Hi everybody and welcome to my first ammobunker log.

Army List: All tanks have Ace gunners, Extra armour, track guards and smoke, (Why not it's apocolipse)

The Company
Command Vanquisher-Company Commander- 383pts !
Command Vanquisher-squad 1- 298pts
Command Conqueror-squad 2- 268pts
Command Conqueror-squad 3- 268pts
Russ-squad 1-1 198pts
Russ-squad 1-2 198pts
Exterminator-squad 2-1 178pts
Exterminator-squad 2-2 178pts
Demolisher-squad 3-1 218pts
Demolisher-squad 3-2 218pts

Support
Storm Trooper Squad-Chimera, plasma death- 256pts
Armoured Fist squad-Chimera, big flashlight, grenadelauncher-208pts
Hellhound-Cheap and cheerful-115pts

Close Air Support
Thunderbolt, 4 hellstrike missiles-220pts

Super heavy detachment
baneblade, additional sponsons 600pt

Total: 4,072 pts

Chance of me getting all of it done: 5% :D

Log Progressomatic™

The Baneblade Squadron
Shadowsword command tank-Forged Fury- General Von KlinkerHoffen
Baneblade-Iron Wrath-Lietenant Von Flockenstuffen
Hellhammer-Steel Justice-Lietenant Alberto Bertorelli

Tank Company
Vanquisher Company command tank-Armoured Thunder- Major Von Smallhausen

Squadron Iron Anvil
Vanquisher command tank-Iron Fist- Captain Hans Geering
Leman Russ-Iron Wall
Leman Russ-Iron Faith

Squadron Steel Hammer
Conqueror command tank-Steel Scythe-Captain Von Strohm
Exterminator-Steel Blade
Exterminator-Steel Mace

Squadron Forged Flames
Conqueror command tank-Forged Roar-Commisar Otto Flick
Demolisher-Forged Ember
Demolisher-Forged Flare

Thunderbolt Support Squadron Darkened Skies (may not happen durring the BoB
Thunderbolt fighter-bomber-Black Sky-Crabtree
Thunderbolt fighter-bomber-Split Sky-Fairfax
Thunderbolt fighter-bomber-Swift Sky-Carstairs

Key:
Red-Not even started, oh dear!
Yellow-WIP, either painting it or making it.
Green-Done, YAY!

As you may have guessed from the title the log will be of a scratch built tank company with a baneblade squadron and maybe a couple of thunderbolts in tow.

I'm not quite sure what I'll be making them out of yet but I've made a paper test tank. The company won't be paper since the test tank was a right bum to make :).

I'm currently making a card test tank to see how that works.

pictures will follow.

totally scratchbuilt? this will be fun!

Speak to EasyE, He's scratchbuilt an armoured company from paper/card so can probably help you out.

Right thanks for the interest guys (I knew I'd get more here than on warseer).

@Jasevx: yes it will indeed be fun you get to see all the results without having to get covered in pva glue :).

@Charlie: I think a chat to easy E would be a good idea, I'll try to get in touch with him.

Before I go any further I'd like to thank the guys who contribute to BWC archive( http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/bwc-archive/ ) without whom I would have had to buy and ruin a real russ for templates, cheers guys. I'd also like to thank Lackofbettername from warseer, without him I would never have discovered the archive.

Right after what sounded like an award acceptance speech I can show you some pics. First off the paper monstrosity.



Now the cardboard one


Both together



and a scale pic with Elhir Longsight, my sniper wraithlord.


Finally the obligatory workspace pic. Well I say space, there's not a great deal of that to be honest :lol:


Thanks for looking.

PS: I've added a Log Progressomatic to the first post

Oh god no, not another Firestorm Falcon log :(

The paper one... is a mess, but the card one is better.
However, that still looks a buit like the servitors weren;t working well ;)
However, that's a good start you've made; I can;t imagine doing that is easy.
I look forward to seeing more (and seeing these things in person ;))

oh, PS: show them the Land Raider :D

Is that fan on your desk there so you can put your paper tanks on it and watch them "levitate"? :P

Looking forward to this, your tests seem like your going in the right direction. Have a chat with the big Easy though, he's a god of paper creations.

-scrubout

@Scrubout: thanks, I can't see a fan although there might well be one under there, You'd never know.

@Arhalien: Thanks, I think...It's not the easiest thing in the world I have to say but still, tis cheap.

Your wish is my command, I present to you the Cubeous pattern Landraider




Thanks for looking

I used that exact same template to start with. First off, the barrel they proive for you really isn't big enough. I'm stuck with it now, but it should be bigger. If you are making these out of thin card, you may have enough hull strength/support to use some actual junk like marker bodies, trimmed down piping, etc.

