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Plast Craft Games: Malifaux terrain review

December 26, 2014, 9:14 am
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In a quest to find good terrain for Malifaux, I decided to give Plast Craft Games a try.

In a hobby that is focussed around building, converting, and painting model soldiers, it is easy to forgo putting as much effort into creating equally evocative terrain for them to battle over.  But, just like playing with painted models, having them on a carefully constructed gameboard elevates a game immensely.  Thankfully, a wealth of companies have sprung up to produce attractive looking terrain that is easy to assemble, without requiring a huge amount of time investment to get it playable.  For example, Mantic games released a line of buildings that they created for Deadzone that is excellent for most science fiction games. The kits are fairly easy to assemble and largely modular.  There has also been a rise in laser-cut, medium-density fibreboard (MDF) terrain, like Tectonic Craft Studios and Sarissa Precision.  While the material is often very nice, in my experience, it is somewhat hard to work with, particularly if the pieces are not cut out properly.  Recently, I found that Plast Craft Games makes a line of similar terrain that is made out of pre-cut PVC plastic, a medium that promised to be much easier to work with.



I had been vaguely aware of Plast Craft Games due to their line of Infinity terrain, but became extremely interested when I discovered that they had begun making terrain for Malifaux.  I ended up getting the graveyard and downtown walkway sets, to see how they compared to MDF terrain and bolster my sparse fantasy terrain collection.  Each came in a small cardboard box crammed full of sheets of pre-cut PVC.  When hearing that the terrain was made from PVC, I thought of the thick white plastic material used to make pipes.  Instead, the terrain is made from a formulation that is less rigid than the aforementioned pipes, and feels a little like a denser form of foamcore.  I was slightly disappointed in this at first, but after working with it for a little I think it is better for it.  It is much lighter, and far easier to cut and modify then it would have been if it were a hard plastic.  Initially, things can be a bit bewildering, pulling out sheet after sheet of cut PVC, with no included instructions to guide you.  There is a Quick Response (QR) code on the back of the box which brings up their website with pdf documents of the instruction manuals, however.  Although none of the pieces are physically numbered, the instructions clearly show the contents of the box pictorially, and have numbers listed there to aid assembly.

Although the boxes that the terrain comes in are quite small, each kit has a surprising number of parts.

The actual assembly is fairly quick; I was able to put together the graveyard chapel in a dedicated evening (a couple hours).  Most of the pieces popped right out of their respective sheets, something I cannot say about the MDF that I have worked with.  Conveniently, any pieces that are difficult to remove can easily be fixed by taking an x-acto knife and scoring the area that is causing trouble.  If this issue comes up with MDF, it can be very difficult to remove the pieces because you are cutting wood rather than foam/plastic, leading to more broken pieces.  Being able to use the same x-acto knife you are using for your models on the terrain is very convenient.

Each piece is quite well-detailed, although some of it is slightly shallow and ill-defined.

Another nice feature of PVC, unlike MDF, is that you can assemble it using the same glue that you use for your models.  I used a combination of Tamiya Extra Thin Cement and Krazy glue to put the terrain together.  I would dry fit the pieces together, and then add thin cement, allowing the glue to wick into the seams, drying within a minute.  Super glue also works well, although you need to be careful when using it because it cures PVC instantly.  This fact was particularly helpful when assembling the curved sides of the chapel.  The side pieces are straight, requiring you to apply pressure to get them to bend slightly, giving the building its bowed shape.  While the thin cement would work to glue these pieces together, the longer drying time would necessitate holding them together for a prolonged period of time to ensure that they would not slowly start to come apart.  Just adding a small amount of superglue in a few places along the wall pieces fastened them together instantly, maintaining their unique shape.  Afterwards, I was then able to add some thin cement to strengthen the bond.

The finished chapel, ready to be the site of much blood-shed!

The terrain is quite well-detailed, from the stone blocks making up the crypt walls to bas-relief carvings on the tomb stones.  These details are a little shallow, however, but this really does not reduce the visual impact of the models.  Interestingly, although the terrain was made to be used for Malifaux, the scale is a little off, with everything looking oversized.  I think this was intentional, however, to make it easier to use in-game, providing pieces of terrain that block line of sight and make determining whether models are in cover easier.  I played a few short games with the terrain, and it was a joy to use.  Even without a lot of other pieces, it set the tone for the games, adding to the Victorian horror elements of the game.  The terrain is large enough to make a significant impact on the games played with it, making them more meaningful.

Among the tombstones,  time slows as a punk zombie brandishes his damascus steel, intent on finding purchase in the spectral hide of the Nothing Beast.

All told, I am very pleased with Plast Craft’s PVC terrain.  Without a significant investment of time or money, I was able to create some very functional, thematic terrain for my games of Malifaux.  And although it has a lot of similarities to MDF terrain, it is light and significantly easier to work with.  Being able to use all of the same tools that you use for your models to assemble the terrain is a great boon, allowing you to assemble it quickly and get back to playing games or working on models again.  So if you are looking for terrain to augment your games of Malifaux, I would encourage you to give Plast Craft a try!

-Eric Wier
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Putrid Blightkings: Converting additional Death Guard terminators

December 31, 2014, 10:58 am
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"In the embrace of the great Nurgle, I am no longer afraid, for with His pestilential favour I have become that which I once most feared: Death."
In an earlier post, we described converting a Death Guard terminator by combining parts from the Putrid Blightking box and a set of Catapharactii pattern terminators. While we still have not finished that first Death Guard terminator, we could not contain ourselves and began to forge on ahead by converting two additional squad members, again using the Putrid Blightkings as a foundation. We are excited with the progress on all three and thought people would be interested in seeing them and learning a little about the creative process that went into making them.


Similar to the first conversion, we started by modifying the legs of the Blightkings, replacing them with the leg armor of the Cataphractii Pattern terminators from Forge World. With a nice sharp clippers, like the Tamiya Sharp Pointed Side cutter, it is really easy to remove the portions of the Cataphractii armor needed for the conversions. Lower quality clippers or simply using an x-acto knife could work for this application, however it would make the task substantially more difficult. The Tamiya clippers cut each piece with a nice straight edge, without tearing the plastic or leaving parts unusable. We cut off pieces of the terminators’ thigh armor and hollowed it out such that it could layer on top of any remnants of the Blightkings’ legs, strengthening the terminator feel. After attaching the armor to the legs, a little greenstuff work was done to fill in any gaps and add small details like the webbing between armor joints. For one of them, we opted to leave his bloated overgrown leg untouched, thinking it fitting for such an ancient follower of Nurgle.

Although one of the Blightking's legs was replaced, we could not bring ourselves to remove the corpulent, rotting leg.

With the legs finished, we shifted our attention to working on their body armor. This has been the most challenging aspect of the conversions, requiring substantial cutting. The process was made a little easier due to the fact that two of the Blightkings’ were wearing breastplates (rather than a bloated belly with a gaping maw…), which in one case could just be carefully whittled down to accept the armored front of a Catapharactii terminator. To prepare the terminator breastplates, we sawed Catapharactii terminator bodies in half, and then carefully carved the excess resin out so that they could fit onto the Blightking bodies. We also cut away the cords snaking from under the breastplate and added them to the models, further strengthening the terminator feel. For their back armor, we have started a process similar to the breastplates, and carved out the rear armor of the Catapharactii terminator armor. We socketed the armor onto one of the Blightking’s backs and started greenstuff work to fill in the gaps in their armor. More work, however, is needed to finish the armor surrounding the model’s head, to create the characteristic hunched look of a traditional terminator.

Although large portions of the Catapharactii terminator armor could be used on the Death Guard, substantial green stuff work was required to fill in gaps between the resin.

The head of a model is often key to the entire composition, and like our first Death Guard terminator, we decided to use heads taken from the Blightkings (and the related Glottkin). One was simply the hooded face (which harkens back to a classic Jes Goodwin mounted Nurgle lord) with its antlers removed. The tattered hood and all encompassing chainmail really adds a sense of macabre mystery to the model, perfect for an ancient vessel of pestilence. The other is the multi-horned helmet of Otto Glott (from the excellent Glottkin model). The moment I saw the helmet, I knew it would be perfect for a Death Guard terminator, the oppressive crown of thorns haloing a sightless steel mask, capturing the blind creeping death of plague.

After creating the next two terminators, we realized that the initial Death Guard terminator was best suited for the Reaper autocannon.

His combi-bolter, and even his power fist, look small in comparison to the Death Guard's massive battle-plate, just as it should be!

The wargear for each terminator is still in the works. After spending so much time on the second two terminators, we decided that the first would work the best wielding the autocannon that we showed in the last post. The Glottkin terminator will likely have a combi-bolter and power fist, two weapons very fitting to the blunt nature of Nurgle. With the third terminator, we decided to attempt an idea we had been throwing around for some time: creating an ancient Deathshroud terminator, one of Mortarion’s chosen sons. We knew two elements were key in representing these silent bodyguards: 1) their characteristic scythes and 2) their wrist-mounted alchem launchers. While still work-in-progress, the scythe has been primarily created using pieces from the Blightkings. The half of the scythe was shortened and we added an additional handle perpendicular to the half (from Otto Glott’s scythe). Finally we added some cabling at the top to make it look like it was being infused with malign energies. His wrist-mounted flamethrower is still in its early stages, but I am building it from a Deathwing apothecary arm.

The Deathshroud terminator's weapon was built from the Blightking scythe with a few extra modifications, mainly the addition of a power generator to energize the weapon.
While still far from complete, the terminator's wrist mounted flamethrower is being built up from an apothecary arm. 

Although still a long way from completion, with his veiled face and massive scythe, this Deathshroud terminator looks quite grim and imposing.

While there is still a lot of work that needs to be done with all three of the current Death Guard terminators (let alone an entire squad of five), it has been an incredibly rewarding project thus far. Although the Blightking models have served as a base for the conversions, they really have been just that, the base. They have been pushing us to try new things, particularly with green stuff work. We are really striving to not let laxity and apprehension hold back our creative vision for the models. By sharing the models in this very work-in-progress state, we hope that we can get your input, so that we can make these guys some of the best Nurgle terminators around!

- Adam and Eric Wier
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A look back: The miniatures of 2014

December 31, 2014, 8:57 pm
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It is hard to argue with the notion that 2014 has been a remarkable year for hobbyists, one which has seen the release of a huge range of fantastic miniatures. Similar to last year, we thought that it would be appropriate to go back and take a look at some of our favorite models released over the year. Fortunately, it was not just a single company that dominated the scene, with Games Workshop, Forge World, Wyrd, and Corvus Belli, each releasing a host of excellent models.  Without further ado, we are going to go through each of the aforementioned companies and talk about some of their standout models for the year and select our favorite.  Finally we will reveal our overall favorite model of the year.  Now to the models!


Games Workshop:
One cannot talk about wargame miniatures without mentioning Games Workshop, and as you would suspect, the leader of the wargame market has produced some impressive models this year.  The release of the 7th edition of Warhammer 40,000 and the coming of the End Times in Warhammer provided fertile ground for exciting models.  In addition to releasing some standout models, a few of their kits also serve as excellent springboards for conversions and will doubtlessly be featured in many exciting modeling projects in the years to come.

Imperial Knight Titan:
Does any Warhammer 40,000 fan not like titans?  No, we think not.  But until this year, the only way you could really experience the joy of having one of these walking gods was to give Forge World a small fortune to get one of their Warhound or Reaver Titans (and that is saying nothing of the substantial time needed to assemble the model).  Games Workshop has explored the Titan Legions with games like Epic and Adeptus Titanicus for years, providing a host of smaller titan variants that could potentially be produced for Warhammer 40,000 as a plastic kit.  That hope ofinally came to fruition with the release of the Imperial Knight Titan.  For the first time, one could purchase a titan, albeit the smallest one, for a somewhat reasonable price, built from plastic, a material far easier to work with than resin.  Just this fact alone would be enough to celebrate, regardless of the quality of the sculpt, but what Games Workshop gave us was nothing short of miraculous.  

Imperial Knight - a steel behemoth that everyone has wanted for years.

The model is an excellent blend of the classic Epic Knight and its larger Forge World brethren, maintaining the characteristic hunched look of other titans, with the head mounted in the chest rather than on top of the machine’s body.  The entire model is covered in broad, impressive brass-rimmed armour plates, and has a collection of grim armoured face-masks.  The kit comes with an array of devastating weapons, including a fantastic looking chain-blade and thermal/melta cannon.  Uncharacteristically, Games Workshop even made the arms have a locking mechanism that allows you to remove (and possibly replace) the arms.  The Knight caused quite a stir this year, and even launched a whole line of excellent Forge World Knights.  Without question, the Imperial Knight was one of our favorite models of the year.

