Marksman Conversion WIP

My Forge World order still hasn't arrived (sigh), so I've been taking a look over my Empire, working out what I have already and what I still need to build/get hold of for my final list.

While playing with army lists, I decided I wanted ten (yes, ten!) Handgunner units, each with a Marksman with a Hochland Long Rifle. A tall order!

Unfortunately GW don't produce a specific Marksman model, outside of the awful plastic kit that makes the State Troops look like they're wearing onesies. They do have some nice Engineer models with Long Rifles that could be used as Marksman, which would fit right in with my Engineer-themed force, but I've got plans for both of them.

This left me one option: convert!

I started with an old-style Handgunner from one of my existing units (i think it's from the 6th ed Starter Set) and added plastic tubing to build it up into a contraption-of-long-ranged-extinction. I still need to add bits and pieces to it, but i think it's looking good so far:

The only downside is the fact that the model i used as a base is already painted, so I'm going to have to be extra careful when i come to paint it up, so I don't end up ruining the existing paint job, but that's a bridge I can cross when it comes to it

Terminator Wolf Priest WIP

While I wait for my FW order to arrive, I've been working on my Space Wolves. This time I've been working on a Wolf Priest in Terminator Armour, completing my quartet of HQ choices.

I'm undecided on a name and title for this guy at the moment, but I wanted him to look as aggressive as possible - something hard to convey within the limitations imposed by having him in Terminator Armour. The blood splatters on his base and the blooded Fang of Morkai help though, i think.

He was built mainly straight from the basic terminator box, with a few additions, like the crozius made from spare parts from the SW sprue and the totem pole, thrown together from a quick root through my bitz collection, but all in all, he was very simple to make.

It might not be obvious from this photo, but he's got a combi-plasma in his right arm, with a Reductor from the Grey Knight Termintor kit slung underneath. This, much like it does on my other Priest, helps emphasise the dual role he plays within the chapter, as spiritual leader and Apothecary in one.

He just needs a few runes freehanded onto his shoulder pads and he'll be ready to take his place amongst the Rout. Hopefully I'll get him done this week

Master of Signal WIP

Forgeworld have put up the Legion Champion and Master of Signal set. While I've just put in a large order, I was a week too early to grab those guys at the same time. I would've probably only ended up using the Master of Signal anyway, so I ended up building my own:

 If i grab the set later, this guy can always be demoted to a vox-operator in a Tactical Squad, but for now he makes a nice HQ choice.

I tried to get across the impression that this guy is a veteran who's served alongside my Praetor since they were inducted into the legion together on Cthonia - hence the massive beard. The head is plucked straight from the Space Wolves sprue and his backpack is simply the IG vox caster.When I get paid I'm going to be picking up some guitar strings to cut up and add cables linking it to his suit, but for now I'm happy with how he's turned out.

Completing him has given me the two main characters to lead my force, so my next step is to start work on my Veteran Tactical Squads in mkIII armour when my order arrives. Hurry up Royal Mail!

Wolf Priest WIP

A quick WIP of my Wolf Priest. You've seen him before so I'll let the pictures do the talking, rather than prattle on about things you've heard before

Hrogar and Mjor

 Here's two more members of the White Wolves, Hrogar and Mjor Darkhunt.

You've seen Hrogar before, but I've finally finished him off. He's nothing much though, just a rank and file member of the pack, yet to even earn his own saga.

On the other hand, we have Mjor Darkhunt, another of my favourites from the pack

Mjor is a possessed of a keen sense of stealth and a hunters instinct that puts him in good stead to carry a power fist into battle, for what are vehicles other than larger, tougher versions of the beasts the Rout hunt across the wastes of Fenris?

He is a man of few words. Indeed he rarely even removes his helm, a MK VI variant from the time of Russ, encrusted with runes of concealment, the better for tracking his prey and avoiding the eyes of the enemy whilst on the approach. Often, the first warning the enemy have of his presence is the arc of blue energy heralding their imminent death.

When not in battle, he spends most of his time in isolation, prowling the lower gun decks of the 'Lokhir's Heart', away from his pack mates. What he stalks in the shadowy depths of Tra's flagship though remains a mystery to all but him, for he refuses to speak of his prowlings to any man, be they Jarl or Shield-Brother.