Spectres: Part Two - 'Slingers & Swingers

Prior to C:BA I had never run with an Honor Guard. Partially because I am a long time, dyed-in-the-wool renegade (CSM) player and only bought the vanilla Space Marine codex for the sake of curiosity.  Admittedly, even once I had the Blood Angels tome in my dirty little you-know-what grabbers, I ignored Honor Guard in favor of Sternguard because they had such cool toys and could pick ammo. It was only when I started missing my five Melta Chosen that I started exploring other options. Once I looked, I was hooked. I am a customization fiend and the crazy selection of wargear options won me over. It’s an eclectic arrangement I have going... that's for sure.

(Note on the images: I've specifically washed out most of them to highlight the models. WIP, of course. Click for larger versions)

The HQ Crew ("Gabriel Seth" analog, Novitiate, Honor Guard Veterans):

- Novitiate: Standard load-out (Bolt Pistol & CC), but Feel No Pain & Furious Charge for all. The gift that keeps on giving.

- Spectral Guard #1: Lightning Claw & Storm Bolter. What can I say? I like Storm Bolters. If only they were Assault3...

- Spectral Guard #2: Storm Bolter & Bolt Pistol. The pistol is irrelevant, but default and it fits with the “gunfighter” theme I was shooting for. *rimshot*

- Spectral Guard #3 and #4: Meltagun & Flamer. This one’s weird. Codex permits two specials on these guys, so I’d be a moron not to go with it. As the Meltagun tosses the extra CC attack out the window anyway, going with a full-on Flamer costs me nothing (combat-wise). Flamers are the "hand" versions, but count as the full size models. Kept the models in-balance aesthetically.

Gabriel Seth analog: I honestly don’t know why we don’t hear more about this guy. He consistently ranks in the top five wound-inflictors for me, and he looks pretty damn cool doing it.

I have never used Whirlwind of Gore, but more often than not there's no need. My opponents tend to beat themselves to death against him due to Ferocious Instincts. This is generally followed by a series of facepalms and phrases like "are you SURE you're reading that right?!"

Blood Reaver is quite the cool (read: fluffy) concept, and four standard attacks at STR6 without Furious Charge ain’t too shabby. Yes, that's a Plasma Pistol. No, it's not accurate to the roster. Supposed to be just your run-of-the-mill Bolt Pistol. I'm either going to modify what he's already holding or replace with something "special".

The Razorback is mostly standard fare. Either twin-linked Assault Cannons or twin-linked Heavy Bolters depending on my point cap. Some modeling love  ala Forge World Extra armor (not necessarily represented in the roster), and a custom armor front plate.

Coming soon: "Revenant" Assault Squads, and the joy of hybrid turrets.

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Spectres: Part One - Dakka & Docs

As promised... dug out the digicam and strained my mediocre photography skills to the limit. Going to try to cover each of the units in some detail, and in the focus of this first episode will be the healers and the shredders. But first, a word from our sponsors (Spectres, class of M41):

I'm really not happy with the quality of the shot, but it's all I have at the moment. I'll work on it, but this gives a general idea of where I am and where I'm going. I wouldn't consider a single one of them 100% finished at this point, but hey... they're getting there. Notably absent from the group photo are:

Baal Predator with MK.IVc turret - not a drop of paint on him and he refuses to be photographed nekkid
Bike Squad - showcased these custom jobs before, but going to wait for the reveal until they have more than a primer coat
Furioso Dreadnought with Forge World MK.IV "Blood Talons"- same as above. Primer coat, but not ready for prime time just yet

And that brings us to our spotlight squads. First up, Spectral (Sanguinary) Priests flanking the Honor Guard Novitiate:

These field medics have been worth their weight in gold Imperial Crowns (Thrones... whatever) on the tabletop. Priests attached to each Assault Squad with Furious Charge and Feel No Pain. Simply exquisite. I am extremely pleased with the finished result of the customization. Forge World MK.III, Chapterhouse Studios shoulder guards, Terminator Storm Bolters and a custom hand cannon (based on a Khorne Berserker pistol) for the Novitiate. WIP as they obviously need more than just a metallic highlight.

