SHOWCASE: Imperial Fists legion leviathan dreadnought

Horus Heresy: Imperial Fists legion leviathan dreadnought

As you can see from the picture above, I've finally finished my leviathan dreadnought. After a long time spent painting infantry-sized models, it's been a treat to paint something a little larger and use some slightly different painting techniques. This model is now ready to take pride of place among my Horus Heresy era Imperial Fists and I'm sure they'll be glad to have him on their side. Given how big he is, I wouldn't fancy their chances if he wasn't...

WIP: Imperial Fists Legion Leviathan #2

So far, so big...

A little over a month ago, I posted a picture of my leviathan dreadnought, just after I'd assembled it. At the time, I was working on other projects and still had a fair bit to do. Since then, however, I've been able to spend a little time on him. After priming him black, I airbrushed the metals and gave him a wash of Nuln Oil before dry-brushing on some Necron Compound as an early highlight. I then picked out the yellow panels with Averland Sunset and glazed them with Agrax Earthshade and gave the whole lot another glaze of Lamenters Yellow. I used Dorn Yellow as an edge highlight. There's still more to do, especially on the siege drill arm, and the power plant on his back. After that, I get to start picking out the details. I'm still working on several other projects, but I expect to see him finished in the not too distant future. I can't wait to see him with the rest of the army.

WIP: Imperial Fists Legion Leviathan #1

My assembled leviathan dreadnought

I haven't posted for a couple of weeks. A combination of real life, weather so hot it made sitting in the study uncomfortable and a worse-than-usual dose of hay fever has contrived to keep my painting to a minimum. My efforts, when I've made them, have been on a competition entry that is taking ages, but that I haven't put on the blog yet (anybody who follows me on Instagram can probably guess what that is—I'm saving it for a showcase post here when it's finally finished). I can, however, give you a sneak peak of (one of) my next project(s) when that is done: a leviathan dreadnought for my Imperial Fists.

WIP: Imperial Fists Phalanx Warder squad (#1)

Horus Heresy: Imperial Fists Phalanx Warder

This week I'd like to introduce you to this guy. He's a test piece for what (hopefully) will one day be a squad of Phalanx Warders for my Horus Heresy era Imperial Fists army. Frequent readers will know not to get excited at this point. Like most of the models I paint for a new squad, this guy will have plenty of alone time to contemplate things before he has any company. I am, however, reasonably pleased with him, and will endeavour to curb his loneliness—at least in lots of small, well-spaced stages—in the coming months/years/decades.

WIP: Imperial Fists Mk.VI tactical squad (update #1)

Imperial Fists Mk.VI tactical squad (first half)

I've done a fair few 'quick updates' lately. Given that most of them involve finished models, I'm taking this as a good sign. Today, I'm pleased to say, is no different. When I last posted about this squad, I only had two models finished for it. Well, now it has five. That puts it at half strength. I still have five more to do, and will return to it just as soon as I have the patience to clean up and assemble that much resin in one go. In the meantime, I have some orruks that need some attention. More next week...

WIP: Imperial Fists Mk.III tactical squad

Imperial Fists Mk.III tactical marine

Just a quick post today to show off another finished tactical marine. This model is for a different tactical squad: my first Mk.III squad. I last did something with this squad last year, so it's been a long time coming. This model is brings the squad up to half strength (five models) and features the squads Legion Vexilla banner. It also marks the completion of the first set of 'old armour variants' that I ever bought, a year or so before Forge World launched the Horus Heresy range proper. One day I might even finish the squad!

WIP: Imperial Fists Mk.VI tactical squad

Horus Heresy: tactical marines in MK.VI armour

Lately I've been prompted to look again at the Imperial Fists in my modest but largely unpainted Horus Heresy era collection. Perhaps spurred on by the standard bearer I finished in February, and by the Alpha Legion that are forming a rival faction on the same shelf, I've looked again at the unpainted models I have to hand and decided to spend a little time on them. First among them are these offerings for a tactical squad in Mk.VI armour.

SHOWCASE: Imperial Fists legion standard bearer

Horus Heresy: Imperial Fists legion standard bearer

It's been a while since I first started this. For the longest part of that, he'd stood on my desk minus a head and with a blank banner. That was until Forge World released their Imperial Fists transfer sheets and, with it, the banner decal that I'd been waiting so long for. Admittedly, it still took me a while to finish him, but here he is now. This model is a war-torn veteran, his armour damaged by countless attempts on his life, yet still he holds his legion's banner aloft. After the one for my Alpha Legion, this is the second standard bearer I finished last month. It marks a welcome return to my long-neglected Imperial Fists and I'm quite pleased with how he turned out.

WIP: Imperial Fists command (standard bearer)

Standard bearer (early stages)

Right, back on to the main projects... This is likely to be a slow week. I had a busy weekend and didn't get a lot done on the hobby side, so there's a good chance I'll run out of updates before the week is out. We'll see what time, if any, I get during the evenings. The standard bearer above represents one of the projects I'm working on piecemeal around my Blood Angels. I don't have many of my Imperial Fists prepped and ready to paint at the moment. That'll need some more work. Among the few models I do, however, is this one.

SHOWCASE: Imperial Fists apothecary (Heresy-era)

Horus Heresy: Imperial Fists apothecary

Just a quick post to start the week. As previously mentioned, my updates are likely to slow down a little now I'm settling into the year. Since I do most of my painting over the course of an afternoon or two at the weekends, there's only so much I'll have to write about from one week to the next. At the moment I'm still working on my Imperial Fists along with my other projects. This model is an apothecary: a field medic whose job it is to treat the wounded and, in the worst cases, see that the injured find peace and the dead are suitably harvested.

WIP: Imperial Fists tactical squad (Heresy era)

Horus Heresy: Imperial Fists space marines in MkIII 'Iron' armour

Reviewing my finished models for January didn't take long. I finished one. One solitary Blood Angel. I did a fair amount of painting, especially early in the month while I was still on holiday from work, but most of it tended to be either little bits on a variety of projects or quite a lot focused on my (still unfinished) Imperial Knight. Well, it's February now, so it's time to make a dent on the targets I set at the start of the year. Let's start with some Imperial Fists.

SHOWCASE: Imperial Fists contemptor dreadnought

Horus Heresy: Imperial Fists contemptor dreadnought

This is a contemptor dreadnought from Games Workshop's Forge World offshoot. It's one of the first models completed for the 'Horus Heresy' era Imperial Fists army I'll be working on as one of my major projects this year. If all goes to plan, you can expect to see lots of men in yellow armour in the coming months. Consider this a taster.