The Watchers on the Wall

This model is my first non-Primaris for my Deathwatch force. I must saw building a Deathwatch Veteran squad is extremely difficult. I’ve never seen a unit with more options that could be built to so many roles. As I couldn’t wrap my mind around all the various gameplay implications, I just went with the “rule of cool”.

The plan is a short ranged shooting Deathwatch Squad full of Shotguns and Frag Cannons (which are just bigger shotguns). They will be Kill Team 1, known as “The Close Encounters”. Also, let me just say I love how, with all their tech and heavy weapons, they still all have a knife sheathed in the small of their back.

First member is Hector, of the Brazen Minotaurs, call sign “Toro”, and his Frag Cannon.

I think I showed this guy off a while ago. He’s my Justicar conversion. While I like the core miniature, I don’t think the engraved great sword and hourglass fit well with the much more “spec ops” feel of the Deathwatch. So the conversions began.

The first was to replace his sword. I bought the indomitus box, and don’t play Necrons, so I’m sitting on a rather large bits box. Thus one of the destroyer blades became his new “xenophase greatblade”. I wrapped it in green stuff purity seals, because who fully trusts Xenos tech?

The next was the hourglass replacement. I talked about this previously. With GWs preview of the Necron chronomancer, I figured a nice alternative would be a captured alien artifact. However, the model was seeming less impressive than the other HQ models.  Thus, the major change from my previous update is the addition of the backpack power pack for the containment device. It’s an extra Primaris Agressor fuel tank. Makes it seem more “Grimdark” that it takes so much power/tech to “safely” control the alien device.

Lastly, I sculpted on the shoulder pad icon. I went with the Relictors. They are actually a Space Marine chapter, declared traitor, that was known for wielding Chaos artifacts against Chaos. I thought this would be a good Chapter for a Justicar wielding a ton of Alien Tech against Xenos. Just gotta work on the story of how a Marine from a traitor Chapter became a Primaris Deathwatch Marine.

That will be interesting…

The first is a currently unnamed Bladeguard Veteran of the Tomb Keepers Chapter, a homebrew chapter featured in recent White Dwarf magazines. The model has similar modifications to other DW from Indomitus.

1) the shield was replaced with a Deathwatch shield. This was no small task, as the models hand and forearm were a part of the old shield. I needed to cut those free from the old shield, and attach them here. Wasn’t perfect, but I’ve found purity seals are great for hiding errors.

2) shave half the deathwatch icon off the shield, and sculpted on half the chapter icon. This was similar to how I did the Previous LT of the Angels of Redemption.

3) I replaced his sword with a Deathwatch Xenophase Blade. My personal fluff is going to be that Deathwatch Bladeguard are those Marines strongest of will, and unflinching in loyalty, and are thus trusted to wield experimental Xenos weapons without fear of corruption. I sculpted some purity seals wrapped around the blade to protect its weirder.

4) Sculpted a chapter icon on the shoulder pad

5) added a Deathwatch Icon to the center of the Iron Halo

6) Added a helmet crest from the Pre-heresy marine boxed sets. I’m not sold on this but yet. Thoughts? Too much?

Finished this guy up today, my first Deathwatch Character. LT Zaephon of the Angels Redemption, call sign – “Paladin”.

This is a conversion of the Indomitus Lieutenant. Headswap and Storm Shield from the Kill Team Sprues, Deathwatch Shoulder pad (I now hate shaving off mounded shoulder pads), and a sword that’s been in my bitz box for months. Im surprised the sword still looks too large, as the bit pre-dates Primaris Marines. Can’t imagine what it would look like in the hands of a basic marine.

With so much black and silver painting, I took the opportunity to really go to town on the tabard, and add some color. I also liked the 50/50 split on the shield between chapter and DW iconography. I’ll try that again.

So my painting has outpaced my backstory/fluff creation. This is Veteran Brother Tui of the Storm Wardens. I painted this figure mostly because (1) i really like the grey and blue color scheme and (2) really love the pose of this fig. That’s why I didn’t really convert it beyond adding the Deathwatch Shoulder Pad.

Progress has been slow for a while. Work stress required a more significant outlet than miniature painting…carpentry. Now that we’ve got a new coffee table, back to the Deathwatch!

Vendel was mostly an out of the box Indomitus Assault Intercessor. Minor modifications, which were little more than kit-bashing, include:

1) adding scope to pistol

2) shaving off standard shoulder pad and adding Deathwatch Shoulder pad

3) Added heraldry shield

4) head swapped for a head from the normal intercessors box.

I experimented a lot with painting here. In particular the checker pattern on the shield.  The Silver Templars themselves are a customs chapter made by the Warhammer online team. I liked the iconography, so added one to my Deathwatch.

Realized my initial post on Vendel Aurelius didn’t include a picture from above showing his Pauldron shield (anyone know the real term for those, if there is one?).

As I had this duplicate post hanging out here unused, I figured I’d kill two birds with one stone.

Anyone know how to remove unneeded project entries?