The Cadian 228th / 1971st Catachan Rifles

[Pax Urbis Pax Imperi]

Many months ago, on a whim, I grabbed the Commissar Yarick model, mostly because I was going to need him in a future battle against Orcs. He was a breeze to paint, and it turned out fantastic!

I present to you... Commissar Yarrick!



I really like the olive and grey color on the power claw, it helps tie him into the army.



The base is ... so so, but I'm not trying to win an award with him!

I'm going to use him as Commissar Yarrick / Lord Commissar / Commisar stand-in until I can get a few more Commissar to relive him.

After painting him, I was inspired to paint more commissars. And, now I can't imagine taking a blob squad without one. Makes sticking in close combat oh so much easier!

Commissar Lorenzo[/color] Armed with Power Weapon and/or Plasma Pistol



He came with two arms, one with a sword he has over his right shoulder in a swinging motion, and a "lead the charge" chainsword option. Obviously, I chose the more dynamc of the two poses.

Commissar Varese[/color] Armed with a Power Fist and Imperial Retoric!


I tried to paint his book as slightly burned in one corner, as well as some of the pages. Like it has survived many a battle, and given comfort and succor to the weak-minded.

Finally, all three of my current Commissars. Commissars Lorenzo and Varese, lead by the mack daddy Commissar himself, Yarrick.


The shine on the boots and on the base were deliberate on my part. I wanted to show the lengths Commissars would go to inspire, and shiny boots on a battlefield would be part of it! Plus, as part if my new effort to have certain units stand out to be more easily seen, I wanted the black on the base to be like a "jackboot black" spit shine.

I do have another one, but no pictures at this time.

[Gabriel Lupus]

Everybody loves Commissars! That's actually going to be the main focus for my next Guard army - commissars where ever I can have them (problem is, I wanted to use either Steel Legion, DKoK, or Valhallan models... so it would be a little expensive...)

[Pax Urbis Pax Imperi]

Time for another special character.

I took one look at this model, and I knew it would be perfect for my needs. He is carrying a Heavy Bolter already, and looks vaguely Cadian, except without the flak armor. He used to be Ox, of Shaffer's Last Chancers, now he is.... Sgt. William, my Harker count-as.

I did greenstuff some armor on his boots to help him fit in a bit with my army, and added a wound to show his Feel No Pain special rule.





The only thing I don't like is "Payback" on the Heavy Bolter, it looks messy. I will probably go back and slap on a banner to make it suitable for Cadians. Any suggestions for a name for the gun?

[Gabriel Lupus]

"Boomstick II"

[Paradill]

"The Wife" - purely so he can walk into a room full of gaunts/orks/heretics and in the stunned silence that follows his audacity at walking into their room, he can say "Have you met the wife?"

Paradill

[Dedrier]

Feb 3, 2011 13:58:09 GMT -5 Paradill said:

"The Wife" - purely so he can walk into a room full of gaunts/orks/heretics and in the stunned silence that follows his audacity at walking into their room, he can say "Have you met the wife?"

Paradill

I'm naming my Deathstrike Launcher that. When I get it. o.O

[Pax Urbis Pax Imperi]

Here is one of my primary Objective-taking Vet squad that I painted, flip-flopping my color scheme. Armed with a Heavy Flamer, 2 Flamers, and the Demolitions Doctrine, this unit is ready to go. The Sargent is armed with a Power Weapon and a Plasma Pistol for added punch.

Veteran Squad Charlie 2 - 405 Delta

Front View

All of my Veterans will be wearing large backpacks, just another way for me to find them easily. Backpacks are from Secret Weapon Miniatures.


back view

Now, the special weapons. I have a Heavy Flamer, 2 flamers, and a Demo Charge modeled. The Flamer weapons will have smoke coming from the barrels, which is from the head of a Q-Tip.

Here is a quick work-in-progress shot of my Heavy Flamer conversion, which is simple to do. I was watching Saving Private Ryan, and during the attack on a pillbox there is a scene where they use an elongated flamethrower to burn out the Germans. I remember thinking, "Now there's a Heavy Flamer!"

I only had one plastic model that had a flamer, and I think it is supposed to be a heavy Flamer anyway. So, I used a piece of brass rod and a paperclip to elongate the barrel a bit. Not too much, but I like the look.







Heavy Flamer


Flamers (thank you, Catachan Infantry Squad Boxed set!)


Demolition Charge.

At the moment, my other Vet Squad does not have any flamers (or Special Weapons for that matter) I am thinking of getting some meltas to add, or swap out one flamer and move to the other squad. I have another flamer built, but he has no home. Sad, really.

