New Territory: Starting an Adeptus Mechanicus themed IG Army

Hello everyone,

I decided that I would post a project log of my planned adeptus mechanicus themed army. I don't want to use the forgeworld models as they are either pricey or they are robots...which doesn't seem to fit the current state of 40k as much since that is more 30k in my mind. Any ways I will need ideas and help for sure as I've never tried to do such a large conversion job. The most I've down are my grotesques from rate ogres.

So my planned 1850 list is the following:

Quote :

Yarrick
2x priests
lvl 2 psyker
Platoon (pcs with autocannon, 3x10 guardsmen with 3 lascannons, 3 power axes)
veteran squad (lascannon)
2x wyverns

2x Knight Paladin

aegis with quad gun

ALLIES:
scion command squad (4 meltaguns)
5 man scion squad (2 plasma)

So this is the list I'm currently going with though it might change a little but the idea will be the same most likely unless I decide to try to do Pask in a punisher. But for now I want to just focus on the main elements...infantry as that is where the admech conversion comes in. I know a ton of people like to do special things to the tanks, but that doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me as they venerate STCs...so I will not do anything to the tanks beside some minor details like admech icons and whatnot.  Anyways, what I'd like to do is go through unit by unit and give my thoughts. PLEASE respond with ideas and suggestions!

Yarrick-My Magos
So Yarrick is the rule base for my Magos. The nice thing about this is that yarrick uses some sweet wargear that lends itself well to a Magos...aka the power claw! This to me sounds like a servo-arm and thus I would seek to use a nice looking servo arm. The question is...what about the rest of the model? I'd like it to fit on a normal size base as that is what yarrick uses....but that may not be the biggest deal. I've had thoughts of going with a track mounted magos. Other thoughts include just a jacked up standing or sudo-standiing model. Ideally, he should have some sort of cloak...and I have never sculpted anything so that could be very challenging. I'm thinking of channeling some EoE here with his Dark Mechanicus model:

Another idea I saw somewhere was the use of the Cairn Wraith from GW:

The nice thing is that its plastic and has a nice full cloak that I could use. My fear is that it would look too dark mechanicus with all the tattering (green stuff could probably fix that along with some cutting). My other fear is how I would do all the weapons and backpack and such with a model like that.
ANOTHER thought that I had was trying to do something on mechanical spider like limbs or something like that. I kind of like this idea the best and I think would better allow the use of the cairn wraith. The spider mount could have all the weapons and I think that could look pretty sick.


Priests
I think I am going to use some old inquisitor henchmen for this and just simply admech them up. Almost like battle techpriests that attend to the skitarri to heighten their abilities.

Psyker
Same idea as priest but I want to take it a step further. Instead of 'psychic powers' he will use math and science to win the day! I honestly want to devise a way to show the noosphere. I'd love to have some thin clear, but stiff plastic that I could manage to paint/etch/something some small bits of math and graphs onto, like a trajectory shot and some governing equations (I am an engineer  ) and have it hang in front of the Psyker as if he is determining how to improve the efficiency of the force. I'd love suggestions on this one for the plastic. If I can do this well I would consider doing it for Yarrick for his orders! For the idea of the plastic I'm thinking of the effect that was shown here:


Platoon and Vet Squad
Aka my skitarri. This is where the vast amount of work lays. Everyone seems to want to give them robes, but I'm not a big fan of this from a look and work load viewpoint. My idea is to essentially use cadians and catachans (if needed, I have 60ish cadians and 20 catachans). Sergeants will be techpriests/techmarines that I already have, perhaps just spice them up with mechandrites since they come with power axes already. The men will just have to be more admech'd. This would include guns mounted to torsos instead of arms, bionics, necron heads, servo skulls, cool packs etc. For heavy weapons I plan on using servitors with attached lascannons or standing next to them and being hardwired in.

Wyverns
Magnetize for hydra use if I ever want to switch. Simply add some decorative gears and skulls and keep it STC...no need to make it look like something different...doesn't sound like the mechanicus way to me.

Aegis and Quad Gun
Already have this, just need to determine if I want it to be the colors of the army or a standard green like you see in the books. Keep it STC.

Knights
Already have 1 done! Though I need to make the base look better.

There is the base...I highlighted it once or twice, but still doesn't look good. I could do some bone colored highlights that would immediately do that, or perhaps I could go with an orange like rust as if the ground were full of iron ore...which is what it is supposed to represent. I need help here.
Other pics found here: http://www.thedarkcity.net/t9063-my-first-imperial-knight-finished#96283
The other knight will be built the same.

Scions
I'm going to keep this part less admech and more Admech allied Scions as the fluff tells it. I will use the bits that make them look more inline with having augmetics and such. Keeping these guys simple. Hard part will be getting melta guns on 4 guys without wasting too much money...probably just get 2 plastic melta guns and replace 2 hotshot lasguns with them. No berets...



So that's the army, I have found some bits that would work well for all the conversions and I have listed links and pics below here as well.

Gothic backpacks for some of the infantry: http://maxmini.eu/conversion-bits/torsos-and-arms/gothic-backpacks-bits


Possable wire for mechandrites...they also sell bits to attach to the ends of them too!
http://zinge.co.uk/index.php?route=product/category&path=102

Noosphere plastic...perhaps lexan?
http://www.eplastics.com/Plastic/Lexan_Clear_Polycarbonate_Sheet/Clear-Lexan-Polycarbonate-Sample-Set

So im going to have to put this on hold until 7th edition drops as percentage based lists as rumored would most likely make this invalid due to the knights at the very least...epic sadface. However I do welcome suggestions still please!!!

