From GregB - Epic 30k Imperial Fist Space Marines

Epic 30k Marines from the Imperial Fists, the VII Legion

Well, my first entry for the latest edition of the Painting Challenge is Epic, in literal content, not in points, namely a detachment of Epic 30k Space Marines.  "Epic" is Games Workshop's 6mm-size game system.

These troops wear the yellow colours of the VIIth Legion, known as the "Imperial Fists".  In GW's "Horus Heresy" setting, (known among GW gaming nerds like me as "30k", as opposed to "40k", the "later" period, if you will), the backdrop is a giant, galaxy-wide civil war sparked by the rebellion of Horus Lupercal, the Warmaster, top commander of the Emperor's forces.  The Emperor promoted Horus as his second-in-command, but Horus longed for one last promotion that only war could offer...

Land Raiders, the go-to, all-purpose tanks of the Space Marines

And so half the Imperial forces, including half of the Space Marine Legions, turned against their old boss and followed Horus. What a smack-down! In the middle of all of this, the Imperial Fists remained loyal to the Emperor, and as such these are some of the "good guys".  I like these fellows a lot - you get the toughness, steadfast loyalty and grim, martial determination on the loyalist side, without the MBA-style, stuck-up nerdiness of a group such as, say, the Ultramarines.

Tactical marines near their trusty Rhino APCs - each APC can carry 10 marines, or two stands of infantry

While today geeks like me explore this setting by playing with the 28mm figures from Forge World, it was, in fact, the 6mm-sized games "Adeptus Titanicus" and "Space Marine" which truly ignited interest, and gaming, in this "period". 

Another view of the tactical troops

The Epic game and its many variations are some of the top games GW ever produced, and I still love them.  I still dust off the old figures for a game from time to time with the Fawcett Avenue Conscripts - we usually get about one, sometimes two, games in per year.  Most of my collection, however, is Imperial Guard, Orks and Eldar - and I have done, comparatively, very little Horus Heresy gaming in Epic.

Steadfast loyalty to the Emperor...

Last year David Larkins' excellent Epic-themed entries really inspired me to get back into Epic.  While I didn't manage it during the last Challenge, I kept a wary eye on Ebay over the past year and lined up a few scores to be ready for this year.  Two in particular have me really fired up for some Epic-30k painting during this Challenge.

Sicaran tanks - the one in front seems a bit, shall we say, "insecure"...it's meant to be a major anti-tank weapon...right...

So with all that blather out of the way, I wanted to get a first entry which would touch on a couple of my side duels (Sci Fi and 30k), and ride the Epic nostalgia wave.  This submission includes two 20-man tactical squads, four rhino APCs, three Land Raiders, two Sicaran tanks, and one Sicaran Venator (the, ahem, "insecure" vehicle, if you follow my meaning).  The figures and models are a mix of Ebay scores as well as some non-commercially available models.

Another view of the Land Raiders - in addition to being really tough tanks, they also carry troops!

These days Epic sits, as Curt eloquently described at one point, 'moldering in GW's IP graveyard'.  Word has it the corp-tards running GW these days intend to bring the game back, but I'll believe it when I see it...

In all there are 40 infantry and 10 vehicles in this submission - a pretty small force for a game of Epic, but enough to get started, and decent starter entry to the Challenge.  Throughout the Challenge I will be adding more Epic stuff, (good and bad guys), and I hope to have a nice little throw-down for the Fawcett lads some time in the New Year. 

This batch should net me 40 points - a decent start, but 1960 points still to go...

Smokin' entry Greg! I always enjoy reading your love-hate relationship with GW as it closely mirrors my own feelings on the matter. 

You did a spectacular job on these little models. I really like the tone of yellow you went with as they really pop on the bases. Speaking of which, what size bases did you go with for these lads? I always disliked the old dorky 'strip bases' that GW used. The rounded corners really appeal to my lizard brain somehow.

And I agree, the Ultramarines are a bunch of over-rated, blue-arsed showboaters. The only thing 'Ultra' about them is their marketing servitors... ;)

40 points it is! Well done...and remember: 'Horus for Hope'. :)