From GregB - Let's Start With Some Wee Little Space Tanks... (19 Points)

A small gathering of small tanks...APCs and light armour for the Sons of Horus in "Legions Imperialis".

Two posts for today. Two! They are sort of the same, but also very different! After all, painting a single setting in multiple scales is totally normal, and not at all a sign of hobby insanity, right? Right? Well, whatever. We will start small, in the physical sense, with this submission of some wee little Space Marine armour vehicles. We have a group of Rhino APCs, the all-purpose armoured troop carriers of the Space Marines, and also a squadron of Predators, light tanks of the Space Marine Legions painted in the noble colours of the XVI Legion Astartes, the Sons of Horus. These are plastic models from GW's re-launched Epic game, "Legions Imperialis".

Why walk when you can drive?

My last submission touching on this game shared quite a bit of feedback and many thoughts about GW and how they have handled the rollout of this new-old game. I stand by all of it - although I concede the Legions Imperialis rollout looks like a Formula One race compared to the absolute dogsh*t hash they have managed to make of the launch of "Warhammer: The Old World, but I digress...

Trio of Rhino APCs.

These vehicles offer a chance to ponder some of the great positives of the new Legions Imperialis game. First and foremost, these models (assuming you were able to acquire any) are quite fantastic. I cannot say they are a joy to build - after all, the parts are, in many cases, very, very, very small, and you do NOT want to assemble these on or near any sort of carpet into which, say, the very small exhausts would surely disappear into should you drop them. But these models ARE remarkable in their lovely detail, and of how you receive a rather crazy number of options for things like pintle-mounted weapon options, and multiple weapon options for the tanks.

The 28mm unit symbols come in handy on the top hatches of the APCs.

GW can be infuriating. But GW can also do some remarkable things with figures, and these little tanks are, in my view, very much in the latter camp (although, as I said, trying to acquire them will lead you on a bewildering journey through the former). 

Anti-personnel configuration on the Predator - autocannon in the turret, and heavy bolters on the sponson.

Remarkable detail on these very small models.

I also give them full marks for the decals included with the kits. Are they very small and difficult to handle? Well, yes they are...but really, given the scale of the vehicles here, there was no other way to make them, and I would much rather have the decal sheet, and brave some frustration, than not have the little decals at all. The models also offer opportunities to use small decals from set intended for the 28mm figures, which keen GW fans will surely have spotted on the top hatches of the APCs indicating broadly the different roles of the Marines on board.

AT configuration on this one - laser cannons everywhere...and a commander with a heavy bolter for extra fun to mark this vehicle out as the squadron commander.

Each APC can carry ten Space Marines, or at this scale, two stands' worth of the little wee Space Marine figures. Here in this submission we have sufficient number of troop carriers here to mount up a basic detachment of Space Marine tactical infantry, backed by support and heavy support troops.

Love the small decals for the turret and back hatches.

The Predator is a "light" tank...and the hawkeyed among the Challenge participants will surely spot the similar chassis it shares with the troop carriers. GW's model kit for these vehicles offers different weapon choices such that the vehicles can be configured for AT work (the twin-lascannons on the turret) or heavy anti-personnel work (the single autocannon turret). Similar choices can be made for the sponson weapons.  Again, not easy to assemble, but remarkable detail, remarkable to have the choice at all. Some maniacs out there are even using tiny magnets such that the weapons can be swapped on and off...such lunacy is not for me, but that it is even being attempted is clearly a testament to how impressive these small models are. And that magnet people are bonkers. 

So for scoring, we have nine different 6mm vehicles...I think that amounts to 18 points, and a small start to the motor pool of small vehicles for the XVI Legion.

These are truly gems, Greg! The painting is top notch as always, and in the by now familiar colour scheme that suits them very well. Another great job! Yes, I can totally understand your feelings, both about GW in general and about the fiddlyness (fiddility?) of  these models. I am a great fan of small scale miniatures, but the thought of having put them together horrifies me. However, you have stood up to the challenge and they provide you with another 18 points!