Tag Archives: Dreadtober

Dreadtober 2017 Completion #2: Mentor Legion Dreadnought

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Today we have the second (and last) model I finished for Dreadtober 2017.

Mentor Legion Space Marine Castraferrum Dreadnought, Mentors, Rogue Trader, 40k 2nd Edition Dread

When I restarted on this model for Dreadtober, most of the basic work was already done. Long done in some parts, and then piecemeal during the various times I’ve tried to make myself complete the model over the years, but it had been a real albatross for a long, long time. My Dreadtober work, then – was a bit of final cleaning up, shading, highlighting, de-skittling parts of the model, and then of course adding in the iconography. There are some Easter Eggs here for those who recognise them as well.

Mentor Legion Space Marine Castraferrum Dreadnought, Mentors, Rogue Trader, 40k 2nd Edition Dread

The model is the old, 2nd edition Metal Space Marine Dreadnought with a Plasma Cannon converted from the Multi-Melta and a metal Space Marine Plasma Cannon, because none of those parts existed when I built this model – not even the resin Plasma Cannons from Forge World. The arm is magnetised, and all that metal is why it droops a little. I’ll add back in a little bit of blu-tac which will reinforce the magnet enough to hold itself up for long periods

Mentor Legion Space Marine Castraferrum Dreadnought, Mentors, Rogue Trader, 40k 2nd Edition Dread

The Mentor Legion were my second “proper” Space Marine army, following my Rogue Trader Ultramarines and the mess I made of them when the latter part of 2nd edition hit – which I will discuss some other day. I started the Mentor Legion when 3rd edition came out. “New Edition, New Army” wasn’t really a thing back then – certainly not as a marketing term, anyway – but it’s what I chose to do at the time.

Mentor Legion Space Marine Castraferrum Dreadnought, Mentors, Rogue Trader, 40k 2nd Edition Dread

One of the things that put me off from finishing this model for the longest time was the lack of Mentor Legion transfers or Iconography available. Back in the 1990s, when I used a Mac (G3/233), I created a transfer sheet with Mentor Legion decals, along with many Aquila, and all sorts of other icons that would be very useful for wargaming. I purchased a sheet of decal paper, and ran it through my Inkjet. Looked amazing. After a wait to allow it to dry, I then sprayed it with a fixative as the instructions stated, and it ran and was ruined. And that was the end of that until the 30th of October 2017 when I finally tried again. Because I really wanted to add the chapter number (888) of the Mentor Legion to the model.

Mentor Legion Space Marine Castraferrum Dreadnought, Mentors, Rogue Trader, 40k 2nd Edition Dread

Of course now, in my home office, I have a really quite good quality colour laser printer. I’ve had unused decal sheets for a few years, but again – it took the completion of this project and the deadline inherent with “Dreadtober” to get over that particular hump. I also had some 3-d printed “owl” icons made by a nice fellow on Shapeways. I’ll update the post in a few days with his details once my next order has been sent as GW has been a bit litigious with this sort of thing lately and I’m a bit tired of things I like that aren’t really enforceable being ruined by C&D’s from big corporations lately.

Mentor Legion Space Marine Castraferrum Dreadnought, Mentors, Rogue Trader, 40k 2nd Edition Dread

The rear-facing number on top of the sarcophagus was inspired by police and similar vehicles that do the same. It’s not really at a proper aircraft recognition size, but it still looks decent. I’ve gone for a “Dreadnought number” rather than using the company number of my Mentor Legion. Mentor Legion, I should point out – circa White Dwarf 98/ – as distinct from the red-raptor headed “Mentors” that they kind-of retconned the chapter into, though with such little detail that it doesn’t matter. I consider them a successor chapter, or perhaps a sub-chapter in my own head-canon. I might write it up one day, or perhaps not. Either way, there’s so little written about them post-WD98, and what came later is contradictory enough that there’s plenty of Tabla Rasa space there, so I’m sure I could write up some fluff that incorporates it well enough and would probably make more sense.

Mentor Legion Space Marine Castraferrum Dreadnought, Mentors, Rogue Trader, 40k 2nd Edition Dread

So there we are then. I guess I’ll need to get to work on the rest of the unfinished Mentor Legion sometime soon enough, but I’ve got other stuff to clear out first before I re-start that project in earnest. It might even be a 2018 one.

Mentor Legion Space Marine Castraferrum Dreadnought, Mentors, Rogue Trader, 40k 2nd Edition Dread, Iron Warriors Hellbrute, Chaos Marine Dreadnought

We’ll finish with a shot of the pair of Dreads that Dreadtober motivated me to finally complete. Both finished, finally. After so many years. It feels bloody good to get this pair of monkeys off my back.

