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| We reject the false Emperor! |
Continuing a similar theme from my last entry, here are some more GW figures from the Horus Heresy - known informally as "Warhammer 30k" among GW afficionados. These are Space Marines, 28mm resin figures from Forge World. There are 11 models from the Sons of Horus Legion, and a single model from the Emperor's Children Legion - both Legions which turned against the Emperor in the civil war.
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| Bad-ass commander from the 16th Legion - wearing extra heavy armour |
If the Legion is called "Sons of Horus", then it can't be a big surprise that particular Legion sided with Horus the Warmaster - their own Primarch and leader - during the wars of the Horus Heresy.
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| "Volkite" energy weapon |
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| I like the old-school segmented look to the armour on the Horus Heresy era figures |
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| Some nice cutlery - I just wish I could learn the right technique to make these futuristic power swords look more spooky |
The really big figure is a "Praetor", intended to represent a senior commander within the Legion. He will be the overall commander of any force on the table during a game. He is wearing old-school Terminator armour - "cataphract pattern", and carrying a scary sword and a small-ish energy weapon known as a "volkite charger" that actually hits much more heavily than it looks like it would.
This fellow saw his first action on our gaming table last week - see here for a break down.
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| Crowd control, Sons of Horus style |
Up next is a "devastator" squad - five troops carrying heavy bolters, rapid fire support weapons of the Warhammer 40k universe. Putting five of these weapons into a single squad is bonkers, but it reflects the heavy excess of the Warhammer 30k setting and the Space Marine Legion force listings. This little group of troops can put down a serious curtain of fire at a decent range to boot.
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| The logos on those shoulder pads look a little soft... |
A close examination of the embossed shoulder plates on the devastator troops will reveal them to look quite sloppy - the reason is my laziness, and a mishap with an airbrush. I believe life is too short to go around washing off model kits and figures before you paint them (give me a break) so I generally don't bother with that, despite all of the suggestions, positive intentions and tips from pro-painters. Part of me just thinks "oh, good lord, what a waste of damn time" and part of me also thinks that washing figure kits in the sink may just be the straw that breaks the camel's back in the marriage, so to speak...
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| Extra ammo clipped to the back - I'm sure that makes it even easier to get around...not... |
Anyway, I was priming these figures using a airbrush (something that challenge participant Byron has been patiently assisting me with - the guy has patience). The primer stuck perfectly to the models, but melted right off the logo-embossed shoulder pads. Rather than evaluating carefully, I instead opted for a Verdun-style war of attrition against the f*!@$!ing resin, piling on the primer until the stupid particles of f!@#!@# mold release fluid or whatever were buried under black to wither and die. Die!
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| You get a little targerter-type device to add to one of the troops - a nice feature, although not totally clear in this photo |
Uh...so, anyway, that is not a recommend approach overall, as it dulls the detail a bit...but hey, they are in with Horus - these guys will be growing tails in no time, so I doubt they would notice soft armour bits anyway!
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| It's a plasma gun party! |
Ahem - moving along with this submission, up next "tactical support" squad - five troops carrying plasma guns, rapid firing energy weapons of significant firepower but relatively short range. Again, one might typically see one of these weapons within a squad of 10 troops, but in the Space Marine Legion force listings, there is a lot of just about any equipment to go around, so these special weapons are put into their own units! These weapons have some silly special rules attached to them ("gets hot" - soooo stupid) which would make most of their own users casualties through the course of a single game, but whatever - I like how they look :)
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| Time for a BBQ! |
Finally the solitary marine who's armour does not match the others is a test model - a Legion Marine in Mark IV armour from the Emperor's Children, the Third Legion. Quick side note - how bummed out was the Emperor when he found out the Legion named "Emperor's Children" had lined up with the traitors? Ouch!
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| Test figure for the Third Legion |
Anyway this fellow was just to test some colour combos for a few units of Emperor's Children Marines that are still in the pending painting queue. The purple turned out a little darker than I hoped, but overall I was still pretty pleased.
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| I love the bonkers chainsaw-type combat accessory - really fits the setting |
So this submission includes 12 different 28mm scale models for 60 points. Up next should be even more Horus Heresy stuff...but after seeing DavidL's awesome submission, I might have to switch scales. We'll see!
