Marco does something

[Myriad]

I find that's a problem with rush painted or half painted models - they go to the back of the queue in terms of priority.

I'd echo Kaled's comments about the sculpting - I still am a big fan of the commisar and I was impressed by Marco at the spring conclave.  The photography is being a bit unkind I think by highlighting the details, since I recall they all looked pretty good in game.

[MarcoSkoll]

I know the painting was a bit rushed, but it does let them down a bit.

It was more than a bit rushed - the problem is that while I'd originally left myself quite a lot of clear time on my schedule, two major "four sigma events"* arose, which ate up the excess time I'd left as well as some that wasn't intended to be spare.
*For non-mathematicians, "four sigma" = "exceptionally unlikely".

As a result, the days I'd planned to spend on each model turned into only hours - and as DapperAnarchist suggests, they suffered in what equates to a roughly clockwise order.

Note to self: Next time, leave more spare time.

Since you can sculpt and draw to a pretty good standard, I'm confident the above suggestions are all within your ability given a little practice, so I hope you don't mind me making a few suggestions.

Well, the thing is that I've naturally got good three-dimensional visualisation. I'm not so good on shading and colour, which is why my sculpting and lineart come out reasonably, but my painting less so.

However, I know I should be able to apply the hand/eye coordination to better painting - providing I'm not rushing it.

Eventually, I'll get around to a re-paint, but right now, I'm working on some drawings (including a pilot for the sequential art fiction which I mused about here)  and the basics of a sculpt for Maya Avens, given that Lyra's warband is a likely candidate for me to bring to the next Conclave.

Ironically, for a warband that I originally wrote to be a bit more tempered than Marco's, I think Lyra might have done better at the Spring Conclave. Mind you, Maya has developed into a much more formidable psyker than Renatus ever was.

[kierkegaard]

Excellent work there Marco. My favourite is the guy holding the pistol in both hands (a pose that isn't seen enough, considering how much it improves accuracy.)

I have to say again that I think the heads are bit big. I know you'll say something about proportions, but proportions are based on bodies, not clothed and armoured figures. I'm sure you look bigger than you are when you put on a heavy coat, and if you add armour to that, well... you do the math.

Still, very cool models, and excellent sculpting.

[MarcoSkoll]

I would blow the dust off this topic, if I didn't think that would probably send everyone in the forum into a coughing fit.

Anyway, I was in my local toy store. It's a rather dismal place, but I needed to buy more poly cement. Completely by chance, I noticed the Airfix section a couple of shelves down, and to my surprise, they had some of the 1:32 soldier sets. Now, if you wave the makings of 14 NPC grunts under my nose for only £6, I'll probably bite (although I really should stop biting people).
While the options were a bit limited, they had a couple of the sets I'd earmarked as "possible Guardsmen" when I'd been perusing the Airfix site the other day, so I walked out a few minutes later with a box of WWII British Paratroopers.

Back home, and box opened, I took a quick tally:

One each of the two chaps in the front row. Two each of the first, third and fifth guys in the second row, and three each of the second and fourth gentlemen. (Which was actually exactly as the back of the box pictured, despite the "Quantities of each pose may vary" disclaimer).

First impressions are that the quality/detail is pretty decent for only 43p a model - there are some mould lines/flashing/injection marks to clean up, but that's easy work.

Scale-wise, they're perhaps a hair smaller than I'd've liked at 54-55mm from the foot to the top of the helmets (so ~50mm to the eye). It wouldn't be hard to fix this, but I may not bother - nothing wrong with the NPCs being a bit less imposing than the actual heroes/villains. (And perhaps their regiment is from a planet where people are shorter)
Also, I tend to find from the player's "bird's eye view", any height differences in models are less noticeable than they might seem from the "level".

Anyway, I'd recommend them for the basis of a grunt squad - cheap as chips, more than adequate quality and while a bit small, not TOO small.