Dreadtober 2017 Completion #1: Iron Warriors Dreadnought/Hellbrute

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Hey! I actually managed to finish some stuff.

This is my third try at getting this post done because stuff keeps happening! At least the first bump was only a flat camera battery. Anyway – here’s the stuff you’re here for: Pics!

Iron Warriors Hellbrute, Forge World, Ferrum Infernus Chaos Dreadnought, Chaos Space Marine Dreadnought, Traitor Legion

So as I’ve mentioned a few times before, this model was one I originally picked up alongside a few others more than a decade ago off …some guy from the internets who was selling off a bunch of cool stuff because he was done with his Iron Warriors. The Warsmith I posted up here last time was one of those models, though the others are yet to come. I think he was dumping them because some codex release or another had made CSM not so good anymore. I forget, and it doesn’t matter. What does matter is that after many, many years, my enthusiasm for 40k has returned and it’s helped me to get a whole bunch of stuff done, and that combined with Dreadtober meant that I actually finished this bloody model off, finally!

Iron Warriors Hellbrute, Forge World, Ferrum Infernus Chaos Dreadnought, Chaos Space Marine Dreadnought, Traitor Legion

I kept the basic paint scheme that was painted on the model, though I’ve repainted entirely over the top of it – simply using the original paint as a basecoat – which is fine. The Lascannon arm is the one that came with the model, complete with gargoyle-headed barrels, though I added the Forge World brass etch Iron Warriors skull icon to the shoulder. That stuff is so soft, and I’m still so inexpert at using it that the mouth-grille got a little mangled when trying to make it stick down. Ooops.

Iron Warriors Hellbrute, Forge World, Ferrum Infernus Chaos Dreadnought, Chaos Space Marine Dreadnought, Traitor Legion

The rear view shows the heat discolouration on the “in” and “out” pipes of the Dread’s engine exhaust. As I mentioned the other day with regard to those Plague Marines and their Plasma Guns, that’s the latest thing I’m playing with and trying to get down (so expect to see a bit more of it in the near future!) Obviously, a bit of blued metal to add some variation alongside the brassy bits. I’ve not gone the whole hog on discolouring the entire Dreadnought/Helbrute, as the Iron Warriors livery is, well. Iron. Dull, often dirty and worn silver. Not a multicoloured rainbow of metals (which admittedly look amazing when done well by people like my mate Nerdfest09 over on Dakka – but that effect is for another series of models).

Iron Warriors Hellbrute, Forge World, Ferrum Infernus Chaos Dreadnought, Chaos Space Marine Dreadnought, Traitor Legion

The left arm is something I added myself from my stash of Forge World stuff, that I have been accumulating for years now. Replacing a well-intentioned but …not great converted Thunder Hammer. The mining drill-fist with integrated heavy flamer seemed entirely appropriate for the Iron Warriors, and also eventually provided me (via the elbow guards) with a place for some hazard stripes on that side of the model that weren’t overwhelming or over the top, especially since there’s so much of it happening on his right side. Fingers open, so – depending on the angle of the arm – he’s either reaching out to grab and crush his foes, or spitting out that promethean flame!

Iron Warriors Hellbrute, Forge World, Ferrum Infernus Chaos Dreadnought, Chaos Space Marine Dreadnought, Traitor Legion

As the legion number was added to his right side via the large transfer on the lascannon arm, it also features much more subtly on his left shoulder, facing forward this time in the form of a small disc with the Iron Warrior’s designation of IV. The core model itself is one of Forge World’s older (and sadly now discontinued) Chaos Dreadnoughts – more specifically what became known as a Ferrum Infernus Chaos Dreadnought, though apparently now they’re all called Hellbrutes anyway, and the rules for them are the same regardless.

Iron Warriors Hellbrute, Forge World, Ferrum Infernus Chaos Dreadnought, Chaos Space Marine Dreadnought, Traitor Legion

Oh, and did I mention that I went and magnetised both arms? Because I did! Now this guy is able to represent both the battle damage of “weapon destroyed” results (not actually a thing anymore in 8th edition) and he’s also like a semi-posable action figure toy. Hurrah! I say hurrah because he’s also cheering in this shot. See?

While I didn’t manage to do anything at all on Be’Lakor, I did manage to complete the other Dreadnought for Dreadtober. Another model that had sat half-painted for many years, I’ll have it up in a few days. Sadly, Melbourne has re-entered Wintry weather again for the last two weeks as we slide into the third month of “Spring”, so it’s still a matter of letting that varnish dry before some spot touch-ups with gloss varnish. So, sometime on the weekend, then!