From JamesM: 3mm Imperial Army on Snowlords Peak (72 Points)

Hi folks,

I have managed to make the slow, slow journey back to the top of the Snowlords Peak (because 3mm tanks take ages to drive anywhere, especially uphill).

The task set by the large blue one was to paint some more 3mm models for my Horus Heresy Calth collection.

This time, I've avoided painting tiny shoulder pad edges and gone for something else in the painting pile I had wanted to do for a while. So first up, some of my head canon for this entry.

“Ultramar, the realm of the Ultramarines Legion and part of the greater Imperium, consists of a sub sector of approximately five hundred habitable planets. Ruled over by Roboute Guilliman, the Primarch of the Ultramarines Legion, this realm is regarded as one of the most prosperous, efficient and advanced regions of space in the whole Imperium.

While the realm of Ultramar is exempt from the normal tithe of military units expected from worlds of the Imperium, the realm itself maintains many regiments ready for deployment outside of Ultramar. 

The CCIXth Ultramar Auxilia Regiment is one such formation.

The Regiment is a combined arms force consisting of detachments from many Ultramar planets, each adding mastery of their own speciality to the whole. Comprising many tens of thousands of highly trained Auxilia the CCIXth included sub units of infantry, armour, artillery and various support arms. It should be noted that the term 'regiment' is not associated with a particular size of formation, and is more the generic name for a particular body of troops.  

As part of Ultramar’s muster of force ordered by Warmaster Horus (supposedly for operation against an anticipated incursion of Orks in the Veridian system), the CCIXth was deployed to Calth alongside numerous other Imperial Army, Titan Legion, Skitarii and Knight units - as well as the Ultramarine Legion and the Word Bearers Legion. With barrack space being at a premium, the Regiment found itself billeted amongst several small settlements on the Northern Continent. In honour of the hospitality they had received, and prior to donning campaign appropriate camouflage schemes, the CCIXth’s vehicles were painted in colours representing the heraldry of the local principality.

Command base

On the day of the Betrayal, when the traitors of the Word Bearer Legion and their allies struck, this particular armoured detachment of the CCIXth found themselves without communications with either Regimental or Planetary Command. Initially assuming a planetary attack by an unknown foe, the armoured element took up positions to defend their billets. In time they linked up with units from the Ultramarines Legion, Adeptus Mechanicus Skitarii, Legio Praesagius Titans, other Auxilia Regiment and Knight detachments in order to take part in the fighting on the Plains of Dera against the betrayers – by then the previous well-maintained farmland had been turned to wasteland due to the host of powerful weapons unleashed.

The CCIXth tanks with supporting Ultramarines and Legio Praesagius Reaver Titan

The CCIXth tanks with supporting Ultramarines and Legio Praesagius Reaver Titan

Surviving elements of the CCIXth eventually made their way into the underground shelters following the Word Bearers poisoning of the Calth Systems sun and evacuation of the planets surface. There they continued to battle against surviving Word Bearer forces, protecting the remaining sheltering civilians. After years of fighting in the Underground War, the few survivors went on to form a new CCIXth Regiment.” 

Represented here are a company ‘Gantz’ pattern Leman Russ Main Battle Tanks, supported by a demi-company of ‘Gantz’ pattern Heavy Tanks (of a design which would later become known of Macharius Heavy Tanks). Gantz being one of the major Forge Worlds within the realm of Ultramar, and a massive producer of weapons and equipment.

Heavy Tank Demi-company

The combined armoured force

These are 3mm models from Vanguards ‘Defeat in Detail’ range. These models are truly gorgeous – easily GHQ level of detail.

The smaller tanks are DiD Centurion MBT’s, which I am proxying as early Leman Russ MBTs. They include a command element with a long barrelled gun (proxy Vanquisher) and a large Plasma gun.  

The Heavy tanks are DiD Tribune Hectors. As mentioned above, I’m using these as proxies for Macharius Heavy Tanks which themselves (from 40k lore) are based on Heavy Tanks used during the 30k period and who’s designs were lost to time.

Also of note is the fact that the CCIXth Regiment was my regiment from back when I played 40k and Epic 40k (more than 20 years ago!), so I have used that same regiment but in the 30k setting.

The paint scheme came about through some hard thinking and in the end is actually based on some Vanguard Centurion artwork for their ‘Dominion: The Wars of Tusculum Nova’ setting. I went for a different colour combo (really to make the models stand out on the bases). Groundwork on the bases is using milliput and Citadel Agrellan Earth Texture paint, which has a lovely baked earth effect when dry. 

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Wow! These armoured units look great James. I really like the yellow turret juxtaposed against the green hulls. Probably not especially great camo, unless you're in a field of sunflowers, but great looking nonetheless. I also greatly admire your basework for these little fellas, particularly the shell holes. This 3mm Epic stuff is sorely tempting... 

As to your prize, I present to you Dave's merrily burning Sherman! Take heart. It's the perfect thing to remind you that, yes, the Germans may have few Big Cats, but Detroit has you covered with thousands of these lumps waiting in the wings (perhaps don't use that rationalisation with the poor crews...). 

Thank you for taking up the Peak Challenge, James!

-Curt