Crimson Fists Marines, Inquisition & Legion of the Damned

JonAtron

Member
Index quick links:

Legion of the damned

Inquisition


The story begins:

Had to empty out the garage and found all my old miniatures from 20 years ago. Now I was going to sell them all but looking over them, the rogue trader ones piqued my interest with their quirkey stances, and on most of them, rather great individual detail. I remembered as a kid, painting (rather badly) generic space marines and being bored to death of the dull repeat of it all. Not so with the RT fellas.

I've dabbled in buying, painting, playing the odd board game or three over the years so I've still got all my paints and I know I can just about lay on an OK looking coat of paint. (I can recommend Zombicide black Plague and Betrayal at House on the hill!) but alas, nah. I've not got the money. So, I batched up all my old minis to sell. It was from looking around I found that the new 8th edition 40k rules had just come out (not played it since second edition) and I though hmm... I've got about enough metal here to make a working playable army that fits the new formation and rule set.

So, here I am having found my way to the forum looking for rogue trader info and inspiration. I could have read the book, I had both RT and Chaos but rats had chewed them to bits as they were sat on top my boxed minis... I cried, many, many nights. They were pristine. Now my interest is piqued I've done it, I took the leap and stripped all the minis and tanks, 3 paint jobs thick. Honestly I didn't think they would survive. I remember as kid they were 3rd hand to me painted by each owner and then me. But they came out good!

Don't get me wrong some of them and the tanks need a lot of work but I've started and a few pics will show you where I am at so far. My plan is to keep the army as original rogue trader as possible (cost permitting :/ ). Maybe a 2nd edition mini here and there (termie chaplain for dice buffs). Codex paint scheme, Crimson fists. Only right as they rock the cover of the book!

I'm currently working on the tanks trying to get them to look as good as I can, filling holes and missing parts. I will paint them to show their age, the dents and dings will be there and seen. But I don't want them to look, shit and broken plastic-ish.

 
Re: Crimson Fists - Rogue Trader

Kick arse man! Looking forward to many a WIP posts.

Sent from my SM-N910G using Tapatalk
 

JonAtron

Member
Re: Crimson Fists - Rogue Trader

Are the images sizes too big for you lot or is big and beautiful ok?

Up until this point I've not taken any pics as I wan't going to keep a log. But, I used Bio Strip 20 to strip 3 layers + of paint and primer from the tanks. They came out well but I found they had been stuck together with a mix of super glue (which the bio strip weakened off) and soooo much poly cement it has not just fused surfaces but thinned, made brittle and melted holes into parts! It's taken lots of scalpel scraping, odd part/addition removing and will take some pinning and metal wire work (grab rails and pred weapon sponsons.) But out of 3 rhino tanks I managed to get 2 frankenstein builds, all but fully complete and in good order, looking original and as they should. The Land Raider wasn't too bad so far. With a little more tlc, sculpt putty and primer they all should look good.



Once I get the tanks ready and primed I will move onto these:

MARINES:

10 man assault squad (Only got 9 that look the part and 9 jump packs)
10 man tactical squad with a Sarg, heavy and special.
5 man devastator squad (Only got 4 need another heavy weapon)
5 man veteran squad two with terminator honour shoulder pads. (Or they could make up the other half of the Devastator squad)
1 tech marine
3 librarians (Don't need all 3 I might sell/swap two)
I also have about mm, 20 plastics but I'm well short on back packs for both metal and plastic. They look good but they just don't quite fit the look of the metal ones when mixed in with a squad. They stand out.



TERMINATORS:

2 inquisitors. (Don't need two, might sell/swap one. I'm not sure if they are RT or second edition)
1 chaplain. (This is a second edition model but there is no RT termie chaplain and I wanted him for dice buff. Termi armour gives deep strike ability to go with the assault termies
Terminator assault squad. (I still need two sets of thunder hammer and shields and one set of lighting claws.)
Terminator squad. (The cyclone can either be a proxy standard termie if the assault cannon is in play or vise versa. I love the model.)



Misc:

1 rapier lazer destroyer track set. (Don't know what to do with that, if anything, swap/sell)
1 Thud Gun. (Need a wheel, front shield and tractor unit if I can find, if not green stuff.)
1 vincent black shadow and crew
1 jet bike and crew. (Might need to find a couple of generic crew and not chaplain and medic. I don't want to hack them or green stuff their pads, as someone already has :cry: )
I might try, monies permitting to source a couple more bikes to make a bike squad of them.



I think all that should keep me right busy until way past xmas.
I'll try and keep a log on here and I will try to finish the project not leave half a log/job. If it all goes dead on here... maybe look at the for sale section :twisted:
 

Gallivantes

Member
Re: Crimson Fists - Rogue Trader

Hey JonAtron,

and good to see your project on the forum. It's happy days when a load of old lead reemerges from twenty years of hibernation. Gonna look great all painted up! Land raiders for the win!

