Proposed rules for IG mini-tanks

I used a number of official and unofficial sources to come up with these proposed rules.  Again, I appreciate any feedback.

Imperial Guard "Charybdis" Light Assault Tank - Fast Attack choice - A unit is a squadron of 1 to 3 Charybdis Tanks
Vehicle (Tank, Small, Agile [fast engine]), equipped with smoke launchers and searchlight

Universal Special Rule: Air-Droppable - Much like Elysian Sentinels and Tauros ATVs, the Charybdis is light and compact enough to be inserted strategically via air-drop by Imperial Navy Valkyries or Sky Talons.  The Charybdis can even be equipped with heavy-duty grav-chutes for swift deployment and precise guidance into especially tight spots, such as a city street flanked by towering buildings.  All Charybdis Tanks have the Deep Strike special rule.
Ballistic Skill: 3
Armour: F 12, S 11, R 10

Base cost for a mini-tank is 70 pts.

"Charybdis Conqueror" with conqueror cannon and co-axial storm bolter in turret: 120 pts.
"Charybdis Annihilator" with twin-linked autocannon and co-axial storm bolter in turret: 115 pts.
"Charybdis Executioner" with plasma cannon and co-axial storm bolter in turret: 110 pts.

Conqueror Cannon: Range 36", Strength 6, AP 3, Heavy 1, Large (5") Blast

Add a second (pintle-mounted) storm bolter for 10 pts.
Add a hunter-killer missile for 10 pts.
Add dozer blade (counts as rough terrain modifications) for 10 pts.
Add extra armour for 15 pts., but lose Air-Droppable special rule

Shooty goodness - Rifleman Contemptor Dreadnought

It seems that the new hotness for the last few months for Space Marine players has been the Contemptor-pattern Dreadnought.  I wasn't initially enamored with the barrel-like torso, having only been familiar with the common "boxy" Dread, but it steadily grew on me until I became a firm fan of this pre-Heresy design.  (Seeing some awesome artwork by Sabertooth Games of the Contemptor in action helped a good deal, too.)

Here's my first Contemptor, needing more basing work and a paint job:

The body is (of course) from Forge World, but the very cool layered shoulder armour and twin autocannons are from PuppetsWar, a custom gaming accessory producer based in Poland with some great-looking stuff for sale at affordable prices. (For additional savings, search for them on eBay, where they offer free shipping on many of their pieces.)

Though my SM focus is on the Armoured Saints, I'll be trying my hand at assembling and painting single squads of various chapters as well.  With his ancient sarcophagus and two-fisted weaponry, I think this dude deserves the colors of the Dark Angels or one of their successors.

Work in Progress: IG incoming - it's another Greydeath tribute!

A good friend brought a Leman Russ Demolisher kit to my hospital room the other day (thanks again, Al!), and I set to work with razor saw and glue creating a specialized city-fighting mini-tank inspired by, you guessed it, Greydeath's very cool Russ tankette.  Here it is, partly assembled:

Again, apologies for the quality of some of these photos; it's an overcast day and there's not enough light for good close-up pics with a cell phone.

Here's the mini-Russ alongside my SM Cub tank:

Remembering that many moons ago GW modified a Chimera kit into a neat little tracked alternative to the Sentinel called the Scylla Light Tank, I've decided to dub my chopped, narrowed Russ the Charybdis Light Assault Tank.  In game terms, it will be armed with a turreted Conqueror Cannon from the days of GW's Armoured Company rules, which is a lighter, infantry-slaying battle cannon that, thanks to some recoil-dampening wizardry, can be fired while on the move.  Just the thing for a Cities of Death game, where it can trundle down narrow passageways to unleash hell on massed enemies.

I plan on calling my friendly local hobby shop this afternoon to get some styrene tubing that I can plug into the Demolisher housing to resemble the snub-barreled Conqueror.  As with the Cub, homebrewed rules and variants on the Charybdis chassis will be forthcoming.

My chapter's logo and proposed paint scheme

Since I don't have much in the way of new work lately, I've decided to post the Armoured Saints' livery.  Enjoy the abundance of regal purple!

