Job security

To give the retinue a little more punch in hand-to-hand, I added 3 Death Cult Assassins (again, when these were their own unit).  

Fortunately, both the Inquisition and Adeptus Sororitas books still allow you to take these guys, now as part of the retinue. 

I keep the general army colour scheme or gold, red and brown with a little green accent.  I may go back and add a little detailing on their skirts one day.

The models are the OOP Confrontation Clones of Dirz.  The original model came with a sword and axe, so did a weapon swap with the axe hand to add a second Power Sword.  I cut down a Catachan Power Sword by removing the back half of the blade to make it less bulky.  These models area little more 'true-scale' than the GW, but I think that works for a lean, agile assassin.

I was quite taken (as I suspect like many of us were) with Rackham's line of Confrontation miniatures.  If you've never heard of them, you can read the Wikipedia entry to learn about the company and the world, and this catalog site to see their line of figs.

And while I never played the game I certainly bought a good number of their figs - and a great deal more when the company eventually went under and stores started to dump inventory.  I still have a shoe box filled with unopened blisters.  Beyond the quality of the sculpts, the bizarre, fantastical (if slightly over the top) art style makes for some outstanding Inquisition figs.

You can still purchase some of the figs from Legacy Miniatures (ie. CMON) and a few other places (although not sure they are licensed or recasters so will avoid putting links)

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The Unwashed Masses

I've been talking about how I divided my Zealots into two types - the Acolytes, the low level members of the Imperial Church, and the members of the Congregation.  The last 3 posts dealt with the Acolytes.  This post will focus on the Congregation.  Largely made up of  raggedy men - unprepared, uninformed, under-equipped fodder - that answered the ecclesiastic call, left jobs, homes, and families to fight and die for the Emperor.

This first group is based mostly off the Empire Flagellants box - its really the go-to box for any robed humans and provides a great base for all kinds of conversions.  

There's also the odd Necromunda  Redemptionist thrown-in.  Either the original gang from 1997 or the early 2000s re-sculpts are another great source of 'priest' figs.  I'll eventually throw in other similar models to bolsters the ranks (e.g. more Redemptionists, Empire Warrior Priests, or even the new plastic Chaos Cultists).

The Congregation are differentiated from Acolytes (in red) by their more drab brown robes.  But I've tried to tie them in by using red as an accent colour, particularly on the chain weapons.  And, of course, the liberal application of purity seals.

I've also tried to make them look a little more haphazard in terms of equipment, adding a few bits of kit (like IG pouches, Kroot shoulder pads, even a Space Marine arm) and a mix of chainswords and glaives.  The guns are mostly from the Empire Outriders and help provide an outdated feel to their equipment.

Here is the entire Congregation with their cult issue brown robes and chainswords, in all their zealotry and righteous fury.

And the full 20 man Zealot squad  - Acolytes and their Congregation

Thats all the troops for now.  Next post we go back to the retinue for one quick addition.

Hope you're enjoying this army.  

Men of Faith - Part 3

This is the last batch of 'acolytes' - the low level members of the Imperial church, that will form the command, special/heavy weapons of my Zealot squads.

The second of my Eviscerater wielding 'heavys'.  This is an old Necromunda Redemptionist fig (with, once again, head swapped with a mounted Chaos Marauder head - they just make great angry priest heads, what can I say).  I also replaced his bare feat with some proper combat boots!

The 'leader' of the squad, until I can attached a proper priest to them, is a converted Inquisitorial Coteaz Acolyte.  I replaced his banner with a Sisters of Battle shrine and his plasma gun with a torch.  He caries with him a number of holy books with which to minister to the faithful.  Again, the purple denotes his seniority.  

The last miniature of the group is the GW Missionary with Plasma Gun.  Minimal conversion here:  Swapped his staff banner (as I had used it elsewhere) and put on a back banner.

And finally a group shot of all nine.

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Men of Faith - Part 2

Carrying on from last post, here are more zealots (aka random priestly models).  

I envisioned massive squads of raggedy imperial citizens, their faith bolstered by the presence of a few "official" members of the church - these acolytes would provide leadership, some military structure, and be responsible for the more powerful special/heavy weapons.

The next acolyte is the old Inquisitor Hierophant model, who works perfectly as a 'heavy' wielding an Eviserator.

