From GregB - Word Bearers Chaplain (5 Points)

"Heed my words! Or this pistol!" - Word Bearer apostle. 28mm plastic figure from GW.

My first submission today is just a single figure, but still important, because sometimes you "gotta BELIEVE", and that is what this fellow is all about. This is a Space Marine Chaplain, painted in the colours of the XVII Legion Astartes, the fanatical "Word Bearers". The figure is a multi-part plastic kit from GW's Horus Heresy range. 

Some symbols on his cloak for...you know...good luck!

This figure was originally released back in 2015 as part of GW's "Betrayal at Calth" box set. The set caused much excitement at the time, as it represented the first wave of plastic figures for the Horus Heresy setting, which had been previously limited to Forge World and its, er, "uneven" resin quality. 

What is Calth, and who was betrayed there? Well, that story involves the Ultramarines, and is therefore by default so tedious that recounting any of it would waste your time in mine. For the purposes of this blog post, it is sufficient to know the Word Bearers were the "bad guys", and that they are, um, nutters. This figure was intended to represent a fellow named Kurtha Sedd. 

How does Kurtha Sedd view the world of the 31st millenium? Well, his unofficial title is "dark apostle"...so...

GW's sculptors did nice work on this figure, he has a nice sense of movement. You get the sense that pistol shot is coming at point blank range...

The thing with Kurtha Sedd and the Word Bearers is that they believe in stuff. One might surmise they are a far-future-space parody of devout religious figures from history, but this view misses the depth of possible comedy and commentary on offer. Never mind even the loudest preachers or devout institutions. Take, rather, the secular and technocratic post-modern drivel mongers, intersectionalist fools and climate doomsters who infest and necrotize the educational, cultural and government institutions of our current era. Put them in power armour, and give them a bolt gun. Then - THEN - you would have basis for the Word Bearers.

The Word Bearers tried to believe in The Emperor, but He told them not to for some reason. Jerk. So the Word Bearers found other vessels for belief. The Warmaster Horus will do nicely, but not as an end, but as a means to an end, the BIGGER PICTURE. And they are here to help you believe too! With the right amount of faith - enhanced where necessary by gunfire, chainswords and maybe just a SLIGHT amount of blood sacrifice - you too can live a life of full potential! In, er, many dimensions! You can disruptive structural Emperor-normative discourse, and DO BETTER. They believe so much they write it all down on their armour - so it is easier for you to see!

"You can read it on my armour!"

The Word Bearers are fun, and their armour and kit look cool. For all that, I'm not (yet) tipping over into collecting a force for yet another Space Marine Legion. Rather, I see this fellow as an attached specialist to the Sons of Horus. Why batter your way through enemy defences when this chap, with his expertise in variable-spiritual-dimension-geometry, can just help with a "shortcut", ensuring all concerned understand this portable-hole-through-an-adjacent-warp-dimension-that-just-appeared-out-of-nowhere will, in fact, take them behind enemy lines. You just have to believe...

Painting this fellow was fun. Always nice to do a one-off...gives a chance to practice. I tried once more to find some use for GW's "Contrast" paints on this figure, but as ever, I just find they need to be corrected through use of...actual paint. YMMV. 

Anyway, we have one 28mm figure, good for five points. But the value of faith and correct belief? Priceless! We also pick up two more skullz for the skull duel!

Ah, the Word Bearers, the Legion that never got the memo 'No more religion.' I'm sure with this wise and rational advisor on hand, your Sons of Horus will quickly see the light and fully embrace the eight-fold path.

Cracking work on this itinerant preacher. I like the blue glow on his plasma pistol, especially at the tip of the barrel, it looks like it is just about to fire and vaporise some poor schmuck.