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Very, very cool, Pomander! Creative in the extreme and very well executed so far!

Really looking forward to more, and the back story is engaging. In the grim darkness of the far future, pretty much anything can (and does) happen. It also sets up why this army could be fighting against other Imperial forces, who see them as xenos/heretics.

With one hand of the Imperium having no clue what the other hand is doing, especially with the Cicatrix Maledictum in full swing, I can only imagine how many minor civil wars are occurring within the Imperium at a given time.

Thank you folks! You're keeping me encouraged. I also appreciate your thoughts on the fluff, Talizvar. You're onto something with the pragmatic 'pioneer corps', using dispensable imperial subjects. It's lucky for the 414th Cadian that they're considered unreliable, otherwise the Imperium would have used them more effectively. Anyway, update time!

’Lower your weapons’ says Agaricus, ’I come in peace’. The soldiers watch him, unconvinced. He reaches inside his garments, and brings out the folder with Departmento Munitorum papers. The soldiers relax a little; Only harmless people keep their papers in folders. ’I’m your new supreme commander, it’s says so here’. One of the soldiers, presumably the squad leader, chuckles. ’Alright master, come along then’.

The two-legged machine strides off, and the soldiers follow, Agaricus behind them. They’re a little short for troopers, he thinks to himself, distractedly. There’s something unusual about their appearance, certainly, maybe it has to do with the local climate? Agaricus looks around, and notices that one of the soldiers pushes a little trolley, bouncing carelessly over roots and rocks. With rising heartbeat, he takes in what the trolley carries. White stalks, white gills, red caps with white dots.



Agaricus hasn't quite met with these guys yet, but I'll show them anyway.


Enjoy!

Quite nice; I like how you integrated the second crewmember on the HB.

This is one of the coolest projects I've ever seen! I can't wait to see more.

Thank you, CommissarKhaine and Heretic Tom! It’s time for another update.

Agaricus is bewildered: There are mushrooms growing on Procul 83. According to official reports, all fungiform species were eradicated in this solar system, when the Imperial fleet used bio-bombs to drive out Ork invaders, some 200 years ago. What confuses Agaricus more, however, is that the soldiers of the 414th Cadian seem to harvest mushrooms, even before he’s told them to do so!


Hurrying through the woods, they soon arrive at a small encampment. Agaricus notes that some of the soldiers aren’t quite as small and green as the ones he first met, instead they look remarkably tidy and healthy. He also notes that the taller soldiers have different equipment, notably shovels, indicating a different role.

When it comes to human-sized models, I usually glue everything together before painting. This time, I experimented with separated components, and thought it might be interesting.



Here is the finished version.



He has a comrade as well, also equipped with a shovel.



What might their different role be? You tell me!

Actual humans in this blog? Heresy!

Nice paintjob on the 'umies!

He's looking so intensely at the mushroom, it's great!

The humans could be bodyguards in your command squads. The idea of using humans as meat-shields for your obviously more valuable Grot bosses just makes me laugh.

Great work on these. I love the colour pallet, and really well executed.

Pioneers?

There ought to be a prize for this. Once done, you might want to run it by the WH Community channel...

Thanks for your kind words, Khaine, Turtles, Crowe, Not online and Samus. Interesting suggestions too! The role of these slightly taller guardsmen is, in fact, hunting for subterranean fungi, e.g. truffles. That's why they carry shovels. There might be dogs and/or pigs later on.

The story (let's call it Agaricus Adventures) will have to wait a little, but I have pictures for you. This time, I entered the monthly painting challenge, so you might have seen the WIP picture over there. I'll post it here as well, for reference.



Today I finished it, so here's the painted and assembled version! Enjoy! By the way, sculpting beetles is harder than you think. With all the failed attempts, most of them looking like six-legged spiders, I think I could write a little tutorial.



And now, a little sneak peek of the next update, for those of you who miss the shorter members of the 414th Cadian. Have you ever wondered how long you can extend the heavy weapon telescope stand? Let’s find out!

Haha, wonderful heavy weapon team there at the end Remarkable how ell the cadian arms actually fit...

The ML team is brilliant. Better hold on tight when he fires that thing.

ML team is definitely ready to raise hell, they look great!

Nice work Pomander Cask.