These interest you at all?

http://www.shop.microartstudio.com/iron-brotherhood-fl-angel-01-p-179.html

Specifically these guys for priests? Or wyrdvane pyskers?

http://www.shop.microartstudio.com/iron-brotherhood-http07-p-313.html

The best way to make that bubble (IMO is to get a balloon to the general size of the bubble you need, at this point you will have to find the proper material to paint on the outside of parts of the balloon. A Apoxy could probably work, I do not know enough. I know chefs use it with chocolate to make bowls. You apply what you want let it cure(harden) and then pop the balloon and now you have your curved surface. try it with a couple things. and you will probably need some sort of release so the balloon doesn't stick. And then paint what I hope is a clear bubble like object.

I was thinking along similar lines rumble. The key will be to find what to coat it with haha...perhaps a trip to the local hardware store will help give me ideas.

Dragontree-
Thanks for the links! I'll definately have to explore to see if I like the models to use them for bits. I like the tracked guy a lot and may be a good base for my Magos.

So in searching for more great parts for a Magos, I came across this warmachine guy:

syntherion

This guy's arms are perfect for a magos I feel and best yet I have a friend who has an extra one that he will give me for free...perfect!

Hello everyone!

I have finally started work at this army...slowly but surely!

I have put together the command squad for the scions with 4 meltaguns (2 of which are a stupid simple conversion because I couldn't figure out a way to get normalish melta guns onto the guys in a decent manner. So I converted 2 hot shot lasguns to be melta-rifles so to speak. I will post pictures of it when I can. Furthermore, I have decided on the two base models of my Magos...

and the Cairn Wraith as I suggested in my first post.

The plan is to use the bottom spider legs of Szeras and build up into the wraith using posable wire as mechandrites forming up to his "torso/body." I haven't figured out other details yet, but I plan to put gears on the leg joins and fill in certain areas with green stuff to give his beetle butt a less obvious necron flair. I need to figure out how I am going to do his claw weapon (recall its a yarrick impersonation rules wise)...maybe I will borrow the scythe and change into some claw thing...but to be determined.

As always suggestions welcome!

I like this idea for a project log. I'm really looking forward to it!

I started work today on my custom Magos...I will update with pictures when I get the chance. Hopefully this evening!

So FINALLY some long over due pictures of some progress that I have made when I have had time.

First the Magos!




I think he is looking pretty BA right now! All I really have left is to give him a storm bolter and a power axe...because mechanicus duh.

Here my choices that I have available and the storm bolter I'm somehow going to get on him:

I love that right most axe, but its way too big. so my thought is the left most axe and making his arms thinner mechandrites wrapping around it close in front of him. Thoughts? The storm bolter is going to be attached to that larger mechandrite that has nothing attached to it right now I'm pretty sure...

Lastly here is my Tempestus command squad with 4 meltaguns in front my my IK.

That's an amazing model

I have finished constructing my Magos:

I like it. What exactly are it's rules?

I plan to use him as 'Yarrick' so he gives orders like a senior commander, IC, decent in cc with a power claw and stubborn. He's just an all around stand up guy...plus he has eternal warrior which is awesome.

Interesting. What's the arm extension off of?

Its off of a Necron IC's bottom half...modified to my purposes.

What joy I have for you guys! He's all painted up

He looks sweet. I love the wraith model and your conversion just adds to it nicely, I love the bottom spider legs and cogs you have added:)

Progress report: built my first wyvern today with magnetized autocannons to make it a hydra! One more to go.

Need to work on:
Infantry
Knight
Wyvern

That conversion is looking great I love it! I love the axe you made.

Thank you sir! Over the holiday weekend I picked up some new technical paints for myself...mainly the blue corrosion effect and the dirtier brown/grey corrosion effect. I hope to use these on my IK to jazz it up even a bit more!

So a little check in! Im thinking of changing gears slightly. With rumors of legit skitarri I think the rest of the army will maintain more of an AM\AM feel to it just allied so to speak with a magos that has comandeered a small elite force for his own purposes. I will cut down on conversions some...probbably to just characters like sarges and priests...tbd

This will make getring stuff done a little bit easier and make the force more portable as allies to other forces for the future.

In other news due to some acquisitions I want to change the list up a little bit.

Quote :

Yarrick
2x priests
lvl 2 psyker
Platoon (pcs with lascannon, 3x10 guardsmen with 3 autocannons, 3 power axes)
veteran squad (lascannon)
2x wyverns

2x Knight Errant

3 armored sents (2 autocannons and 1 multilaser)

scion command squad (4 meltaguns)
5 man scion squad (2 plasma)

In other good news I got a Preator Assault Launcher for xmas!
http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/Warhammer-40000/Imperial_Guard/Astra_Militarum_Super_Heavy_Tanks/PRAETOR-ARMOURED-ASSAULT-LAUNCHER.html

This thing looks awesome and will be fun to play with. I can fit this in a 2k list by dropping the sentinels and a autocannon or lascannon. Badass

Well I got around to doing some work on the Preator Assault Launcher! Unfortunately, upon building the tank I screwed up the hatch...so I need to dig out a new one at some point and paint it up! Otherwise I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.