From GregB: Space Marine Command Group

Commander & bodyguards for the Vylka Fenryka.

Big surprise: I'm back with even more Space Marines! I'm just on a real sci-fi roll right now at the painting table. This is a Space Marine command group - a Centurion, and standard bearer and a pair of body-guards. The commander and the banner-bearer are resin figures from Forge World - they are wearing Mark IV powered armour, burnished with extra fancy bits, like cloaks and combs for their helmets. The two other marines are assembled from an assortment of left over plastic bits. The decals on the figures are from GW and Forge World. As with most of my recent work shared in the Quarantine Challenge, the models are painted in the colours of the VI Legion Astrates, the "Space Wolves".

Adding a command group like this to the collection helps to firm things up to my random hobby mind. A headquarters choice that brings things together, elevating the assortment of Vylka Fenryka figures from scattered and random side projects into a single, coherent force - one that demands further escalation in terms of additional assets, or course...but a significant waypoint in the evolution of the collection and painting process.

Awesome sculpt on this figure - I love this command group, great work by Forge World.

Rear view showing the shoulder pauldron & back pack.

The Space Marine Legions of the Horus Heresy setting have a cornucopia of officers, commanders, specialists, medics, engineers and other heroic figures you can choose from to serve as HQs, but the core selection of the senior HQ level is this small assembly of a senior officer and three elite associates, one of who carries a banner.

We can have some fun with the wolf-themed symbols on the banner. These are decals from Forge World.

Carrying a banner into battle in such a futuristic setting is a ridiculous anachronism - and I just love it! I mean, it's just OBVIOUS that you would do that, right? You step out of your combat-drop-pod or your Storm Eagle gunship or your Lander Raider or your Rhino or whatever and you make sure your banner is present - it is simply how things are done, even amid the grim darkness of the far future.

I love this figure! Great sculpt again by Forge World.

I thought I would try a different colour combo for his shoulder pauldron, to help him stand out more.

This Centurion figure is a favourite sculpt of mine. Normally I hate Space Marine figures who are not wearing their helmets. Space is dangerous! The Emperor spent a lot of money making you! Wear your damn helmet! But this fellow is an exception, the sculptor did a fantastic job on the figure. He looks like he just stepped off a transport, and is wanting to see the situation for himself, with his own eyes. He is cradling his helmet in one hand, ready to bellow some further orders to his underlings, with direction to be reinforced by his power sword if needed. He looks like an actual officer, something that very few Space Marine command figures actually do.

Bodyguard for the command group.

The two additional figures, essentially bodyguards for combat, are composed of a hodge-podge of components...when you are as passionate about 30k as I am, you start to accumulate enough spare bits that you can put together an extra marine here and there...these fellows have the helmets, shoulder pauldrons and backpacks of Mark III power armour, the torsos and legs from Mark IV power armour, and arms and weapons from one of the new "Primaris" marines. As guards for the banner bearer and Centurion, I figured these fellows would be veteran fighters from The Rout, only gradually replacing armour bits as required (hence keeping the 'older' Mark III helmets and shoulder plates).

A little blurry, but I enjoy the animation on this figure.

The assortment of spare bits came together nicely.

These veteran marines would also have access to cool kit - I thought the "bolt rifles" from the new Primaris marines would do the trick, and I'm pleased with how they turned out. I really like the look of the longer barrel and the (redundant and over-the-top) gun sights.

Ready to lead a Great Company from The Rout into battle.

While I was sure to put a lot of wolf-themed decals on the banner itself, I have again avoided adding pelts or any of that other wolfy-wolf stuff with this command retinue. If I ever add a Rune Priest or something like that, well...SOMEONE will likely need to wear a pelt cloak or something, but for now, I like to keep the obvious wolf theme to the decals and the banner.