To base or not to base, that is the question:

So I was able to piece together the mess o' tank parts shown in the previous blog post. I am missing quite a few of the hatches, but a fellow player can hook me up with replacements. Now my main sticking point is whether or not I base the vehicles.

Obviously, you base the infantry in Epic, since the models are so small. The vehicles, on the other hand, are usually of a manageable size, so basing is more of an aesthetic preference. I went out and spent a fist full of dollars on precut Litko bases and magnetic sheet, but now I am having second thoughts.

I kind of want the bases so I can more easily stage the models in a case, and the magnetic bottoms will help to keep them in place, but I really like the look of the unbased models on a table. Basing the vehicles kind of detracts from that suspension of disbelief you get when looking at a nice model on a good looking table (see the Direct Fire header photo at the top of the page.)

Sigh.

Leman Russ Vanqisher scratchbuild

I've got a full company of Epic: 40K era Leman Russ battletanks, but unfortunately, the models don't come with a Vanquisher turret option. Looks like I gotta improvise... I picked up some brass rod that was slightly thinner than the regular Leman Russ battlecannon, then used some plastic rod to make a baffle and build up the cannon. I placed the rod in my Dremel and used a file to shape the plastic parts. I'm not 100% satisfied with the way the plastic was shaped, but I was having issues with the seating of the rod in the Dremel - got some wiggle, which threw the rod out of true. I think it will look ok when painted up, though.

Artillery - Primed and Ready!

Got some more assembly and priming done this weekend. I added a few more stands of Imperial Guard to bring me up to six full Steel Legion Imperial Guard companies. With the addition of a couple more stands, I can also field eight Baran Siegemaster companies or four Death Korps of Kreig companies. I think I have enough in the way of regular troops... The next troop project will be two companies of Stormtroopers. I tend not to use Ogryns or Support Fireteams, so they will probably be back-burner projects.

I also did up some self-propelled artillery, in the form of a company of custom Armageddon-pattern Basilisks. They will be replacing my Forge World Basilisk company. I like the Forge World models, but the barrels on the cannons are very thin and fragile - I've broken a couple in transit. The new models should hold up a bit better.

And in the towed artillery category, we have some Kreig Earthshakers. I haven't glued the barrels yet, so that's why they look less than elevated in the photo.

That's it for now - I'll probably get to the Chimeras and Russes next.