Space Marines(Ultramarines) Tactical Squad

Here are some early efforts of mine to paint some of the Space Marines from the Black Reach set. The Ultramarines are my favorite chapter because of their devotion to the emperor and strict adherence to the Codex Astartes, They have great back-story and the Ultramarines Novels by Graham McNeill made me even more excited to model these guys.

Here is a shot of 10 Ultramarines- I have been working diligently to find a painting technique that I like. I am generally satisfied with their look, but I know I will improve in time.

The squad includes 10 Space Marines(tactical marines) armed with the following: 7 boltguns, 1 flamer, 1 missile launcher, 1 bolter pistol/chainsword.

The sergeant shown below gives a leadership boost to the squad. I like the pose, and imagining him firing off rounds keeping some xenos hoard at bay until they finally close on him and he grinds them up with his chainsword(plus, we all know guys with shaved heads are not to be trifled with)...

The flamer-armed marine- I love the so-armed character of Pasanius in McNeill's novels.

Here is the squad arrayed in defense of the archaic ruins walls from the set shown in my previous post...

"Ano"- Space Marine Marine Dreadnought

For my second WH40K post I will show my Space Marine Dreadnought. For those not in the know, a Dreadnought is basically a mechanized sarcophogaus for a Space Marine who's battle injuries are too severe for medical recovery. The dreadnought chassis provides him a second life as a "heavy support" option in the Space Marine codex. Their name is plastered to the armored shell in banners- I have chosen "Ano" as the name of this dread...

The model above came from the Assault on Black Reach starter set- a great way for noobs to jump into the 40K hobby. The dreadnought in this set is a great figure and I did not modify or convert it in any way. The only customized bit is the "urban" base that I dressed up.

Space Marine(Ultramarine) Scouts

Something new for the blog...
I am posting my first pics of some of my Warhammer 40,000 minis. I've been eyeing Games Workshop's 40K line for man years and I finally dived in! I am currently working on Space Marine and Tau armies, and my son is building a Necron force. Today I will highlight my first 40K figures(though I've done dozens by now), Space Marine Scout(Snipers). These guys are great for taking objectives, providing pinpoint fire support and disrupting enemy battle plans with their "infiltrate" deployment ability.

First- a group shot. I chose the Ultramarines chapter for my paint scheme. It wasn't simply a default choice as they are the most heralded in 40K lore, it was really inspired by my recent reading of the WH40K novel, The Ultramarine Omnibus- a great read by Graham McNeil.

Here is a shot of three scouts in "sniping" poses with their rifles.

And from behind you can see their "camo cloaks". I chose an urban scheme(which you will see is also the theme for all my Space Marine bases as well).

Here is a Scout Marine with a missile launcher. The snipers are fine, but they need a little punch in case they come up against enemy armor or superior numbers- this guy fits the bill.

An individual sniper- I posed his head to the side as if he is awaiting targeting info or orders.

Finally, the sergeant of the squad. I was a little initimidated by the painting of the eagle on his chest, but it came out o.k. The sgt. provides a leadership bonus that is important in morale-sensitive situations.