Putrid Blightkings:
The coming of The End Times was quite a surprise, along with pretty much all the kits that have been released with it. The Putrid Blightkings came out of nowhere and managed to  be the single release that no one knew they wanted, but after seeing them, everyone realized that they had been craving them for years.  Nurgle has always been one of our favorite Chaos gods; its intriguing mix of entropy and decay, combined with a jovial sense of humor has fascinated us.  Interestingly, although this is conveyed in illustrations and stories, it rarely came through in the models, except in a few rare cases (Brian Nelson's Nurgle lord and the new plastic plaguebearers).  The blightkings changed all of this, building off of the excellent armored warriors of chaos, they added all manner of nurgle elements, essentially allowing you to build an entire unit of chaos lords.  Each is brimming with character, with bloated arms, convulsing maws, and corroded weapons.  The kit allows you to create models that capture the magic present in so much of the Nurgle artwork over the years.

Putrid Blightkings - Truly what we all love about Nurgle.

It is not surprising that this release took the hobbying community by storm.  Within a week of its release, the internet was awash with conversions using the models.  People like Jeff Vader and Krautscientist created some fantastic models for use in 40k.  Between the Bolter and me even stepped into the craze and started to create a unit of Death Guard terminators!

Tempestus Scions:
No miracles only men. This sentiment encapsulates one element that draws me to 40k, and that is the human element.  It is hard to relate to horrid daemons or graceful Eldar,  but the human condition easily shines through with the struggles of the Imperial Guard.  This makes every release for them exciting to us, and this year we got a particularly special release with the Tempestus Scions.

Tempestus Scions - an excellent combination of elements of Storm Troopers over the years.

It is hard not to get excited about these hard-as-nails veteran soldiers.  For the first time in many, many years, we finally got plastic storm troopers, and excitingly, they were an amalgamation of all of the previous storm trooper releases over the years.  From the berets, to the bulky hotshot lasguns, to the insectile goggles, they are truly a trip down memory lane.  It came as no surprise when the kit was championed by the growing Inq28 community to create grizzled guardsmen, mechanicus soldiers, and inquisitorial operatives.  We even got caught up in the craze!

Forge World:
I do not think Forge World has ever had a slow year since its inception many years ago, this year being no exception.  Like last year, they primarily focussed on the Horus Heresy, which is not a bad thing in my book, resulting in the release of some incredible Primarch models and fleshing out the long-neglected Adeptus Mechanicus.

Primarchs:
As I mention earlier, 2014 was an exceptional year for getting new Primarch models, with Simon Egan painstakingly sculpting three Primarchs:  Warmaster Horus Lupercal of the Luna Wolves/Sons of Horus, Vulkan of the Salamanders, and the Night Haunter, Konrad Curze of the Night Lords.  Each is very unique, emphasizing the defining attributes of their legions, effectively capitalizing on the mythic status of the characters.

Vulkan - Simon Egan has created another fantastic Primarch.

Thanatar Siege-automata:
Looking back, it really seems to have been a year of large mechs, starting with the Imperial Knight, only to be followed up with a host of stunning Forge World Knights.  This craze even extended to the Adeptus Mechanicus, with the release of the hulking Thanatar Siege-automata.  Will Hayes took the concept that was being explored with the  Castellax battle-autmata and pushed it to its limit, creating a formidable looking siege engine that even makes Contemptor dreadnoughts look paltry.  Its Mauler Bolt cannon is particularly impressive, with its formidable armoured ammunition belts and ammunition hopper.  If the Siege-automata is any indication, the Mechamicum are likely to contiune to receive fantastics models.  Now, all we need is for Games Workshop to start making some plastic Followers of Mars.

Thanatar Siege-Automata - armored mechs are rarely this awesome.

Wyrd:
Continuing their trend of updating their old range of models with digitally sculpted ones to accompany the 2nd edition of Malifaux, Wyrd is getting closer to completing all of the characters in the core rulebook, in addition to creating some models for characters in their new Crossroad expansion.

Ophelia LaCroix Crew:
One of the things I love about Malifaux is the interesting juxtaposition of a very diverse set of influences, and nowhere is more evident than in Malifaux’ Gremlin faction.  And this year, they released a particularly delightful addition with Ophelia LaCroix’s Wild West themed desperadoes. We have a soft spot for cowboy/western films, particularly those featuring Clint Eastwood, so it was a joy to see many of the classic western tropes worked into many of the models (not to mention their comical emulation of Pertida Ortega’s crew).

Francois LaCroix - For a few dollars more.

Von Schill Crew:
While not receiving as much attention on our blog as Ophelia’s crew, one of my favorite crews released this year was Von Schill and his Freikorps recruits.  Aesthetically, each of the Freikorp mercenaries are a unique blend of World War I/II paramilitary soldiers and steampunk desperadoes.  They all wear distinctive armored body suits covering them from head to toe, with a chest mounted oxygen tank to support each of their gas masks.  I love how their gas masks resemble goggled World War II aviator/ bomber masks.  Each also has a host of notable wargear, from curved kukri’s to delicate revolvers fashioned after the Colt 1851 Navy.

Perhaps my favorite of the model in Von Schill's Freikorp is the Trapper, a sniper armed with a long clockwork rifle.  Fittingly, the model is crouched in a shooting stance shouldering his longrifle, lining up his sights. They even remembered to include a lens cover for the scope of the rifle!

Freikorp Trapper - One shot, one kill.

Corvus Belli:
Corvus Belli had an exciting year, culminating with the introduction of the 3rd edition of its ruleset for Infinity.  To celebrate this major step, for the first time ever, they released a boxed game/starter set for Infinity, complete with re-envisioned and redesigned Nomad and  PanOceania troopers.

Operation Icestorm:
The aforementioned boxed game might be the nicest collection of models featured in starter set that I have seen since I started playing miniature wargames. Nearly all of the models in the set are posed in a combat posture, rifle shouldered and ready for action.  I also really appreciate that all the soldiers look to be a part of a uniform fighting force, many equipped with standard battle rifles, rather than a disproportionate number of special and heavy weapons.  Each model has its own personality, which is primarily conveyed through unique faces rather than absurd poses.  It has been years since I felt the need to get a boxed starter game, but this year I could not wait to get Operation Icestorm.

Operation Icestorm - Few starter box games look so fantastic.


Model of the Year

Kazak Spetsnazs - Tactical Espionage Action.

There were so many fantastic models released this year that picking a favorite is an incredibly difficult task.  If it was based on which model most inspired us towards greater modeling feats, it would go to the Putrid Blightkings without question.  If it was to go to technical brilliance and sculpting prowess, it would go to one of Simon Egan’s Primarchs.  Likewise, if it was to go to the model that conjured up the most childhood memories that led me to this hobby, it would be the Imperial Knight.  But this year, we decided to focus on something a little more subtle, and feature a model many may have missed.  We wanted to showcase a model that fit with our sensibilities about creating models.  It is easy to get caught up in intricate detail coupled with dynamic “Hollywood” poses.  Therefore, one can overlook a model that strikes a careful balance of reasonable proportions and a pose grounded in reality.  One model stands out in this regard, eschewing all the showy trappings that many science fiction models can fall prey to, and that is the Kazak Spetsnazs soldier with a compact boarding shotgun, which was just released  in December.  He is a no nonsense looking model, carrying an array of equipment suitable for his covert operations.  Impressively, his shotgun actually looks like one; it is spartan and functional without being comically oversized.  And while this might not seem like a big deal, I really cannot think of another model like it.  The gasmask ties the entire model together, emphasizing his clinical pragmatism.  It is refreshing to see such a model, particularly when I feel that I spend so much of my modeling time downsizing 40k weapons and making them look more sensible.  While not the flashiest nor the largest model of the year, the Infinity Kazak Spetsnazs model reminded me that subtlety and care can go a long way, making for something much greater than the sum of its parts.

-Between the Bolter and Me
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A look back: noteworthy blogs and conversions of 2014

January 13, 2015, 11:33 pm
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Despite being a week or so into 2015, we here at Between the Bolter and Me are still being drawn back to the happenings of 2014. The gaming/hobby community has generated a wealth of breathtaking miniatures which will certainly serve as an inspiration to many of us for future projects. So before getting caught up in 2015 and all of the projects that it promises, we wanted to take the time to highlight some of the miniatures, blogs, and hobbyists that inspired us in 2014. While we can’t hope to cover all of the incredible artists in this post, hopefully, you will find something that you missed, or be reminded of some great models from 2014!


Blog de Kouzes
Plague Centurion - Morbäck
Without a doubt, Le blog dé Kouzes is one of the most visually and creatively astounding Warhammer 40,000 blogs on the internet. Its four members all do amazing work, but it is usually Morbäck’s works that leave us stunned.  And nothing this year blew us away quite like his Plague Centurion.  Although clearly based on a Lord of Skulls, virtually every aspect of the model was modified, from removing any trace of Khorne, to completely resculpting the head (complete with an ominous single eye and a domed helmet veiling a blubberous, toothy maw). The vats behind its torso were ingeniously made into pits of vile liquid swiming with tormented corpses. Perhaps what I like most about the model, however, is its fantastic axe. Held in an impressive two-handed grip, it has a broad, vicious blade, corroded and pitted, which horrifyingly has three buzzsaws built into it. If that was not enough, the head of the axe also has a mammoth flamethrower build within. And because the devil is in the details, he even included a pilot light!  Every facet of this engine of pestilence is further reinforced and strengthened by its paint job, primarily a weathered, sickly white. What sells the horror in the piece, however, is the filthy rust-covered axe it carries; death clearly does not just come from the lacerations it inflicts.


Picta Mortis
Dark Eldar Space Pirate - Picta Mortis
Easily one of my favorite models of the year is Picta Mortis’s Space Pirate. This Dark Eldar archon embodies all of the sinister and alien traits that one could hope to find in a Dark Eldar model. The model is a masterful combination of several plastic kits including those of the Dark Elves, the Slaanesh daemonettes, and Dark Eldar. The choice to convert the model’s face from that of a daemonette was pure genius, giving the model a unsettling and uniquely alien vibe, perfect for the Dark Eldar. In addition to the fantastic conversion work, the paint job is equally impressive, managing to build on the chillingly evil characteristics seen in the model’s construction.
What is not to love about the limited color palette of blacks, whites, and reds?

Despite the blog only being in existence for a short while, Picta Mortis has already begun creating an entire army of similarly moody and atmospheric Dark Eldar raiders. We here at Between the Bolter and Me can not wait to see more!


Spiky Rat Pack
Inquisitor Isaac Valon - Kari Hernesniemi
When talking about the best models of the year, I would feel remiss if I did not mention Kari from Iron Sleet (formerly Spiky Rat Pack). From the onset, Kari has always been at the forefront of the Inq28 movement. He has a very unique style that builds off of elements favorited by John Blanche, emphasizing weird anachronistic characters which are accented with a limited color palette. But Kari takes these elements in a slightly different direction, favoring careful Kopinskian detail and realism, rather than the broad strokes favored by the father of grim and dark. Two models that he created this year really convey his unique vision of 40k, and were some of our favorite models we have seen all year. The first is Inquisitor Isaac Valon. Although a relatively simple conversion, Kari shows his mastery of kit-bashing by creating a seamless model that does not look like a conversion at all. This is aided by his careful part selection, taking care to balance scale and proportion with style. The character also maintains his penchant for mixing science fiction with fantasy, with his ruffled sleeves and pin-striped trousers, alongside a steampunk mechanical limb and neural cords streaming from his cranium. This grizzled veteran looks all the more eccentric and driven by the paint scheme. The careful application of red accents to many of the parts makes the model almost look colorful, despite a very limited selection of hues. I particularly like his red striped pants, as they remind me of the early 90’s when Games Workshop was all about red, black, and white, with a proclivity to include checker patterns.

Slaaneshi cultist - Kari Hernesniemi
The second model, a Slaaneshi cultist, shows his weird bohemian style, creating a crazed individual that seems to come straight from a macabre carnival of damned souls. His choice of the Dark Eldar legs was excellent, the skin-tight nature of the garment is at odds with the rest of the model, giving him a grotesque, disturbing feel. This feeling is only strengthened by his rasping, gigantic claw of a hand.  But the true genius is in his face. The two tufts of ratty orange hair stick up like fiery horns, haloing an addled physiognomy with sunken eyes and a creepy, toothy smirk. Few models this year have conveyed the ancient, unknowable evil inherent in the insidious winds of Chaos like this lowly cultist.


Officio Convertorum

What would our list be without some mention of the converter/painter extraordinaire Jeff Vader over at Officio Convertorum. We still can’t get over the blinding pace at which Jeff can conceive, create, and paint the droves of models that he puts out, each one a unique and memorable conversion. This year, one of his themes was unquestionably focused around Grandfather Nurgle and his noxious allies.

Nurgle follower - Jeff Vader
While maybe not as flashy as some of his other work this year, one of his conversions that really stood out to us was a Nurgle follower wielding a mighty assault cannon. The combination of plague zombie and ailing machine-construct comes together perfectly with the model. The small details really sell the model, like the network of cables sprouting from his back and his slightly hunched posture to support the assault cannon. His paint job is really something special too, blending a range of greens and browns with a small amount of teal to tie the entire model together. Also, look at that base born of blood, rust, and dirt!

