Legio Praesagius Reaver Titan – Inculcator completed! Praesagius walks for the Emperor and Calth!
As promised, the Legio Praesagius Reaver Titan – Inculcator! Seen here with an Apocalypse Missile Launcher, Gatling Cannon, and Chainfist!
Here’s a closeup of the eyes:
But that’s not all, like other Titans, this one is fully magnetized! Check the Power Fist and Melta Cannon!
Additionally, the top carapace weapon can be replaced with Turbolasers, and the arms with Volcano Cannons!
Finally, for those who just can’t get enough lasers, there are Turbolaser arm options as well!
Next: Company Heroes for the Azure Flames, as they are needed for an upcoming list!
Sangamon Taylor, Azure Flames Epistolary Librarian
Sangamon has had a long and storied history as a Librarian in the Azure Flames. Now, he crosses the Rubicon and joins a new millennium:
Here he is next to his old model:
Sangamon Taylor was part of the original Sons of the Salamander. When Atrus fell, Sangamon assisted him in creating the Psychic Amplifier. Sangamon was the only one who knew how to properly tune the device that allowed Atrus to access his damaged Psychic Powers. Sangamon still serves in this new Era Indominus, smiting the Emperor’s foes with his gifts.
Next: Reaver Titan for the Legio Praesagius!
Ork Deffkoptas!
Some Deffkoptas have joined WAAAAGH! Gitsmasha!
Next: Solar Auxilia Superheavies!
Legio Suturvora Warlord Titan
Suturvora walks for the Warmaster!
As you can see, it’s magnetized with all the available plastic weapons options.
Next: Heavy Metal Tournament!
Legion Imperialis Solar Auxilia Ordnance – Medusas and Basilisks
Given that the Solar Auxilia needs some more firepower, I made my next priority painting some Basilisks. With four extra chassis, I filled them out with Medusas, as they might be useful in missions that require buildings to go away.
Next: probably moving on to Titans! Plus some more Orks, Marines, and Tyranid Gothic Ships!
Legion Imperialis Astartes Infantry – 4th box complete, plus apothecaries!
Been working on this off and on for a while, but I’ve finally finished my 4th box of Legions Imperialis Astartes Infantry!
Starting off, I corrected an oversight. The new rules allow for Apothecaries to be attached to Legion Bolter units, so I fished out some models from my bitz box (never throw anything away!) and made four Bolter bases with Apothecaries:
Next, a fourth Captain
Bolters
Terminators
Plasma Gunners
Assault Marines
Missile Launchers
…and Dreadnoughts
Next: more Legions tanks, Solar Aux Infantry, and some Orks!
Khalil and Piers – Azure Flames Primaris Captain project complete!
In 2024 I set out to replace all of my older and almost never used Space Marine Captains with Primaris versions of themselves (which also probably would rarely be used).
2025 sent that for a curveball with all of my painting competitions. There were only two left and they sat on the backburner.
In truth, they were 99% done until today. I was waiting for a custom waterslide transfer order. Now, they are finished.
I’ll start with Khalil. He uses the new (but not the newest!) Space Marine Captain with Jump Pack model. Because the newest model allows for Thunder Hammer/Storm Shield, I used Vanguard Veteran bits for the arms. Additionally, older players will recognise that head from the 3rd edition Tactical Squad box; the same head I used for Khalil in his two previous models.
Standard paint job, but I’ve added a glow effect that I practiced on my Inceptor models last year for the jump pack. I also gave special attention to the script on the shield and pauldron.
Khalil was recruited from an ailing Hive world past its prime; where being able to climb the rotting superstructure of the domes meant the difference between life and death. He broke the record for shortest time in the aspirant trials, and was, after serving in the reserve companies, assigned to a Land Speeder squadron. His squadron was destroyed by the forces of Victor Kalan during his dark campaign with The Alliance, but Khalil managed to crawl from the wreckage with what remained of then Lieutenant and soon-to-be-Captain Edgard. Khalil continued to serve and was promoted to Captain during the opposition campaign against Grimgull the Red. Khalil himself had the distinction of ending the Red Ork, but not before Matthius, Prophet of the Four had reclaimed the daemonsword Ba’arzunipal.
