Project P

Status: Started

Contains: Figures

Status:	Started
Contains:	Figures

Project P is all about getting my very first project finally into playable shape after 25+ years. The Purple Hearts space marines were the first force I painted with a common theme. I started with the classic RTB01 marines when they were brand new and since then I've expanded with various items over the years.

This is probably not a legit force with current rules, but I don't really care since I've pretty much lost all desire to actually play 40K.

Which is probably part reason why this has not been moving anywhere recently...

The Old Stuff

Here's some of the early stuff I did.

Ahh! The good old days! These were real fun to do. Lots of bits and pieces and easy conversion possibilities. Sergeant Uruk of the Purple Hearts marines. I chopped the head off a crossbow orc from another manufacturer. Tamiya WWII German 1/32 accessories got incorporated into the models a lot. I wrote the names with calligraphy ink.

The shuriken catapult is converted using brake and clutch handles from a motorbike kit. I presume the magazine is a former engine part from the same kit, but I'm not quite sure. Power Glove and tri-blade bayonet. Missile launcher from the Purple Hearts.

Standard bearer for my very own chapter if space marines: The Purple Hearts. Yup, that's a LEGO helmet on the flagpole. And that's a genuine bullet hole. After the flag was finished, in a flash of brilliance I shot it with an airgun. Most of the paint flaked off from the impact and I had to repaint the damn thing all over again... And THIS is a venerable dreadnought. Don't buy into that current stuff that looks like overgrown pigs, this is the real thing: Contemptor class dreadnought 'Eddy'. I think.

For some reason, I was really into writing slogans on miniatures at this time. I guess it seemed like a display of painting prowess to be able to paint legible text in this scale. Closeup on slogans. And ofcourse it had to have eyes and teeth.

Reinforcements

Some later reinforcements. I won't put the Land Raider assemble pics here, because that story has already been told.

I chose to follow the original (very simple) color scheme instead of cooking up something jazzier. Some scrounging went into these figures - I had piles of bolt pistols, but very few bolters handy. Thus the brother marine on the right actually has a new model bolter. Missile launcher. Note the veteran trooper markings.

Brother marines among Official(tm) GW ruins. The silver studs are one of the few details in the color scheme. Three different ways to build the commander, and I had to try them all. The heavy bolter might actually be an illegal choice for a character, so I might have to field him as a normal devastator squad trooper.

Terminators, straight off the hulk. Standard terminator and one with heavy flamer. All that edging takes a surprisingly long time to paint, especially when the scheme looks so simple and fast to do. The cannon came from Space Crusade. I trimmed off the hands and turned it sideways on top of the storm bolter. The ammo can is from the bits box.

Tactical troopers straight off the crusade. Due to severe manpower problems, the chapter was forced to accept non-MkVI armor into field service. This is also the use of the white edging on shoulder pads. Flamer trooper. They claim it's a plasma weapon, but since the chapter was short on flamers, these guys got reassigned. Regular trooper of the Crusade breed. They have discarded their bayonets but are otherwise vanilla.

Finally finished. Note the trademark silvered bolts again. The tank performed splendidly at the Westwood proving grounds. Practice targets visible in the background.

The handrail is rather fragile, I guess I really should have left it off as most people seem to do. Here's the squad from the Macragge box set. Now I have everything from the box set painted, and it only took about six months. Sergeant and flamer guy.

Missile launcher. Here's the 1995 era plastic/metal hybrid predator. I wonder where they put the old all-plastic molds... Side view of the Predator.

The sponsons look pretty stupid, but whattaheck... Purple Hearts motor pool on display.

In The Works

Stuff I've been working on recently.

I bought this used model relatively cheap. While it's the Chaos version, I plan to rip all the spiky stuff off and convert it into a loyalist Razorback or maybe even old skool Whirlwind. I have the original Whirlwind instructions tucked away somewhere... Fortunately this is nothing new to the hard working techmarines of the Purple Hearts.

More reinforcements for the Purple Hearts. Some assault terminators and other old school recruits just itching to join the Purple Hearts. These guys may not know it yet, but they've just been recruited into the Purple Hearts. They're going to get a bath next.

I really should have pulled the kit completely apart...

The New Stuff

Recently finished stuff.

Here's the latest addition to the Purple Hearts motor pool, a Rhino reclaimed from the Bad Days... er, sorry, vile chaos forces. I don't know why this sat on my desk for so long. Once I fired up the airbrush, it was really finished in no time. I bought this used, assembled and primed. I really should have pulled it completely apart and reassembled.