Plague Marine - Jeff Vader
The second model that comes to mind is the first of his Plague Marines converted from the fantastic Putrid Blightkings kit. This Plague marine was one of the first conversions of the like that we saw utilizing the Blightkings and is still one of our favorites. The hulking armored form of the Blightkings works convincingly as a space marine with only a few modifications, including a marine helmet and a converted powerpack. Fitting for a veteran of the Long War, the marine is carrying one of the plastic 2nd edition Boltguns, its boxy furniture and skeletonized stock looking distinctly ancient.


Legion of Plastic
Skitarii operatives - Migsula
Migsula, of Legion of Plastic (or now, rather, Iron Sleet), has also been incredibly prolific, creating some extremely most memorable models. While he has been receiving a lot of attention for his latest project revolving around the fabled warriors of the Space Wolves 13th company, the Vlka Fenryka, we wanted to look at some of his other amazing exploits. Chief of which has been his work with the plastic Militarum Tempestus Scions. He managed to completely transform the warriors in the plastic kit into special operatives from the Adeptus Mechanicus of Mars, the Skitarii. The most obvious modification was to their rifles, transforming them into some of the coolest looking Boltguns that I have seen in years. It is amazing what replacing the barrels and ammo feeds can do to their weapons. He was even able to fashion one with a ponderous heavy bolter. In addition to their weapons, Migsula also modified the direction of their shoulder-mounted cameras/lights to follow the position of the warriors’ vision; a small detail that immeasurably builds their character and believability (and the inspiration to do something similar with the Scions that we converted).

Warrior Mystic Alpharius - Migsula
He also found time to continue to work on his venerable Alpha Legion force, namely in the form of a wonderful Warrior Mystic Alpharius. Like the rest of his Alpha Legion marines, the Mystic is modeled to his true scale, towering above the other non-Astartes members of the Legion. The model shares many strong visual cues with space marine librarians, including a psychic hood and force staff of sorts. Additionally, the model is awash with lots of fantastic little details like scrolls, keys, grenades, and my favorite of all, a mighty tome at his side sealed under lock and key! Additionally, Migsula created a human sage/apprentice to accompany the Mytsic, tasked with bearing witness to the Legion’s secrets and lore over the millennia. The sage does an excellent job of emphasizing the difference in scale between human and Astartes.


The Metatyrant
Inquisitor de Lorme - Tomasz
Based on many of the other inclusions on this list and content of the blog, it is probably pretty clear that we have a particular love of Inq28. It allows for unlimited exploration into the most outlandish and eldritch element of the 40k universe. The internet is filled with many excellent blogs that combine various kits in interesting ways to achieve characters for this setting, but Tomasz, from his blog the Metatyrant, takes things a step further. Rather than trying to repurpose models for his conversions, he has a tendency to simply sculpt the characters he envisions from the ground up! Inquisitor de Lorme is a superb example of this, and is one of our favorite Inquisitors of the year.  The model has an unsettling vibe, as though he is a Victorian aristocrat at a decadent masquerade.  He has a fantastic plague doctor beak/mask that covers his face and is framed by an elaborate wig of bleached curls. Adding further mystery to the model is the thorned cane he is carrying (something you don’t see everyday); you can almost hear it asking the question: what can change the nature of a man (Planescape: Torment!)? A servo skull hovers over his shoulder, carrying a small shield displaying the Inquisitor’s heraldry, giving us another window into the model’s character and background. The paintjob compliments the model beautifully, adding emphasis to key visual aspects of the model, like his moody red mask (and red fingernails!). To top everything off, Tomasz does a wonderful job walking through his thought process behind his miniatures, often describing in detail where he took inspiration from. It is a perfect way to pass on ideas and excitement about a project.


Those whom the gods would destroy…
Iron Hands Legionary - MonkeyBallistic
Another new blog to the scene this year, Those whom the gods would destroy, penned by MonkeyBallistic, is a fantastic look into the Horus Heresy. MonkeyBallistic has embarked on a noble quest to build a small detail of Iron Hands and their retainers on the escort ship Euripides. Learning of the tragic death of their Primarch during the Dropsite Massacre on Istvaan V, these Loyalists are dead set on bringing ruin to the Traitor Legions. Towards the end of 2014, MonkeyBallistic started work on his first true-scale marine of the crew. Even without the marine being completed, we know he is going to be a masterpiece, containing all of the visual elements essential to an Astartes. Wisely, he significantly bulked up the marine’s breastplate, and extended his legs, rather than relying solely on the pieces he based the model around (primarily Cataphracti terminator armor and Iron armor). Although the model would have looked fine without these adjustments, it was their inclusion that elevates it above most of the true-scale marines that we have seen over the year, and makes us extremely excited to see more!


Death of a Rubricist
Roboute Guilliman - Apologist
Continuing on the theme of fantastic true-scale Space Marines (we question whether anyone can get enough of Space Marines?), we have to mention the work of Apologist over at Death of a Rubricist. He has been working tirelessly creating an entire army of Pre-Heresy/Heresy era Ultramarines! Crafted from a combination of Forge World resin, Games Workshop plastic, and a healthy amount of modelling putty, his warriors of Ultramar are a sight to behold!

In December, Apologist started work on a second version of the Ultramarine Primarch, Roboute Guilliman (that’s right, a second version!). For his new conversion, he has taken advantage of the Simon Egan’s fantastic sculpts of Vulkan and Ferrus Manus. With a considered hand, he combined various parts from both models to create the foundation of Guilliman. Impressively, he does not look like a cannibalized version of the two models. Instead, he becomes his own character, noble and just, owed in part to the regal looking face. It is amazing how sculpting hair and careful painting was enough to completely transform Vulkan’s face into that of Guilliman.  Even when Forge World gets around to sculpting their own version of him, this conversion is sure to still stand strong and proud alongside it.


-Pontifex-
Pontifical Guards of Lord Pontifex Canus Er Thrax - Quinn Menton
Moving away from Warhammer 40k (but not too far), we want to mention the blog -Pontifex-, which focuses around Necromunda and Mordheim. The two contributors Quinn and William have a knack for being able to create models that blend concepts and themes from both games together, resulting in some very primeval and feudalistic pieces.

Case in point, some of our favorite models showcased on their blog are the two Pontifical Guards of Lord Pontifex Canus Er Thrax. Due to his consummate skill, Quinn was able to pull off an unlikely, yet incredibly unique, combination of baroque medieval battleplate and modern wargear like lasrifles, and grenades. We love the use of Dark Eldar plastics for the legs of the models. It is rare to see Dark Eldar components on guardsmen, but, in this case, the components could not have worked better! The messy (in the best way possible), brutal-looking paint schemes emplied also help reinforce the grimy, dejected world that the characters inhabit (which they are excitingly building in the form of a tablescape of the underhive of Necromunda).


PDH
Inquisitoral storm trooper Rence Thenes - PDH
We want to showcase the work of another modeler who is active in the Inq28 community, PDH. Although he does not have his own blog, as far as we are aware, he is very active on the Dakka Dakka forums. Over the years, PDH has created some of the most imaginative Inquisitorial agents we have seen. He particularly excels at building believable operatives, grizzled Imperial Guard veterans, and Adeptus Arbites. He accomplishes this so effectively by focusing on visual elements reminiscent of modern soldiers. His models are equipped for war, carrying sidearms, grenades, ammunition pouches, combat knives, rebreathers, flashlights, and bedding (and always without looking cluttered and overdone).

This year we were particularly impressed with (and it may be our favorite of the year) his model of Inquisitorial storm trooper Rence Thenes, a warden of the Loidis Central Library turned Ordo Malleus agent. Despite being based around a Chaos Renegade, PDH was able to transform the model into an unquestionably Imperial operative (exactly what comes to our mind when we think of the Imperial Inquisition). Everything about the model is interesting and demands you spend time examining the details, from the cuffs of his jacket to his high powered energy pistol. His pose and face give off a kind of arrogant confidence, which is incredibly fitting for a soldier of the Inquisition.


Eternal Hunt

Most of the entries on this list have gotten on here strictly due to their modeling prowess, with blogs focussing on the creation of their own brand of Warhammer 40,000.  The Eternal Hunt, run by Krautscientist, is a bit different. In addition to creating wonderful, flavorful models (at a frightening pace we might add), he spends equal if not more time simply writing about models. With each new Games Workshop release, he analyses them, talking about what he likes best and least about each from a design standpoint.  Better still, he uses these posts to postulate and brainstorm ideas for future conversions, encouraging everyone to start trying their own hand at kitbashing.

Tempestus Scion Trencher - Krautscientist
To this end he often shows firsthand how well new plastic kits interchange and combine with old ones.  One of our favorite posts of 2014 did this very thing, showcasing the versatility of the Tempestus Militarum Scions.  While experimenting with different head and legs options with the kit, he created one of the coolest Imperial Guardsmen of the year, combining steampunk and WWI trench warfare elements.

Eternal Hunt reminds us why we started a blog in the first place: to talk about the models we love, and to promote and encourage growth in the hobby (to ourselves and others).

We have finally reached the end of our list; after browsing through our choices, we are certain that you will agree that is was a fantastic year for modeling! Hopefully you have enjoyed going through our list of blogs, artists, and miniatures, and are as excited and inspired as we are to forge on into the new year and create more miniatures!

-Between the Bolter and Me
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Between the Bolter and Me: 2014, a year in review

January 22, 2015, 11:04 pm
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2014, a fine year for conversions.
It is hard to believe that Between the Bolter and Me has now been around for over two years. The blog has served as a tremendous way to encourage all of us to continue pushing our abilities as hobbyists. This past year has been particularly successful, with us completing more conversions than ever! Furthermore, we have tried our hands at increasingly complex conversions. With 2015 just beginning, we wanted to review the most notable projects from the past year. This will serve as a means to help highlight those projects that still need to be finished and also provide inspiration for new projects.



Deathwing Command Squad Banner Bearer:
2014 started off strongly with the addition of another member to Eric’s Deathwing command squad. Just like the first two squad members, this third member borrowed heavily from some of the imagery seen in the Dark Angels codex (namely the oppressive hoods and wooden shrines). For a long time, we struggled to come up with something that would be suitable for a banner, because we did not want a traditional cloth one. Of all the unlikely places, we ended up using a caged skeleton from the Warhammer giant for the banner (you never know when something will be useful)! I think it really fit with the macabre/death theme that is running though the squad.  With three finished and a few on the drawing board, maybe 2015 will see the completion of the squad!

Deathwing Terminators: Only in Death does Duty End.

Militarum Tempestus Scion Conversions:
Despite it being a fantastic year for Inq28, with seminal pieces being produced all around the world, we were pretty quiet on that front, with only a single project exploring the Battle for the Emperor’s Soul. I am happy to say that although it was only a single project, I was able to finish 3 models. This was all made possible by the release of the Militarum Tempestus Scion box. An intriguing combination of modern tactical gear and baroque armor, the models were an excellent starting point to build Inquisitorial Storm Troopers. Like many of my other projects, I focused a lot of effort into modifying their weapons to look more practical and functional. This included adding stocks to their helrifles, modifying their scopes to holographic sights, and removing the cumbersome power cables. I was also extremely satisfied with the holstered pistol that I added to the one, complete with little leather straps fastening it to his armor. The scions also ended up being the perfect place to use one of the Elysian Drop Troops sniper rifles that I had been itching to use for quite some time. The bullpup design is awesome for giving the rifle a compact look, although it required a bit of work to get it to shoulder correctly on the model.

Inquisitorial Storm Troopers: Life'll kill ya. Then you'll be dead.

In 2015, I am planning to focus a little heavier on Inq28. I would like to finish another member or two of the Inquisitorial Storm Troopers, possibly giving them a modified plasma rifle or meltagun.   Chief of my attention, however, will be to finish the Inquisitor conversion that I started way back in 2013. There has also been some talk of other Inquisitorial henchmen, maybe a chainsaw warrior of sorts...


Ork Burna Boy Conversion:
Similar to last year with my Grey Knightz ork conversion, this year I managed to find time to convert a single ork model. This time I made a custom ork burna boy complete with a Zippo lighter. In an effort to move away from the comically massive burnas seen on the official plastic models, I converted my own burna from an ork shoota and a Chaos rhino combi-bolter.

Ork Burna Boy: Need a light?

Duke Sliscus:
Just in time for the new Dark Eldar codex, I finished my long-standing conversion of Duke Traevelliath Sliscus. Unfortunately, the release of the new codex saw the removal of rules for him and nearly all other special characters (although not really surprising from the recent trends from Games Workshop). The Duke was not even mentioned in the background material in the  Dark Eldar codex (He did get a small reference in the Haemonculus Covens codex, ha ha). Despite him dropping out of the new book, I am extremely happy with how the model ultimately turned out, putting a lot of emphasis on fluid motion and grace. This fluidity of motion is then accentuated with smaller, more graceful weapons. His blast pistol was aggressively downsized, making it look much more natural and believable.

