As I am not up to too much figures wise at the moment due to study pressures it’s time for a clip show. The Warhammer 40K Slann warband is the next thing due for some attention and with that in mind here are a couple of better pictures of existing finished models along with the current WIPs.
TheOttoVonBismark 
The sculpt on the second guy is more piratey than I expected, not that that is a bad thing necessarily.
That will be a fun little unit to game with. Are you going with that red basing or is it also WiP?
Actually the second guy has not been sculpted at all save for adding a bit of hair to the decapitated head. I replaced his macuahuitl with an Ork knife and added a few tech bits from the Tau warriors sprue. His motivation is “pissed off at the Imperium of Man”. He does look piratey now that you mention it. I like how he came out.
The basing is using a sort of red sand that has shiny bits of quartze in it, haven’t made up my mind about it yet really so let me know what you think one way or the other.
I plan to build up the warband using the Rogue Trader equipment charts to guide selection and paying points x 10 as per necromunda. I will have say a grav gun guy, a bolter guy, a couple of lasgun guys and so forth. This is roughly the house rules approach used by TFTM at:
http://talesfromthemaelstrom.blogspot.ie/2011/02/mysterioulsy-acquired-crazy-syndrome.html
The idea is not to be childish about equipment as they are intended to be used in GM moderated games.
Definitely no need to stress too much about weapon choices. Those days are long gone.
Going for martian desert basing is risky alright. I have seen some very good painters try it, but I have yet to see it done in a way that looks convincing to my eye.
https://www.coolminiornot.com/247056
The fact that it adds a distinct colour to the palette can throw its visual appeal as a miniature unless it is considered as part of the scheme from the outset.
So basically I am not so keen on the basing right now, but I am fond of experimenting with things like that: sometimes you make pleasant unexpected discoveries.
I see your point. Will have to experiment a bit more with it. My genestealers have some wacky blue sand/stones and they worked well enough but then its in the pallete for the army in the first place…perhaps some swampy jungle browns and lush greens is the way to go.