Savlar Chem Dogs - An Imperial Guard Log

[ancient god]

Yeah, very nice! Chem Dogs are one of the cooler Imperial regiments and you're making them look real good. Looking forward to seeing more!

[anselminus]

cool result i wait to see more

[Gorman]

Thanks for the words of support!

I'm working hard on the Bane Wolves, and hope that I haven't overdone the weathering, but should be finished with them early next week. It was nice to have a break from the infatry - I try to use vehicles and other interesting units as a "reward" for doing infantry when I'm making an IG or other model-heavy army.

Here is a model I forgot to post earlier: my "counts as" Marbo...





Guardman Pliskin, also known as "Snake Eyes", was a legendary figure amongst Chem Dog units. Snake Eyes' background prior to induction into the Imperial Guard is unclear: many versions are so extreme that they border on myth. Pliskin has hundreds of recorded kills, and was highly successful in raids on Ork outposts across Armageddon. His lost known location was in a solo operation behind enemy lines during the relief of Hades Hive - he failed to report after the withdrawal from the Askansi Basin, and is presumed dead.

[MaxSigmund]

Fantastic work with the chem dogs - what other units do you have in the pipeline? Looking forward to seeing more...

[Complicity]

Nice Metal Gear/Escape from new york reference And yet another cool Marbo conversion. I've seen so many good ones on warseer, with a lot of variety.

[the-skylord]

The counts as Marbo looks great, like the fluff you have created fro him.

[Gorman]

Fantastic work with the chem dogs - what other units do you have in the pipeline? Looking forward to seeing more...

Cheers - current ideas I'm considering are:

* Chem Riders - definitely have a unit of these; "counts as" Rough Riders, basically Savlar Guardsmen riding Cold Ones, outfitted with outrider gear such as backpacks and other salvaged equipment

* Manticores - probably a pair, heavily weathered and rusted as though sat outside in chemical wastelands for protracted period;

* Psyker Battle Squads - in my current list, I have a choice of either two squad psyker squads, or chimeras for all my command squads, so not sure where I will go with this idea - but if I do it'll be a case of converting some flagellants but with gasmask heads to make them look very Savlar

And of course loads of Guardsmen....

Nice Metal Gear/Escape from new york reference And yet another cool Marbo conversion. I've seen so many good ones on warseer, with a lot of variety.

The counts as Marbo looks great, like the fluff you have created fro him.

Glad you like the log and the references, I'm trying to do a little piece for each notable unit to bring the army to life.

[Captain Johan]

I already noticed this stuff on dakka. Great theme and nice to see the chem dogs get what they deserve in a good looking army.

Looking forward to your airbrush adventure.

[Complicity]

Good choice on the manticores, if i remember correctly the token fluff piece on the manticore section is set on Armageddon. something about an Ork Rokk being destroyed by some manticores...

[Gorman]

I already noticed this stuff on dakka. Great theme and nice to see the chem dogs get what they deserve in a good looking army.

Looking forward to your airbrush adventure.

Cheers for the support, but that DakkaDakka army is not actually mine! I've seen that Savlar army though; it is a lot grittier and more varied than mine. I'm trying to stay abit more uniform to ensure the troops are recognisable as Guardsmen.

Good choice on the manticores, if i remember correctly the token fluff piece on the manticore section is set on Armageddon. something about an Ork Rokk being destroyed by some manticores...

I figured an army like the Chem Dogs would appreciate a "point and shoot" weapon like the Manticore. And having two of them should put fear into most armies...

I've managed to put a bit of extra time into painting this weekend, and I'm nearly done with the Bane Wolves! I found it a really nice kit to put together actually; a lot of people complain that the detail has been dumbed-down but I think it's better than the Leman Russ Demolisher kit for detail.

Still a few more bits to add to the exterior, such as some tools, couple of extra packs on one model, and some bed rolls to another, but basically done.