This is another of the old GW metal Preachers.  Just a few simple conversions:

  • Mohawk hair was removed
  • Club was replaced with pistol from the Empire Free Company
  • Laspistol was replaced by a custom banner
  • Warhammer was added to his back

Similar to last post, this model is the same as the one above (yet another duplicate):

  • Removed both arms and replaced them with the Empire Solider captain arms and replaced the blade with a chainsword.  This also required a bit of reconstructive putty work on the cowl.
  • Swapped the head for another mounted Chaos Marauder head
  • The purple identifies him as a senior acolyte

Hope you like.

Men of Faith - Part 1

Issue 292 of White Dwarf included new rules to add units of Zealots to your Witch Hunter armies.  A stellar mob of raving adherents to the Imperial Cult, complete with unique weaponry (one use Handflamers and Evisterators) and led by a Demagogue or Priest - fantastic! 

This was the rock upon which my army would be based - Inquisitors and Priests as HQs, Stormtroppes as elites, Zealots as troops with all the Witch Hunter craziness filling in the gaps.  Ok, so never going to be a power army, but great fluff!

When I started modeling this unit I divided it into two types - actually low level functionaries of the church (initiates or acolytes training to one day to become confessors, missionaries or priests) and members of the congregation (imperial citizens who answered the crusade's call).

I'll start with the initiates/acolytes -  they would be made up of all the various priest (or priest-like) models GW had come up with over the years (including some Warrior Priests from the old WHFB range) .

As I mentioned in my last post, the rules for most of the non-Sister units are long gone, but I'll find these guys a home somewhere.

This is the stock Preacher model from Games Workshop.  I think these have some of the best facial expressions of any of the old GW metals.

Notice anything?  Over the years I accumulated quite a few priest models and inevitably some dupes.  This is the same model as above but with a little conversion work:

  • Removed the bell and replaced it with the parchment
  • Swapped the head with one from  the Empire Flagellants range
  • Replaced both hands with pistols from the Empire Outriders

Lastly, this is a converted GW Missionary.  Another duplicate (I used the original as part of another Inquisitor retinue):

  • Replaced both the arms with a blunderbuss from the Empire Free Company
  • Swapped the head with a Mounted Chaos Marauder (a set of truly great heads!)
  • Replaced the backpack with a old, old, old banner from a Necromunda Arch Zealot
  • Added a shoulder pad from Vampire Counts Grave Guard

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Absolution cometh

Here's the next addition to the Witch Hunters.  I felt they needed something a little heavier, so busted out an old Penitent Engine I got at a Games Day (remember those) long, long ago.

It's an excellent model and hard to find a more 40K concept, but there is one little problem with the design.  The flamers on the arms extend out past the spinning saw blades - so unless the raving lunatic piloting it makes some pretty ginger cuts, there are going to be issues.

So the first conversion was to loose the arm flamers and re-position them at the waist.  
The second was to give it a little more dynamic pose by having it climbing up over some rocks.
Finally, I wanted to bulk up the model a little, so my third conversion was to

  • put an oil drum at the back (to feed the flamers),
  • put a suitably religious banner on top (from the old metal Terminator Librarian) and
  • add some shoulder pads (plastic ork bits)

Hope you like and feel free to leave comments in the blog or by email.

Maybe some of you are begining to suspect the Inquisition

Here are the next couple henchmen: 2 bodyguards for a little muscle/protection.

Merzick Cender - Bodyguard

Merzick was a PDF officer who worked his way up to Palace Guard for a royal magistar on Ionis IV. When the lord magistar and his court eventually fell to Slaanesh perversion and was brought low by Inquisitor Kanis, Merzick was the leader of the remaining loyalist guards and executed Magistar Verkix in the final assault on the palace.  Impressed with Merzick's leadership, fighting ability and loyalty to the God Emperor, Kanis recruited him as a bodyguard.

The mini is a stock Warmachine fig: Captain Maxwell Finn, a solo from Cygnar.

Konrad Tharsus - Warrior

Tharsus was born the son of a local noble in lower Thuringia on the Knight world of Thular XII.  Seeing a traveler waylaid by local brigands, Tharus leap to his defense, defeating the axemen and vowing safe travel for what turned out of be Kanis on a covert mission.  Now a bodyguard, he has traveled far beyond his primitive homeworld.  Trained by Merzick in the ways of the wider Imperium, he still prefers to fights with the more familiar, sword and shield.