The original builder didn't bother with most of the detail parts and they were lost by the time I got it. But why is the top hatch so devoid of detail? Because I have a cunning plan... The decals, or rather the varnish on them stick out a bit too much.

Sucks! (0) (0) Rocks!

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License.
Copyright 2003-2021 Mikko Kurki-Suonio


Ahh! The good old days! These were real fun to do. Lots of bits and pieces and easy conversion possibilities.	Sergeant Uruk of the Purple Hearts marines. I chopped the head off a crossbow orc from another manufacturer. Tamiya WWII German 1/32 accessories got incorporated into the models a lot.	I wrote the names with calligraphy ink.

The shuriken catapult is converted using brake and clutch handles from a motorbike kit. I presume the magazine is a former engine part from the same kit, but I'm not quite sure.	Power Glove and tri-blade bayonet.	Missile launcher from the Purple Hearts.

Standard bearer for my very own chapter if space marines: The Purple Hearts. Yup, that's a LEGO helmet on the flagpole.	And that's a genuine bullet hole. After the flag was finished, in a flash of brilliance I shot it with an airgun. Most of the paint flaked off from the impact and I had to repaint the damn thing all over again...	And THIS is a venerable dreadnought. Don't buy into that current stuff that looks like overgrown pigs, this is the real thing: Contemptor class dreadnought 'Eddy'. I think.

For some reason, I was really into writing slogans on miniatures at this time. I guess it seemed like a display of painting prowess to be able to paint legible text in this scale.	Closeup on slogans.	And ofcourse it had to have eyes and teeth.


I chose to follow the original (very simple) color scheme instead of cooking up something jazzier.	Some scrounging went into these figures - I had piles of bolt pistols, but very few bolters handy. Thus the brother marine on the right actually has a new model bolter.	Missile launcher. Note the veteran trooper markings.

Brother marines among Official(tm) GW ruins.	The silver studs are one of the few details in the color scheme.	Three different ways to build the commander, and I had to try them all. The heavy bolter might actually be an illegal choice for a character, so I might have to field him as a normal devastator squad trooper.

Terminators, straight off the hulk.	Standard terminator and one with heavy flamer. All that edging takes a surprisingly long time to paint, especially when the scheme looks so simple and fast to do.	The cannon came from Space Crusade. I trimmed off the hands and turned it sideways on top of the storm bolter. The ammo can is from the bits box.

Tactical troopers straight off the crusade. Due to severe manpower problems, the chapter was forced to accept non-MkVI armor into field service. This is also the use of the white edging on shoulder pads.	Flamer trooper. They claim it's a plasma weapon, but since the chapter was short on flamers, these guys got reassigned.	Regular trooper of the Crusade breed. They have discarded their bayonets but are otherwise vanilla.

Finally finished.	Note the trademark silvered bolts again.	The tank performed splendidly at the Westwood proving grounds. Practice targets visible in the background.

The handrail is rather fragile, I guess I really should have left it off as most people seem to do.	Here's the squad from the Macragge box set. Now I have everything from the box set painted, and it only took about six months.	Sergeant and flamer guy.

Missile launcher.	Here's the 1995 era plastic/metal hybrid predator. I wonder where they put the old all-plastic molds...	Side view of the Predator.

The sponsons look pretty stupid, but whattaheck...	Purple Hearts motor pool on display.


I bought this used model relatively cheap. While it's the Chaos version, I plan to rip all the spiky stuff off and convert it into a loyalist Razorback or maybe even old skool Whirlwind.	I have the original Whirlwind instructions tucked away somewhere...	Fortunately this is nothing new to the hard working techmarines of the Purple Hearts.

More reinforcements for the Purple Hearts.	Some assault terminators and other old school recruits just itching to join the Purple Hearts.	These guys may not know it yet, but they've just been recruited into the Purple Hearts. They're going to get a bath next.

I really should have pulled the kit completely apart...


Here's the latest addition to the Purple Hearts motor pool, a Rhino reclaimed from the Bad Days... er, sorry, vile chaos forces.	I don't know why this sat on my desk for so long. Once I fired up the airbrush, it was really finished in no time.	I bought this used, assembled and primed. I really should have pulled it completely apart and reassembled.

The original builder didn't bother with most of the detail parts and they were lost by the time I got it.	But why is the top hatch so devoid of detail? Because I have a cunning plan...	The decals, or rather the varnish on them stick out a bit too much.