Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Wow... there are just some fantastic looking projects on the table already! I'm truly humbled...


I posted pics of most of the prize packages to the announcement of the competition and added a link directly to it to my sig, so you can easily find it from any post of mine. Still have one pic to go. I hope you'll find them satisfactory.

There is an interesting story behind all the loose metal that harkens back to a time in GW history that will never be repeated again. Many years ago, something happened at the wharehouse and all the shelves came down, one knocking the other down, just like dominoes. Tens of thousands of figures lay mixed up on the floor with no practical way of sorting them out... As a result, they just decided to sell them by the pound! You get whatever you get. Several friends and I all bought several pounds each & when we all got our stash, we got together and traded for what we wanted. Many of the loose figures you see in the prize packages are left over from that rather unusual event.

Oh, WOW!!!
That is some killer prize support, Gits!!
Amazing backstory for it all too...


Man... Im gonna really have to step up my game.... We dont have a deadline yet, do we?

Yeah awesome prizes Git, and I believe the deadline is november 15th

I added a more obvious "deadline" subject to the challenge OP. Hope that help allay confusion. Yes, it's November 15th.

Gotcha gotcha!

well then, lets see what the month brings

Righty-o, Here's the initial collection of bits I'm going to work from.


Aiming to represent the older Mark of armour and equipment and give him a sniper/saboteur feel.

Many modifications will be happening...

All looking like interesting starts here.....I'm still harvesting parts and have managed to whittle down the basic ideas to two, both involving corrupted MWs, one on a bike, one not....more tempted by the bike idea, but more likely to complete the infantry model in time Plan to be out tomorrow night so should have some mock-ups to show Friday.

I'll put in one further comment here. Describing your thought process during construction and painting is a *really good idea* and will only help your final standing. When you submit your final pics, I strongly recommend you include a paragraph describing (in short) all the things you did to try and make your figure just right. I may not always recognize your thought processes or see the significance of the details you put in.

Duelly noted Gits, will do, bit tired at mo so...

OK end of this days efforts, just about...





All comments and thoughts welcome here.

You can tentatively count me in. I will check the bits box by the end of this weekend and see what I got. And thanks to Camkierhi posting about this in his blog otherwise I might have missed it =D

I don't have any parts together yet, but I did strike up a thought of how to do this on my way home from watching Fury tonight(be jelly of me, very jelly).

I'm going to have a base likely a 40mm square, maybe have a tree on it. I've got some pilot legs laying around, utilize those as a dead MW, use a spare flagellant arm, and maybe a zombie head as my "basing". Also, have the parts that are bare be rowed up beside in an organized manner as the actual MW will be divvying up all the salvageable equipment. The operative word is pragmatism.

Don't steal my idea, ya punks!

Im still helping you judge right?

I like it Cam, very mantid-like. I wonder if it would be more aesthetically pleasing if the chainsword base extended a bit further back on the armour? Technically it doesn't require it, but something seems slightly off from the back view....could just be the fact that it's still morning though

Oh....and I think you should take a look at Git's comment over on the doc's blog If anyone's going to pull off tiny wheeled accesseroies for marines it'll be you


Great idea moonpie - really like the sound of that.....

This is a pile of possible bitz to use. I'm going to have to experiment with how trashed and jury-rigged I want them to be. I have options from maybe mixing some armor to platemail parts and a bow and arrows.

I also wrote a haiku to help keep a focus.

Can next contest be mid-Badab War? That way I can have an Executioner beheading a Mantis Warrior. That would be fun. Is it bad form to talk about the next Mantis Warrior Challenge while in the middle of this current one? Why am I still up?

You cant sleep?

@Miss Dee: Actually Dee, at the moment I haven't asked anyone to judge this particular comp as there are no set standards to judge by... just my desire to see some really cool, off-the-hook Mantis Warriors. Given how things are going though... I may need some help near the end. If so, I'll be contacting you for sure.