The fig is an old reaper fighter miniature (long before any of the Bones).  He’s been ‘grim-darked’ by replacing his armored feet with Catachan combat boots, his sword swapped for a Power Sword and a Storm Shield and grenades added.

Inquisitor Sol and his Retinue

Finally, here is a shot of the entire retinue as it stands: Kanis, his bodyguards, chergyons, spymater, mystic and psyker.  I will certainly add more retinue members (and more Inquisitor bands), but for this is it for now. 

The next post will see a little more punch added to the army.  Stay tuned. 

No one expects the Inquisition Pt2

Here are the next 3 members of the warbard.

Galvrauche Adien Duneault - Spymaster

Kanis’ spymaster, Galvrauche is the centre of his “human” intelligence network, recruiting and managing a thousand sources across the sector.

The fig is is the old Highwayman miniature from GW - a "hired gun" from the old Mordheim game.  I always loved the mini so left him stock.

 

Adron Marks - Heretic

A repentant slave to dark gods, Adron grew-up as one of the countless street urchins in Gandin 4's hives.  His psychic potential went undetected - not surprisingly as, while not a null, he has the ability to absorb psychic energy rather than project it.  He eventually found a home in an underhive cult, who use his abilities to avoid detection and as protection during their dark rituals.  When the cult was eventually discovered and destroyed by Kanis, he recognized Adron’s potential.  Allowed to live,  Adron was branded a heretic and lives out his days in a null hood, in hopes that his service will in some small way offset his crimes against the Emperor.

He is built from a plastic Empire Flagellant with a goodly amount of bits.  I use to eschew decals for hand painted banners, but time constraints (and lack of freehand talent) eventually changed my mind - plus with Photoshop and printed decals, there is a world of possibilities.

 

Sara Bryante - Penitent

The Sabat War came to Ulgar 12 when Sara was 19.  The PDF was quickly overwhelmed by the disciplined warriors of the Blood Pact, their Chaos sorcerers using the savage bloodletting to rip open a tear into the immaterial allowing the Khornate powers to spill forth.  Town after town quickly fell in the backwater world - except one.  A beacon of light turned back the Blood Pact, banished their deamonic forces back and gave the high command a powerful weapon.  The Lord Militant quickly declared Sara a living saint and with her at the forefront of the remaining forces,  held off the invaders until reinforcements could arrive.  It was only then, under Ecclesiastical scrutiny that the truth was revealed.  She was one of the many well meaning, but misguided, psykers who believe their powers are a manifestation of the Emperor's divinity - but in Sara's case, merely the work of a Tzeentch deamon looking to weaken an Khorne adversary.  Kanis convinced the Ecclesiasticy to spare her to his custody - Sara accepts her fate as a witch touched by Chaos, but strives to unburden her soul by using the power of the Lord of Change, still within her body, to banish as many demonic entities as she can.

She is the stock OOP Tsilla, from the first edition of Helldorado.  

No one expects the Inquisition...

Over the next few posts I'll be covering the HQ for my Witch Hunters - an Inquisitor and his retinue. Unfortunately no WIPs of these guys.

The truth is, while I rarely get a chance play miniature games (because life), I rarely paint figs just for the sake of painting them.  I almost always paint to add to my various armies.  Of course, that hasn't stop me from buying a vast number of very cool, but very random one off figs from wide range of manufactures. A big draw of the Inquisitorial warband, beyond the cool fluff, was the opportunity to use (and therefore paint) all of these orphan figs for 40K.

I decided that I'd paint each fig individually, picking the colour palette if that I felt worked best for that fig, without too much concern for the overall aesthetic of the warband.  While I knew this might lead to a more disjoint appearance on the table, I'd get more satisfaction out of painting (and frankly I figured I'd paint more figures that I'd ever field).

Inquisitor Kanis Sol

Born on the harsh winter planet on Fenris, Kanis shares the same icy demeanor and rugged pragmatism of his countrymen.  A member of the Ordo Herticus, Kanis casts his attention to the edges of the Imperium - those far flung realms where the Emperor’s light is perhaps more dimly felt.  He is a firm believer that if these regions are not monitored, the Administratum may come to find the Imperium is much smaller they once thought.

