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Well, I'm just about to hit easter and suddenly a large amount of time has fallen into my hands. So, the mission? Get back on Dakka! Sadly my other two IG projects in the past have lost momentum and have mostly flatlined due to a lack of time for the models, but sure enough a new series of ideas has sparked fresh ground with the creation of a new regiment: The Mombassan 14th Infantry. Fluff will be forthcoming, but the force has vague Halo themes and imagery interspersed throughout aswell as varying namedrops from The Malazan Books of the Fallen, a series of fantasy novels by Steven Erikson. My aim for my five week easter break is to make a 500point force, which consists of 40 infantry (Company command squad, infantry platoon and veteran squad), and three vehicles (a chimera, and two sentinels). So, I'll try and post more pictures in the coming weeks as I change my living location for the duration of easter break. In any case, here are some photos I have managed to take of the project so far. Please let me know what you think with comments and criticism! Oh and I apologise about poor picture quality at the moment, but it will improve once I move in a few days.









Thanks for reading!

Looks interesting. I don;t know if you were going for a weathering effect, but your models look very gritty.

Also, for the Sentinels, you should mount IG weapons on a warthog model. For the win.

Commander Endova wrote:Looks interesting. I don;t know if you were going for a weathering effect, but your models look very gritty.

Also, for the Sentinels, you should mount IG weapons on a warthog model. For the win.

Yep, I am aiming to try and make the guardsmen look very weathered, like they've been fighting on the frontlines for some time, so the armour is chipped, beaten and worn and their combat fatigues are caked in dirt and grime. Whilst the models some of the time look fairly single toned I am happy with the overall effect (and the white symbols on shoulderpads, added after engagements do help to break up this monotony).

I definitely agree with your advice on the sentinels! Though I'm not too sure where to find the toys that are required to make them, as I'm sure they must be out of production. Should that play fail I'll probably pick up a couple of the new forge world Elysian Assault vehicles (the currently unreleased ones with only four wheels, that I repeatedly forget the name of).

I've moved today. Should be unpacked and ready to start the project in earnest tomorrow.

I like the idea, but maybe a little too much on the weathered armor? Kinda looks like they went through the food processor. Also paints a little thick on the models. But I do like the subtle Halo-ness of the models. Not too over the top.

Looks pretty good. Wheres master cheif?

BTW, what did you get the helmets from? did you make them?

Makov wrote:I like the idea, but maybe a little too much on the weathered armor? Kinda looks like they went through the food processor. Also paints a little thick on the models. But I do like the subtle Halo-ness of the models. Not too over the top.

I think the weathering is a matter of personal taste, and while I understand people wanting clean and crisp models I prefer mine very heavily weathered. Despite this, I do admit there is a decided lack of contrast on my models and currently I am undergoing some new ideas to try and brighten them up! While making these Halo marines the images I used for reference were the Marine's from Halo: CE, aswell as stills from the Halo live action footage that floats about on youtube, since the marine's armour was far simpler in design and so easier to influence the already highly feasible Cadian Plastics.

hamSTER wrote:Looks pretty good. Wheres master cheif?

BTW, what did you get the helmets from? did you make them?

Thanks! Master Chief will be added at the 1250 point mark (if I ever make it that far!), tru-scaled, as a counts as Iron Hand Straken. I'm still trying to work out suitable conversion ideas for him, using a mix of Imperial Guard and Space Marine Parts.

The helmets are the standard Cadian affair, with extended cheek and forehead plates using greenstuff. The first few tries got binned, but I think I've got it to a stage where I like them now.

A small update from me. A few more pictures of the marines, with added dead grass to bases for contrast and a small measure of tidying up. Though I'm still fiddling with a new camera so a couple came out rather dark... In addition, I've added a WIP autocannon, currently minus the crew, but it gives an idea where that little mini-project is going. Anyway, pictures!

These are sweet. Are you gonna make any spartans or make your Russes into scropions?

Looking good, man. Those helmets are great.

The halo actionclix models (of which the warthog is most often used as a conversion base) are indeed OoP, but I'm sure there are probably still some floating around the web for sale.

Shadowbrand wrote:These are sweet. Are you gonna make any spartans or make your Russes into scropions?

Thankyou! I intend to hopefully have at least one Leman Russ as a Scorpion variant, but the whole size issue is something that continues to elude me in terms of planning and making one at the moment. In addition I intend to have a 'Master Chief' as a count as Iron Hand Straken, but again, the whole idea is still on the drawing board (though will most likely be based of a space marine, using lots of greenstuff for armour plates and 'stretching')

The Dreadnote wrote:Looking good, man. Those helmets are great.

