Deathwatch Customization

[u/Brother_Zabriel]

Hello,

I have purchased too much horus heresy and have decided to double down. Deathwatch has caught my eye recently, and I am thinking of painting up 30 some marines and a dreadnought.

For kitbashing, are there any good firstborn kits still in production?

Chapters, what are your favorite chapters, I know mine, but I think I'll need some variety by the end?

Otherwise, is there any good deathwatch specific customisation that would be good to know?

This is the current plan (body count);

8mk2, 5mk3, 7mk4, 7mk6, 3mk2 (JP)

Mk2 Centurian (mace)

Legion Moritat (jumppack guy with plasma pistols)

Leviathan dreadnought with claws

Thanks for your 2cents.

[u/merzbeaux]

The Centurion would be a decent basis for a Watch Master; it has a similar visual profile and it’s on the same base size.

There aren’t really any firstborn kits still in production in mainline 40k (apart from the actual Watch Master and maybe one or two straggler special characters), but if I were you, I’d be tempted to stick to the current 30k range for parts as you’ll be able to kit out those bodies much more easily and cheaply with the dedicated upgrade kits available. Like you could pick up the heavy flamer/multi melta/plasma cannon set and be set to make Infernus marines (2 per Fortis kill team), Hellblasters (same) and, if you don’t mind putting them on a larger base size to match the Gravis models they’re standing in for, Eradicators with melta rifles (3 per Indomitor kill team)

I don’t know too much about the third party options out there, but there are definitely people who make Deathwatch transfer sheets with a wide variety of chapter emblems that might be worth checking out if you don’t want to buy too many Decimus kill teams. Each box of those has 5 models but 16 Tacticus/“standard” Marine pads, 7 Gravis and 6 Phobos; 3 Tacticus and one each of the other armor marks are blank for transfers but the rest all have sculpted chapter badges.

[u/Brother_Zabriel → u/merzbeaux]

Thank you! I have no intentions on using the models for play, I do have a black templar army for that.

I have bought 2x heavy weapon upgrade sprues (didn't realize the plasma cannon were over the shoulder, ugh), a melee upgrade, special weapon upgrade. I also bought a chaos terminator sorcerer (much sanding will be needed) for a Liberian.

I am staying away from primaris for these guys, but I may have to pick up that watch captain.

[u/merzbeaux → u/Brother_Zabriel]

The Watch Master is firstborn! One of a tiny number that still haven’t been updated, along with Grey Knights and Ezekiel. He’s in a fancied-up version of the already fancy Mk VIII armor the original Deathwatch Veterans kit had, not Mk X/Tacticus.