Tutorial: Mark V Legs

I'm back with another leg tutorial for you all!  One of the most iconic pieces of the Heresy is the Mark V armor,  so I'm going to show you how to make your own set of legs using Mark VII legs as a base.I'll open this one with a disclaimer:  my method is cheaper than buying Forgeworld sets (assuming you already have the mk VII legs in a bits box somewhere), but be prepared to spend a little bit of time on each of these.  The learning curve for the project is what I would deem somewhere between easy and medium.  If you know your way around the main tools we're going to use, and are comfortable with a minimal amount of greenstuff use, this project is a breeze.

Let's start off with a tool list:

1. Your hobby knife of choice.

2. Mold line remover.

3. Scribing Tool

4. Pin vise, 1/32 and 1/16 bits

5. Cables.  The size we're using here is .065.  I got mine from Dragonforge, but you can also use appropriately sized guitar wire, or whatever suits your fancy.

6. Microbeads.  For more information on where these come from, as well as a more detailed tutorial on how they are used here, head over to my Studded Armor Tutorial.  You should take a moment here anyway, as the principles used are an integral foundation to this tutorial.

Additionally, we're going to be using some files for cleaning, your glue of choice, a small awl or needle for guide holes, and your sculpting epoxy of choice (for me, the choice is Pro-Create, but Greenstuff will work just as well).  

You will also need your sculpting tools;  For this, I just used a basic flat metal tool, and a couple of small silicon color shapers.

1.  Here we have a stock set of mark VII legs.  I've removed the mold lines in preparation of the conversion.  Out of personal preference, I have also removed the purity seals and gone around some areas (mainly the knee and the foot plates) with my scribing tool to bring some definition back to the model that was lost in the casting process.

2.  The first thing to do is shorten the kneepads, to bring them in line with the mark V look.  I've cut in a little way down on both knees, forming a rounded point as shown.  Cut deep enough that you'll be able to shave the piece off in step 3.

3.  Now shave the top of the knee off.  You should have something like the picture above.  Use your files to clean up the area and round the top of the knee a little bit.

4.  If not already, familiarize yourself with my Studded Armor Tutorial I linked earlier.  Using those techniques, make the holes to seat the microbeads matching the look of the mark V legs.  Disregard those green splotches in the image; I got a little carried away and drilled to many holes, and had to fill them back in!

5.  Using your hobby knife, make some straight cuts in the center of where you intend the thigh cables to sit (the side and front on each leg are typical).  Follow that up by using your scribing tool to etch a wider cut over the initial one.

6. Using your 1/16 bit, drill three holes along the cut, using it as a guide point.  The top and bottom holes should mark the top and bottom of where you intend the cables to run.

7.  Coming back in at an angle, use your pin vise to connect the three holes into one, as shown above.

8.  Repeat until you have all the cable areas recessed out.  At this point, you're done removing parts, and ready to start adding to the conversion!

Above, you can see I've added all the microbeads and cables to the recesses I created.  I also glued the feet to a base at this point.

Now we're to the sculpting part.  I promise, it's actually pretty simple.

9.  Take a small amount (you can see how much above) of your putty and stick it to the top of a cable.

10. Using your tools, shape it around the cable until it fits over and connects nicely to the leg.  Make sure you smooth out any fingerprints!

11.  Here's where you have a choice.  Mark V legs have those square connectors on their cables, but I actually decided I liked a rounder look.  Whatever your choice is, use your tools to shape the putty into the final look you want.  Repeat this process on the bottom of the cable, and then go on and take care of the rest of the cables on the legs.  Let it all cure.

This last step is optional, but I wanted to add some little studs to the connectors for a more finished look.  Make sure your connectors are fully cured, and mix up some more putty.  stick a tiny (like a quarter of the size of a microbead) bit of putty on the connector and push it into the shape of a stud.  Pretty simply, though can be a bit fiddly until you get the hang of it.  Repeat the process across all the connectors.

That's it, you're done!  I added a mark V torso from my bits box (I assume both these pieces probably came from the same tac squad box back in the day) and some stock arms.  He's a Space Wolf, so he got a bolter  and a warbelt from that box to make him stand out.  He'll also get a set of mark V shoulders made for him.

