Dobermann

Bretonnian Men at Arms

2011-12-11T08:31:00.000-08:00

It is since Warhammer siege come out in '98 that I decided to add a unit equipped with halberd.

But several other project come before.

Now I went back to my bits box (especially the one with the tag "forgotten stuff" ) and I found a lot of men at arms I collected during the years for this old project of mine.

I found my self with a full unit of men a arms with halberds.

There are models form Foundry, Citadel, Harlequins, Grenadier, plus other unknown manufacturers.

I (Marquess Etien De Rochefort) am a trusted servant of the Duke of Quenelles and often the commander in chief of his army.

Therefore I wanted to stress this alliance by using the Duke's colours (blue with a minor use of white) on this unit.

I keep following the old custom that no blazon can be used on commoners, nor on their dirty banners (there are no symbols on them, just plain colors).

So, to make clear those men at arms are under the Duke's command, I added the Duke's heraldry (a white Unicorn) on the standard pole.

I like the way the leather 'blend' softly with the metal parts and the contrast with the deep blue of the Quenelles heraldry.

I have also introduced to my Bretonnian models the "mud&dirty" weathering I got used to add to my 40K Imperial Guard.

I am very satisfied with the result.

I added a foot knight as unit champion. It is a very slim model, so I suppose this knight is a noble woman hiding her face with the great helm.

The truth is that she is one of the bastard daughter of the Duke Tancred.

I tried to represent a banner that does not give victory points to the opponent but still be very visible on the battlefield.

Maybe I will be soon using this unit during a siege scenario.

Sergeant

2011-07-03T13:44:00.000-07:00

There is nothing more convincing than a Marine with power fist.

This model is a lovely Veteran equipped with a couple of servo-skulls.

The sergeant is represented with a Codex-coherent red helmet with veterancy white stripe.

Probably this marine gained its Sergeant rank while fighting alongside some codex-adherent chapter.

Pre Heresy Terminators

2011-06-25T06:57:00.000-07:00

I planned to make a unit to represent the Primarch bodyguard: the 1st company elite, the Morlocks.

They wore the pre hersy terminator armour:

I got an old terminator I intend to heavily mody. It's going to loose its stormbolter and to receive a banner with Ferrus' personal insigna.

To represent the pre-heresy armour, the model is going to receive some segmented armour.

I found a good conversion bit from Microart.

Red Army

2011-06-24T05:30:00.000-07:00

I took a smal pause from my "marines in black".

Since years, I'm collecting 20mm (1/72) Second World War models. I also play them with a couple of nice rule systems: Operation World War Two and Battlefield Evolution World at War.

I have both a full German Panzergrenadier army and a US Armoured Army collected and painted - both the size of a platoon plus several armours.

I decided to start a Soviet infantry platoon (or maybe half company).

In this painting session, I admit, I was very inspired by playing the Call of Duty: World at War videogame :-)

This is the result of my work.
The soldiers are a mix of Preiser, Esci(Italeri) red army boxes.

Assault marines unit

2011-06-22T12:46:00.000-07:00

I finished my first unit on Razorback.

5 assault marines. Sergeant with power weapon and possible marine with meltagun.

As always models were a lot of pre-heresy armour components and are heavly bionics implemented.

Sergeant

2011-06-21T11:10:00.000-07:00

A new sergeant is ready to join the assault marines. Bolt pistol and power axe. An economic way to add close combat pwer to the unit.

Assault Marines on foot

2011-06-20T05:20:00.000-07:00

I finished more models to fill in my Razorbacks.

I love assault marines. In My opinion every marines should be fitted like Space Wolves, with bolter pistol and chainsword.

Assault meltagun

2011-06-19T09:48:00.000-07:00

sometimes you have a model which takes a lifetime to get finished.

This assualt marine was the case.

It was hanging around on the shelf for months.

Now it is done!

With its heresy armour it screams 'rough power' to me. I love the MkV. I can't leave something so cool to Chaos Marines.

Iron Faher

2011-06-18T05:32:00.000-07:00

After a long pause from blogging I'm ready to update this blog with my latest finished models.

Here you may see my Iron Father. It is a simle conversion form the special version TechMarine.

The model try to be a bit less "tech" and more "commander". In order to be the right model to lead the army.

