting(aka: dipping). I just got onto this hobby recently,and it seems like every week I need to go buy a new tool....looks like I am going to have to convince the wife that I really do need a file.
Anyway I like the speed at which I can turn out this army, with the simple dip paint job, and the lack of fileling... But the next army will have to have a low model count so I can spend more time doing a better job of making each model look better.
Well after class I hope to post some other stuff in the army and maybe work some more on my new favorite WIP, a very different squad.
Thanks again for putting up with the poor pictures.


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Ok, hey team.
Here are some real old models I found in a pile of junk still smelling of Hurricane Katrina. These were some models that I must have picked up years ago. I dropped them in some simply green, removed the old paint and paint/dipped them real fast. These were some of the first WH40k models I painted. Anyway I thought some people might want to get nostalgic and see some old tank crew models and some wounded captain (last chancer maybe?). Anyway these models have gone through hell and back... They survived the storm that so much of my old stuff did not. Well here you go:

Oh ya, the second pic is just a mid game pic of a squad. Someone (one this site I think) described how to get more models from the IG heavy weapon squad box and that is what I followed for the HB squad in the ruins.





On a side note....any idea what parts would go into making crawfish? Aligators? frogs? and other swampy things.....Thanks.

hey roaminggator, this is the Mrs... i have an extra nail file for your mold line problems that i would be happy to let you use. I like the army but you must confess some of the ideas were mine =). Thanks for painting my army as well, even if they aren't show and tell quality.

I second the call for 'gator cavalry Rough Riders.

Your penal legion are really, really sweet.

And while the mold lines may be a bit apparent, it's overshadowed by good poses and kitbashes. Keep it up!

Wow, awesome, the "Missus" posted . I have to show this to my wife!

Your army looks awesome! I didn't know how you did it (I guess a few here have better trained eyes and knew they were dipped). It is a Very good look, and it seems to be fast! That is key for such a large model count army

One comment on mold lines- I was attempting a tyranid army in the fall, and I purchased 100 gaunts. I then proceded to attempt to remove the mold lines on all of them, assembly line fashion. I got through all of the bodies, and started on the legs, before I gave up on the project completely. So for your own sanity, don't sweat the mold lines on this one

I would love to see some gators and/or crawfish... Guard with Soul, that's right!!

Edit: I'd really like to see a summary of your method for dipping, or a link to the site you based it off of if it's an online resource . You have great results! And the conversions make the army that much more special!

Wow, my wife (mrsroaminggator) is now on Dakka Dakka, haha.

Thanks guys for the kind words.

RITides Nids: I can't remember where I found the tutorial to dip, but I kinda of added my own steps here and there. so for a basic summary:
I first base coat black, then do a VERY sloppy paint job, starting with the dark green armor then the lighter green of the fabric. I then move to the other areas (trying to use as few paint colors as possible). I paint useing alot of the foundation paints by GW, and I just do one full coat fully covering the area (leaving no (or very little) undercoat showing except where areas are supposed to be black(one less color to paint on). I thing go back over the entire model with each color of paint touching up mistakes. The last color I use is black to quickly cover any thing (sort of like an eraser).
Here is the fun part...you sit looking at the crummy paintjob on the model and wonder....wow this looks bad. Then you use a junk brush and apply a heavy coat of "dip" on. I use Mini Wax Wood Finish, color: Special Walnut. I buy this at Wal Mart, but I am sure there are better options out there. The problem with this wood finish is that it leaves a glossy shine, which I don't like too much. It is amazing to see the details brought out in the model. I then carefully go back and remove any large drops/puddles that the wood finish forms and I try to add more where it is necessary.
It takes about 24 hours for the smelly wood finish to dry. Afterwards I go back over the model and highlight some details and try to bring back some color to the model. Once this is done I try to remove some of the gloss formed by the wood finish by spraying the model with Testors Dull Coat (found at Michales). I do this in phases so that I can remove as much gloss as I can, but leaving just enough to give a dirty "swamp" feel. I doubt that all of the gloss can actually all be gotten rid of because of the amount of wood finish used on the model.

This process is FAST, and easy. I really like the hobby, but I just do not have the time to spend hours on each individual model. The process is fast when done in batches and allows for a decent enough looking army to be painted in a realistic time frame for people who are full time MBA students like me.
I got into Warhammer mainly for the gaming part of it. While I don't care if other people's armies are painted, I really only use models that have at least some sort of paint job. Playing a game with unique, personalized models with some color on them really meakes the whole experience more enjoyable.

Theres my two cents....

Anyway I have been trying to finish up this new squad, but it is taking longer than I thought. I will try to post pictures of some of my other stuff later on though.

There is alot to read here so i looked at the pics and skimmed to the bottom, I think all the guys look great, now for some ideas how bout Rough Riders on crocs, or your commander having a pet croc, add a snake on sly marbo to represent poison? And Chimeras with the treads plasticarded over and a huge fan on the back would be sick(airboat)

Good to see another swamp theme army my Beastmen share a theme for basing them I used coarse paint brush bristles pushed into milliput and layers of PVA to create swamp bases. If you like I can pu a quick tutorial up at some point?

The Great Dane could be Nork Deddog. Other than that, this is a great idea, theming an army on you own home nice