WIP Storm Hawks

[Marius Corsican]

I've been collecting and playing since the mid 90s so I'm not a newbie to the hobby, just the site. I'm more of a lurker, but I'm trying to put together a 1500 pt drop pod list. It's probably not the most balanced list, but I've always wanted an all drop pod list. One captain w/ command squad, 3 basic tac squads, 2 dreads, 1 ironclad dread and 1 land speeder (that deep strikes). I've only ever played a couple of test games with vassal 40k (before it disappeared), but it seemed to play ok.

The captain and the command squad are primed and ready to be painted, I've got a dread that is about a third painted and everything else is either in the box or in some stage of assembly. I started working on an ironclad before the new kit came out so here's a teaser of it so far.

 

http://i775.photobucket.com/albums/yy37/dpallante/Storm%20Hawks%203rd%20Company/ironclad_dread.jpg

 

I'll try to keep up with it as best I can. I'd like to have it completed by June. (I'm pretty busy and a little slow we it comes to painting.) Below is a test model for the paint scheme. C&C welcome.

 

http://i775.photobucket.com/albums/yy37/dpallante/Storm%20Hawks%203rd%20Company/stormhawkstest.jpg

[Pulse]

Wow that dreadnaught looks the nuts, good work on the plasticard!

[Crazy Eight]

that is probably 1 of the best custom ironclad dreads i have ever seen and youre paint scheme is nice really good looks a bit like white scars if you dont mind me saying

[Marius Corsican]

Thanks for comments.

 

The scheme is really similar to the White Scars and I like it, I just didn't want to do a bike army. I found this chapter in the marine painting book and I couldn't find much info on them except that they're a second founding and they're more of a rapid strike force. The symbol, which I don't have with me at work, is a profile of an eagle head spitting a lightning bolt. I'll try to post that later today.

 

Part of the reason that I haven't gotten very far with this army is I wanted to have all detailed bases for each figure. I made a mold of 8 different ones and have been casting them as I can. Here's six of them below.

http://i775.photobucket.com/albums/yy37/dpallante/Storm%20Hawks%203rd%20Company/resinbases.jpg

 

I also had an updated picture of the Ironclad. I was planning on painting him up, but I wanted to change a couple things and I'm not sure what to mount on the top. I might make it magnetic so I can change the options for larger games. The arms are already magnetic. Sorry about the quality.

http://i775.photobucket.com/albums/yy37/dpallante/Storm%20Hawks%203rd%20Company/ironcladdread2.jpg

[Power Hungry Monkey]

Very very very nice Ironclad! I love the plasticard work on the hammer. Did you cast the greaves from the Epic Warlord of make them from scratch based on it? Would only recommend to bulk out the powerfist arm now too otherwise it looks kinda lop-sided.

 

Still fantastic work from a feloow Dread-lover

[Marius Corsican]

Good eye. I found that kit on eBay for cheap and I thought they'd be perfect.

 

When I first saw the entry for Ironclad Dread, the first thing I thought was I need to give it a giant thunder hammer and storm shield (to count as extra armour). I was still thinking of making a shield the DCC arm. Thoughts?

[Power Hungry Monkey]

I've used the same greaves on about 3 dreads previously (two of them are in my Iron Wolves link in my sig). They work really well as do the feet if you can get them.

 

If you make a sheild have it faceing forward so it looks almost like a riot shield or battering ram, maybe have it studded. I have seen a really nice dread done using parts from a Warmachine War Jack with large shield arms (not sure of the type of Warjack used but it was from the soviet-rip-off army with the red paint scheme) Basically it gave the impression of really big flat fore-arms so the dread had a kinda gorilla look to it.

 

Gonna follow this with interest

[Boot Leather]

I actually agree with power on this, amazing as the dreadnaught is the power fist thing needs to be bulked out.

[Marius Corsican]

I'll take all that into consideration when I start working on the dread again.