It is played with Master of the Forge rules or Reclusiarch rules.

It is clearly inspired by the GW Iron Father concept art .

Angel Sanguine

2011-03-19T05:39:00.000-07:00

One of my apprentices of the painting course just started an Angel Sanguine army.

I think this Chapter has a very cool painting scheme, keeping together the strong Blood Angels red with the always good looking black.

I also like the perspective game: depending on the watcher's point of view, the unit seems all black or all red, changing all the time.

I painted a test model for him, to be used as reference point for the rest of the army.

Fulgrim - Review

2011-02-13T02:34:00.000-08:00

I just read the book Fulgrim form the Horus Heresy series.

I bought it beacuse of the strong role of Iron Hands in it.

My vote?

5/10.

Weak Points:

The plot is very simple. Fulgrim and his legion enter in a temple dedicated to Slaanesh and from that point on they are damned. Easy.

No librarians around, no one able to see such evident contamination in all the Fleet Expedition.

Fulgrim has nothing better to do that take an alien sword (which is casually possessed by a daemon).

The characters' personality development is the worst part of the book. One dimension. They betray so easily you wonder how they could ever be loyal to the Emperor. There is no real character transformation, things such "psychology" are out.

The Iron Hands are the side characters, and they are second in all. In every scene they have to look dumber than Emperor Children. The worst is when the IH are hunting a human "enemy" fleet and never had the thought to search for their supply lines. Fulgrim needs to tell them (!!!).

Ferrus Manus is depicted very much like Angron: reacting with pure rage at every smallest thing going on around and schizophrenically calm down the moment after, if someone say something to distract him.

The book loose a lot of chapters describing less important events and side characters and then hurry up in the last chapters to catch the most relevant and important events.

The worst is the conversion of Fulgrim to Horus' cause: one page and a half (p.346-347) in a book of 510 pages.

Horus: "the emperor betrayed us"

Fulgrim: "what?"

H: "We fought and he is the one who takes all the glory"

F: "noo..."

H:"we risk to loose all we fought for"

Daemon in the alien sword: "join him"

F:"ok ,I'll join you" .

Wow, you do not really need to write a book about it.

Wasn't the fall the Emperors' Children the most drammatic of all?

The perfect Horus' oratory skills result?

Not in this book.

Good Points about the book:

-you receive some extra information about the Iron Hands, especially about the Primarch' body guard, the Morlocks.

-The final battle on Istvaan V is really epic.

-The final corruption of the Emperor Children to Slaanesh is very well depicted. It is also very nice the story of the creation of noise marines.

-nice reference to "the Picture of Dorian Grey" throughout all the book.

If you ever read the book, skip the first half of the book (where loyalists turn to chaos) and go directly where chaos is chaos, that part is very well done.

Clan Vanaheim Commander

2011-02-05T11:00:00.000-08:00

I made a small "painting level" update on the commander model (e.g. Bolgunmetal was highlighted with Mithril Silver) and it received a base of 25mm instead of its 40mm.

The backpack was magnetized to be replaceable with a jump-pack.

I love in this model the "Veteran" look given by the extended bionics components (legs and arms) and by the old Mark armour .

The original painting:

Apothecary - Bionics Priest

2011-01-29T01:16:00.000-08:00

I succeed to find a role for the most beautiful Emperor Champion I bought time ago.

I needed a second Bionic Priest (count as a Blood Priest when playing with the BA codex), this time with jump-pack.

I gave it a Narthecium from the Command Squad, a Mechanicus Power Axe from an old Techmarine, IH brass icon from FW, special jumpack from Sanguinary Guard, bionic right arm from Maxmini, and Mechanic Wings from Microart.

The Jump pack was magnetized, in order to be used also with standard backpack.

Assault Marine in MkV Heresy Armour

2011-01-23T11:28:00.001-08:00

Iron Hands are a first founding chapter. The marines of the Iron Hands fight with an armoury 10 millennia old.

Armour for Forge World and pre-heresy jump packs from MaxMini.

Deathwatch Iron Hands

2011-01-15T04:49:00.000-08:00

I started playing the new Deathwatch role playing game.

I could not play anything else than an Iron Hands!

We made a small research on internet and found some home rules for playing IH in Deathwatch.

My character class?

Techmarine! what else?

