From GregB - Space Marine Spartan AFV (20 Points)

Spartan armoured carrier in the colours of the Sons of Horus. Model from Forge World.

We conclude today's submissions with one more bit from GW's "Horus Heresy" setting - here we have a big scary armoured vehicle, a "Spartan", and once more we have the colours and livery of the XVI Legion Astartes, the Sons of Horus. This is a resin model from GW's Forge World studio, enhanced with a couple of plastic iconography bits from the newer "Age of Darkness" range.

Another side profile view - it's quite the beast!

So what is the Spartan? It is at once a big troop carrier - fit to carry just over 20 Space Marines - and also scary combat vehicle, mounting batteries of heavy energy weapons on its side sponsons, and a pair of heavy anti-personnel cannons ("heavy bolters" in GW nerd parlance) in a case mounting over the front. There are armoured doors on the front and sides, so this thing can basically drive over/through/into wherever, and disgorge a large number of terrifying Space Marine warriors into battle. 

Front assault ramp, with heavy weapons to provide covering fire when the Marines dismount.

GW geeks (like me!) will recognize in this vehicle the silhouette of the "Land Raider", one of the earliest plastic tanks created for GW's Warhammer 40,000 setting. When Forge World first started rolling out 30k in 28mm, they brilliantly went back to those old "Rogue-Trader-era" vehicles and either re-created them for the new Horus Heresy setting, or imagined new, upgraded versions. The Spartan is essentially "a Land Raider" but bigger. One can imagine the early Space Marine commanders meeting with the Mechanicum weirdos (the tech priest folks who build things) and pitching them on this - "We need a Land Raider that's like, a double Land Raider?" - and the Mechanicum tech priests wiggling their tendrils and coming up with this thing.

Not quite zero-emissions exhaust system.

And I love it! A spooky, slab-sided armoured menace, topped up with a load of terrifying Space Marines. I've wanted one of these for years! And I've been painting Horus Heresy for 10 years, so why didn't I have one already? Well...there is something special about an AHPC submission that includes figures or a model that has been sitting around for years...and here we have one such submission. This is more than a Spartan, it is a notable escapee from my pile of shame.

You see, these vehicle kits were notorious being hideous to assemble. Those of us who tangle with Forge World products are used to the uneven casting quality and warping of the resin components - which in theory can occur with any resin product but sure seems to pop up often with Forge World ones, despite the premium price. Yet the Spartan kits always stood out as being a particular beast to assemble, and I was scared to try. 

View from the air...

So enter Steve B, an occasional participant in the AHPC over the years. Not only is he a really, really talented painter, but he is a genius at assembling these models. I commissioned him to build and prime TWO of these beasts for me, and he delivered! Magnetized weapon mounts, the whole nine yards! And if you look closely, you can see where, on the top front of the hatch section on the bow of the vehicle, he had to sand and then green-stuff a serious flaw in the fitting! Steve B is an ace!

Just an idea of the size...here is the Spartan with one the Marines from my earlier post.

Steve did this for me FOUR YEARS ago? Put another way...in the amount of time that it took me to want these vehicles for my own collection, enough time went by that GW itself went through the trouble of re-issuing this model as a multi-part plastic kit to include in the new box set for the "Age of Darkness" game, and I still had not painted these? Why? Well, AHPC participants can imagine, and I hope relate, to the sorts of things that cause such procrastination. But in particular, this model always intimidated me, even after it was built and primed - the quad weapon battery was not easy to paint, and it is always so hard to get the black base coat in under the treads...oddly, such considerations were reasons to paint something else...

"Family photo" with the Praetor and 20-man tactical squad - all of which can be carried together in the Spartan.

But no more! This Spartan has finally rolled off the painting desk, and is ready to serve the Warmaster and his quest to save humanity from the clutches of the so-called "Emperor"! As a newly painted tank, it will no doubt be immediately zapped in its first game, but as long as it looks great on the table, that will be fine with me :) 

Ok, enough blathering. For points, we have one 28mm vehicle - so that's 20 points. AND we also have one more skull for the skull duel! It's on the back, near the exhaust. Like, where else would you put a skull, right? 

Thanks for reading, and I hope everyone has a great weekend!

A great way to round out you week's entries, Greg. I was so excited when the new, plastic Spartan was released as it meant I would never need to try tangling with the horrors of resin. I am sure these will become a far more common sight on the tabletop now that you don't have to know an expert to get one built. 

Again, you have done a wonderful job on the paint scheme, a sure-fire way to attract every las-blast and melta-shot around, but for those brief seconds between deployment and rolling for damage, this Spartan should have pride of place on the table.