Friday, December 18, 2015

First Assault Marine

The release of the 7th Edition Space Marine codex threw my whole modeling schedule for a loop. Just as I was ready to start on a Tactical Marine-heavy list with a cheap Librarian at its head, GW introduced the concept of the Demi-Company and the Gladius Formation and I lost all interest in fielding a solitary CAD. Models that I felt no urgency to build suddenly became necessary additions to the army while certain other models (e.g., Librarians) found their futures in question.

The Assault Squad ended up on my must-build list, not only because it fills a position in the Demi-Company, but because I completely lack any fast attack units. (That's right, I've been playing the game for over four years and I've never taken any units in the Fast Attack slots.) I don't know how many times I've found myself in a mission where I was too slow to grab objectives in time.

Although I already had Assault Squad bits that I bought a few years ago, I grabbed up a new Assault Squad box immediately after its release. The kit has a good variety of bits in it, including normal backpacks and torsos without jump pack straps for those who want to build a foot-slogging squad. It even has a Mk VI backpack (the first ever in plastic, I believe), allowing you to build a Marine in 100% Corvus armor.

My first Assault Marine is a Veteran Sergeant with dual lightning claws. Unfortunately, the model is a tremendously expensive 57 points with these upgrades (a Vanguard Marine with the same exact wargear and stats is only 32 points), but it looks great.


The legs are from the new Assault Squad kit, the right shoulder pad, torso, jump pack, and lightning claws are from the Vanguard kit, the left shoulder pad is from the Commander kit, and the head is a Mk IV helmet from the Betrayal at Calth box. (Yes, I said I probably wouldn't buy Betrayal at Calth, but it was a great value and Bryce and I split the cost.)


I'm very happy with how the model turned out. The Mk IV helmet looks great and I'm fairly proud of my hand painted laurels. The Assault logo on his right shoulder worked out pretty well, too. After cutting off the bottom third of the transfer, I used my usual technique to apply it to the shoulder pad. Once the decal was dry, I used a razor to scrape away the bits of stray decal from the Imperialis on his shoulder pad.

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4 comments:

  1. RedDecember 24, 2015 at 7:52 PM

    The Codex Astartes does not support looking that awesome!

    I also want to try some pricey dual LC power armor setups. I've also gotten some LC Terminators. I'd be really interested to hear about the performance of your LC units in your next game, both power armor and Terminator.

    I need to practice painting my Mk IV helmets. I always mess up the whisker vents and make them look like they're smudged into the cheek cables. I often end up filling the Mk IV faceplates so they look solid, which looks pretty good IMO. It's why I also enjoy the flat, Mk IV Destroyer helmets and the vertical vent MK IV helmets you can find in Calth and 30K kits.

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    1. JamesDecember 24, 2015 at 8:21 PM

      Thank you for the compliment.

      I have had some decent success with LC Terminators, which are more or less reasonably priced at 35 points each. They've shredded through some very expensive Ork biker squads, Necron Wraiths, and other intimidating units. I usually field 4-5 LC Terminators along with 2-3 TH/SS Terminators to improve the squad's survivability. I always put them in a Land Raider Crusader or they'll get shot off the table before they ever get into combat.

      The Maximus helmets are probably my favorite, particularly the "whiskered" one. I painted this Sergeant's helmet with Mephiston Red and then washed it with Nuln Oil. I darkened the vents by applying more Nuln Oil into the crevices with a fine brush. I then dry brushed the helmet with Evil Sunz Scarlet, focusing on the edges around the helmet's "beak". That plus a little more Nuln Oil around the insertion points of the cheek cables seemed to separate the vents and the cables pretty well.

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  2. 24_CigarettesDecember 31, 2015 at 9:32 AM

    He does look fantasic, great execution, i would never have guessed you dry brushed that helmet, I like the pose did you cut and pin HIS left arm to cross over the torso?
    I do hope in the future you can pin some of the squad in mid jump and camouflage it with some tall tufts. A squad painted to this standard would be simply inspiring.

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    1. JamesDecember 31, 2015 at 10:05 AM

      Thanks for the compliment.

      Fortunately, I didn't have to modify the lightning claw arms. Unlike the very boring Terminator lightning claws, the Vanguard kit lightning claws are all molded in dynamic poses.

      I've already started the rest of the squad, and I'm afraid they won't be too imaginative. Three will use unmodified Assault kit legs and a fourth will use a firmly planted pair of Mk IV legs. One of the running Marines will be wearing pure Mk VI armor and will have a bionic chainsword arm. Two Marines will have flamers, including the Marine with the Mk IV legs. I envision him as having landed and brought the flamer to bear.

      I also have the parts to build a Veteran Sergeant with an Eviscerator. Since the Eviscerator is unwieldy, he'll have both feet planted, as if he's bracing himself to swing his weapon.

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