Duke Sliscus: Maybe he will return in the next codex?

Dark Eldar Haemonculus: 
While losing the Duke Sliscus with the new Dark Eldar codex, we did get a whole host of great new models, including a fantastic plastic haemonculus! In celebration, I safely packed away my two horribly miscast Finecast haemonculi models and used the new plastic one to convert my own. The biggest modification that I made to the model was replacing his syringe with one of the Hexrifles from the new plastic Wrack models (complete with an added optics system in the form of a scope!). With a Hexrifle in tow, I found the original model’s Stinger pistol redundant so it was switched for an open and outstretched hand (also from the plastic Wracks). Although relatively simple additions, I think they went a long way towards making him unique and interesting looking.

Dark Eldar Haemonculus: Fear the massive 36" range of the hexrifle!

There is still a lot of work that needs to be done on my Dark Eldar army, from adding more vehicles to filling out the troop slots. This coming year I hope to slowly continue on both fronts. Additionally, I want to get out a few more conversions for the force, potentially continuing to add more converted Trueborn. If there is any truth to the recent rumors about a new Harlequin Codex and accompanying plastic models, you can rest assured that I will be trying to do something with them too!


Alpha Legion Headhunters: 
With all of the fantastic books and models being released from Forge World pertaining to the Horus Heresy, it was really only a matter of time before we joined the fray.  We decided to select the enigmatic Alpha Legion to be our focus, partially because of their awesome legion history (the book Legion is an excellent example of this!), and because it would allow us to explore slightly different qualities than what are normally seen in Space Marine.  Instead of regal, flashy, bombastic warriors, the Alpha Legion have clandestine and scheming ones.  It also gave us the opportunity to expand upon their tactical gear and weapons, making each an extension of their cold logic and pragmatism.  Although our first venture into the project was building a squad of Destroyers, it was not until we got to working on some of the Legions renowned Headhunters, that things really started to fall into place.  Our major concern was trying to build a more sensible boltgun, and one that would be usable in covert operations.  Our primary additions were a folding stock from the old 2nd edition bolters, a reflex sight, and a silencer.  Although the Legion is still a fledgling force, we are excited where it will lead us this year. We will certainly be adding more Legionaries to fill out the existing squads and those in progress.  And Alpharius may just show his face (one of them) this year too…

Alpha Legion Headhunters: We need shoulder pads!

Death Guard terminators:
Arguably the most exciting release of last year, the Putrid Blightkings took the internet by storm, and were the focal point of innumerable conversions. We were not about to let such an imaginative kit pass us by. In what may be our most ambitious project yet, we are well on our way to transforming three of the Blightking models into grim Death Guard Terminators. The models are pretty locked into single poses, making simple parts swaps ineffective for most conversions, so we have been trying to use the kit as a way to push ourselves into trying to expand our techniques and improve our abilities to use green stuff.  Although the models still need quite a bit of work to completely transform them into terminators, I am excited with their progress and hope to finish the unit this year!

Death Guard terminators: Grandfather Nurgle would be proud!

It is looking to be an exciting year, hopefully completing most of these projects and starting some new ones! And for the first time in years, we hope to begin painting again, experimenting with an airbrush, as well as traditional brush-work.

- Between the Bolter and Me
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The Unforgiven: Building a better thunder hammer

January 25, 2015, 8:58 pm
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Faith is the sturdiest armor. Hatred the surest weapon. 
I have been playing a Deathwing army for a long time, starting sometime back in the 3rd edition of 40k. Since then, terminators have changed quite a bit, but it was in 2008, with the release of the 5th edition Space Marine codex, that they really saw a boost in their combat prowess. I am speaking, of course, about the storm shield, and its boost to a 3++ (invulnerable) save. For the first time ever, it was easy to get an invulnerable save that had a greater than 50% chance of succeeding (it was, as they say, the new black).  It took awhile, but eventually the Dark Angels got an FAQ that improved their shield to that of their Ultramarine counterparts. I was thrilled, and immediately purchased a box of assault terminators, intent on adding a new unit to my Deathwing force. But after carefully trimming all of the pieces, I stopped. Having the models in my hands, I finally convinced myself of something that had been troubling me for years, their thunder hammers were simply too big. So I resolved to convert them, but nothing really seemed like a suitable base for new hammers, and the terminators sat in their box. Now, many years later, after playing some games of 7th edition, I realized my army would really benefit from a few thunder hammer/storm shield terminators (THSS).  Adam and I began to discuss possible ways to make some improved (in our opinion) THSS terminators.

Coming into the project, we knew that we wanted to rework the thunder hammers and storm shields that are commonly seen on terminators. While we love the look of the classic thunder hammers and storm shields, the thunder hammers, in particular, are comically oversized (as with most things Games Workshop). The heads of the plastic thunder hammers are literally the size of a Space Marine’s torso. Surprisingly, the solution to the thunder hammer problem was found in one of the newer Dark Angel plastic kits, the Ravenwing Black Knights squadron. Each of the Knights is equipped with a hand weapon that looks a bit like a pickaxe, called a corvus hammer. Amazingly, the hammers almost look like hand weapons, rather than massive hammers that even a genetically enhanced superhuman would struggle to wield effectively. To distance the weapon from a pickaxe we flattened its pointed edge and reversed the its facing. The back end of the corvus hammer looks pretty similar to war hammers of the middle ages, with the grooved striking surface. With the head of the hammer much smaller, we realized that we needed to reduce the size of the power generator on the hammer (otherwise the it looked really strange). To do this we extended the haft of the hammer and added a generator taken from one of the Grey Knight Zweihänder force swords. We think that the effect of the reduced hammer size is striking. Now, it looks like the weapon is something that could be wielded with martial excellence and grace, more befitting of a Space Marine veteran, rather than a steel I-beam being swung with reckless abandon by a lumbering oaf.

Side-by-side, our new thunder hammer is far smaller than the stock GW one.

Interestingly, even though the project was spawned years ago with that 5th edition FAQ and a box of plastic assault terminators, we ended up not using the plastic ones from back then (I suspect they are in a box somewhere…).  Instead, we decided to use domed, agile Tartaros terminator suits (also very reminiscent of the Contemptor pattern dreadnaughts). We made very few modifications to the armor, save the addition of a small dagger at the terminator’s waist (and some greenstuff work to fix all of the mold shifts on the model…).

We decided to use Tartaros terminator armor for these THSS terminators to add some variety to the Deathwing army.

The first THSS terminator in all of his grim glory.

For the terminator’s storm shield, we decided it would be neat to make use of the broad boarding shields seen on the Horus Heresy Breacher Siege Squads. Since the shields were made for standard space marines, we had to shave away the marine hand and replace it with that of a terminator. With the shield in place, we sculpted on a few parchments with greenstuff. We used the heads of pins as nails to fasten them to the shield, adding a bit of the grim nihilism prevalent in Dark Angel imagery to the model. Although we could have added more details like this to the model to further convey this notion, we decided against it, to distance him from the command squad we have been working on.

Although a bit of a pain, replacing the power armor hand on the breacher shield was well worth it.

The new THSS terminator compared to the banner bearer from the command squad (this is first time we have shown the newly created shrine on the banner bearer!).

Thinking back on it now, it seems fitting that the first conversion for the year on Between the Bolter and Me is another member of the Deathwing, mirroring what we did last year with the Deathwing Banner Bearer. Overall, we are really pleased with how the model turned out. With only a few small changes, the entire feel and atmosphere of the model changed drastically. Hopefully you like what we have done with the model; any comments or suggestions are welcome, however! Now we just need to make 4 more members for the squad!

-Adam and Eric Wier
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The Unforgiven: 2nd thunder hammer storm shield terminator

January 29, 2015, 6:25 pm
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Storm of Vengeance!
When starting to build the first Deathwing terminator with a modified thunder hammer, I really just wanted to see if I could do it effectively.  It seemed like a good way to start out the year, something rather straightforward that I could easily pick up later, expanding the unit.  The first went so well and was so fun to make, however, that I immediately wanted to make another!  Now, less than a week later, the second Deathwing terminator is complete, ready to crush the skulls of those stand before him!


Much of the conversion mimics the first, with the hammer primarily being created from a corvus hammer, and the shield coming from a Forge World Breacher squad.  While I am still very pleased with how these elements came together, they were not what got me to create this second model so quickly after the first.  The muse came from idly examining another set of Tartaros terminator legs.  When doing this, I came across the obligatory pair of “running” legs and was impressed with how well they were crafted, really capturing the fluid unstoppable momentum of a Terminator in a headlong charge.  Quickly I decided that I needed to make this into a reality, the Astarte raising his shield and dragging his hammer behind him in a furious charge.


Getting the sense of momentum and motion in the model was my primary concern; pinning his arms gave me more control over their final placement. 

A far more sensible, yet still fearsome, version of the thunder hammer.

The most important element in achieving my vision was in the posing of the model, positioning each arm, shifting the body, and tilting the head just right to convey the proper motion.  I pinned each of the arms such that I could more easily experiment with them, not worrying about any gaps, knowing that I could just fill them in with green stuff later.  I attached the shield arm first so that it could frame the model and allow me to angle his head properly.  I was then able to add his other arm and finish his hammer.  Like the other, I added the characteristic Deathwing dagger at his waist, and also added a few parchments to the model.


The second Deathwing THSS terminator stands ready to strike down any Veterans of the Long War.

I am quite amazed that I was able to finish two of these guy within a single week.  I guess there is a lot to be said about getting excited about a project.  Unfortunately, I have run out of the Dragon Forge concrete rubble bases that I have been using for them, and might need to put the rest on hold for a little while.  Perhaps it is for the best, because we at Between the Bolter and Me are gearing up for a really exciting new project that should be announced within the next few days!  Comments and suggestions are always welcome!

-Adam Wier
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Iron Sleet Invitational: Between the Bolter and Me enters the fray

February 2, 2015, 9:07 pm
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It is only one month into 2015, and we have been looking back over all of the projects that we began last year, trying to prioritise the which to finish and what new ones to start. Just as we were finalizing some of our initial project ideas, we received a message from the people over at the newly formed Iron Sleet (an indredibly talented trio of artists: Migsula of Legion of Plastic; and Kari and Mikko from the Spiky Rat Pack), inviting us to participate in their blog’s first modeling challange: Iron Sleet Invitational 1 – All your Bases Are Belong To Us.  And in an instant, the schedule for our projects had to be greatly revised, and in many ways accelerated dramatically!


Iron Sleet Invitational 1 – All your Bases Are Belong To Us

In line with the name of the event, All your Bases are Belong to Us (nice reference to the shoot ‘em up Zero Wing), focuses around converting three models, each on a different sized GW base (25mm, 32 mm, 40 mm, etc). While all the models will be on different sized bases, they are all to be unified by a common theme or idea in the Warhammer 40,000 universe (although that theme is completely up to the participant). A deadline of two months has been allotted for the event, with a mandatory work in progress post on March 1st (with all of pictures shown in black and white). Another series of pictures showing the completed models is then due on April 1st. Aside from those required blog posts/pictures, participants are encouraged to have additional blog posts detailing their progress in the event. Importantly, while several people were specifically invited to contribute to the event (to ensure there was interest in the project), anyone up for the hobby challenge is welcome to participate in the event!

The Battle for the Emperor's Soul.

When getting the invitation, we knew right away that we wanted to deal with the Inquisition.  A piece that Gav Thorpe wrote years back to introduce GW’s role-playing game Inquisitor came to mind:

“You accuse me of being a madman. What right have you to judge what is sane and what is not?

I have fought with the shadows on the edge of your vision. I have seen the faces that laugh at you in your nightmares.

I have smelt the foetid breath that issues from the mouth of hell itself. I have heard the silent voices that make your spine tingle with dread.

I have entered the realms between worlds where there is no time or place. I have clashed with creatures the sight of which would sear your soul to the core.

I have bested horrors that chill with a gaze and tempt unreasoning terror. I have faced death eye to eye and blade to blade.

I have stared into the eyes of insanity and met their all-consuming stare. I have done all this for you; for your protection and the guarantee of a future for Mankind.

And yet you accuse me of being a madman, you who have never had your sanity tested so sorely. What right have you to call me heretic and blasphemer, who have not heard the whisper of dark gods in your ear?

You are weak. Vulnerable. Human in your frailty. I am strong, and yet still you judge me. And yet you still judge me for my sins, you who art most sinful to the heart?

Only the insane have strength enough to prosper; only those that prosper truly judge what is sane.”


