Saturday, 14 September 2013

Conversion corner - Integrating the new space marine kits into the army



Wow! I checked the stats on the blog earlier and, through 2 weeks of posting every day, have managed to exceed the maximum monthly hits (just under 6000) I had in less than half a month. Just to note, that month was January when dark Angels were released and was in no small part thakns to the painting guides I put up. In addition, Index Astartes has almost 50 members now - something I never thought I would achieve. My personal thanks to everyone who visits the blog and especially those who have joined it - your support gives me enthusiasm to keep on coming up with things to waffle on about and put up pictures of. Although I won't be posting quite as regularly now, expect a full black Templar army shot soon plus some painting tutorials. 

There’s not really much to say about this post except that these are the guys I’ve been assembling this past week using the new kits and older bits. Really pleased with how the conversions have gone. I need to add bits such as grenades/pouches and base the majority of them still, plus work further on the centurions. Enjoy.


Black Templars:
The main beneficiaries from the new dex, these chaps got both an AA tank (using a spare hull and BT upgrade bits), some converted centurions and some Vanguard, who were mostly made up of normal marines and things from the bits box but a few new parts also. Note the scratch built storm shields made from plasticard and BT bits. Also, I trimmed several BT drop pod logos (which curled as they were sliced off handily) and glued them to the jumppacks. The Marshall also gained a thunder hammer from the vanguard box.








Whitescars:
These chaps got a vanguard update thanks to the new release – I already had the bodies and so modified them somewhat using new parts. They also gained a predator (see the blood ravens entry below)





Ravenguard:
The Raven Guard also got a Vanguard squad mostly made up of new parts.





Iron Hands:
Just a tank and turret for these chaps in the form of some AA support. Note I mix and matched the parts somewhat along with the BT AA tank. Turrets both being black is also great as I can swap between armies easily.




Salamanders:
As I chose to replace several rather bland half painted sergeants from my other armies with the new sternguard, I used the legs from those sergeants to make a 5-man devastator squad digging deep in the bitz box for heavy weapons. Only fitting seeing as they lost their vanguard squad to the Whitescars through this release. Also, I made the 2 last members of their command squad using some other (mainly ravenwing) parts too. 






Imperial fists:
The sons of Dorn gained a couple of new sergeants and half a tactical squad. I made sure that both the Ums and IFs had the option to switch a heavy for special weapon via waist magnets in their 5-man squad. In their reshuffle, they lost the 10-man sniper scout squad to Dark Angels and Ultramarines, but in return gained a 5-man scout squad from the smurfs.




Crimson Fists:
They also gained a new sergeant from their own sternguard squad, who was himself replaced by a heavy bolter veteran. Note the Ork head



Ultramarines:
Similarly to the imperial fists, the Ums lost 5 scouts and gained 5 sniper scouts led by Telion. The too had 2 new sergeants added to replace older ones and gained a 5-man tactical squad.




Blood Ravens:
Nothing from the new release as such, but they did gain a predator as I picked up a pair of decent condition (well undercoated and assembled but with doors etc missing) rhino hulls from my FLGS for £10. The whitescars got the other one for the same purpose. 




Luna Wolves:
As an aside, I did get ahold of a Loken model a while back who now has base colours on and although these chaps aren't codex marines the centurion did benefit from a centurion head crest. (ironically) 


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