Have you ever thought about creating a pure Primaris army, but not sure how it will play out? Our writer takes on the challenge and shares the journey!
There is no getting round the fact the new release for the Space marines has been fantastic, just fantastic, huuuuge some may say…, but I digress! In my next few articles I plan to complete my own take on Tale of Four Gamers, which is an article running in White Dwarf. The goal? To get a table-top ready, pure Ultramarines Primaris force up and running!
This first article will talk through the thinking that went in to organising the project and some of the early build.
The new boxed starter sets and easy-build kits make for great value. Using retailers like 4tkgaming that offer significant % discounts, the savings begin to stack really quickly. Selling-off the Death Guard side of the box also helps. To focus my purchases I chose to write a list that covered what I would need to run 2 detachments (a battalion and auxiliary detachment of some sort). This would provide a frame I can add to next year.
The list also tries to tick off the common Tale of Four Gamers challenges; HQs, mandatory troops choices before sprinkling in elites and heavy support (…or dedicated transports – more later). So what did I go for? My initial target for November is as follows:
Ultramarine Battalion (6CP)
- Primaris Captain
- Primaris Lieutenant
- 3 x 5 Intercessors
- 3 x Repulsors
- Vanguard Detahment (1CP)
- Primaris Librarian
- 2 x Redemptor Dreadnought
- 1 x Reiver Squad
This is a low model count list that captures many of the new releases and gives me the tool box to draw from when I choose to add things like Hellblasters, an Apothecary, Inceptors etc later on.
The initial shopping list tackles the troop choices and I got everything without wasting (not using models) as best as I could.
Tale of One Gamer Challenge 1: Troops and HQs
- Dark millennium box set (Lieutenant, Bolter Lieutenant used as a Sgt, 10 Intercessors).
- Free Intercessor on magazine (1 Intercessor).
- Easy build Intercessors (looking back you see I get a third 5 man squad as a result).
- Captain
- Librarian
- 2 boxes of easy build Reivers
Unlike previous projects, I built the models to 90% complete rather than staged assemblies (which provides a better finish, but takes so much longer to work through).
I used the Inceptors as a test run and to speed up completion; I aimed at getting the correct colour and wash on every surface and stopping there. “Good bases and good faces” was another philosophy I am choosing to rely upon to get a good table top army.
The Inceptors came out really well, and moved quickly to start on the Intercessors. The larger models play so well to the airbrush – you have more space to build transitions which is what the eye likes to see. As a result as much more interesting finish can be achieved on each infantry model. I like my old marines but really like the fact I can add these in as well. The press fit kits have also come such a long way, the drop in quality between press fit and multipart kits is almost gone altogether.
I have prepared and finished all the bases I need for this part of the project (as well as what I require for the rest of my early infantry builds) and have assembled what I need. I can’t help but have some other elements in progress as well and this is good practice provided it doesn’t become an overwhelming distraction from having too many projects running.
I have started to post progress on my Instagram; the next article will cover the conclusion of part 1 and the finished models!
What do you think of having a pure Primaris army? Any pros or cons? Let us know what you think in the comments below!
Keep up with the Heavy Tank builder on his blog, and Instagram!