Cheers,

CB

That really is a beautiful blue color for that human heavy weapons squad and it looks like some nice highlighting for natural light effects if I'm seeing that right. And each model so far has such immense character. They all tell their own little story with those great, unique bases they each have. Very impressive project so far.

Wonderful models Pomander Cask! The HW teams are brilliant (looking forward to seeing other angles of the ML team, and how did you do the legs of the upper gobbo). You've got great sculpting skills and I really enjoy your clean and crisp freehand work.

Loving the ML with the Gobbo poking out! The beetles came out pretty great, well worth all of the 6 legged spiders!

Thanks everyone! It’s good to hear you like the Missile Launcher Team, Aestas, Youwashock, Tom and Gobert. And McMattila, well spotted, the upper team member’s legs were probably the most time-consuming aspect of that model. I’ll definitely show more pictures of those shanks. Also, thanks a lot, Riddle of Steel. Natural-looking light effects is what I’m aiming for. In all honesty, though, some of the shadows result from my photo set-up, with two fairly strong light bulbs.

It’s time for another update! I’ll keep you guessing about the Missile Launcher Team, because I want to introduce another interesting fellow instead…

They walk towards a small tent, located in the middle of the encampment. One of the soldiers pulls the canvas aside, saluting. ’Lieutenant, we have a visitor’. Agaricus leans into the tent, and discerns a small figure, reclined in a chair. ’Lieutenant Suillus, at your service’ says the figure with a grin, revealing a set of remarkably pointy teeth. The figure stretches out a sinewy hand, and Agaricus shakes it, reluctantly.

And here we have Suillus, a Company Commander. Since he’s the first actual character of this army, I wanted to make him… recognizable.



The sculpting consumed unexpected amounts of green-stuff, but this felt appropriate for a character model with luxurious components. For the record, there are mushrooms this big, even in our world. The cap of Termitomyces titanicus, an African mushroom, may reach a diameter of one metre. Anyway, here is the painted version!



I hope you enjoy! I might paint the Missile Launcher Team for next update.

Amazing, let me congratulate on that mushy mushroom!

Great expressive pose for the commander, and very nice design and paint job on the mushroom. Just a tip, If you want to save on the amount on GS on big sculpts, you can use milliput mixed with greenstuff in ca. 50/50 amount to sculpt the base. Milliput doesn't have many adventages over GS except the cost, but for large, even and organic surfaces, it can actually be easier to get a nice, even but still natural looking surface with the slightly stiffer gs/milliput mix Still, just plain great work on the mushroom

Its just awesome.
I can't imagine what this army has to use as a tech repair guy, given that the sgt is carrying part of a sentinal as a sword.

Thank you people! I’ll keep your special solutions in mind, Aestas. Here is a rather modest update, with two models I’ve been working on. The Adeptus Astra Telepathica does not approve of metal or resin; One shall use plastic only. Fortunately, there are lots of useful plastic parts in the Command Squad sprues…

Awesome! Great conversions and I love that a human has goblin arms!

Weird and delicious! Looking forward to your progress.

In before the Inquisition discovers your heresy.

I love the model holding the bolt pistol like a submachinegun. That comes across as logical considering the power that gun is supposed to kick out.

The idea is wonderfully crazy and your sculpting and painting skills are on a level to actually pull it off nicely! Great work, I'll be following your progress.

Thank you Chaotic, JB, Waaazag and McAllister! I’m glad you like the conversions. The Astropath turned out a bit cartoonish, I think, so I’ve banished him to the shelf at present. The Commissar on the other hand…

Commissar Pilz has served the 414th Cadian for a long time. He was once a promising officer, known for courage and ruthlessness. When he first joined the 414th Cadian, he was so upset at the apparent lack of discipline that he executed several squads entirely. The remaining troops weren’t intimidated, however, and went on with their swearing, drinking, brawling and gambling. The High Command told him to lower his standards, and he did, reluctantly. Commissar Pilz has adapted to the situation gradually, and even participates in the more sophisticated dice games from time to time. He still gets an urge to execute his subordinates sometimes, especially if they’re looking small and green, but usually confines himself to beating them with his custom-made Power Baton.

And here he is! I added a cybernetic eye during the painting process, to spare you from the original look of pathological strabismus.

Nice work! Even the commisars can't get away unchanged, i like that.

Nice one, he is a bit pale though.