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Ultramarines Painting Guide

Intro

A few years back I painted and subsequently sold an Ultramarines army. I have decided to revisit that project, while this time staying with the aesthetic of second edition of Warhammer 40,000. I acquired a few miniatures from that period and have stripped them of their previous paint.

In the early days of second edition and the later days of Rogue Trader, one of the main story events was The Battle for Armageddon. A huge planetary campaign which was the setting for a number of games, miniatures and white dwarf articles. This background setting introduced Commissar Yarrick, the disfigurement of Captain Tycho and later the Astra Millitarum Steel Legion. As the campaign setting was such a large part of 2nd edition, I decided to paint these classic marines as participants of that campaign.

Image from “Battle for Armageddon Scenarios” contained in Warhammer 40,000 2nd Edition boxed set. By John Blanche.

Painting Guide

The first thing I did was assemble and base the miniatures. Sub assembly makes it easier to paint details on the models. So I stuck the bolters and backpacks on cocktail sticks to a piece of kindling. I consider bases part of assembly, so I glued basing sand to the bases with PVA.

I then primed the models with brush on grey primer. Grey is a good neutral colour to prime models with.

The next stage is to base the model and start the metals. As these are usually drybrushed, which can get messy I do these first. Firstly the metals were base coated with black. The shoulder rims and chest were painted with Balthasr Gold and highlighted with Greedy Gold . The weapons were drybrushed using Gunmetal and Plate Mail. After that the metals were given a wash of Mixed Strong & Dark Tone .

After the leaving the wash to dry for a day. The final highlights were applied to the metals. This was again another round of drybrushing. This time with Plate Mail and Shining Silver. The other metals with Greedy & Bright Gold

I used thinned Dark Sky followed by a layer of Macragge Blue, for the base coats of the armour plates. This gives a good strong colour to work with and it’s first shading.

Here I have edge highlighted each piece of armour individually using Crystal Blue, Ultramarines Blus, Voidshield Blue, and Viking Bue. Using the same technique I painted bolter casings with uniform grey and hardened carapace. The model then gets its final assembly.

The final part is to detail the models. In this case chapter markings, tactical markings and codex dedications. I painted all these freehand with Matt White. Eyes were done with Pure Red, with a Matt White dot in the corner.

Combat Squad IV Ready

Finally a here is a group shot with a sergeant. I made the sergeant from different parts from a mid 90s plastic multipart space marine kit and the close combat weapons sprue. I have added a number purity seals from more recent kits. Unusually for a sergeant he is wearing a helmet.

Paints used from The Army Painter and Citadel Colour.

Models from Citadel Miniatures 1993

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Oldhammer Devastators

When you run a business you can get very busy, I’ve recently noticed that I have been neglecting the blog. So it’s time to recitfy and restart . There will be regular posts and updates about painting and gaming projects in the store. As well as articles and other things.

The store has a collection of Space Marines from the 1st edition of Warhammer 40,000. They form part of the store display armies and are painted as Dark Angels. Back then the Space Marines models wore what is now known as MK VI or Corvus armour. The Dark Angels had a black colour scheme with red markings instead of the green they are now known for. The original colour scheme is referenced by the Horus Heresy game, which is set around the early period of the Imperium, which is about 10,000 years before the main game.

Here is the Devastator Squad added to the Dark Angels RTB01 army. It was actually painted before the assault marines and chaplain, but gets posted now for some reason. This squad is the first painted to get sergeant and veteran sergeant markings. These take the form of helmet stripes and the Veteran Sergeant gets a rank badge on his power fist.

The squad makes use of plastic Imperial Guard heavy bolters and lascannons, from the weapons sprues available at the time. You may have seen the lascannon marine before as it was part of the second tactical squad painted. That squad is now equipped with a missile launcher. Their lascannon now forms part of the devastator squad.

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Halloween Spooky Painting Competition

Halloween of 2020 the store ran an online painting here are the four best entries:

This first one is a Primaris Space Marine. What is noteworthy here is the lack of any of the hallmarks of a typical Space Marine. Gone are the usual clean armour, purity seals and honours Replaced by the bloodstained battered armour, a slain enemy and a thousand yard stare. A great re-imagined War-Hound from this commission painter.

