# Melsaphim's Airborne Guard Log



## melsaphim (Jan 1, 2010)

Having hit a real stride with my High Elf log here (2 finished character models may not appear much to most but to me its a great achievement to actually finish something) I have decided to chronicle the progressions of my 40k army of choice as well.

When I started wargaming many years ago the guard were my first 40k army and still remain my favourite, there is just something about these guys that appeals to me deep down :biggrin: that and they have freaking huge guns :shok:

I once owned a huge IG army but it got ditched years ago when i took a break from the hobby, now I'm back and am trying to work on a single army at a time rather than loads of random projects and so it is I'm going to restart my IG forces only this time it'll be bigger and better than my last army (not least because my painting is now loads better)

The entire force is going to be based around a huge airborne company of the IG. I don't know how I'm going to work this fluff wise i just want marauder bombers ^^

I'm considering using aquila landers or arvus lighter figures from FW to 'count as' chimaeras for the force, any ideas on how this would look??

Anyway here is some pictures of what i have so far;

Commissar Landrich;









Platoon Command Squad;









Obviously this is a small start and there is little paint on the actual figures but i want to do this army properly bit by bit rather then buying everything and not actually doing everything with it, so please be patient as i will be updating this log as often as i can, it's just keeping myself motivated that's the problem 

Well that's all for now folks i will have more pics for you by the end of the week and hopefully a completed commissar if nothing else

With regards to the arvus lighter figures as chimaeras, any thoughts??

C&C welcome as always guys
Melsaphim


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## Dave T Hobbit (Dec 3, 2009)

Using Arvus Lighters as Chimaera sounds great visually and would happily face them; as I do not have the dimensions in front of me I am not sure if stricter opponents would complain about size or weapon mountings.

The commissar looks good so far. If he is staying mostly black, I would be tempted to up the highlights to add visual variety.

The command squad appears very dramatic which is excellent; however, the banner pole looks too short to me.


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## melsaphim (Jan 1, 2010)

Dave T Hobbit said:


> Using Arvus Lighters as Chimaera sounds great visually and would happily face them; as I do not have the dimensions in front of me I am not sure if stricter opponents would complain about size or weapon mountings.
> 
> The commissar looks good so far. If he is staying mostly black, I would be tempted to up the highlights to add visual variety.
> 
> The command squad appears very dramatic which is excellent; however, the banner pole looks too short to me.


Thanks i do think arvus lighter craft as chimaera's would be amazing to see so you may well see me doing that ^^

As for the commissar he is so far from done it's unbelievable but since posting that pic I've done the red work on his cloak and some more work on his armoured chest piece.

The command squad i tried to make as dramatically posed as i could without too much work and the banner pole is a whoops on my part as it got damaged in my bits box and i can't for the life of me lengthen that pole >< but hopefully when painted it wont look too bad in the middle of my squad

Thanks for the C&C its always welcome

more pics soon hopefully
Melsaphim


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## Dakingofchaos (Sep 29, 2009)

I think the comissar looks like Arnie at the minute, i say leave him as is!!! xD 

The command squad looks good, i look forward to seeing them with some paint on; im going to rep you but you have to tell me where you got their bases from, they're exactly what ive been looking for for a project of mine and i could never find any!


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## melsaphim (Jan 1, 2010)

Dakingofchaos said:


> The command squad looks good, i look forward to seeing them with some paint on; im going to rep you but you have to tell me where you got their bases from, they're exactly what ive been looking for for a project of mine and i could never find any!


The bases were from my flgs, they got a bunch of them from an ebay seller in all different types for both fantasy and 40k, these ones appealed to me most though. I can't for the life of me remember who they were done by, but i will find out as soon as i can and let you know, i can tell you however that 15 of em only cost me like £6 :grin:

Cheers
Mels


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## melsaphim (Jan 1, 2010)

Sorry for the double post guys but its picture update time for this week. I've managed to finish Commissar Landrich and his companion 'Heinz' ( or 'Skelzor' when I've been playing too much uncharted 2 ^^)

Edit: Can anyone please reccomend a good colour scheme for the command squad as i want them to match the death korps models i'm gonna buy from FW to make some of the ground forces of my 'airborne' guard that i need for a 'legal' army.

So onto the pics;

Landrich himself;

















Landrich and Skelzor;









Heinz aka Skelzor;









I know it isn't an amazing amount of progress nor is it the best painting to be seen on this forum, but i'm proud of them none the less. Now onto the commander....

C&C welcome as always guys
Cheers
Melsaphim


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## Minizke1 (Feb 7, 2010)

Looks good, I'll have to follow this one.


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## loyalist42 (Sep 7, 2007)

The easiest way to lengthen the banner pole is probably going to be to replace it entirely. Just cut the banner away and glue/green stuff it to a piece of plastic or brass rod of the appropriate length, then glue the banner assembly into the banner bearer's hand. 

The Commissar's looking great, but I do have a question...where's the red sash?


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## melsaphim (Jan 1, 2010)

loyalist42 said:


> The easiest way to lengthen the banner pole is probably going to be to replace it entirely. Just cut the banner away and glue/green stuff it to a piece of plastic or brass rod of the appropriate length, then glue the banner assembly into the banner bearer's hand.
> 
> The Commissar's looking great, but I do have a question...where's the red sash?


The sash around his waist ended up being cream, i know it should of been red but i wanted to keep a dark gritty feel to the army and i didn't want to over-do the red.

