Now for the last two Iron Claws Special Weapons Troopers, Gavos (also known as IC 23) on the far right, and the Squat known as IC 24 Plasma Gunner in the center.
Here is a picture of the advertisement for the complete set of 32 Iron Claw Squats from White Dwarf 100. As the text box at the top says, the Squats are "renowned for their ferocity, courage, and hardiness" in spite of Imperial oppression. They are also "Easily the most numerous of the abhuman races [and] clans and individuals may be found throughout the galaxy." Doesn't sound like a race easily exterminated by Tyranids or anyone else.
The Iron Claws Special Trooper Chewri Crrot with his Plasma Gun. He is another very compact miniature, but size means little when a bolt of plasma is headed your way. And Tpr Crrot is wisely wearing protective eye-gear to shield himself from the white-hot glare.
Special Trooper Crrot as seen from the Terminator's vantage point. Chewri's allegiance to the Moriad XIV force is displayed on his helmet. This lettering and similar markings on the other Squats using a .20 mm Sakura Micron pen rather than paint.Spc Crrot's size allows him to take cover snugly behind the severed arm of an Imperial Fists Terminator Marine. The arm is from the Black Reach-type Terminator that came free with one of the White Dwarf issues a while ago. I have added assorted battle-damage, some bullet holes, and most obviously most of a Space Marine Power Axe from the 1990s plastic assault weapons sprues.
Last for the Iron Claws squad is Trooper Gavos Belochrobathes, another Squat Warrior with a mysterious gun that counts as a Lasgun for dice-rolling purposes. Tpr Belochrobathes is standing behind the left leg of the same Womble Space Marine whose right leg is on Tpr Szlezen's base.
Tpr Belochrobathes has experienced some serious head trauma, as shown by his golden head that matches his golden gun. As the Squat Docs say, if beer don't fix it, gold will. Gavos also has a rather puffy shirt. Good thing he is a pirate. That's a battered helmet on his base, a little reminder of Gavos's head injurious past, from the ever-bountiful Skeletal Army sprues. A most magnificent Fountain of Death, those sprues are.
Another picture of Gavos, Chewri, and Chorby cavorting with the Flesh Hounds. The Iron Claws troopers' funky names are derived from your author's delvings in search of the perhaps mythical land of White Croatia.
Finally, another brief trip back in time to the sprawling mass of creativity spawned in the early Rogue Trader days, slowly whipped into coherent armies over the early 1990s. From the Winter 1987 New Releases flyer. Space Slann, Space Zoats, and Jetcycles for all!
The pen is a very good idea, and I was wondering the past couple of days. It complements all that other manifested detail. Not only is the painting top-notch, but the models are just good fun too. There's plenty going on in terms of poses and positioning.
ReplyDeleteThe pen works well, though it is a rather delicate instrument compared to a paintbrush. But it is really difficult to paint small letters with a brush.
ReplyDeleteAnd I am indeed a man who likes to use all of the slotta-base. Sometimes things spill over the edges.
Aside from the artistic effect, it provides a good excuse to paint minis, or at least parts of minis, from other ranges.