015 The March of the Sentinels...and Nose Art!

NB: For some reason - doubtless linked to me fiddling about with settings - this post has no facility for comments. Sorry!

This whole blog thing really has forced me to get more painting done - brilliant!

Now, before I nip off to darkest Devon, here are the two A/P sentinels from my mechanised bn - both armed with multilasers:

The first one presented here, Faith, is one part of the trio Faith, Hope and Charity [*see footnote] and is the first to have fully undergone a repaint.
Originally, the three were black with drab green disruptive pattern lines painted on (you might still be able to see some of the relief of this underneath the Dark Angels Green in certain angles). Much as I liked this scheme, it didn't go with the rest of the force, so I changed it a few months ago; sadly neglecting to strip them first. This one was re-armed with a multilaser; the others retained their lascannon, and I'll post them when(!) I finish re-doing them.
The nose art is something new for me: I've never done any freehand painting before, so I thought I'd start with something simple - I'm happy with the result, although maybe the "24" could've done with being a little higher. My wife painted the pilot, way back in 2002 when the models were new!

The camouflaged one originally came from an eBay win, but I decided to try a conversion. It worked fairly well, considering it was some time ago, now: the weapon is an old warlord titan weapon from Epic, and the ammo belt was cobbled together from hvy bolter ammo - I'd do it less clumsily now, I hope.
This sentinel is the only one painted this way, as that's how it came. I decided to keep it like this (a) because I quite liked it, and (b) because this sentinel was crewed by an officer (Capt. Stephenson - yes, it's a fairly obscure reference). Also because the others (at the time) were all armed the same and came as a trio.
More to follow anon...

- Drax.

* Named after the three famous Gloster Gladiators from the defence of Malta in the 1940s. Also, by happy chance, an old friend named Faith got back in touch with me today - hurrah!

014 Mechanised Infantry Army List

So... before now I've posted my chimerae, hellhounds and salamander, but I thought (as it's half-term* and the weather's filthy) I'd post up the notes on my contingent of the Cadian 24th mechanised battalion. And yes - just to clarify, the regiment has one light bn. and one mech bn.

This basically includes all my light vehicles - tanks will be covered another time.

The problem is that I don't like any of the published army list options for a mechanised force, neither Chapter Approved nor Imperial Armour. I can actually make this force codex-legal (see below), but I don't like to as it always feels rather forced. Yet another reason to appreciate the Apocalypse rules!

To that end then, army lists notwithstanding, here are the constituent parts of my mechanised force:

Salamander HQ;
4 Chimeras, with a mounted platoon in them (HQ + 3 sects);
4 Sentinels (two autocannon; two lascannon);
2 Hellhounds;
Griffon S-P mortar;
Basilisk S-P artillery.
[13 light vehicles in total]

Here's how it becomes an [almost] codex-legal list, based on the IG Codex: Mechanised doctrine: HQ= salamander + 2 sentinels; TP= 1 mounted pl. of 2 sects; 1 A/F squad; FA= 2 hellhounds; 2 sentinels; HS= basilisk and griffon. By dead reckoning (with accoutrements) I make this about 1406 pts.
I may decide to make the mounted troops into stormtroopers (grenadiers) - I have the models for both but I've not yet decided. I probably won't - not least because in gaming terms I like the s/tprs' deep strike capability and in modelling terms I don't wan't to paint s/tprs green, which they'd really have to be to complement their transports.

Also, I have a converted Cadian rough rider unit, but although I like the models I don't really like their rules much, and I can't decide how to paint them.

So there you go: that's the mechanised element of the Cadian 24th. More pics will doubtless follow as and when stuff gets finished.

- Drax.

* "half-term": I'm a high school teacher, and in the UK we get a week-or-so off in the middle of each term.

013 A/T Squad B

August '09 - NB: Since the new Codex: Imperial Guard, my fire support platoons have been disbanded, and their constituent units re-allocated. In this case, these missile launchers are now part of 1 Tactical Platoon.