Last but not least for this entry... my homage to Robotech's RaiderX Destroid:

I know I'm biased, but gawddamn these things are just freakin' cool! The majority of my shooting wounds by far come from these lead slinging machines, and there is a tangible wide-eyed psychological factor when they hit the table. At worst, they freak my opponents out so much that they spend a good portion of the game chasing Pain & Panic here around the table and trying to pop them through cover... leaving the rest of my units to flank and spank. Its a beautiful thing.

Pretty straightforward conversions. I'm sure you can figure out what came from where. I'll happily relay some penny-saving advice if you're in the market; grab yourself the Ironclad torso/leg combos from your favorite bits store as you don't need anything else once the Forge World Autocannons arrive. Should be able to get away with about $15.00 per (sans the FW parts, of course). Certainly better than the $40.00+ for the full GW Ironclad kit.

Thats it for now kiddies. Thanks for taking the time to peruse. Feel free to leave suggestive comments (heh).

Next issue: why I'm not ashamed to be a Mech whore.

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Say It Ain’t So, Part II – The Mako

What a terrifyingly awesome fish that is. Mine's not nearly as cool as the picture above... it’s just a mod’d Piranha. The bastardization of the Greater Good continues.

Figured the upstart DToM (Don’t Tread on Me) rebellion might need a bit of extra firepower to fend off the slew of Battlesuits and Hammerheads the Space Sushi are going to toss at them. Enter the Mako.

Pretty straightforward conversion actually. Created some wing-mounting spacers, shifted the wings towards the back, gave them more of a downward angle, and sheared off any portion of the wing which extended past the back of the fuselage. Thick plasticard insert (with some added internal bracing) for the cockpit section, and then metric ton of sanding to get everything to blend correctly. Bit and bobbles tacked on as inspiration hits.

Not sure about the ventral tail. I love the aesthetic, but it’s beginning to look like it will be difficult to acquire the Land Speeder tail in “bits” form and I would like to be able to recreate the model if I get itchy for a squadron of the aggressive-looking buggers.

Not quite done with the gluing yet. Needs wing guns, a bit more texture to the flattened cockpit, and maybe a Seeker Missile or two. Stats-line is identical to the Piranha. Inspiration? Global Hawk. Looks mean just sitting on the tarmac.

“DToM” is just a working name for the rebellion, by the by. Though I must admit that it’s growing on me.

Freshly-diced Tau… delicious and low in saturated fat. Yum.

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UPDATE: Tried a Stealth Generator on for size in lieu of the inverted "U" ventral fin. Not entirely convinced yet, but I think I like it...

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UPDATE 2: Close to primer-ready:

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Say It Ain't So... Tau? Seriously?!

It's not. Well, not really. I haven't fallen off my high horse yet.


A little background here: I despise the Tau. In the opinion of this author, Tau are the Jar-Jar Binks of the 40K universe; created solely for commercialization purposes to draw in younger players and Anime buffs. The concept was far from original, being an amalgam of several well-known Sci-Fi staples, and it wasn't executed well. A considerable chunk of the models, intended to be eye-candy, are mostly crap (chicken-legged Battlesuits anyone?). That being said; GW has every right to try to make money... and make money off the Tau they have. Even my money, I am ashamed to admit.


Wanting to draw my son into the hobby, I purchased a respectable army of Tau kits for him to build and play. I was successful in that it definitely generated interest in him, and he absolutely loves the game now. Although it does require a fire-and-brimstone speech from me to get him to read the damn rules. A few months in however, my spawn yanks the carpet out from under me and the little bastard repays my generosity by summarily pushing aside all the Tau plastic in favor of Black Templars. Awesome (not). Fret not... revenge will be mine when "can I have a car" or "can I get my driver's license" time comes around. Oh yes... revenge will be mine.


So, there they sat... bins and bins of discarded Pulse Rifles, ridiculous monocular helmets, and half-built Devilfish.


Fast-forward to this week. Work has been absolute hell, and my creative energy reserves are dangerously low. By the time I get home I'm so mentally fried that I just sit and stare at my poor Kommandos. Time for something new and different to lubricate the mental gears and get back up to full steam. I grab Catachan legs, some of the discarded Firewarrior torsos, a few Elysian drop-troop respirator heads, slop some glue around... and viola': Human Auxiliary! Good looking ones at that.