The model is a Master of the Forge with Iron Hands and Deathwatch metal shoulder pads and some other conversion (as the Mechanicus power axe).

The deathwatch black painting on the armour did not affect very much the standard chapter colour. To stress the Deathwatch adherence, I added a blue wash on the silver left arm.

Assault Marines on foot

2010-12-04T04:47:00.000-08:00

I found out that the best way to filed a Razorback is to have as dedicated transport for an assault marine unit without jump packs.

Therefore I modified some Tactical Marines giving them bolter pistol and chainsword.

In particular this unit received:

On the body: Maxmini bionics arms and legs, purity seals, scrolls.

On the armour: Mk VI helmet (Space Wolves), Mk III helmet (Foreg World), bionic head Maxmini, MK V studded shoulder pad.

Weapons: standard and SW chainswords, standard bolt pistol, standard and original pre-heresy boltgun.

The models already included metal Iron Hands components plus a Mechanicum powerweapon to the sergeant.

keep assaulting

2010-11-27T04:15:00.000-08:00

I am fully working in updating the newly arrived army. The aim is:

- improving the (already good) painting style.

- inserting new bionics components.

- adding old marks armours parts.

Assault Marines

2010-10-23T04:42:00.001-07:00

Here you can see the new Assault Marines I received. I updated the color scheme from the previous owner, given them a lot of new highlights (on the armour, the weapons, etc.) and added new details (e.g. damage and blood on the weapons and texts on the purity seals)), other than making their base compatible with my urban-fight theme.

Command Squad Apothecary

2010-10-16T03:23:00.000-07:00

When you need to make your marines 'feel no pain' and 'furious charge' the enemy, you will use analgesics and combat drugs directly injected in the soldier blood and bionics circuits.

When you do so with your most revered veterans in terminator armour, the apothecary doing it must be a prestigious veteran too.

Here you are, my Bionics High Priest !

last Terminator

2010-10-13T14:08:00.001-07:00

I noticed I didn't post the photo of the last model.

I like the assaulting pose of this model.

As the other Assault Terminators, this veteran has been equipped with TH and SS removing the original storm bolter and powerfist of the Space Hulk model.

Don't worry, Terminators time is not over forever. Soon I'll have to paint the Terminator on the throne and maybe one day I will need the heavy flamer...

2nd Terminator Squad deployed !

2010-10-01T08:02:00.000-07:00

I finished last week my second squad of Terminators. Now I also have an Assault Terminator Squad ready.

Here below the 4th Terminator with SS and TH. The shield of this model comes from the Masters of the Chapter box.

I will soon post the photo of the 5th Terminator

Vanaheim

2010-09-28T01:20:00.000-07:00

Vanaheim is a both a forge world and a hive world, characterised by their work on artillery vehicles, producing: (1)
-Vanaheim Pattern Medusa turret
-Vanaheim Patter Basilisk gun shield
-Vanaheim Pattern Griffon Heavy Mortar

Clan Vanaheim is the name of the iron Hands army I just received command of. (name given by the previous owner)

Curiously enough, Vanheim (the other spelling of the same planet) is the home world of my Imperial Guard regiments.

Between millions of worlds in the galaxy, I had to receive command of troops from the same planet?

... do you believe in destiny?

(1) Imperial Armour books.

Galaxy Map

2010-09-23T02:07:00.000-07:00

I have to repost this sooo useful star map.

It maybe consulted in any moment to have a clear idea of where actions are taking place.

The original map can be found here and contains a short explanation of every star system or planet depicted.

Arrived !!!

2010-09-21T10:35:00.000-07:00

after many perils (including running after the postman in scooter) the Battle Company Vanaheim was able to planet land.

They stand now in all their glory on my table, more than 70 tactical marines, 16 assault marines, several characters (librarian, captain, 3 techmarines, and command squad) 7 transports, 1 tank and 6, I repeat 6, gloriously converted Dreadnoughts.

Some restoration and reparation is needed due to the difficult travel, but we are able to accomplish to it in the due time.

Overall, the Emperor protected them in their perilous travel to this safe place. Soon they will be able to take part to the Emperor's Holy War.

The Emperor Protects.

Iron Father

2010-09-19T05:36:00.000-07:00

While I wait for my Battle Company to arrive, I'm updating my veterans.

