Dark Angels Painting Contest Model

So my first post for 2012 has nothing to do with the Mantis Warriors, but it still has to do with Space Marines and maybe Traitor Marines.... 

A local shop in my town is having a painting contest, the model has to be a Space Marine and you had to buy it from the shop.  I like this idea that everyone is starting with the same type of blank canvas to start from.  It was a five dollar entry fee and that included the model to be painted.

I decided to go with a Dark Angel Marine, first because I had just finished reading a Space Marine Battle Book that featured the Dark Angels.  Second I had a number of extra bits laying around and a number of them were Dark Angel bits at that. Everything kind of fell into place.  The cool thing about the contest is that you could add extra bits if you wanted, so I added a skull to the backpack, a Dark Angels shoulder pad, a set of Dark Angel arms with a Bolt Gun (Bolter) and a head with a respirator.  I am undecided whether or not to add the Helmet onto the belt of the model.

I am hoping that I win this is the first time I have ever entered a painting contest.

Wish me Luck!

Shoulder Pads MkIII

So I have made some molds of some custom Space Marine shoulder pads.  I have just been doing very basic symbols on the pads, crossed arrows for the Assault Squads, Arrows for the Tactical Squads, and Chevrons for the Devastator Squads.

An Example of a Tactical Sgt w/ Laurel to show rank

This afternoon I have been casting shoulder pads like it is going out of style! The resin that I am using is a rather fast acting resin it has a working time of about 90 seconds so I have to move rather quick to get the molds set and ready.

Here are three of the Molds with the Resin in them

The resin only takes about 10 minutes to finish hardening up before it is ready to come out of the Mold. I purchased a kit at the local Hobby Lobby and it came with the everything I needed to make the molds and even the resin.  I think if I try to make molds again I'll see if I can get a more flexible rubber for the molds. Each mold makes two shoulder pads.

The Sgt Shoulder Pad Mold open with the Pads in it

Here is a Tactical Pad, Look at all the Flash

  The nice thing is that the flash is paper thin, and is easily cleaned up. This set turned out pretty good if I say so my self.

All the shoulder pads out of the molds and waiting to be cleaned

A Number of the pads cleaned up and waiting to get primed

Some of the shoulder pads had air bubbles so I'll be adding a little green stuff to fill in the gaps.  These shoulder pads ar turning out better than I had thought they would. and I think they will give my Tact, Assault, and Dev Squads a unique look to them.  I can't wait to get them primed and painted.

Questions and Comments are welcome

Kitting out a Tactical Squad

Two troops choices and a HQ, that is the base for the standard Space Marine force organization chart.  That is the standard base for any army in the game. I thought that I would talk what my thought process was when I put together a all Plasma Squad.  I say all Plasma because it is a standard tactical  squad with ten men in it and I have given the Sgt a Plasma Pistol, one of the tactical Marines a Plasma Rifle, and an other a Plasma Cannon.

 

Ten Man Tactical Squad

For the Sgt. I went with the Plasma Pistol over the Combi-Plasma Rifle, is because of the assault I want to be-able to have one more Plasma burst before close combat. I feel like the constancy of the 12 inch range and being able to have more than one shot of plasma from the Sgt, is more beneficial to the range of the single shot Combi-Plasma Rifle.  

Sgt with Plasma Pistol

Next is the Tactical Marine with the Plasma Rifle, Str 7 AP 2 is not too shabby, having the option to move on still shoot 12 inches is nice also and the rapid fire.  I wish that I could field a squad with two special weapons much like the Space Wolves or Chaos Space Marines. I think that the Plasma Rifle is me favorite special weapon that the Tactical squad has to offer. The AP 2 is crucial for tacking down heavy infantry, and the 24 inch range is what makes this my favorite.

Tactical Marine with Plasma Rifle

The final piece to this team is the Tactical Marine with the Heavy Weapon, that heavy weapon is over course the Plasma Cannon, 36 inch range Str 7 AP 2 template! This is heavy infantries worst enemy.  The AP2 means invulnerable save if they have them, if it was only str 8 it would also double out most things.  Not one to look a gift house in the mouth putting down a AP 2 Template does quite that damage. When it comes to holding the line this is my weapon of choice.

Heavy Weapon Marine (Plasma Cannon)

At 200 points this unit will hold its own in shooting and hold the line fairly well.  I like to use this unit as one of my two troop choices nine times out of ten.  I enjoy running this troop choice so much that I am currently building another one.


Questions and Comments are always welcome.

Adding Wash to Mini's

My Medic From the Command Squad

So this is the Medic that is from my Platoon Command Squad, I am using IG arms and Bits with the Wargame Factory's Shock Troop Bodies and Heads.  I have built one ten man squad which is painted and and washed.  What I have done is to color the eyes different so that I can tell the difference between the command squad (Red) and the other troops (Blue).

This post is to show the difference between a Washed (Badab Black) and an Un-Washed model. The above model has not been washed.  I will also be painting the base to look like the others, I'll wash it then they will be finished.

Trooper, Washed with Badab Black

For the IG that I am painting up right now I am just going for a three Color Minimum and a Wash.  That is it. I just want to get them done quick and to a good table top standard.

The Ten man Squad Finished

As you can see I have a ton of stuff in the background of the photo that I am still working on, in time I'll be finishing them up and posting the progress!

BADAB WAR (Chapter Master Mantoea)

I thought I would paint up the BOLS Named Character in their BADAB war campaign.  This character is a HQ choice that is on a Space Marine Bike, his chapter tactics all the units in the army gain the scout USR, however only the TROOPS can out flank.  Not too bad, but it really didn't make too much sense that he is on a bike.  I figure that if I play around with some different builds I'll find a list that works well.

Right now this model is still a work in progress.  But here are the photos to date.

I primed with Army Painter "Army Green"

Next added Black

Next Brown

Next Silver

Followed with Yellow

Just Used Gold to trim the Bike

 

 

 

I'll be adding the decals to the front of the bike and the shoulder pad.  I'll post the finished model once I finish it.

Like always questions and comments are welcome

Going Old School with Hero Quest

I would say that I am a pretty active member on a Hero Quest forum.  I have started a project page that is keeping track of my progress in painting a complete set of the miniatures from the main game system.  It is going to be painting all 35 Miniatures.  Here are a few that I has painted back in highschool.  I'll be stripping them down with simple green, re-priming them and putting new paint on them.  I figure I can use these as a comparison later.

All that I painted back in the Day

This is one of my Favorite Dwarf Miniatures Ever!

Well here they are and as I start getting them painted I'll start posting here.
As always questions and comments are welcome.

Near Finished Magnetized Predator

This month has been rather slow with the hobby progress, I have been busy and what not.  However I was able to get more paint on my Predator Tank for my Emperors Fists army.  I magnetized all the weapon options, I was luck when I was look in my bits box I found two extra side sponsons so I was able to use them.

I went with the Lascannon options first

Here you can see the magnets on the sponsons

I don't know why I painted the Lascannons first, I have game this weekend against Orcs and I know I want to use the Autocannon and Heavy Bolters for that game.

These are the final peaces that I need to finish

Everything

The interior