I've not yet managed to do any work (I've been left to look after the dog, who cannot be trusted around modelling) but the plan is to:
- Clean up the castings
- Dissect some of the multiple models, then do some "part" swaps so they don't all look the same.
- Find the putty and plasticard. Start swapping those Lee Enfields and Sten guns for lasguns (and the odd special weapon), and add more armour. Things like Tri-dome helmets and shoulder pads, although I think the one-piece castings rule out flak vests.

After that, we shall see what else needs doing...

[Myriad]

Looks like a good basis to work from.

My only reservation is that those guns need bulking out for guardsmen, but I notice that's on the to do list.  When running a campaign I've certainly found myself wishing I'd made some grunt NPCs myself - Evandon's body double has died twice now.

[MarcoSkoll]

My only reservation is that those guns need bulking out for guardsmen, but I notice that's on the to do list.

That's always going to be the case with non-GW models, because GW gives their models such large weapons.
But I've already worked out how I think I'm going to convert the Lee Enfields into lasguns. Of the others, they might get special weapons - melta or plasma guns probably.

I've certainly found myself wishing I'd made some grunt NPCs myself

You can never have too many mooks for your PCs to shoot. I almost bought two boxes actually, but then told myself I didn't need to make a full 25 man platoon. Still, maybe after I've finished this first lot.

[RobSkib]

I almost bought two boxes actually, but then told myself I didn't need to make a full 25 man platoon.

You could always make some traitor Guardsmen

[gwrulz]

I almost bought two boxes actually, but then told myself I didn't need to make a full 25 man platoon.

You could always make some traitor Guardsmen

Someone had to go to the Dark Side 

[MarcoSkoll]

Right, because I can't decide what damn warband I'm making for the IGT (Three options and no fething idea) , more NPC work in between doing the art I'm supposed to, scrawling down rules and character background.



These are all the doubles/triples who've been cut up, recombined and reposed. It's messy rough work to check the poses before I clean up the cuts, pin, glue and GS them back together, but I think I like them so far. (I would note that the guy on the very right, will have the grenade in his outstretched hand replaced with a pistol).

The others may will get some reposing too - I fancy doing the "Sergeant" with a pistol/sword combo. (Although he may not be a Sergeant ultimately. I like the idea of him having a peaked cap, but that's only available for ranks above sergeant in the Guard.)

[DapperAnarchist]

In the Guard that follows Cadian standards... He could be from a Regiment that follows Mordian standards, or it could be something he acquired on the battlefield, or a homeworld tradition...

[MarcoSkoll]

Checking my old IG codex again, it is occasionally the case that in veteran regiments, lower ranks sometimes wear them - but it's to the disapproval of the officers and Commissars...
Well, I guess there are reasons, but as these guys are generic NPCs, I'd rather not give them a whole load of quirks - tempting as it is to give everyone in the squad a name and a couple of paragraphs of background.

But to that end, I guess it doesn't really need explaining either. He's a sergeant, he wears a peaked cap. Doesn't really matter why other than it being a shorthand to make him obvious from the rest of the squad (in my version of the NPC rules, Sergeants are a bit tougher than their squad, so need to stand out slightly).

[DapperAnarchist]

I stick by my trust Codex Imperialis, which pushes the "most varied army in the galaxy" idea quite heavily... But yeah, if you start making them super special, they end up as PCs before you know it.

[MarcoSkoll]

As I got a fresh stock of plasticard today, I finally had enough to start some more projects.

Can you tell what it is yet?

[Stormgrad]

Really excited about this know ive been talking to you for the past few days about it, i know i mentioned a razorback but how about one with psycannons ? just a thought i had earlier

[MarcoSkoll]

I'm planning on doing a turret plate that can be swapped in for the top hatch, so it should be easy enough to account for Razorbacks, Predators, Whirlwinds, and even things like the Damocles. A Repressor body kit would be more work, but that'll be a future project.

So it should be possible to do a wide range of weapons fits, although for the sake of my sanity, I don't think I'm going to try and make the side doors swappable with sponsons. I think a Predator's main gun alone would be scary enough for Inquisitor, let alone one that can fire in several directions at once!