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The FW resin replacement head arrived, here's the new sketch

I think the resin head looks a touch more period correct, although the difference is slight.. I think I prefer the haircut on this one, looks more 90's somehow

Now I just need to suss out how to replace that shoulderpad and the Storm Bolter Barrels (occurred to me one could just saw off the pignose barrel bit and add new barrels from a spare bit), although I might even swap out the entire right arm. Once the multipart plastic Indomi kit arrives, I'll have more than enough spare parts.

In the painting dept, I recently got a book teaching the basics of colour theory, as well as the AK Basic Starter Paint Set, so I should now be able to match any existing paint shade manually by colour mixing. Not sure what I'll use it for yet, but seemed like a useful skill to learn. As a side effect, I got tons of ideas for modulating red/reddish tones, so that was good!

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Speaking of colour, just found a killer reference online! I'll be dissecting this one for ideas for sure (not the exact colours or edge highlighting though)

I've been experimenting with color modulation and various weathering finishes, and found a really jawdropping reference for the painting style I'm trying to go for.

Here's a photoshop I made from a model picture which better matches my color pallette. The model is originally pictured in Lincoln Wright's upcoming Lunar Combat modelling book, and is from a Maschinen Krieger range I think? Anyways, this is just a reference, I wont be able to come near it IRL, but it's what I'd like to aim for.



I don't think such a textured finish is possible in 28mil modelling, but I like this look so much, and want to try to emulate this sort of rendering if at all possible. Means there won't be much freehand, just transfers and focus on the finishes

EDIT: Correction - this model is actually built by Alex, but is featured in the upcoming Lunar Combat book. Maybe I'll need to get a copy of the book to get a better sense of the sheer impossibility of my desires..

That is a cool texture on the bot. I’ve seen similar achieved through stippling really thinned paint. I think midwinter minis did it on their Titan panel painting vids and Trovarion has some grimdark space marines that used similar techniques.

 gobert wrote:
That is a cool texture on the bot. I’ve seen similar achieved through stippling really thinned paint. I think midwinter minis did it on their Titan panel painting vids and Trovarion has some grimdark space marines that used similar techniques.

Thanks for the tips! Already found some info about it:



So then, I'd basically have to find an appropriate stippling pattern for the scale.. interesting idea! I'm a big fan of drybrushing techniques so stippling could be a good fit. I will need to make some tests..

Yeah, I’ve tried it with sponges and old cr*ppy GW basecoat brushes before with decent results.

Days are getting super short, so time to get back.

I'm building a 5 model Assault squad without jump packs. Here's the first sketch. I was thinking of adding grenades to some of these chestplates, to give a more high intensity feel. I'm using the old resin backpacks, fluff being that tis Assault squad has a preference for underspecced power plants favouring the increased mobility of a smaller pack..

Glorious.

Good choice with the backpack, it's a nice touch that helps to visually differ them from the rank and file.

That a ravenguard lid I spy? Could have done with some of those for my crimson fists now I think of it. Very rtb01 looking.

What's the arms from. Fw upgrade?

 osjclatchford wrote:
Glorious.

Good choice with the backpack, it's a nice touch that helps to visually differ them from the rank and file.

That a ravenguard lid I spy? Could have done with some of those for my crimson fists now I think of it. Very rtb01 looking.

What's the arms from. Fw upgrade?

FW breachers kit, yes. Heads are from the Raven guard upgrades, which can work for just about any legion really, those variant beakie helmets are the stuff of legends!

Added some gear - starting to look like an Assault Marine! Will need to integrate the gear better later, but this'll do for now. On to the other guys..

I bought the new 2023 multipart terminator kit, but had to exchange my first kit to a second one due to a missing piece? One of the parts numbered 105 (left shoulderpad bit with a crux) was mysteriously absent from the box.. well, anyway, my LGS sorted it out quickly.

The new multipart plastic Terminators are well designed. Every set of legs seems to go with every torso, giving you a lot of possible posing options. Furthermore, the legs attach in a way which allows slight reposing just by filing down the internal keyed contact points, and the metal plates protecting the hips are separate bitz, I'd wager a talented converter could get away with all sorts of poses.. Makes fitting the models on custom bases a lot easier at the very least.

Hardest part is making the old FW resin shoulderpads fit. This requires cutting down excess plastic from the bare shoulderpad. These WIP's are not yet fitted flush in that regard, that will take some further work..

Decided to use the Space Marine Heroes bases for these. It's a shame to butcher my earlier sketches (those models have their feet modelled on the bases!), but I'm 100% dedicated to doing whatever it takes to get these models looking their best. So clipped off the feet and will retexturize any gaps remaining when finishing off the basing process.