Below is a better picture of what he's going to be mounted on. The idea I had was that he show's up behind an Imperial Guard auto cannon crew and chases them off after he breaks their big gun.

http://i775.photobucket.com/albums/yy37/dpallante/Storm%20Hawks%203rd%20Company/ironclad_dread_base.jpg

 

Tonight I was able to finish the bases for the command squad and I'm pretty happy with them.

http://i775.photobucket.com/albums/yy37/dpallante/Storm%20Hawks%203rd%20Company/command_bases.jpg

 

Next step is to paint up these guys and mount them on top.

http://i775.photobucket.com/albums/yy37/dpallante/Storm%20Hawks%203rd%20Company/command_squad.jpg

 

The bottom half of my captain is complete. Once I finish the command squad, I'll come back to him and finish him up.

http://i775.photobucket.com/albums/yy37/dpallante/Storm%20Hawks%203rd%20Company/Marius_lower.jpg

 

I had a really hard time figuring out what I was going to do with the chapter badge on all the should pads. All of my tac squads with be models from the starter set (super deal on ebay) and I liked the raised tac symbol on the right shoulder, I wanted to replicate that on the other side. I made out of plasticard.

http://i775.photobucket.com/albums/yy37/dpallante/Storm%20Hawks%203rd%20Company/StormHawksSymbol.jpg

 

Unfortunately, it's too big for the shoulder pads, but it works great for vehicles. I tried making another out of green stuff and it fits on the loose shoulder pads, but the shoulder pads on the tactical marines are slightly smaller. I will probably just fee-hand the symbol on because trying to create it any smaller and still be able to cast it doesn't seem practical.

 

Hopefully I can get a couple of the command squad guys done this week and I'll post what I have in couple of days.

[sp4rky]

Wow, that's a fantastic base for the Dread. Mind you, it all looks awesome <_<

[ShinyRhino]

The bases are really fantastic. Is that an old conversion beamer on one of them?

Loving the white paintjob, as well.

[Marius Corsican]

I'm not really sure what some of the bits are supposed to be. They came from the first basing kit GW released. It was only available for a short time and I'm a little sad I only picked up one. The current kit they have is ok, but the original had so many better pieces in it with a lot more oddball bits. The second and third bases on the left and the first base on the right have resin pieces from that original kit. The other two are from the current 40K basing kit. All of the them have green stuff and small pieces of slate. The dread base is left-over bits from IG heavy weapon sprue, green stuff and a couple of rocks.

Thanks for all the comments!

[Dejay]

Those bases look great, I thought you'd bought resin one's to begin with. I really like the Dread too. Let's see it painted :)

[Tonzateef]

Excellent work as always, Marius!

 

The time and consideration you have put into every figure and base truly is admirable. I am certain that you will have a truly impressive force when it is all said and done. Keep up the work and I look forward to your next update.

[Marius Corsican]

Things have been taking longer than I expected and I haven't been able to spend as much time as I'd like to, but isn't that how it always is. Here's a pile of bases that I've cast. Still have a lot of work to clean them all up.

http://i775.photobucket.com/albums/yy37/dpallante/Storm%20Hawks%203rd%20Company/IMG_3103.jpg

 

I've been trying to paint the rest of the command squad and it's been going really slow. I only get about an hour or so at a time, so as soon as a get a rhythm down, I have to stop. Anyway, here's two guys almost complete.

http://i775.photobucket.com/albums/yy37/dpallante/Storm%20Hawks%203rd%20Company/IMG_3100.jpg

http://i775.photobucket.com/albums/yy37/dpallante/Storm%20Hawks%203rd%20Company/IMG_3102.jpg

 

I still have to free-hand the logo on the left shoulder pads and the one guy's backpack. Pictures aren't great due to the lighting/color correcting of the picture, but there is a highlight on the white.

