+ Forbidden, not Forgotten +

+ Building the squad +
+ Quick build of a second marine, using bits I had lying around – but I wasn't sure the heavy bolter was quite right, so that's been taken off and will likely be swapped for something else. +
+ The arms and torso are made using the same process I used for my Iron Warriors of Officio Monstrosa. The step-by-step tutorial, if you want to have go yourself, is here: [+noospherinloadlink embedded+] +
+ The legs are an iterative development of my old approach for converting 'truescale' marines. Rather than being based on Terminators, the legs use a Heavy Intercessor/Gravis base with greenstuff work (above). I haven't worked up a tutorial for that yet, but if there's interest I'll aim to do one for the next one I make. +
+++
+ Here's a quick comparison of how my older process – the Ultramarine Ancient on the right – compares with the new. This isn't a deliberate decision to simply enlarge models for the sake of size, but rather new materials and my own development allowing me to better capture the image I have in my mind of Salamanders in particular. +
+ That mental image has the Salamanders being notably, but not excessively, larger than most other marines, and generally having a bit more variance in their ranks. This chap is probably as big as they'll get; as I want to be able to mix and match these marines with those based on Primaris etc.. My aim it to give a more custom, artificer-made and personal feel than the very uniform, structured and formal look I wanted for my Ultramarines. +
+++
+ I like the dichotomy between the slightly more humane attitude of the Salamanders and their monstrous appearance, and this seems a nice way to nod to that – as well as allowing me to be a lot more free with my modelling, and enjoy the creativity. As to the inspiration, I've been gathering my thoughts, so figured I'd tap them out here for discussion and later reference. +
+++
+ Musing on the composition of the army, I thought I'd start gathering some ideas and turning them over. The Salamanders 'thing' (or strategic disposition, if you prefer) during the Second Armageddon War was protecting supply lines and patrolling the ash waste desert: +
While the Ultramarines defended the beleaguered hive cities of Armageddon and the Blood Angels assaulted the Orks head-on, the Salamanders lent their strength to the protection of Imperial supply convoys and refugee columns, ensuring the safety of the civilians caught up in the war. This was a task often neglected by the other Imperial forces fighting on Armageddon. The actions of the Salamanders in defending the Imperial citizens of the beleaguered world from the massive Greenskin onslaught has often been held up as a shining example of the role of the Adeptus Astartes in the protection of the Imperium.
+ ...which could be used as the theme for the force. I rather like the idea of playing against type and having some Salamanders bikes, or perhaps a mounted force – which had been the original inspiration for this army. As it stands, I think small steps are the best way, and constructing a Kill Team seems a modest ambition. +
+++
+++
Potential Dramatis Personae
Pyre of Glory – Battlebarge
An artwork of the period – I'll need to find some orks to scrap with!
+ Feeling a bit agitated over the weekend, so took it out on this chap, a Salamanders marine who's been waiting patiently for paint. While not finished, he's coming along quite nicely, so thought I'd show him off to garner some ideas and thoughts. +
+ This particular marine has had an odd history of paint, having been undercoated with Halford’s brown and painted with olive green oils; but he has since been left to dry/oxidise, then reprimed with GW’s wraith one spray, a sort of warm off-white. Alas, the can was down to its dregs, so it was a rather patchy and necessarily zenithal coat – that is, largely limited to a top-down spritz. +
+ As a test model, I’m not too fussed about this, as I’m happy to spend a bit more time on him. For future models, I’ll want to streamline the process, so will start from a clean and even base of wraithbone or white. +
+++
'The Leman Russ Company? Yer talkin' about using a sledgehammer to crack a nut, Colonel.'
'You have a better idea, Captain?'
![]() |
'The things I seen out there in the green, man... You wouldn't believe half of 'em.' |
+ I'm working on a Catachan guntruck as my maiden entry for Warhammerfest, and – wonder of wonders – I think I'm going to have it finished in time, rather than scrambling at the very last second. +
+ Above you can see a detail of the Goliath's nickname – I took the idea for the rather swanky style of handwriting – and speech marks – from photographs of tanks from the Second World War. I've used a lot of real-world reference for this project; for the Imperial Guard in particular I think it suits them to have clear antecedents – it's how these are swathed and blended into the 40k milieu that makes them interesting. +
+++
+ Since the last inload, I've added the squirrel marking I explained there – shown in the pict-capture above prior to oil glazes. Besides that, most of the changes were to the crew – fairly subtle additional detailing and refinement of their equipment. The major addition is the base. +
+ A scenic base is, I think, very important to give some context and narrative to the vehicle, so I've created a section of jungle trail. It was with some trepdiation that I approached this, as I don't have much experience with this aspect of modelling. Still, the best teacher is experimentation, so I got stuck in. +
+ The underlying structure of the base is layers of corkboard overlaid with Polyfilla. While wet, I added fine sand and embedded some small twigs and debris. I also added a large root that I fortuitously dug up while gardening a few weeks ago. It makes a good basis for a nice twisted jungly tree. This was secured to the cork using superglue before adding the Polyfilla. +
+ Once it had all dried, I painted a layer of watered-down PVA over the whole thing to seal it. Once that had dried, I sprayed it successively with black, and brown spray, then used some more directed khaki and olive touches – the former for the trail, and the latter for the surrounding undergrowth. I was aiming for a fairly subtle modulation +
+ After polishing off as much of the vehicle and crew as I could (I'm still waiting for the oils on the flag to dry to add the finishing touches), I attacked the base with a variety of earthy brown and green oil paints to vary the broad areas of colour that were in place after the spraying. +
+ This was a nice quick job – lucky, as it was getting late, and I'm determined not to be dead on my feet for the actual event! Before turning it, I couldn't resist getting a couple of shots of everything in place. The plinth base is a temporary one – a larger one is (rather nail-bitingly) in the post, so I'm crossing my mechadendrites that it arrives in time. +
+ This shot's a good example of how important it is to balance the markings. Too subtle initially, and they'd be lost when subsequent glazes are added. Too bold, and they'll stick out like a sore thumb. Too many, and you'll create a confusing finish; too few and it'll be a bit boring. Have I struck the magic balance? I dunno – but that's why it's good to have a day or two to ponder and consider in the cold light of day. +
+ T–4 days 'til I set off for Warhammer Fest, and I'm on the closing stretch with the Catachan Guntruck I'm taking along. Last night I started polishing off the details: things like the various lights and wires, as well as the markings. +
![]() |
+ Pict-credit: Flaticon [+noosphericexloadlink embedded+] + |