This piece captures an often forgotten element in Warhammer 40k. In a game that is so focused on massive armies battling against one-another, it is often easy to overlook the plight of individual characters. The personal struggles and inner turmoil, the conflicts of ideology, and shadow wars present in the clandestine world of the Inquisitors is the aspect of the game that interests us the most.  Therefore, in this Invitational, we want to Focus on the Battle for the Emperor’s Soul. More specifically, we would like to delve into a tenuous relationship between two Thorian Inquisitors, with opposing views in the God-Incarnate enigma (if a man (the Emperor) can become a god, could not a god become a man?).  One Inquisitor thinking that the concept of reincarnating the Emperor is hubris, the other convinced that the Emperor’s soul can be restored to His body, and has been studying the Dark Eldar practices of soultheft, or the forgotten genecraft that was the foundation of the Primarchs.  We want to explore the blurred morality behind two self-espoused Thorian Inquisitors.  Recent Games Workshop publications (see Codex Inquisition) make the Inquisition into a black and white organization of good Puritans and evil Radicals, more caricatures than actual characters.  With this Invitational, we want to go back to the more nuanced and interesting aspects of the Inquisition.  Afterall, everything you have been told is a lie!

Innocence proves nothing.

Although we are still trying to nail down exactly how we want to craft each character, we are going to use this opportunity to finish an Inquisitor we started two years ago.  Throughout the entire project, we want to maintain a level of martial realism, and refrain from too many overly weird and eccentric elements (anything that would raise eyebrows when they are among the citizens of the Imperium, and make their mission harder). We have always strived to add a sense of realism to our models, particularly in the realm of weapon design, and we want to maintain that stance. The project will also be a major step for us in the realm of painting. It has been 6 years since we painted anything! And while we have been meaning to start again for some time, this invitational will be the perfect catalyst to begin that aspect of the hobby again.  It is certain to be a busy next two months, but we are extremely excited to be a part of Iron Sleet’s first Invitational, and cannot wait to see all the fantastic models that are sure to result from the challenge!

- Between the Bolter and Me
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Iron Sleet Invitational: Inquisitor WIP

February 5, 2015, 9:46 pm
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Thought begets Heresy. Heresy begets Retribution.

With only two short months to complete three models for Iron Sleet’s first invitational, I decided to revisit an inquisitor model that I started, but never finished, way back in 2013.  Although I did a lot of the basic conversion work back then (replacing his head and modifying his shoulders), the conversion was far from complete, and still looked a lot like the commissar he was based upon.  To complete the model, I wanted to continue to downplay the commissar look, while enhancing his somber clandestine tone.
A progression, from left to right, of the work that I did to give the inquisitor armor.

The primary reason that I selected the Death Korp commissar model was because of his impressive trenchcoat, something that really seems to fit the Inquisitor theme (but is surprisingly hard to find in the 40k model range).  Additionally, the model has a strong pose, one that easily conveys a dauntless courage and calculated efficiency as he unsheathes his saber.  I already replaced his epaulettes, adding a shoulder pad with a mounted motion-tracker. The major thing I needed to tackle was replacing his formal shirt with something a little more suited to his profession. I decided that I wanted to give him a battered breastplate from the Cadian guardsmen, due to it's simple functional construction.  The task proved rather tricky, as I needed to carefully carve away the model's chest beneath his coat, before I could inlay and equally cutdown piece of a Cadian's torso. After getting the piece in place, I realized that I really needed to replace his sash with a less ceremonious belt. I ended up using the belt from the same torso that I got the armor from, leaving a bit of the cloth tunic to serve as a starting point for green stuff work.  In addition to modeling his tunic, I used green stuff to add an armoured segment below his breastplate, in addition to sculpting an subdued collar. I also added belt loops to the model and made sure his holster connected to his belt properly.

Although difficult to see, there is a single cable threading from the back of his neck.

The inquisitor surrounded by a cell of intractable scions (even without an arm he looks imposing!). 

After these primary tasks were done, I went about adding small touches to the model to help bring him to life. One of my favorite aspects of the original Death Korp commissar (aside from the trench coat!) are his jack boots, so I knew I could not replace them. Unfortunately, they were not cast very well, so I needed to use green stuff to fix them.  When doing this, I go the idea to point the front of the boots, just to give them a unique, but subtle quality. After looking at the model for a while, I realized that I really did not like the hair on his head.  While the idea and style was interesting, it simply was not sculpted very well.  I ended up carving it off, giving him a sort of no-nonsense look. Without the hair, I considered adding some cables snaking from his head, but worried it might be overdoing it.  I compromised and sculpted a single cable piercing the base of his neck.  I was extremely impressed with the simplicity of his sword, slender and elegant, and used it just as it came from Forge World (I did bulk up some of his fingers holding the scabbard, to make them look more natural).

The inquisitor has come a long way since back in 2013.

The inquisitor in all his glory, ready to accept paint!

At this point, I think the Inquisitor is pretty much finished.  The last thing that needs to be done, however, is craft a base for him.  I believe that I am going to place him on one of the new 32mm bases to emphasize his commanding presence, desipite his modest size.  I think that I want to design it to simulate the rusting metal of a space hulk, or corroded steel walkways of a decaying underhive.  But while I ponder that idea and start putting pieces together, I am going to start painting the model.  I think that I am about equal parts excited and apprehensive about the prospect of picking up a paint brush again.  It has been quite a long time (and I think that most of my paints have long since dried up!), but I do have an airbrush now, and if nothing else, I should be able to prime and base coat him quickly!  Regardless, I am really happy with how my first model for the Invitational has turned out, and am excited to continue to bring him and the other characters around him to life!  As always, and questions or comments are welcome.

- Adam Wier
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Iron Sleet Invitational: Bases WIP

February 10, 2015, 8:35 pm
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All your Bases Are Belong to Us.

Work on Between the Bolter and Me’s entry into Iron Sleet’s Invitational is progressing nicely and we wanted to take some time to post another small update. This time I will be focusing on my progress on the bases of the models for the entry. While not quite as exciting as seeing actual models, this is the first time in a long while that I spent time to construct my own bases (rather than just using my favorite Tech-Deck bases from Dragon Forge) and thought people might like to see them.


To go along with my other Inq28 models that are based on Dragon Forge Tech-Deck bases, I knew that I needed to create bases that resembled the interior of a Space Hulk or an underhive. This meant steel floors with grating or some special diamond patterning, a perfect opportunity to use plasticard (sheet styrene). A trip to the local art store was in order to buy some plasticard. Thankfully, a local art store had an entire rotating display of different plasticard components, from flat sheets to tiny ladders. After buying some stand plain plasticard (0.010’’/0.33mm), I found that they also carried plasticard sheets that mimic diamond tread plating (Plastruct Diamond Plate; HO Scale / 1:100). This I decided would make the perfect foundation for the bases.

The early stages of the base design. And some Gorkamorka bases that I dug up. Might be a good base for a servo-skull... 

Using the diamond tread plasticard, I cut out 25, 32, and 40mm circles (a sharp scissors works well on thin plasticard) and glued them to the tops of the individual bases. To this I layered on another sheet of plain plasticard only partially obscuring the diamond tread patterning (and taking care to align the patterning the same way on the bases). As a final level of detail, I added a thin plasticard trim to the edge of the flat plasticard panelling and etched brass Imperial Aquilas from Forge World. With the plasticard layers in place and the extra details added, I smoothed out the transition with the rest of the base with greenstuff.

A step by step progression of the creation of the bases that I am going to use for the Invitational.

One element that I wanted to emphasize with the bases is that I designed them to be part of the same scene. The paneling of the bases align in such a way that they could be set into a display base. Whether or not I design a display base for all three models is still up in the air, but I wanted to make sure that all three of the models fit together both visually and thematically.

The WIP inquisitor next to the bases for scale.

Two of the completed bases, ready to accept paint. 

I hope you enjoyed reading about my thoughts going into designing these bases. Now back to working on the models to use them!

- Adam Wier
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Iron Sleet Invitational: Naval Officer WIP

February 25, 2015, 9:52 pm
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A mind without purpose will wander in dark places.

Having finished the Inquisitor for the Invitational, I started working on a Imperial Guardsmen to accompany him. I wanted the guardsmen to have a similar reserved tone like the inquisitor, fitting a scene where both are part of a tense audience with a rival inquisitor, one that had just turned towards confrontation.  To accomplish this sentiment, I knew that I needed the model to be drawing a weapon, preferably with a tranquil confidence.  Interestingly, like the inquisitor, I ended up finding just the model that I was searching for in the Death Korp line of models, as well.  The Quartermaster, with his skeletal vistage, calmly drawing a las pistol to perform his grim task fit all my criteria for the model.  And since it too was designed by Simon Egan, it was scaled appropriately to the inquisitor.


The first thing I wanted to do was replace his boots/ankles with something a bit more armored, to go along with his breastplate.  I ended up using the lower portion of a set of Death Korp Grenadier legs for this purpose.  To distance the model from the quartermaster, I wanted to remove all the skeleton elements from the model.  Towards this end, used green stuff to smooth out his breastplate so that it would not look like a ribcage.  In the same vein, I resculpted the skull clasps for his cloak, as well as his belt buckle.  Without the skulls, the model looks a bit less like Death-incarnate, ha ha.

In addition to changing his legs, I smoothed out his breastplate and remodeled the clasps holding his cape in place.

One of the most important elements that I wanted to get right for the model was his sidearm, after all, I chose the model due to his pose drawing a pistol.  My initial thought was to give him a revolver, and I started to convert one from plasticard and an archaeotech pistol, but despite my best efforts, it still ended up being too large for my tastes, so I went back to the drawing board.  Being a fan of HK firearms, I decided I wanted to try to convert an autopistol that looked more like a modern polymer pistol.  Due to the large size of the model’s holster, I ended up choosing the HK MK 23 (one of the largest pistols on the market, and also the favored sidearm of Solid Snake…).  The Death Korp las/hell pistols are not overly large, so I decided to use it as a base for the conversion.  The first step was to cut off extending portion of the barrel, as well as carve away some of the metal casing that partially covered  the pistol’s las cartridge.  Since the pistol was going to have its ammunition housed in the weapon’s grip, I wanted to turn the las magazine into a flashlight.  So that the ammunition would feed properly, I needed to extend the slide and frame back a little, using a small piece of resin from a las pistol.  I carved out a little of the side to create the base of the barrel/ejection port.  I used small pieces of plasticard to add a front and rear sight, as well as the hammer and an extended barrel (so that it could accept a suppressor).  I also added some details to the light with plasticard as well.  I used green stuff to smooth out and build up the slide, as well as add a slide release.  Importantly, I sculpted the floorplate of a magazine on the grip of the pistol (so that it would actually have ammunition!).  Lastly, I sculpted his trigger finger such that it was not touching the trigger (safely first in the grim darkness of the far future!).

Although I was happy with how the revolver came out, it is similarly too massive for the model.

I spent more time on this little pistol than the rest of the model combined, but I think it was worth it!
A size comparison between the revolver, FW las pistol, and the Mk 23 I converted. 


I have been having a little trouble determining a proper head for the model. Many of my initial candidates turned out to be too large to fit with the Quartermaster (pretty much all space marine heads). At the moment, I am leaning towards two different heads, one from an Elysian Drop Troops and the second a repurposing of Karl Franz’ head. Karl Franz’ head has proven to be quite tricky because I wanted to remove his helmet and replace it with a Naval security hat (in retrospect it might have been easier to just modify the helmet). With the helmet carved away, I have been busy sculpting on his ears and the back of his head. What does everyone think of the two heads? Do you have a clear favorite, or even another suggestion entirely? I am open for any thoughts on the matter.

The model with an Elysian Drop Troop head.

The model with converted version of Karl Franz' head, with his helmet scraped away to be replace with a hat.

Besides the choice of head, the large aspects of the model are primarily complete. At this point I am considering small details that could be added. I have been entertaining the possibility of adding a knife to his belt, for example, but am not sure if it is necessary.  Now I am focusing my attention on the third model in the series, a rival Thorian Inquisitor!  He will likely be in a suit of heavily modified power armor.  I cannot wait to get him to a stage that I can share a few pictures!

-Adam Wier
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Iron Sleet Invitational: Thorian Inquisitor WIP

March 4, 2015, 11:21 pm
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Innocence proves nothing.
Having largely finished the first inquisitor and his accompanying security officer, I have begun to work on the last model for the Invitational, a second inquisitor.  I wanted this inquisitor to be less cautious about his identity as an inquisitor, instead of wearing run-of-the-mill fatigues and overcoats, he would be wearing a custom suit of power armor.  Despite a more brazen appearance, I wanted to ensure the model still had a reserved quality, giving no indication towards his placement along the thin line of radicalism.


My biggest priority with the model was distancing him from a Space Marine.  When you say power armor, you think of a Space Marine, so I decided to focus most of my efforts on making the armor look unique.  The first order of business was to create a powerpack for him.  I wanted to create something entirely different from the standard marine backpack, because it is so iconic.  I decided that I wanted to try to incorporate the generator/battery directly into the torso, to make the armor seem like a refined custom suit for the inquisitor. For this, I removed one of the generators from a Militarum Tempestus Scion backpack and glued it in place of the standard marine powerpack. Additionally, I integrated some exhaust ports into his back, which I carved off of a space marine power pack and two chainswords.

