Assassinorum: Execution Force. Image copyright GW

I purchased the Assassinorum: Execution Force boardgame (interestingly, listed as No Longer Available on the GWAU site) a few months ago – it might have been around Christmas. I purchased it not only for the miniatures (new plastic Assassins) but also fully intending to play it as a boardgame, since it got decent reviews, is co-op and apparently also works as a solo game. Naturally, I haven’t done a damn thing with it to date (hello, Deathwatch: Overkill!)

Recently, GW released the “Sector Imperialis” base range. With a somewhat reasonably-priced set of HIPs bases with a close-enough-to-spaceship texture now available readily and easily in 32mm, I picked up a set with a vague idea of rebasing my nascent Iron Warriors on them, as the resin ones I’d purchased years ago are all 25mm and now verboten for Space Marines. Actually, I think Marines (and a lot of other models) look better on the 32mm bases, so after an initial WTF reaction, I’m now well sold on the idea.

After picking up the bases, I put two and two together, and decided to use the Chaos Space Marines from Execution Force as my test subjects, as while they’re reasonable sculpts, they’re simple push-fit marines, and so perfect for proof of concept work. This what happened:

Assassinorum: Execution Force Chaos Space Marines painted as Iron Warriors.

My biggest concern was that unlike, say, the Imperial Fist featured on the box art for the bases, the Iron Warriors in their, well, Iron/silver coloured armour with copper and brass accents with hazard stripes to break up the uniformity would not contrast enough with the bases, given that the bases are also painted in shades of silver iron, typically with the use of brass, copper and occasionally hazard stripes to break up the uniformity…. So, um…

Warriors of the IV Legion proudly display the markings of their heritage.

I ended up giving the bases an additional watered-down black wash to try to define them more strongly from the marines. I’e used gunmetal on sections of the flooring, and the checkplate has a thin touch of blue to it that can be seen in person, if not in these photographs. I also used two of the new Gemstone paints for the first time – Soulstone Blue on the eye lenses, and Spiritstone Red on the bolter targeters. They turned out ok, I guess.

And showing off the Forge World transfers. I quite like them. I’ll have to order another sheet.

Transfers are from the Forge World Iron Warriors decal sheet. Oh, and I sliced the “joined horns” off the guy on the righthand side. I don’t particularly like those (or these giant ribbed horns, truth be told) on my Chaos Space Marines. They don’t really fit my image of what I want for my Iron Warriors force. I see them much more as Renegade Marines than as Slaves to Chaos, so you probably won’t see another set of those giant horns anytime soon (smaller ones are okay, in limited use). I mostly wanted to avoid very similar chop-ups on 2 of the 3 models here, and being combination boardgaming models and proof of concept models for the proper force, just let them be.

As a bonus, these three count as my first entry for the Tale of Many Gamers Painting Challenge II that I’m once again running on Dakka. They’re not a legal 40k unit, but they are a “complete unit or group” for the Assassinorum: Execution Force boardgame.

I welcome any thoughts or feedback on the bases. Do they work for Iron Warriors despite the shared/similar palette? I’m not likely to add specific additions like blood spatter to them, and I’m not sure about weathering powders since I like the inferred “starship interior” look of them as well. I’m also considering using these for my Deathwatch: Overkill and even Space Hulk bases when I paint those sets of models, especially given the additional contrast from those models.