Comments are welcome in this House

[Scarper]

Absolutely ace, and the basing does loads for them too. I'm digging the hazard stripes on the flamer tank, and your switched up scheme looks surprisingly good - I've seen a lot of ideas like that (mainly my own!) that haven't worked too well! I would love love love a quick walkthrough on how you got that flame effect with cotton wool - I'm working on some molotov cocktails for necromunda at the moment, and something along those lines would be amazing!

Keep up the great work, and the alarming pace

[Gabriel Lupus]

Loving how you've differentiated between flamers and heavy flamers (I'm not a fan of the plastic Catachan heavy flamer...)

[syphon]

I like commissar Lorenzo. You modelled him as if he's parrying a blow.

[Pax Urbis Pax Imperi]

Feb 8, 2011 3:51:42 GMT -5 Scarper said:

Absolutely ace, and the basing does loads for them too. I'm digging the hazard stripes on the flamer tank, and your switched up scheme looks surprisingly good - I've seen a lot of ideas like that (mainly my own!) that haven't worked too well! I would love love love a quick walkthrough on how you got that flame effect with cotton wool - I'm working on some molotov cocktails for necromunda at the moment, and something along those lines would be amazing!

Keep up the great work, and the alarming pace

Well, the pace isn't that bad... all of these models posted so far have been painted over the past year and a half. When I have posted a picture of my whole army,,, then I'll start to show the new stuff. Mostly because I will have them at the end of the month, when my birthday arrives.

Smoke effect for Flamers walk-through
1) Take a Q-Tip, and stretch out the end a bit.
2) Add a drop of superglue to the end of your flamer (or the top of the bottle)
3) Touch the end of the Q-Tip to the drop of superglue. Now pull. Some of the Q-Tip should stick and form a nice white smoke effect.
4) Paint to desired look. I chose to use yellows, some orange, and a bit of red for the 'fire', and some black on the smoke. Kind-of drybrush it.
5) Any similar material to cotton, like Q-Tips, or cotton balls, should work. I recently found a kind of insulation from my wife's old slippers that I might use to replace my current smoke, its looking kind of thin.
6) This effect could probably be used on vehicle damage, or other fire-type stuff.

There ya go!

Now, back to more paint-type stuff...

I originally made this squad early on when I started this army. The barrel was extended with a brass nail, and the muzzle of the Sniper rifle was added onto the tip. Two of the scopes are from the Orc Boyz sprue, and the other two scopes are a pair of binoculars cut in half. On their right Shoulder is a Skull over an Imperial Eagle, and I quite like the look. I also like the look of the matte black sniper rifle and the red-glass of the scope; makes it look kinda of menacing.

Bravo Red 409 - Red Platoon Command Squad <60 Points>








Bravo Red 409 at the ready!


Showing off the Squad markings

I also chopped one in half before I painted it, and had him kneeling. The standing legs went to one of my mortar squads.




Delta Blue 306 - Blue Platoon Command Squad <95 points>
Offically, this is a Platoon Command Squad without a Platoon. I plan on getting another 30-40 men, along with some more Heavy Weapons Squads, but that's for later. As for right now, this Squad is dedicated to killing vehicles, and as such, die a gruesome death more often than not. I have given them a marking on their right shoulder to show the power of their weapons, plus it looks damn cool. Anyone recognize it?




This is one of my favorite model, and proof that a Karskin painted like the rest of your troops could double for vets with carapace armor. I may end up replacing him with a regular trooper if and when I get Karskin's for my Carapace Vets.



Comments and questions encouraged!

[Pax Urbis Pax Imperi]

(bump - Weird... I replied, but it didn't show that I had.)

[Walrus]

Those Sniper rifles look like the ones of halo...

[Scarper]

Thanks for the tute, Pax, I'll have to try that! The nails for extended barrells is a really good idea, and your painting is of a really high standard, as always

[levin]

I really like your conversions
How do you manage those tiny details? Like painting individual cables different colors on yarrick, for instance? Amazing!

[Cadian 501st]

Nice walkthrough for the fire for the flamers
the way you did the sniper barrels is a very good idea

[Pax Urbis Pax Imperi]

Feb 12, 2011 21:12:10 GMT -5 levin said:

I really like your conversions
How do you manage those tiny details? Like painting individual cables different colors on yarrick, for instance? Amazing!

Well, you will need a brush with a fine tip... and lots of patience. Really, its a lot like drybrushing, just paint the top of the wire, instead of the whole thing. Plus, I like the look of individual wires as opposed to all of them the same boring color.

Since I started collecting in 1997, I was only able to get a Infantry Squad of 10 men, 3 Flamers (which I have made into a Special Weapons Squad) and 3 Auto Cannons, and One missile launcher. I've combined them with 'modern' plastic models that I have now. I love the mix of old and new models.