From Curt:
It always warms the cockles of my heart when I read Greg describing how he snapped his crayons during some otherwise inconsequential hobby task. It somehow, perversely, balances the books with my own infantile temper when my toy solders dare to defy my omniscient will. It's what having friends is all about.
Seriously, great work Greg and a fun post! I love the look of the entire 30K range from Forgeworld, especially their approach to the traitor Marines. Refreshingly they've chosen not to bugger them up with the ridiculous, over-the-top, 'let's put a spike, pustule and tentacle on every square millimeter' trope of the GW designers. It's such a breath of fresh air.
I really like the green and copper scheme you've done on the Sons of Horus, especially the work on the wonderfully baroque armour of the Praetor. As you say, he looks suitably bad ass with his scary power sword and heretical blow dryer. This all being said I have to say I'm in love with the look of a whole squad of Heavy Bolters. One can almost see the muzzle flashes and brass flying when you look at these guys. Wonderful stuff.
They're a bad bunch Mr. Burch!
I feel your pain with the primer not sticking to resin issue. I had a similar problem with the cop cars I submitted a few weeks back. The primer just would not stick to the resin in places, despite them having been thoroughly washed. I ended up hitting the models with a spray of matt varnish, which seemed to do the trick.
ReplyDeleteNice painting :)
Thanks Tamsin - and that is a good idea with the matte varnish - certainly must be better than my "fill the air with curses and pile on primer until resistance is overcome" approach...
DeleteHey! Who said I didn't fill the air with expletives (most definitely NOT deleted) or try piling on primer until the resin stopped resisting? ;)
DeleteI really do like that green you have used it gives them quite an "Edwardian" feel. Totally suitable for 30K
ReplyDeleteFantastic stuff - I'm a massive fan of 30k myself, even if ForgeWorld do get away with eye watering prices...... Really nice green as it's a tough one to hit for the Sons of Horus.
ReplyDelete"28mm resin figures from Forge World"
ReplyDeleteSold your soul to the devil huh Greg? At least you got good value for it. Wonderful paint jobs for all the frustration the caused you...
Thanks Millsy! As for the soul sale, well, my grasp of economics is not great, but I believe by now that my soul has been re-purchased somewhere by the European Central Bank to try and create economic growth in Transylvania or something...
DeleteLovely minis and your paintjob certainly does them justice! Forge World stuff is really hard to resist. It's almost gotten me to start 40k (or 30k) again :)
ReplyDeleteGreat looking 30K, we are being treated to some lovely stuff from you and a few others
ReplyDeleteIan
Very good painting and me and my miniatures often disagree when I try something new and it sort of don't work real good as well. Swearing out loud can help but it can make those who are not like us perhaps wonder if we are getting too deep in our hobby. The boss dude looks the part. Cheers
ReplyDeleteReally nice work! That heavy bolter squad looks fearsome.
ReplyDeleteThe description of the painting is as good as the figures themselves!
ReplyDeleteThe only good marines are traitor marines ;-)
ReplyDeleteOne of the first wargame I played was the original Space Marine, and I would always play the traitors. That was before the whole Chaos thing, when Horus was just a power hungry usurper.
Really great work. and long live Horus!
Thanks Iannick - and you are right, the traitor marines are much more interesting as rebels than as the skull-and-spike-covered self parody that is "Chaos".
DeleteUnfortunately the story arc at Forge World seems to be to make the Marines go all daemonic, but this original crusade era stuff is gold. I feel like I am playing the original "Space Marine" game in 28mm.
Horus for hope!
Very nice painting work, with a great choice of colours.
ReplyDeleteSplendid work on the Sons but I really love the EC marine. Back in the days when I did my first forays into wargaming I came across an article in the White Dwarf about the Emperors Children and of course I had to have a force of them. With the benefit of hindsight I'm quite happy FW didn't produce any 30k stuff back then as the regular marines already were expensive enough.
ReplyDeleteRegarding my painting 'skills' back then I really don't want to imagine what I would have done to those lovely FW figures available today.
"...but after seeing DavidL's awesome submission, I might have to switch scales."
ReplyDeleteHaha, cheers! To be honest, your stuff is making me seriously consider taking the plunge into the world of Forge World "30K", so I guess it's a two-way street. :)