This is a project I have been sitting on for approaching a decade now, and I am glad to finally be embarking on it! The updates are likely to be infrequent as time and bitz supplies allow, but I have something of an image dump for the last few weeks progress. All images are in spoiler tags to avoid formatting issues.
It all started with this image in my 3.5 ed Imperial Guard codex, found in the wonderful regimental traits section at the back. There are other images available of Savlar, including recently, but this is the vibe I want to go for and what has stuck with me all these years. I have a force of Armageddon Steel Legion and I figured some Savlar scum bags would make great cannon fodder for the mechanised troops.
My plan is to make a 30-strong platoon of the Savlar 26th Chem-dogs (officially the Savlar 26th Penal Legion). They earned the moniker "Guttershades" due to the stealthy manouevring of their light infantry in the underhives of Armageddon. The units are going to be barebones infantry, but I am still aiming to give them plenty of character ( I am of two minds about whether to use them as infantry squads or a conscript platoon- I've already built a sergeant but if I make three extra lasgunners I can use them as either). So far, I have built a mere tenth of that number...
A
lof of the parts are going to be refurbished from old assembled models and bitz dredged up form my bitzbox, but the scruffy vibe works with the Savlar. I am chronically incapable of using greenstuff, so there are a few work arounds I have developed over the years.
First up is Sergeant Greg "Pixie" Smith. His nickname was acquired due to his short stature, but anyone saying it to his face is likely to end up needing some new teeth. He has managed to scavenge a bit of padded armour as a pauldron, and his chainsword was conscientiously brought back into service from where it had been abandoned on the corpse of a commissar. Any claims that the commissar had been shot in the back and was, in fact, still warm are entirely unsubstantiated and malicious hearsay.
Next we have Trooper Bilious Clive, seen here throwing a grenade. He is unsually fervent for the 26th, and has some scripture attached to his salvaged Kantrael-pattern lasgun. His lasgun strap has been crafted from a staple I bent into shape, which frankly worked better than I thought it would. I usually find it quite hard to get the Cadian grenade arm to look natural in a pose, but I think the angle of the legs helped facilitate it here.
Finally, here is Trooper Donny Craggen. He has been particularly successful in nabbing a few extra armour plates.
I also took a group shot, and a picture to show how Pixie is genuinely shorter than the others, especially when accounting for the poses (I do like the height variation, adds a bit more of a natural feel).
I have some
WIP images too, but I'm gonna give them their own post.
Paint may or may not arrive at some point...
Automatically Appended Next Post: I am currently working on the next lasgun trooper. I want to use
GSC autogun arms with the autogun swapped for a Voss-pattern lasgun I have here. Currently deciding on the pose. This trooper will have snagged Cadian-style flak torso armour that only has mild battle damage.
The torso and legs in question.
The parts I am currently considering.
I think I will use the arms that give the trooper a sort of ready position with the lasgun pointed down, like they are waiting at a corner ready to step out of cover.
