Hey guys,

Over the last couple of years I have been getting back into Epic big time (NetEpic to be precise), but I have hardly ever painted anything, even from when I started playing way back in the 90s. In fact I have never really painted any models for any wargame apart from a single Escher gang in Necromunda, as I typically disliked doing it. I would much prefer to spend my time building scenery (which may become another log as I need to sort out my Epic terrain at some point).

But no more!!!

Part of my new years resolution is to finally after 22 years of playing wargames to actually paint a full army (even if it is 6mm).

I have bought new paints and brushes. I have invested in a painting station to keep things tidy. I have cleared part of the study to keep my painting away from the missus!

It begins!!!

Hopefully I will be able to maintain a bit of a log to show everyone how things are going. It might even transition over into ToEG if I feel like it.

To get things under way I thought I would start with a Battle Company, some Dreadnaughts and Land Speeders, to give me a chance to try a few different things.



When putting my army together, I wasn't happy with the square/rectangle bases so decided to rebase them on circles. The bases come from Fenris Games who I asked to haphazardly cut the circles into them so the units looked a bit more fluid and less structured.
I also wanted each squad to be structured as you would expect in 40k with the correct numbers of Sergeants (the old Captain models are playing the parts of the Sergeants) and Heavies, so Sergeant + Heavy for Tacticals, Sergeant + 4 Heavies for Devastators, Sergeant for Assault.
Rather than using the Captain models for the Assault squads as they would look a little odd without jump-packs, I also tried my hand at a little 6mm converting and made my own Assault squad sergeants.



Not sure if the picture is that clear, but for two of them I chopped off their right arms and replaced them with the power fist from the Captain models and for the other I chopped off his sword and gave him a captains gun and then cut off his left arm and replace it with a terminators power fist.

Next up is basing and then undercoat. Hopefully I can then start getting some colours on them over the weekend.

Matt

Good starting point Matt - looking forward to seeing these progress!

Cheers
Reedar

Those look excellent. I've been looking and thinking for a long time about basing as I'm wanting round bases for all my units. Been experimenting with British 2p coins (25.9mm diameter and costing only, well, 2p each) but struggling to neatly, easily and consistently build up around the infantry bases so it looks like they're standing on the flat rather than on a little hill. What you've got there looks exactly like what I'm after.

So, are they their ply bases or another material? Are the holes cut all the way through? If all the way through, do you just fill them with putty or suchlike up to the required level and do you put a base of card or something over the exposed bottoms?

I got the impression from your post that the default bases have holes cut in neat lines and that you requested the haphazard pattern, but on their website none of their bases happear ave any holes at all. Or am I just being blind?

Sorry for the inquisition, but you've really inspired me.

Neat looking start, the conversions on the assault stands look good.

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AFK with real life, still checking PMs

Cheers Apoc, just wanted the Sergeants to look a little different without having to rely on paint.

@ Heavens
Everything you said was basically what I through.

I wanted the bases to be flat with inset holes like the existing epic bases rather than having a mound of greenstuff or putty.
The bases are in two parts, both made of 0.8mm plywood which gives a full depth of about 1.5mm (around the same depth as the normal bases). The top half has the holes in which is just glued to another plain one. I choose 0.8mm as that is about the depth of the plastic bases on infantry models, so they should look flush in a hole in a bit of 0.8mm ply.
Originally I got some of the rounds from Litko with no holes and then tried to drill/punch my own, but it was taking to long. Then started looking for someone in the UK that would do something similar I stumbled across Fenris and noticed these in their store.

http://www.fenrisgames.com/shop.html#!/~/product/category=2202354&id=14952053

I dropped them an email and asked if they could do something in a 25mm round rather than the rectangle, to which they said yes. Initial cost would be around £10 for 50.
In the end I ordered 400 bases (so 400 of the ones with holes in and 400 of the plain rounds for the bottoms) and it cost me £40. I was told that they give a discount the more you order, so it made sense to get a large amount as my friend also wanted some and I have plans for other armies down the line.

The bases for the Speeders are just 2 plains stuck on each other (you could just get some 1.5mm ones for those models that don't need any holes.

The dreads use two plain ones as well, but I cut my own hole in to fit the metal bases of the dreads.

The HQ unit again was just two plain ones but I wanted only 3 models for the HQ units so just drilled them myself, I can handle doing a dozen of them compared to having to make 100s of the 5 hole ones for the normal infantry stands.

If I get some time I will post some pics of the bases later for you to look at.

Hope that helps.

Matt

Hehe. Those square ones are the ones I had specially made for my marines

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Nitpicks Knapsack (Scratchbuilding and 3D designing and printing and painting)

Ian at Fenris mentioned some other people had requested bases with 6mm holes in.

great basing solution and sounds like a good company that actually responds to customers.

Fenris games base cutting service is excellent i get my custom cut bases from them. Just ask them for what you want and they can usually help.

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I second that! I had very good advice resulting in this dual base design instead of just digging halv way through à thicker piece. Cheaper and better. Your bases look good too, Mattman.

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Nitpicks Knapsack (Scratchbuilding and 3D designing and printing and painting)

@ Mattman

Thanks so much for the detailed reply about the bases. The two-part ply solution seems elegantly simple and I'll certainly be in touch with Fenris shortly.

For most of my planned armies (yes, a great many), I'm looking at a similar pattern of five on a 25mm base as yours are, but for my Valhallans, Thousand Sons and Necrons, I'm planning a more regimented pattern to better reflect their background.

By the way, never mentioned your miniatures themselves, but they look great and the conversions are really good.

Great basing solution and promotion for Fenris!

What chapter will you play?

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Salamanders of course. Didn't the topic name give it away

Matt

Lol, i guess so

Green primer then?

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I could have gone green, but decided to stick with a black undercoat. Just letting them dry this very moment.

Matt