40K Bitz Question for Deathwatch

[Protagonist]

So I'm going to be running a Deathwatch ongoing campaign for the next year or so, and I thought it would be a good hook for my players if they had their own models, representative of the gear they have as well as paint scheme/appearence/whatever for them to use. I have the rough loadout's that they are going to be using, but I have no idea what to buy in terms of boxes/bitz in order to minimize the total cost of all of the stuff I have to acquire.

I know that I need a Deathwatch conversion kit for the shoulderpads, bolters and helmets unique to the deathwatch, but I'd like someone to look over the list of characters and what they use and recommend the best course of action. If a seller wants to get in contact with me to I don't mind that either, saves me some trouble. So my players are:

Black Templar Tactical Marine
- Bolter with Fire Selector

Blood Angels Librarian
- Force Sword/Staff (he hasn't made decision yet)
- Bolter with Fire Selector

Dark Angels Devastator
- Heavy Bolter w/ Backpack Ammo Supply
- Dark Angels Robe

Space Wolves Assault Marine
- Jump Pack
- Chainsword
- Bolt Pistol
- Wolf Pelt

Storm Wardens Techmarine
- 1 Servo Arm
- Bolter with Fire Selector
- Claymore

Ultramarines Apothecary
- Narthecium
- Reductor
- Bolter with Fire Selector

So that's what they are going to be starting with. I don't know if you can get the personal touches Deathwatch offers (Wolf Pelt, Dark Angels Robe, Claymore) in 40K minis but I'd like to, to add a bit of personality to their characters. Also, I'm unsure of how I'm going to do the techmarine. I know that there is a techmarine kit, but I had thought that was the full servo-harness and servitors, and my techmarine just has the servo arm right now.

I'm also not sure on how to do upgrades for each character. Most of the players have expressed character goals of getting a piece of equipment or technology (Conversion Beamers, Frost Blades, Full Servo Harness, etc) and I don't know how easy it will be to "upgrade" their character. Should I buy extra marines and buy the bits as they get the equipment, or is it possible just to tear off a Heavy Bolter for example and stick on a Multi-Melta, or attach on the rest of the Servo Harness to the Techmarine, or will they be painting new minis every time their gear changes. I don't think that will be an issue, but I'd like to know for sure.

Thanks in advance for any help you guys have.

- Protagonist

[aurak_merc]

There are a couple of old Techmarines that are still available through the GW site that have 1 servo arm each:

http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catal ... rod1060065

http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catal ... rod1060062

A long while ago in someone else's bits box I saw a backpack that had a very small mechanical arm on it as well.

There are also a couple of apothecary models in the Collectors range that might be worth looking at.

I am not much help on anything else, as I am terrible at conversions. I would imagine you could get a wolf pelt bit from the Bits forum on here, and most of the other small items you need such as a Dark Angel body from the Upgrades kit.

Good luck to ya.

[HarlequinZero]

Just a quick fluff suggestion. Most Death Watch marines are Vets on loan from their respective chapters, right? Space Wolf assault squads are made up of Blood Claws who are the equivalent of scouts in other armies. Not that it's an impossibility to have a vet with a jump pack, but I'd make a point of explaining it in the fluff for the character.

[JohnHwangBT]

IMO, your best bet will be to buy a Command Squad box and Deathwatch upgrade bitz, then bitz the DA, SW, and BT torsos for the robe, wolf, tabard, along with whatever heavy weapon is selected.

Or else to bitz the whole thing from the War Store.

[MagickalMemories]

I'm with John, barring the Warstore bits part.
"Bah!" I say on that.

Visit our own bits forum and see what you can get. What's available will almost undoubtedly be cheaper than there and, POSSIBLY, free (if you play your cards right).

Eric

[JohnHwangBT]

For the "1 of each" bitz he's looking for, Warstore bitz service will probably be simplest and fastest route, and quite possibly the cheapest as well, as there won't be multiple shipping charges. If he has to pay $4 S&H to 3 or 4 sellers, that's going to destroy any savings he might get bitz-wise.