After the Chasma Spica war, Khalil struck out with a portion of the fleet after the fleeing Chaos Warlord Esharradon of the Sicarii. The relentless campaign of vengeance earned him the nickname “Fury of Iperin” as he was a living embodiment of the wrath of the Azure Flames’ new homeworld.
Before the Omega War, Khalil almost lost his Battle Barge, His Anvil (additionally most of the 7th company and his own life). However, due to the brave actions of Zeraf Antonius, His Anvil was salvaged and refurbished. Now, Khalil lives every day trying to live up to the name Fury of Iperin, slaughtering the foes of the Imperium with speed and precision.
Piers was named by my friend Joe during our writing of Big Game V. I chose his first name after Virgil from the 90’s television adventure cartoon Might Max. Piers’ voice is Virgil’s haughty British one on the occasion that I hear him speak in my head. He uses the new Space Marine Gravis Captain model, modified with a bit of green stuff at the shoulder to cover one of the WORST MODELING GAPS I HAVE SEEN in a modern GW model. Additionally, the helmeted head had the neck clipped and was attached to the hip, and the head replaced with the pewter head that Piers’ previous model had (the Captain with the Thunder Hammer from the old pewter Master of the Chapter box set).
Piers has a small OSL effect on his wrist, and the VII on his leg is a custom decal that I ended up painting over. The “purple” from the printer was a bit more like dark purple and red pixels, probably due to printing limitations, and the top had an unsightly white stripe. I covered it gently with the same purple as the cloak.
The Azure Flames have a policy; if they answer your distress call and fail, they save whoever they can as Chapter Serfs. If they succeed, they ask for a percentage of age-appropriate boys to take the tests to join the Chapter. This policy has been in place since the Azure Flames were the Sons of the Salamander. One year after their Founding, the flagship His Hammer responded to a daemonic incursion on a small space station. Few survived, but Chapter Master Logain himself led the counter-incursion and banished the last of the daemons back to the Warp. With a successful mission, the station owed a portion of its youth to the Chapter, and that was Virgil Piers, the only surviving child on the station.
Born in the void, trained to operate high tech void weapons for the majority of his life, and possessing a once-in-a-generation genius, Piers showed tactical acumen that made him a Sergeant faster than anyone else in the Chapter (only later surpassed by Zeraf Antonius). Ambushes, sieges, counter-sieges, line duty, covert actions, and any other scenario was understood, enhanced, and executed superbly under his leadership. His experience in Void Combat let him eventually be appointed Master of the Fleet by Atrus himself. Piers rarely leaves the Command Throne of His Hammer II. Now that the Chapter has a homeworld, he tends to lead expeditions on behalf of the Chapter. Only recently during the relief of the 4th company on Altea has he commanded the fleet in its entirety.
And that wraps up the Primaris Captain project! Now all ten captains plus the Chapter Master have new models and backstory.
Next: Legion Imperialis Astartes Infantry!
Ork Warbosses!
Just in time for the new Warboss model to come out and add a machine gun Grot to the Warboss’ unit, I have completed two older Warbosses to lead Lads and Nobs alike!
The distinguished gentleman on the left is Finecast, with a plastic Nob power klaw and a Squig added. Note that the cloth on his bosspole is unique; the Finecast pole snapped and there was no way to pin it, so I sculpted cloth to compensate. The wonderful customer on the right is the Assault on Black Reach boss, with a custom resin base he had from his former owner. Once again a squig was added.
Next: Two Space Marine Captains are almost done, and I’m going to finish my fourth box of LI Astartes Infantry to finally be able to field maximum units of specialty troops!