So much good stuff I don't know what to comment on first... Terminator looks truly frightening & the sword appendages are an interesting solution to something I never figured out how to do (on a terminator).

I really hope you can join in the fun GamesEtc. I've tried to make this one as free-wheeling as possible so it allows maximum creativity and enjoyment for the participants.

Moonpie, I officially DQ you for having too many cool bits to choose from. To get back in, you must figure out a way to use ALL of them in your final product.

I don't have many marine bitz, but I'm feeling inspiration. We'll see, maybe I'll be able to throw my hat into the ring.

EDIT:
Screw it... I'm in.


I'm feeling inspired by the meme, "Can you find the sniper?" that has been going around facebook for a while now. That, and my love of "Where's Waldo?"... (yes, I do know where the topless sunbather is...)
I hope this turns out as entertaining in reality as it does in my mind.

Oh, Mantis Maker... I thought it was a Mister Maker challenge...


Regardless of my disappointment, I'm eager to see how this one progresses

@Anpu: Go with the flow man, it's not about the bits... it's about...


@Ruglud: Too funny! I grew up with a children's show in Chicago (Ray Raynor) that had a mix of cartoons, skits *and* a craft project. Some intern would make a beautiful little craft project as the model, then Ray would try to recreate it live. It always turned out as a disaster.... you could hear the crew laughing off-screen as Ray inevitable glued everything together except the project. Kids' mom's would occasionally send him things to try and make it easier but Ray was just an epic failure at making crafts.

Ok, here's my initial pile of bits I think will work towards my ideas -



Now obviously I don't need all those arms - but I might need all those chain-swords

And I don't need all three bikes - need to whittle down my choices still.

Use them all! Use them all! *jumps up and down on the couch*

For the record, British people are weird. They also spell things wrongly.

I see what you did there monkeytroll...You may have a lot of bitz, but do you have a tree? Harumph.

Back story.. The MW having been sentenced to a 100 year crusade, without supplies or reinforcement. However they are masters of deceit. They paint their armor Pink and Yellow. Perfect camo. Most other marines won't ask and Imperial forces are too scared to question them as they resupply and get repairs. “ oh and I’ll be needing some green paint too..ummm.... for touching up the avocado colored kitchen appliances.. Yes ..Avacado! Do I look like I'm joking? We have a lot of old appliances... don't make me shoot you in the face by that tree!”

 monkeytroll wrote:
Now obviously I don't need all those arms - but I might need all those chain-swords

And I don't need all three bikes - need to whittle down my choices still.

That post is full of all kinds of heretical talk. As if you wouldn't crate some kind of 6 wheeled murder cycle with grabby arms and chainswords.

Well, Git, I got a idea I want to run with, just a matter of "if" I got enough bits in my boxes to make a complete marine. I think I may be lacking legs, but not sure. But if I do work on this project, I will give this hint "Fiber Optic Cable".



Also added a line in my sig for this comp =D

GE... if you need marine legs then by God I'll send them to you. PM me what you need and your shipping addy and I'll get them in the mail.

Gonna see about taking my bits boxes to work with me tonite and see what I got. Will get back to ya after that.

This looks like a neat competition!

I don't think I have any space marine bitz so I won't be joining in but it will be fun to watch what develops.

Good luck to everyone!

Great push on entrants already! wow there's some great ideas so far :-) I'm watching this comp with interest! I would compete for the bikkies alone as they are truly delicious! but I don't have enough mental fortitude at this time of the year :-)

Nerdy, you should do that Landspeeder I sent you, mind you, no disrespect to anyone here, but with the work you been knocking out lately, and it would only take you a day! Numpties like me would be so far out of the running it would be no contest. There are already far to many very very good people here. I thought I might have a shot at about 6th if enough don't finish, but big boys like you knock me down and out, so in the words of the wonderful people...

 Snrub wrote:
Nope. Don't want you.

Bugger off.

You need to enter dude, please.