Tanks For Your Patience

This one has been an absurdly long time coming.

I picked up this model (for a good price - there really are Land Raider bargains to be had with a bit of patient hunting) back in mid-2019.

Now, this would hardly be the time that I've neglected to paint a model, except this Land Raider was quickly painted and very nearly done - I even used it in a battle report (where it bravely faced down a Hellhammer superheavy.

But for some reason, I couldn't summon up the willpower to complete that final evening's work it would take to finish it off. At various stages, in between brushing off the dust, I contemplated a total repaint (which would have made the process much longer!)

In the end, I just had a word with myself and knuckled down to it. And I was right - it was just an evening's work: lights, lenses, tracks, gunner, and done!

Painting him took a curious approach. I didn't want it to be a 'black' Black Legion tank, and would rather it was closer to the dark grey of my Rhinos. But since I bought those Rhinos already painted, I didn't know how the colour had been achieved.

My best bet for reverse-engineering it was to undercoat it all black, and then 'mist' it with a rattlecan of Mechanicus Standard Grey (I think this is what people who are too poor for airbrushes do). I was quite happy how it came out - although it made the rest of the process tricky, because if I slipped up, there was no way to remedy it.

Standard metals and cables for the rest of the tank. I even get a turret gunner (I love a turret gunner) with a combi-flamer. It wouldn't have been my weapon of choice, but it might useful for sweeping away light infantry intent on tagging it.

The original model had a havoc launcher on the front turret. I didn't object to the extra firepower, but it did cover up the gunner and look a bit cluttered. Luckily, I could pop off the hatch and replace with a spare lid.

So it took a long detour, but we got there. It feels good to have a classic Land Raider in my collection. Looking forward to some heavy armour battles!