I've finalized my beloved Iron Father. The conversion was very simple mainly because I do love the new SM Techmarine and I did not feel to modify it.

It is the GW mail order only direct sale model (the one without helmet) plus a a powerfist holding an helmet form the Masters of the Chapter set. I think it gives it a "commanding look". Two servo arms have been spared from the model to be used on the Jump pack version of it. (yes, there will be one!)

Today's second conversion is a veteran marine with combi-melta made with a bolter pistol plus an arm melta pistol from the Sanguinary Guard set.

To complete my veteran team I added a very old model of mine. It's been upgraded with the SM Commander bolter.

Battle Company

2010-09-10T10:29:00.000-07:00

I have not yet received the full list of marines I will be in command of.

But I have data files with the description of some of them, and I feel very satisfied of their level.

Warp Travel

2010-09-10T06:08:00.000-07:00

The travel started!

A full Battle Company has been assigned to my command and it is now moving from the Pacificus galaxy sector back on our base on Medusa.

May the Emperor protect them during their travel.

Horus Heresy books

2010-09-04T13:05:00.001-07:00

I am reading again the great books of the collection Horus Heresy.
It contains a detailed history of the greatest war it ever raged in the Imperium.

The 4 books are now collected in one single book called "Collected Visions". I tell you it is worth buying.

It contains a deep background of the the role of our Primarch Ferrus Manus till its end by the hand of the traitor Fulgrim.

The artworks in the book are outstanding. They are very inspirational for modelling old marks of power armours for my veterans.

It is a deep piece of knowledge for everyone interested in the background of the Imperium.

Big Hand Weapons

2010-08-28T07:25:00.000-07:00

I want to show you a couple of recent conversion I made.

Both these assault Marines are equipped with very big close combat weapons: a two-hands chainsword and a Company Champion power sword.

I think this is a good step to bring my SM toward an "epic" scale and making them less "sci-fi troopers", to best fit in the 40.000 universe.

I have again tried to represent old marks of armour upgraded during the centuries following the Veteran status.

future plan, part 2, Iron Hands decals

2010-08-14T08:50:00.001-07:00

If you have ever noticed, to paint free hand the Iron Hands chapter logo or company symbols is a quite difficult task.
But this summer Forge World decided to make me a very welcome present.
My marines will have soon the opportunity to be decorated with the Iron Hand chapter symbol.

future plans

2010-07-31T11:44:00.000-07:00

I'm making plans for the next future.

I see coming some very interesting kits to enlarge my Iron Hands task force.

First of all the Maxmini bionics. I'll buy several sets of them to "bionic-ize" my marines. Until now I have inserted too few bionics in my marines, I want them to look closer to the classic chapter imaginary. This kit will be very useful.

+++++++

I always wanted to make a full veteran Iron Hands army, corresponding to the 1st Company in the other chapters.

I used many veterans models to represent it until now.

In the next future I will be using the just announced FW old SM armour marks.

Storm Shield

2010-07-31T05:03:00.000-07:00

I finished my Assault Terminator in "full defense" pose.

I never saw a kneeling Terminator before the Space Hulk set.

I modified it (as I needed it with thunder hammer) as it was defending itself behind the storm shield from a mighty blow (my terminators fought an Ork Stompa in the last battle)

Assault Caterpillar Marine

2010-07-25T02:49:00.000-07:00

I received from Berlin the MicroArt pieces I needed for my most advanced conversion (untill now).

It is an Iron Hand marines with half body substituted by a caterpillar tractor.

It will be used "counting as" an Assault Bike with Multimelta.

The next step will be to put it on a base large enough to represent the encumbrance of the original model, in order to avoid any problem with the "count as" rule.

The inspiration behind it are the Adeptus Mechanicus Sagitarii. The heavy weapon operatives of the Mars Techguard. I supposed that IH are linked enough to the Adeptus Mechanicus that they could have some Sagitarii too, and have ones in power armour!

Assault Marine

2010-07-17T04:08:00.000-07:00

I'm increasing the number of marines armed with bolter and chainsword in my task force.

This model is very"pre-heresy", with its Mk VI armour and bolter. The helmet belongs to a mark not anymore available in the Imperium.

