Back At It - 40K Imperial Guard

After all that moaning in the other day's post about not getting any painting done, I'm back at it... I couldn't NOT paint for that long! I sat down while we finished off Season One of The Boys and another episode of Jack Ryan with some stuff that was nearly done and only requiring a couple colours (and was thus easy to carry all things required upstairs to paint while watching said shows - and also required minimal decision making).

I also got reading again over the weekend. I'm a painfully slow reader - always have been - and so, especially during times of stress, I find it really hard to stay focused and motivated to read anything... I'd started reading Eisenhorn: Xenos a few months back - when I was still running the Wrath & Glory game. but sort of stopped a month ago when the game fizzled out. I'm not sure how I got on it, but I finished it up over the weekend and all thoughts of Greek Mythology Distractions faded and I was focused on 40K again... Not so focused to jump back in painting Noise Marines, or anything... but enough to get me painting this handful of Imperil Guard.

After that I thought I best strike while the iron is hot and keep on reading... but what to read next? Malleus - the next book in the Eisenhorn series seemed an obvious choice. Or maybe finish up that Omnibus of Kal Jericho novels I'd started... but stopped after I finished the first novel...? That might get me excited about Necromunda again. Or the same thing with he Path of the Eldar Omnibus...? Or finish reading the Blackstone Fortress novel!? Did I do any of these? HELL NO!? I started reading Caiphus Cain: Hero of the Imperium (hence, painting Imperial Guard - although I probably should have started in on some more Valhallans!). Despite so many other books and series left in limbo, I am not regretting reading Ciaphus Cain - it's a good rollicking romp, and just what I needed.

Anyway... Imperial Guard...



Twelve Generic Imperial Guard. Painted in the manner of Cadians, but really just meant to be standing for any bog-standard, generic regiment of the Imperium. They are all older metal Citadel/GW miniatures.

While painting them, I got thinking these, painted in other colours, would make great Chaos Cultists or Traitor Guard - especially the older Rogue Trader Era ones - with less standardized equipment.

I only meant to have a squad or two, but this has slowly grown into a large platoon!

No flocking or tufts as I kind of ran out...

The Generic Guard, so far...



I often organize forces like this into semi-permanent units - marking them on the bottom of the bases for easy sorting. I haven't settled on a TO&E for these guys just yet. One option is to call them a Vanguard detachment:

HQ
Company Commander
Company Commander
Company Commander

Elites
Command Squad
Command Squad (+ Heavy Bolter)
Command Squad (+ Autocannon)
Veteran Squad
Veteran Squad
Veteran Squad

I was thinking of an actual organization like a WW2 Commando Troop - the Troop consisting of a Troop commander and their Command Squad and two Sections, each with a Section commander, Section Command Squad, and two Veteran Infantry Squads

Command Section
Troop Commander (Company Commander)
Command Squad (with Medic, 2 Signallers, Melta Guner)

Section One
Section Commander (Company Commander)
Command Squad (with Medic, Autocannon)
Veteran Infantry Squad (with Flamer and Grenade Launcher)
Veteran Infantry Squad (with Flamer and Grenade Launcher)

Section Two
Section Commander (Company Commander)
Command Squad (with Medic, Heavy Bolter)
Veteran Infantry Squad (with Flamer and Grenade Launcher)
Veteran Infantry Squad (with Flamer and Plasma Gun)

With this organization I have a sergeant and two regular soldiers left over... I've called them Veteran Squads because I have an over abundance of Special Weapons - enough for two in each squad - and regular Infantry Squads can only have one.



For a regular platoon, they could be reorganized as a Battalion Detachment as follows (as in the picture above... but without two of the Command Squads...):

Platoon Commander (Company Commander)
Command Squad (Medic, Signaller, Heavy Weapon - either Heavy Bolter or Autocanon)

Infantry Squad (with Flamer)
Infantry Squad (with Flamer)
Infantry Squad (with Flamer)

Special Weapon Squad (with two Grenade Launchers and a Flamer)
Special Weapon Squad (with Grenade Launchers, Plasma Gun, and Melta Gun)

I don't think I have any others on hand to paint up. This is part of the reason I did these - it finishes off a force! Or, at least, finishes all the ones I HAVE at the moment... I'm definitely not saying I won't ever pick up anymore!

Actually, now that I think about it, I DO have a bunch more that's sort of part of this force... I do have other Generic Imperial types that would serve along with these Guard - Commissars, Sanctioned Psykers, and the like... but, in my brain, I don't really think of them as "part of THIS force" as they could be used with ANY of my Guard forces...



Coming Soon to Tim's Miniature Wargaming Blog:

Hopefully more painting! Might not be Blackstone Fortress or Noise Marines or anything else I was really PLANNING in the Q2 Plan... probably just some "low-hanging fruit" individuals and small groups that finish off existing squads or forces that need little decision-making or attention or even thought to do... but something is better than nothing, right!?



I have these on the workbench right now... maybe I'll get to them...

Or, perhaps, VALHALLANS (and a Commissar!)


In Other Painting News... 



I have been doing some other painting. Last week I finally finished drywalling I started... oh... 17 years ago!? I mean I hung the drywall 17 years ago and started mudding it... and... never really finished. I got started again a few months back and finished it off last week. This week primer and a base coat went on.

Somehow I convinced Amanda to let me paint it like the entryway to a dungeon!?



this is a mock-up of what the stonework I'm going to paint on the walls will look like. Eventually the trim and doors will be painted a dark (slightly-greyish) brown - to look like old wood...