I used my leftover arms from the Leviathan Indomi Captain for the Sergeant, so now my sarge is left-handed. I cut out the Power sword and the hilt, and reattached them to the Captain arms. There are two spots on the arms now without detail, I'll need to suss out some spare arms and transplant them from the spares.

Preliminary squad builds done for now. Used my favourite monopose Marine from the Leviathan set in order to squeeze in a Cyclone Missile Launcher model from the multiparts. Might have to do the same for a Flamer variant! The new Cyclone launcher is a bit fiddly to build, I messed up one of the underside glue joints :| I know it isn't really visible in the full build, but it irks me nonetheless.. Fortunately, the monopose model doesn't stick out from the multiparts all that much (Left shoulderpad Crux is slightly different, otherwise he looks identical), so you can absolutely kitbash the monopose Leviathan models with these multiparts, and the results look seamless.

All in all, 2023 Terminator squad is a lovely kit, can totally recommend (except for the Cyclone launcher hehehe)



I think I want the new Indomi Chaplain now as well?

Figured out how to deal with the annoying 40K/30K dillemma - I will keep the Crux shoulderpads permanently blutaced and will just swap out the blanks for HH-era version of the squad. This leaves another annoying detail though - the cruxes and crux-like symbols on the kneepads? Am I supposed to be buying surplus bitz for the squad so as to be able to replace all the skully bitz from the leg plates with "blanks" for Horus Heresy? This would also mean being unable to use my monopose torsos, as they don't come with interchangeable kneepads..

Let me know, how would you personally solve this?

Cool looking Terminators, good to know that the monopose and multipose work together too. As for the kneepads you could always remove them completely, either go blank, keep the skull or replace with BA iconography?

 gobert wrote:
Cool looking Terminators, good to know that the monopose and multipose work together too. As for the kneepads you could always remove them completely, either go blank, keep the skull or replace with BA iconography?

Ideally, I'd like to keep the crux looking ones since that is the classic RT era Indomi look. I have been looking at bitz sellers, and nobody, absolutely nobody, wants to sell me just the kneepad bits separately, so it's looking unrealistic for me to buy enough kneepad bits to be able to swap them around with blanks for HH. Only way to do that would be to buy another full kit..

I have very little suitable BA iconography, unfortunately. My BA Assault Terminators kit has only a few tilting shield bitz I'd fancy using. I will be adding those in to these termies however, no doubt about that. Nothing that would work on the kneepads though.

Just wanted to make a quick army pict to see how my overall vision holds up for the entire force. Not a lot missing anymore, jump pack assault squad, three more assaulters on foot, and a devastator squad with 2 HB's, 2 Lascannons and 1 Heavy Flamer to round out the core of the army. Once we get there, I'll start tackling how the heck I'm going to remake my Death Company marines with something that matches the modern firstborn Marine scale. The new MKIII torsos are not entirely out of the picture, perhaps I'll go with those for the DC, they will be five models to start with anyway.. Perhaps I could learn to utilize a modeller's engraver tool for the DC? The new MKIII kit has a lot of blank panel space on it, which could be artificed up with cool looking engraving patterns? Plus a ton of bling on top..

Overall, I feel like what I'm looking for is there, that classic look of 1st edition 40K & 2nd edition Space Marine, remastered for the 2020's, but there's not yet enough "Space" in this force! I either need two more Drop Pods, or two more flyers.. I have been thinking I'd like two flyer escorts for my Caestus Ram, but I'd prefer to use Xiphon Intereceptors instead of those Stormhawk Intereceptors, and plastic Xiphon, who knows if or when those will be out.. I'd also love a Dreadclaw or even a Kharybdis Assault Claw, but again, if they'll come out later in plastic and I got the resin ones out of sheer impatience, I'll be seriously annoyed..

To some of you, it might look like I'm barely making progress.. but when I myself skim through this build log, my doubts about this whole thing disappear, sure enough I've built and rebuilt my infantry units more times than I would have liked, but the much improved proportions of the new kits will make it all have been worth it in the end. For example, I really like the contrast between the Power Armoured models and TDA Armoured ones now, termies looking properly chunky and imposing compared to the rank & file.. This wasn't nearly as much the case with RTB-01 plastics vs the first Metal Terminators, for example.

EDIT: Attached to Dakka (for archival) as well as embedded this one

Great looking army shot! I think you really nailed the modernized retro look. I trust you are going to do some classic shouler mounted weapons for the devastators?

 Commander Cain wrote:
Great looking army shot! I think you really nailed the modernized retro look. I trust you are going to do some classic shouler mounted weapons for the devastators?

