90's Marine Challenge: Dark Angel

Two Space Marines models from the 90’s, one just painted (left), the other when we just got into the hobby (right), circa 1997.

Over the last few years I have been painting Dark Angels Space Marines in honor of them being the first Space Marine Chapter we ever painted when starting in the hobby. Although it started primarily with Primaris Space Marines slightly converted to be true-scale Space Marines, I started to paint some older models to capture how Space Marines have changed over the years, including some Rogue Trader models, a MKIV, and a MKVI Space Marine. So when Darren Latham of Games Workshop fame started a 90’s Marine Challenge to paint a plastic 2nd edition Space Marine in a Chapter of your choice, it seemed like an ideal opportunity to paint one of the classic statuesque power armored warriors. Admittedly we did paint a bunch of the models when we first got into the hobby and got the 2nd edition boxed game of Warhammer 40,000. Space Marine models have come a long way since the 90s, and I am happy to say that I think I have too, at least in terms of painting!

The Unforgiven: Oldhammer Dark Angel

A Dark Angel amongst a decaying city scape (created by Totally Not Panicking).

I am continuing my quest to paint Dark Angels, and after talking with Koltti on our podcast I decided it would be fun to paint another Rogue Trader era model. It also marks a year since painting my first Oldhammer Space Marine for last year’s Olden Demon. Space Marine models from the 80’s are quite fun to paint, due to how simple the one-piece models are. Furthermore, it is amazing how inconsistent the old Space Marine models are, from different sized hands, feet, and even different helmet designs. I am really happy with how the model turned out, and hope to paint a few more to go alongside them.

The Unforgiven: MKVI Tactical Space Marine

The MKVI “Beakie” models have come a long way since Rogue Trader.

In a quest to continue to paint more Dark Angels, following up painting a MKIV Space Marine, I finally got around to painting the new MKVI Space Marine that we converted a little while back. As always, I used the same scheme I devised when initially painting my Dark Angels Kill Team, replying primarily on Caliban Green (Citadel) and mixing in Glacier Blue (Vallejo Game Color, 72.095) for highlights.

The Unforgiven: MKIV Tactical Space Marine

Despite the MKIV Space Marine (right) being a much newer model than the Rogue Trader Marine next to it, it retains much of the awkward anatomical elements.

Over the year or two, I have been slowly painting Dark Angels, initially for a Kill Team, but then expanding to painting a variety of Dark Angel models that don’t necessarily fit neatly into a Kill Team, such as a Rogue Trader Space Marine and a converted Lunax7070 model. Having recently built one of the new MKVI Space Marines, I thought it would be fun to paint one of the older plastic MKIV Horus Heresy Space Marines I have had sitting in a case for years, with the hope of comparing its scale to some of the other Dark Angels I painted recently. Look forward to seeing one of the newer MKVI Space Marines painted soon too!

A Study in Scale: Deathwatch Artemis

The 54mm scale Deathwatch Space Marine towers over all of the other Space Marines models I currently own.

Earlier this year, we converted and painted a Dark Angel in the style of Lunax7070, based on parts Lunax7070 cast in resin for us. If you are familiar with his work, you would correctly predict that the Dark Angel we created was massive. We got a few comments on social media suggesting that the model was so large that they were likely similar in size to the famed Deathwatch Space Marine Artemis, released in 2001 for Games Workshop’s short-lived 54mm RPG. This got us to wonder, how do they compare to each other? Fortunately, I had an unassembled copy of the model that was gifted to me years back. It stayed unassembled due to the time-consuming frustration of metal models. This seemed like the ideal time to get the model out and assemble it!

Oldhammer: Olden Demon 2022 Dark Angel

Space Marines have come a long way since the 80's!

I selected a Rogue Trader Space Marine for chilvers_industries upcoming Olden Demon 2022 painting competition. Although I wanted to start painting the model weeks ago, it took me a while to find a 2nd edition style backpack for the model. Eventually I was successful in getting one via eBay and was able to start painting! I decided to paint the model to fit alongside the other Dark Angels I have been painting over the last year or so. Although the scale is quite different to new models, with a similar paint scheme, I figured the model would fit in, and be a good testament to how GW models have changed over the years!

Oldhammer: Olden Demon 2022 model selections

A Rogue Trader era MKVI Space Marine (left) that will be repainted, next to a MKIV and Primaris Space Marine.

