What to use for Skitarii?

[Capn Stoogey]

Hey guys.
I'm thinking of making some Skitarii to support my Titans but I'm not sure what to go with rules or model wise. I'm thinking something along the lines of the really cyborgy, almost feral style from Titanicus for the models but I've never really seen anything that would be an easy convert. As for the rules, I'm just going to "counts as" but I can't decide what as. My first thought was jokaero, the multiple weapons is cool, almost like mini obliterates, and definitely has that mechanicus feel, but I think it would get points expensive quickly. Death company would give them the aggressiveness but not as many cool guns. I'm really quite stumped!
Any links, advice or just ideas is appreciated

[LordGrise]

I can't say for rules, although I think the IG book might offer some ideas, maybe? As for models, unless you want to go third party for the heads or something, maybe Tau models might serve? The heads are already robotic, and you get twelve to the box. Also, No one I know uses the carbine models, so using those for the basis of the Skitarii Hellgun at least gets you something a bit less well-known...

[jifel]

Rule-wise, I'd advise IG Stormtroopers. Model-wise, I'd go third party.

[Earl Harbinger]

I'll cast another vote for IG rules wise. In all of the BL stories I've read that include or feature skitarii they are always portrayed as having a good number of special weapons and heavy weapons and an IG veterans squad gives you the opportunity to reflect that on the table top. As for models it all depends on how you want them to look, robed and hooded, robotic, over muscled, colorful etc. you can go in a lot of different directions. If you don't want models that don't have to be kitbashed you'd be best off going 3rd party.

[Nabterayl]

I would go with IG or necron. I think necron are too advanced feeling, and IG are not quite advanced enough, so take your pick. I've always gotten the impression that the skitarii are not actually that technologically advanced - once you get past the fact that most soldiers have bionics (and are thus slightly tougher and way freakier looking than usual), they're essentially just guardsmen with more prevalent tech.

[Capn Stoogey]

Awesome, thanks for the ideas guys, I hadn't thought of Tau or guard but vets might be the way to go. I did want them to be a bit tougher. I'm thinking Sternguard might be a good way to go, they have the toughness, armour, BS and WS I'm after and some cool weapon options that really fit my ideas for the Skitarii. I'm still not sure on the models to use though, I have no probs with 3rd party, I just haven't seen anything that fits my idea. I'm after something along the lines of servitors. Half man, half machine type dudes that I can just add some details too, only I want them to be far more dynamic than servitors. Thanks again guys

[Grimnar42]

For rules an option could be Tempus Fugitives Cult Mechanicus Codex
For figures some options are
Blight Wheel Miniatures Sino Russia Range,
Micro Art Iron Brotherhood range
Wargames Factory Greatcoat Troopers
Anvil Industries Exo Lords
Miniatures of the North who use Anvil Industries to make and market his stuff has Tox Troopers which I am waiting for to fill out my Skitarii

[Nabterayl]

Awesome, thanks for the ideas guys, I hadn't thought of Tau or guard but vets might be the way to go. I did want them to be a bit tougher. I'm thinking Sternguard might be a good way to go, they have the toughness, armour, BS and WS I'm after and some cool weapon options that really fit my ideas for the Skitarii. I'm still not sure on the models to use though, I have no probs with 3rd party, I just haven't seen anything that fits my idea. I'm after something along the lines of servitors. Half man, half machine type dudes that I can just add some details too, only I want them to be far more dynamic than servitors. Thanks again guys

I actually was going to suggest space marine scouts, but wasn't sure the rest of the codex really fit. If I were going to design skitarii from the ground up they'd look something like the old bionics, basic guardsmen with a 6+ self-resurrection (or these days, a 6++). Since no codex really has that as an option, scouts could do a pretty decent job of presenting rank and file skitarii with hellguns - the S4 T4 can represent their bionics, and their armor is good by Guard standards but not too good. Then you can have real space marines stand in for the elite, heavily augmetic skitarii.

[Daemonette666]

I was looking at starting a Dark Mechanicus project a while ago, and bookmarked a lot of sites for 3rd party miniatures for the job.

some of them have closed, but many are still available Most of them are Pewter or resin, so will cost a bit, but converting them will be just as expensive trying to get all the parts for the project. See below.

[url]http://www.shop.microartstudio.com/iron-brotherhood-c-36_43.html[/url]

The Iron Brotherhood provide a good range from Elite units, troops, and HQs.

[url]http://www.ironcladminiatures.co.uk/shop/category_21/Sanwar.html?shop_param=cid%3D%26[/url]

The Sanwar range looks to be some sort of hooded sand warriors, which could be used for Star Wars, or for robed Mechanicus mostly human serf troopers.

and lastly

[url]http://www.blightwheelminiatures.com/[/u]

This site has a few walking tanks, and a couple mechanicus type characters one who has spider type legs.

As to a codex to "use as" Imperial Guard seem to be the best one as you can have stormtroopers, veterans, and for mass horde infantry such as those that walk between titans legs, use standard guard infantry. Ogryn could be the heavy infantry and the fast hover or skittering troops could be cavalry. Also the Mechanicus are well known for their massed tanks and artillery.

[Capn Stoogey]

Even more awesome ideas, you guys rock! Thanks for those ideas and links, they are definitely the closest things I've seen to what I have in mind and I'll probably end up up using some of them. Thanks again, happy hobbying guys