But wait... I hate the Tau. Really didn't think this one through, did you rocket scientist?!  Ok, ok... just slow down. Surely there's a way to cheese in some believable background. And then it hit me...


Human Auxiliary Renegades (*disgusted groans from the crowd ensue*).  Now wait... stick with me here... this one's not all that bad. Imagine a human world/sector/colony under Tau influence which decides to wake up and see that they sure do seem to get the short end of the stick more often than not when it comes to this "greater good" garbage. No matter how pampered, a pet is still a pet. So they toss off the yoke of the oppressors, grab the good gear for themselves, and plant the Don't Tread on Me flag.


"Don't Tread on Me" Cadre Trooper (Firewarrior):
WS:3  BS:3  S:3  T:3  W:1  I:3  A:1  Ld:7  Sv: 5+ Options: as Firewarrior


"Don't Tread on Me" Cadre Officer (Chez'frijoli, or whatever that Tau Sergeant word is):
WS:3  BS:3  S:3  T:3  W:1  I:3  A:2  Ld:8  Sv: 5+ Options: as Chez'frijoli


Think I'll toss together a Kill Team, and maybe 500 points. Use the Tau army list with little/no modification. Not bad, yeah?


Shuddup... who asked you anyways?!


In other news: work progresses (albeit, slowly) on the Baal Pred.

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Return of the… Thing (Part III)

Not a whole lot a description required around the above in-progress item: a Forge World Landspeeder Tempest. I snagged one because I’ve migrated back to a set of Astartes which can use one (Blood Angels renegade analog), and simply because I’ve always thought it was an amazing model. Now that I have one, I am seriously considering another.

Not a lot of warping or flash, easy to assemble. Highly customizable… just replace the nose-mounted Assault Cannon with your chosen flavor of death. Best part? You can easily “hide” the integrated Typhoon Launchers for those WYSIWYG lawyers. ‘Nuff said.

Second item for your perusal is the Forge World Mk.IVc Predator conversion kit.

Of all the bits, bobbles, and pieces-parts I have acquired from Forge World over the years, this is likely the only kit I would not recommend for purchase. There’s actually nothing “wrong” with the kit, and it’s a decent deal compared to the retail Predator (as you get a full Rhino hull as well as the resin portions) but the differences between the Mk.IVc and the Mk.IVb (the standard kit) are so minor as to be almost unnoticeable to all but the most discerning eye. In fact, from a distance of greater than perhaps a few feet it would be exceedingly difficult to spot dissimilarity between the Mk.IVc and the Mk.IVb with turret (FW) Extra Armor.

I would have killed for some comparison pix when I was considering the purchase... and after scouring the interwebz I simply couldn't find any which fully satisfied my curiosity. I've taken more than a few shots of the conversion kit for your benefit if you're debating. One good deed a month... that's my motto.


Summary: the Mk.IVc turret is slightly more streamlined, the hatch has a different offset, and the upper sponson supports blend more smoothly than the standard kit’s 90-degree angle.

All the above being said: being a discriminating (read: obsessive) hobbyist, I am fond of the kit’s aesthetic and have decided to utilize it to flesh-out the Predator Which Shall Never Be Completed. This did generate some of its own challenges as the resin is cast specifically to fit the included twin-linked Lascannons, and the Mk.Dryw will sport twin-linked Assault Cannons of the new Baal kit variety. Fitting the Assault Cannons into the turret itself wasn’t too difficult after some cutting and shaving, but I soon discovered that the IVc turret sits considerably lower in the turret ring than both the standard and Baal kit turrets due to shape (the standard Predator turret has more of a wedge shape on the underside). This was resolved by completely removing the IVc resin turret insert and adhering it firmly to a modified Razorback “turret”. This allows the IVc turret to sit high enough to provide 360° clearance over all the sensor spines, viewports, etc which exist on top of the Predator hull. Also gives the turret ring a bit more character/texture... an unintended boon.

I've added the Baal front plate from the new kit (very streamlined and smooth… I like this new piece a lot) and the IVc sponsons. Of interest: the width of  the IVc sponsons is notably less, even with extra armor installed, so when in-place there is a noticeable gap between sponson and hull. A bit of putty/green stuff may be required.