One of my first tasks was to create a powerpack for his armor that did not look like a Space Marine one.
I quickly realized that I could not use the traditional power armor legs, as their bulky greaves scream Adeptus Astartes.  After some searching, I found that Dreamforge’s Eisenkern Valkir Assault Troopers had legs that were perfect for the task.  The scale is just right, and they have a tapered look that is more form fitting then Astartes armor. The posing of the legs are slightly more aggressive looking than I was originally intending, but overall I think they look nice.

A good deal of effort was taken to remove all of the original detailing on the model's breastplate. I am still trying to decide if I want to add any Inquisitional iconography. 

For his head, I decided to use a leather capped head from the Empire greatswords. With a little cutting and greenstuff work I fashioned the leather cap into a tight-fitting hood. To this, I also added a cable snaking from the side of his head to reinforce that he is wired into his suit of armor.  I had entertained using a Space Marine head, either one of the praetor ones, or perhaps Sevatar’s, but decided against it due to their large size.  The Empire and Imperial Guard heads are slightly smaller, which emphasizes how bulky the suit of power armor is supposed to be.

Is is amazing what the careful addition of a cable or two can do!

As a member of the Ordo Machinum, I got to thinking how it might be interesting to explore the idea that, despite his constant access to the greatest technology the Imperium has to offer, he has an odd fascination with simple, pragmatic designs. His preferred sidearm, an ancient custom revolver rumored to be from Terra itself, is a perfect example of this. Rather than the complex, gas-blowback automatics, like autoguns and bolters, he values the tried and true revolving mechanism seen in double-action revolvers. The massive sidearm also allows him to deal with calibers wholly unsuitable for automatic pistols. His favored round is the antediluvian .454 Casull, a magnum cartridge that he loads by hand, with silvered bullets and maleficarum hexes, each more than enough to stop anything that moves.  With this in mind, I decided to put the revolver that I initially created for the Naval security officer to use. His larger stature, afforded by his armor, makes the larger framed weapon much more manageable than it did on the security officer.

A revolver of such prodigious size looks ridiculous on a model with anything smaller then power armor. 

In addition to the revolver, I decided that it would be cool to give him another weapon mounted to his shoulder. I opted for a las weapon such that it could be powered by the generator on the back of his armor. The base of the weapon came from one of the plastic cultist autopistols which was augmented with all manner of other components. As a final weapon I decided it would be neat to equip him with a set of digi-laser on the knuckles of his left hand. To do this I replaced the Militarum Tempestus Scion hand with that of the new Harlequin Solitaire. I might have to go back and do a little greenstuff work to bulk out the hand because I think it is a hair smaller that the original one. Overall however, I am happy with the effect.

The Inquisitor's shoulder mounted las weapon! The little sensor on the side was actually taken from an Infinity model.
I have also added a book at his waist, taken from the Militarum Tempestus Scions kit. I added one of the Forge World brass Inquisitorial I’s to the book to make it look more like an ancient grimoire. I am also working on a holster for his hefty revolver that will be attached to his right thigh. Along with the holster, I think I want to add some other pouches and assorted gear (maybe a grenade or a scroll or two).

The inquisitor in all his ceramite encased glory!

With all the main elements in place, I plan to start adding little details and touching up parts with green stuff.
I am quite happy with how this inquisitor is turning out.  When I first went into the conversion, all I knew is that I wanted him in power armor, to contrast with the other two models for the Invitational. But as I started to really work on the model, things started to fall into place and the character started to form. Soon I will need to start thinking about how to paint the model. Does anyone have suggestions for the color of his armor? At this point I am not really sure what would suit the model best. In addition to painting thoughts, any comments or suggestions about the model in general would be appreciated!

- Adam Wier
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Iron Sleet Invitational: Painting Inquisitor Soljic, Ordo Xenos

March 7, 2015, 10:00 am
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Inquisitor Anton Soljic - Thorian
In the 15+ years that I have been a part of this hobby, I have always been building and converting models.  Unfortunately, I cannot say the same about painting them.  There were a few good years were I was consistently painting, and managed to enter some models into the Golden Daemon painting competition at the Baltimore Gamesday, but that was over 7 years ago.  Since then, I put the brush down, citing a lack of time due to graduate work (which is the truth!).  But over the last two years since starting this blog, my desire to take up painting again has steadily increased.  After an absence of so many years, it is a difficult thing to start up again. In fact, all of my paints were dried or misplaced, along with all my brushes! Despite this, I began to collect new supplies towards the end of last year, including getting my first airbrush!  With new painting materials gathered, all that was left to wait for was some inspiration to trigger my foray into painting again.  As it turns out, that muse was being invited to participate in the first Iron Sleet Invitational.



When painting the models, I wanted to stick closely to the story/theme that I had in mind for each of the characters.  The scene that I am trying to create is a confrontation between two Thorian inquisitors who do not see eye-to-eye on the God-Incarnate enigma  (if a man (the Emperor) can become a god, could not a god become a man?).  The power armored one, Lucanus Molnár is fixated on the belief that through genecrafting and the uncovering of techno-arcana from the Dark Age of Technology, he might create a vessel for the God-Emperor to be reborn, or failing that, perhaps repair the fabled Golden Throne (hence his position in the Ordo Mechanicum).  He is the more bombastic of the two inquisitors, quick to extol the virtues of his beliefs, and display his Inquisitorial rosette. The other, Anton Soljic is a more conservative, practical man who still believes in a second coming of the Emperor, but thinks it is great folly to think that anyone would bring this about directly.  As such, he is almost an Amalathian at heart, believing everything is proceeding as the Emperor sees fit, and seeks to maintain the status quo of the Imperium.  He is more discreet, and rarely displays his credentials (over the years he has found that many people act differently when they know an Inquisitor is in their midst). The two inquisitors’ divergent views have always put them at odds, but they have never come to blows.  This might change, however, as they meet in a recently uncovered tech-vault that appears to date back to before the Age of Strife...

I opted for a traditional and reserved color scheme for Soljic to emphasize his reserved character and methods of operation.

The new 32 mm base gives Soljic more of a sweeping dynamic presence than what would have been afforded by a standard 28 mm one. 

Deciding on the first model of the trio to paint was quite simple; I painted the one that I finished converting first, Anton Soljic.  Ultimately, I did not have much choice in the matter, as I was waiting on an order from Forge World to come to start creating the other two!  Wanting to emphasize the inquisitor’s circumspect way of going about official business, I wanted to paint him in drab military colors, functional and unobtrusive, with no obvious signs of his rank. Aside from using an airbrush to prime and do an initial coat of black, the rest of the model was painted with an Ichiban brush and a range of Vallejo Model Air, Minitaire, and Games Workshop paints (Vallejo makes some awesome military colors! ex: Olive Grey, US Dark Green, Dark Green, olive drab, etc.).

Confrontation!
I have to admit, I was a bit apprehensive about beginning to paint again. After so many years, I thought that I might struggle to get back into it. I am happy to say that this was not the case, having finished the first inquisitor. It was a joy to use a brush again, particularly painting the model’s face, and really bringing the character to life. Only two more models to go, ha ha! Thoughts or comments are always welcome.

- Adam Wier
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Iron Sleet Invitational: Inquisitor Lucanus Molnár and Naval officer Nils Fernow

March 9, 2015, 10:56 pm
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Communication Breakdown.

With it being a little over a week into March, the deadline for the Iron Sleet Invitational is fast approaching. I have never put so much time into converting a group of three models, but I think it has been paying off. I am happy to announce that the last two models, Inquisitor Lucanus Molnár of the Ordo Mechanicum and Naval officer Nils Fernow, are finally finished!  Rather than swamping you with too much text (which I am often prone to doing), I thought I would just show you some pictures of the models!  As always comments and suggestions are welcome.  I would be particularly interested in hearing peoples’ thoughts on color schemes, as I am gearing up to start painting them.


While it was a long time coming, I am extremely pleased how Molnar turned out.  I completely reposed the legs, and I think it went a long way.

Although I was worried that his outstretched hand would be too small, after some green stuff work, I think it works well.  The hand being less bulky than a standard space marine one and his non-marine head really emphasize the sheer size of his armor.

When I first started working on his head, carving away the helmet, I never would have guessed it would have been so much work.  Placing the ears was quite a chore.

I really like the Karl Franz head; with a little cutting, shaping his cheeks and adding scars, he really has a Man With No Name look.

- Adam Wier

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Deredeo Dreadnought: Unboxing

March 19, 2015, 10:44 pm
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Iron Within, Iron Without!

Since I became invested in the hobby years ago, I have been enthralled by the design and concept behind the Space Marine dreadnought, and I doubt that I am the only one.  There is something intriguing about these sepulchral walking tanks, primarily stemming from their utilitarian function of saving a heroic warrior from the verge of death, giving them the opportunity to fight once more.  Although they had some comical renditions in the beginning (a walking peanut), since the 2nd edition, they have looked like a squat walking sarcophagus of adamantium, complete with stubby gun arms, a drum-like powerfist, and a rectangular sarcophagi in the center.  This has become a cornerstone in the Space Marine aesthetic. Forge World, always wanting to shake things up a bit, released a new pattern of dreadnought loosely based on some old models a couple years back, the Contemptor.  Although reminiscent to its smaller cousin, it is bulkier, with a more rounded design.  Coupled with its separate head and its more articulated legs, the Contemptor is a far more agile and believable walker.  SInce its release, Forge World has produced numerous Contemptor dreadnoughts, including many chapter specific ones.  Just when we were all getting used to this new dreadnought, Forge World decided to release yet another variant, the Deredeo dreadnought.  Although reminiscent to the Contemptor, the Deredeo is slightly bigger, and serves as a dedicated weapons platform.  My fascination with dreadnoughts made ordering one of these Deredeo variants an inevitability, and a few weeks ago I got it in the mail, and thought you all might be interested in seeing what comes with the model.

And I thought the Contemptor Dreadnought was large!

A Deredeo armed with a Hellfire plasma cannonade.

Although the model is clearly heavily based on the Contemptor design, with a broad domed body, and separate head, it has a lot of visual differences that corroborate its battlefield role as a heavy weapons platform.  The legs are perhaps the element most similar to the contemptor, but they are substantially bulkier.  They also have two additional stabilizing toes, one either side of each foot, allowing the warmachine to get a better footing when setting up a firing position.  Its torso is noticeably longer than its counterpart, extending with a shark-like snout.  This snout, which houses the model’s head, protrudes from the main body, where the weapons systems and legs attach, giving the walker an interesting look, reminiscent of a mechwarrior Madcat.  Although it has a traditional looking powerpack, it attaches perpendicular to the body.  This was to allow the attachment of the optional Aiolos pattern missile launcher, a mammoth whirlwind style missile silo containing some 32 rockets.  Curiously, there is no additional piece to cover up this optional weapon system.  Rivaling even its prodigious size, are the Anvilus pattern autocannons.  They have a long barreled design that mimics the other Horus Heresy autocannons, including their characteristic muzzle breaks.  Each arm has its own large hopper from which snakes an impressive ammunition belt.  Like most of the other FW autocannons, the weapons are so large that they are almost comical.  But unlike the one held by the Cataphractii terminators, this one almost works, since the Deredeo is such a large warmachine.  Although these are currently the only weapons available for the dreadnought, the Horus Heresy Weekender revealed that there is at least one additional option, long barreled plasma cannons called a Hellfire Cannonade.

The model has relatively few parts.

Look at how crisp and clean the cast is!

When getting my Deredeo, I was stunned at the quality of the cast.  Most models that I have received from Forge World are rife with casting defects, mold shifts, bubbles, and deformed edges.  In all honesty, these sorts of issues are inherent with resin, so I was expecting this kit to be no different.  Instead, I was surprised to find an almost perfect cast, likely the best resin cast that I have ever seen on any model (FW or any other company).  Each piece has crisp, clean details and edges (without any bowed in).  The mold lines are very minor, and there are very few bubbles.  Even the little radiator disks at the base of the autocannon barrels are nice!  Perhaps it is because it is early in the life of the molds, or maybe FW is starting to get better with quality control, but regardless I am extremely pleased with the quality of all of the pieces.

Rather than the spherical front of a Contemptor, the Deredeo has a pointed prow.

The powerpack is placed perpendicular to the body so that it does not interfere with the optional missile launcher.

The kit has a conservative number of pieces, only 16, in fact.  When looking at the instruction sheet provided, I thought they may have forgotten to include two extra sets of variant feet, but after contacting FW about it, they informed me that those feet never went into production.  The base kit comes with two weapon options to be mounted to dreadnought’s body.  The first is a pair of awesome looking heavy flamers, reminiscent to a Grey Knight incinerator.  The second is a compact set of heavy bolters, which look nice, although the barrels are a bit odd.  They are pre-drilled, which is nice, but the bore size is incredibly large (even for a heavy bolter), making them look ridiculous.  The head that comes with the model is really neat looking, closely mirroring a standard Space Marine helmet.  Its thin grill and aggressive slant to its eyes really give it a especially sinister appearance, synergistically adding to the model’s ominous character.