It is that time of year again, and chilvers_industries is holding Olden Demon 2022, a painting competition that asks you to paint an old metal model, making sure to paint the base the nostalgic Goblin Green (as was prevalent in the 90s)! We participated for the first time last year by painting an old Space Ork emulating the style of Nicklas Pilhlstrom. This year both Adam and Eric decided they wanted to try to paint something, and spent some time deliberating on what would fit the theme. After painting a Rogue Trader model last year, Adam decided on painting an ancient knight from Warhammer Fantasy Battles, from the Death on the Reik line. When looking through an old case of miniatures, Eric found an old MKVI apothecary Space Marine, which was actually from the second blister pack we ever purchased in our youth. Seeing the model rekindled old memories, and with the upcoming new plastic MKVI marines, it seemed an ideal model to repaint to a higher standard. Now that we found the models, we just have to paint them before the end of May!

The Unforgiven: painting Lunax7070 Space Marine conversion

Omniscient.

Last week we finished building a Space Marine based on a converted cast of one of Lunax7070's true-scale Space Marines. Having finished the model about a week before the second annual Smash Bash entries were due, we realized we had just enough time to paint the model for the competition! For such a short turn-around time, we decided the Dark Angel dry-brush scheme would be an ideal choice to get the model painted quickly. I am happy to say we finished the model just in time!

Building a Lunax7070 Space Marine: Dark Angel

And you scorch the land.

Over the last few months, we have been converting and building a true-scale Space Marine from a multipart resin cast from Lunax7070. After extensively modifying the basic components for the legs and body, we created a silicone mold, allowing us to cast the modified pieces multiple times. Having completed this first part, we wanted to actually build a Space Marine out of some of the cast pieces, as a proof of concept. Although the components had been modified to help with the assembly process, it still took quite a bit of effort to build a model, and I wanted to talk about the process here.

The Unforgiven: Dark Angels Kill Team Sergeant

The Crimson Blade.

Last month I built another Dark Angel for my growing Kill Team, but rather than using another Primaris Space Marine, I used one of Paul-Friedrich von Bargen's 3D printable Space Marines. Although the model was pretty quick to build, being that it was primarily just a 3D print, it took me a while to get around to priming and painting it. When I did finally get out a brush, I followed the same procedure I did for the other models, which centered around drybrushing/stippling to achieve the green. The model fits nicely alongside the other Primaris-based models, making me consider building and painting a few more. Regardless, that is one more Dark Angel painted!

Paul-Friedrich von Bargen's 3D printable Space Marines

MKV Heresy Armor next to a True-scale Dark Angel.

With the advent of relatively inexpensive, high quality 3d printers and 3d sculpting software, more people are experimenting with creating their own unique models. In particular, recognizing the demand for better-scaled and proportioned Space Marines, a host of people are creating “True-scale” Space Marine models. These eliminate the need for extensive Primaris conversions to create models that fit alongside the other 40k model ranges. Not all of these are created equal: some do not take the opportunity to fix the anatomical issues inherent to classic Space Marine models, and just copy the GW design, but make them bigger. Paul-Friedrich von Bargen, or bolterjugend.idstein on Instagram, recently started creating 3d printable files for different Power Armor marks, starting with MKIII Iron Armor, before creating MKIV and MKV, along with Terminator armor. Importantly, he corrected some of the more egregious anatomical issues with the classic GW Marine design, such as giving the models a proper abdomen. While you can get his 3D printable files to print them yourself, not having a printer, I contacted him directly to get some of his MKIII Iron Armor Space Marines. To my surprise, he sent a lot of additional printed models, including a single MKV Heresy Armor marine! With this post I wanted to talk a little about the quality of the models and show one I built!

Space Marine with Plasma rifle

Darby "Gladiator" Lorensia with a human-scaled plasma rifle next to a Space Marine with one scaled to them.

Last year I created a few tutorials for converting smaller scaled weapons, including a Space Marine-scaled plasma rifle. Despite being really happy with the result, I never actually built a Space Marine to wield the firearm. Eric recently painted a Kill Team of Dark Angels without any special weapons, so the plasma rifle would make a great addition to the warband. With this in mind, I quickly modified a Primaris Intercessor to look like a traditional Space Marine, to fit with the rest of the Kill Team!

The Unforgiven: Dark Angel Plasma Cannon

Vast is the void in us.

Shortly after the release of Kill Team, I finished painting a Dark Angels Kill Team that I converted years back. Although I painted most of the marines I built, I still had a few that I converted with plasma cannons. With the paint scheme and process fresh in my mind, I decided to paint one of them to fit alongside the rest of the Kill Team!

