Dane Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 As the subject line says, someday I'd like to paint some space marines. I just really like them, and the Imperial Guard Cadians. I won't ever play with them, though. So, maybe I'd paint them for fun and try to move them on the cheap on eBay or at a local store. What do I need to know/have to paint game-legal marines? I know GW publishes a bunch of codexes, but I've never had the chance to sit down and read one. Are these the best place to start? Heck, do people even buy painted squads? I know there's a zillion and one different equipment combos and whatnot. Is there a "most desired" or "most common" setup for them? *shrug* Jut info-gathering. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matsumoto Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 i do feel really sorry for you. it's not that you yourself are a bad person, but i have gotten sick of painting them! really...3 armies by commision, and my own chaos mariines which are long since gone...they have their oddness: they have very simple angles too many open wide surfaces on basic modles...you HAVE to put a pattern or deal on it to avoid the space. Easy to get varied sculpts. but then you get those oddball variations...and the scale micro-differences. and the best reason for me to be sick: GW loves them, thus i cannot! all you need is four colors on the model and they are legal. paint them some kind of Blood red with black and grey trim, or deep medium blue with gold yellow trim. someone will buy them. GW paint schemes are generally unimaginative and unmilitaristic... go to a game store and leaf through a book or twelve if you want somethign "official" then again, i whish i could show you me ol' Chaos Termies...those guys LOOKED lost in the warp....all that rust...all that corrosion... There is hope, friend.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristof65 Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 Well, you can paint to one of the codexes or standard units if you so desire. The information is readily available in most of the 40k supplements. Don't bother picking up a new one - hit a used book/game store and pick up an old one, as the paint schemes are close enough from version to version. However, I wouldn't worry about sticking to one of the given schemes. People will buy sharply painted Space Marines in color combinations that catch their eye. Go with a scheme you like and paint it up - if it looks good enough, someone will buy it. Add a cool looking shoulder insignia, and it's that much more eye catching. When painting to a "custom" or personalized scheme, you are probably better off painting an entire squad or unit, that way it can be integrated into someone's army easier than a one off marine. As for the set up of the Marines: Most of the boxed sets from GW will create a game legal squad. For marines, stick with a 5 to 10 man squad with basic weapons, with one leader type, and no more than one heavy weapon, and it should be usable in most armies. It may not be optimal, but it should work. At one point in time, all Space marine squads were ten men, later the rules went to five men, and I beleive they're a bit more flexible now. I've found that I can still make one or two game legal squads from my original 10 man squads I put together in the mid 90s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lars Porsenna Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 I think if you're going to do that, I'd buy a Codex. Most have pretty good painting instructions on how to paint the "named" SM chapters. This shouldn't prevent you from painting them up whatever way you like (though I think that will definitely impact their resell value). I don't have the latest Codex, so I'm unsure what it has in it, but I DO have the latest Eldar Codex, and there are some general painting instructions in there as well. Damon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaintRigger Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 (edited) If you are going to paint them for yourself - go nuts. Pick what you like, come up with a color scheme you like and enjoy. They are really fun to paint, and there are a bazillion and one uses for them that doesn't require playing warp-hamster. Edit: Here is a picture of my own personal chapter - http://www.network-23.net/albums/photoshop/marine.jpg If you want to paint them to sell, come up with a fairly standard force. This would be 5 or 10 marines (the new codices are going to go either or, although currently the number of a squad can be between 4 and 10 I believe - might be 5 and 10). Then pick a standard named chapter, such as the Blood Angels, Ultra Marines, Black Templars or Dark Angels. This will increasde your odds of finding a buyer. Add in one special and one heavy weapon. Flamer and Rocket Launcher are pretty standrad (and come with the box) - but other options are plasma guns, multi-meltas etc... If you want to get really nutty, add magnets to the kit so people can swap out their options. Edited September 4, 2007 by SaintRigger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stubbdog Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 I have nothing against space marines a all. I just find it odd that you would ask about the best ways to go about painting them on Reaper's site instead of say on a GW site... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dane Posted September 4, 2007 Author Share Posted September 4, 2007 Thanks for all the input everyone. Certainly gives me some directions to go in when/if I ever decide to do this. Stubb: Mostly because I know the community here, and know that people are generally helpful and friendly. I don't know how such a question would be received on a GW forum, which I assumed was inundated with posts like this all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lars Porsenna Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 I have nothing against space marines a all. I just find it odd that you would ask about the best ways to go about painting them on Reaper's site instead of say on a GW site... Well, GW doesn't have forums anymore, and finding other "good" GW forums is not so easy (I tried), and also considering the massive thread we had below on GW game (Resisting the siren's call), it does make sense... Damon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matsumoto Posted September 5, 2007 Share Posted September 5, 2007 wha...no more GW forums? *satanic grin incapable of beign expressed with an emotiocon* AhhhaaHAAAHHAAHHHAAHHAAAA!!! *gesturing towards UK* your tyrannical nature is showing, cutting out the masses' tongues like that...yes, it used to be a display of stupidity, but now, you've trumped even that...AhhahhAHHHAAAHHAA!!! *random crazy expresions* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CyberShadow Posted September 5, 2007 Share Posted September 5, 2007 For 40K forums, the best place is probably Warseer... although you could try my Tactical Command boards as well. If you are painting up a squad, I would go for something like the Legion of the Damned (black with flames, lots of skulls), Deathwatch (black) or Grey Knight Marines (silver, specific models), or something along these lines. These squads are mercenary Chapters and a squad of these guys can be used in other Chapter Marine forces, or Inquisitor forces, and therefore would maximise the number of potential armies they would fit in, and potential buyers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lastman Posted September 5, 2007 Share Posted September 5, 2007 While GW doesn't have a forum on their site, it seems they have unofficially infiltrated other boards if you judge by the way some are moderated. http://hobbyhawk.com/phpBB2/ is a great forum with many tutorials, including one for an award-winning yellow on an Imperial Fist vehicle. The site was pretty active before it underwent some technical issues, but the forums seem to be back in order now. B&C has a lot more traffic, but there are scores of posts along the lines of "what color should I use" or WIP threads with ideas rather than pictures. "Wouldn't it be cool if..." DakkaDakka was recently sold on ebay for $3,000, so I'm guessing the B&C won't discourage frivolous posts because they represent potential ad clicks to prospective buyers. Capturing eyeballs is the how the internet game works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dane Posted September 5, 2007 Author Share Posted September 5, 2007 I'd browsed around in BolterandChainsword.com a tad. I also found it funny that GW's website is not the same from country to country. The UK version seems to have a lot more info, and a lot more stuf to look at. The US site just seems like a shopping portal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokingwreckage Posted September 6, 2007 Share Posted September 6, 2007 The US site has better access to bitz though, IIRC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psyberwolfe1 Posted September 6, 2007 Share Posted September 6, 2007 Paint the marines how you want. Codexes are great for inspiration and some basic painting info. GW is now going in the direction of 5 or 10 man squads. for playing all you will need to absolutely statr is 1 box of tactical marines and 1 commander box. basically $50 and you are in, but I will say very few people play at that level. The new Marine Company box, although it is lots of money up front, is a bargain, when priced out individually. If you have any questions feel free to PM me and I'll help you out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Breltar Posted September 11, 2007 Share Posted September 11, 2007 If you just want to paint them with no intention of selling then go nuts and try out different things. If you want to sell them on ebay then you should probably paint them like whatever latest codex is coming out soon, I believe that the dark angels (dark green, bone color robes) just got re released and the blood angels (blood red and black) will be somewhere in the near future. Picking the more popular chapters of the space marines will render a better chance of a sale than just random colors. If you want ones with a bit more detail then I would go with Cybershadow's advice and get grey knights or bit out some deathwatch as these can be useful to most generic space marine armies. For Cadians you would either want to model them more as veterans so that they can look a bit different from someones main force, or go with some of the more standard paint schemes found on the GW site for them. You might want to try the stormtroopers as most Imperial Guard players I used to play only had one of these units but the detail in them is better than the standard troopers. I believe stormtroopers can be used by other armies now as well, so this might sell a bit better on ebay. Perhaps you could throw a reaper model in with the sale and try to convert the buyers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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