Since you asked, images might be a tad big maybe (although I can obviously just speak for myself and my monitor resolution). There is an image tag called img2= you can use if you want to play around.

(img2=)(/img2)

Enter the preferred resolution after the "=". Use square brackets instead.

I've resized your own image here using
(img2=800x450]http://i67.tinypic.com/2my6all.jpg[/img2)

Hey those mangled predator parts would make some awesome terrain wreckage pieces. Don't chuck them!

 

JonAtron

Member
Re: Crimson Fists - Rogue Trader

Thanks for the tip, Gallivantes! :)

Other than a few more bits I've had arrive from ebay to strip, I've just been working on the tanks.

I've seen in a lot of pics that the predator turret hatch always seems to be on backwards with the bolter magazine pointing behind. As on the two I have. Sadly the polly cement made it impossible to pull off so it was cut and a lucky spare used. A bolter from a rogue trader plastic marine also saved the day.





The surfaces look dog awful, I'm hoping with a bit more gap filling and a fine sanding they will prime up well and with the right paint job, simply look 'of their relic age.'

The exhaust stacks that were broken, I just can't find these things unbroken and I've not perfected my putty casting skills to make a good enough replacement. Luckily I had some pinning wire just about the right thickness. The curve was found, wire bent and cut, holes drilled into the stacks and wire glued in. Not prefect, but, when painted they should look just right.





Really could do with some hatch handles but again, can't find them.

Question is, Rhino grab side hatch grab rails, leave them off as is? Or do I make out of wire and fix it into the top of the rivited strips aside the track hatches. (asI've seen on the forum somewhere I think?) The fixing plastic tags on the top of the tracks are gone and the originals I've see are way to expensive for something so breakable. :?
 

JonAtron

Member
Re: Crimson Fists - Rogue Trader

Hey all, I'm still tinkering with tanks.

So I went for grab rails on the rhino. The original style break too easy and the prices wanted on ebay are total chancers (imo.) I had seen custom made grab rails on a rhino before and it looked good so I went for it. I cut the circular mounts from the broken hatch handles off the old predator turret, drilled them and stuck them to the rhino hull. Measured and bent pinning wire (took a few goes to get right) and glued in. I'm happy with that. Not pure RT I know but it keeps the idea and is stronger/less likely to break.



I've also dabbled in a bit of magnetising. Never done it before but I like it. Whip aerials/banner poles again break too easy and make the tanks a problem in storage boxes. So I made some custom ones from the original block bases where the aerials has snapped off. This was done for the pred, rhino and Landraider. I've also done the LR sponson laz cannons to make easier storage and gaming load out options in the future.







I'm currently working on a custom Pred turret. The new 8th edition rules have various turret load outs for the relic pred. As the hull and tracks have been cannibalised to make one good original looking rhino and pred, the turret is left over. I know, I know, I hate mashing up original RT parts but I hope to make it worthy. I can swap this turret with the original for alt weapons. I've modded the weapon mount to keep the style of the original turret but give room for magnets and larger weapons, like twin laz cannon, c beamer, inferno cannon and a plasma destroyer. I'll have to keep and eye out on ebay for something old school plasma cannon-ish. I'll magnetise the weapons to snap on to the custom turret. It was done with a bit of the old inner track wall cut into shape and magic sculpt.





 

Gallivantes

Member
Re: Crimson Fists - Rogue Trader

All very nice mods and I like the way you're planning ahead with the weapon options.

Your concerns of modding the stock parts seem pretty unfounded to me. Repairing, converting and concocting stuff to fit the background universe is pretty Oldhammer/Rogue Trader if you ask me. And even though the Predators/Rhinos are supposed to be Standard Template Constructs or whatever they call them I imagine something peripheral like a grab rail could be expected to exhibit minor differences across all those thousand of worlds. Looking cool :)
 

Suber

Member
Re: Crimson Fists - Rogue Trader

Sir, that's a hell of a work... and it all looks gorgeous so far!
 
Re: Crimson Fists - Rogue Trader

Gallivantes":315kz9to said:
All very nice mods and I like the way you're planning ahead with the weapon options.

Your concerns of modding the stock parts seem pretty unfounded to me. Repairing, converting and concocting stuff to fit the background universe is pretty Oldhammer/Rogue Trader if you ask me. And even though the Predators/Rhinos are supposed to be Standard Template Constructs or whatever they call them I imagine something peripheral like a grab rail could be expected to exhibit minor differences across all those thousand of worlds. Looking cool :)

yup, exactly this.

for grab handles i've seen people use staples, if that helps.
 

ardyer

Member
Re: Crimson Fists - Rogue Trader

@jonatron how do the magneted lasconnons in the land raider balance? In the past I've had a problem with weapons on a single magnet tipping downwards, but I've got my own RT land raider to build and I'm intrigued by the idea!
 

