custom lasgun

one last update before some holiday: this is an old attempt to make a custom lasgun for some vets (that still don't exist), copied from someone else work :-)
i wanted to create some modern-looking weapon so i looked at the M4 and started stealing ideas...
i removed the optics and made a handle with a bit of plasticard where i put half binoculars to recall the idea of a red-dot optics. then i cut away the barrel and put a bit of plasticard rod (drilled of course) to make a silencer...
see you on monday!

[40k army list] imperial guard

i'm not satisfied at all about this list but i guess i have to test it first... then i will make an exact opinion.

HQ
company command squad: regimental standard, lascannon, astropath, master of ordnance

ELITES
stormtroopers (10 men): meltagun x2

TROOPS
INFANTRY PLATOON
platoon command squad
infantry squad: heavy bolter
infantry squad: heavy bolter
heavy weapons squad: heavy bolter x3
heavy weapons squad: lascannon x3

veterans: lascannon
veterans: plasma gun x3

FAST ATTACK
scout sentinel squadron: autocannon x2
scout sentinel squadron: multilaser x2, smoke launchers
valkyrie: multilaser, rocket pods x2

HEAVY SUPPORT
leman russ: battlecannon, heavy bolter x3
leman russ vanquisher: vanquisher cannon, lascannon, camo netting

let me know what do you think... maybe it can help.

[40k army list] black templars

here's some thoughts from Teo: please tell him via comments what do you think about its possible new army list.

HQ

Marshal "Navarre": lightning claws x2, iron halo, terminator honours, frag grenades, 151 pts
emperor's champion: accept any challenge no matter the odds 140 pt

TROOPS

crusader squad "Sapientia": 10 +4,bolt pistol, close combat weapon, power fist x1, meltagun x1, assigned to crusader, 225 pt

crusader squad "Honor": 9, bolt pistol, close combat weapon, power fist x1, meltagun x1, assigned to rhino

crusader squad "Virtus": 10 + 2, bolter x 4, bolt pistol + close combat weapon x 4, lascannon x1, plasmagun x1, 201 pt

TRASPORTS

Land Raider Crusader "Thanatos": dozer blade, smoke launchers, blessed hull, 298 pt
Rhino: dozer blade, smoke launchers, extra armour, 63 pt

HEAVY SUPPORT

Vindicator x 2: demolisher cannon x1, smoke launchers, 256 pt

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

models: 41, points: 1503

the marshal embarks in the crusader, the champion in the rhino. crusader advances 12" forward covering vindicators and rhino.
what do you think? i'm curious to know if this list i playable or it is mere folly, dunno why but it inspires me very much ;-)

ultramarines armoured spearhead

hi guys, today i want to show you my beloved ultramarines tanks. first of all the older one, my predator mk2 (1996 circa). as you can see it is set with the destructor pattern (autocannon and sponson heavy bolters), he's cheap and effective also with MEQ. i modeled some riveted extra armour and replaced the original turret-mounted twin linked lascannon with a magnetized autocannon from the new predator weapons sprue. the bretonnian shield with the rampant lion on (from 6th edition warhammer fantasy boxed set, i suppose) was put there to show he's a veteran from some very old campaigns, as you can also see from the company designation painted on turret. on the right side i sculpted a ultramarine symbol with milliput put it's not that good.
the second tank is a razorback (assigned to the III tactical squad Caesar, second company but who cares?), armed with a twin linked lascannon. the top hatch is of course magnetized in order to turn this tank in a rhino whenever i may need. also in this case i scratch built the extra armour but reinventing the shape of the tank: i tried to emphasize a lav-25 fashion (without wheel of course). please notice the rear hatch detail, i don't know where it came from because it is a second hand tank but i believe it's a resin detail from Forge world. in addition i sculpted something by myself, on both sides of the tank.
last but not least: rhino apc (assigned to the V tactical squad Scipio, second company but, again, who cares?). also here the top hatch is magnetized and fully interchangeable with razorback's. i made a different type of riveted extra armour also creating some extra room for the driver (in a similar fashion of an old sisterhood tank if you remember), put a magnetized imperial guard dozer blade and an amazing-looking coloured adeptus mechanicus tank-guy (because i like to think my ultras are antiracist).