Painted by “The Hairy Painter”

This next one is a kit bash from a number of different models showing a ghostly horde of Cavalry. This is actually two “cavalry regiments” for Kings of War and really is a great demonstration of the possibilities for multi-basing in the game. Also notable is the artist using a number of miniatures outside of the typical undead range of miniatures. He simply lets his brush do the work.

If you have arachnophobia beware this entry! The models is from the Monster expansion to the game Rising Son by CMON . Some great additions here including the base and webbing on the collection of heads. A truly monstrous piece by this commission painter.

Possibly one of the best miniatures from the Age of Sigmar range – Lady Olynder! A slight alternate assembly here, working the wing spirits as part of the base really pays off. You attention remains on the model herself when looking at the Mortach of Grief and there is still plenty happening along the base. Noteworthy here are the bloodstained robes – just enough to make use of the surface area, while not detracting from the details.

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Future Steel

At the time of writing I have a Deadzone Demo in two weeks.  Therefore I had to paint a number of strike forces.  I have completed my Enforcers some time ago, and have planned on painting the Forge Fathers models too, but had no colour scheme.

 

My original idea was that they were a group of volcanic world ore miners and started making lava bases.  Since it is the Forge Fathers who made the Enforcer armour and the squads are called Steel Warriors, I thought it would make sense for the armour to be a similar colour.  Going for an old school sci-fi vibe I thought the silver would be well off set by a deep red.

 

Last minute however I changed my mind regarding the lava bases.  A recent game of Deadzone using the Exham IV mat, combined with the fact they are supposed to be demo-miniatures meant that the bases are now Martian, with toxic sludge.

 

I must say that Mantic has made some great miniatures here.  The box comes with enough extra weapons to create either a standard Steel Warrior or Stormrage Veteran squad with heavy weapons and Huscarl ( Forge Father officer) upgrades.    They were a pleasure to paint and I look forward to returning to this army when I expand it for Warpath.

 

#DEADZONEISLIFE

Miniatures by Mantic

Scenery by LCA

 

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Ultramarines! Or Why did I sell these again ..? Part 2

Welcome to the conclusion of an old project I sold ages ago..  This project was a great test for Deco Art paints and I had got into a great rhythm painting the Ultramarines.  I choose to continue the colour scheme into a new project.

Oldhammer is what many players are calling the 80s period of the hobby.  For this project I wanted to get into some classic models.  That last thing I had painted for the previous project army was Terminators so I decided to continue..

One of the things I like about these models is the concept has not changed much over the years.  They are still very recognisable.  Once I started the squad I quickly added a classic Terminator Captain to the production line.  Again I added designs and detail to the officers.  Though this wasn’t too hard.  The knee pad had an embossed skull & Iron cross onto a quartered background which was copied onto the shoulder pad and belt buckle.

For sergeant and assault cannon I didn’t do anything too fancy.  Sometimes completing a project is better than being too ambitious and not completing it.  It can be seen that The Inquisition has favoured both those brothers and they proudly display the accolade.

After completing both projects they went into my eBay shop.  The RT Terminator squad lead to a further commission of more terminators from the original release.  The client was going to use them all for Space Hulk and had special bases prepared so I left the bases blank.

I really enjoyed this commission a great excuse to paint more models.  Perhaps one day I will revisit my painting roots.  Though there are excellent models being released all the time, it’s important to remember the classic models from yesteryear.

Paints – Deco Art Crafter’s Acrylic

Models – Citadel

Varnish – Vallejo

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Ultramarines! Or Why did I sell these again..? Part1

Before I opened the store, I had recently recovered from a painting hiatus.  Like a number of gamers I was buying figures from eBay and trade shows.  This can be a good way to get cheaper and out of production models – though you can never be sure of what is available.  Among the figures I ended up with was a number of Space Marines with an embossed symbol on their armour.  I had painted a squad for a commission years ago and thought that it would be good to revisit the familiar colour scheme.  Combined with a number of older figures in my collection the decision was made.  I was going to  paint an Ultramarines Army.

