A New Look!
Quite some time ago, I got this email from Max...

Is it possible to play with Army that is not described in w40k codexes and rulebook? Is it possible for me to invent an army of my own and create it using rules for some other army, but just change the names of units, weapons and abilities? I was thinking about this since you wrote about a guy that played his squats using Thousand Sons rules. The idea is quite pleasing if one can create his own army and play it even in tournaments.

I'll try to describe what kind of army I was thinking about. At the begining of the Horus Heresy, there was a small planet inhabited by a peaceful race which had very powerful minds. Their minds allowed them to control their surroundings with telekinesis. It wasn't truly a psychic ability since it came from inside their own mind rather than through using the energy of the warp. At some point of the Horus Heresy, their world was attacked and destroyed leaving no survivors. Some of them accepted their fate and simply faded into the afterlife. but some of them couldn't stand what happened to them and their souls stayed in the material world. as the centuries and millenia passed their grief and anger grew and brought them to insanity. This insanity gave birth to hate and the will for vengence on every one that waged war. Also it gave them back their former powers. Using their telekinesis they reformed their own bodies from chunks of their planet, making them golem-like monsters. But regaining their bodies was only temporary. They could only keep their new bodies together for a short period of time, and after that they needed to regain their strength. This makes them a truly immortal army. Even if you destroy their bodies, you won't destroy their souls. What do you think of that? And what rules for what army would you use to create such an army. I was thinking about Thousand Sons and Necrons, but I would like to know your opinion. Hope you'll answer it soon.

I responded...
New army? Yes and no. There's a couple of parts to this. If you want to be able to run it at GW tournaments, you'll need the models to be about 60% GW miniatures, though you should be able to find some golem-like things from WHFB. The other side is you'll have to be extra careful to differentiate your models so that it's easy for an opponent to determine exactly what's what. It's one thing for a Space Marine player to have Tactical Squads and Veteran Squads and Devastator squads and Assault squads without jump packs, it's an entirely different thing for someone to have a completely made up army where all the models look very similar. If you do it right, I think it could be very cool. (Just make sure you are clear with your opponents ahead of time. )

It sounds like you could play it either as Necrons or as Thousand Sons. For that matter, you could probably get away with any army that has lots of access to rules like Feel No Pain or invulnerable saves. Just make sure you pick a single codex, combining army rules is definitely a no-no.

Max continued the conversation...

I was thinking about making them from Eldar Guardians after some conversion. The only thing I have a problem with is to get that earthlike textured surface on those models. But I have found something that might help me. I'll try to think it over and maybe give it a try. I think I'll stay with The Necron rules. I know them quite well and the Immaterium is an anathema for them as well and they do not have too many different units. So it could be reasonable for that golem army.

We discussed it a bit more and he talked about the idea in general of making "New Look" armies, basically creating a new look for a standard army, much like he was thinking of doing with his Guardian/Golem Necrons...

As I promised, I was looking for some "New Look" armies. I'm sending you some links with my opinion attached to them. And as a bonus I'll send some pictures of cool minis that can be a good inspiration. So let's get it started.

This one is a picture from your site. To give an army a new look, you doesn't have to convert all your models. It seems that you can convert one model to give it an Egyptian look and then paint it in an Egyptian style. I you follow that painting style on the rest of your models, then you'll get very Egyptian-looking army. Considering a few conversions on other models might be a good idea that would really help bring out the Egyptian theme. Giving Guardians an Egyptian loin cloth and giving more hawk looking helmets to Swooping hawks would make it look even more Egyptian for fairly little work.

This belongs to Matt Birdoff,
and you can find the whole story here: Doompa Loompas

Next one from your site: The Thousand Squats army. It uses combination of WFB dwarves and W40k chaos space marine backpacks, shoulderpads and weaponry. I guess that these are using Thousand Sons rules. So that is why they're painted in this blue paintscheme. Either way, that kind of conversion definitely gives an army a new look, and it is still playable.

I think there's something fishy going on around here! This one is also taken from your site. through simple conversion (adding fishtail, changing hooves and spine) You can give your army a new feel. While these are still Tyranids, they're adapted to an underwater environment. Not many armies would be considered to be able to fight under water. It could also give an oportunity to create a new mission scenario.

These models belonged to a fellow
I knew online at the Millenium Gate
called Disgruntled Ex-GWStaff.

As I recall this was inspiration for your bugs. Making tyranids more spidery, and very like the Arachnids from the Starship Troopers movie. It not only gives them a new look, it gives them a creepy look. *shivers*

These might belong to Victoria Lamb, but I'm not positive.

This is the last taken from your site. A new look for the squad of seraphim is gained through giving them more angelic-like wings taken from swooping hawks. This is a very simple way of changing the look of an army, and even if it doesn't give the whole army a new look but only one unit, if it could be added on other models in the army as well, you might have something there...

This one is made By Victoria Lamb. It is made around samurais, and to add more fun to it she added a motif from "Karate kid". However making those models doesn't look very difficult. It doesn't take too much to convert, but painting of the Karate Kid logo may require some painting skill.

Here you can see some of the Scythes of the Emperor Space Marine chapter. Changing their Thunderhummers into thunderscythes gives a reason for their name. To give an entire army that look is to simply add a scythe to every space marine wielding CCW. It can be also reasonable to add a scythe to those that do not have any CCw, but putting it somewhere on a backpack. That would give Army a look very close to their name.

Here is Mastiff's Gallery. He created an army that looks very celtic. He gained that effect mostly by adding pelts and robes and painting plaid or tartan patterns. He also made them more savage by painting warpaint on some models, and leaving one hand without armour. For me it shows some disregard for death or wounds. Also You can see a very cool conversion in the case of the scouts. By simply putting some stuff on the upper legs of power armour and making it look like pants (or whatever) you can make scouts from Power Armoured Space Marines.

Victoria Lamb's Drookian Fen Guard is another look at a celtic/highlander army. This time it's made around IG. This is quite easy to make since the legs, heads, and backpack can be ordered from Victoria Lamb herself.

This is the last of the new look army samples. Created to honour King Leonidas and his 300 spartans. There are WFB Empire Shields, possibly Eldar spears, and (probably) green stuff crests. Painting in gold and red gives them a high-rank look. But considering the weapon selection, They're neither very playable, nor it can be given to the whole army.

A good example of new look armies is also your idea of themed armies, in particular the Nightmare Before Christmas army, and my Gue'Shas'la kill team.

Max has a lot of good ideas and interesting points. However, I'm going to have to split this article up before it gets too long. Next week, we'll see more of Max and the idea for New Look armies.

If you enjoyed this, email me and let me know

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