Progress!

I've got 15 Praetorians now, the first infantry squad has been equipped with their standard backpacks and canteens and has begun the painting process. The first command squad has almost finished the conversion stage, the only remaining thing is to change the flamer to the cadian varient. Heres a picture of the first Guardsman to be completed.

I've also added a sidebar with useful links to other cool sites including the good Colonel Gravis's blog for his own Praetorian regiment, from whom I've gotten a lot of inspriation. More pictures as more models are finished.

Arrivals and new deals

Well, I have just recieved the first squad of Praetorians in the mail today. they are marvolous and I am now in the process of painting them and adding canteens. The first model should be done this very hour. Also I have purchased a Lost and the Damned army this weekend which may slow the Praetorian Project down a bit, but should provide some alteration to the regimented lines of battle troops. More once the first guardsman is done.

First package!

Well my first purchase for my Praetorian army has arrived I now have a Imperial Guard codex in my possesion and I've worked out what items I will need for a 400 point combat patrol. I will need to buy at least one more squad of infantry to complete the first platoon as well as another squad to either convert to roughriders or simply to use as a third squad for my platoon, I'm debating between these two army lists for 400 points.

Infantry heavy list

doctrines
Close Order Drill
Iron Dicsiplene
Hardened Fighters
Diehards
Rough Riders


Infantry Platoon
Command Squad; Jounior officer, medic, trademark item, refractor field, power weapon, surveyor, diehards, Iron Disciplene, Hardened Fighters, Close Order Drill
113 points

Infantry Squad; Plasma gunner, Sergeant, diehards, Hardened Fighters, Close Order Drill
96 points

Infantry Squad; Plasma gunner, Sergeant, diehards, Hardened Fighters, Close Order Drill
96 points

Infantry Squad; Melta gunner, Sergeant, diehards, Hardened Fighters, Close Order Drill
96 points

401 Points


Fast response list

doctrines
Close Order Drill
Iron Dicsiplene
Hardened Fighters
Diehards
Rough Riders


Infantry Platoon
Command Squad; Jounior officer, medic, power weapon, surveyor, diehards, Iron Disciplene, Hardened Fighters, Close Order Drill
88 points

Infantry Squad; Plasma gunner, Sergeant, diehards, Hardened Fighters, Close Order Drill
96 points

Infantry Squad; Plasma gunner, Sergeant, diehards, Hardened Fighters, Close Order Drill
96 points

Rough rider squadron; five rough riders, hunting lances, diehards
60 points

Rough rider squadron; five rough riders, hunting lances, diehards
60 points
400 points



Now, for modeling

Obivously I do not want to use stock rough riders for this army, but I have an idea thats a bit better than the average praetorian rough rider conversions as well. I'll be making my legs and horse largely the same way that the good Col. Gravis is (see his work over at http://colgravis.blogspot.com/) But my torsos and head will be substantillay different. I will be useing standerd Praetorian and Mordian torsos but with fany lace added with greenstuff as well as hats like this one added to the models. With a paint scheme of either red or green tunics, I have not yet decided.

Also I intend to model one member of my platoon command squad as a native scout, to represent the surveyor choice in that squad, I will use either a catachan painted with dark skin or a kroot merc.

And more Ideas, and more, and more...

On with the crazyness I say, on with the crazyness! Well, in the scant time since my last post I have thought up a considerable lot more ideas for my force. Starting with the Command HQ squad and working downward


When reading a thread on Work In Progress (an excellent site by the way) I ran across the idea of a man serveant to carry an extra pistol for an officer. Naturally I loved this concept but wanted to take in in a slightly different vein. Instead of an extra dueling pistol my "Bat man" will be carrying a silver tray, with a box of cigars and a cup o' tea! But how will my Senior officer look? Strikingly posed and with one of those nice polices that I always seen Brunel and Mickmican wearing. Now where could I find a model like that I suppose? Above of course(see, hes not just hanging out there because he looks cool)! This Death Korps model was the answer to my prayers! of course, it'll cost me $50 for his squad so I'll be looking for a Kreig player to buy the rest off me, but even if I can't find one, a Tau player (which I also happen to be) will generally pay close to $40 for their HQ so this isn't much more. Of course I'll need to make some adjustments to this model to bring him more in line with the Praetorian style. The gas mask will have to go and I'll need to use a mix of greenstuff and careful shaving to make his armour plate look more like a standerd tunic. But once complete, this guy will make a stunning Officer. And he'll not only be smoking a cigar, he'll also be sharing his base with a four legged friend. Any dog looks a lot more impressive when he's standing on the remains of a dead Ork. Stll this leaves three spaces in my Squad to play around with. A Standerd bearer is practically non optional and as thus will be included, though I have yet to decide how I will convert him, as I don't much care for the stock pose. On the other hand that pose does have its uses and will actually find its way into this squad, with a simple hand rotation and greenstuff scupt of a medical bag, and the replacemnt of the standerd with a strecher that same model will become a medic for my command squad. For the last model I'll have either a master vox operator, converted to be using a morse code type intrument to transmit messages, or a 1st Sergeant modeled to represent one of the most grizzeld individuals in the army and my Senior Officers most trusted advisor. Thats not to say he doesn't have other advisors though. In fact I'm almost certain I'll include Sanctioned Psykers in this army, the models actually fit rather well, and with the appropriate paint scheme should look rather striking. And for their point cost, who could resist? Commisars are a bit more iffy, I have yet to recieve my codex so I can't be sure whether I need one in my HQ squad to take them in Platoon command squads, if I don't then I will take them for all platoons, if I do, well I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

Ideas Ideas

Well, my head is filling up with conversion ideas, but as of yet, I don't have the models to take those Ideas farther. But, I'll explain some of my evil plans right now anyways. First off, special weapons squad. Most people deepstrike these with meltas or flamers. For me, I'm taking an entirely different approach, my squad will consist of two corporals armed with Elysian Sniper rifles (because I think they look damn cool) One spotter with binoculars, and one Sergeant holding a clipboard tallying kills! I know exactly which bits I'll need, and I know where I can get all of them except the clipboard, I'll need one of those ones from the dwarf cannon sprue so I'll have to ask around at my local Games Workshop.

Also with Elysian weaponry will be my stormtrooper squad. I'll be giving them each the Bullpup lasguns with guitar wire energy hoses to a power pack on the back of the tunic. The helmets will be getting a small horsehair plume and a nice coat of shining gold, also for this unit will be a flamer equipped trooper, fitted with the Cadian flamer rather than the somewhat less desirable 2nd edition models. This will also reflect a general trend in my force, as, while I will keep the Lasguns the same for this army, most units will be updated to 4th edition weapons, (especially heavy weapons, for whom I plan to field almost entirely from the new Cadian weapons. Also, my Storm trooper squad may be receiving gas masks across the board, just on the flamer model, or possibly none at all, I have yet to decide.


I should hopefully get my first squad of Praetorians this month and when I do I will make no alteration with the exception of greenstuffing rank stripes to the sergeant and two corporals, as well as adding another Cadian flamer.