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I was inspired... anybody who has seen Raff's work in the gallery usually is!

Below is a picture of a miniature he created. Inspired by the Chapter Master picture from the Space Marine codex. Having scoured my codex only one model, outside of Terminator Chapter Masters and Captains, can use two Thunder Hammers as a weapon choice! The Vanguard Veteran Sergeant!

With that in mind I intend to create a Dual Thunder Hammer weilding Imperial Fist sergeant! I would however (only in large scale games) like to be able to field him with an effective Vanguard Veteran Squad...

So before i progress my Imp Fist Van Vet Proj I'd like to hear what peoples opinion are on the Vanguard Veterans?

However for the detractors on Dakka...

1 - I know that lots of people don't like them (I don't care)
2 - I know the points could be better spent (I don't care)
3 - I know a dual weilding thunder hammer sergeant is daft (I don't care)
4 - This is a modelling project first and game project second

In reference to point number 4 though, how do you equip Vanguard Veterans (not the sergeant) to get the most out of them? I need to know their gaming potential in order to create the squad around the sergeant!

Any suggestions? Thanks in advance dudes...

A friend of mine recently purchased the new Red Scorpion kit from Forgeworld... the one with the Librarian, who is pretty cool. I intend to use the red scorpion torsos from the kit in order to give them the extra aesthetics I feel they should have. Essentially its gona be a bit of a kit bashing mission!

I have been contemplating lightning claws but feel that even if I go to town on bitz box or model bits I'll be paying a lot of money out. Forgeworld has cost me already!

Thank for you're support too, to often people would be criticising by now which is why I had to make my four point list!

I have just completed my first Veteran...

Items...

Legs - Death Company kit
Torso - Standard Aquila
Power Fist - Command Squad
Bolt Pistol - Death COmpany
Shoulder Pads - Command Squad and Imperial Fist upgrades
Head - Command Squad

I snipped the finger tips from the power fist and using a plastic lightning claw from the Terminator assault kit I've glued the blades in their place! I could have used the lightning claw straight off the sprue but the idea of putting terminator weapons on power armour is a pet peeve of mine. (I've tried it and didn't like the outcome on other miniatures)

I'm pleased with the outcome here... and the menacing walk pose I think I've achieved. This is mainly down to the legs from the DC kit which are great because they don't have any BA iconography.

One down...

The power fist is from the Command Squad kit and the blades are snipped from an Assault Terminator Lightning CLaw...

Heres another pic!

The Sergeant is completed!

I'm really pleased with the look I've got here. It's not as good as the inspiration piece by Raff but I'm still happy with him.

Legs - Death Company
Torso - Red Scorpions Honour Guard
Arms - Marin and Chaos Standard Bearer Arms
Head - Marine Commander Kit
Weapons - Thunders Hammers from Death Company and Terminator Assault
Hafts - Their from maxmini if my memory serves me (from hammers originally but the GW hammer head is better)

I always wanted him to look like he was mid-step, which I think works well for the dynamic. He's not as menacing as the Lightning Claw Veteran but he does look like he's about to kick-off!

I was wondering if I shoul add guitar wire to the hammers? To make them look like their attatched to the power unit... what do you guys think?


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Providence wrote:i am inn the works of making a 10 man vangaurd Squad my self. (space marine - Crimson Fist)

Sergant mine is duel Lightningclaw Melta bomb.

4 of mine are Lightningclaw/Storm Shield 4x Melta bomb

4 of mine are Power Wep's/Storm Shield (Pain inn the ass to get all 8 Lightningclaw's) 4x Meltaboms

1 Withe ThunderHammer and Storm Shield.

Using the Assault Marine Shield to make Storm Shield's

Withe that setup you gain (If right placed and hit and not scater 6 away from target.

12 Power Wepon Attaks
16 Power wepon Attaks withe Reroll to Vounds
3 Thunder Hammer Attaks

Withe Storm Shield you gain 3+3+ Saves witch wil help alot inn Clos combet and range are are just Cool as F

Cost of all of this is 675 points

I'm definately going to use the Melta Bombs when they hit the table but I'm not planning on modelling them.

I know i said that the points cost was incidental as this was a modelling project first, gaming project second but, 675 points! I can understand the expense but not sure i'd justify it. I'd like to have equipped Storm Shields for the +3 inv but I think it would have made the L claw miniature a bit to cluttered. Maybe on another I'll give it a blast!

sar mikael wrote:looking sweet there fella! torso for the sarg is mint and with 2 hammers- stupidly cool. where were his legs from though? DC kit? LC vet looks like hes gonna tear you a new one, nice!

Yeah Death Company.

He's gona tear your Eldar a new one mikeey!

You should post your DA vets up here dude. Their too good for people to miss out on!

It's been a busy day! Got a third Vanguard Vet completed. Another Lightning Claw dude!

