Games We Play

Thursday, 24 May 2018

Paint It Black

Between the Crypt Angles and Abbadon's lads, it's a wonder that GW have any stocks of Chaos Black left...

Black Legion Chaos Space Marines for Warhammer 40,000

This time, we're packing chainswords!

There's a story behind this unit: I picked up a few Rhinos on eBay (my avoidance for assembling 40k vehicles knows no bounds) and, as an unexpected sweetener, they arrived with a squad of combat marines, all painted to a tabletop standard.

25mm bases? Pure heresy.

What I time-saver! So did I re-base them, touch up the paint and thank the Eye of Terror for such a quick turnaround? Did I heck.

The gold was not *quite* my gold. The flesh was not *quite* my flesh. And the Black Legion are all about integrating other heretics into their forces. so with apologies to their original painter, I had no recourse but to respray the whole lot and start all over again.

Black Legion Chaos Space Marines for Warhammer 40,000

I mean, they're completely different!

Black Legion Chaos Space Marines for Warhammer 40,000

These guys were tooled up for close combat. I'm not sure this is the optimum load-out for them, especially when Khorne Berserkers are such an murdersome alternative. But they'll have fun against Imperium armies, and when have I ever built armies to be competitive?

Black Legion Chaos Space Marines for Warhammer 40,000

Same paint scheme as their boltgun-armed brethren. Quick and easy:

  • Gold armour: Retributor Armour base, Agrax Earthshade wash
  • Black armour: Chaos Black base, Mechanicus Standard Grey layer,
  • Pipes, straps & gun barrels: Ironbreaker base, Nuln Oil wash
  • Bullets: Runelord Brass + Xv88 base, Agrax Earthshade wash
  • Eyes: Mephiston Red base, Carroburg Crimson wash
  • Skin: Rakarth Flesh base, Reikland Flesh wash, Pallid Wych Flesh layer
  • Topknot: Khone Red base, Nuln Oil wash, Evil Sunz Scarlett layer
  • Horns and Skulls: Talarn Sand base, Ushabti Bone layer.
  • Power Sword: Celestra Grey base, Nihilakh Oxide wash, White Scar drybrush
  • And to age it all up, everything got a very light drybrush with Terminatus Stone


Black Legion Chaos Space Marines for Warhammer 40,000

There is a rumour on the grapvine (isn't there always) of a Primaris/Truescale version of these Chaos Marines in the pipeline. Certainly, this crew do seem a wee bit smaller than their more modern Thousand Sons brethren.

I'm not too bothered. They're classic models and were good fun to paint (also, as they come from a simpler time, a lot faster to finish!)

Black Legion Chaos Space Marines for Warhammer 40,000

Part of my integration process involved hacking away their 25mm bases and replacing them with 32mms. Much improved, even on their diminutive scale.

Black Legion Chaos Space Marines for Warhammer 40,000

Unlike my last squad, this one actually gets a leader! A nice glowing Power Sword (I prefer a big punchy fist myself, but at least swords look more authoritative).

Black Legion Chaos Space Marines for Warhammer 40,000

This squad was also keen on melta weapons, since both the special load-outs get them. Not a bad choice for a unit that has to get up-close and personal (and has a Rhino to scoot them up the table too). Though they don't prove that handy when your unit has just been jumped by a pack of Tzaangors.

Black Legion Chaos Space Marines for Warhammer 40,000

This melta operative clearly has eyes on command, what with this backpack accessories and loincloth of authority. If I were the Aspiring Champion, I wouldn't turn my back on this one.

Black Legion Chaos Space Marines for Warhammer 40,000

Finally, the icon. Appropriately for a melee unit, it's Khorne's Icon of Wrath. I washed the gold with Reikland Fleshshade to make it ruddier than the other gold trim. Then slathered it with Blood for the Blood God, which is really all you need for ruddiness.

Black Legion Chaos Space Marines for Warhammer 40,000

So that's all my Battalion tax paid. When I build the next phase of this army, we're looking at some more specialised units!

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