Pablol - Imperial Guard - Month 5 - Wild card

I started painting two Leman Russes, but only managed to finish one in time. I was close to finishing both, but ran out of time. 

The second edition Imperial Guard codex has two Leman Russ variants:

The Leman Russ Battle Tank has standard stock equipment with no options. I was missing a few parts on this model so I made molds from blue stuff and cast replacements from milliput. I magnetized the battlecannon and the heavy bolter sponsons, because future editions have weapon options. I added some small plasticard details to the Heavy bolters, because they looked a bit bare.

The Leman Russ Demolisher has a demolisher cannon and a few side sponson options. In case I want to make another Leman Russ Demolisher I made milliput copies of the weapons. The demolisher cannon is attached to the turret, but the side sponson weapons and the Lascannon are magnetized. I had to cut the Lascannon from another Leman Russ hull, because this tank came with a Heavy flamer.

Both tanks needed quite alot of seam filling and a bit of damage repair. Undercoating the tanks also helped to see what details still needed to be fixed.

I did'nt have time to put up my studio so this month will have to do with smartphone photos.

I'm quite happy how the tank came out, but I noticed that the Vallejo colour in the new clear bottle is a bit different toned from the old colour I've used with the two previous tanks.

Leman Russ Battle Tank 205pts

Hope everyone managed through this month! Good luck for the last month!

On my last month to do list I have:

- A bunch of characters and my command HQ

- One lasgun servitor to complete the 5 model unit

- Three guardsmen to complete the heavy weapon squad

- The second Leman Russ to finish

- A second Chimera

Pablol - Imperial Guard - Month 4 - Rank & File

This month was a struggle. I had a flu and during that week I worked with too many units and tanks without any proper focus on my April goals. The rest of the month there were too many parties and busy weekends until I realized I was badly running out of time. The ambitiously started April turned into a damage control month and here's what I managed to finish:

A squad of five servitors. One of them, the only 2nd edition model is a substitute until I finish a third lasgun armed model. I think servo armed models were only available in Space Marine forces back in 2nd edition. The colour scheme didn't quite end up having the 2nd edition feel I was looking for, but they're ok. The jumpsuits could've been a brighter colour or I should've just properly committed and painted them red. Atleast I'm happy how the servitors weapons turned out. They give a bit more of a 2nd edition feel with the clunky lasgun muzzles.

Next up we have a heavy weapon mortar team thats still missing the other three models. I'm quite happy with the mortars as they're all milliput recasts. They lack a bit of detail compared to the original, but three metal mortars would've been past my budget. 

Last but not least we have two tank crew members. A converted Van Saar juve and an Other World Miniatures barbarian. I started working on the juve before OWAC, so he's got a 3rd edition auspex in his hand. The pilot helmet is from my favorite 40k models, the three third edition tank crew members. The techno viking got a spanner and bionic arm.

All three are unfinished units, so I won't add any points this month. I'm very happy with the tank  crew members and the cultist regiment is also slowly expanding. Hopefully the Tech Priest I'm working on will make the servitors look better with the rest of the army. Atleast he will be red.

Large photo

Still no tanks! This was my last Rank & File month, so I've only got the wild card and leader month left.

Good luck for everyone!

Pokrzyw's Sisters of Battle - Month 3 - Rank & File 3 - Heavy support OWAC VIII (280pts)

 "With its twin heavy flamers, a single Immolator can wreak untold destruction upon the battlefields of the 41st millenium, cutting a flaming swathe of carnage through the enemies of Adepta Sororitas"

Plans for March:

I started month painting transports for already prepared two squads of sisters. I couldn't buy it, but my friend gave me a birthday gift - two printed rhinos/immolators. It triggered me to start month from vehicles not touching planned infantry.

Realization:

Although militia received basing and zenithal basecoat, I haven't touch them with brush. Shame, but tomorrow I would start painting.

Vehicles were glued and primed. Painting goes quite fast - drybrush, base colours and a drop of wash.

Final Galery:

Rhinos could be nice shield for expanding Sisters of Battle

Immolators are more powerful.

Unfortunately I have not gunners..

View from above

Points:

Two immolators (2* 140),  summary 280 pts

Optionally can be used as a rhinos (2*50).

Plans for April:

Militia!!  I feel that these guys will bring me a lot of fun.

Pablol - Imperial Guard - Month 3 - Rank & File

This month was simple and straightforward. Scrolling through old White Dwarfs I realised that no 2nd edition Imperial guard army is a proper one without infantries from atleast two different regiments. So for March I managed to finish a Command squad and an Infantry squad, but sadly I'm one tank behind on my vehicle schedule.

