Paint Table Saturday (on Sunday)

My sincere apologies for this latest late installation of Paint Table Saturday. You would think that having weekends off would make it easier to get a blog post up, but not so.

This week brings the completion of my Tempestus Scions platoon command unit. Next up in my painting queue is not-quite-Creed. After that, I think its assembly time again. My counts-as Mechanicus force needs some attention.

Cheers,

CJ

Paint Table Saturday no. 9

Work continues this week on the Tempestus Scions. I have  finished all the lining on the arms. All that remains is straps, screens, and touch ups. The legs and torso need metallics and black wash before I can start on the details. Here is the squad as it stands.

Its a veritable forest of arms on kebab sticks.

Cheers,

CJ

Tempestus Scions

I do indeed love me some Guard. These Tempestus Scions models have been fun to assemble and customize. I plan to use the contents of this box to create a platoon command unit. I figure the fancier armour featured in the new box will do fine for this purpose, since it creates a clear visual distinction from my existing models.

Being unable to decide which weapon options to equip the Sergeant with, I opted to use magnets and take advantage of all the extra components in the kit.

On the torso of the model, I used a scribe to mark the place for the magnet, then drilled it out with my pin vice. For the arms I first mark the point where I want the magnet with a scribe, then drill the hole, and finally seat the magnet. I make sure that the poles are correctly aligned by placing the arm magnet on the chest plate magnet, then pressing the corresponding arm into place over the magnet.

This conversion didn't take much time at all, and now I can tailor the Sergeant's equipment load to the circumstance. This figure will be the commander of my Tempestus Scions platoon. The rest of the squad will be equipped with the standard hot shot lasguns. I will use them as they are or count them as the hot shot volley gun.

Here is the Sergeant with his powerfist and las pistol. I still have some work to do on him, mostly armour straps and buckles.

Here are the other four members of the platoon command. The picture of the lasguns shows the hazard stripes on the power cables. None of my existing hot shot lasguns have the power cables; this will also help distinguish them from my existing Scions squads when I count them as volley guns.

I plan to get the rest of this unit painted up quickly so I can get it into action. I'll have to do a post outlining my force under the new list soon.

Cheers,

CJ

Paint Table Saturday (on Sunday)

Another late edition. This week saw the release of Codex: Astra Militarum. I'm working on not-quite-Creed, as well as a Tempestus Scions command unit.

Here they are, along with the pieces of not-quite-Creed, and the completed Contemptor weapon upgrades. More on these soon.

Cheers,

CJ

Not Quite Creed

First things first, here is an obligatory shot of the Tempestus Scions sprues. There are so many extra bits in this kit, it is amazing. There are 17 different heads. I really bought the kit for the stormcoat, everything else is gravy.

This is my first attempt at producing a substitute model for Lord Castellan Ursarkar Creed. I've been using Creed as my army commander since the 2009 codex was released. His command bubble combined with his special rules make him a no brainer for infantry heavy forces in my opinion. I hope he persists through the latest iteration of the Imperial Army. In early 2012, I attempted to give a stock figure from the Cadian command squad box a stormcoat fashioned from a sniper camo cloak and greenstuff. The sculpt worked out alright at first, but as I got closer to completion I started questioning my confidence in the process and it ground to a halt. I've been playing with a half done Creed model ever since.

Fast forward to mid March 2014, and the pictures of the Tempestus Scions started circulating on the interwebs. When I saw the model with the stormcoat, I was dubiously optimistic that the coat would be a separate set of bits... and it was.

With the careful application of a #11 blade and a file, I was able to use the same style of torso for my not-quite-Creed conversion. I used the arm sockets on both the Scions torso and the Cadian torso as a guideline of where to remove material. In keeping with the overall theme of my blog, I have neglected to take photos of the process. At this point I think I might need to post a reminder on my wall. Already looking more sharpish than my attempt. 

A bit more of careful snipping, pinning, and gluing, a Cadian Sergeant's laspistol was fitted to the hand under the coat. The standing legs needed the blouse trimmed in the seat to fit under the coat. For the left arm I chose the command baton. I figure that with Creed being Creed, he would have access to some pretty cool stuff. Finally, for a head I chose the peaked cap head from the Cadian Command sprue.

I've got all three pieces of not-quite-Creed ready for paint at this point. He takes his place next to the nearly finished weapon upgrades for my Contemptor...

...of which the Kheres pattern assault cannon is complete!

Cheers,

CJ

Paint Table Saturday no. 8

It is time for the eighth installment of Paint Table Saturday.

I had a busy week, as you can see. I got this AdMech Marine finished, as well as the assembly and beginning the painting of the Contemptor's weapon upgrades.

Cheers,

CJ

Contemptor Up Armed

I got myself some Contemptor upgrades recently, in the form of an assault cannon, a heavy conversion beamer, and a plasma cannon. The HCB has some fiddly bits, but the assembly will be fairly straight forward. The plasma cannon is one piece, so no problems there. The assault cannon, though, was another story. There were six pieces: The muzzle clamp, three barrel pieces, the gun housing, and the piece that runs underneath the gun. I needed ten pins in these six pieces to get it together in a fashion that I was comfortable would not fail under the rigours of travel and gaming. I wish I stopped to take a picture, but the glue was set before it crossed my mind.

Both the close combat arm and multi melta arm are magnetized, but they are oriented in such a way that the pieces aren't interchangeable. The solution? More magnets and some pins to boot.

With a little force the multi melta was slipped from it's elbow joint. The tab which slots into the elbow joint will be used as the attach point. The one from the multi melta will serve well for the right arm. A second elbow tab was prepared with magnets for the left arm.

All of the heavy weapons for the Contemptor have the same style 'hub' where the elbow tabs slot home. I drilled holes in the center of each hub, one side at a time. Once the holes were done, I slotted the tabs into the heavy weapons and drilled through their centers. Using pins prepared pins from floral wire, the heavy weapons will be secured to the attach points drilled through both the hubs and tabs.

With these simple modifications, my Contemptor can field any combination of weapons I have in my armoury.

The final upgrade this model received was a new waist pin. The old one was largely serviceable still, but the thin wire was harder to get in place, and prone to bend. The new pin is brass rod.

I look forward in testing some of the new arsenal on the table sometime soon.

Cheers,

CJ