...Or to be more precise, "1 (F/Sup) Pl, B Section" - from D (F/Sup) Coy.
This is one of my A/T missile launcher sections (there's one in each of D Coy's two F/Sup [hvy wpn] platoons, along with an autocannon section and a hvy bolter section), and the first one to have been fully based. I should point out that the three models with missile launchers are amongst the earliest I painted - years ago - so they're rather blotchy and there are *gasp!* obvious mould lines. I think I was also a little heavy on the varnish. You'll note these have a 'B' on a green flash: D Coy's 1 Pl has the green flash, and the 'B' is because that's their section designation. Out of interest, 'A' is the A/T lascannon squad (on permanent detachment to D Coy HQ); both 'C' and 'D' squads are A/P - with autocannon and hvy bolters respectively.

The rest of the platoon is more than half done, but needs a little more work yet: not least because only today I've started revamping their bases (courtesy of a top-tip from Col Gravis ) in order to make them a little more practical for playing. I'll try to include an account of this anon.A discussion of why I've opted for the Heavy Weapons Platoon doctrine will follow another time, too.

- Drax.

012 O, Frabjous Day!

Callooh! Callay!

At last, after some 15-odd years' involvement with the hobby (including a 8-year break) I have a fully painted legal army! Okay, so I've still an absolutely vast amount of models yet to paint, but still...this is a cause for celebration!

Now all I've got to do is find someone to fight. Any offers?

- Drax

011 B Coy HQ Squad

[Update 21/07/10: If you're here to look at the Primaris Psyker, please note that currently I use my old Sanctioned Psyker model as a proxy. I may get the new model over the summer. Maybe...]

I'll post the fluff for the Cadian 24th soon - once the work pressures ease off a little, but in the meantime, here's the command squad for B Coy - one of the battalion's rifle coys. Please note the following:
1) The light blue belts denoting the 'elite' (if only!), veteran guardsmen allocated to the HQ squad - yes I know it's incongruous, but there's a fond reference in there somewhere;
2) The yellow field on the standard - no Brownie points if you're sad enough to get the reference. Note this also provides the colour of the flash on the bases (some of which are a bit untidy);
3) The plasma gunner may yet be moved elsewhere - there's just no need for his type of firepower in my Coy HQ squad, as their role is primarily to shout orders from the back, rather than to get stuck-in (old-school, baby!)
4) The crummy, early paint job on the models' faces. It doesn't help that - cretin as I am - I dislike painting metal miniatures. Hell, I dislike painting practically any miniature that doesn't come with tracks!

They have the bright yellow flash of their company standard - the 'B' designation is because they're the B Coy HQ unit. Unusually for me, I'm quite proud of the standard:
And here are their attached advisors - a commissar and a psyker. The commissar is essential - I'm less convinced about any necessity for the psyker. Cool model, though...

All these pictures are hyperlinked, but I don't think there's much of interest to be found...

I'll put the D Coy HQ Squad up soon, too: now they are well painted...but sadly, not by me.

- Drax.

010 Matters Arising

So...now I've put my Cadian LI standing OrBat army list up, what follows is a brief discussion of some points about it.

It is possible to get the entire list FOC legal with 2 detachments without upsetting the gameplay at all, but it's way less fluffy, and I'm trying to be more fluffy!

Yes, it's big. But then, it's an ideal. I'd dearly love to see it fielded in a game - yes they're going to get slaughtered wholesale (3000+ points of pure guard infantry?- please!) but they'd be great to see in amongst some good scenery. Any offers?

Doctrines:
With the posted uber-OrBat, I'd use the following doctrines:
Light Infantry,
Iron Discipline,
Restricted Troops: Sanctioned Psykers;
Restricted Troops: Hvy Wpns Platoons and
Restricted Troops: Snipers.

I'm never really sure about the Sanctioned Psykers

Other doctrines I've played around with include veterans (a common choice), grenadiers and restricted troops: stormtroopers. Frankly, for this force at least, the most useful ones have to be LI and ID - both of which are great for the guard!

More anon...I'm knackered and it's time for bed. More photos soon...

- Drax.

009 24th Cadian Light Infantry Army List

This, then, is my overarching default army list. Please note the following:

1) I have all of these models, but most of them (sadly) are only basecoated;
2) I only get to paint or play very rarely;
3) Although I've designed this to be fluffy, it's not too convenient to use in play in small games... but I'll discuss more of this another time;
4) Despite its size, it's mostly list-legal. That which seems not to be can be reshuffled around the FOC without affecting the gameplay, but it ruins the fluff. Trust me on this. It's possibly better as a contingent in an Apocalypse game anyway, when the FOC is irrelevant;
5) This is just the light infantry. Add to this the mechanised inf, the tank company, a FW baneblade and other assorted what-nots and you've got my entire Guard army.

