Painting Challenge Theme Entry - "Armour"

Urban re-development vehicle from the XII Legion

A feature of Curt's Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge is a series of theme entries.  Every two weeks or so the Challengers are encouraged to make a submission tied to a given theme, and you can score some extra bonus points (and even some hobby schwag from the sponsors).  The themes can be interpreted quite liberally (the "spider precedent" lives on in the minds of many Challenge veterans :) but that is very helpful when you are looking to make a theme entry line up with a project you are trying to focus on.

Some WIP photos...so...much...white

The nearly-finished stage...

My focus so far in the Painting Challenge has been 30k, and the first theme, "Armour" did not require any generous interpretations on my part to stick with this focus.  The 30k setting is full of tanks, so I painted up a tank.

My starting-to-sprawl 30k collection features troops from four different legions at this point, but since I started into this several years ago, the Sons of Horus have somehow been the only ones to get any vehicles :) So even though I have about 50 World Eaters, they have to make every effort on the table so far without any armoured assistance. I doubt the chaps in the XVI Legion really care about that, but I felt it was time to give the World Eaters some armoured assistance...

Love the bonkers shovel blade on the front of the tank

What better vehicle for the hard fighting bunch in the XII Legion than a Vindicator? Heavily armoured, armed and equipped to support fighting amid fortifications and built-up areas with a brutally massive and short-ranged cannon? Angron is more about axes-to-the-face than tanks, but I expect this tank would find favour with him. 

Decals from Forge World's sheet were very useful

The tank commander is popped out for a look-see...probably enjoys seeing the effects of the direct hits from that cannon fist-hand...

While Forge World does a very nice "30k version" of this tank, I opted for the standard plastic "40k version" as I quite like the look of the model - particularly the huge shovel on the front, which adds a combat engineering aspect to the vehicle. Besides, while the 30k vehicles are very, very nice, there is no prohibition on models for the 30k setting.  This vehicle was relatively straightforward to put together - I only had to shave a few of the stupid skulls off where I could, and it was ready. Toss on the decals, a lot of weathering to reflect hard use in some challenging combat conditions, and this thing is good to go!

Horus for hope!

Be sure to check out the Painting Challenge site, as new submissions appear all the time, from some incredible painters around the world, but several from Winnipeg.  Byron has some awesome stuff in particular (apparently he LOVES horses), so be sure to check it out! And be sure to visit the theme entry page, and vote your favourites!