Why but of course, I've got all the Heavy Weapon plastic upgrade kits

I do like the underslung Heavy Bolters though, so will prob keep those, but Plas/Las/ML shouldermounts definitely, keeping it RT

Okay, so here's my first draft of the Assault Squad. Things are still in flux, but broad strokes are established. I want to learn to repose resin with these, in order to get the poses even more fluent looking, but that'll wait for now. Also probably refining accessories and adding some purity seals and whatnot. Decided to go with power sword on the Sergeant, just to make him stand out from Lorenzo a bit more. Meltabombs onboard though, so vehicles wont be safe from him!

Wasn't happy with two of the poses so swapped torsos around. Ended up spoiling two flamer bits from a special weapon sprue, because I took the wrong arms and desperately tried to brute force the hands into a flamer bit that wasn't meant for them. Always double, nay, triple check your poses and bitz when messing with the special weapons folks!

Going to be working on the new Indomi Chaplain next, scored the last kit from my LGS (whew!)

Indomi Chappie build. Loved the kit, used the exact same config as the multipart termies, so could even alter the pose a hair. Used my remaining FW shoulderpad and a spare plastic pad from the Limited Edition Chaplain Tarentus model. The trims on the plastic shoulderpad are much thicker than on the resin one, contemplating on whether I can be arsed to do anything about it later..

One more squad sketched! Devastators this time. Wanted to start with two Lascannons, but am probably going to magnetize these guys in order to coax maximum mileage out of the devs.

Once again, pose #5 turned out to be the most tricky to assemble, that left leg is a

Still need to add pistols and accessories, but quite happy with the poses. I've now built close to 20 of the 2022 beakies, and have to say the five poses on the sprue all have their uses, depending on the type of squad one is going with. I managed to get quite decent variety just by swapping heads, shoulderpads and weapons around. And if the upcoming HH2 Command Squad plastic kit turns out to be MKVI, I will probably get even more variety for my Sergeants with it An in-scale powerfist with a pointing finger on it would be a godsend to be honest, I would give one to the dev Sarge ASAP

You might be wondering, have I ran out of BA Chapter badge decorated shoulderpads? I deliberately left them out for these, for reasons which will become apparent when I get to the painting stages.. Everything happens for a reason!

I have now got most of the infantry in my Strike Force built. That's 25 Battle Brothers (5 Terminators, 10 Tacticals, 5 Assault, 5 Devastators) + Officers done. However, both of my support squads can utilize various battlefield roles, and I have only one role down for each so far. So plenty of building still ahead of me..

So Legiones Imperialis happened! Did I ever tell you I used to love Space Marine 2nd edition to bits as a young un?



Decided to build this army in both scales, just going for a larger force with the Epic scale (including Titans from the Warp Runners Legion). But that is a secondary task, and something I will not take as seriously as the 28mil army.. Which will resume soon as the Jump Pack Assault Squad is finally released by GW on the 16th of December Followed by new plastic Scouts in January..

Happy new year!

Those MKVI Assault Marines finally hit the store shelves here last thursday. I had too much holiday things to get back to the builds, but now as work is starting to commence, figured I'd pick up the tools and get cracking. Here's the first Brother for my Jump Pack Assault squad.

I didn't glue the chestpieces together yet as I am still not 100% convinced I want to go with the new reinforced design, but what was a very pleasant surprise was the fact that the new plastic torso gladly accepts the previous gen resin Jump Packs and the fit is almost completely flush without any fiddling about!

Let me know how you like the new chestpieces? I have spare older gen plastic Assault squad harness chestpieces in stock, but the thought of cutting up the new torsos makes me uneasy, especially since some of the more dynamic poses might make retrofitting the older harness bitz more tricky than just a straight up "saw from the belt buckle" affair..

New plastic Marine Scouts are also releasing next Saturday, but as they have been scalecreeped too far to play nice with my beloved NuBeakies, I will be sticking to the old metal sculpts instead. They are my favourite Scout models from the old range by far, and from what I have seen in other plogs on this board, look agreeable scale-wise next to the NuBeaks..

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Wrapping things up for tonight, tweaked the first sketch a bit more and built a second one.

Think I'm definitely warming up to the new chestpiece design! On the second one, it looks even more badass than on the first one.. Besides, the most important detail are the RT era authentic backpacks, which work superbly on these sculpts



The remaining three will all be "special" models, Twin LC sarge, a meltagunner (will be interesting to see how the tac arms line up) and an Eviscerator dude. I'm blatantly ripping two poses from a WHC article pict I saw for the sarge and the Eviscerator. The meltagunner makes me a bit anxious, might end up being a fiddly build (heck, even the tac kit flamer dude I sketched for the regular Assault Squad was tricky)

Sergeant almost done, needs more cleanup (and fingers)

I just love the new Sergeant helmet! It fits perfectly into the established Corvus aesthetic. I'm going to use these heads for my Land Speeder Proteus crew as well, they have that "Robotech fighter pilot" thing going on and I'm here for it!