 

Because the command squad has been kicking my butt, I moved on to the dreads. Built the Assault Cannon Dread - nothing special, but the custom casted chapter logo on the left shin.

http://i775.photobucket.com/albums/yy37/dpallante/Storm%20Hawks%203rd%20Company/IMG_3098.jpg

 

Also, I started work on the Ironclad again. I built a storm shield (counts as extra armor). It's magnetized at the wrist, so if someone doesn't like it, I can swap it out for a regular DCCW fist.

http://i775.photobucket.com/albums/yy37/dpallante/Storm%20Hawks%203rd%20Company/IMG_3093.jpg

It's still a little rough - I still have to use some GS to smooth out some of the details.

 

I've gotten in two games so far (using mostly proxy models) and the list plays ok. It really comes down to how the reserve rolls work out and whether or not I'm paying attention to the mission objectives or the fact the my Ironclad actually has a meltagun and a hvy flamer instead of two hvy flamers. Lesson learned. Should get another game in next weekend so I hope to have a bit more done by then. I can always hope. C&C appreciated. Thanks,

[rolloverbeethoven]

Awesome dread! Can't wait to see them all finished up on those shexy bases. :)

[Lord_Azoth]

really love the colour schema and the symbol.... The conversions are really coool !..congrat

[asw thunderlord]

that dred is amazing cant wait to see it painted

[Tonzateef]

Wow! That shield is amazing on the Ironclad! :) Top notch stuff, my friend.

[Metal Apostle]

Very very nice bases and thunderhammer! and that white! Too awesome, keep it coming :)

[Marius Corsican]

So, it's been a while since I've updated. I had a lot going on in the last year - Got married, bought a house, repairs on said house, moving, etc. I finally have gotten some free time and I pulled out my stuff and started working on it again. I painted all thirty bases for the Tactical Marines - see below.

 

http://i775.photobucket.com/albums/yy37/dpallante/Storm%20Hawks%203rd%20Company/photo2.jpg

 

And I started painting the first squad.

 

http://i775.photobucket.com/albums/yy37/dpallante/Storm%20Hawks%203rd%20Company/photo.jpg

 

So far it's just lining and base colors. Hopeful, this year I'll be a little more consitant on getting this army done. Better pictures will follow eventually.

[wise_crak]

thats some nice smooth looking white! top work!!

 

Wisey :)

[Marius Corsican]

So, I don't really have an update on painting my marines, but my friend came over and we played a game. In preparation for this game, I really wanted to have a decent table to play on, so I slapped some paint on a couple sheets of particle board I had in my garage. I think they came out ok for spending less than an hour on them.

 

http://i775.photobucket.com/albums/yy37/dpallante/Storm%20Hawks%203rd%20Company/IMG_4444.jpg

 

I also had a bag of craters I tried to finish in time, but only got one completed. The rest of the scenery is just stuff we've had for a while. The game was a lot of fun, my first since last summer. It was a capture and control/dawn of war with my friend's Bad Moon Ork army - 1500pts a side. I lost. Three objectives, two contested, one controlled by the Orks. I forfeit during the beginning of turn 6 as I had no way of taking any of the objectives back.

 

It was a close game until he knocked out all three of my Dreads in second half of turn 3. At that point I had no way of stopping his transports and he had free reign of the board. Also didn't help I blew all of my reserve rolls. Anyway, it just makes me want to get more done. Stay tuned for more updates.

[Lexington]

Great stuff, from the modelling to the painting. I'm especially pleased by the way you've done simple, effective whites with black-lining work, without making them look too "cartoony."

 

The one thing that bothers me a little is the position of the Dreadnought's hammer - it's at a complete vertical, which makes it seem kind of "scrunched" against the body. I think angling it out between 30 and 45 degrees from the body - as most Dreadnought CCW weapons are - would help here.

[daggitkiller]

Army looks great. I have a similar DIY drop pod chapter called the Storm Guard that I've been meaning to post and I think you've inspired me to do so. I run the game shop inside Meltdown Comics in Hollywood, Dragons Den Games. You should pop in for a game.