JonAtron

Member
Re: Crimson Fists - Rogue Trader

@ardyer They worked out well, hold position fine, snap on good. I highly recommend it. Makes for easire storage of the tank and weapon swaps for gaming. The plastic twin laz cannons are only light too. Heres a picture of where I mounted the magnets. Good strong single magnets for the win. The inside of the guns were damaged with glues and melted and the plastic stalks that hold them to the mount were broken so it wasn't much of a loss or risk. In fact it was a perfect solution.





I did try two close set magnets in the pred turret mod but playing around with it I went back to one, as the magnetised weapons seems to always want to snap to one magnet or the other and not stay centred. I've also done the pred side mounted laz cannons for the same reasons. I didn't do the whole sponsons as I wanted them to stay original looking and not full of putty or boxed in to hold/hide magnets. Two magnets one top and bottom and same on the guns. They snap in and hold position well.



As well as tank tinkering (just got a bit more sanding to do then I'll prime them.) I've been sorting out these poor bits of plastic to try and make one complete tactical squad. :? Scalpel surgery to the max. I've got lots of bits but they are all so shitty and bust up, melted, etc. You might just see in the back ground of the LR the partial result in work.



Thanks for the posts though always nice to read peoples thoughts and ideas! :)
 

ardyer

Member
Re: Crimson Fists - Rogue Trader

Thanks for the close up pics! You've really given me something to think about... Especially considering the money I paid for the on sprue land raider, I really don't want it breaking!
 

JonAtron

Member
Re: Crimson Fists - Rogue Trader

@ardyer If you've got an on sprue land raider (with box?) I would dare say, keep it that way. Might just be enough money in it one day to retire on :grin:

I think I am a little envious :) You'll be able to build it juuust right with crisp joins and no gaps and all the parts... if you build it at all. The asking prices of mint LRs (not that they seem to be selling at that) are forge world prices :grin:

I'd love to see your progress if you do!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So I've finished the tanks as best I can and I've primed them with Halfords grey primer. I've used the white before to prime the minis from Zombicide and Mice and Mystics to great effect. £7.50 for a 500ml can. I used grey instead of white so that when I pre shade it, I'm hoping the transition from grey to black will be much more subtle than from black and white through the base coat. That said its quite a dark grey. Any airbrush pros here to give advice? I'm quite the newbie.



I've almost finished the plastic RT tactical nostalgia squad. I've done a little bit of customisation with the Sarg in a ode to the cover of Rogue Trader. The hand and scanner so the marine is actually looking at it and a pointing finger marine. Bit of knife and magic putty work. Just need to finish a few little details, tidy up, then they will be undercoated.











 

ardyer

Member
Re: Crimson Fists - Rogue Trader

@jonatron He'll no! I've wanted to build and paint one of these since I was young. I didn't pay that much to resell it ;)
 

JonAtron

Member
Re: Crimson Fists - Rogue Trader

Been slow progress of late but I'm enjoying the journey not the destination. Lots to learn about airbrushing. Not had or used one until this project but I'm keeping it basic and with trial and error slowly getting a result I'm happy with.

The plastic tactical squad is all but done, Just need to source a bolter for the Sarg. I had a few spare body bits to make a tank rider as a nod to the metal counter parts. I've undercoated them (no pic) and they look alright.



As for the tanks. I've base coated them with a colour I'm finally happy with and enough depth/shade to the coat so that its not flat. I didn't want garish high lights and I don't have confidence/skill/reliable airbrush to get too technical (yet). Blue ink down and now I'm just working the Raider. It's an old tank, I want to show its been used for a long time but I don't want it looking like old scrap. Its been cared for, had a new coat of paint at some point etc. After all its a venerable relic.





 

Dooz

Member
Re: Crimson Fists - Rogue Trader

Chipping looks great, is it chipped or painted effect to simulate chipping. Either way it looks rock solid.
Great work giving miss-treated plastic new life ;)
 

JonAtron

Member
Re: Crimson Fists - Rogue Trader

Thank you. It's painted by brush. I've seen the rusty brown base coat and chipping fluid or hairspray techniques and it looks truly amazing when done right. But being brand new to airbrushing and trying to tread that line between interesting paint to look at, skill level and covering damaged plastic I thought i'd keep it as simple as I could. I know the chipping look is a bit of a 'craze' at the mo, but I like it and the rust is more necessity/cover up than aesthetic.

Juuuuuuust in case anyone was interested...

Damaged plastic :cry:


Undercoat edges showing through :?


Old metal (you could use a brighter silver for fresh scratches and stop here) :(


Watered down rusty red colour ;)


Little orange (dryish brush) :)


Little shading/ink for the top of the dent line and deep rust. :grin:


 

JonAtron

Member
Re: Crimson Fists - Rogue Trader

The tanks are mostly finished, just a touch up/clean up here and there. I've not got any Crimson Fist water slide transfers and GW/Forgeworld have stopped doing them grrr. (As in the red fists, don't want black ones.) So when I get some I'll add them and weather them in.









Time, when I get some time, to work on some troops.
 
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