Lightning Claws

2010-07-11T11:04:00.000-07:00

I finished to paint the second Assault Terminator from Space Hulk models.

I will use in my unit mainly hammer and shield as equipment, but this model was so cool I would have never modified it.

Nairo's Gates

2010-07-04T14:31:00.000-07:00

The Death Korps are ready to defend the Nairo's Gates sector.

Here a couple of shots from the front

(and a test session on Photoshop filters)

Assault Terminator

2010-07-04T07:08:00.001-07:00

I had the opportunity to take pictures of my new Assault Terminator.

It comes straight forward my Space Hulk box, no conversion was needed on it (beside the usual Blood Angels icons removal).

It really can't wait to run charging from a Land Raider and smash Emperor's foes.

new marine conversions

2010-06-12T12:44:00.001-07:00

I improved the sergeant for my first tactical squad.

I could not miss to add a power fist!

I also wanted to add to it extra veteran features from the SM Commander set.

I then added some servo skulls, I was inspired to do it by the old Iron Father model.

The second model I created was a "compulsory" conversion time I had when I received my new pre-heresy SM helmets from Maxmini. I also added a very devorative shoulder pad from a BA special character.

The SW chainsword fits better than the classic SM one to represent an ancient weapon.

Apothecary

2010-06-04T08:01:00.000-07:00

I made a conversion for my new Space Marine army: it is a Veteran Apothecary.

The model will be used mainly to represent Bionics (Blood) High Priest when using Blood Angels codex for my Iron Hands.

You may recognize the body of a Masters of the Chapter, the healing devices from Fabius Bile and the metal head from Iron Hands tactical sqad.

Can't wait to start painting its white armour...

Scribe

2010-05-09T03:31:00.000-07:00

Other two addictions to my Imperial Guard is arrived.

The firts one consists of a scribe for my Head Quartier.

It's role is to report all the events during the campaign and the order given by the highetst rank officers.

The second new arrival is a veteran of many wars. It is armed with an heavy flamer (but it may "counts as" a simple flamer when needed).

The model comes from the old Void collection with a new head.

I love that this model could fit perfectly as a German "bad guy" from Indiana Jones movies :-)

Eviscerators

2010-05-07T13:47:00.001-07:00

A new addition for my Imperial Guard. Actually, these new entries belong to the Planetary Militia my regiment is used to conscript every time a new planetary war starts. It is simply dictated by the constant need of manpower to be thrown to the enemy.

In a last battle I fought I used my conscripts with the rule of the religious fanatics (they are available to the Sororitas Codex and can be found in a WD).

I needed a couple of eviscerators to tear apart the enemy of the Imperium and I came out with these two conversions.

The first one is very mechanical, looking like it just came from a armoury garage while the second one is more religious with its iron mask.

New Codex

2010-04-24T03:32:00.000-07:00

I am currently going throughout all the new Blood Angels Codex.

I will use it to represent a IH strike force.

I want assault marines as Troops and therefore all my SM minis will be able to switch backpacks into jumpacks in any moment.

This new arrival will be probably the last one armed only with a bolter.

Assault Terminators -conversion

2010-04-11T04:30:00.000-07:00

I started my second unit of Terminators.
This time I want an Assault Terminator Squad.
Therefore I started a conversion process on my Space Hulk models in order to switch assault bolters and powerfists in Thunder Hammers and Storm shields.

Here you may see my first two conversions:

Primaris Psyker

2010-03-21T05:58:00.000-07:00

A dangerous new ally joined the Vanheim 1st Army Corp:
a talented and powerful Primaris Psyker.

This model is intended to show the powers and the perils of the Warp at the same time.
I wanted to represent on a model the potential capability to wipe out an army and to call a lightning storm and at the same time the instability of such powers.

In case of perils of the Warp, will the aimed shot of a Commissar "close" in time the Psyker mind before a gate to the dominion of daemons is open?

Model: FW Militia Psyker "imperial-ized" with Iron Halo, Imperial eagle and Black Templar incense burner.

Terminator Squad deployed

2010-03-13T01:44:00.000-08:00

I finished my first squad of Terminators (and actually my first Iron Hand squad) by painting the last two Termies.