 

The last time I had painted Ultramarines was over 10 years ago.  The principles hadn’t changed though one big thing had.  I was using an entirely new paint set: Crafter’s Acrylic from Deco Art.

My first to paint was the tactical squad  now named Squad V.  Composed mainly of  starter set, many of them have chapter and tactical symbols moulded onto the armour already making painting them really easy.    To complete the squad I needed a heavy weapon and another marine.

 

These two were from my existing collection the 1998 tactical marines and the 2004 plastic devastators. I chose the heavy plasma gun to be different from the usual missile launcher squad weapon load out. The final marine was completed with an arm from an earlier version of space marines.  Which brings me to Squad III all the way from 1993.

 

OK so a few are from the 1998 version of MK7 armour.  Though if you look closely all of the backpacks, arms are from the early nineties and most of the weapons are too.  By now I had got into a rhythm of production line painting ultramarines.  So I needed to change things up.  It was time for Terminators

 

These older figures were pinned onto larger bases than they shipped with, and they certainly look more comfortable on them. The Codex Astartes is a great resource for Space Marine colour schemes, even if it is fictional.  It certainly helps to be accurate on things like helmet colours and sergeant markings especially with Ultramarines.  Shields on the other hand are for personalisation…

 

I filled in a few quarters though I left the last one blank for future honours.  This marine was being prepared for promotion to a command position.

To be continued…

 

Models by citadel miniatures

Paints used are Deco Art from Crafter’s Acrylics

Citadel Varnish

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The Future …

A new game has happened here over the summer.  OK maybe it’s not a new game, but its new enough.  Deadzone from Mantic games is a sci-fi skirmish game that is fast and fun.  The miniatures are great and the scenery actually makes sense with the rules.  Best of all it’s played on a 2′ x 2′ board so a large number of games can be played here.

One of the factions you get in the box are called Enforcers.  In the background of the game they are above the local corporate interests and are the one who ‘enforce’ the councils will.  That is they are the ones who makes sure everyone in the Deadzones are dead and that no-one gets in or out.   These men and women are enhanced psycho’s with the best armour and equipment available.

My take on them..  In the background book to Warpath, another great game (actually two) set in the same universe.  There is a passage about failed and past experiments of the enforcer program, what caught my eye was the passage about re-routing troopers personality to never stray from the preservation of the GCPS.  Also the fact that they hacked their own masters computers and tried to  eliminate a council member.   So my seeds for a store army are in said “failed experiment” and it’s re-structuring for use in patrolling Deadzones and limited law enforcement…

So guess what film I was watching the night before painting…

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Store Army – Oldhammer 40k Space Marines

I love Rogue Trader.  It’s fun, irreverent, and full of useful information.  I encourage everyone who plays 40k now to read this book and any publications from that era.  But it doesn’t explain how I ended up with this particular 40k army. …

It all began when I was stripping some RTB01 marines. I once witnessed a group of gamers playing call of duty, who decided to have a knife fight, instead of running round shooting each other.  It was very odd as no-one spoke – it just kinda happened.  I thought that was pretty cool so I modeled my first squad on that encounter. For a colour scheme I thought that nothing says Rogue Trader louder than Dark Angels in black.  After painting them I was hooked.  So a tactical squad and a rhino inevitably followed.

Continue reading Store Army – Oldhammer 40k Space Marines

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Kings of Death

Background to my store undead army. The locations and time-line is vague enough for it to be placed in any number of fantasy settings.The rule set I am using is currently Kings of War from Mantic.  Kings of War game rules can be used in a number of fantasy settings and I encourage everyone who has not done so to try them out.

I believe many people are under misconception that certain fantasy armies are good and others evil.  In an age where it is common for people carry axes and swords.Where folk can be killed due to their race and/or religious beliefs, quite openly and their deaths welcomed. Where many castles have torture chambers. Good and evil can cease to carry any meaning.

