He doesn't look very ancient to me but then he's a Primaris Ancient which probably means he's about 27. Okaaay, the Indomitus Crusade has been around for a while so he might be 127. He's very fastidious too and spends a lot of time polishing his armour. For a wonder, I haven't named him and he's just called 'the Banner Bearer'.
You've got to have a banner bearer in your army if you're playing Warhammer. It's just a thing. Technically, I think that it's the battle standard which is ancient rather than the bloke carrying it and every member of the chapter would willingly sacrifice their life to protect this relic.
In my case it's more of a tournament distraction really and a blatant attempt to claw my way up the painting scores. I definitely went balls-to-the-wall with this one and painted it in no less than 4 sub-assemblies. It was actually quite fun and different to do and finally gluing the separate parts together was a definite dopamine rush. I got a bit bored doing the back of the banner but no one looks at him from behind anyway.
In other news, Cpt. Precarius is back in action with a newly pinned base. I used a brass rod, super glue and polystyrene cement to hold him in place this time. That bastard is never coming off now. Nailed to his perch!! However, his Iron Halo remains lost to the Warp and probably gone forever. In an act of desperation, I swept the garage floor in an attempt to find it (something I never normally do; living in squalor is good for the immune system) but I uncovered nothing more remarkable than Tyranid nail clippings and an old piece of green coloured chewing gum. No trace of the Iron Halo. I suspect the Chaos Gods are currently using it in a blasphemous game of Horse-shoes.
Undaunted, I forged him a new one out of my last remaining Nemesis Force Stave and the pommel of a Dreadknight sword. A worthy combination of blessed artifacts. I'm not sure it looks nicer than the previous incarnation but it's bigger, flashier and better painted so I'm ok with it.
Both look stunning mate, glad Capt Precarious has his Iron Halo Mojo back and the Banner looks awesome. So smooth as always, I’m quite envious at the speed you pump these out!
ReplyDeleteCheers Siph, thats one reason I enter tournaments; it makes me paint faster. I'm still nowhere near Mordian levels of madness tho. I will take a bit of a break and be back to lazy mode as of next week.
DeleteNo-one is as fast as Mordian7th! Joel is a painting Servitor!
DeleteI am loving how your bases are turning out.. I like the new halo better for the Captain and man I cant wait to see the flag bearer in person so my jaw can properly hit the floor.
ReplyDeleteHaha thanks. Its amazing what the addition of a skull and a bit of grass can do for a base. However, I nearly always rush them them and can't be bothered, even though it is effectively only a few minutes extra work.
DeleteLooks great! A well-painted Standard really does kick up the appearance of an Army.
ReplyDelete"Ancient", in this sense, is a 15th century corruption of "Ensign", which at the time was also the general term for a military flag (same root as "insignia"), and had become the title for the officer carrying it as well. Same sort of process as more recently resulted in "for all intensive purposes" and "with baited breath".
I have a talent for dropping things and making them completely vanish. There are a couple of bits I dropped years ago in a room with bare hardwood floors that are regularly swept, and those bits have never turned up again. Happened with a Plaguebearer head just the other night.
I didn't know that (obviously!). Dammit Westrider, you're like a walking encyclopedia. Someone kept using 'Pacific' instead of 'specific' during a presentation I attended some months ago. I nearly gnawed my index finger off.
DeleteI'm not a walking encyclopedia, I just have a sort of compulsion to look stuff up if I don't know it, or it bugs me until I do.
DeleteHonestly, I would have sworn I read somewhere that it came from kings and lords making their longest-serving (which was at one point a use of "ancient") and most trusted follower their banner bearer. But apparently not. Maybe that was the derivation in some fantasy setting or something.
Oh, also, he should be named "Bruce". Anyone with a banner should be ;)
DeleteThat's so bad, its good. Bruce Banner-Bearer it is.
DeletePrecarious is back baby! Back to jumping of slippery Carnifex heads - hopefully now he'll stay on! Mr. Banner Bearer lookks great as well. I like the litte touch with the Prime Helix in one of the fields.
ReplyDeleteAh crap. I thought it was the Rod of Asclepius but turns out it is a 'Winged Caduceus' which is associated with the medical corps in America. The Prime Helix is on Carab Culln's kneepad though. I'm playing my army as Iron Hands to represent the fact that it often has Apothecaries as sergeants and therefore gets 6+ fnp. I need to actually buy some Primaris Apothecaries tho. 40k is very confusing.
DeleteAbsolutely stunning - I always love your Scorpions man, they're simply choice!
ReplyDeleteAlmost finished... sooo close. Thanks Mordian.
Delete'Clawing your way to the top of the painting scores'? How are you not already there?!?!
ReplyDeleteI'm a 'belt and braces' kind of guy. Besides, I think a lot of great hobbyists in our area will be bringing their 'A' game on Saturday (painting wise!) and I never said I was top :)
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