The Sergeant got a banner while paint-in-progress, to represent better his status and also as a tribute to the classical SM iconography.
It is now clearer to which Chapter my Terminators belong and hopefully people will stop identifying them a Black Templars :-(

kickass Dreadnought

2010-02-27T01:21:00.001-08:00

I've almost finished my Ironclad Dreadnought.
I wanted something big with big weapons.
My choice was then to the seismic hammer converted with the digits of a dreaddy ccw.
For a right arm I decided that I had to use that enormous flamer of the Redeemer, together with a =I= Penitent engine ccw.
It became my "count as" second dreadnought ccw with heavy flamer.

I didn't like the meltagun attached under the arm. It looks too low on the ground level. I was then "inspired" by FW dreadnoughts and I fixed it on the body.

This marvelous kid will arrive the first turn on a landing pod and it's going to take down enemy's most vital unit burning from its cover or hitting the rear armour of an enemy tank.

2010-02-20T03:40:00.000-08:00

It took me a while but I finally finished my first Chimera.
It belongs to the Vanheim 1st Cityfight Veterans Army Corp, 82nd Panzergrenadier.
The Vanheim 82nd is an Armoured Fist (mechanized) regiment.

The main purpose of all the converting and painting was to reproduce a vehicle and not a toy as GW vehicle risks to look like.
In this way goes the turret replacement and the equipment hanging out of the vehicle.

2010-02-07T02:17:00.001-08:00

I have been busy last weeks updating my Imperial Guard. This month I will finish my Chimera.
By now I worked on the defensive line Aegis.
The main points behind this kind of barricades are:
- They are mass produced in the Forge World = available in high quantity.
-Easy to deploy thanks to Trojan Support Vehicles. In few hours it is possible to fortify a key sector of the border.
-(Out of Game) It is the cheapest barricade available on the market and, lacking of a base, can be used on the desert as well as in a city.

Here you may see its first use against a Tyranid horde. What you see below is the content of 3 Aegis defense line boxes. I use to deploy it also on the back, like a trench system, to protect my linemen also from artillery landing behind them.

I won.

2010-01-15T01:19:00.000-08:00

The conversion work on the first squad is completed

Now the squad acquired the tenth marine and its Sergeant. What could be a Tech Marine in another chapter became an Iron Hand Sergeant.

I also made the Sergeant for the second squad.
Both Sergeants wear a lovely power fist to smash down any tough opponent.
I also decided to paint the Serg helmets in red as to follow the Index Astartes.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T07:16:00.000-08:00

I decided to add few more Iron Hands to my first squad. Now only the Sergeant is missing.
This time I wanted to add some "old armoury" style to the unit. So no Byonics, but old Marks of power armours. I even succeded in obtaining an old bolter from a friend of mine.
Did I tell you I love the "Corvus" helmet?

2009-12-24T08:47:00.000-08:00

Two more Terminators joined my squad.

2009-12-13T04:54:00.000-08:00

I finished a first part of converting.

It took me a lot of time choosing the best SM to insert in my army.

The list includes Masters of the Chapters, Sternguard Veterans and Tirannic Wars Veterans.

Iron Hands components plus manu plastic bionic bits completed the conversion.

2009-12-08T08:31:00.000-08:00

I finished my marine test model.

I like the way silver stands out over the black armour.

I still can't decide for a clan symbol. I will take a decision as soon as I can get printed IH decals

Iron Hand marine

2009-11-25T05:11:00.000-08:00

I finished the first conversion for my Iron Hands.

I wanted to try bionics for legs.

I also wanted to try a pre-heresy armour, then I worked a bit on the shoulder and the leg.

I like the result, but it took a lot of time to make every single hole and to cut every single pin.

The face has been converted inserting an old Space Crusade Android head in a SM head .

the special mark Bolter comes from a Adepta Sororitas Veichle storm bolter. I like the magazine and the extra weight.

first terminator

2009-11-10T14:51:00.001-08:00

I introduce to you Brother Primo. The first Iron Hand of my collection.

Directly from the Space Hulk miniatures.

I think it came out pretty well to be the test model :-)

Iron Hands are coming!

2009-11-08T09:23:00.001-08:00

today the Emperor told me to fast the Terminators.

The unit sergeant from Space Hulk got a head swap.

Here we go!

2009-11-04T01:28:00.000-08:00

That's the beginning of all.