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Sageheart wrote:i love that! can you make a marine with one of those for our trade!

Not this time I'm afraid... I'd be happy to do one for you but I am very backed up in trades at the moment and while this is a straight forward process it is very fiddly... plus it takes about 6 chain swords to produce on of these figures. (I use extra parts to make the blades on the legs and arm.) Let's get this one done as planned & then later when I'm not so far behind the 8-ball we can discuss a second trade. Good enough?

HadoukenAvenger wrote:How was the base done on the dread on page 10?

Very easy. I use a mix of GF-9 basing medium (small, medium & large), and which all happen to be about the same shade of brown. After the glue is dry, I wash with sepia or delvan mud (I prefer sepia). Then I add shapes of super glue (dots, patches, streaks) and use a couple of different colors of GF-9 staic grass (though any brand will do). Lastly I have a little of their fall mix foliage (colored lichen) & I tear off a couple of small pieces & glue to the base for interest. Occasionally I add a bunch of tall grass, made by Woodland Scenics (like on the sniper bases).

Gitsplitta wrote:

Sageheart wrote:i love that! can you make a marine with one of those for our trade!

Not this time I'm afraid... I'd be happy to do one for you but I am very backed up in trades at the moment and while this is a straight forward process it is very fiddly... plus it takes about 6 chain swords to produce on of these figures. (I use extra parts to make the blades on the legs and arm.) Let's get this one done as planned & then later when I'm not so far behind the 8-ball we can discuss a second trade. Good enough?

awee :( (tear)

no that makes a ton of sense. If you are down to put me on yr trade list for much later and we can make a swap!

No problem Sage... you're "penciled in".
:-)

Gitsplitta wrote:Occasionally I add a bunch of tall grass, made by Woodland Scenics (like on the sniper bases).

I discovered them the other month. I just recieved a package containing a Landscape Kit the other week. You should check out their site if you haven't seen it, it's amazing.

Yeah, those model railroad guys *really* know how to make realistic looking dioramas. Got a couple of my best basing tricks from my experiences dabbling in toy trains...

Gitsplitta wrote:No problem Sage... you're "penciled in".
:-)

excited!

Hey Git, sorry it's taken me a shade under a decade to respond. That was a great game, really quite amazing that your 'typical' army just turned out to be ideal for picking me apart. You made a good point afterwards though, instead of starting out back and trying to hide behind terrain, it's better to be right in front of all your guns ASAP so that if anything manages to survive, it's tearing something apart next turn. Also, if I get DoW again, I'm going to go first, because even though it gives you an extra turn to shoot at me, your shooting would have been less effective as most of your army would have been moving onto the board.

As for the list, you had it right except that it was 2 DPoK, 1 Bloodthirster, and Skarbrand, with 40 Bloodletters to round out the list. Not an optimal list in a lot of ways, but it's nice because nothing in the army allows an armor save, so if I can get to grips with my opponent, it'll be one-sided the other way. Going to try one more test game before the tourney, hopefully that goes better, or I'll have to switch armies.

Thanks again for the battle, love that terrain. Just got my two Imperial Sectors though, so in a couple more years when I finish my table, we can do the next game at my place.

Nerf!! Cool! Just happy to have your input. I'll adjust the original post accordingly. Anything you want to add from your perspective just let me know & I'll paste it in.

It would be really funny if we ended up fighting at the tournament in October... though since my MW's are in total painting disarray I guess I'll be using my orks. They aren't optimized... just a unit of this and a unit of that... but they're fun to play and the look good, and that's what REALLY matters isn't it? *grin*

I hope to do the next game before that! But when you're ready... I'll be there with bells on!


OH, hey... as I'm re-doing the battle report... which critter was the Bloodthirster and which was Skarbrand?

Gits

The one laying on his back that you took out first was the Bloodthirster, the one without wings was Skarbrand. The Balrog was one DPoK, the other one was, well, the other DPoK. Yeah, considering we're both invited for our painting skills, I'd say it's fairly likely we'll face each other at the tourney, which might be another reason for me to change armies. Be sure to post on the forum to let them know if you're going to be there that day so they can plan the brackets accordingly.

Other than that, I thought the batrep was great, I love your little kill markers and directional arrows, I had no idea you would be so thorough when you were snapping the pics. That angle really did a good job of showing what was going on as well. We should mount that thing on a tripod next time and get exactly the same shots each turn.