Command Squad (5)
Deathwatch upgrade (5)
DA Robed Marine (1)
Devastator weapon set (1)

This makes 6 Marines, and the remaining bitz should be scavenged off the sprues or converted - just say that some of the requisitions have been turned down due to budget cuts...

If you really need more bitz, buy a Tactical Squad upgrade sprue for the Missile Launcher and Tac Sergeant goodies.

[MagickalMemories]

I was more hinting towards the lines of the "Almost Free Bits" thread.
Typically, people sending "free" bits cover the shipping, too.

Eric

[JohnHwangBT]

HAI! Plz gimme bitz! THKX!

Yeah, that's what we need more of in the thread...

[MagickalMemories]

Always the cynic, John. : )

I have faith that he'll read the first post and add to the thread appropriately.


Eric

[JohnHwangBT]

I kinda figured as much.

Tho I personally think a "H: PayPal - WTB: Space Marine Bitz" post would work better.

Most of the "free" posts are really bitz trades, so are easier and clearer as such.

[Protagonist]

I leave the thread for a couple of seconds and an argument breaks out! Clearly I am key to order triumphing over chaos.

I haven't read the post on the "Free Bitz" thread, but I'm going to assume that it's something like a bitz exchange, (IE I need these free biz and have these bitz for free) which doesn't really work for me. I don't play 40K regularly, so I would just be taking bitz and not giving them. So I think I'll just stay content to buying bitz/kitz. I think I"m going to get a mixture of things, probably buying some of the stuff off GW themselves (like the Apothecary, Techmarine, Librarian) but I'll build the other three from parts, as they're going to require unique pieces (wolf pelt, DA robe, BT tabard).

Two last questions, since the community has been oh so helpful on this:

1) Our Devastator marine player has a fascination with heavy weapons, would it be a huge hassle to remove and reglue weapons once or twice (as he moves up from Heavy Bolters to more advanced weaponry), or can I possibly magnetize the arms for easy switching, or would it be best just to blow $15 on a new marine the few times he changes weapons

2) I have no idea what to do for a Claymore for the Stormwarden Techmarine. Are there any good swords (not chainswords) that would fit on a spacemarine, possibly the Techmarine that was linked earlier in the thread?

Thanks again!

[JohnHwangBT]

It's not an argument, it's "an enlightened disagreement of opinion".

If your Devastator player wants to swap, perhaps he should just by a Devastator squad? Otherwise, magnets are the way to go.

For the "Claymore", I originally thought Meltabomb conversion, but if you just need a bit 2-handed sword, just use a Grey Knight Nemesis Force Weapon.

[MagickalMemories]

Well, the Black Templar Emp's Champ has a big sword.
I don't play the 40K RPG's. How big do they say a claymore is?
Have you looked at Reaper? They have a number of weapon packs. All kinds of nice weapons in them. If the claymore isn't a power weapon, then you could find one there easily, I'd wager. Even a power weapon could probably be done relatively easily.

Re: Devastator

You can magnetize the arms for swaps, but you'd need to magnetize the backpacks, too. I'm in agreement with John. Just go with a Dev box & build one of each.

Eric

[JohnHwangBT]

Well, the Black Templar Emp's Champ has a big sword.

Eric

Nah, he's just happy to meet you.

[aurak_merc]

I am going to focus on the Techmarine since I may be able to help a bit more on that. If your Techmarine is going to upgrade to a full harness with all 4 arms, one of the current 4-arm techmarines might be worth getting, specifically this one:
http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catal ... rod1060066

I am fairly certain that I own this one (but he is buried in storage at the moment) and the 4 arms are individually attached. I think the connection points are too small for magnets, but if so, you could just drill them out and get them pin-ready for when that time comes. He is also carrying an axe in one hand, which you could snip the head off of and pin any sword blade you find or make on there. If you are painting this guy up, you could make a decent looking sword blade out of an old sprue or even a sharpened twig or something.