40K Lamenters: Ballistus Dreadnought

 + Even in death, I still serve. +

Some grievously wounded Marines are placed into elaborate life support sarcophagi, which are interred in ancient and rare Dreadnought war machines. Denied death, they are awoken at dire need every few decades to fight on. They also serve as venerable elders, holding the stories of warriors from generations past.

The Ballistus Dreadnought fills a fire support role with lascannons, a missile launcher, and twin stormbolters.

I wasn't initially sold on this model, with its unusual proportions compared to the classic, weighty, smaller boxnaughts. It quickly grew on me, however.

It towers over mere mortals.

The sarcophagus, forever hidden behind the front armour.

I quite enjoyed painting this, despite my usual struggles with painting vehicles. There's a lot of armour plating to leave blank or fill with heraldry and other markings. I used decals from a variety of sources. I tried to keep to the yellow/ black/ white/ red of my Lamenters, and restrained myself from excessive weathering.

Skull-o-meter™: 9

+

I do not want this.

I have served with loyalty and honour...

Throw... my ashes into the void.

Do... not... entomb...me...

+

Final words of the war-sage Malcharion

Aaron Dembski-Bowden Soul Hunter (2010)*

* I know, I know

40K Red Corsairs Legionaries Kill Team

These Chaos Space Marines are Red Corsairs. The Red Corsairs are composed of smaller roving warbands of renegades and the lost and the damned, who come under the ultimate control of warlord Huron Blackheart. They all hate each other and plot their own backstabbing ascendancy- a fun change from the pious do-gooders of the loyalist Space Marines.

Red Corsairs Kill Team

I couldn't help myself; if anyone gets extra resin skullz on their bases it is these guys.

The Chosen has a trophy spike with an unlucky Lamenter on it.

Chosen with plasma pistol and daemonblade

For their plasma weapons, I tried a red-hot effect which looks OK in pictures.

Gunner with plasmagun

Butcher

I spent a lot of time on the rune transfers on the Balefire Acolyte's back-tome. I'm really happy with how they turned out. I had considered a mystic green flame, but went for a more conservative flame that matches the overall warm tones of this team. I really like his head- there are some pretty characterful sculpts in this team.

Balefire Acolyte

Shrivetalon

I love the aesthetic of the belt-fed bolters.

Warrior

Icon bearer

Gunner with meltagun

The Anointed is touched by the warp and is becoming bestial and daemonform.

Anointed

Heavy Gunner with heavy bolter.

Skull-o-meter™: 52

40K Kill Team: The Blooded

The Blooded are a Kill Team of elite traitor guardsmen. They were a factor in deciding to repaint my 'Pinkstone Fortress' forces, as I can use some of my existing troops to round out and fill some roles. I lightly kitbashed some of these.

The Blooded Kill Team

Enforcer

His bodyguard ogryn

Chieftain with bolt pistol and chainsword

Chieftain with plasma pistol and improvised blade

Traitor gunners.

Traitor gunner with plasma gun.

Traitor gunner with flamer

Traitor gunner with grenade launcher.

Traitor gunner with meltagun.

Trench Sweeper

Thug

Butcher. This sculpt has a lot of menace.

Flenser. He will kill, skin and eat you- if you're lucky, in that order.

Corpseman.

Commsman.

Marksman.

Detail on camo cape

Brimstone grenadier

Traitor guard with lasguns

Gladiators

I recently picked up Spartacus, the 2021 boardgame about running a stable of gladiators. I've looked at Jugula before, and now I've heard Blood on the Sands is launching a Kickstarter imminently.

Here are my figures for Spartacus- they're non-heroically-proportioned 28mm plastic.

Here are 20mm Italeri soft plastics I painted up at the start of this year:

Most of these were painted with Speedpaints/ Contrast.