Ork Kommando Addendum – Weapon Options
When I made my Kommandos in 5th edition, there were no official models, and much fewer options. In January I planned to add two custom shootas, a breaching ram, and a rokkit launcha, but my basement was too cold to paint in. Then, in February, I was on vacation and had a major surgery. But I’m back, and the new Kommandos are finally done!
The custom shootas are big shootas with other things bolted on. The breaching ram is the official model, bitz ordered.
Next, I continue the project I started in 2024, the Primaris Captain project with Khalil with Jump Pack and Piers in Gravis! Stay tuned!
Finish It Complete! All Painting competitions finished!
It is done! All painting competitions are one hundred percent complete!
This has been a long time coming. So many things to paint. There were a lot of difficulties, like the tiny details on all the Legion minis, the colors on the Necromunda girls, and the sheer volume of the Orks. But I worked hard and budgeted time, and it paid off.
Without further ado, here’s the final project: The Nicassar Dhows!
These Dhows are painted in the same color scheme as the “official” scheme shown back long ago when GW sold these, but elevated with Turbo Dork paints. They don’t photograph well, but let me assure you they are SHIMMERY.
Of course, these Dhows are magnetized to their bases to allow them to do… this!
Adding the Dhows to the Orbital I painted previously lets me field a Caravan if I wish. Basically a much worse version of the Blackstone Fortress, but also cheaper.
With this, the Finish It competition is complete!
Here is the whole Finish It challenge.
Wait a minute… that’s not my normal work table. That looks like…
WHOA! That’s a lot of minis! In fact, it’s ALL OF THE MINIS I PAINTED THIS YEAR!
Oh, yes, this is pretty far away. Zoom and Enhance! (or just take more pics)
Here’s Q1. The Space Marines are: Chapter Master Perseus (painted BEFORE the competitions but during January), Captain Valerien, a unit of six Intercessors, and a Redemptor Dreadnought. Above them, a Warboss in Mega Armour, five Meganobs, Ten Ork Boys, and a unit of Squighogs plus a Trukk that should have been in Q3 but looks better here.
Q2 starts in the middle with the Necrimunda Escher gangers and friends, then above with the Orks, a Beastboss, ten Beast snaggas, eight Lootas with two Spannas, a Deffkilla Wartrike, three Warbikers, and a Trukk. Below, from Q2 orks, a Shokkjump Dragsta, 10 Nobs, a Big Mek with a Shokk Attack gun, 20 Gretchin with two Runtherds, and a Trukk.
This is Q3 with the first 1/2 year competition. Above, 10 Flash Gitz, two units of 5 Stormboys, and 10 Kommandos. In the middle, the All the Same competition Minotaur, the Color Competition Lieutenant from the Star Cyclones, and the Carthaginian Elephants. Below that, the 1/2 year competition Legiones Astartes Sons of Horus, consisting of two sprues each of: Infantry, Support, Fast Attack, Rhinos, and Kratos tanks.
Finally, here’s Q4 and the 2nd 1/2 year competition. The orks were seen better above. The Finish It competition is eight Tau Wardens, two Tau Messengers, eight Tau Transports, a general purpose Orbital, an Air Caste city, an Orbital with four Gravitic Hooks which can be combined with four Nicassar Dhows to make a Nicassar Caravan, and of course the Dhows and their magnetic bases. Below that, the 2nd 1/2 year Solar Auxilia, which consists of two sprues each of: Infantry, Support, Dracosans, Leman Russ, and Leman Russ Exterminators.
There you have it! That’s a year of painting! Slightly more if you count Perseus. Am I done?
HAHAHAHAHAHA NOPE!
There’s a super secret project I’m working on! (don’t get hyped, it’s small, but it is secret!) Additionally, I am planning out next year; this won’t be at AFK, as my pile of gray doesn’t line up with the competitions anymore.
Speaking of AFK, here are the minis due by the end of the year in the cases, ready for judging:
You’ll notice that the Orks are so numerous they don’t fit on one shelf!
Next, the Super Secret Project, and a timeline for 2026, in which we will celebrate the 15th anniversary of Fourstrandshobby.com!