The halo actionclix models (of which the warthog is most often used as a conversion base) are indeed OoP, but I'm sure there are probably still some floating around the web for sale.

Thanks! The helmets, though a couple dont look quite right are an aspect I am quite happy with at current. I've had a look for the actionclix warthogs, but they are fairly elusive and something I have seen done before which puts me off the idea at the moment.

Anyways, a small update from me (since I have been sidetracked due to a certain gig on Sunday that totally destroyed me for the past few days). Manged to finish another infantryman, aswell as work on the autocannon team, which still needs painting. Pictures! The photography makes me all too aware of mistakes I am making, such as uneven coats of paint, thickness and so on but from about 12 inches away it looks fine to me.





Anyway, enjoy and thanks for reading!

No replies? Oh well, I shall push on nevertheless!

Managed to make good progress on the Chimera today and so here are a few more pictures of the infantry (with some adjusted/brightened armour), and pictures of the heavily incomplete Chimera. Any suggestions of additions to the Chimera or improvements to the paint scheme as it stands?

Update from me.

Well, I have continued to make more soldiers for the 14th, and currently need to finish painting five troopers, a Captain and A sniper specialist. However, before this progress can ensue I have managed to be massively sidetracked! I decided to try and make, and paint a single model in a day, feeling I needed a break from Marine Green! So I came up with this: Coryphaus: Praenuntius. A tru-scale Word Bearer Chaos Marine. The painting isnt quite done yet, but you get some idea. Please suggest improvements though! As such I also now intend to have a go at some Chaos Led Renegade Guard, simply called 'The Whirlwind' and inpired by yet more Steven Erikson novels aswell as the Word Bearer fluff of having hundreds of cultists at their beck and call and last but not least Dakka's very own Migsula! Anyways, pictures!

A few WIP shots:




A comparison shot for size:


The almost finished product:


Thanks for viewing!

Another small update. Finished the first 'cultist' figure and, the weather being actually good in England for a change decided to take some photos outside. I still need to give the cultist a spike rack like the cultists in Dawn of War, but havent worked out how to pull this off. Any advice would be helpful. Thanks for reading! Pictures below:

Nice how are you doing the heads? Is it GS or a Wood Elf Head for the Trophy Rack a good source are the chaos terminators. Personally I feel the guns could do with being cleaner or more metal looking but thats just me.

Oshunai wrote:

The Dreadnote wrote:Looking good, man. Those helmets are great.

The halo actionclix models (of which the warthog is most often used as a conversion base) are indeed OoP, but I'm sure there are probably still some floating around the web for sale.

Thanks! The helmets, though a couple dont look quite right are an aspect I am quite happy with at current. I've had a look for the actionclix warthogs, but they are fairly elusive and something I have seen done before which puts me off the idea at the moment.

Let me know if you want some. I think I can source some for you. One of the stores here has tons of HaloClix stuff, including some Warthogs I think, it doesn't look like anyone touched any of it since release(I know I haven't, I got most of the set before I left Louisiana and only need a Scarab and Banshee to finish what I want).

Great work. I love the hardcore weathering you've got goin on as well as the custom armour. Paint job goes well with it.

All that work and you're leaving seams on swords!

Llamahead wrote:Nice how are you doing the heads? Is it GS or a Wood Elf Head for the Trophy Rack a good source are the chaos terminators. Personally I feel the guns could do with being cleaner or more metal looking but thats just me.

Thankyou! The Cultists use the hooded Wood Elf heads with a little greenstuff work here and there. Thanks also for the advice. I'll look into the chaos Terminator sprue when I next get the chance! For the cultists theres plenty of metal I feel. My excuse for the Loyalist 14th is that the guns are made out of some grey composite material. I didn't really want them to have too much metallics on them as I felt it spoilt the model to some extent.

Platuan4th wrote:

Oshunai wrote:

Thanks! The helmets, though a couple dont look quite right are an aspect I am quite happy with at current. I've had a look for the actionclix warthogs, but they are fairly elusive and something I have seen done before which puts me off the idea at the moment.

Let me know if you want some. I think I can source some for you. One of the stores here has tons of HaloClix stuff, including some Warthogs I think, it doesn't look like anyone touched any of it since release(I know I haven't, I got most of the set before I left Louisiana and only need a Scarab and Banshee to finish what I want).

