Like tide it emerges from the back of my brain in time to time. I have learned how to ignore it but every now and then it gets impossible resist. Im talking about the army building syndrome here. The unbearable urge to start a new army project.
After the amazing trip to Nottingham last month I felt somewhat exshausted of all this hobby hype. I really started thinking what to do next. I wanted to find that excitement again. You know that feeling that we had when we first started to collect our first armies? The very meaning of this hobby - Building your own fighting force.
I have spinned this idea of army building every now and then, but I have always found it extremely difficult to decide which army to choose and then there is that tedious task of painting also.. so I have always dropped the whole thing.
Something happened last weekend - Maybe it was the beautiful army that Miggs had just recently displayed in his blog or maybe it was my visit to the local GW store in Helsinki and its fantastic store manager Krister (great bloke who's work I should share with you guys in some point) a regular visit left me leaving the store with the new Codex Space Marines.
Then all of a sudden it was crystal clear - I was to build a Space Marine Force!
To make things interesting I wanted to challenge myself a little bit... I decided to choose the most popular chapter (and the most boring in the same time) the Ultramarines.
The "Vanilla Marines" who always do everything by the book and always be the good guys. In a way I have always felt that the image has been drifting too far from where it should be.
I want to create small Space Marine force and use my creativity to make them look totally badass and totally grim&dark 40k.
Im not going to choose the Truescale route but I'l consider using lots of Forge stuff instead. Colour wise I was thinking something like this so kind a pale tones, not as pale as Miggs has done but close anyway;)
I also managed to challenge Kari to do something similar with me! So I guess we both gonna build armies, and who knows maybe we get to fight each other with them in some day =)
In fact, Im also throwing an open challenge to our wonderful "blogsphere" to answer this call to arms. We could all build our own armies and then, who know maybe even play a small tournament in WH world, say in time of the 7th edition of our beloved 40k? ;) (that time limit would probably leave us with enough time to finish this huge task)
If any of you have good ideas and suggestions for cool Ultramarine parts from GW please feel free to leave a hint in the comments section ;)
"We follow the footsteps of Guilliman. As it is written in the Codex, so shall it be"
I'd gladly join in this project, but I'd like to first ask if there are any rules to follow? Not that there need to be, but I do prefer checking first before adding my name to the list ;)
ReplyDeleteAnyway, it'll be very interesting to see what you do with the Ultramarines, Mikko!
a new army is like a new girlfriend. exciting, time consuming and expensive!!
ReplyDeletesaying that i'm also looking to create a new space marine force so maybe we could link up a few blogs like the tale of 4 gamers? it may help us to keep on track
cheers
Steve
Mikko! This my friend has cemented the feelings I've had since seeing Tears of Envy's Dark Angels and Mig's Legion. Her unique painting style brought the Death Wing to life. His bespoke and free form army caught my imagination. I have been considering a small army and this seems like a good time to start.
ReplyDeleteIdeally I would choose Sisters of Battle but I do not want a completely metal army....plastic Battle Sisters are a dream I shall pick up some time in the future, I hope. I still want to go with an Eccliesiarchy/Witch Hunter theme...but with a lack of Sisters I think a crusade of faith is the only route.
So I shall join this challenge and use the Grey Knight Codex to try and recreate the background of all the great Imperial art works. Like Migs attempt to build a Grey Knight army with little in the way of Grey Knights or space marines at all for that matter. Surely a 1000pts army cannot be too difficult to build by 7th edition?
So is 7th edition something like 2015?
I like your idea of a pale blue Ultramarines like the one you linked to...possibly the my favourite Ultramarine miniature to date....come on buddy make it my second favourite when this project is finished. Looking forward to seeing how you make them dark and evil like all the "good" guys in 40k.
An excited
PDH
We are indeed living in interesting times...
ReplyDeleteAlways took you for a Iron Hands kinda guy. Looking forward to your take on the blue man group - knowing you it'll be spectacular!
This is fantastic. To build an army takes willpower and skill on a different level. I'm really happy to have inspired some to start playing the Inquisitor themed skirmish games and others to try building a whole army.
ReplyDeletePart of me dearly wishes I had not done the true-scale route and forever ruined regular space marines for myself, but I am happy to see others enjoy the new kits freely. Apologist has already done a brilliant true-scale Ultramarine army, so that box was already ticked anyway.
So I am really looking forward to this and the self evident chain reaction it will start in your bandwagon! Some gorgeous armies on the way I am sure.
I'm personally absolutely engaged with new Legion models. Much like Peter hints, my plan has been and is to paint the wider imperium between the archetypes of a Space Marine and an Imperial Guardsman. The army will only be "finished" when the new IG codex comes out with Emperor willing, at least one more new plastic guard regiment.
