About

[Corai]

I've been thinking of expanding the army recently. I'm happy with the 1500 point list but really want to paint up some more (varied!) marine stuff to give me some options, so I'm thinking after the initial 1500 points I'd be looking to expand the army with the following:

-Commander - a chance to really push the greek theme, possibly converted from another master of the chapter, but possibly sculpted from scratch, complete with hoplite shield and sealance/power spear

-chaplain - converted from the master of the chapter that is striding forward with a bolter help in front of his chest (will of course be swapped for a pistol). I'mthinking I'll magnetize the mdoel so I can add a jumppack. Or I might just add a jump pack anyway as it's such a tempting option

-Terminators - a 6 man squad of regular termies (toting two assault cannons of course representing Skypio squad (the only Iron Snakes squad to use TDA in the chapter). I'm thiking really go to town with togas/chitons here.

-3 landspeeder tornados - I want to add some vehicles ot the army but don't really like the look of marine tanks sothese were a natural

-2 dreadnoughts. I'd struggle to fit these in a list becasue I think I'm always going to want to include at least one notable squad for fluff reasons...but it seems to me dreadnoughts always work best in pairs. I'd ike to get the forgeworld Mk IV/pre heresy dread for these guys, those models are just too nice to pass up.

That's give me a fair bit of varied stuff to paint for the meantime but does anyone have any other suggestions to give me plenty of options for fielding the army (as said though, I'm not interested in including marine tanks as I just don't like the look of them, and the diea of diversifying the army like this is primarily just to give me more interesting stuff to paint )

Thanks
corai

[mikeymyers]

damnit! corai, now you got me wanting to start a space marine chapter, which is lucky because i just got some space marine off my cousin, so wait for my gnoblog btw insane models!

[Fantasyfreak]

You don't mess about when you start an army do you?

Really nice stuff man, I think that it's hard to make a force that is predominantly metalics look good, but you managed it.

[msherman31781]

Corai,

Awesome models man... would love to see these boys up against (or better yet, teamed up with -*-APOCALYPSE-*-) my Ordo Xenos army.  How many points are you aiming for once they're all settled? I can pull 7,000 right now... get your arse out to Los Angeles and we can have ourselves some fun

[Corai]

Awesome models man... would love to see these boys up against (or better yet, teamed up with -*-APOCALYPSE-*-) my Ordo Xenos army.  How many points are you aiming for once they're all settled? I can pull 7,000 right now... get your arse out to Los Angeles and we can have ourselves some fun

I'm aiming for around 3-4 thousand points of pure mariens (not counting any flashy forgeworld stuff). But adding in my inquisitorial retinue (still working on eisenhorn's boys) warhound and eventually thunderhawk should push the points up a bit., Although ironically, the onjly eway I coudla fford a plane ticket to LA was to sell all the stuff!

thanks
Corai

[Corai]

I’ve been playing around for ideas for an alternate army list to field. I’ve been interested in drop pod assaults for a while and if I act fast, I could actually afford all the necessary ones for this list before I have to start making my car payments!

Traits
-Purity above all (may upgrade veteran sergeants to apothecaries)
-Trust your battle brothers (may buy true grit and counter assault for some units)
-We Stand Alone (no allies)
-Eye to Eye (limited fast attack stuff)

The traits are largely fluff orientated. The Iron Snakes reported sue of sealances and bolters interchangeably justifies Trust your Battle Brothers and every squad is supposed to feature an apothecary. They aren’t averse to using allies but I think if they were using a drop pod assault, imperial allies would be unable to participate more form a practical standpoint. They just aren’t designed to do it in the same way as marines

H.Q.