THIS, then, is [my contingent of] the Light Infantry Bn of the 24th Cadian Regt:

Force HQ: Bn HQ: High Commander (from rules in WD308) with retinue. I have cool models for this, but have yet to finalise the details.

B Coy (a light company, the same as A and C Coy):

HQ Choices:

B Coy HQ: Heroic Snr Offr w. ID, P/wpn + bolt pistol [81]
M/vox [20]
Vet medic [11]
Vet w. Coy Standard [11]
Guardsman [-]
Commissar w. P/wpn + bolt pistol [46]
Sanctioned Psyker [12]
Total = 181

A/T squad (attached to Coy HQ): 3 lascannon [110]

Elite Choices:

Hardened Veterans (10 pax): Vet Sgt w. Honorifica Imperialis, P/wpn + bolter [39]
9 Vets w. shotguns as default [72]
Missile launcher [15]
Grenade launcher [8]
melta gun [10]
flamer [6]
krak grenades [20]
Total = 170

Snipers (10 pax): sniper rifles [110]

Troops Choices:

1 Platoon:
HQ: Jr Officer w. ID, P/wpn, bolt pistol [51]; Vet Medic [11]; Vox [5]; 2 x grenade launchers [16]; LI [10]
Subtotal = 93
1 Sect: Sgt + 9 pax [60]; Vox [5]; plasma gun [10]; LI [10]
Subtotal = 85

2 Sect: Sgt + 9 pax [60]; Vox [5]; melta gun [10]; LI [10]
Subtotal = 85

3 Sect: Sgt + 9 pax [60]; Vox [5]; grenade launcher [8]; LI [10]
Subtotal = 83

4 Sect (r): Sgt + 4 pax [30]; Vox [5]; flamer [6]; LI [10]
Subtotal = 51

Total (1 Platoon) = 397

2 Platoon: Exactly as 1 Platoon.
Total = 397

3 Platoon: Exactly as 1 Platoon.
Total = 397

Fast Attack Choices: [none]

Heavy Support Choices:

D Coy HQ: Exactly as B Coy HQ, above, including advisors and A/T squad
Total = 291

F/Sup Platoon 1:

HQ: Jr Officer w. ID, P/wpn, bolt pistol [51]; Vet Medic [11]; Vox [5]; 2 x grenade launchers [16]; LI [10] (NB: exactly like all inf pl HQs, above!)
Subtotal = 93

A/T Squad B: 3 missile launchers [95]; LI [10]
Subtotal = 105

A/P Squad C: 3 autocannon [95]; LI [10]
Subtotal = 105

Squad D: 3 heavy bolters [80]; LI [10]
Subtotal = 90

Total = 393

F/Sup Platoon 2: Exactly as F/Sup Pl 1, above.
Total = 393

Mortar Platoon (3):

HQ: As F/sup pl HQs, above, but without LI
Subtotal = 83

A Sub: 3 mortars [80]

B Sub: 3 mortars [80]

C Sub: 3 mortars [80]

Total: 323

Grand total for this force = 3162*

(*without points cost of High Command)

A discussion of some of the finer points of this list, including 'doctrines', legality and the High Command will follow anon. Also coming soon: some of my hardned veteran conversions! Yay!

008 Glossary of Terms

Having found myself confused by other blogs out there, please find for your use a glossary of terms that either I've used, or that I've managed to decipher from someone else's blog. It'll be a sidebar, but I don't yet know on which side. Probably the right.

- Drax

007 Salamander and Hellhounds

Hooray! This is one of my favourite conversions: an cruddy old freebie griffon converted into a shiny salamander command vehicle. PLEASE NOTE: As of 13/06/09 this salamander model - whilst still a viable option - has been altered and updated. Please see this link for details...though the stuff about my hellhounds (below) is still worth a good look!

Also in this post are my lovely hellhounds - Cerberus and Helios. If I'd known I'd have two, I would have called them Phobos and Deimos, but I didn't. Don't ask why the second vehicle is called Helios...but I quite like it.

Salamander Opilio conversion:

Obviously this is based on the look of the FW salamander, but in the rear views you should be able to see the base plate from the old griffon mortar, if you're familiar with it. The armour around the crew compartment would've been made of plasticard, but is just made of some old bits of plastic I had lying around - doubling the layer made it look far more realistic and also added rigidity. The angles were really tricky, but I think they came out well! The rivets were made from a roll of green stuff.