This is the cleaner Wolf; done with Vallejo paints and an Aztek airbrush. All weathering was done with MIG pigments. It's the first time I've properly used weathering powders; I've learnt from some mistakes, but the tanks turned out quite well I think.

Interior shot:





Rear shot: both Wolves have the danger symbol on that lower hatch.



Shot of both models:



Hellhound Flame Tanks designation A-01 and B-01, both Bane Wolf pattern assault vehicles, were deployed alongside Colonel Gortar's infantry regiment during the Third Armageddon War. Both tanks display a variant of the Steel Legion camouflage. Bane Wolf B-01 was manned by veteran tank-commander Uskov, who was executed for negligence after the attack on Hades Hive due to his very free use of the chem cannon on friendly troops during that engagement.

For anyone interested in this: the camouflage scheme is taken from the original paint scheme for the Savlar, shown in Codex: Armageddon (no Savlar troops are shown, but a Chimera is shown with this scheme and labelled as Savlar Chem Dog pattern).

[ChaplainOrion]

You need more stuff on the tanks as if Chem-dogs piled scavenged goods on the tanks.

[rewolf31]

awesome crisp painting

[RedFlames]

I agree with ChaplainOrion, needs more baggage/stowed/gear/furry dice...

...plus, and this is just a person preference thing, they seem to clean for Savlar... I always picture Savlar kit as knackered, dirty and held together with duct tape [or the 40k equivalent.]

nicely painted nonetheless

[MrP]

Lovely Banewolf, sir!

[freebooter]

I think they fit really nicely... A unit such as the Savlar would know that they must take care of the armour in order to avoid being flattened by all manner of nasties. While they could stand to be a bit grubbier, I couldn't imagine them too beaten up. Especially something that contains such dangerous chemical compounds.

[Logarithm Udgaur]

Here is a model I forgot to post earlier: my "counts as" Marbo...

As cool as this looks, I hate to say this.......buuuuuuuut, he has a skirt on?

[freebooter]

Oooh... Nice catch. I missed that one :P

[Petay1985]

Very nice, the infantry are really looking great! the armour however is something else, very impressed with the finish and the texture in the camo.

i am very much looking forward to seeing more fella!!

[Morden279]

Oooh... Nice catch. I missed that one :P

It's a kilt!

Lovely job so far fella, but I do agree with the other chaps on the tanks - pile on some more stowage and think about adding rust (the Forgeworld weathering powders look good).

[Gorman]

You need more stuff on the tanks as if Chem-dogs piled scavenged goods on the tanks.

...plus, and this is just a person preference thing, they seem to clean for Savlar... I always picture Savlar kit as knackered, dirty and held together with duct tape [or the 40k equivalent.]

Thanks for the feedback. I definitely plan on adding more baggage - I've just primed some tools and other bits and pieces to attach to the sides of the tanks. The righthand of each tank, for some reason, looks especially sparse. I'm adding bedrolls, picks, spades, backpacks, some folding-stock lasguns, and any other bits I can get my hands on, so that should cover it!

I think they fit really nicely... A unit such as the Savlar would know that they must take care of the armour in order to avoid being flattened by all manner of nasties. While they could stand to be a bit grubbier, I couldn't imagine them too beaten up. Especially something that contains such dangerous chemical compounds.

This was my idea with the Chem Dogs - they should be dirty and unkempt but not totally over-the-top so they look renegade or non-Imperial. The Bane Wolves are a good example, as you say, of keeping the equipment running whilst looking battered and used. I actually thought I went a bit too far with the weathering, but obviously not!

As cool as this looks, I hate to say this.......buuuuuuuut, he has a skirt on?

Yeah, this was a mistake I missed until I had almost finished the model! The torso is a Catachan bit, whilst the legs are Cadian - what with the open jacket, the lower jacket bit is out of place. My explanation is that it's a removeable bit of the jacket or somesuch!?! But yeah, it is quite inexplicable really....!