He's a little more static than the first, and I'm not to sure I like the plasma pistol. I like the wrist mounting but its the feathers that put me off! I'm pleased with his Claw though. I used the same technique as before... snipped of the tips of his fingers and replaced them with assault termie claw blades! I used the Baal Power fist for this one... shaved off the blood drop and tried to green stuff a fist in its place. I'm fairly happy with the result.

Legs - Death Company
Torso - Red Scorpions Honour Guard
Head - Lufgt Huron (Forgeworld)
Arms - Sanguinary Guard Kit

So three down, seven to go... will post more in a few days hopefully!

I've always like the pose that giving a miniature two pistols can give you. Anybody who's seen my Imperial Fist Assault squad and the excellent Dark Angels Assault Troops by my mate Sar Mikael will see that we both have a bit of as fetish there... ahem. So I've done it here, just for aesthetics. He has a power Sword, sheathed.

Legs - Death Compnay (again)
Torso - Red Scorpions Honour Guard
Head - Red Scorpions Commander Culln (Terminator)
Sword - Black Templars Sheathed Sword.

I'm always happy when the attempted pose comes off but once again I think I've lost the menace here, he's just running, you know what I mean?

Hialmar wrote:I personally enjoy using my Vanguard Veterans and like you I tend to ignore from their detractors in regards to points cost and whether those points could be better spent. To this point they have performed fairly well for me. One thing I do always take are jump-packs for the entire squad as having Heroic intervention in your pcoket and available for use can be an effective weapon.

It's funny you should mention that... if you look closely at the pics of the running marine you can see the squads back packs in the pic. Can you see the magnets?

I am magnetising my Vanguard Vets. It's the first time ive used magnets and I'm only using them for the packs and jumps packs but I'm hoping it'll be a worthwhile experiment!


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oh... and he is a pain. Just sitting on the desk he's nearly toppled twice! Gona have to try to weigh him down when he's got a jump pack!

I've used a set of magnets purchased from Model Bits... their pretty strong little buggers!

More work has been done, I don't know where to start...

Okedokey, Marneus Calgar Head (for obvious reasons)

I've posed him kneeling. Originally his head was down as if in prayer, which looked pretty cool and I may try again on another miniature but he needed to be action posed. So a tilt of the head and a power sword late and I think he looks okay. Kind of like he's just parried low and about to use "buddha's palm"

Legs - SM Command
Torso - Standard Marine
Tabard - Red Scorpion Honour Guard (delicately cut from another torso)
Sword - Imperial/Crimson Fist Command Upgrades
Buddha's Palm - Missile Launcher arm (reset the hand)
Head - Marneus Calgar (it was lying around from my Robert Gullible conversion - incomplete)

Hopefully he'll be sweet when he's painted and look like he's mid fight.

Pictures below... somewhere!

Next up is the Lufgt Huron headed dude. I've changed his head for a different marine head. I prefer the look. Huron's head looked a little too contemplative, as if he's thinking he'll shoot you but can't decide incase "it gets hot" the coward. So I've replced it with a head I think makes him look like after he's shot you he's gona dry hump you Halo style!

Pictures below... hopefully!

This miniature looks a little too much like former Huron head for my liking. He is armed with a Bolt Pistol instead but the pose is the same and the heads are now similar. He may not make the final squad at this moment in time...

Legs - SM Command Kit
Torso - Red Scorpions Honour Guard
L Claw - SM Command Kit (recut below the shoulder to get a better pose. The blades are from another Termie L Claw)

Will have to wait and see with this guy...

Pictures below... not far now!

I wish I had a jump pack on the last guy! He totally looks like he's just hit the earth "THUD" then looked up cool as a cucumber right at the xeno's scum... right into his eyes! "KILL 'EM ALL"

Can't wait to see what he looks like with a jump pack, it'll really increase the dynamic of his pose. As it is I think I've recaptured the menace of the Striding Claw marine and the Sergeant! I've realised that alot of the miniatures really need the right facial expression when using bare heads to match the style of the body pose... this works well in my humble opinion!

Legs - SM Command Kit
Torso - Standard Marine
Clenched Fist - Chaos Marine Standard Bearer
Arm - Space Marine Biker
Plasma Pistol - Standard (just cut at the wrist to twist pistol)
Head - BT Kit I think?

Okay, long old post, heres your reward!

Enjoy!

Matrim wrote:1 - what handles did you use for the hammers?

2 - HOW DID YOU MAKE THE KNEELING LEGS (they are so sweet!)

all these models are fantastic, cannot wait to see them painted up!

The legs are from the SM Command Squad, they're freely available! And the handles are from a company called maxmini.

Newt-Of-Death wrote:They look brilliant! Especially the sgt. Realy like the kits youve combined.

Im gonna take 5 with a jump pack Master for my howling Griffons. Thinking of just taking mainly relic blades tho. I love relic blades theyre great!

You not giving yours jump packs for the whole swooping down and charging thing?

Yeah, I've magnetised the backs and when the Jump Packs are here and done I'll take all new pics!