_Codicier         151
__Veil of Time
__Terminator Honours
__Iron Halo
__Bolt Pistol

_Command Squad      269
__5 Marines
__Flamer
__Meltagun
__Company Champion
__Apothecary
__True Grit
__Furious Charge
__Terminator Honours
___Veteran Sergeant
____Power Fist
_Drop Pod

Elites

_Terminator Squad      270
__5 Terminators
__2 Assault Cannons

_Veteran/Notable Squad   278
__6 Veterans
__Power Weapon
__Terminator Honours
__True Grit
__Tank Hunters
___Veteran Sergeant
____Power Fist
____Apothecary
____Krak Grenade
__Drop Pod

_Veteran/Notable Squad   183
__6 Marines
__Missile Launcher
__Meltagun
__Tank Hunters
___Veteran Sergeant
___Power Fist
___Apothacary
__Drop Pod

Troops

_Tactical Squad      174
__6 Marines
__True Grit
__Flamer
___Veteran Sergeant
____Power Fist
__Drop Pod

_Tactical Squad      174
__6 Marines
__True Grit
__Flamer
___Veteran Sergeant
____Power Fist
__Drop Pod

The basic plan is, obviously, to drop down wherever possible within 12” of the enemy. The units will then open fire and hopefully weather whatever is to come the following turn. I’ve fielded almost no heavy weapons as I can’t be sure how late in the game a unit will appear, and it will then miss another turn of shooting as it disembarks (most likely to take the brunt of enemy fire the next turn). Hopefully, the liberal littering of apothecaries will keep enough members of a squad alive until the following turn. The inclusion of true grit and counter-charge should allow them to function quite well when receiving a charge. It’s a very small, expensive, elite force, and may well get taken apart almost immediately, but there’s always going to be an element of chance to any drop pod army

So, any suggestions from more experienced drop podders?

Thanks
Corai

[Corai]

After some tinkering I'm pretty set on:
Traits
-Purity above all (may upgrade veteran sergeants to apothecaries)
-Trust your battle brothers (may buy true grit and counter assault for some units)
-We Stand Alone (no allies)
-Eye to Eye (limited fast attack stuff)

H.Q.

_Codicier 135
__Veil of Time
__Terminator Armour

_Terminator Command Squad 215
__4 Termis
__2 Assault Cannons
__Tank Hunters

The termis role is the same as before, only this time they’ll have the libby tagging along. I would have liked to upgrade the Libby to Epistolery and take fear of darkness, but there just weren’t enough points.

Elites

_Veteran Squad 310
__10 Marines
__True Grit
__Furious Charge
__Drop Pod
__Power Weapon
___Veteran Sergeant
___Power Weapon
___Apothecary
___Teleport Homer

Not quite the combat monster they were in the last list, this unit is basically included for a fluff/theme perspective. They’re still basically the combat hammer of the army

_Dreadnought 165
__Lascannon
__Missile Launcher
__Drop Pod

_Dreadnought 165
__Lascannon
__Missile Launcher
__Drop Pod

Able to fire on the turn they arrive these should hopefully dish out the majority of my anti tank firepower.

Troops

_Tactical Squad 255
__10 Marines
__True Grit
__Drop Pod
__Meltagun
__Veteran Sergeant
___Powerfist
___Teleport Homer

_Tactical Squad 255
__10 Marines
__True Grit
__Drop Pod
__Meltagun
__Veteran Sergeant
___Powerfist
___Teleport Homer

There's still some room for tinkering but I took the plunge today and ordered 5 Drop Pods. With Xmas today and my birthday on Sunday I tend to have an influx of cash this time of year and have premptivley blown it on resin pods this year

Aside from the pods, I reckon I need to build and paint:

-5 (10 in total) more marines for my tac squads. (1 with meltagun to replace the plasmagunner that's already in there for standard games). These will each get closecombat weapons to show true grit. I reckon if half the unit is armed with CCW and bolters it should be pretty clear they have the ability.
-4 termis (will get some toga/khitons added. Segreant may get a sealance (although I'm using the commander culn model so I may just gladius up his sword a bit)
-termi librarien - not going to convert this. I'll just use the really nice new termi libby model.
-4 more true grit vets

Hopefully I'll get the remainder of the standard army (2 vet squads and a libby) painted by new year so I can go on to painting this alternate list asap

Thanks
Corai

[Wildcard]

Easy come easy go on the cash front once again, eh Corai?

I'm looking forward to seeing your point job on the drop pods - any chance of one being steam-powered though??

[Corai]

Update time again. I've not had chance to get much painting done over the festive period. That combined with all the extra gubbinz I stuck on these guys have protracted the painting somewhat. I've been working on my first notable/veteran squad for the past 3 days (although to be fair, not too many hours on each day, I just had a lot of other stuff on too). The unit's missing it's 6th member and sergeant, the apothecary. I've been putting off painting it until I have the second vet unit done and can do both docs, and all that white armour in one go.