Also, on your paper tank, you put the rear section of the hull between the barrel and the turret. That strange piece actually folds up and goes on the back of the turret to bulk it out. Take a look at a picture of an actual Leman Russ to see what I mean.

If you are going to build up the tracks like you did on the card one, you will want track guards on every tank to keep your sanity intact. It is a nice effect, but tedious.

Finally, make sure you score the card really well, almost all the way through, or the shapes won't stay the direction you want. The thickness of the card is critical. If it is too thick of a material, it will not bend properly, and the glue won't hold it in place. If it is too thin, the tank will be flimsy. That is why the actual paper tank gets beat up so easy.

Finally, you will want to use layers of card to help create definition on the tanks. For example, if you look on the side of an actual Leman Russ, you will see that it is made up of panels. You can create this effect by putting one piece of card as the base, then add smaller pieces on top of it, and then add the outline pieces above that to create a three layer side. To do this, you will want a sturdy piece for the base piece, and thinner card/paper for the rest. I hope that made some sense.

Here is an example of the assembled Vanquisher using those Leman Russ templates:








Hope this helps, and PM me if you need some help. This is a marvelous journey you've begun, but it isn't as easy as it looks. Be prepared to trade time for money.

Awesome tanks! This is looking very good ... I'll be watching this closely ... :ph43r:

Though the most recent tank looks a little, perhaps, flat? :P

Are you going to add paper details later? :)

Very good design though.

Merry christmas!

MM

Wow Easy E came to me, I wasn't expecting that.

Your right about the barrel...it sucks :( I may look at markers and the like but at the moment a larger bit of paper seems the best option.

Yeah I didn't have a clue what that was for so I tied it on the front with the first tank and left it off completely with the second, thanks for the heads up.

I'm sticking with the Track guards/built up tracks thing. since it saves me cutting like 50 little rectangles per tank :D .

The card tank actually does have detail but you probably can't see it from the pics, I didn't bother with the paper one since it was a sort of first draft tank.

Here

Thanks for the tips I'll PM you If I have any Issues.

@MutantMaggot: Argh your looking into my soul, not that you'll find anything but madness there.


I think I'll be going for cardboard tanks with paper weapons, the card heavy bolter's were absolute -------- (self censoring) to make and they still look poor :( .

Thanks for looking.

That looks good ...

I did say I'd follow this thread ... ;)

So, your christmas askance was not a leman russ battle squadron ... but a ton of paper, card and PVA?

Flippin' heck, I didn't even have time to update my Sig before you got that post in MM.

I knew I forgot to ask for something :D.

I'll be able to complete tanks at a rate determined not by my will to make them but my will to eat lots of cereal :D.

Merry Christmas everyone (and may that Battleforce you wanted be under the tree:))

That side picture is nice. Try to add some more definition to your track guards as well. I recommend some simple strips across them width wise, probably where the card bends.

Here is a tip for smaller making rivets. Use PVA and put a drop of glue where you want the rivet. Once it dries, it will leave a bump that yoou won't see very well, until you paint the thing.

Also, before painting the card board either prime it with paper friendly paints, or give it a coat of watered down PVA. Both of these steps will prevent warping.

Remember... I will be watching.

Wow more tips, the rivet one will definitely be helpful (I'm using a hole punch at the moment:))

Should I paint one of the test tanks before I start the first "True" Tank? Probably wise.

Oh and since every log has to have a cat pic (and my cat is long dead)

Awesome cat picture ... sorry to hear your cat's dead. :(

Where does everyone get these annotated cat pictures?


Certainly try a test scheme. We're waiting ... *taps foot*

The cat pictures are from here
http://www.roflcat.com/

I'm going to put a layer of PVA on the card one now so I can spray it tommorow and try out a scheme, I'm thinking either night world (lazy [arse] painting, black with highlingts and details) or some sort of german scheme (I'm thinking quite dark grey(@Arhalien do you think I could get away with swastica's in store?(Maybe not I think the SBTC(oSAD!(so many brackets(woo)))is pushing it as it is)))? Not sure yet, I'll paint half of the tank in each scheme.

It'll be at least tommorow so don't tap your foot through the floor:)

Maybe this would work (just an excuse for another cat pic)

Very well, you may continue working:

Oh no, I let Arhalien know the cat website, They'll be all over the place now, Lets not turn the place into a cat sanctuary please. or this'll happen (last one for a while I swear!)

Right as promised, I've roughly painted up the test tank half in black half in grey. Personally I prefer the grey, what do you guys think.





On a slightly off topic note I've done some work on the AT-AT (If you didn't see my starwars log Ignore this completely).


