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I am just restarting my 40k collection, I had a 5000 point marine army I sold for a silly price when I was 16... regrets, I have a few!

I went out and bought -

2 x Tactical Squads
1 x Scout Squad
1 x Terminator Squad
1 x Dev Squad
A Razorback
A command Squad.

Had a fun few days building it all then realised... no actual HQ unit! Whoops, still operating on 4th edition Codex rules with the old Command Squad!

Luckily from my build I had a pile of sprues with all sorts of bits.

I used the following for this Captain


The body back from the Razorback gunner (shaved down to take a backpack)
The body front from the Gunner
Backpack, legs and other assorted bits from the Tactical squads
Powerfist from the devs
Storm bolter from the termies
Shoulder pads from the command squad
Head from Devs
Servo Skull from the devs

Considering this was my first 'scratch' build for 10 plus years im very happy with the result and think I have a nice unique Captain unit to use with my 1200 point force.

With the vehicle driver body. servo skull etc I am fluffing this guy is a techmarine who has moved into a direct combat role for my Imperial Fists successor Chapter who were almost wiped out and now need every man to fight front line.

Anyway, whats a thread without photos!

Looks pretty good for a bunch of bits thrown together

I'm not sold on the scroll hanging off of his backpack. I guess thats a personal preference thing.

What's you chapter called, and their colour scheme?

If I am honest I don't really like the scroll. I only seemed to have a very plain backpack to use however I just found a different backpack in the bits box that I missed before with a skull inlay, I think there may be a cut and swap job coming in the next 5 minutes!

Still working on a name, something Fists!

I am going for black majority with silver shoulder pads and right hands, gold detailing for the chest eagles etc.

Simple and clean.

This is my 'guide sheet!'



I actually just found a few more bits to add on, I like the shield plus it gives me a nice surface to practice my text painting.

Silver Fists?

Nice work. The only thing I'd suggest is lowering the gun to his side (just tip the arm forward), as at the moment it looks like he's pointing one way and shooting something else, and it just throws off the pose a bit.

In terms of composition, though, he's fine, and with a good paintjob he'll look suitably captainy.

Good thinking, might go have a play with him while the glue is still wet.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
The glue was still lovely and tacky so I had a little play.

The scroll is gone, and I have altered the pose a little.

Thanks for the honest critique guys, he looks a heap better with the lowered arm and without the back scroll, I find I often get a little caught up with what I am doing and taking a step back and letting someone else see the model often results in finding something you overlooked!

Please drill out the bolter's barrels! Then it would be perfect.

I will be, can't stand undrilled weapons.

That is on the job list for this week while I wait for my paint and brush delivery (and a day where the bloody wind stops here in Kent so I can get outside to spray basecoat!)

He looks heaps better than the first attempt. Good job!

Nice and sunnny for us geordies mate Anyway,for a chapter name how about iron fists or shadow fists or maybe even obsidian fists IDK its whatever you prefer! You'll probably find my suggestions absolutely useless oh well. Love your work btw

Zambro wrote:
He looks heaps better than the first attempt. Good job!

Yep, what he said.

Do you have a fancier chest plate and helmet? Everything else looks pretty good but at the moment he looks like a sergeant to me.

He'd also make a good counts as Pedro, if you ever wanted to make a Drop list. I have my own PFist / SB captain I made from bits so that I can try out some Pedro Lists down the line.

(Used mostly the same bits, too... heh.)

sockwithaticket wrote:
Do you have a fancier chest plate and helmet? Everything else looks pretty good but at the moment he looks like a sergeant to me.

I concur... For example, you could manage to grab a gk pa front (~= artificer armour) and a bare head/helmet with laurel (or both, bareheaded with helmet maglocked around waist); nice "unhelmeted" heads could be ba assault, or new sternguard, I think.

 Kerrathyr wrote:

sockwithaticket wrote:
Do you have a fancier chest plate and helmet? Everything else looks pretty good but at the moment he looks like a sergeant to me.