that's all for now!

separate head system

while wasting my time surfing the net, some days ago i saw some amazing stuff on westwindproductions.co.uk, the mighty separate head system: speaking simply it is a set of separate heads witch allows you to customize greatly your plastic imperial guard... i think they fit perfectly cadians. check 'em out!
personally, i'm gonna catch them to recreate the old stormtroopers (the ones from 2nd edition, remember?)... i bet it will work out! also, if you wanna recreate some sort of krieg trenchmen, you should exploit the nice heads with gasmasks... let me think what do you think about it, cheers!

black templars crusader

here it is another good one: a land raider crusader recently painted for my friend Teo (the same fellow who owns Grimaldus and the Emperor's champion). i've not that much to say about it: i like painting space marines weapons red, the same i do for my Ultramarines. also: the flash fakes the light on the model but please notice the highlighting, one layer of tamiya german grey and another of citadel codex grey... citadel range needs an equivalent of that tamiya colour, perfect to highlight black models... thank god (?) we have vallejos.

PS: please also notice that the crusader weaponry is scratch built (the sucker who sold it managed to cheat my friend, so i did this job...) waddayathink?

Citadel to Vallejo Game/Model color conversion chart

For all those willing to use vallejo paints but don't know the exact equivalence...

[current projects] imperial spring offensive!

when you gotta crush all those stupid and boring heavy armoured apcs... what you should look for? yeah man, the old reliable armoured anti-tank support!
for space marines the best one to do this job is of course the classic land raider (the one many people call "godhammer pattern"): heavy, twin-linked and machine spirit-equipped! only a few things can stand in front of him.
on the other side the imperial guard guys have the marvellous vanquisher. some say it costs too much or that bs3 is a too big limit, so it is mandatory to equip it with knight commander pask. i believe the best setting for it is vanquisher cannon, lascannon and camo netting without any commander... too expensive. with all that range it shoots wherever on the table, just keep in mind to give him a good field of fire and a cover...
this model has a too long cannon, it reminds me an IS2 but i gotta cut it because the whole tank seems unbalanced. also, i want to put some magnets to make che armament interchangeable which will take time.

by the way i'm gonna paint these monsters in a short time (maybe)... when all will be done expect a tutorial post.
cheers.

oldies part 2

another load of new (old) painted stuff:
the infamous colonel shaeffer of the 13th penal legion... urban camo scheme for him to match colours of my imperial guard veterans. since in fifth edition codex he hasn't got any rule i guess i'm gonna play him as a normal vet sarge. i love his german ww2 fashioned cap but, despite this, i think it is a greatly overvalued miniature.
this is a nice one: imperial guard commissar back from early 90s, 1990-91 i guess. extremely charismatic miniature, but also extremely simple, a must have for my army! note the sunglasses, the oversized peaked cap and the medals... Not a step back!
in the end here's a real goodie: 3 of the 4 heroes of heroquest tabletop game (best tabletop game ever)... who doesn't remeber them? there isn't the wizard because his right arm is broken so i've got to fix it before painting... dunno how. in 1990 i was six and i loved this game: i used to play it with some friends who owned it. last year i missed so much this game so i bought it on ebay... now i'm happy :-)

see you!

1st post ever!

ok, here we go!
here it is the first post ever of Black/Red blog, hope you enjoy the stuff i'm gonna post in here. i've opened this blog in order to share pics of all the miniatures i paint in my free time: mainly GW 40k minis but also reaper minis and old citadel classics, when i manage to get some.
so, let's begin with some old ones i've paited long ago:yeah, another chaplain Grimaldus + retinue... i painted these for a friend who plays Black Templars space marines. maybe they are painted quite well but i don't know if i gave my best since i don't like these minis... too complex, too many useless details. in addition i probably made a mistake with the matt varnish spray: as you can see it is matt no more, it tuned somehow glossy...ok, here it is the emperor champion, painted for the same friend who owns the dudes above. i made it white because i wanted to emulate the "white" dark angel on the dark millenium box (2nd edition stuff, if you remember)... i think i should somehow enhance the basing.

ok, it is enough for now, stay tuned, i'll be back soon!