The Predator Which Shall Never Be Completed may soon require a name change.

Miracle of miracles.

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Return of the… Thing (Part II)

Forge World: bane of my bank account. Hard to dispute they are the Ferrari of 40K vehicles. Thankfully I have yet to succumb to the temptation of a Lucius Pattern Jackal Warhound or a Marauder Destroyer… but I’ve come perilously close on multiple occasions. During those intense moments of weakness I’ve been able to satiate my consumer daemons with smaller digs into the wallet. My sole Macharius Vulcan was one of those stop-gaps. I don’t own an Imperial Guard army, but that meant nothing as I needed to own one of these beautiful pieces of machinery.

Initially I assembled it in standard configuration. Cool, but my incessant need to tweak & customize changed that in short order. A cloud of sanded resin dust and tube of CA later, I brought a “Macharius Vulcan Annihilator” into existence. Custom sponsons with Lascannons, a twin-linked Lascannon replacing the hull Stubber mount. Final result was a great looking model.

That iteration lasted all of one month. Just didn’t make any logical sense (to me, because I think about these things) that a dedicated infantry shredder would dual-purpose as a tank hunter. Off the Lascannons came, and it was back to the drawing board. The poor Macharius was relegated to the dusty top of the display cabinet to await an acceptable customization epiphany. Her salvation came in the form of another Forge World offering… Aircraft Punisher Cannons. The minute I saw them I could envision the horrifically ridiculous end result. And… viola’!

Snapped a few pix prior to the final coat of primer to help highlight the additions. The “extras” should be painfully obvious. Punisher Cannons, Assault Cannon on the hull, two additional Storm Bolters, and the Dozer Blade. Small tweaks here and there such as sensor pods, a more modernized look, etc.

Preposterous? Absolutely. You’re not going to see me even attempt to justify this monstrosity. She’ll likely never see the table except as an objective or some wonky one-off cinematic slaughter-fest. Doesn’t matter to me one bit. As far as I am concerned, she’s perfect.

Now… paint, and a name. I’m open to suggestions on that second part. “Macharius Cheesewagon” just doesn’t have the appropriate ring to it.

In part 3: Landspeeder Tempest and possible final iteration of the favorite Predator.

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Return of the… Thing (Part I)

Ok, so… CISSP test passed (thankfully) and I’m back-in-business with that which is truly important: building twenty different 40K models at once and never finishing a’one of ‘em. The poly/resin dust clouds are once again choking the air due to eternal sanding, and I have been one busy little Grot…


(Safety note: in case you were not already aware, resin dust is HIGHLY toxic and incredibly bad for your lungs. You really should wear a filter mask when doing any manner of sanding, but with resin work a mask is mandatory if you fancy continuing to be able to breathe. Don’t say I didn’t warn you)


First up we have a joint project with my bud and primary opponent. I’m thinning my extensive 40K herd and sold him a substantial number of (exquisitely constructed) Tyranid models. This new acquisition, combined with his ongoing frustration with the length of time it is taking him to acquire and assemble his Krieg Guard army, lit a ‘Nid fire under his ass. He is now all about turning me into food paste for the Hive Fleet. Gods help me…


With the models I sold him, he has roughly 1500 points in several configurations, but was short a solid HQ unit. Hive Tyrant was the obvious choice. Due to my obsession with customization of, well… everything, and through my silver-tongued maneuverings, I succeeded in convincing him to “go different”. What you see below is the result.

She started life as a Trygon/Mawloc kit. Some bits box rummaging, trimming, sanding, more trimming, some sawing, more sanding, and a gallon of cyanoacrylate… we have ourselves a highly-customized Hive Tyrant. Which, believe it or not, is WYSIWYG: complete with Lash Whip (tail), Bone Sword, Venom Cannon, and Scything Talons. We’re both pretty darn pleased with the end result. Still a WIP, but the concept is solidified.


I had initially intended to bring everything up-to-speed in this one post, but I think I’m going to have to split it up into at least two entries as there’s a lot to cover: a Macharius conversion, Forge World Landspeeder Tempest, and even possible resolution for “The Predator Which Shall Never Be Completed". And did I mention I‘m building a Blood Angels analog? Renegade, of course.


Like I said…been back at it with a vengeance. More soon.


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