The inside is made of bits I had lying around. The bulk of the comms equipment is actually the shield from an old metal Cadian autocannon plus the improved comms bit from the newer IG vehicle accessory sprue. The antenna's come off, but I may replace it with a whip-type version for easier storage. I like the binoculars and the vision slit (the heavy bolter, incidentally, is a FW one, and is removable (I may make an autocannon version for the 'scout' variant). I dislike the transfers (decals).



Next are my two lovely hellhounds - and boy can these two wreak havoc on a close-range battlefield! I've just noticed, actually, that the gunner in the photos (both hellhounds have removable P-M heavy stubbers) is the one that's unfinished - I wonder where the other one's gone...


No real conversions to speak of here really: just the leman russ mantlet and (on Helios the track guards made out of old-style dozer blades. I did this not out of desperation, but because it reminded me of an Epic-scale vehicle from when I used to play Space Marine (as 'Epic' used to be called) in the early 90s. I like the slightly 'beefier' look of these flame tanks, and I particularly enjoy the little details on the fuel tanks. I should've had a close-up really.

Just out of interest, my light vehicles are painted Dark Angels Green over a Chaos Black basecoat, and then rivets and a few details are picked out in Catachan Green. I then add transfers and seal it (as everything else) with spray Purity Seal, to add robustness.


- Drax.

006 Chimera patrol!

So!

Here is something I am actually proud of: my chimeras (or chimerae, as I sometimes call them - possibly erroneously).

Obviously, these aren't part of the light infantry battalion - I'll discuss the role of the light vehicles at some point in the distant future - I just wanted to get these, my salamander and the two hellhounds up on this blog.

Below you'll find a shot of the four chimerae first - they are as follows:

• Vehicle 0 - "Malleus" - T-L heavy bolter (FW);
• Vehicle 1 - "Incus" - T-L heavy bolter (FW);
• Vehicle 2 - "Hurcheon" - autocannon (converted);
• Vehicle 3 - "Equus" - multilaser (also converted - and not T-L, despite appearaces).

These are different views of of Malleus - the HQ vehicle - as an example: the others follow suit in general terms. Each has its own battle honours etc, but the pattern is set. Obviously the unit flash is blue-white-blue.



Next are views of each turret (I've also modelled a couple of spares - not shown - including a heavy flamer and a standard multilaser).



The autocannon turret (not yet varnished - Christ knows why...) is one I quite like. It's based on the FW version, but the ammo's on the port side and it uses Cadian components. It moves.



A word about Vehicle 3 - "Equus" - you may notice the strange turret, hatch and cargo...here's why:

This was my first chimera, and was thrown-in with an order from eBay, in very bad condition. In order to rescue it, I had to saw off the turret, which was cemented in place, and find some hatch doors, as these had been hacked about and destroyed. This was tricky as it was early days of my hobby's resurgence: I had no experience of green stuff or paint removal, and I had no bits box to speak of.

Luckily, I found a hatch for the original rhino model, so I used this. It looked silly, though, so I made a detachable cargo crate which doubles up as an objective marker. Sadly, the photo of this didn't do it justice, so I left it out. The turret was in rag-state, so I had to convert it (using sentinel multilasers - I thought double looked better), a bit of Fimo modelling clay and a sprue rod as a pivot, through a hole drilled with a conventional drill bit (pre pin vise, too!). In order to cover up the mangled pintle mounting, I converted a flamer - which I really like! It's primitive, and it's not perfect, but I like the look of it - and it moves! It has a fuel line going to the prometheum tank which moves with it, too.

Next post: the rest of the 'light vehicles' gang..!

005 Painting the Cadian 24th

I generally dislike painting. The Guard was a foolish army for me to choose, especially as I find it hard to finish projects! Still, I do like the tanks (more of which anon...).

