Mk.1 Rhino, 3rd Company, Red Scorpions

The Mk. 1 Rhino is among the oldest vehicles still in use within the Imperium. It was used when mankind spread among the stars and already was old when the Emperor himself started his Great Crusade. I got this one off ebay for bargain. Unfortunately I had to discover it was in worse shape than I thought. :-(
The headlights: they are scratchbuilt because for some reason the former owner never glued some in place.

Tactical marking on the side doors. I used a decal from the new Rhino kit but cut it into shape and repainted it.

Again a brass etched part from Forgeworld. I love those things.

Because both handles were broken, I had to replace them with parts of a Leman Russ tank. The marking again is a decal cut into shape from the newer Rhino kit.

Battle damages, oil paint washes, weathering powders - this Rhino has seen many battles!

Predator Destructor Mk. 1b, Chapter's Armoury, Red Scorpions

The Predator tank is one of the oldest vehicles in use within the Adeptus Astartes, the design dating back to the Dark Age of Technology. It was built in direct response to the Ork incursions. The model shown resembles the Mk. 1b variant, a Citadel (all) plastic kit, based upon the old Rhino chassis. The kit is old - older than 20 years to be exactly. I was lucky to got one in good shape.
Business end: A turret mounted Autocannon and sponson mounted Lascannons.

Pintle mounted Stormbolter, Smoke dischargers and Searchlight.

Side view of the old plastic variant of the Lascannon as it was looking like during Rogue Trader times (first edition of 40k).

I replaced the antennas with radio antennas from a Leman Russ tank. The chapter emblem is brass etched and from Forgworld.

Heavy washes of thinned down oil paint together with powders in rust colours add to a heavily worn battlefield look.

The "Dozer Blade" rather looks like a battering ram - but I guess it doesn't matter if you get run over by either of them :-)

I tried to paint the Searchlight in greyish colours instead of yellow. It was a first try and doesn't really look like I wanted... but hey - I'll keep on trying new stuff.

A close up shot of the Lascannon. Note the burnt front end.

Heavily chipped colour stripes.

Turret details and rust and oil stains all over the place. This tank is thousands of years in service. How long is it under warranty of the Adeptus Mechanicus I wonder?

The tank has had several washes and lots of paint chipping, using various techniques.

Mk.1 Razorback, 3rd Company, Red Scorpions

The old Mk.1 Razorback is one of the oldest vehicles within the Red Scorpions chapter. Dating back to the early days of the 36th millenium this chassis has seen its fair share of battles.
The paint is worn and chipped all around the vehicle. Note the rust effects on the exhaust which was achieved with Tamiya weathering powders mixed with Scorched Brown.

A rather unusual design: a Lascannon mixed with twin-linked Plasmaguns. Barrels were drilled and effects of burnt metal painted on with various layers of GW washes.

A note on the Marine gunner of the vehicle: I decided to field this vehicle with my Devastator Squad, so the gunner got the markings from such a squad. The rust stains were painted using thinned down Burnt Umber oil paint that was applied to all rivets and recesses.

The effects of chipped paint were done with an old "sponge" - just like the ones that come with GW blister packs. Just apply some paint (I used GW foundation paints) and carefully dab around the edges and panels.

I chipped the yellow markings with the base colour grey of the vehicle. This resembles how paint was flaking away and the original tone becomes visible.

The Red Scorpions icons are FW brass etches parts. The "3rd Company" marking is painted free hand. The rust stains are oil colours (burnt umber and various brown shades).

The lower part of the hull was drybrushed with a selection of brown paints to add to the muddy and dusty look.

I really like how it turned out. While some might argue that Space Marine vehicles should be in much better shape than Imperial Guard ones for example I want to point out this Razorback is an early Mk.1 and thus is in service for generations. I doubt a vehicle in that age would look brand new and shiny, especially not if in use on a battlefield for some month in an ongoing campaign.

Khrom, 1st Tactical Squad, 3rd Company, Red Scorpions

Veteran Sergeant Khrom's demi-squad of Tactical Marines. Note the yellow stripe upon their Boltguns. This marks them as members of Khrom's team.
Brother Veteran-Sergeant Khrom himself. Awards: the Aquila when appointed to squad leader. Crux Terminatus for actions above and beyond the call of duty during the Ork incursions in Ultima Segmentum. Khrom is one of 3rd Company's oldest veterans.

Second demi-squad, under the command of Veteran-Brother Zoran. They back up firepower with an Astartes Mk .XII Plasmagun.

Veteran Brother Zoran. Zoran proofed himself time and time again to his Sergeant. For his tactical understanding and knowledge as well as his bravery, Khrom appointed him to lead the second demi-squad into battle. Zoran is a Veteran by any means, having accomplished 58 missions. Its expected he will be transferred to 1st Company to gain training with Terminator Armour soon and finally be awarded his own Terminator Honours.

Brother Hecate. The Plasmagunner of demi-squad Zoran. The purity seal shall ease the spirit of the gun. May it never fail and boil.

Warhammer 40,000 Space Marine - my Collector's Edition box has arrived

Today the guy from the parcel service brought some awesome stuff: a 40k Drop Pod, my company standard bearer and last but not least my copy of a Playstation 3 "Warhammer 40,000 Space Marine" Collector's Edition.

The Collector's Edition for PS3 comes in a huge cardboard in the look of a book. Within you find a magnetized 1:1 scale purity seal that will stick on metal surfaces.
Next you'll find the original Soundtrack of the game on CD - it has 19 tracks that will from now on run in the background when I paint. To its right the artbook, containing a lot of images from the concept art that was used to create the game.

Some of the concept art is absolutely lovely. I think I might just go ahead and re-create some characters of the game or build some terrain to look like the one depicted in the book.

