[40k] Squats, 29/11/12: new painted stuff, page 9 Options Rating

[Minion]

When I moved up here to Sydney, I found a bunch of guys still playing 2nd edition 40k. This made my nostalgic little heart happy, so I figured I needed to get in on the action. But GW models -- cool as they often are -- are scary expensive. So I started looking around for something different, and stumbled across Hasslefree's Grymn range.

Squats!

Inspired by Brandlin's Grymn, I picked up some test models:


Front left is a Warrior squad armed with heavy weapons (probably a couple of heavy plasma guns, a heavy bolter and a missile launcher), front middle will probably be used as a Guildmaster Engineer, and front right is a Longbeard squad in power armour. They're all Hasslefree Grymn models. Back left and back right are vehicles from Old Crow. The tank will probably be a Predator, and the jeep will be turned into an Attack Trike. And in the back middle, AT-43 Kolossi. They're going to be my Hearthguard in Squat Exo-Armour.

I've got a couple of test models painted up, from the Longbeard squad:

Reckon the red face plate looks better, so that's what I'm planning on going with.

The test models were such a success, I placed an order for more. A Recon squad with needle sniper rifles, more Longbeards in power armour, crew for Mole Mortars and riding in the back of the attack jeeps, Ancestor Lords, lots of fun stuff:


Squats!

This post has been edited by Minion: Nov 28 2012, 11:15 PM

[Zippy Wonderdog]

So they are going to count as Space Marines? Space Wolves may or may not fit the theme. Maybe its just Hearthguard making my think of vikings.
I do like the style of them. I think they look better than Mantics offerings, which, to me, all look as if they are peering intently at the ground a few meters in front of them.

[the duke]

My first 40k army were Squats. I miss those fellas.

[Minion]

Hey Zippy, duke!

So they are going to count as Space Marines? Space Wolves may or may not fit the theme. Maybe its just Hearthguard making my think of vikings.

Nah, not counts-as -- we're playing actual 2nd edition 40k, when the Squats were a legal army. They never did receive a proper codex, but they were in the Black Codex that came with the game, and they later had an expanded list in the Inquisitor magazine. Issue 15, I think. This was back in the day when GW let third party companies, like Armorcast, write rules for 40k.

I do like the style of them. I think they look better than Mantics offerings, which, to me, all look as if they are peering intently at the ground a few meters in front of them.

Yeah, when I was originally hatching this plan I was closely watching the Mantic stuff. I kinda like the overall aesthetic, and they're damned cheap, but I ruled them out because there were so few individual sculpts. I didn't want to paint the same figure 15 times!

My first 40k army were Squats. I miss those fellas.

So I take it you don't still have the army?

This post has been edited by Minion: Dec 14 2011, 10:38 PM

[Lachy]

Those test models actually do look rather good - very clean, a little cartoony - but still very effective painting. I'm very curious to see how this whole project takes off.

[Magos_Kasen]

This is great

[Orgz]

Love your painting style mate. Will be keeping a close eye on this thread!

[nizon]

wow they look great

[Minion]

Thanks everybody! Good to see there's still some love for the Squats out there. Got a couple more on the painting table -- two more Longbeards basecoated, their leader and one heavy weapon trooper undercoated and washed.

The goal is to have everything assembled for the start of a campaign in mid-February. I'm still waiting on delivery of some more vehicles (a Whirlwind-substitute, and a couple more attack jeeps), and the basis of my Mole Mortars (I'm going to use mortars from Forgeworld's Elysian Drop Troops).

Those test models actually do look rather good - very clean, a little cartoony - but still very effective painting. I'm very curious to see how this whole project takes off.

Cheers Lachy! Hope I don't disappoint. The cartoony is actually somewhat deliberate. I think there are two things causing it: first, the models themselves (and particularly their over-sized guns). Second, everything is fairly heavily black-lined. The way that works is I paint all of the basecoats, and then wash the entire model with GW Badab Black. Then, highlights. I was originally planning to do without the highlights, in the interest of speed painting -- that worked really well for my Khador. Unfortunately, the colour scheme I picked here was too dark for that, plus I like the little guys so much I couldn't resist spending a bit more time on each of them!

We'll see if it's a practical colour scheme for an entire army. Painting quickly is not one of my special skills.

[the duke]

So I take it you don't still have the army?

Nah they got sold off a long time ago. Not sure who ended up with them, my mates brother might still have them...

Might get some Forge Fathers just to reminisce with.

[Wombats]

Good job. Please do keep us updated.

[Minion]

I'm just about to leave for Christmas and New Years interstate, which will take me away from my paint brushes. I figured before I left, I'd post some work in progress. Here's one:


Two Longbeards on the left. They've been basecoated and washed with Badab Black. You can probably see now why, despite my original plan, I'm doing some highlighting. They're kind of dark blobs at the moment (lighting is bad, but even in good light they don't look much brighter!).

Third from the left is the leader of the Longbeards, and the first figure with an exposed face. Far right is the first of the Warriors with heavy weapons. A heavy plasma gun, carried old school. Especially considering their size, I reckon the detail on their faces is quite impressive. Plasma gunner looks serious...

And here's a hint of something still to come. I don't plan on converting them heavily, but I feel like the exo-armour really need to be carrying some sort of melee weapons. Fortunately, I've got some pieces from Khador plastic jack kits lying around, so here (courtesy of some blu-tack) is what I'm thinking:


Whaddya reckon? I'll probably shave off some of the rivets and the spikes, so that they fit a bit better with the rest of the sculpt.

Merry Christmas everybody!

[fmi1979]

Really nice work, I love the paintwork its very clean and crisp. Although I was hoping to see some old school Squats

[Borzag]

Whaddya reckon? I'll probably shave off some of the rivets and the spikes, so that they fit a bit better with the rest of the sculpt.

Lose the spikes, keep the rivets. Makes it look reinforced

Nice work sofar btw

[Fluffy05]

Stunning work so far!

I wish Squats were still in the army lists. They were so cool back in 2nd Edition


Consider me subscribed

[Din]

Seeing I'm currently putting together a 2nd ed Genestealer Cult army I'll be following this with interest (2nd ed rocks!).

Really liking your clean painting style and the colours scheme for the force.

Looking forward to seeing those Exo-Armoured Squats painted!

[Minion]

And I'm back! Got a million things I should be doing, so instead I'm assembling some of the Squats that arrived in the post over the Christmas break. Thanks for all the kind words, everybody -- it warms my short, hairy heart to know there's still love out there for the Squats. And Din, a Genestealer Cult! That's cool -- we need pictures!

So it wouldn't be a Squat army without mole mortars. Here's my first:


Maybe it isn't super clear in the photo, but the crewman on the right is holding binoculars. And the one on the left is doing all the tricky underground guidance calculations. Obviously. I've got enough pieces for two more mortars, although I'm not entirely sure I ordered quite enough crew...

[Mango]

very cool.

If you are playing 2nd ed then you will need an engineer guildmaster with powerfield, teleport and graviton gun

and as an ancestor lord you will need the oldest most decrepid looking model you can find to make him look weak and pathetic before killing half of your opponents army with him

thunderer squads are great, mole mortars are also great, thudd guns are OK, warrior squads (the ccw ones) are pretty poor and trikes are awesome and so are tarantulas

good luck with the rest of the army i used to love my squats

This post has been edited by Mango: Jan 5 2012, 11:35 PM

[Lacrimosa]

People still play 2nd? Awesome.

[Reunion-Round]

I've wanted to put together a Grym arm'y for some time. Possibly using the Tau codex. Very cool mole mortar too.