Pizzagrenadier's Horus Heresy Project: Ultramarines Half Squad, Contemptor Arms

[Pizzagrenadier]

Thanks everyone! Here's a progress shot of the Tactical Squad so far. Sergeant, Missile Launcher, Flamer, and two Bolters. Also, I magnetized the arms on the Contemptor Dreadnought so that I can swap weapons (as well as added new engine exhausts).





More to come!

http://thisveryblog.blogspot.com/2015/12/horusy-heresy-project-ultramarines-half.html

[pocoloco]

Great stuff!

I got myself a box as well and so far I have got five marines built. I will make my force a non-canon legion/chapter so something post-heresy but still close enough to happening of heresy to warrant the MKIV armour plus some other bits. Of course, I will happily use some official legion list for them

Currently plan is to wield a 1000 points list and it seems I will not be using the terminators or dreadnought... yet had to buy some drop pods though.

Do post your progress, maybe I will get to paint mine at some point as well.

[Major_Gilbear]

They're looking great, well done!

Also, good to know that the Dread arms can be made swappable without much fuss. Are you likely to do the same trick for special and heavy weapons on the troop squads?

[Mason]

Lovely smooth paintwork on those Ultras.
I really like that blue that you have used.
Nice work.
 

[Elbows]

They're looking great, well done!

Also, good to know that the Dread arms can be made swappable without much fuss. Are you likely to do the same trick for special and heavy weapons on the troop squads?

The arms do not appear to be done that way for the heavy troopers.  The missile launcher's arms are each specially built for that figure, appears the same for the heavy bolter.  Special weapons you perhaps could?

PS: Pizza, loving the paint work on your marines.  Super crisp and attractive.  What are your thoughts on the head of the contemptor?  It looks hugely plain to me and I want to do something silly with it if I build mine.  I would likely add a bunch more "junk" to the contemptor to make it more clunky and smoky/cabled.  Please do keep posting progress, you have excellent brush skills and a refreshingly simple/clean style (something I'm amazed that these figures allow, considering their origin).

[Major_Gilbear]

The arms do not appear to be done that way for the heavy troopers.  The missile launcher's arms are each specially built for that figure, appears the same for the heavy bolter.

I was thinking one peice is the weapon, arms and shoulder pads, and one peice is the marine with head, torso and legs. Magnets in the arm sockets, and you just slide the appropriate heavy weapon assembly onto the torso. Might need an extra pair of shoulder pads though.

[horridperson]

That squad is coming along well.  Crisp paint really befits the Ultramarines and your transfers look like they were applied masterfully; Not even an ugly glare when photographed.  Well done! I'd be honoured to shoot them in the back at Istvaan V if they had been one of the hardworking legions and not Guilliman's glamour boys .

[Elbows]

I was thinking one peice is the weapon, arms and shoulder pads, and one peice is the marine with head, torso and legs. Magnets in the arm sockets, and you just slide the appropriate heavy weapon assembly onto the torso. Might need an extra pair of shoulder pads though.

The support arm though, and the direction of the bodies for each weapon are different, or did you mean additional heavy weapons which aren't in the box?  It just doesn't appear to work or be worthwhile with what you get in the starting box unfortunately.

EDIT: I think I see what you mean now...that'd be a lot of work if you tried to make sure both arms magnetized nicely.  Gotcha though.

[Major_Gilbear]

@ Elbows:

Both arms and shoulder pads are glued together to the heavy weapon, making a single peice. Magnets go where the arms would glue to the torso if you were assempling them normally. You then just slot the weapon+arm assembly onto the trooper. I think all the weapons arms are different anyway, so you would only need a set of extra shoulder pads for either the ML or HB (as you only get enough pads for 10 Marines on each sprue).

The only downside is that the head cannot look in the weapon's firing direction for both weapons, but that's not actually a big deal (for example, the head looking across the HB pose is fine).

[Elbows]

Yeah.  The only hiccup is that with the rocket launcher, there is a special back-pack which mates to it (missing one side).  I do think you could get away with it if you had some more weapon options though.

[Pizzagrenadier]

Thanks guys!

Elbows: The head is cast into the chest. It could be cut out and replaced but I doubt you could scavenge the part enough to really do much with it and you'd be into some work to put a different one in. Not impossible, but I don't think it's really conversion friendly either. However, like you mentioned, you could add to it pretty easily as the model is pretty plain and would be a great blank canvas.

As far as heavy weapons...with the way the arms are built and how the missile launcher has it's own backpack, you'd be in for a ton of work just to be able to magnetize the parts. It'd be easier to just pick up an extra few Marine bodies and parts and use the leftover weapons to add extra Marines.

The missile launcher and arms are actually four separate parts. The missile launcher itself is half the launcher attached to the shoulder pad, the other half attached to the arm. The other arm is half attached to the scope for the launcher and the other half from the elbow up is its own piece. It's rather odd, but probably designed to prevent people from recasting more than anything.

The heavy bolter just slips over a normal bolter arm.

I personally don't think magnetizing is the way to go unless you don't mind a lot of work. The missile launcher would have to have three magnetized points alone (the two arms because they are both holding the launcher) and the backpack. That'd mean magnetizing both arms and the backpack for the heavy bolter.

I'm actually saving my missile launchers from my Sons of Horus for my Badab War project (toted by my Mantis Warriors), and giving the Sons heavy bolters. My Ultras have the 4th launcher from what I bought.

More to come! Thanks for the compliments!

 

[Major_Gilbear]

@ Pizzagrenadier:

Sorry to derail your thread there, but thanks for the info.

For me, personally, magnets are only worth it if (1) the models in question are expensive/unusual and (2) it's easy to swap the part with one or two magnets. Otherwise I aagree it's not worth the work - for example, I never bothered magnetising sergeants and captains for that very reason (better just to make a new model with a different loadout).

I admit that I really like the HH stuff, but have resisted so far... Yours and Agis' threads make it really hard for me though!

[Pictors Studio]

I magnetized my dread too. 

The first squad is looking good.  We'll definitely have to have a go with them at Cold Wars, if the Host is even still there then.

I'll email you about it.