The Unforgiven: Dark Angels Kill Team

Thought begets Heresy. Heresy begets Retribution.

We have been quite excited about the release of the new edition of Kill Team, recording two episodes of the podcast about it. Over the last two months, I painted two female space marines in the Dark Angels livery to support 28’s Female Space Marine challenge. Having finished two models, I realized if I pushed myself to paint three more, I would have a complete Kill Team (Primaris Intercessors)! Having already converted the rest of the squad years ago, it was not long before I had primer on the remaining models and was stippling on Caliban Green paint.

28 Challenge: Female Dark Angel Space Marines finished

Two Female Dark Angel Space Marines!

Last month I painted a lightly-converted female Dark Angel for 28’s current challenge. It was a fun process and one that pushed me to paint another immediately afterwards. Instead of painting it exactly like the first, using zenithal highlights, I decided to try a drybrushing/stippling method Richard Gray made some YouTube videos on. Although he used the method to paint an Ultramarine and an Imperial Fist Space Marine, I decided to adapt the method using the paints I had on my first Dark Angel.

28 Challenge: Female Dark Angel Space Marine

Two of the mightiest female warriors ready to purge heretics in the name of the Emperor!

A little while back, we converted a female Space Marine out of an original Rogue Trader plastic model for 28’s most recent challenge. Although the announcement of the challenge was largely well received, as anticipated there was a vocal minority who were upset by it, decrying cancel culture and other inane criticisms. Some “clever” commenters thought they were educating the 28 team by telling them that female Space Marines would look nigh identical to male ones, due to their bulky power armor. This point is self-evident, and to emphasize it, I thought it would be worthwhile to paint one of the Dark Angels I converted years back out of Primaris Space Marines for the challenge!

The Unforgiven: True-scale Dark Angels

Thought begets Heresy. Heresy begets Retribution.

When 8th edition of Warhammer 40k was released last year, I purchased one of the starter sets, and experimented with turning the included Primaris Space Marines into True-scale Space Marines. I found that by simply replacing their powerpacks and bolters, they made pretty convincing normal Space Marines. Being a longstanding Dark Angels player, when the new Dark Angel codex was released last year, I thought it might be fun to try to convert some tactical marines in this way. The hope being that I could build a bunch of them quickly to use in games of basic 40k (I manage to play a game or two each year). With this in mind, I got a box of the Dark Angels-themed Intercessors and set to work.

The Unforgiven: Black Knights

'One warrior usually suffices.'

The recent release of the new Dark Angels codex has gotten me to start thinking more about the future of my Deathwing army.  With the changes made to Deathwing Assault, I can no longer have a full army of Terminators teleport onto the field on turn one, making a strictly terminator army less feasible.  On the other hand, they did make the Ravenwing more viable than ever, allowing you to reroll your jink saves, while maintaining their ability to assist the Deathwing at arriving on target via deep strike.  These benefits convinced me to pull out a Ravenwing Black Knights’ box that I purchased over two and a half years ago (when the last version of their codex was released), and see what I could do with them.

Codex Dark Angels: A look at the Artwork

Proof that if GW wants evocative artwork, they can find artists to create it.

As a long time Deathwing player, I was extremely excited to see a new Dark Angels codex release, and purchased the digital version immediately.  Although I was excited to see the new rules, what I was most looking forward to was seeing the new artwork.  Codex releases have always been one of my favorite aspects of the hobby because they are the primary means that Games Workshop release new artwork to further the grim imagery the whole universe is founded upon.  Unfortunately, in recent years, the artwork has taken somewhat of a back seat. Games Workshop no longer credits the artists, and they often resort to coloring older artwork (often times rather poorly) rather than commissioning new material.  Despite this, I was still excited to see what new art would be in the new Dark Angels codex.  All of my hopes were shattered upon looking at the new book.  I dare say the book may contain some of the worst pieces of artwork that Games Workshop has ever released. Instead of writing too much about how the art has changed, I decided to show a few images comparing some of the old and new artwork. After all, a picture is worth a thousands words, right?

The Unforgiven: 2nd thunder hammer storm shield terminator

Storm of Vengeance!

When starting to build the first Deathwing terminator with a modified thunder hammer, I really just wanted to see if I could do it effectively.  It seemed like a good way to start out the year, something rather straightforward that I could easily pick up later, expanding the unit.  The first went so well and was so fun to make, however, that I immediately wanted to make another!  Now, less than a week later, the second Deathwing terminator is complete, ready to crush the skulls of those stand before him!