I'm sure there will be more games, with the kid on the way, making the regular Thursday night game might be difficult, so I might have to call you when I know I've got some free time coming up.

O.K., fixed the battle report. Yeah, the little arrows I've been doing for a while. I've read a lot of great battle reports that have been very difficult to follow on the pics (not in the text) because it's not always obvious what units are what or what they're doing, so the arrows at least make it easier for me to sort out. The little kill markers I've seen other people use... this is the first time I've actually done it.

I was by TLS today and they started the sign-up sheet when I asked about the tourney, so I'm #1! It'll be the last time I'm #1 at the tournament I'm sure.

You're welcome any time... love to play again. Just give me a day or so notice so I can clean... I mean PLAN accordingly.

Gits

Git, I just got your bitz in the mail and I will be working on the marine tomorrow. Be ready to be amazed by.... mediocreness

LOL! You'll be fine TT. Glad you got them, sorry for the delay.

Some things in 40k are cooler than others.

You know what's cool in my book?

15 RT era space marine jet bikes... the majority of which are pristine.



"Why is it cool? You can't use them!" you ask...

"Only if I claim they're "jet" bikes... if I run them as normal bikes, it's all good *and* it goes with my fluff." says I...

"But, the big marines always looked rediculous on those tiny little bikes didn't they?" says you...

"Yes they did... but a marine SCOUT is a much better fit... and again, fluff-wise it makes far more sense for them to be on a jet-bike looking thing than a regular bike." says I...

"But what would you do with them?" says you...

"Give them a locator beacon, infiltrate them, scout move them, then my drop pod assault comes down exactly where I want it. Then if I give a power fist to the sergeant, they can assault on that first turn to pevent my drop podded troops for being assaulted, or go after vehicles, etc." says I...

"Oh... pretty cool". says you...

"Yes" says I... "pretty cool."

"I want to see" says I!

Yeah... I figured you would. I can get you a pic of the bike tomorrow night. No rider though, they're going to take some modification to get to look just right.

any GL converts thought of?

The way I'm planning on using them I don't think the grenade launchers are a good use of points... but, I'm sure I'll come up with a magnetized or pinned something in case I change my mind...

Hey bro, check your PMs

GOOOOOOOO Jetbikes!!!
I don't see why marines shouldn't have jetbikes, after all they have the land speeder. In the RT roolz it says that the marines jetbikes are held aloft by antigrav units salvaged from downed eldar jetbikes, jealously appropriated by the chapter techmarines

1 word: Tempest. Marines so have jet bikes (well, ish). LS Tempests are solid, fun, and fluff tastic.

Boys, I'm handing the reins of the blog over to Blackhand for the time being. I'm still here, but he's going to run the show for a bit for reasons which will become apparent.

I'm still working, but have managed to lose the data card for my camera... so no new pics 'till I find it again (or get a new one).

Gits

Haha! As part of my plan to take over every blog on Dakka I foolishly offered to attempt to sculpt some Mantis Warrior helmets for our good friend Gitsplitta.....Thats right I don't have enough to do so I added some custom helmets to the two armies I'm building!

Seriously I think we can all admit to loving this blog and admiring Gitsplitta for his dedication to resurrecting a little known chapter as well as introducing his two boys to the most noble pastime on the planet. Getting the chance to contribute to his project in a significant way is a real honour and has had my brain firing on all cylinders for the last couple of days.

Enough gushing! get to the helmets I hear you type?

Fair enough, first off after a few PMs with Gits to formulate a rough brief we decided to use elements of the pads he has commissioned from Chapterhouse, namely the vertical ridge running down the middle of the head and the ubiquitous mantis bug-eyes. We also wanted a wedge shape to the helmet to resemble the shape of a Mantis' head, since the reason the mantis' head is wedge shaped is due to it's eyes being on the side of its head and quite far back the only way saw to gt the look was the extend and enlarge the Marine helmet's eye lenses up and back and to add"mandibles" to sharpen the front of the helmet.

Enough talk! Get to the pics already!

Ok, so these first five helmets are what I see as "basic" helmets for rank and file troops. For captains and sergeants I think we can come up with something a bit more interesting

Where the hell are the pics? Ok, ok fine..here they are...