Has anyone ever considered how short the barrels are on heavy bolters?

This is probably my favorite of the new FW dreadnought heads, and certainly the most unsettling.

With a little luck, I will be able to assemble this behemoth within the next few weeks.  The excellent cast will certainly make this more probable, although resin models always take longer to assemble than you anticipate, and I imagine this will be no different.  I am not sure what I want to do with socket at the top of the model, because I did not purchase the missile launcher.  Regardless, I am excited to give the rules a try in a game or two of Warhammer 40k; the ability to reroll armor penetration results, as well as gain Skyfire and Interceptor abilities if remaining stationary is pretty powerful.  My contemptor needs a friend afterall!

-Eric Wier
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Iron Sleet Invitational: Naval officer Nils Fernow

March 22, 2015, 6:57 am
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These dying days.
March is rapidly approaching an end, and that means Iron Sleet’s first Invitational is coming to an end! I am excited to say that one more of my models for the entry is complete: Nils Fernow, First Security Officer of the Saudor 23rd Imperial Navy, affectionately know as the “Voidstalkers.” I was a bit concerned that Nils would take significantly more time to paint then the pragmatic Anton Soljic, due to the increased complexity of the model (all the different layers of clothing…). Fortunately, that did not really seem to be the case, and I as I began painting the model came together quite nicely. Like Inquisitor Soljic, Nils is painted in dull earthy colors (though it is a little tricky to tell due to the greyscale images). Based on suggestions here, and from the Ammobunker, I decided to add an accent color to the inside of his cloak, as well as paint an =][= on one the the clasps holding it in place.  My excitement having finished Fernow was great enough that I knew I needed to put up some pictures to share with everyone, even if they are sepia toned for the time being, before they are finally revealed in April.



I was pleased at how well I was able to accent the details of his custom pistol.

Although difficult to tell without color, I really think making the inside of the cloak a different color adds to Nils' dramatic presence.

I was conflicted with using the hat throughout the building process, but with paint on it, I think it really unifies the model. 

Only Lucanus Molnár to go!


-Adam Wier
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Iron Sleet Invitation: For the Emperor's Soul

April 12, 2015, 10:15 pm
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Everything you have been told is a lie!
I find it hard to believe, but after the most intense two hobbying months of my life, the first Iron Sleet Invitational is complete! To corroborate this, my entry and a host of fantastic entries are displayed in all their glory on Iron Sleet’s website, including an evocative entry by none other than John Blanche himself! For me, the whole process was a great learning experience, particularly encouraging me to pick up a paint brush after many long years of absence, as well as to try some more ambitious green stuff work.  It also got me to revisit Inq28, which I had been meaning to do for many months.  Now, with the two inquisitors done, I can start to explore some of the more eccentric members of their retinues (the new Adeptus Mechanicus models will work wonderfully for Molnar’s crew)!  To round out all of our Invitational posts, I figured that I would do one last entry focusing on the completed Molnár, and to show some pictures of the three models together.


=] Lucanus Molnár [=
Inquisitor (Ordo Mechanicum)
40mm

It was exciting to explore one of the lesser know Ordos of the Inquisition (and create non-Astarte power armor!).

For the final model of the Invitational, I wanted to go in the opposite direction of the first inquisitor. I wanted him to be less cautious about his identity as an inquisitor. Instead of wearing run-of-the-mill fatigues and an overcoat, he would be wearing a custom suit of power armor.  Despite a more brazen appearance, I still wanted to ensure that the model had a reserved quality, giving no indication towards his placement along the thin line of radicalism.

After so many years of not painting, it was fun to revisit my favorite color to work with, red!

My main concern with the model was distancing him from a Space Marine.  I did this by removing the characteristic backpack and shoulder pads of an Astartes’ power armor. I also made his leg and arm armor much thinner than normal power armor, giving the model more finesse rather than simply brute force.

I really had fun creating and painting the bases for all of the Invitational models; I was particularly happy with how the oil stain came out on Molnár’s base. 

When it came to painting Inquisitor Molnár, I had many ideas swirling around in my head about potential color schemes. Eventually, I decided that I wanted to experiment with the color red. Additionally, with Molnár’s close association with the Adeptus Mechanicus, a deep red color seemed a natural fit. Years ago it had been one of my favorite colors to paint. My only Golden Daemon award, a bronze in the Open Category, made heavy use of Vallejo reds (A Norse Blood Bowl model). Fortunately, after rummaging around through all of my old hobby supplies I found all those old Vallejo paints (Black Red, Burnt Cadmium Red, Dark Red). With my old Vallejo paints in hand, I went about mixing and blending the colors together to create a subtle transition of color on Molnár’s armor.

The subtle sense of motion in each of the models in the vignette is more evident when viewed from above. 

There are still several small details that I have not finished on Molnár’s paintjob. I want to do some freehand work on his left shoulder guard, but am currently unsure what should go there (maybe a personal crest or emblem). Additionally, I am unsure of what to do with the blank screens on his armored bracers (simple text?, an =I= to represent a kind of screensaver while not in use?). Finally, his armor might benefit with some form of battle damage and scarring. The exhaust system of his powerpack could also be scorched and blackened. Any thoughts or suggestions are welcome (I also need to go back and paint an =I= on Soljic)!

I have to admit, it is hard for me to believe that all three of these models are done and the scene I envisioned months ago is a reality! 

Even though the Invitational is over, I feel it is only the beginning of me exploring these two inquisitors.  Soljic already has a few other compatriots, a few converted Scions that I featured here a few months back, so I think I am going to focus on Molnár’s associates. I can’t really think of a better time for it, seeing that GW just released a bunch of fantastic Skitarii models, perfect to begin exploring the shadowed depths of the Mechanicum.

-Adam Wier
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Unboxing: Adeptus Mechanicus Skitarii Rangers/Vanguard

April 21, 2015, 10:55 pm
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Glory to the Machine God!

Having only just unveiled a high profile release in the new Harlequin models, Games Workshop continues its relentless pace with an even more exciting release, the Skitarii of the Adeptus Mechanicus!  Although the followers of the Machine God have been in 40k lore since the beginning, and have been explored extensively by Jes Goodwin and John Blanche, there have been very few models to represent them in Warhammer 40k.  Back in 2000, GW’s Skullz program gave people a chance to get a few promotional Mechanicum models, but it was really only when Forge World started to create models for the Horus Heresy that people began to seriously consider starting armies dedicated to the Machine God.  So when rumors started to circulate that Games Workshop might create a line of plastic Mechanicum models, it was hard not to get excited, particularly when the FW models are so stunning.  I am pleased to say that these rumors have become a reality, and although the models are quite divergent from those released by FW, they are no less imaginative and exciting.  Always being partial to the line and file soldiers of an army, I decide to get a box of Skitarii Rangers/Vanguard (the troop choices in the new codex), to see what the new models are like.


For the first Mechanicum release, I do not really think we could have hoped for much better.

When first hearing that Mechanicum models were going to be released, I was cautiously optimistic about them.  Certainly the concept behind the Mechanicum is quite awesome, but there was always a chance that they would be rushed into production and underdeveloped (random mechanical bits mashed together, with a cog or two thrown in there to tie everything down).  While I admit this sort of thing is getting rarer for GW, it still happens from time to time.  When the first images of the Rangers/vanguard leaked, I was immediately relieved.  They are delicate and thin looking, yet retain an iron strength through mechanical limbs and segmented armor.  They wear the classic long red coats from Mars and have glowing goggle eyes, hidden behind a bulky respirator and snaking cables.  Fantastically, they even have unique weapons, archaic and technical at the same time, rather than simply oversized boltguns with Mechanicum cogs.  All told, the models’ general aesthetic fits the wealth of classic Mechanicum imagery, while maintaining some individuality and subtlety.


One of the most remarkable design aspects about the new Rangers/Vanguard models (and nearly the entire Mechanicus range) are their basic battle rifles, the Galvanic rifle and the Radium carbine. In both cases, the rifles actually have legitimate stocks and iron sights. They even include some sets of arms where they are shouldering the rifles and ‘almost’ looking down the sights of the rifles. Additionally, both rifles take inspiration from various real world weapons, infusing each with a sort of steampunk flare. The Galvanic rifle looks like a cross between a Lee-Enfield bolt-action and an M1 Garand. The Radium carbine resembles a fusion of a range of WWII carbine/submachine guns, including the M1 carbine and the MP40.  


Both the Galvanic rifle and Radium carbine have many visual elements borrowed from WWII weaponry.

One curious visual motif on nearly all of the Adeptus Mechanicus weapons is the inclusion of a drum/cylinder above or around the trigger guard. Initially I took these to be a kind of drum magazine for the weapons, feeding them with ammunition. Looking at the Galvanic rifle, the drum is placed directly in front of the trigger guard, right beneath where you would imagine the receiver of the rifle to be. Things get a little stranger when when you look at the placement of the drum on the other weapons. For the radium carbine, the drum motif is placed higher on the weapon, almost as though it were a revolving cylinder in a revolver (while the gun also has what appears to be a vertical cylindrical magazine). The arc rifle has a large drum (reminiscent to a Chicago typewriter Thompson machine gun), but is supplemented with a powerpack on the soldier’s back, as well as a huge battery/coil on top of the gun.  The Sicarians’ weapons are even more questionable, but I will cover that in a future post.  Perhaps I am over thinking things, and GW is just trying to make the weapons look mysterious, ha ha.   


Despite the long list of positives for the weapons in the kit, there are a number of aspects that I am not too fond of. First and foremost, while I seem to say this with every new 40k release, I can’t help but think all of the weapons are oversized. While I love the overall look of the Galvanic rifles, they are taller than the Rangers themselves. Even more outrageous is the Transuranic arquebus. I understand they were trying to pay homage to the arquebus weapons of the 15th century, but I think they took it a little too far (about the height of two Rangers, ha ha), detracting from the more realistic scaling of the rest of the models (in comparison to the mammoth hands and feet of the new Scions, amongst others).  I decided to try to shorten the Galvanic rifles for the Ranger that I am working on because of this.  It was actually quite a simple conversion, where I removed a 4mm section from the middle of the rifle.  I simply clipped the rifle in two and used an x-acto blade carefully shave at both ends such that the two pieces could fit together flushly, without damaging the little decorative hook modeled on the underside.  I think the resulting rifle looks nice, and when looking at one on the final model, it hardly even looks like a conversion.  In fact, I still think the rifles look a bit large after shortening.  Although I am tempted to experiment with shortening them even further, I am going to resist; Adam and I might try this when converting a few compatriots for Inquisitor Molnar (so look for that in the future!).

It was very simple to shorten the Galvanic rifle to a more reasonable length.

In addition to the modifications I made to their Galvanic rifles, I also went about modifying the Transuranic arquebus to resemble a more modern bolt action sniper rifle. Fortunately not much really needed to be done to the rifle because the base model already has a great looking bolt action mechanism and a traditional box magazine for its ammunition (something rarely seen in 40k where it is assumed everything is fully automatic, ha ha).  The main modifications consisted of shortening the weapon’s barrel and replacing the monopod with an integrated bipod. The bipod was pieced together from the bipod legs found on several of the Elysian Drop troop special weapons (plasma gun, meltagun, etc).  Using greenstuff I also added a kind of rail or mount for a scope.


Like the Galvanic rifle, I shortened the Transuranic arquebus, making it look more like a modern sniper rifle.

Although I may have come off a bit negative about the Skitarii weapons, I am pretty impressed with them as a whole. Any model GW releases which actually has a stock on their rifles and sights is a victory in my book.  Just the fact that the Skitariis’ weapons look so distinct from bolters or autoguns is exciting.  And even if there are a few questionable elements, they should be easily modified to ones more to my liking.  I think they will serve as an excellent foundation for all manner of conversions for years to come; I know I certainly will be using them!


The poses for the Ranger models are fantastic, full of life, while still looking natural.

Aside from the modifications I made to their weapons, I have also made a few other small changes to the models themselves. The models themselves are covered in a swath of extraneous cables. They are everywhere, snaking between their legs, covering their chest armor, and even hanging aimlessly from their backpacks. Some of these, particularly those dangling from their powerpacks, I opted to remove. With them gone, I think the models look a little tidier and less encumbered.  The last thing I am considering modifying is the light/targeter array on the Rangers’ backpacks.  I am not entirely sure what the designer’s intent was for them.  They look a lot like miniature search lights (from a multitude of Space marine kits), which seems fitting for a Mechanicum warrior, it wired into the soldier’s neural circuits so that it could be positioned with a single thought.  After playing around with the backpacks, however, I noticed that it is seated too low, such that the device would get blocked by the back of the Ranger’s head if it were to pivot to aid them while aiming a rifle.  If it were on the other side of the backpack, it might be able to work, since all of the Rangers are right handed.  But as it is, it seems to be unable to fulfill its primary function, aiding the Ranger with their marksmanship.  Perhaps it is simply to be a single position light, always facing forwards.  All these considerations have me uncertain what I should do with them.  Should I try to switch them to the other side, allowing me to have it positioned with the Rangers’ heads, should I remove them entirely, considering them superfluous detail, or should I just leave leave them alone?  I would love to hear people’s input!


