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So I'm re-working my current Guard army to become Auxiliaries for my Red Scorpions. I'm hoping you guys can help me make a decision.

But first a little background - The Red Scorpions are a fleet based chapter, and therefore I need the Guardsmen to look like they have been off world for a long time. To that end I have got some lovely Pig Iron heads that look like the have respirators/filters and have modded their lasguns to look a little shorter.








Now my problem comes when I add a backpack. I love the bulk it adds to a Guardsman, but I think the current GW backpack looks a bit too much like a heavy pack ground troops might carry.







So what do you think? If you can recommend an aftermarket backpack that looks a bit more like it belongs on a spaceship, not a trench dugout, please shout up!

Cheers - Aidan.

you can also do the following: Grab two large SM pouches, and stack them one on the other, slightly offset. Grab two tiny triple puches, and attach them from either side. It's not the best looking backpack, but it adds for diversity, and, IMHO, gives it a specops look since each pouch would in theory hold something specific.

 poda_t wrote:
you can also do the following: Grab two large SM pouches, and stack them one on the other, slightly offset. Grab two tiny triple puches, and attach them from either side. It's not the best looking backpack, but it adds for diversity, and, IMHO, gives it a specops look since each pouch would in theory hold something specific.

@Poda: I'd love to see a couple if you have any pics! Very creative!

@OP:
I did a couple of the HWS packpacks in my PIS squads, none in my command sqauds, and smaller FW ones on my Vets. I put 2 HWS
backpacks per squad.

I currently working on Preatoian/Cadian hybrids and I'm using FW ones only for the PIS squads again. I'm planning on every other
squad member will have one.

You can check Kromlech: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kromlech-Human-SF-Soldiers-Backpacks-Orc-War-2-/150773478591?pt=Games_US&hash=item231accb4bf

Or Forgeplanet: http://store.forgeplanet.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=60_70&product_id=87

I've actually received 6 gun carriages from Forgeplanet, and he threw in a sample backpack. Put it this way, if I'd
seen those he made, I wouldn't be using the FW ones. I really like them.

Goodluck!

Edit:
I couldn't vote. Either GW or alternate ones are great choices.

The GW backpack just doesn't look right. poda had a good idea, or yeah go 3rd party.

Heh, you know that pig iron do backpacks as well?
http://www.pig-iron-productions.com/eq1-backpack-and-pouches-p-31.html

They are a bit more techy than the GW ones but I think they are also a bit slimmer and more awesome

Definitely with the backpacks, IMO - any of them look good, and of them look better than no packs.

Back packs all the way mate. I'd personally go with a mix of GW and 3rd party back packs just to get as much variation as possible.

if you have the parts to make my suggestion, just assemble it with sticky tac, or some other such thing. White glue maybe. I can't find images of anything i have, and then I'm not sure I even have those models kicking around anymore.

Another option for backpacks are the sentinel backpacks (yes, sentinels come (used to come with?) a backpack bit. Just throw another something under it to cover up the hole, and it should also do the trick. Otherwise, maybe some sort of a techy pack?

Make a backpack out of greenstuff, sprue, and the side packs the guardsman kit comes with. The sprue serves as a base, and then you form a lump of GS around it into the shape of a rucksack, and on its sides you put some of the guard kits, sans grenades.

Thanks for the input so far gents.

What do you think about these from Anvil industries?

They look good but look more like power cores than infantry equipment.