Undead armies in particular are nearly always portrayed as the bad guy.  How many times has the word evil preceded ghost or dead.  Though I am of the belief that folk do not return from the dead for no good reason.  Anyone who has seen “The crow” may agree with this.

While I am not trying to create an army of heroic, dead, good-guys.  What I am trying to present is a more balanced view, of an army containing flawed yet honourable individuals who happen to be on the wrong side of life.

Kings of Death

The Warriors

They hail from the ruins of Ceargwarchodwyr. In life they were a force of brutal but honourable warriors. Sworn to protect their fortress and the roads from any who would challenge them. Ceargwarchodwyr was also a military academy of incredibly high standards. They would accept only the strong and most courageous fighters of all the land. Training was brutal, long hours and tough physical and mental challenges over seen by a graduate. Death and injury was not uncommon among prospects. Upon completion of training usually at a battle a prospect was welcomed as family member.

The Oaths taken by prospects upon elevation were binding and complete. They swore fealty to their order, the roads, their comrades. They swore against dishonour, cowardice and dishonesty. They were not however a deeply philosophical or spiritual people, though they may have started that way. Having hailed from many backgrounds the warriors had one part of philosophy that united them which was courage. The differences in each faith mattered less and less over time. Even the binding vows that were still made were misunderstood as “mere ritual”, as “courage is the true soul of life”.

Their responsibility was to protect trade routes and lines of communication. They maintained several keeps at various intersections. Their enemies could be anyone, and once found the wardens would demand reparations for the transgressions. For small groups of brigands this usually amounted to all their possessions and their lives. Were any quarry to have origins in a village, town or larger settlement a tribute for reparations would be demanded from the leaders. If the tribute could not be met, the city would be besieged and tribute taken by force.

The betrayal

The Wardens built a number with the many settlements of the different races across the lands. This aided the towns for trade in times of peace, though hindered the machinations of the ambitious warlords. Most of the worldly languages were learned and news began to travel fast.  Ceargwarchodwyr was set to become one of the dominating powers of the world. Diplomacy and trade however is a two way street and no King needed reminding of to whom they defer…

It did not take long for the enemies of Ceargwarchodwyr to begin to conspire. A well placed bribe to the lord and chancellor of the keep to ‘look the other way’ so as “Individual Kings may decide to exact their own justice, without troubling the brave Wardens” was all that was needed. And soon Ceargwarchodwyr  itself was besieged. The lords who had broken their word were eradicated by the forces which they swore against. The resultant backlash of power breached the fortress walls and the enemy poured in.

For the warriors who remained true, they found themselves on the loosing side of the battle. Unable to keep their vows, betrayed and outflanked they soon were all defeated. The remaining keeps remained steadfast though eventually they all succumbed. The binding forces, upon which they had sworn refused to let them rest in peace. They had sword upon their lives, to the land herself that the roads will always be safe, to the sanctity of their fortress and to each other. Once the vows were broken the imbalance was clear – storms, earthquakes and diseases tore through the lands they once protected. Propaganda was spread regarding the “true dark nature” of the once noble protectors. The intemperate world added “proof” and the people cursed and then forgot their former wardens.

Next time – survival in un-life and the cult of death

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Store undead army

A few pictures of the undead army I am working on for kings of war.  The kings of war army lists are great for incorporating models from any number of manufacturers.  Here I have Oldhammer skeleton cavalry alongside Mantic’s revenants lead by a characters from reaper miniatures.   I hope to stock reaper miniatures in the new year.

undead

ivestillgotthatlibrarybook

 

I am working on more skeleton infantry from Mantic.  They are really great models and the sprues have many great things on them. Anyone who knows me recognises the fact that my army needs more spearmen…

 

manticsskeletonsprues

Anyway the idea of my army is that an independent liche has enlisted the services of an army long dead.  They were a group of warriors who protected the roads from brigands.  They were betrayed by their own leadership and their fortress destroyed in the ensuing battles.  However the vows each warrior undertook were binding beyond the grave – the old leadership suffered terrible consequences.  Those who remained true could not pass on, and continue to patrol the roads and bring death to the dishonourable, the cowards and the brigands.