Even after shortening his rifle, it is still gigantic.

While I still have a long way to go until I finish all 10 of the Rangers, I have been having a great time working on them.  The models are so nicely designed and fit together smartly.  It has been very easy to modify them slightly (primarily toning down the weapons a bit), while maintaining the spirit of the models.  After assembling the rest of this unit, I could see getting more just to use in conversions; I foresee them being heavily used in Inq28 conversions for many years to come!

-Eric Wier
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Unboxing: Adeptus Mechanicus Sicarians

April 26, 2015, 9:38 pm
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Hail Mars!
Games Workshop have certainly hit the Adeptus Mechanicus release in stride, with one exciting release after the next. After the excellent Ranger/Vanguard box, one of the strongest releases GW has had in recent memory, I felt we would be lucky to get something even half as inspired.  Amazingly, the third kit they released for the Adeptus Mechanicus, the Sicarians Infiltrators/Ruststalkers may outshine even the Rangers. Venturing away from the more subdued Ranger design, they created a group of esoteric, inhuman assassins, perfect for the cold data-fueled logic that commands the Skatarii on the field. I got my hands on a box of the new unit and wanted to let you know what I think!


A more bizarre set of assassins 40k has never seen.

The Sicarians diverge slightly from the characteristic tech priest look of the Skitarii in favor of a much creepier and lithe appearance. Like the Skitarii Rangers and Vanguard, the Sicarians have their lower legs replaced with bionics. The Sicarians, however, have substantially longer and more slender bionics, with their legs having an additional backwards joint. Although not immediately apparent from the original pictures, the Sicarians are quite large. Their thin skeletal limbs are misleading and they fit very comfortably on 40mm bases. When compared side-by-side to the Rangers/Vanguard, they are quite a bit heftier, and if fully erect, they would be about twice their height. This height is used very effectively in the models, giving each a very dynamic pose that contains a lot of depth, allowing them to fully encompass the space they occupy.

You can always count on Goodwin to come up with some fantastic concepts.

Depending on which unit you assemble, you select from two equally sinister heads. The close combat oriented Ruststalkers have unsettling full-face gasmasks, complete with delicate bionic optics.  The Infiltrators go in a completely different direction, favoring dome-like inhuman ones, mirroring some old Jes Goodwin concept art (as well as holding a striking resemblance to the Imperial Viper probe droid from Star Wars).  The kit also gives you two different weapon options for each unit.  The Ruststalkers have short and thin transonic razors, alongside a viciously taloned hand called a chordclaw. They can forgo the claw and switch to a pair of longer transonic blades, with retain the sleek double-edged katana look. The Infiltrators provide more of a ranged element, but also have two close combat weapon options, from a simple power sword with a section of cog serrations, to a massive electric prod called a taser goad.  They also have two submachine gun options with I will talk about in a bit more depth below.  

Like the Rangers/Vanguard,  the Sicarians lack most of the traditional firearms seen on other Imperial models (no las weapons or bolters here). Instead, the Infiltrators can be equipped with their own unique firearms, the Flachette Blaster and the Stubcarbine. Visually, the Flachette Blaster takes many cues from modern submachine guns like the uzi and the Mac-10, displaying the characteristic extended magazine in the machine pistol’s grip. The Stubcarbine on the other hand looks like a cross between an IWI Galil and a Thompson. While I really like the look of both weapons, they display some questionable design elements that make me wonder how they would actually function. Both appear to have two ammunition feeds, one from a sickle magazine and another from a drum magazine positioned in front of the trigger guard.  You might argue that that drum is not the ammunition source, based on other Skitarii weapons, but for the Flachette Blaster at least, it appears to have an ejection port directly above it.  This would be alright, but what about the sickle magazine that clearly holds ammunition?  There is no way the shells could be ejected from where the port is.  These curiosities got me to thinking about how I might be able to convert the weapons to make they more reasonable, but still retain their basic design, because despite the issues, they are probably my favorite weapons GW has designed in years.  Afterall, it is rare for GW to make a relatively small weapon, and just about as rare to have one with a neat looking magazine (so apt are they to make lasers and plasma guns, ignoring the more conventional firearm using bullets).

I think the few simple changes made to this pistol make it look a lot cooler and more menacing. 

I focused my efforts at converting one of the Flachette Blasters, trying to make it more like the machine pistols it took so many visual cues from. The first order of business was to cut away the drum, which proved a slow process.  I carefully trimmed it away with an x-acto blade, making sure not to damage any other detail on the pistol. I left just enough plastic to serve as a trigger guard.  Next, using a new x-acto blade, I shaved the ejection port off the gun, and repositioned it above the magazine well on the pistol grip.  I used Tamiya Extra Thin Cement to attach the shred of plastic, allowing me to reposition it as it dried (the piece was so small that it was difficult to place perfectly).  With the ejection port in place, the only thing left to do was tidy everything up with greenstuff, including modifying the top of the weapon to appear a little boxier like a Mac-10 (and less like an Eldar weapon). Ultimately, I feel the weapon looks a lot more coherent, and Imperial with the modifications.

For as thin and spindly as the Sicarians are, they have very inhuman poses, ones that fill the 40mm bases better then most models that come with them. 

The only other real modification I made (on the first of the Infiltrators that I have assembled) was to remove all of the cables dangling from his powerpack. To me they look like they were simply tacked on to the models to provide extra detail since they don’t look to have any obvious functions (they don’t appear to be mechadendrite or other miniature servo arms). In their place I am considering attaching some new cables that actually snake into the Infiltrator’s back.

I am planning to add some manner of cables to the Infiltrator's backpack, snaking into his torso.

One detail that I really like about the kit is the inclusion of 10 pouches (two for each model) to strap to the legs of the models. The pouches are really nicely detailed and would work perfectly on other models (as a place to store extra ammunition and magazines for pistols). Surprisingly the legs of the Sicarians actually have little slots modeled onto them locking the pouches into place, making it much easier to attach them than the standard GW pouches (which you often don’t fit on models’ waists as easy as you would like…).

My eclectic bunch of Mechanium characters assemble! 

I still have a lot more Infiltrators to go before I can hope to field an Adeptus Mechanicus strike force, but I am happy with my progress. Now that one is largely finished and I know how to go about making all of the modifications, the rest of his squad should go a little quicker. During the assembly process I could not help but think of a whole myriad of conversion possibilities for Inq28.  Chief amongst them is to use one as a foundation to convert a Mechanicum assassin to accompany Inquisitor Lucanus Molnár into battle. So needless to say, there exciting times are ahead!

- Eric Wier
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INQ28: Skitarii Ranger conversion - Beltran Destrieux

April 30, 2015, 7:47 pm
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The machine spirit guards the knowledge of the ancients.
Having finished Lucanus Molnár last month, we at Between the Bolter and Me have been musing about his background quite a bit, and decided it was time to share some of it, particularly how he became a member of the little know Ordo Mechanicum:

Although initially a member of the Ordo Xenos (with an obsessive fascination with the Ghost Warriors of the Iyanden craftworld), after his investigations into an aberrant technovirus (OTAV1X) led him to the to the forgeworld of Stygies VIII, Lucanus Molnár shifted his primary allegiance to the Ordo Mechanicum.  The shift went largely unnoticed in the Pacificus Conclave, and seemed a natural transition for the technologically minded Molnár.  Even the Mechanicum’s quick acceptance of his presense did not raise eyebrows, with the prevailing thought that his timely aid with the OTAV1X scourge opened doors.  The truth of the matter is more iniquitous, and while garrisoned on Stygies VIII, he uncovered elements of the heretical Xenarite sect.  The Xenarites, scholars and archivists of xenos technology, were thought to be eliminated in the Inquisitorial purge of 335.M36.  Instead of reporting the sect’s existence to the Conclave, Molnar saw a potential ally, one who might aid in his search for technology (human or xenos) to restore the Emperor to his former glory.  And so a tenuous union was formed between Lucanus Molnár and the Forge World of Stygies VIII; the Mechanicum would aid Molnár in his holy work, providing the limitless material resources and wargear that only a Forge World could supply, and Molnár would ensure the less “open-minded” members of the Inquisition would not learn of the thriving Xenarite sect within their midst.

And while his membership in the Ordo Mechanicum is all well and good, it does not matter a whole lot if he does not have a loyal retinue of mercenaries, hired guns, tech adepts, and death cultists.  With this in mind, I started scheming over ways I might convert the first of his associates.  The timely release of Skitarii Rangers/Vanguard proved a fantastic place to start!

One of the most defining features of the new Skitarii Rangers is their bionic feet, and I knew it was something I would need to seriously consider replacing if I wanted Molnár’s companion to be anything but a partially lobotomized Skitarii warrior. The simplest solution to this seemed to be experimenting with replacing the Skitarii’s bionic legs with ones of flesh and blood (and cool boots, ha ha). The first option that came to mind for the conversion was replacing the Skitarii lower legs with those of the Elysian Drop troops from Forge World. The Elysian Drop troops are quickly becoming my favorite infantry models in Warhammer 40k for conversion opportunities.  They have a realistic military vibe and are scaled well (without the massive boots many 40k models tend to have). Fortunately, the Elysian Drop troop legs scale almost perfectly with the Skitarii models. Additionally, it is relatively simple to trim the legs off below the knees of both models and simply swap between them.

The Elysian Drop troop legs work perfectly as replacements for the Skitarii bionics.

After modifying the legs of the Skitarii, I shifted my attention to the model’s weapons. Similar to what Eric showed in his unboxing of the Skitarii Rangers/Vanguard, I decided to modify their stock Galvanic Rifles. The main modification was to aggressively shorten the barrel of the rifle. Additionally, I trimmed off the little fins on the sides of the muzzle of the rifle’s barrel. Finally I cut a little notch in the rear sight on the rifle such that he can actually use the iron sights of his rifle to aim.

Despite aggressively shortening the Galvanic rifle, it is still a large rifle.

Next came arguably the most important, and certainly the most challenging, part of the conversion, his head. The main thing I knew I needed to do was choose a head where at least a portion of his flesh was actually visible. This would go a long way in instilling more of a human element to the model. Eventually I settled on a head from the Empire Greatswords (Warhammer Fantasy) with a fantastic looking mustache. To make the model look like a seasoned veteran, and fit more with the skitarii body, I decided to incorporate all manner of bionics on his head. To do this I ended up splicing the lower half of one of the Skitarii Vanguard heads on the Empire head. I also crafted him a bionic eye from one of the tiny optics from the head of a Sicarian Ruststalker. Overall, I am really pleased with the head and think it gives the model a very space cowboy/big game hunter look to him.

With some careful trimming, I was able to splice together the lower half of a Vanguard head with one from the Empire Greatswords.
Finally, I made a few modifications to the stock Skitarii backpack that I used on the model. I removed the weird forked antenna on the backpack and replaced it with another wire one. The thinner, malleable wire allowed me to bend the antenna back, preventing it from adding any undue height to the model (and actually allowed me to make the antenna longer than it had been previously in plastic). After the antenna, I removed the little targeting array/light on his backpack and repositioned it on his shoulder, tracking the model’s vision. This placement of the targeting array makes a little more sense and is more functional than how it was originally.

Looking at the assembled model, it is surprising how much modifying the Skitarii's legs change the look of the model.

The targeting array on the Skitarii backpack was shifted to the model's shoulder, allowing me to position it to follow his view.

I have started to write of the model’s personal history:
Beltran Destrieux was the 12th son of the wealthy Destrieux family, a prominent arms manufacturer on the industrial hive world Verghast. A veritable polymath, he spent his youth buried in books or piecing together cogitators. With very little prospects in the family fortune, Beltran started looking further and further from his family's influence and holdings on Verghast, and started to go on lengthy expeditions into the surrounding Segmentum Pacificus. This period of wanderlust came to an end when he was recruited into an Explorator Fleet (from the Forge World Stygies VIII) into the uncharted Veiled Region.  Destrieux and Molnár met during the OTAV1X incident, with Destrieux serving as his chief technical aid and liaison with the Stygies VIII Fabricator Locum.

Although not 100% complete, Beltran Destrieux is well on his way to joining the shadow wars fought within and without the Inquisition. I would like to modify his bionic arm a bit for example, distancing it from the current ubiquitous design. Any comments or suggestions about the conversion or ideas on paint schemes are more then welcome. With a little luck, you will see the completed model posted here shortly!

- Adam Wier
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