I concur... For example, you could manage to grab a gk pa front (~= artificer armour) and a bare head/helmet with laurel (or both, bareheaded with helmet maglocked around waist); nice "unhelmeted" heads could be ba assault, or new sternguard, I think.

But if this is made of different pieces then...?


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I mean that because this is made if bits from different boxes then it would be weird to go out and buy something specifically for him huh?

My two pennies....Ditch the Helmet, Captains have a ceremonial role as well as Command role, they would have decades of experience if not a Century, he would have gathered alot of Honours and awards.

I would look for a more decorative helmet,

1. Drill out the Stormbolter
2. Change the Helmet
3. Remove all the mould lines with a fine grade file.

I would suggest the following Heads...







I think it would just raise the model, as the Helmet is naturally the focus of the eye.

 THEDARK1RI5ES wrote:

 Kerrathyr wrote:

sockwithaticket wrote:
Do you have a fancier chest plate and helmet? Everything else looks pretty good but at the moment he looks like a sergeant to me.

I concur... For example, you could manage to grab a gk pa front (~= artificer armour) and a bare head/helmet with laurel (or both, bareheaded with helmet maglocked around waist); nice "unhelmeted" heads could be ba assault, or new sternguard, I think.

But if this is made of different pieces then...?


Automatically Appended Next Post:
I mean that because this is made if bits from different boxes then it would be weird to go out and buy something specifically for him huh?

Not saying go buy something, just take a look in the bits box and see if there's anything fancier.

I quite like the standard helmet, he is obviously high ranking without being overly cluttered. If you want him to stand out you could always give his helmet a unique colour, but i think he looks great as is

I prefer helmets to bare heads tbh.

As for the chest plate I think it fits with my Techmarine moved to frontline combat aesthetic, I would like to get hold of a servo arm backpack or even a missile launcher pack to mod to add more to that looks.

That's some great work, I'm personally not a fan of the current captain models. For all of its wargear options the plastic one has a rather dull backpack and cloak in my opinion and the newest captain has no posing possibilities. Seeing your kitbash has definitely made we want to make my own capatain from bits as well.

Also, just as an aside, that model looks a lot like the Pedro Kantor sculpt. If you ever play under Imperial Fist rules you may've found yourself a great Chapter Master.

My favourite captain of all time, painted by someone else is extremely simple but amazing IMHO...



Even he has some Officers Braid, the Eagle Commanders backpack, the power sword and the command Cape, but I think you'll agree this is one of the most brilliant and understated paint jobs. It works because it is perfection right down to the dust and dirt on his greaves.

Captains should be very Plain (Spartan) or very ornate, I think in the middle they look like a Veteran Sergeant rather than an Officer.

Nice scratch build! I really like the pose and bits used.

Building a good parts box is essential for this hobby if you like the customization aspect, which you seem to. I'd highly recommend either picking up complete "bling" kits like sanguinary guard, death company, sternguard, vanguard, DA Vets, Space Wolves and so on, just so you can have a huge range of bits to choose from. You could also go to a place like Bulletbits on ebay and pick up certain parts of those kits like heads, shoudlers, torsos, weapons... whatever. It will add a lot to what you can do for a small price.

Actually just ordered a Death Company just to raid it for parts and make a converted straight assault squad!

Death company is an amazing kit. It helps that I'm making Blood Ravens, so a lot of the iconography is still suitable. When buying blinged chapter specific kits, you can generally either modify the icons (ie. turning the DA sword on wings into a blood drop on wings for Blood Ravens), but if not you can take them off easily enough, which still leaves nice, ornate bitz to spice up your guys.

I used to play Blood Angels so always had a soft spot for the drops etc.

Probably not a huge use for them with my new Imp Fists successor chapter but the blood drops and other BA iconography will work well on my ruined city game board I am building.

I shaved off the Black Templar iconography to get some nice unique Blood Ravens added into the mix, shaved off and converted the Dark Angels ones from Dark Vengeance... it's very doable if you want more variety.

But yeah, some stuff is just nice flavour stuff for terrain too ; )