My heavy Weapons squads all have blue left pauldrons, with a gold Skull and spear and axe crossed underneath (one of the old Rough rider decals, actually) on the red right pauldron.

My first squad is an old Autocannon squad, Alpha Charlie 609 (75 points. I had lost one of the gunners, and so made a new one out of a metal Space Marine Biker Scout. Recently, I found the missing gunner. I'll use him for something else, I'm sure.






The next Heavy Weapons Squad, Mike Lima 144 (95 points), has two missiles and 1 Lascannon. I use it as my primary vehicle hunter. Originally, I had the Lascannon set up to easily replace the Lascannon with an Autocannon or Heavy Bolter, but I decided I like the Vehicle hunting aspect better.

[Pax Urbis Pax Imperi]

Well, we are now to a point where I will be posting new pictures here, since we are caught up with what I have painted.

Future projects include:

• Painting my third sentinel, Jester
  
• Completing the conversion of my Leman Russ into a Demolisher, and perhaps more?
  
• Locating a Mad Larkin model, and making a 10th Scout Sniper. I have located a source, and will have this done soon!
  
• Collecting and completing 13 more Rough Riders. This could be a year-long project.
  
• Painting the 14 new tanks, and the 70 new troops that I will be getting in trade and for my birthday on 2/28
  
• Actually entering a tournament. I have never done this, so that will be exciting!

And because you requested it... my army (minus the Sentinels, as I forgot to take them out when I setting up for this picture, and the Scouts, as they were new.)








And, after looking at my army in its holding case inspired me to take this picture. I really like how the different models, metal and plastic, go together into one seamless unit. Quite proud of that, actually.


Comments are always appreciated and encouraged, often at the point of a Commissar's Bolt Pistol.

[Gabriel Lupus]

It never fails to impress - a fully painted and based Guard army...

How many Guardsmen are in that picture Pax? Also, what's the points total of everything in that picture (infantry and vehicles)?

[Pax Urbis Pax Imperi]

I think around 2850, more or less. I have 3197 in painted models.

[Trooper One-Nine-Seven-Four]

You know what? I wish I'd thought of converting Ox into a Harker when I first decided to make him--I've got the Last Chancers box sitting around. I think your counts as conversion of him is really cool looking, and perhaps you could name his heavy bolter "Beef Cake"?

[Pax Urbis Pax Imperi]

Several months ago, I had purchased two Sentinel from another player, but I had some interesting challenges that went with them. Only one of the Sentinel had an armored cab (which I was able to remove with little difficulty), and while I had two Multi-lasers, I only had one autocannon. I purchased a third Sentinel to help round out the squadron, but I was still short an Autocannon, a Multi-laser, and a roof. A priming accident outdoor deprived me of my two auto-cannons (all I can say is... Never prime over long grass). But I pressed on, and I painted up Echo 01 "Jolly Roger", and Echo 02 "Lucky Joe", and ran with them.

A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to get a Sentinel Roof and a Multi-laser off of Ebay for $7, including S&H. I immediately painted up my third Sentinel, Echo 03 "Jester"



Of course, the weapons are all magnetic, as are the armored cabs. This allows me freedom in my weapon selections, and armored selections as well. The Auto-cannons have all been converted from a regular one. I just shortened the barrel, used greenstuff to hold a magnet inside the hollowed-out ammo drum, and flipped it upside down. I think they are the perfect size.

Sentinel pilots are an eccentric bunch, so here is a close up of the free-hand of the side of Jester's cab, along with his call-sign painted on his door. I am super happy how the skull and the jester's cap came out.


I've also magnetized the pilots to their seats, so if a Sentinel is wrecked, I'll just pull out the pilot. I used Sentinel pilots for two of the walkers, and a Manticore pilot for the third. No one normally will see the legs, so it was a perfect fit. Their helmets are not uniform to show their individual streak. They all do, however, have a Squadron insignia on their right shoulders. I'll have to dull down the 'ardcoat some, its still shiny.



I still need to work on Jester's base some, add some grass where the rocks rubbed off, and paint the side black. But, he's ready.

[unluckyguardsman]

A very characterful army indeed! You have outdone yourself again with these sentinels, great work!

UG

[Gabriel Lupus]

Very groovy - I have around 2500pts of infantry (including 3 sentinels - they're walkers... that makes them infantry... ), but I have 2 infantry squads and a storm trooper squad to paint, so not quite done yet...

The Sentinels are really nice!

[Shostak(AWOL)]

I love the colour scheme of your whole army, and the sentinels, particuarly in their open topped form.