Can you equip Relic blades to Vanguard Vets... or just the Sergeants?


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Matrim wrote:

that guy?

that guy?


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Thanks for the positive comments dudes! I'll be working towards finishing the modelling phase in the next few days so keep you eyes peeled!


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Matrim - Yeah... that guy. His legs are available on the Command Squad Sprue!

Thanks Mikeey...

Update... Got the Jump Packs magnetised and the shoulder pads to complete the first seven.

The special Torsos are from the Red Scorpion Honour guard that accompany Chief Librarian Sevrin Loth from Forgeworld!

Thanks for the good comments everybody!

Imperial Monkey wrote:Ah, thats some expensive bits

Could have been but i've put Sevrin Loth and the bits I didn't use/want on ebay!


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Vanguard Beteran Number 8 - Completed.

I'm well chuffed with the pose on this guy. I took the right leg of at the knee cap and then again at the hip and did a bit of repositioning, then a bit a Green work to make a knee cap and seal the join. I also hid a bit of the gs work with a purity seal. Not that it need to be hidden, which i was happy with, but the mini needed extra detailing.

Having discovered how to create this pose i intend to use it again in the future as with the right weapons (I'm thinking outstretched sword) it'd be suitable for a commander mini!

Legs - Space Marine Assault Squad
Torso - Blood angel Death Company (Imp Fist cut from a forgeworld icon)
Power Fist - Space Marine Command Squad
Plasma Pistol - Blood Angel Death Company
Head on floor - Chaos Space Marine Squad (Will paint this in the colours of the Iron Warriors)

I think this dude matches the dynamic of the three main men from my veterans so far. Had to get a power fist into the unit somewhere... they are Imperial Fists after all!

Heres the pics...

Got a 10 man squad now... the last two are pictured below!

I'm particularly pleased with "pointy joe" and happy that I finally found a power axe in my bits box for the shield guy! I love the term power weapon... "it doesn't HAVE to be a sword"

Pretty basic use of bits, nothing to glamorous or expensive at all in these two but they've managed to maintain some menace!

Will do squad pictures eventually when they're painted. Saying that, it may be a while before thats do so please kep your eyes peeled for the next installment!

Imperial Monkey wrote:Cool, what are those awesome Bezerker terminators in the back?

they're my awesome Beserker Terminators... Ha! Lightning Claw armed Terminator Champions to charge from a Land Raider or assault with Kharn the Betrayer! They're only base painted at the moment and they're the main reason its gona be a while before the vets are done!

sar mikael wrote:all well and good geordie, just one thing- where's the freaking paint! lets get some yellow on these babies!!!!

I'd love too, but I've got a list of minis to paint first as long as your arm! (I hope you change your flag when you get home)

Okay, so its took me an age to get started but I've finally began to apply paint!

Below are a few face pics, more will be added when appropriate. If you've still got this subscribed, thanks for keeping faith.

I have finished the first veteran... at last!

No jump pack or back pack as yet as they are magnetized, I'm leaving them to do in a job lot. (needs basing too)

Thanks for the appreciation... should be a few more completed over the next few days, fingers crossed.

The Dual Thunder Hammer Sergeant that started this thread...

Granted, not a patch on the inspirational work of Raff...


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I need to find a better way of taking these pictures, I don't believe phone cameras do anybodies minis any real justice...

Ta Mikeey

Four down, six to go...

The chest piece is Forgeworld, it comes with the Librarian Loth Honour Guard.

The idea was to have them all helmet-less, which I stick by, but my choice of heads could have been better. They are all different but once you put 7 bald marines in the same squad it looks like some kind of freaky 40k Right Said Fred steroid fuelled yellow armoured tribute band. Hopefully Marneus Calgar head and the mowhawk marine will break up the male pattern baldness that seems to have cursed Dorn's sons.

Yes, its Dondarrion. It's clearer on the mini than the picture thankfully. Will be embarking on the 4th book next week. Loved 3.5, best one I've read yet. Martin is a genius.

Wow, its been almost a year since I made any significant progress with my Vanguard Veterans. So where do I go to update you... they're no longer Vanguard Veterans, I have reconstituted the unit and it will now represent a Command Squad and an Honour Guard.

Reasons for the change, Vanguard Veterans seemed like the way to go in order to incorporate my double hammer-tastic Sergeant, but in the end I figured I'd never get round to finishing them in there current state and began to muse anew.

So, I took some arms off here, added a bit or two to this and have come up with the following...

Hopefully you'll appreciate and post comments and stuff.

Thanks dudes, especially if you've still subscribed despite the total lack of effort for a year here.

Thanks... I've been a busy bee this week!


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May have to take pictures in a different way... they look fuzzy duck!

Vitruvian XVII wrote:That honour guard champ is amazing!

Lucarikx wrote:Awesome stuff! Lovely yellow. Your Champion is amazing!

Lucarikx

Wow, thanks dudes!

Honour Guard is now finished (except for gravel on the bases) and I've painted a Storm Talon!