This guy is the most basic of the helms, with ridge, mantis eyes and pretty subtle mandibles



Again a simple helm with mandibles that wrap almost fully around the face.



This fella was an experiment in starting the mandibles at the ear instead of the cheek to give a more streamlined shape.



After a discussion with Gitsplitta who mentioned that praying mantis' are an ambush hunter and therefore have hidden mandibles I came up with this guy and the next one. I kinda like them but the worry is that they are a bit chaosy looking.




The idea was that these are smaller "feeder" mandibles as opposed to the large crushing ones of the first three helmets.


So this is where Gits and I have gotten to at this point, we have a few more ideas like.

- a segmented ridge that goes all the way down to the neck of the helmet.

- A "V' between the eyes that butts up against the vertical ridge.

- To exaggerate the jaw on a helmet even more than I already have.

- I found a great pic of the weirdest praying mantis with a head crest and a spike on its nose so I will be raiding my bits box for a bladelike protrusion to mount on a helmets nose.

- I have a crest from a Dark Elf Cold One Knight and I will be investigating mounting it on helm in some way probably to signify a veteran or captain.

Why are you showing us all Blackhand? why not surprise us with a done deal?

Well basically we need more ideas!

After hitting a wall inspirationwise I suggested to Gitsplitta that we open up the brainstorm to the Dakka community and he said yes...then dumped his blog in my lap(thanks Gits )
We want at least 10 basic helmets to cast a mould of which should give Gitsplitta a decent amount of variety in his army. The helmets are for his newer marines that have been armed and armored by the imperium since the Mantis Warriors return from the warp so we are not looking for anything overtly organic more something that suggests the insectoid theme.

So bring it on! we want ideas, suggestions and C&C up the wazoo

Cheers

BLACKHAND

Helmets = Brilliant brilliant frelling brilliant.

lines of small spiked studs running across the helmet front to back in two rows either side of the crest.

Mantis Warriors HOOOE! (think thundercats)

Lordy. Blackhand's gs skills FTW.

Extremely cool BH! I don't think the two last ones look to chaosy, they will look great and imperial when painted Also maybe for sergeants and such maybe consider small antennas on their heads? it both fit with the mantis and can be some advanced communication device? to ad some more options on ordinary helmets you could also consider adding some more armour plates and maybe ad the "V" shape of a mantis head to one. But not so sure if it will look any good though. Keep it up

Gits just to let you know that your guys arrived here safely today. They look great though I'm pretty sure 5 pp in a 10 man assault squad isn't strictly game legal, lol.

That helmet looks awesome!

Hey Lenny: That squad was put together for 3rd edition and was run as 2 5-man squads. In going up to 5th I'd re-painted some of the plasma pistols silver in order to disguise them. I can scrounge up some bolt pistols and send them if you'd like... just didn't think about it when I shipped it, sorry.


Yeah, Blackhand's sculpts are masterful! He wanted to put them out for comment and in hopes you guys would have some more ideas for variations and/or better ideas than he and I had. So please if you can think of a way to represent a preying mantis head while still being believably Imperial... please don't hesitate to make suggestions.

They are amazing Blackhand. 1,2,3 and 5 look fantastic, I'm not sure on 4 though, kind of reminds me of bugs bunny.

As for another helmet design I can't think of one at the moment. If I do think of one I'll post it here.

@Weety - Thanks, the studs idea goes on the list, it may tie in the new marines to the older guys with studded shoulderpads that Gitsplitta is running.

@rosemountainz - Once the heads are cast and in his hands Gitplitta is going to try adding a whip/cable antenna that leaves the top of the helmet on both sides of the ridge and plugs into the backpack, kinda like how modern tanks and vehicles have their antennas folded back and attached to the body of the vehicle. Partly because in battle you wouldn't want a whippy antenna flicking all over the place and partly to keep the mantis helmet from become a parody.
Remember we are going for a helmet that resembles an insect but isn't an actual bug head on a marine

@inmygravenimage & Xenon - Thanks guys!


@Gathering Storm - Sorry you were posting as I was! Yeah I think I will move away from the smaller mandibles it doesn't give such clean lines as the first two.

Thanks again Gitspltta! its fun taking over someone else's blog.!