Throwback Thursday: WHFB 1st Edition Tribute

"Throwback Thursday" seems to be a thing now, where people will post photos from days gone by. I was looking through some photo folders from last year and found some pics of a figure I'd painted as a bit of a one-off special project, so I thought I'd post it. While the project itself isn't exactly a "throwback", I think you'll agree that the subject matter definitely fits that description...

This is "Uthmog Elvenblade" - Chaos Champion, part of the Citadel "Champions of Chaos" boxed set (second version) from 1982. Obviously inspired by (or perhaps the inspiration for, it's not clear) the iconic Warhammer Fantasy Battle box art by John Blanche. As I'm a fan of old Citadel stuff I thought it would be fun to add him to my collection, so a casting was duly procured from German eBay. I got the figure for about 6 euros if I recall correctly; not a screaming bargain but much less than some sellers were asking. Old Citadel sellers sometimes seem to think they've discovered the Philosopher's Stone - transmuting lead into gold...!

To add a bit of interest to old Uthmog, I converted a plastic skeleton to be his victim. Merely a matter of a bit of cutting and greenstuff work, not a massive project. I think the addition of the skeleton really puts him into context.

Uthmog himself was painted as faithfully to the box art as I could. He's a great little sculpt, but seriously undersized as compared to the slotta-based era metal Chaos warriors that came later - never mind the plastic giants of the current edition. He's "true 25mm" for sure.

This was a fun mini-project but the only question I have after painting the model is, "why is he called Elvenblade when he wields a war-hammer?"

Anyway, happy Thursday!

The Unthinkable, Part 3

Over the weekend, I painted the Marines from the blister pack I picked up the previous weekend. These are two really nice models to paint, although I couldn't quite figure out what was going on with the Librarian's hair (psychic hood?). I like how the standard bearer turned out too, still have to enlist Conscript Brian to make a banner for me. I even saw him on the weekend but forgot to ask!

I painted the Librarian in the Sigmar VI Insurgency Force camo that the rest of the army sports. The blue shoulder pad is a nod to later interpretations of the Codex Astartes - but I can confirm that in the Rogue Trader days at least, Librarians wore the same colour armour as their illiterate battle-brethren. I think the sword looks better with the gaps on the back edge filled in.

Painting eyes now - when will the madness end? I think these two are the only Marines in the army with purity seals modelled on, as well. Makes sense as they are "late-RT" or early second-edition models. Fortunately the power armour and boltgun on the standard bearer are the RT-pattern so he fits in nicely with the rest.

So that's these two done - I'll post more pics when the standard is fitted. In other RT news, further to the Poll on the main page, I've ordered Dreadnoughts (yes that's plural...)  :-) 

The Unthinkable, part 2

 

That's right, not only have I desecrated a twenty-year-old Warhammer 40K blister pack, I've converted one of the figures!!! I really didn't need another captain, but my Howling Griffons do need a bearer for the battle Company Standard, so I cut off the power sword and added a banner staff. I think I'll enlist Conscript Brian (in his guise as proprietor of Vaubanner Graphics) to create a suitable standard.

I had to do some greenstuff work on the Librarian too, as his sword was miscast. I guess there's no complaining to GW for quality control issues on models this old, is there?

Oh, and are Space Marine Librarians always supposed to have blue power armour? I'm about to hit the books to research this... nothing in Chapter Approved: The Book of the Astronomican, but I'll also check the 40K Compendium and Compilation. Oh, and the Internet too, if it comes to that ;-) 

Oh No You Didn't

"Hand crafted in pewter" - that's the stuff!!

Took a day trip down to the States today (as you do on a long weekend) to pick up some motorcycle parts from the parcel place, and decided to poke around a bit to see what's what.

Visited the local independent Games Workshop stockist and the friendly chap asked me if I was looking for anything in particular. Why yes, I said, do you have any old or used 40K stuff? Like from the Rogue Trader era of the late '80s?

Friendly chap replied that indeed, he had a bin full of old blister packs, and would I care to take a look? Indeed!! So he brought out a large bin chock-full of OOP 40K goodness... Plaguebearers, Black Shadow Bike, Terminators, Chaos Renegades till Hell wouldn't have them all... unfortunately nothing was priced and he couldn't tell me what he wanted for 'em. Wanted to check eBay... bleurgh. So I picked my favourite pack and made him an offer he couldn't refuse.

Now the Howling Griffons have a Librarian, and I'm intending to convert the Captain into a standard bearer for them too. The pack was opened shortly after the picture was taken... I've now officially joined Conscript Greg as a MIP desecrator ;-)  But figures are made to be painted, right?