More Vanguard Veterans

So, as I said I would do last time, I put together more vanguard vets.

In the back right, I have a squad of 5 with power axes. Being a big believer in finding things to do with older stuff, I found a use for something I didn't like. The old veterans box (before they were split into sternguard and vanguard) was five metal minis I realized I couldn't stand. Their poses were strained and crappy looking, their weapons kind of boring and ununified. And, being metal, there wasn't much I could do about them. So I took most of the separate arms and used them on other minis, leaving the bodies themselves to sit in containers. But now the one with the stupid looking axe pose I never liked makes a decent sarge with relic blade for a team of all axes.

For the back left team with all power fists, I made a sarge with double power fists. I'll never field something like that normally, but a) it was kinda fun and funny to make, and b) the very idea of double power fists is so ridiculous that I had to have at least one in my army. I had to do a lot of cutting and such for this squad. Though there are right and left handed power fists, there aren't a lot of left or right arms that aren't intended to hold bolters. So I had to do a bit of arm chopping to make up for that.

In the front, I made a few monastics with what I think will be easily understood as relic blades. These guys are going to be part of the Chapter Master's honor guard, though, I will no doubt use them in standard vanguard vet squads from time to time (assuming I ever play any time in the next 5 years). I do wish that I gave one of them the bolter/plasmagun I had sitting about, but that's a minor inconvenience. If I really get bothered by it, I'll change it out before I try to paint them.

Once I get these painted and do one more jump vanguard vet, I will be done with them. Three squads is enough. Heck, it's more than enough. I can't imagine using all three in anything less than an Apoc battle. I also used a lot of shoulder pads, heads and body bits to make these guys. For the first time in a long time, my supplies in those areas are starting to run low. I may pick up some heads and shoulder pads on EBay to replenish the stores. I'm also thinking or beginning to resin cast legs. All the other stuff can be gotten cheaply and, as I've learned from my first experiments, trying to copy small bits or stuff with a lot of undercuts (like power weapons) is difficult if you don't know what you're doing yet. Legs, on the other hand are bigger and more basic. If I mass produce a bunch of those, it'll go a long way towards my eventual goal of an entire Chapter. :) And it'll give me practice for the day when I can make small bits with lots of undercuts.

But that is the future. Let us continue on and work on the now...