That helmet is a WIP, but I stuck it on as a bit of foreshadowing for you readers, so you can have an idea of what heresy-related tutorial you can expect to see from me next!

Tutorial: Easy Mk IV Space Marine Legs

Long ago, there were about 8 or 10 people doing Horus Heresy related conversions, so the hipster in me had to jump on that bandwagon before it got cool.  This unfortunately meant that I put many hours into doing the various armor marks the hard way, before I began to refine my ideas into what they are today.

But that's good news for you readers, as this next tutorial series will focus on taking many of the signature elements of the Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy, and bringing them to your army with a minimal amount of work, and using bits you probably already have lying around.

I'm starting out with a very simple conversion for you all, maximus pattern legs!

This is a primarily tool-driven project.  No sculpting required, and if you know how to measure, cut, and file, you should have no problems.

First some financial background on the project:  Right now, you can buy 5 Mk IV marines (without weapons) for £23.  for £6 less, you can get a Red Scorpion upgrade pack that includes Mk IV torsos and heads (and shoulder pads, but they aren't going to get use in this project).  When you start thinking about putting 40, 50, 60 boots on the ground, the savings are plain to see.  

But that still leaves legs, something the internet loves to pick apart in the Pre-Heresy genre.  With the right tools and a few minutes time, you'll have a set of legs almost identical to the Forgeworld set.  Let's get to it!

Tools, from top to bottom:

1. Rotary leather punch.  This tool serves me well for a lot of scratch-build projects, getting me rounded cutouts with ease.  The smallest punch is ideal for the curved cuts of the Mk IV knees.

2.  Pink Salon Board.  Get them at your local grocery store.  the fine grit of the pink ones works well for the smoother sanding needed for plastic models.

3. For my harder sanding, I have my trusty metal file.  I also have a round one (not pictured) that I use to clean up where I make cuts with my punch tool.

4.  Tube Styrene.  You can get this at most hobby shops that deal in HO scale trains and the like.  For this project, we're using 3/16" diameter tube.

5. Panel Scriber.  I use this to refine plate lines on the models, but it's optional for this project.

You'll also need your preferred glue, as well as your hobby knife and some form of measuring tool (I just used the markers at the bottom of my cutting board)

Here we've got the results of step one.  Start with a pair of Mk VI legs (the ones without a kneepad).  Please forgive the sad appearance of the legs I used; my bits box is running low on spare legs right now.

Cut any purity seals off, as well as those little cables at the ankles.  Shave off the front of his codpiece.  

I filed away the little grooves and details on the legs, but that was due mostly to the condition of the legs used for the tutorial.  If you look at the forgeworld legs on their site, you'll see you don't need to remove that stuff if you don't want to.

Cut a straight line into the lower legs, about 1/8" from the top of the shin plate.  Shave down that top part, and the file it smooth to create the recessed area in the above picture.  With that done, cut a little bit off the top of the recessed area to make it less than 1/8" in height.

From your tube styrene, cut two straight pieces about 1/8" wide each.

Cut a third or so from each piece.  The larger part will be each of the knees.  Save the best of the two smaller parts, as that will become your new codpiece.

I've used the punch tool to clip the top corners of the knees, cleaned the piece up with a file, and the glued it to the recess. I've also punched out a small bit of the codpiece about half way up, and then cut the piece until it fit properly.  With both, you may need to flatten the styrene pieces a little to get them to fit in place.

That's all there is to it!  So far, you'll have spent about 15 minutes on the conversion.  If you want to clean up more, you can.  Maybe you need to add a bit of soft ribbing where a knee has a harder bend, or if you prefer the less bulky look of the Forgeworld legs, you can go in and file them down to the desired size.

If you like the heresy studs that Forgeworld has started retconning onto some suits of Mk IV armor, just apply my Studded Armor Tutorial to the legs.

I just need to get this guy a new base and his arms and backpack on, and he will join a growing force of Iron Warriors, ready to betray his loyalist brothers at Istvaan V!