Bolter Batching WIP #1 - parts & cleanup

Something of a catch up post - I managed to *mostly* work through 30 red marines over 2019, and it's time to dump out some of the WIP pictures taken over their progress. 

5th Co. corporate retreat group photo [ie, completed tactical squads]

Almost forgot that I had this photo on the camera - I'd finished taking some more detailed photos of the second tactical squad for a writeup (in an earlier post) and threw the rest in field for a team photo before packing the gear away. 

Good reminder to check that the SLR batteries are fully charged - only got a couple of this pose after taking the tactical squad shots before it called for a time out. Might have to take a bit longer on some army shots next time. 

That is all. 

Showcase: Tactical Squad Maalik

5th Company, 3rd Squad 'Maalik', and second completed tactical squad. In keeping with a very loose mythology theming, Maalik is an angel guardian of hell, known as the keeper of hellfire. As a flamer/heavy flamer squad, this seemed like a good fit to me :-)

Showcase: Tactical Squad Nithael

2nd Squad, 5th Company: 

Finally getting around to loading some party shots of the tactical squads that were finished late last year - these were on SLR rather than my usual WIP mobile phone snaps; I've still got a bit more to work out on the light & studio-type setup, but getting there. 

Showcase: Retro Marines & Macromats test run

Two bits that came together in a post today - I recently picked up one of the excellent Macromat background sets from Tablewar and got a chance to test it out with an SLR camera rather than my standard mobile phone approach. 

As one of the mats (there are 3 included in the kit) is a gradation from white to blue... it also seemed fitting that the first test subject as a 'showcase' would be my old tactical squad from ~1993 that I found in the cupboard over Christmas. 

Tactical Squad 1 wrap up

Much to my shame... wrapping up squad with pics that are still on a mobile phone and also with dodgy backing light rather than some lamps. May have to retake these once my DSLR is back up and running. 

2nd squad, 5th Company; designated Nithael. I'm fairly happy with the way the sergeant banner has turned out, along with some of the gold detailing with a reikland wash.  

Tac Squad WIP #2

Some of the troops starting to come together - still rather crappy quality pics via mobile-phone-on-the-move style shooting... 

Gold and bunch of the details blocked in as well as armour highlights - the raised bolter & bling backpack will end up as the 'corporal' for the 10 man squad, or defacto sergeant if I break them up into 5-man combat squads. 

Tac Squad WIP #1

Work in progress shots from tactical squad #1 – although I missed photos of a couple of the interim steps before getting to the (mostly) finished armour. Actually, either way - I need to get my DSLR organised rather than just the sneaky camera-phone pics. 

Tactical Squads: Airbrush details

Follow up post... wanted to try out the airbrush on some smaller bits and see how it goes at filling in details rather than just covering the side of a house. 

Tactical Squads: Production line basecoating

Woot - finally getting some mass production underway... I may have gotten a bit carried away with spraying everything and only took a few mid-progress pics. 

1st & 2nd Tacticals: Assembly

Finally getting these all assembled and together... extra detail after jump on how these have come together and some OCD parts management.