Nameless Guard: Squad Bones

Last time I've asked if 2 days are enough for me to paint a whole unit of plague marines. Well, this is my response...

Squad Bones, made of standard plague marines box. The models are interesting and unique enough to leave them without conversions. The only additions to parts found in a box were a standard and power fist (to unify the champion with leaders of previously finished units). The power fist in fact is an arm taken from the very old obliterator model.

The unit does not have a rhino... yet.

Nameless Guard: Land Raider

Why do I make plans for a whole month if I use just the last few days anyway?

The approaching deadline made me get back to my army. Land raider is ready, terminators are in progress. Now, will I have enough time for a plague marines unit I scheduled for May?

Nameless Guard - Last Minute Painting

That was not a good month for painting. But, a plan is a plan, a deadline is a deadline and a promise is a promise.

I got these three babes from e-bay, relatively cheap. Well, what I can say... the price reflects the quality...

This is some very old stuff with broken and missing elements looking like it was dipped in a paint bucket. Yeah, nothing that a spray can and few layers of drybrushing couldn't save.

Nameless Guard - MARCH to Victory

It's about time to summarise my progress on Nameless Guard. As you know, I divided my army into 15 individual elements - units and war machines. Calculation is simple - 15 elements in 6 months make for a 2.5 element per month.

With this in mind I planned 3 elements for March. Two units of plague marines would give me a solid base for my army. Solid and playable! Two "Troops" with one of the bosses promoted temporarily to "Headquarters" comprise a basic 40K army. To that I added a dreadnought to give myself a short break from painting marines.

I knew I had to come up with a quick painting method. I'd started painting miniatures 15 years ago or more, and I've never been able to finish a full army. Painting similar models to a high quality was like a hell to me. If Nameless Guard is to be completed by the end if July I had to drop my dreams of a showcase army and stick to something realistic - a painted army. So, I worked out a technique that works perfectly for me. I called it the "zenithal drybrush" method. Shortly - with consecutive drybrushed layers painted over a black base at selected parts of miniatures I build up a high contrast and strong zenithal lighting effect. Toxic mud bases were as simple and easy as paintjobs. I'll try to prepare a step-by-step tutorial to show you how quick it can be.

All in all, I think I found a way to produce an army that will not win any contest, but will look good on the table top. What's more, during the first month I managed to exceed my plans by painting an additional hellbrute. So, after March I have ~25% of my army painted! I start to believe that this whole thing may be a huge personal success...

Nameless Guard - Squad Decay

Squad Decay - as promised - in all its decayed (pun intended) glory!

It's very similar to the first unit I painted, the only difference is just one melta gun instead of two plasma guns.

Monthly Report for March to be posted tomorrow.

Nameless Guard - Squad Virus

As I've written earlier, if my plan to finish an army in 6 months is to be successful, I need to paint 2 - 3 elements (unit or machine) every month. Precisely speaking, 2.5 elements per month.

For March I've picked 2 units of plague marines and 1 dreadnought. You can see them on the photo below.

Oh wait, you actually can't see a dreadnought. Well, that's because I don't have it... yet. I should visit my friend's place tomorrow to collect it.

I tried not to waste my time and started working on the first unit while waiting for that dread. My speed amazed me. What you can see below was finished in one evening...

The second evening was spent on bases, and here it is - Squad Virus in all its dirty, rotten, sickening glory!

7 plague marines, including 2 special weapons (plasma guns) and a champion with a power fist and plasma gun. As you can see, they are heavily converted. Some conversions look good - I bought them from someone. Other conversions are mine. I will write few words about paintjobs in a separate post. What matters now is that I found a quick way to paint these miniatures, which makes my plan slightly more feasible!