The Cadian infantry squad sergeant with a Mordian head and all his eagles filed out came with a big lot of Cadian shock troopers. I liked the head so all I needed to do was sculpt new eagles for his chest and shoulderpad. This was my only sculpting for this month. I'm happy that the Catachan lieutenant's outfit blends really nicely with the Cadians because I don't have any other Cadian leaders.

I wanted the colour scheme for these models to be more serious even though they're carrying red lasguns. After going through some options I decided to go with a grey scheme like the Imperial officers in Star Wars. I think the Cadians shock troops have certain similarities to the 90's Starship troopers Mobile infantry and they're also influenced by German WW2 military outfits.

The Imperial guard squad is armed light and their only additional weapon is a Plasma gun.

The Command Squad has two flamers. 

I'm quite happy how this part of the army came out. They look mean with their outfits designed for urban conflicts.

Command Squad 60pts

Lieutenant: Power sword, Bolt gun 9pts

Special weapons: 2 Flamers 14pts

Imperial Guard Squad 100pts

Sergeant: Power sword, Bolt pistol 8pts

Special weapon: Plasma gun 6pts

Total: 197pts

I'm at (270+165+197) 632 points so if I can keep up the same pace I'll be way past the 1000 point mark at the end of OWAC. April will be tank month with some characters and hopefully a bit more infantry to keep my army list legal.

Eagerly waiting to see everyone elses progress now that we're all halfway through!

Pablol - Imperial Guard - Month 2 - Rank & File

February was dedicated to refurbishing an old Hellhound. I was planning on also painting some infantry, but I was quite occupied with a big work project most of this month. The tank had some original metal bits, some 3d printed reproduction bits and some bits just missing. The hull had also taken a fair deal of damage. Removing some accessories from the tank also left some marks.

I decided to recast all the small turret bits from milliput so that it would look uniform.

I filled most of the surface damages with milliput and sanded the surfaces with files, sand paper and scalpels.

Some rivets were missing so I made new ones from plasticard.

The turret got new old hatches instead of the original targeting cupola, because I didn't have one and I wanted to add some accessories to the turret. The targeting cupola looks like its a solid lid which would prevent any of the crew members actually getting to the accessories I fitted on the turret.

I had a second round of sanding after the white undercoat.

I tried to paint the Hellhound more or less the same as the Chimera from January.

Hellhound 165pts

Sadly I didn't get any infantry painted this month, but I did work on something else. I wanted to have a photo backdrop so I searched for some inspiration from 2nd edition 40k books and decided to make a neo gothic industrial wall. The main structures are mostly Kapa board and a few different thicknesses of card. I was tempted to add much more detail to these, but I tried to stay true to the 2nd edition esthetic.

I sculpted a bunker style window from which I made plaster casts.

The door is a plaster cast of some 40k terrain I made about a year ago.

Everything just about fit in the group shot. The base is 16" x 16" and it will also double up as a Necropolis28 board.

A lot of photos, but not so much text. Next month I will have to get some infantry painted and my March tank will most likely be a Leman Russ. I hope everyone else had a productive February!

Pokrzyw's Sisters of Battle - Month 2 - Rank & File 2 - more sisters! OWAC VIII

 "Purity through fire, heretics would burn.."

Plans for February:

Another squad of sisters. This time sisters superior with power sword, specialist with heavy flamer. Following 2nd edition of WH40k squad could have 7 sisters (including superior, special weapon and heavy weapon). Heavy flamer is the most iconouos weapon of the sisters - even space marines has limited access to this equipment. Additional 3 sisters taken from the reserve.

Rhinos waits for better month.

Realization:

My motivation wasn't grown - still I started very early and stopped after few days leaving almost all work to last days of month. I change the way of painting - instead standard paints and washes this time I tried to use contrasts on drybrushed miniatures. It is faster, but effect on armour and faces is not the best.

Still reds are superior, although I tried to add more orange on edges.

Final Gallery:

I finished last day of month. Unfortunately today in Poland was dark rainy day. No chances to utilize daylight. I'm not happy on photos. I would try to deliver better gallery next month.

Second squad

Squads together

From another angle

Plans for March:

I feel that I need some rest from Sisters of Battle. I will work on inquistion wild card or frateris militia.

Two inquisitorial retinues

 

Frateris warband

Of course rhinos are still waiting..