PS. send my greetings to Krister, please. Tell him Eisenhorn is still safely tucked away at my granny's attic. He will know exactly what that means ;)
I recommend looking at Apologist's Ultramarines as an inspiration, check his blog here: http://apologentsia.blogspot.co.uk/ And his Ultramarines army project over here: http://www.warseer.com/forums/showthread.php?146205-Praetors-of-Calth-%96-Pre-Heresy-Ultramarines
ReplyDeleteThank you guys for your support and interest!
ReplyDeleteSeein what Apologist has done (awesome stuff btw.) with his Ultra's I started thinking that the truescale-way could still be an option... with theses terminator legs from forge
http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/Warhammer-40000/Space_Marines/Space_Marine-Infantry-and-Accessories/TARTAROS_PATTERN_TERMINATOR_ARMOUR.html combined with normal torsos from forge I could actually achieve that look pretty easily and quickly...
Miggs - what do you think?
What is the hardest and most the time consuming part when you create your Legion Marines??
Mikko, honestly if you find legs that will do it untouched, it's a walk in the park! This is something I have been looking at with the same FW legs.
DeleteHardest is to extend the legs in two places and to try and smoothly fill the terminator structure into smooth power armour. Power Marine torsos definitely need beefing up, but it's straightforward and making the shoulder guards from terminator ones is easy.
I've also picked a massively challenging paint application/scheme for mine. The idea was to build and paint a single marine after all... at 9 now... With more to come.
Hey Mikko, looking forward to seeing how you approach your Ultramarines. You write:
ReplyDelete'I wanted to challenge myself a little bit... I decided to choose the most popular chapter (and the most boring in the same time) the Ultramarines.
[...]In a way I have always felt that the[ir] image has been drifting too far from where it should be.'
I think you've hit the nail on the head with this comment – I had much the same thinking when I started my army. If you don't mind me chipping in on your question above, I've found the Tartaros legs perfect for larger marines – I've recently reinvigorated my old project and have been using the Tartaros legs to give me more options on posing. I'm not sure quite how much time they save, as the legs are one of the simpler bits to modify (just filling in holes, really). It's the shoulder pads that I found fiddly and time-consuming.
I'll keep an eye on this project, and would love to share any Ultramarines ideas. Mind if I tag along with the call to arms? :)
Thank you Apologist! really love your Interpretation on the sons of Guilliman =)
DeleteLooks like your blog will serve as significant source of reference for this epic project in the future;)
I feel that what-parts-to-use-for-what-thingy should be planned properly before I buy anything.
Sounds intresting. I have always had the image that if I ever did Ultramarines there is one part of the chapter I like. The 3rd Company. Veterans of the war against Tyranids and specialized against tyranids. Just food for tought. Anyway I will be reading on about this project with great intrest.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to take part in this also, but is this project for building space marines only?
ReplyDeleteWhoa, that's excellent news! I have always stuck with my "regular" 40k army, even through all of my various INQ28 shenanigans, so instead of starting a new army, I may be excused for rather working some more on the existing one, trying to make it the best it can possibly be. Nevertheless, the prospect of people like you and Peter returning to 40k proper makes me salivate at the thought of the kind of armies you guys might come up with ;)
ReplyDeleteRegarding the Ultramarines, while I have called them boring along with the best of them, I have always felt that there was an awesome army concept hidden away at the center of it all, and you certainly have the talent to excavate that piece of greatness ;) Not sure I agree about the pale colours, though: To me, the Ultramarines are best when they are vibrant (like Gareth Etherington's fantastic army showcased in this month's WD -- you should definitely check it out!).
That said, you might want to take a look at Dave Andrew's Ultramarines -- it seems to me that those might have the look you are going for! Unfortunately, I just found one picture of them online here:
http://www.40kforums.com/imageupload/images/img413511341340b.jpg
It doesn't really showcase what's so interesting about the army, but there's an in depth look at it in the July 2012 WD, if you can get your hands on it.
Anyway, very much looking forward to this project! And if I ever get to Nottingham at the same time as you, the World Eaters' 4th assault company will happily take your Ultrasmurfs' skulls ;)
General comment I want to make based on some of the replies here - there are GORGEOUS armies out here. Gorgeous. Many of you guys have been so focused on the fantastic skirmish movement that maybe you missed some of the stunning work that is going on. FLICKR is a good place to find some.
ReplyDeleteHi Mikko,
ReplyDeleteI am really excited to see what you do with your Ultramarines.
You have well and truly inspired me to build my own Grimdark Marines. Thank you.
Eve.
So nice too see that you guys are getting inspired!
ReplyDeleteJust build the army you like, no point limits or anything like that simple & fun. Build an entirely new force or get re-inspired from your old army, you decide =)
This is going to be so much fun!