The Raven Guard and skull logos are just there as placeholders for what will be the shield-upon-Maltese cross and squad markings.  Despite the Black Templar connotations of the cross, my dudes will be a plain ol' Codex Astartes chapter, descendants of the Imperial/Crimson Fists...although I might adopt a version of the heraldic company markings of the Dark Angels in some way.  I'll sweat the details later.

Weldbond PVA glue as a gap filler?

I've used and played with Weldbond PVA glue since I was a child.  It's a non-toxic adhesive with a host of uses, from arts and crafts to industrial applications.  While using some recently, I absent-mindedly rolled a small amount of glue that had oozed onto my fingers into a small, tacky ball.  Then it hit me - could Weldbond be used as a handy, cheap substitute for two-part epoxy putty or GW's Liquid Green Stuff for filling imperfections in plastic and resin?

Tonight, I decided to give it a try.  Here's the equipment and the test sample - an ordinary bottle of Weldbond and an Armorcast resin howitzer gun.

The underside of the gun barrel has three small holes that could use some filling.

I put a little blob of glue on my finger...

...and spread it around with my thumb, allowing it to dry a bit...

...until it congealed into a putty-like consistency.

Then, before it dried too much, I plucked off small amounts and pushed them firmly into the holes with my fingertips, smoothing out the surface nice and flush, just like with ordinary green stuff.  Et voila!

We shall see if the Weldbond plugs stay in place when they cure fully and after I sand the surface a bit smoother.

Proposed rules for SM mini-tanks

After perusing my Space Marine and Imperial Guard codices, as well as consulting Age of Strife's VDR calculator, I think I have a balanced profile for the mini-tank in my first post.  Let me know what you think.


Space Marine "Cub" Scout Tank - Fast Attack choice - A unit is a squadron of 1 to 3 Cub Tanks

Vehicle (Tank, Small, Agile [fast engine]), equipped with smoke launchers and searchlight

Universal Special Rules: Scouts, Move Through Cover
Ballistic Skill: 3
Armour: F 11, S 11, R 10

Base cost for a mini-tank is 65 pts.

"Wolf Cub" variant with twin-linked heavy bolter turret: 95 pts.
"Lion Cub" variant with twin-linked lascannon turret: 115 pts.
"Bear Cub" variant with autocannon turret: 100 pts.
"Tiger Cub" variant with twin-linked heavy flamer turret: 95 pts.
"Badger Cub" variant with hurricane bolter turret: 85 pts.

Add a pintle-mounted storm bolter (remotely-controlled by driver) for 10 pts.
Add a hunter-killer missile for 10 pts.
Add dozer blade, Sentinel chainsaw, or hedgecutter prow (counts as rough terrain modifications) for 5 pts.
Add extra armour for 15 pts., but lose Scouts and Move Through Cover special rules

A tip of the helm to Greydeath - SM Mini Razorback

Hello all, and welcome to the Chapter Master's Rec Room, located deep within the inner chambers of the ol' fortress-monastery.  Pull up a seat, draw yourself a Fenrisian Ale (or crack open an Emperor's Choice cola, if you prefer) and make yourself comfortable.  Here you'll find a gallery and archive of my miniature wargaming projects, most of them pertaining to Warhammer 40K and my proposed armies, the Armoured Saints SM Chapter, WAAAGH! Badfinga, and the Schadenvostok IG regiment, as well as some assorted goodies from other armies and terrain pieces.

Finally, after having nothing to christen this blog for ages, I have some actual content!  What follows is a nearly-complete mini-tank inspired by similar designs by 40K conversion master Tut "Greydeath" Cote.  (You can find his versions at his picture site here.  The only things left to do is to fill some gaps left by the shortening-and-narrowing procedure and any other similar refinements.  You'll have to pardon the not-so-great photos...I've been rehabilitating in hospital for a few months from a bad leg injury (it's a long story), and my only camera is on my cellphone.  On to the pics:

I plan to make a squadron of these scout tanks with assorted turret weapons, and come up with some appropriate names, stats, rules, and point values for them, as well as a tutorial.  Hope you enjoy this little guy!