As for the banner pole i have remade the standard bearer completely so no problems with a short pole their ^^

Now for pictures, I have just finished painting Lt Dan Baur of the 501st airborne. The name is a swap around of Ban Daur from the gaunts ghost novels who injured his arm during 'necropolis', as soon as i built the guy he popped into my head so the name stuck.

Lt Dan Baur 501st Airborne;


















Little details i haven't managed to capture in the photos are the wood grain effect on the pistol i tried by hand and the red trim sleeve on his right arm. I will try and get some better pictures as soon as i can but for now you gotta trust me that they are there :biggrin:

Now onto the flamer guy.....
C&C welcome as always
Melsaphim


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## Fenrisian (Jun 12, 2011)

Lieutenant Dan Baur ? remind me of a certain lieutenant Ban Daur of the Tanith First that also get is arm slinged in the siege of Vervhun Hive. Am i right ? Nice paintin there


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## melsaphim (Jan 1, 2010)

Fenrisian said:


> Lieutenant Dan Baur ? remind me of a certain lieutenant Ban Daur of the Tanith First that also get is arm slinged in the siege of Vervhun Hive. Am i right ? Nice paintin there


Right on the money there Fenrisian. like i said above as i was building the guy and the minute the arm in sling went on i thought straight to Ban Daur in Vervhun hive as you said. So not wanting to simply steal the name i swapped the letters round and got Dan Baur as you see above ^^

Thanks for the comment on the paint work it took me ages to get the grey looking anything near good enough for my liking as i have never really painted grey on such a scale before, but seeing as how i'm getting some death korps to fill out the foot sloggers of my airborne guard i need the practice :biggrin:

Mels


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## Dave T Hobbit (Dec 3, 2009)

The lieutenant is looks good. The grey seems to work well.

My only niggle is the black lining on the bandages looks too harsh; possibly a brown wash would work better than black.


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## melsaphim (Jan 1, 2010)

Now i know this is a quick update but this is somewhat of a rare occasion for me, i have actually finished a model in roughly 4 hours work over a single day. those of you who have had the misfortune of reading any of my over logs soon will have realised that i never EVER get a model finished never mind this quickly. So all in all its a good thing for me to have gotten so much done for this log already, and this rate ill have the rest of the squad done soon ^^ then i shall realy celebrate as i haven't had a finished squad painted in well a few years now i think.



Dave T Hobbit said:


> The lieutenant is looks good. The grey seems to work well.
> 
> My only niggle is the black lining on the bandages looks too harsh; possibly a brown wash would work better than black.


My girlfriend pointed out the black lines only on the fingers rather than the bandages, that's down to my painting rather than the washes, i deliberately leave gaps between certain things, i don't know why i just guess its my painting style. As for the brown wash rather than a black one it was a Gryphonne sepia wash that i used on the bandages anyway, as i said its simply my painting.

On the flame trooper I have just finished however tried to limit the black lines on the bandages i just hope this one looks better and meets your approval.

Trooper Tanner - Flamer


























C&C welcome
Cheers
Mels


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## Fenrisian (Jun 12, 2011)

Putting a bit of burn mark at the end of the muzzle would really improve the model, well imo. And also , drill your barrel !


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## Dave T Hobbit (Dec 3, 2009)

melsaphim said:


> My girlfriend pointed out the black lines only on the fingers rather than the bandages, that's down to my painting rather than the washes, i deliberately leave gaps between certain things, i don't know why i just guess its my painting style. As for the brown wash rather than a black one it was a Gryphonne sepia wash that i used on the bandages anyway, as i said its simply my painting.


I thought you had used a wash to create the black lines rather than leaving a gap. I do not like the black gaps on soft pale areas like bandages; however, if you like it then no harm.

I think the nozzle is dark enough that it does not need burn marks adding.


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## melsaphim (Jan 1, 2010)

Thanks for the comments guys the muzzle is actually darker at the end irl, i gave it a heavy badab black wash. And as for drilling the muzzle it is something i will work on but atm it is kind of hard as i only have access to a masonry drill with bits the size of the models arm ><

Anyway another day, another picture, another model finished. I really am ploughing through these guys at some speed for me. two more to go and i have a command squad all finished. (work on the vox has already begun so im gettting there already)

Cheif Medic O'Connell;

















Note the mistake on the medic symbol on the backpack on the right hand side has been fixed since these were taken so don't be too harsh.

I'm actually quite proud of these guys not only for the fact i'm getting something painted for once but also because i'm doing a rather good job with my painting even though i'm attempting to paint them at speed. I may be proud but it's you guys who count too so C&C away :biggrin:

Cheers Mels


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## melsaphim (Jan 1, 2010)

Once again sorry for the double post but i'm getting this painting done stupidly fast for me at the minute. Now i present to you Comms officer Mason. I even gave him a lil map in his hand :biggrin:

Comms officer Mason;

















Map;









I know these guys probably have a large amount of visible problems noticable by you guys but I'm only aiming for table-top standard really, although i'm trying to get them to a good standard still. For me this project is mainly about proving to myself i can stay motivated and paint a full army for once rather than a model or two at a time.

C&C welcome as always guys cos i'm still a learner and still want to improve
Melsaphim


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## Fenrisian (Jun 12, 2011)

Nice medic and comm boy keep on going and i know that IG can have so many models n be daunting but you seem to be started


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