I glued the torso plates together this time. It's obvious by now that I'm going to go with the new chestpiece design, I've gotten used to their silhouette and am digging the chunkier feel of the new battleplate (also contrasts nicely against the non-jump pack models, which are supposed to be more lightweight and nimble)



Trying to get the whole squad sketched out by weeks end

..and then there were four

I was super relieved to find that the same "pose" arms that worked for the non jump pack Assault Squad specialist worked also with the jump pack torso!

Turned out that the Eviscerator pose I wanted to rip off used a torso I already built, so swapped the arms and the head for the meaner looking RG one. Now I just need to assemble the final torso and give it the best looking set of arms I can find (have 4 set of arms to choose from, assuming every pose in the JP Assault kit has unique arm poses)



I have to say this version of my Jump Pack Assault Squad is looking best one so far! All in all the 2022-2023 NuBeakie kits have wonderful kitbashability within each other, every kit adds interchangeable bitz and each torso has several configurations which look natural, just a matter of finding the right set of arms and heads for each model.


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Managed to squeeze the remaining sketch before finishing tonight. Here is the squad (sans Sergeant's fingers)



So now, I have about a 1000+ points of stuff minus HQs done.. I'm going to make a temporary HQ out of that Dominion Zephon model for a quick game coming up. Will be interesting to see how my "Codex" compliant army performs on the tabletop!

Beakie marines are so cool. Loving the artistic photos in here and very excited to see some paint.

Really digging the retro vibe here that shines through the glow up from the new kits.

Whole army shot is looking great and how fun to do it in miniature (mini-miniature?) as well!

Thanks for sharing - and good luck with the game!

Update:

Further sketching of the Epic scale version of the army



Have collected a metal scouts squad, trying them for the army first. I bought these from ebay, no idea who has painted them, stripping down to metal next



My initial feelings are that these are too small in scale after all, but I'll keep an open mind until I see them further..

Finished stripping the first model. What do you think? Does this dude look like someone who becomes the other dude once they don a Corvus plate? My feeling is that he is too small to pass as an augmented human, but not as an unaugmented one.. In which case I would need to alter my headcanon a bit, so that in my army, scouts are basically still regular humans in appearance, growth hormones et al only get administered after a brother progeresses in rank to a full Marine..



I dont really object to this, as I view Scouts as a separate subfaction within the Space Marine hierarchy - As neophytes yet to be sworn as full brothers, they arent really Space Marines, who perform actually quite close to how modern SEALS etc special ops team might. There is an abundant supply of such Scouts in my chapter.. In pop culture terms, my Blood Angels Scouts are basically the marines from Ridley Scott's Aliens movie, just with added organs and improved reflexes, strenght, endurance etc. Only once the vast minority of them become full fledged battle brothers, they start counting towards the "1000 Space Marines" dogma of the Codex Astartes in this army.

These Scouts are used for recon missions, various Spec Ops missions and for deploying battlefield assets such as Tarantulas and Teleport homing beacons in secret. They deploy either via grav chutes or with a Land Speeder Storm.

I'm going to go with Hive War bases for these, as I might want to use them for games of Advanced Space Crusade later on

Wrapping up for this time. Managed to strip another one and made this scale comparison pict with models from my army. Its not terribly far off the mark I think..?

Scout Squad models cleaned and rebased for priming

Nice modelling work and paintjobs. Love the kitbashing conversions!

I see you do the same thing as I do - changing and rebuilding models until you get the right combination.

To be honest, I don't like those metal Scouts at all. They look very lumpy and outdated next to the newer models (but then I've always found Scouts rather lame). I would at least replace their guns with Heresy-era versions, which would also help them to fit in better aesthetically. Maybe also add some studs to their shoulder pads?

Small update, been a while. Been busy with other stuff, and kind of waiting for some more kits to arrive (have a large order from one shop just waiting for Civitas Imperialis tiles to return to stock). Picked up the tools for the first time in months today, and got some progress happening with the Epic scale version of the army.

The new Land Raider Proteus Epic kit is a slight disappointment. The way the pieces are cut make cleaning the gates from the tracks cleanly almost impossible. Also, ended up messing up one of the lascannon sponson assemblies, too damn fiddly and glue spilled on the exposed lascannon details..



Regarding the scouts, they are what they are. I will not be using the modern sculpts, they are just too large in scale. If snord thinks they look lumpy and lame, its his opinion. I think they will end up looking aight once they end up getting their paint jobs. I am not making a Heresy army, but a 40K one, therefore there will be no "swapping out for heresy era weapons". If anything, this army is for playing older editions of 40K, from 2st edition to 10th, depending on the game. Nobody in my group is interested in Horus Heresy, neither am I. Rogue Trader forever!