Thursday, 2 January 2020

New Year, Old Dogs

It was a sprint to the finish line before the chimes of the new year, but I got the Wolves finished!

Luckily I had this guy for company.

This is the last of my Primaris army, coming from a few issues of Warhammer Conquest that just included the basic infantry. So there's nothing revolutionary in here (although I'm trying not to get lured by the new Phobos vehicles), just filling out the roster a bit more.

Space Wolves Primaris Hellblaster

To begin with Hellblasters - with the sprues I had acquired, I only had two Hellblasters, but too many Intercessors. Luckily, I had some spare plasma incinerators from my multi-part kit and since they're all wearing Mk X 'Tacticus' Armour, it was easy to sub a couple of them in.

Space Wolves Primaris Hellblaster

I did learn that the helmets between Hellblasters and Intercessors are subtly different. But who cares? This is Space Wolves - you're lucky that they're wearing helmets in the first place,

Space Wolves Primaris Hellblaster

This was the first weapon swap - a Hellblaster who's clearly concerned about aerial attack.

Space Wolves Primaris Hellblaster

And since Auspex Scan is a pretty good stratagem to use on, it seem fitting to give this guy a doohicky.

Space Wolves Primaris Hellblaster Pack Leader

And finally the Pack Leader, who is on a call with high command and discovering that his buzz-cut was not required hairstyle for the Vlka, and he could have grown sideburns like his brethren.

Space Wolves Primaris Hellblasters

It also means I now have fifteen Hellblasters, which ought to be bad news for when I'm feeling dirty enough to field all of them.

Space Wolves Primaris Intercessor

The other squad was just standard Intercessors, but I only have one squad with the standard bolt rifles (and Mrs Stylus painted them), and they're great fun to pain.

Space Wolves Primaris Intercessor

These would be useful to get a squad up to full strength, or give me more options - Intercessors are so useful, they're not really a tax to bring along.

Space Wolves Primaris Intercessor

Same scheme as always (and since they don't make The Fang primer spray any more, that helps me bring this army to a conclusion):

  • Armour: The Fang base, Agrax Earthshade wash, Russ Grey drybrush, Fenrisian Grey drybrush
  • Yellow pauldron: Averland Sunset base, Cassandora Yellow wash, Yriel Yellow drybrush
  • Red pauldron: Mephiston Red base, Agrax Earthshade wash, Evil Sunz Scarlet drybrush
  • Imperial Aquila: Retributor Armour base, Reikland Flashshade wash, Golden Griffon drybrush
  • Belt buckle, helmet coils and gun parts: Ironbreaker base, Nuln Oil wash
  • Gun frame: Chaos Black
  • Plasma glow: Ulthuan Grey base, Guilliman Blue wash, Ulthuan Grey highlights
  • Eye Lens: Evil Sunz Scarlet
  • Belts and holsters: XV-88 base, Agrax Earthshade wash
  • Talismans and bolter shells: Hashut Copper, Agrax Earthshade wash
  • Pouches: Dryad Bark
  • Base: Vajello Earth Texture, Agrax Earthshade wash, Mounfang Brown lip


Space Wolves Primaris Intercessor

There's no option for an auxiliary grenade launcher on the Dark Imperium sprue, so I quickly knocked one out with an Astra Militarum grenade launcher barrel and some extra Reiver grenades.

Space Wolves Primaris Intercessor Pack Leader

And finally, since I'd already used the fifth member of the squad in the Hellblasters, the Pack Leader got to be something special. He's one of the two Lieutenants from Dark Imperium (although not the one with the power sword, despite how he's armed).

I swapped the master-crafted bolt rifle for a power sword, and gave him a spare bolt rifle from the multi-part Intercessors. And - for my favourite part - added a head from the Puppetswar Norsemen set. I began painting his beard very red (Evil Sunz Scarlett), but with highlights of Jokaero Orange, it came out as the vibrant ginger I was after.

Space Wolves Primaris Intercessors

Power fists are still my preferred weapon for Intercessor sergeants, but I couldn't have space vikings without some axes and swords, so he'll just have to work harder (because I like the unit so much, it's going to be first on the list every time).

A few characters and we're on the home stretch!

Space Wolves Primaris Battle Leader

This was the other Lieutenant from the Dark Imperium set. He's posed more dramatically, which is why he got to keep his Battle Leader rank, and swapped out his power sword for a bolt rifle, so he can fulfil the backline duty of giving rerolls to the Hellblasters.

Another Puppetswar head for him, so he gets to feel a bit special.

Space Wolves Primaris Ancient

And finally, the Ancient (or Slightly-Older, since Primaris are all still pretty fresh-faced in Space Wolf terms).

His inclusion in the force (aside from my obsessive completionism) was a throwback to my Warhammer Fantasy sensibilities - it's not a proper army until you have a banner!

The decals are doing most of the work on the banner, though I'm happy with the third Puppetswar head in the force (if I'd found these earlier, the whole army would be sporting them).

Puppetswar Norsemen heads on Space Wolves

I guess the best use for him would also be at the backline, resurrecting Hellblasters, but I'm not sure I like the idea of Sapce Wolves holding back so much. Maybe I'll send him off with the Aggressors, to give them one final swing before they fall.

And with that - the army is done! I'm somewhat pleased and surprised to have finished any of my armies, much less getting 3000pts wrapped up in a year. I'm sure there'll be temptations to add to it - and the inevitable Gravis releases will test my resolve - but I have enough to play a variety of builds, so I'm going to try to sit back and enjoy them.

Vlka Fenrika!

3 comments:

  1. These are fantastic! Great heads for a great army. I've had my eye on loads of puppets war stuff for ages, this might push me over the edge.

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    Replies
    1. They're not the cheapest, but for effect they have on individualising a model/unit, I think they're well worth it.

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  2. Those are, once again, awesome paint jobs. I've logged on to (finally) upload some pics of my stuff...but I'm a little intimidated...

    ReplyDelete