Before Imperial Vindicare Assassins spent their time cowering behind rubble, or even spent time in aiming poses, they liked to hang out, guns akimbo and posing heroically because Warhammer. This model is the original Vindicare, released way back in 1995/6. It was the first of the second wave of 40k Assassin models, quickly followed by the Callidus and then the Eversor – all sculpted by Jes Goodwin. The colour scheme is a nod to the original “official” White Dwarf scheme as well as well as my original work on this model, which I’ve preserved. Which is why a sniper “assassin” is covered in red-brown straps, brown pouches, armed with shiny silver weapons and decorated with an assortment of white skulls.

This is the model I actually started painting but never fully completed back in ’95-96. I’ve been “making” Neglected Models for quite some time! The tab had broken off and the model sat in what was basically a junk box. I fished it out, pinned him to a new mechanicum base (complete with blown-out Iron Warrior helmet!) and set about not only restoring but completing it. The original paint has been basically used as a base coat for most of it, so in a sense the original paint is still visible for 90% of the model – the main difference is that it’s fully now complete.

I do have another of this sculpt, and so when I get arond to painting it I may well do something a bit more camouflage. Or Low-vis in some other way that won’t necessarily include red straps…