Desert Scheme Guard for Dark Stars

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**Cpl_Saint**

Hey guys.

Some of you may remember my foray into 54mm, with my guard squad (Images kindly hosted by the Pangolin Saloon)...

http://members.fortunecity.com/pangolinsaloon/images/other/arkdunin.jpg" target="_new" rel="nofollow">http://members.fortunecity.com/pangolinsaloon/images/other/arkdunin.jpg

Well, I got the bug for a desert scheme ? and the Dark Stars campaign weekend gave me a great opportunity to start (another!) new guard army.

Essential Hint: Don't start a new horde army from scratch two months before the event.

Trust me.

Here's some WIP pics, courtesy of my mate Graham (cruise his website for some awesome 'nids, by the way ? including an amazing Tyrant conversion). Obviously basing, metallics and final detailing still to do, but please find some pics to look at here:

http://www.grahamgilchrist.com/darkstarsedd.html">http://www.grahamgilchrist.com/darkstarsedd.html">

I'm looking at a good gaming standard for these guys ? there's over 100 standard guard, plus ogryn conversions and sentinels ? and time is definitely running short. Eep!

Comments are welcome.

Final note: The banner will have a big hornet symbol over the yellow circle.

**Clayman**

god damn!
How long did that take you man?It looks really cool!
uuuugh.....all these recent topics with IG make me want more money....

**Cpl_Saint**

Hey all!

Sorry for re-posting; the dakka mangler has done its foul work on my post!

Here's some actual pics for you, cunningly imported from an e-mail.

WIP Company Standard. Note 'nid trophies. Much to HBMC's disgust (joke!), I went with Xeno-hunters on this army, to fit in with the background I'd written. I didn't want to go overboard with covering them in 'nid bits (though every squad has at least one trophy), so the lion's share is on this banner. Subtle, n'est pas?

Line Squad. Six of these in the army ? two ML/GL, two HB/GL and two AC/PG. Metallics and basing to be done, as mentioned. Note the skin variations. Bit of a hobby horse of mine ? every guy has a unique skintone.

Close-up of Veteran sergeant. I like bare heads, caps and so forth; but I've made sure that each and every guardsman has a helmet somewhere on his person ? damn snipers! After painting the squad in the desert scheme, it looked pretty drab, so I've gone back and given each squad a unique shoulder pad design. Useful for battlefield identification (and also for packing them up quickly when they get hit by a barbed strangler...)

Close-up of the grenade launcher. Having great success with these ? though I will concur they're not an efficient use of points, I do get to make 'thuk-boom!' noises, which makes up for it. Note forgeworld respirator head ? absolutely brilliant sculpts: two thumbs-up from me. (Note also obscenely thick highlights on the gun. Ick.)

Close-up of one of the farm boys drafted in. Note moronic expression. These damned inbred Lamb's Worlders ? I can almost hear the banjos...

Command section. Note again the shoulder design, belted helmet on the pointing bloke and liberal use of forgeworld bits. Pointing guy uses the Van Saar sprue head. Again, great sculpt, fits in nicely.

Each squad takes about two hours all in. If anyone's interested in the army as a whole, I'll post some more pics next week.

Cheers.

**alarmingrick**

wow! awesome...drool!

**DeSade**

Those are loverly. Here's hoping my Eldar wipe the floor with you this weekend

Desade.

**Hordini**

Those are great. The desert camo is nicely done.

Those Forgeworld respirator heads are just plain cool! Great combination.

**Cpl_Saint**

Hey all,

Thanks for the positive comments. Still quite a bit to do on them! One last squad and three sentinels to paint, as well as all the basing this evening/tomorrow morning. Luckily I'm heading up with a bunch of mates so I can enlist them to help in return for driving them up...

Looking forward to the weekend ? anyone fancy meeting up for a beer? Bung me a PM if you do.

DeSade, seems like your degenerate sophisticates need a good dose of unreasoning violence! Catch you there.

I'll get some more pics of the army and post them up after the event.

**axiom**

These look great - very nice work! I like the mix and match use of the FW components. I'll be at the campaign using my Zoats in the Nid faction - so I'll look out for you.

Good luck getting the final models finished up!

**Cpl_Saint**

I shall keep an eye out for the zoats: having seen the army over at 40kforums, I absolutely love it. You ought to post it up on the boards here: it's original and very nicely done.

See you saturday!