Thanks for the suggestion for help but I think I'll pass as I have just found a new love for the normal sentinel kit with some 'adjustments' (more to follow on this).

murdog wrote:Great work. I love the hardcore weathering you've got goin on as well as the custom armour. Paint job goes well with it.

All that work and you're leaving seams on swords!

Thanks! Where is this mould line I've left? If its from the earlier pictures it's likely gone now as I went back and fiddled with some of the first stage infantry and cleaned them up!

Another small, and very WIP update from me, in the form of the rest of the cultists that acompany the Chaos Marine into battle! I've done most of the basecoat and washing areas and now need to start highlights and detailwork. Pictures below and thanks for reading!

A big group shot (now with WIP spikeracks aswell!)


A single flamer cultist and my favourite of the group:

Looking good. To add trophys to the spear spikes you can always chop a spear in half take a head file it down slightly and stick it in the middle....

Llamahead wrote:Looking good. To add trophys to the spear spikes you can always chop a spear in half take a head file it down slightly and stick it in the middle....

Thanks Llama! I'll probably add some trophies once the cultists get some battles under their belts, and then it'll depend what army they die against

Another small WIP update. I've decided to add a 'veteran cultist' squad to my forces, along with a chaos space marine wielding a heavy bolter. My inspiration again from comes from Migsula's incredible Alpha Legion and so I have based the models off ghouls with some greenstuff work. Some WIP pictures follow. The whole idea was if a cultist had survived for a long time they would have performed alot of summoning rituals (as per Word Bearer fluff), and so their very life force would have been sucked out as a result, leaving a sortof shrivelled husk that would continue to serve with their commanders. I wanted to convery a sortof 'de-evolution' of the cultists I'd made previously and so these veterans still retain the capes and shoulder pouldrons of their forebears and cousins. In addition, serving chaos for a long period of time would surely result in severe malnutrition!

On the left with the scythe we have 'the harvester' as I've nicknamed him, and on the right a veteran with grenade launcher.


Some WIP cultists, with a vox operator, grenade launcher and 'sneaking' cultists


And lastly a biggerized Heavy Bolter marine WIP, with mould lines still to fix


Thanks for reading! Criticism and new ideas are vastly appreciated.

Update Time! I put the finishing touches to the original cultist squad today, aswell as finishing and priming my 'veteran cultists' unit. In addition I actually got round to painting one of the veteran cultists too! Pictures below!

First off, a group shot of the currently primed squad, with finished works in the background. One of the veteran cultists with grenade launcher is also missing from this shot, as he fell to the floor and broke and needs repairing. I'm also really pleased with the heavy bolter chaos marine 'harker'. His impressive stature towers over the weedy cultists!


And second, the finished veteran cultist stalker. I'm quite happy with the face has turned out!


As always, thanks for reading/looking and suggestions and improvements are much appreciated!

And so, update time rolls around again mid-way through my lazy evening here. I've managed to finish three more Veteran cultists and thus, they shall be posted below. Please let me know what you think of them! Thanks for viewing and enjoy!







And a group shot:

Those cultists are looking really evocative and that fluff really describes them. The true size marine also looks exceedingly impressive.

Llamahead wrote:Those cultists are looking really evocative and that fluff really describes them. The true size marine also looks exceedingly impressive.

Cheers. I really tired to stay true to the backstory I made for the veteran cultists whilst making and painting them. Their skin has turned out wonderfully, with a slight purple tinge to it, whilst the chaos marine with heavy bolter really does appear well proportioned, and yet tall and imposing. Which brings me neatly onto...

Update
I have finished the chaos marine with heavy bolter aka Harker-Marine, and have got a few pictures. As my easter break draws to a close and I prepare to head back to Uni I can draw a few lessons of my time spent with the hobby over the past several weeks.

Lesson 1. Don't bother making a plan, since you'll never follow it
Lesson 2. Always follow a project that you can immerse yourself in, and enjoy rather than a project you feel forced into doing
Lesson 3. Painting flesh is alot easier with a Deneb Stone basecoat!

Ultimately though, the loyalists shall be put aside for the time being as to when I feel more motivation to return to finishing them. Meanwhile I plan to add a half track and a penitent cleric squad (Penal Legion count-as) to my chaotic forces, aswell as finishing off the cultist veterans! In any case, no more updates for a few days (or a week or so) as I head back up to Uni, and I'll leave you with a few pictures of the unfinished chaos forces as they stand. Thanks again for reading!