Last is the game itself in its jewel-case. Below you see a set of collcetor's cards. Those depict the characters and enemies you'll find in the game. It has additional info on the back, like hints about weaknesses etc.

I will have some friends swing by later this day and have a first go with the game. I am soo looking forward to that.

Stay tuned, new painted Red Scorpions will be posted soon, too.

Epistolary Yaec, currently attached to 1st Company, Red Scorpions

"Yaec accompanied Commander Ainea during the Siege Of Vraks in 826.M41. Back in those days he was a young Codicier that just had been promoted to Veteran status. When he served the chapter as a Lexicanium it soon appeared that he had a special talent for tactics - one of the reasons why Ainea was looking for his counsel during the planning stages of the forthcoming attacks. Yaec earned his status as he never failed to lead his brothers with inspiring example, always being in the thick of the hardest fighting. When he finally reached the rank of a Codicier he had achieved plenty of awards, the highest being his Crux Terminatus (Terminator Honours). Ainea requested him to serve with the Veterans of First Company during the assaults on Vraks. He gained a reputation among the chapter's battle brothers for being both - wild and determined in the slaughter of the Emperor's foes and sacrifically and devoted in his duty to write the Red Scorpions' scrolls of honour. After the Siege Of Vraks, Yaec continued his studies under the guidance of Magister Sevrin Loth. He currently holds the rank of an Epistolary and remains with First Company at the behest of Lord High Commander Carab Culln himself. Rumours and whispers in the holy chambers of the chapter's home in the orbit around Zaebus Minoris speak of high chances that Yaec might one day succeed ancient Magister Sevrin Loth - should the old warrior's unbroken spirit not survive for long years yet to come."

For Epistolary Yaec I have used the Terminator psyker figure from the Space Hulk miniatures game. I removed the original base and have instead mounted him on a resin part that came from GW's Warhammer Fantasy Hero basing kit. I went with the traditional colour for Space Marine psykers - a dark blue tone.

Psyker or not, an Astartes in Terminator Armour still proudly display's his chapters insignia. The Red Scorpions decal is off Forgeworlds' sheet for the Siege Of Vraks.
The Terminator Honours that mark Yaec as a Veteran of First Company are also including the horned skull all Astartes psykers wear, showing off his special rank among his brothers.
The tabard bears two stripes - a symbol of the rank of an Epistolary. I am especially proud of the Force Axe's paintjob that took forever but looks fantastic. Also note the many small scribblings on all of those purity seals and books.

Brother Remis, Dreadnought, 3rd Company, Red Scorpions

"Brother Remis was blessed with the gift of being embedded in one of the chapter's sacred Dreadnought armours for his actions during the Ork incursions in 907.M41 within Ultima Segmentum. He served within one of 3rd Company's Devastator Squads and was well known for his accuracy with his Plasma Cannon. During an ongoing counter assault of Ork mobs on an fortified position of the Red Scorpions he was noted to have vaporized not less than 97 Storm Boyz within less than 3 minutes. Despite streams of heavy fire from the Company's Devastators they couldn't end the Ork assault and the outer perimeter was overrun. When the first mobs hit Remis squad's position, three of his brothers died immediately under the might of the blows of a gigantic Ork Nob. Without fear, Remis charged the Ork boss in close combat, swinging his heavy weapon with fury. When he was outnumbered by countless Orks and about to lose the fight with their boss, he overcharged the plasma output of his gun, resulting in a huge explosion that killed the whole Ork mob at once as well as the savage beast that lead them. Chapter Apothecaries were surprised that the charred remains of Remis were not dead at all. In his focus on doing his duty he clung on to life - and was saved with being embedded into Dreadnought armour. Still to this day, he favours a Plasma Cannon and hasn't lost any of his accuracy."

Brother Remis, attached to 3rd Company, Red Scorpions chapter. The miniature is out of the "Assault On Black Reach" box and was combined with a Forgeworld Plasma Cannon arm and brass etched parts of Red Scorpions heraldry.

Back view of the Mk. V Dreadnought armour.

Brother Remis' close combat arm with attached Stormbolter. Note the chapter's symbol made from a brass etched part. You can also see a helmet of a fallen Chaos Space Marine on his base. I used the 40k basing kit for those details (GW).

Brother Remis' mighty Mk. V Dreadnought Plasma Cannon (Forgeworld).

The "Assault On Black Reach" Dreads didn't come with smoke dischargers, so one from a Leman Russ tank was added to the top of the armour. Another brass etched Scorpions' symbol adds further detail. The bones are from Warhammer Fantasy's Hero basing kit (GW)

Creating the Master Of The Forge - WIP

Shown above are the selected items to create a Warhammer 40,000 Master Of The Forges with Conversion Beamer for my Red Scorpions chapter. The body is an old Techmarine from GW, the bases comes from the Warhammer Fantasy Hero basing kit, the resin parts for the gun are from Chapterhouse Studios.
The resin parts offer two different backpacks. One offers you to create the Servo-Arm hanging over the shoulder to the front of the miniature as shown above.

My personal choice however was the more "classic" look, with Servo-Arm parallel to the shoulders of the Marine, using the other backpack.

For that you have to cut off a part of the joints and later pin it onto the backpack.

The thin red line shows where to cut apart.

I also pinned the plastic arm to the Conversion Beamer and the arm itself to the main body, using 1mm copper wire.

When I pinned the backpack into place I unfortunately drilled the hole a bit too deep. I need to correct that before painting.

I nice shot of how its going to look like. Nothing glued in place yet, only "dry" assembly to see how it fits.

This is how its going to look like when I am done.

And from the front side. I really like that dude!