So, on to Notable Thebes, pride of Ithaka.











I splashed out again today and picked up a terminator squad and a couple of dreadnoughts (but forgot to get any black spray or a termi librarian so looks like I'll be heading back to GW again tomorrow )

Thanks
Corai

[Corai]

second notable squad are undercoated and on their way to being tableworthy too. I might still knock this force out by new years

Thanks
Corai

[Ghworg]

Painting is as awesome as always Corai. I really like the pose of the power weapon sergeant.

Ghworg

[msherman31781]

Really neat stuff Corai, as always. I love how dynamic this squad looks and the variety in poses and weapons. Great job! Can't wait to see more... seeing your stufff made me excited to put together my vet squad for my Ordo Xenos army. Awesomeness!!

[Polymphus]

I don't post here often but I've been lurking for a long time and allow me to say Corai that your work has always been an inspiration for me. Keep up the amazing work.

Question: do all of the veterans have power weapons? I'm not terribly familiar with the SM rules (contrary to what the internet says, noone at my club plays them), but can you do that?

I'd personally divide the marines up into four units of 5. MSU marines work very well, and the more deep striking units you have, the better (I play drop guard, so I know about deep striking).

Poly
Out

[Corai]

I don't post here often but I've been lurking for a long time and allow me to say Corai that your work has always been an inspiration for me. Keep up the amazing work.

Thanks

Question: do all of the veterans have power weapons? I'm not terribly familiar with the SM rules (contrary to what the internet says, noone at my club plays them), but can you do that?

I'd personally divide the marines up into four units of 5. MSU marines work very well, and the more deep striking units you have, the better (I play drop guard, so I know about deep striking).

No, only one standard vet (aside from the apothecary sergeant) has a power weapon. The rest have a bolter and close combat weapon. I'd normally agree with you that MSU was the way to go with marines, but conventional wisdom for drop pod marines is that you need the larger squads to still have enough tsanding after the opponents return fire/charge to have an impact on the game

Thanks
Corai

[Corai]

mini-pictureless-update

Just a quick post to update this. I've started work on the last vet squad. Judt got th silver armour done and the smoke wash is drying as I type. I'm not sure if I'll get anything esle done on them tonight but am off work tomorrow so will hopefully plow on and get them done.

Ove this squad is done I'll only have 3 (non silver armoured) models to paint to achieve my goal of finally having a painted 1500 point space marine army.

then I cn turn my attention o the terminators and dreadnought boxes on my desk waiting for assembly

thanks
corai

[Mentag the Marauder]

Looking very nice... I managed to resist getting some marines over the christmas. I had the batallion box in my mits but couldn't bring myself to got to the counter with it. Instead I went and dug up some old miniatures I had to use as Imperial Guard. I have a squad assembled.... looks like you got me into 40k after all!

Have you anything special planned for the Dread?

[Corai]

Have you anything special planned for the Dread?

I've got a couple to work on. On the basic oneI'm thinking of just adding a more elaborate base and going with some plasticard 3D snake symbols. ButI want to make one usable as a venerable dreadnought so I'm going to try and convert it to look more like forgeworld's Mk 4 dreads with helmets. Plus it will get plenty of additional bling added to venerable it up a bit

Thanks
Corai

[Corai]

Update time again. I managed to sue my last day before returning to work after some xmas time off to knock out the better part of the 2nd veteran squad. the squad's apothecary is still outstanding but until then, Notable Parthus is done:

Note: I noticed after I took the photos that I'd forgotten to paint the white dot in the top of the eye/lenses. This has now been done.









So now, al that's outstanding in the standard 1500 point army is the librarian and 2 apothecaries. All 3 are undercoated and I intend to start the apothecaries tomorrow after work.

thanks
Corai

[Polymphus]

Question: What recipe do you use for the highlighting on the robes? I can never seen to get white right. I've been using codex grey, but you appeared to have used a blue of some sort.

[Corai]

The robes are built up from shadow grey through space wolf grey to skull white. The space wolf grey shadow is the blue tinted shade you see

Thanks
Corai