Also I've finaly got a case big enough for all of my armies. The white and blue dot In the first pic is a marine. The tank in the second is a wave serpent.



Thanks for looking,

Comments are always good.

Good god that thing is huge! :P

Onto the models...
Thegrey definately looks better, although it could do with some highlighting.
And the AT-AT really looks quite good now that I see it. Legs are a bit awkward but I can;t really see what all the fuss was about earlier ;)

I know, I can fit 1000+ foam slots in that :).

There's 3 different colours of grey on that, any more and I't start going white, gosh arhalien are you blind as well as insane :D (you know I'm joking it might not show too well on the pics.

There's some shoddy green stuff work that I can't be bothered to fix now so I'm just getting it done.

Looks very good, especially considering it's made of cardboard!

the AT is very good, but the legs look a tad awkward.

And BTW, try:

http://icanhascheezburger.com for more cat pictures!

http://mine.icanhascheezburger.com/View.as...19035427595.jpg

Add a strip around the sponsons tops and bottom to give them an extra level of detail. Actually, the entire thing may need a bit more detailing. Adding some GS/Sculpey sand bags, or guaze bandage netting would help add some details without using more card. Take a look at a real Russ model to see where the detail is added on those models.

You may also want to experiment with different thickness of card and greeting card paper to acheive a more nuanced look.

Finslly, your basic hull looks really wide? Did you bulk it up?

Oh yeah, I would go with the grey. I also like the sentinel plus rhino = AT-AT.

Thanks MM,
Now the cat's are going to take over the world.

@Easy E: yeah I just realised what those strips by the sponsons are meant for :). I'll try to add some more rivets and the like.[RANT] I just hate the way people's russes look likre they're pack carts (i.e. covered in bags and shovels and equipment) it's a tank not a bunker [/RANT]

the hull's not meant to be wide it's just the cardboard tabs didn't work, at all:D. so I had to cover the gaps :).

thanks.

This Log Is Now Part of the Band of Brothers!

Ah ... motivation. I'll watch with interest as the tanks get messier and messier as the days draw closer to the finish ...

Just kidding. Good luck!

heh, by the end I'll just be painting a shoebox:)

Written update:
The first russ is built except for the sponsons(I'm waiting for magnets to make those).

I'm going to start the first exterminator now.

Oh and the AT-AT is basecoated and I've started the white. *shudder*:)

I thought the cats were already in charge?

And the stowage is there for a reason; people have to represent extra armour somehow! :P

What with a shovel?

I guess it's better than card:), I'm still waiting for someone to replace lasguns with torches though.

Amasingly I've done some work.

:o

I've almost finnished the first propper tank, all it needs is sponsons and a hull heavy bolter (I've got the magnets now so they'll be done soon.

I would post pics but photobucket seems to be down so they'll have to wait. I'll edit them in later.

Photobucket appears to be working, just not the home page ...

Sounds good, can't wait for pics.

Right the bucket is back so here are the pics. Iron Wall is almost ready for battle.



The magnetised turret

The start of the next tank.


Comments are great.

You;re getting good at this ;)

Have you considered doing an Easy E and putting camo patterns and details on the templates before printing them? THe tank does look a bit plain to me; it could do with some detailing in places; numerals, weathering, etc.

very nice: I second Arhalien's words ... ;)

Can't wait to see more. :)

MM

Thanks for the comments guys. In response to the cammo thing, I can't actually print off cammo because I'd end up spray painting strait over it and the paper is on the inside.

Squad markings will be done when I work out how I'm going to do them :D.

The sides look great. Nice paneling.

I recommend you put the glue rivets on before spray painting. Then, when you drybrush the tank. The rivets will stand out more.

If you prefer a welded look to your hull, try using a thin strip of spackle along where you want weld lines, then crosshatch it with an exacto knife. Be sure to do this before painting as well.

Either of these steps will add that extra touch of realism. Perhaps you have done this all ready, but it just isn't visible in the pics.

Did you have any warping when you painted it?

Thanks

Yeah the rivets didn't work too well. still plenty of tanks to practice on.

might try that on later tanks thanks.

No warping that I could see, the cardboard is strong stuff. :)

Any progress on this most marvellous of marathons? ;)

Well I've done the sponsons for Iron wrath and my first Demilisher is Almost built. I'll have piks by friday (hopefull of 2 completed tanks). I'm not promising anything. :)

Excellent ... I want to see more of these modelling marvels of manic mania and madness ... :)

Wait ... was that 3000pts?! A colossal mark ... I can't wait to see it progress. :)

yeah 3000pts with any luck, a self imposed buget for the next 4-5 months means my tank should be able to get some air support. :)