40K Lamenters: Lieutenant and Apothecary Biologis

I've been enjoying painting my Lamenters recently, and have a pair of characters.

First is the 'Lone Operative Lieutenant' with a combi-flamer. This chap was one of the unique figures released for the 2023 10th 'Leviathan' edition of 40K. I did a light kitbash, changing the base, head, and adding a pointing hand to replace the second knife he was waving around (I wanted to add a pistol but didn't have a left handed one available). He's wearing the lighter Phobos armour. He is supposed to be a behind-the-lines lone operative, surviving with a scavenged Tyranid carapace strapped to his arm and a souvenir claw on his belt.

Lone operative lieutenant

Combi-flamer

Improvised armour. I think I could improve on the gore.

Second is a Apothecary Biologis. He's not a healer- he uses his anatomical and scientific know-how to inflict more efficient injuries on the enemy. Some call him a 'harmacist', or a PhD rather than an MD. He wears the heavy Gravis armour to wade into combat and collect samples. I was going to do a silver chest emblem, but the pale grey looked great so I left it. I tried to get a sloshy liquid effect in his sample canister.

Apothecary Biologis

Of course, the Lamenters don't have apothecaries. Being descended from Blood Angels with their Sanguinary Priests, the Lamenters have Calix Priests. I'm not entirely sure how the Biologis fits into this organisation, but I will find a way.

Skull-o-meter™: 11

Space Hulk: reflections

I recently finished all the 'campaign' from Space Hulk (2014), including the 'Disable the shields' game from White Dwarf #33 (Sep 2014). The photos of this scenario are below. I've dragged this out over several years against the same opponent, knocking off a few games each year. I'm very glad to have completed all these games, which I have never done despite owning Space Hulk (1989) since the 90s.

The boarding torpedo screams across the void.

The Terminators break into the hulk.

Contact! A long corridor provides no cover.

The squad advances with mutual cover...

Jammed! A genestealer rips the heavy flamer marine apart.

As the plan falls apart, the far marine makes a slow break for the objective.

The genestealers swarm!

Jammed! The sergeant goes down.

The terminator sacrifices himself to buy time.

The sole survivor lumbers toward the objective.

He holds off the xenos long enough to disable the shields.
Victory! But at what cost?

I have long appreciated the elegant simplicity of SH: the tension of blips moving on the board, and everything swinging on single die rolls. 6s to hit in shooting with minimal modifiers; simple action points, line of sight, and square grid-based movement. There have been some changes from the 1989 original but the core experience is the same*. While the Terminator player gets D6 'Command Points' to spend every turn to give them a little action flexibility, the only surprises the Genestealer player has are how many xenos each blip represents. This does sadly lead to some predictable situations where you know exactly that you are unreachable this turn.

I can't help but try to improve this venerable classic- give the 'Stealer some random cards which maybe they pay for in blips, that they could use to move extra squares or appear in unexpected places.

I put quotation marks around 'campaign' because the games are not linked in any meaningful way. Win or lose has no effect on upcoming missions, and your deaths are miraculously healed. This is another area that could be improved.

I'm tempted to dig up the Deathwing (1990) expansion which, IIRC, had a mini solo campaign.

Is it time for a refresh of this venerable game, or should it be left at peace? Can you recommend a similar game?

* I cannot recommend the Genestealer expansion (1990), the psychic and shooting rules are clunky.

40K Red Corsairs: Greater Possessed

The Greater Possessed are Chaos Space Marines who have made a pact with a daemon to possess them, in exchange for unholy power. That will certainly not backfire in any way. They are unnaturally large and daemonically mutated, their armour and backpacks fusing with their flesh and sprouting ectopic teeth, eyes and horns.

These were a fantastic pain to paint, with little details everywhere. It was difficult to parse what is bone, horn, teeth, flesh, etc. They look just right now they're done. They're big chaps, on 40mm bases.

The Master of Possession is a shamanistic sorcerer who helps facilitate these unholy bondings.

He's supposed to be floating but looks like he's skipping along. I thought about doing some green flames, but stuck with what I knew. I did try to make his leather coat look textured and interesting.

I got these a few years ago for Blackstone Fortress, and they languished in the 'too intimidating to paint' pile until now. 

Skull-o-meter™: 18

40K Lamenters: Intercessors

I finished off those assault marines from last time, as well as another five basic marines. They were so quick to paint compared to their Sternguard Veteran brethren from last month.

Assault Intercessors with heavy bolt pistols and chainswords.

Assault Intercessor Sergeant with plasma pistol.
 I used a transfer on his tilting plate- it looks a little flat.

His helmet is on his belt, and his bionic arm suggests an earlier plasma mishap.

Intercessors with bolt rifles.

Underslung grenade launcher.

Bolt rifle.

Auto bolt rifle.

Bolt rifle.

Auto bolt rifle.

I miss the days of the tactical squad with a heavy weapon and a special weapon. And the backbanner.

Skull-o-meter™: 21

How I paint Lamenter icons

 The Lamenters have a famously challenging chapter badge. Here's why I find it challenging:

• straight, parallel lines
• right angles
• symmetry
• perfect circle
• perfect squares
• painted on a curved surface

Each of these is its own challenge, and your brain will subconsciously identify irregularities and imperfections quite easily.

From @brushandboltgun

There are alternatives to freehand painting- transfers and 3D prints exist, but are not usable for every model. So here's how I approach mine. I use a #1 brush for every part of this process.

Key points:

• Perfection is the enemy of good enough
• Thin paints, careful strokes
• The en masse effect of several models will override any individual flaws.

I do this somewhere in the middle of the painting process- after the yellow but before the final details. I start with two thin coats of white.

I then use a pencil to plan the checks. I've tried a few different approaches- this is my current preferred approach. I've demonstrated this with a diagram, the actual pictures follow.

Here's how it actually looks at this stage:

Now you've pencilled in the pattern, carefully fill it with black. I use Army Painter SpeedPaint 2.0 Grim Black. Work hard at getting right angles and parallel lines.

Here's an actual model:

You'll tidy this up later. Now it's time for the heart. This is challenging due to the symmetry and the need to replicate a familar symbol dozens of times. I use Army Painter SpeedPaint 2.0 Slaughter Red, then Vallejo Vermilion.

Here are actual process pictures of the heart stage.

After this, I tidy up with white and black to get rid of irregularities and pencil lines. Done! I usually do about five of these at a time. The group effect at arm's length is quite satisfying and buries a lot of little flaws.

Practice makes perfect!

Next time: can I get these finished?