Today's entry is all about my paint scheme. For the Guardsmen it's very simple, and you'll find it below, in order of painting:

1. Undercoat: Chaos Black (spray);
2. Base coat, and then the combats ("fatigues" for our cisatlantic cousins), weapons and webbing: Catachan Green (sometimes with an airbrush;
3. Armour, helmet and greaves: Dark Angle Green;
4. Blades, buckles, buttons, aquilas, barrels and sights: Boltgun Metal;
5. Belt, boots, butt, muzzle, bayonet handles and pistol grips: Chaos Black;
6. Flesh: Varies. Almost always just one flat colour though;
7. Lasgun aquila (plus sergeants' fittings and rank flash): Burnished or Shining Gold;
8. Then I touch-up any details, facial features etc. (I'm a messy painter);
9. No shading; no inking; no highlighting; no drybrushing. I can't be bothered.
10. Transfers/decals: ("24" on left shoulder; aquila on right; extras for sgts and medics);
11. Spray Varnish: Purity Seal. I know it dulls the metals, and it sometimes goes on a bit thick, but it really protects the models well;
12. Basing: PVA ("white") glue sticks small gravel on, I paint it thickly with Chaos Black, then drybrush Codex Grey onto the gravel. I then touch-ip the rim (and the boots!) with Chaos Black, put a 4mm coloured panel "flash" on the back (judged by the torso's facing), and use a 0.05mm black pen to write on the squad number.

And that's it. And it takes me bloody ages.

Officers are mostly the same, except in Desert Yellow combats/fatigues, and with a little more detail.

004 2 Platoon

Hullo!

All these pics are of 2 Platoon. Organised and equipped in exactly the same way as 1 Platoon, but with fixed bayonets, these models really aren't that interesting except a few of the kneeling ones.
(NB: For more detailed (and focused) pics, follow the link on the right to 1 Platoon!)




Note that this platoon's squad flashes (on the bases) are labelled in yellow which makes the numbers far clearer in the photos! The foundation paints are great for this.

This is also a better study of one of my officers than that in 1Pl. Hmm...maybe I ought to wait for natural light for these photos.

003 Introducing 1 Platoon.

[21/06/09 - Please note: 1 Pl has now been superceded by the new codex version 'tactical' platoon. Follow this link for more details.]

Okay...let's see how this works then. First, what I'm putting on this post is a series of pictures of B Coy's 1 Platoon. For reference (and by way of excusing myself) I'm not really in it for the painting. Heresy, I know - especially with an infantry-heavy Guard army, but that's my excuse for the lack of artful painting. Also, a lot of 1 Platoon (naturally!) were amongst the first to be painted, just when I'd got back into the hobby a few years ago, so that didn't help. You'll note a lot of the men have surprised expressions on rather blank faces...

...but please don't concentrate on that. What I really like is converting stuff, and I'll put up more of this anon - some of my vehicles and my veterans, for example. Nothing fancy, really, but most of it cleanly done at least.

Right then. This first one is the Pl HQ. This was the first officer I painted - the others don't have the frou-frou red trim. I like the grenade launcher on the right of the pic.
Below you'll find some hyperlinked detail shots of the medic - note the regimental numbering on the left shoulder pad. All the troops have these, which is fiddly, as I have to cut them from two separate transfers. Joy. There's an aquila on the right pad. Some models have other designs with the numbering - hence the medic's insignia.
Note the squad marking on the back of the base: all my lads have these, as the uniform makes them very...er...samey - the colour depends on the platoon, then 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 for each section respectively (with HQ being '0').
...And this is 1Pl 1 Section, armed with a plasma gun. The sergeant's modelled on a mate of mine.
So I'm mostly happy with how the photos went on, and now I even understand (mostly!) how to ensure the hyperlinks work - although until I'm more conversant with html it's only likely to be certain detail shots.

Anyway, here are the second, third and fourth ("remnant") sections of 1 Platoon. They're armed with melta gun, grenade launcher and a flamer respectively. Nothing really of note, except you may have noticed I really like grenade launchers. I find the assault 24" rule and their ability to punch through AV12 armour (on a roll of a 6!) really useful!

This next one is the whole platoon. I'm going to repeat this exercise soon with 2 Platoon, who are identically equipped (so it's a little self-indulgent), but a couple of the models are a little more interesting.
Lastly, this is my infantry transport case, with 10 guardsmen in each hole. There's an entire heavy weapon platoon in each of the holes at the bottom! This is part of the reason each of the lads has his base labelled and colour-coded - it makes identifying and sorting them far easier. Varnishing them helps, too!
Tune in next time for 2 Platoon - with less waffle - then it'll be time for my lovely, lovely vehicles. Yay!