Balrog's Selection of Catachan Guardsmen

Last time I posted my Cadian, this time Catachan. These were painted within the first year they released the plastic Catachan models (whenever that was). I am debating between Cadian and Catachan for my IG team. I'll take suggestions. But I think we all know what a certain someone (Mordheimer) will say.

Also some of the pictures make their heads and torsos look disproportionate, I assure you this is due to camera angle. Not Mutation.










Should I use the Heavy Flamer or the standard flamer for



Medic is the model from Battle for Macragge. He must be hot in that outfit living on a Jungle Death World...

NIce.

Thanks. After seeing the models blown up in size I notice a lot of errors. Prob should have spent less time on tanks and more on what really matter to the Guard.

Anyone have any good advice for basing? Looking for vegetation, but nothing that gets in the way. I hear recommendation of moss or small bark bits.

Vargas SPOOKED me out! I mean, I bet he looks great on the table (at least WAY better than my, which is STILL "painted" plastic grey!) but this close, his eyes... AGGGHHHH!!!! How he has managed to escape the Inquisition is one of the true wonders of the Imperium of Man! hehehe...

For bases... simple.... jungle... cheap....

I would glue some rocks here and there (not too many, not on every base). Paint the base brown (dirt) and the rock grey. Drybrush rock light grey. Then add some static grass (the one that has lush green with some brown). This will make a "grass" field with few rocks. Then I would add some moss clumps (avoid the rocks... which should be a distinct feature). Remember to drybrush the moss. WTF?!?! Yes... you need to PAINT everything, so it conforms to the reality of the model... if not, that moss will jump at your eye. No, not literally! I mean, you will notice something odd... after all, we reduce colors to 4 to 5 shades, while nature has hundreds of permutations. Dry brush it slightingly with its color, and this will tone it down. You could add a log (remember to drybrush it) here and there... green stuff snakes would also help for the 'jungle' feel.

Mordheimer wrote:

if not, that moss will jump at your eye.

they are CATACHAN! The moss is just as likely to kill you as anything else.

Some ace ideas from Mordheimer. The only thing to add to that is mixed herbs - great for leaf litter and alternative 'grass' flock (plus your models smell all herby fresh).

Laney

NOT BAD! You've got a basic table top quality looking force; from the other side of the table I bet they look GREAT; you blow up even a more detailed paint job several times its actual size & its not going to look all that hot. The bulk of war gamers will never go beyond the level of quality you've achieved.
For a game like D.S. where you're not going for masses of troops, a more detailed paint job is the way to go...with only a dozen or so minis to worry about getting completed, you now have the luxury of time to lavish on each piece...time to go WILD.
With the bases, decide the setting you want for your Lads. If most of your games are going to take place in a ruined city, doing them up with jungle bases is going to look weird. When you decide, I & some of the other Guys can give you specific suggestions.
For the colors, start thinking in terms of triads.; a base shade with a darker shadow & a brighter highlight...even the metals should have at least three shades of color. If you use a black undercoat, on the flesh areas try to avoid having pure black areas remain visible.
Do up a test mini to the level you'd like your Lads to be then post a couple of photos & ask for critiques...you'll get all the advice you could want or stand. Take what appeals to you & disregard the rest. AND remember that you only have to please yourself as far as the appearance of your minis goes.

Deaf is an ace painter - with some brilliant advice .

For ease in moving your paint jobs to the next level, simple washes go a long way (the GW washes are great for this and very easy to use - I put a tutorial on the site on this a while back - with my Varangian 95th (Urban Fighters) Commissar).

Cheers Laney

Cool beans. I will try them out soon. I got a squad of Cadian and a Squad of Catachan still left over to paint.

Not sure why but i like to paint guns black first, then do a heavy dry brush mix of boltgun metal and ultramarines blue, then finish with a light coat of mithril silver, whatever the bronze color is, or boltgun metal again. Then if it ended up being too bright I drybrush black on top again.

I am terrible about not thinning my paints. The only times I have successfully is my Elf Flesh since it seems to start to harden and dry out within a year of buying.

Just a thought: I had thought of Marauder Arms on Cadian for a IR force, but forgot that their arms are a bit too big for normal size. Any ideas on a good bare armed set of bits for IR? Or should I just combine Catachan and Cadian bits for that? Trying to make it look like the Inquisitor has a rag tag bunch of Mercs and thugs for his Recruits.

Love seeing those old Catachan metals in use! Some of the most characterful old Guardsmen in the GW galaxy.

I think I may repaint the Captain/Sgt model to have gray hair. I would think a Catachan who lives long enough to go gray would be one tough soldier.

Anyone gotten any good gray hair painting advice?

I have used Chaos Black as a primer, then drybrushed/highlighted with Adeptus Battlegrey, followed by a final highlight of Fortress Grey.

Dont have any picture right now, sorry.

If you want cool models from cadians and catachans I'd buy a command squad of each, put the parts in a bitz box and liberally mix. The models you can get out of that are near limitless. The marauder parts aren't too different in size to the old catachan parts (bulky but not horrendous). If you're loaded forgeworld stuff is ace.

Cheers Laney

Grr, lost another post to the aether. Anyway, words to this effect: I like the old Catachan metals as they work really well for Necromunda Orlocks. Best use I have found for them is Heavies as they have a wider range of weaponry available (Plasma gun, Grenade launcher, etc.) and are much cheaper (Flamer) than the standard figures. They also have a little extra bulk in the torso and shoulders which means they stand out from the regular Gangers which is useful.

I don't think I have seen the 'Vargas' (the one from the BfMc box set?), it is a really nice model for something like DS where it has a lot of personality and can get the attention it deserves.

For good modelling ideas there is a whole blog post of them that someone has linked to in this section - it should give you some good ideas in addition to those provided above. The Command Squad boxes are full of bits and really useful for personalising your models.

Thanks for the critique all! Once I get a few more games in I will start converting up my Inquisitorial Retinue. I think I may use the Ice guard rules. Seems to fit well equipped highly mobile Inquisitorial forces. And the Ambush rule feels like half the team finds a threat and calls in backup.