The fig is the stock special edition Inquisitor mini from Games Workshop .  I did up a slightly scenic base to reinforce his 'rural' nature.

Two Chiurgeons: Dr. Mannheim Gaust and his assistant Verlin

Gaust and Verlin serve as both the retinue's medical staff and information extractors - for in the Imperium there is no Hippocratic Oath and the role of healer and torturer often overlap.

These are 2 of the old metal Malifaux figs, McMourning and Sebastian, from Wyrd Miniatures.  

I enjoy the themes and, well, weirdness of Wyrd Miniatures and their quasi Gothic nature can fit well into the 40K universe.  I do feel they can veer into the cartoon/caricature realm, so I've only picked up a few minis so far (though, to be fair, many of the new plastics are far better at avoiding this).

For the Emperor!

Last post I showed you the Inquisitorial Chimeras - this time its their owners:  2 squads of Inquisitorial Stormtroopers.

These guys were painted prior to the new Scions minis (which are fantastic!) and even before the Cadian Kardashians...er... Kasrkins.  So, you know, old school.

Painted them in the traditional Inquisitorial colours but opted to make the masks and cloth a cream colour to give them a slightly different look than the more typical red and black.

They were also built back when the codex had Stormtroopers.  Much of this army is now in limbo, rules wise.  With the old Witch Hunter codex being replaced by the digital Adeptus Sororitas dex, many of the non-Sisters units have faded away (which, unfortunately, is largely what this army consists of).  Perhaps they will be reconstituted as Inquisitor henchmen, or as part of an IG army or perhaps maybe even a new Sisters dex (however unlikely).

The minis are mostly stock - its always a little harder to converted old single-piece metals, but did give the Sergeants new heads, banners and weapons.  

The banners were my first attempt as designing something in Photoshop, printing to a clear decal sheet and putting on a hand-made banner (this was also back before GW was making sculpted, plastic army banners).  Not 100% successful so always had it in mind to redo them at some point.

I also wanted everyone to have gas masks, so sculpted masks onto any of the open faced men.



Here come the minis!

While some of these posts will cover whatever I'm currently working on, they'll also server to show off some of my existing armies, in the form of a project log.

First up are Witch Hunters/Sisters of Battle.  I started this army at the time the first Inquisition codex came out and has been the slowest of slow burn projects.  I was originally going to do Deamonhunters but a friend of mine jumped on the Grey Knights (of which, many years later, he has a very nice 4000pt force).  I really had no interest in either Grey Knights or Sisters, I just wanted to do Inquisitors, so I switched.  It seemed like a fantastic opportunity to

  1. bring in some of the more esoteric concepts around 40K into the game - all those fluff elements that really sell the 40K background
  2. use (and therefore to buy) a wide range of minis from various manufactures as count-as 'agents of the Imperium'

To start the army I painted up an Inquisitor, a small warband (which I'll feature later), two units of Inquisitorial Stormtroopers (back when they were a thing) and a couple of Chimera's for their ride.  Here are a couple of WIP shots of those Chimeras:

I had three concepts when I started

  1. I wanted them to have more bling that a traditional Guard Chimera (this was the Inquisition after all).  I did a little green stuff casting of some Forgeworld bits using Super Sculpty - a stick and bake putty.  Not a super sophisticated technique but with a little practice can yield some decent results.  Over the years I've amassed quite a few of these molds
  2. I needed to get rid of the side lasguns (which always struck me as the most ridiculous part of an otherwise very nice kit).  I removed the guns, puttied over the lasgun hatches and replaced them with a few cast eagles
  3. I wanted a more substantial turret (the original seems a little weedy).  I subbed in a Space Marine Predator turret, modifying its autocannon option to be the Chimera's multi-laser.  This just makes it feel a little more 'tank like'

The turret is fully magnetized (you’ll find out how much I love magnets!), so you can remove the turret, the gun, the hatch, the power pack (and there's a hard point next to the hatch to add a hunter-killer, spotlight, radar, etc).

In terms of colour I went for the classic Inquisitor colour scheme of red and black.  Its a dramatic combination and ties in very well with my Flesh Tearers Space Marine army.

THE FINISHED PAIR

DETAIL OF TURRET and FRONT

'360 VIEWS' OF BOTH TANKS

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave a comment or contact me at mechanicusrexminiatures@gmail.com.