And they shall know no fear.
Posted: Mon Mar 21, 2022 11:25 pm
I grew up playing Warhammer 40,000, starting with the original Rouge Trader up until fifth(?) Edition. Even though I no longer play, I still collect 40K items and read the books. Heck, my user name is just me misspelling the home world of the Ultramarines.
The thing that first drew me to it was seeing the boxed set of 30 plastic Space Marines at my local hobby shop. I bought them, and painted them tiger stripe camo, just using them as little bad ass looking action figures. A few months later, I discovered the rulebook. This was when the game was first released, and I think the store may have gotten the minis in before the rulebook. I learned about Space Marine Chapters, and realized mine were painted "wrong." Since the only "Chapter Approved " color I had in a rattle can, this being back before I even knew what an airbrush was, they were painted red, becoming Blood Angels.
I remember wishing that someone would make 40K action figures, but it never happened.
Then, completely randomly, I discovered that Mcfarlane made licensed 1/12 scale 40K figures. A few 6" action figures are available, but mostly superhero, wrestling, and movie figures, namely the Star Wars Black Series. I immediately bought both Blood Angels figures, as well as a Sister of Battle and a genestealer. They are impressive figures, but stiff, and difficult to pose, with the Sister and genestealer having to remain on their stands to keep from falling over. But most annoying, they followed the GW model, and all the figures are roughly the same height, when the Sister should be noticeably shorter then the Marine, being a normal unenhanced human.
And then, I discovered that Games Workshop had also given Joytoy a license to make 40K action figures. And not large, difficult to find compatible accessories and companions figures, but one of the most common scales for action figures, 1/18, 3.75" scale, also known as GI Joe scale. The same scale that many of us use for tank riders, crew, and infantry. And they are scaled properly, being bigger than normal human figures. They are also more accurate to the source artwork and miniatures, with much better articulation. I immediately bought a Marine.
Mcfarlane Marine and with the Joytoy Marine. Also included are a Star Wars 6" Black Series trooper figure, with an Imperial Guardsman conversion, and a regular 1/18 Black Series stormtrooper.
The Mcfarlane figures together, with the 6" Guardsman. You can see how Mcfarlane doesn't scale properly.
I chose to begin collecting the 1/18 figures. The Marine I bought is a member of the Blood Angels Death Company. I didn't buy him because he is a Blood Angel, but because it was the one that would arrive soonest, and I had already decided to repaint him to a different Chapter, the Crimson Fists, featured on the cover of the original First Edition rulebook. I eventually want to collect a 10 man Tactical squad of Crimson Fists. I don't care for the new Primaris Marine stuff, I was glad to find Mk7 armor components and the older style weapons available. The same vendor also happens to make 1/18 Imperial Guard small arms(he also made the Mcfarlane scale Guardsman kit on the stormtrooper).
So the search began. I ended up choosing the Acid Rain line of figures, choosing one that seemed the closest to Imperial Guard as is. The only difficulty has been helmets, but I think I finally found a good one. He will be getting a repaint, to an as yet to be determined camo, but all he really needs is the right weapons and head gear. And he has the weapons now.
And then, seeing them on my desk next to a Sherman, I had an idea. And I ordered something to use as a guide. It arrived today.
Marine and Guardsman next to a 1/16 Sherman Chassis.
If I was going to keep the scale sizes the same as the GW minis, this would be about right. But it always bugged me that there was no way the Rhino would hold ten fully armed and armored Space Marines, plus the crew, also Space Marines, and since I'm going all out with scale humans, I want it to be true to scale, and with an interior capable of holding ten Astartes. I have to get it out of the shed, but I think my HL Abrams chassis could be about right.
After this I will do an Imperial Guard Chimera, also with interior able to hold ten Guardsmen.
The thing that first drew me to it was seeing the boxed set of 30 plastic Space Marines at my local hobby shop. I bought them, and painted them tiger stripe camo, just using them as little bad ass looking action figures. A few months later, I discovered the rulebook. This was when the game was first released, and I think the store may have gotten the minis in before the rulebook. I learned about Space Marine Chapters, and realized mine were painted "wrong." Since the only "Chapter Approved " color I had in a rattle can, this being back before I even knew what an airbrush was, they were painted red, becoming Blood Angels.
I remember wishing that someone would make 40K action figures, but it never happened.
Then, completely randomly, I discovered that Mcfarlane made licensed 1/12 scale 40K figures. A few 6" action figures are available, but mostly superhero, wrestling, and movie figures, namely the Star Wars Black Series. I immediately bought both Blood Angels figures, as well as a Sister of Battle and a genestealer. They are impressive figures, but stiff, and difficult to pose, with the Sister and genestealer having to remain on their stands to keep from falling over. But most annoying, they followed the GW model, and all the figures are roughly the same height, when the Sister should be noticeably shorter then the Marine, being a normal unenhanced human.
And then, I discovered that Games Workshop had also given Joytoy a license to make 40K action figures. And not large, difficult to find compatible accessories and companions figures, but one of the most common scales for action figures, 1/18, 3.75" scale, also known as GI Joe scale. The same scale that many of us use for tank riders, crew, and infantry. And they are scaled properly, being bigger than normal human figures. They are also more accurate to the source artwork and miniatures, with much better articulation. I immediately bought a Marine.
Mcfarlane Marine and with the Joytoy Marine. Also included are a Star Wars 6" Black Series trooper figure, with an Imperial Guardsman conversion, and a regular 1/18 Black Series stormtrooper.
The Mcfarlane figures together, with the 6" Guardsman. You can see how Mcfarlane doesn't scale properly.
I chose to begin collecting the 1/18 figures. The Marine I bought is a member of the Blood Angels Death Company. I didn't buy him because he is a Blood Angel, but because it was the one that would arrive soonest, and I had already decided to repaint him to a different Chapter, the Crimson Fists, featured on the cover of the original First Edition rulebook. I eventually want to collect a 10 man Tactical squad of Crimson Fists. I don't care for the new Primaris Marine stuff, I was glad to find Mk7 armor components and the older style weapons available. The same vendor also happens to make 1/18 Imperial Guard small arms(he also made the Mcfarlane scale Guardsman kit on the stormtrooper).
So the search began. I ended up choosing the Acid Rain line of figures, choosing one that seemed the closest to Imperial Guard as is. The only difficulty has been helmets, but I think I finally found a good one. He will be getting a repaint, to an as yet to be determined camo, but all he really needs is the right weapons and head gear. And he has the weapons now.
And then, seeing them on my desk next to a Sherman, I had an idea. And I ordered something to use as a guide. It arrived today.
Marine and Guardsman next to a 1/16 Sherman Chassis.
If I was going to keep the scale sizes the same as the GW minis, this would be about right. But it always bugged me that there was no way the Rhino would hold ten fully armed and armored Space Marines, plus the crew, also Space Marines, and since I'm going all out with scale humans, I want it to be true to scale, and with an interior capable of holding ten Astartes. I have to get it out of the shed, but I think my HL Abrams chassis could be about right.
After this I will do an Imperial Guard Chimera, also with interior able to hold ten Guardsmen.