The Unloved Heavy Choices

You will never find a more undiluted expression of internet distain than when you show off your new Vindicator.

"Not optimal, mate. Random shots, random damage. I suppose if you've already got every other unit in the codex, you might as well."

Naysayers aside, I love the Vindicator's look (and have often been tempted to start an Iron Warriors army just to field a fleet of them). And besides, fretting about random damage just shows a lack of confidence about the ability to roll 6s.

This was another eBay rescue (in the wake of my no-buying models year, I did a lot of rescuing in January). It was a bargain, but not quite the fire-sale prices I was expecting, so it's reassuring to know that they're still in reasonable demand.

This model was a loyalist type, but that was fine, since I wanted it for The Scourged. These are my 'shooty' Chaos Space Marines, so I'm looking to give them gun options. They're also renegades (rather than the original 30k traitors), so I am looking to given them 'conventional' units (rather than, for example, daemon engines).

The only concessions I made was to throw a few chaotic panels on the side and add a pintle stormbolter (just in case something small and insignificant tries to tag the big blast cannon).

The real treat was the siege shield - a nice canvas to work on. I did a freehand eye of Tzeentch (the same one I do for all the infantry pauldrons) and drybrushed a corona effect around it. I also added some decal symbols to the other side - I wanted them to look a bit random and swirly, but my inner sense of organsation took over and they look a bit too ordered for me.

And if you're doing one unpopular tank, why not do two?

The Predator was an even cheaper find than the Vindicator (I guess a shooty Helbrute is just better), but it's another classic that I've long coveted.

In terms of painting, I'm well into my stride with vehicles now - an overbrush of Kantor Blue on a black undercoat, with Wazzdakka Red and Carroburg Crimson wash for the red bits. Gold and steel details to follow - the biggest challenge was trying to avoid it looking like either a Crimson Fists or a Night Lords vehicle.

If I were building it from scratch, I would have been tempted to ramp up the firepower with a combi-weapon and a havoc launcher, but I went with what I had (I was lucky enough to find a model with moving turret and sponsons).

So now The Scourged is really starting to take shape as a warband. But I couldn't have a Tzeentch-themed army and not add some Rubric Marines.

After the classic Thousand Sons and Black Legion rubrics, this is the third iteration I've painted, so I'm well into my swing. Same colours as the rest of The Scourged infantry (so more freehanding pauldrons for me), and with my usual technique of painting the arms last, they were pretty quick to run through.

I switched out their usual Egyptian helmets for horned ones from Warp Talons. This follows the style of other Scourged models and since, in the lore, not every Rubric Marine has to be a luckless Thousand Son, I see these as thralls of some fallen Librarian.

Of course, if Vindicators and Predators are sub-optimal army choices, you'd be mad to include Rubric Marines in 8th Ed codex of Chaos Space Marines. Aside from the single wound, they know fewer spells, have weaker Smites, don't ignore morale and can't access all the psychic treats than make the Thousand Sons Rubrics so potent

Fortunately, I get around this by not caring very much.

Also it struck me that, with a small unit of Rubrics, I'm able to use a lot of the other units that share the Thousand Sons codex (Helbrutes, Vindicator, Predator, Spawn, Cultists) - which means I can still enjoy these models, but give someone a decent '9th Edition' game.

The Aspiring Sorcerer got a 'normal' Space Marine head, and a plasma pistol as a special treat (currently, The Scourged get a free reroll, so why not live dangerously?)

That's The Scourged's reinforcements done for now. I've got five more Rubrics on the sprue, but I'm waiting for the new Chaos Space Marine codex (gee, it feels like I've been saying that for the past two years) so I can be sure I'm taking all the legal options.