Iron Warriors - Vindicator

Hi guys – sorry for the sporadic posts of late…geek’age is still happening up North…just at a slower rate of late.

Anyhow, here is a little toy I’ve had finished for a month or two but not had chance to take pics of yet – my first Iron Warrior Vindicator.

I picked the tank up of eBay randomly for an absolute steal of £10.50 – and it came with FW IW doors and some light chain-work conversions which I quite liked so kept.  I simply knocked together a quick combi-bolter to reduce the likelihood of those annoying weapon destroyed results.

It was painted up in my typical IW style and then treated to a lifetime of battering and weathering.

Only had one game with it so far – where it helped destroy Lord H’s Contemptor and made his Centurions very nervous indeed (S10 AP1 will insta gib the entire unit with no saves allowed…) – so pretty happy with the results so far!

Simple Vehicle Storm Bolter Conversion

If you play SM and you have either some old Vindicators or play three to get an Apoc Linebreaker Squadron, you may not have modelled your storm bolters due to the lack in early kits or late addition to Codex or like me you've modelled a Command Frame Accessory? Maybe you want an additional Storm Bolter for those 'Destroyed Weapon' results?

Maybe it's only me, however, this is a simple storm bolter conversion using the SM Scout Bike Twin Linked Bolters ('cos you did max out on Astartes Grenade Launchers didn't you!). Also works with normal SM Bike Twin Linked Bolters if you are not fielding Scout Bikers but then you lose the cool scope gubbins.

As above, file any rivet detail from the inside of the two guns and stick together making sure they are correctly aligned. Next, file a slightly steeper angle on the magazine to fit the front sloping armour of the said Vindicator/Rhino/Razorback/Predator. Glue when painted for ease, and done. Simples.

See also my other simple Conversions: Combi-Melta and Sternguard Bolter. Thanks, hope they help.

Relictor Vindicator #3 of 3 - Linebreaker Squadron

Finally finished the third and final Vindy and a great feeling to have my first Apocalypse formation done and dusted (plus the obvious benefit of having 3 heavy support options for my Relictors!). This is Vindicator number 1, 'Infernum', the Command tank of the Relictors Vindicator Linebreaker Squadron attached to my 5th Company.
Subtle differences on this tank were a different chain on Siege Shield, a Skull Motif with bones under the drivers vision slit rather than just a skull (denotes Command Tank), the wound marker Skull on Siege Shield and of course the SM Command Sensor atop the hatch ring plus some FW purity seals. I'm quite pleased with the mud effect on Siege Shield - not over the top and the two tone mix looks good IMHO.

So without further rambling, here is the Squadron.
More pictures available at the 'Finished Relictors' tab in the sidebar>>>>

Relictors Vindicator #2 of 3

Here is Vindicator number 2 'Impervious' from my Relictors Vindicator Linebreaker Squadron attached to my 5th Company. Pretty much the same as Vindicator 'Idaeus' with the exception of the ammo hoist being empty, I cut the pieces so the grab claws were closer together and the headlight ports on the siege shield are closed. Here is a better view of the top of the Vindy. Number 3 will have the SM Command Sensor from the command frame sprue and a big skull motif on the Siege Shield made from a wound marker.

As before, more pictures available in the right hand column at the picture link 'Finished Relictors' >>>>>>

Relictors Vindicator #1 of 3

So, here is the first (actually Vindicator No.3) of my Relictor Vindicator Linebreaker Squadron, as attached to my 5th Company. As I said in a previous post, I had a little help from my friends in Sri Lanka at http://www.paintedfigs.com/ to do the basic paint job for me before I painted and added all the detailing how I wanted it. The shot below shows one of the basic models fresh from the post and the 'bits' for one tank I've been constructing whilst waiting for them to arrive.

Once the tanks arrived I painted the Cupola Armoured Glass, Drivers Windscreen, applied transfers, added weathering and painted every rivet (lots of them). I then added the bits I've been busy doing, the Siege Shield and Pistons, Skull Motifs and Chains, Aquila, Gun Sensors, Auto Launchers (a little Chaos detailing - after all I am the Relictors), Ammo Hoist, Smoke Extractor Fan Assembly, Purity Seals, Name Scroll, Drivers Vision Guard and the Command Sensor for the Squadron Command tank (to follow).

The Ammo Hoist and Shell came up nicely. The shell case itself is simply Brazen Brass with a Devlan Mud wash and the projectile Bolt Gun Metal with a Badab Black wash. Weathering effects were mainly Calthan Brown and Graveyard Earth. (Oh, and only half painting points for this tank as I didn't do it all myself)
More pics of Vindicator Idaeus are available in the 'Finished Relictors' web album in the righthand sidebar >>>>

Heavy Support WIP

Just a quick update to what is on my painting table at the moment. I have recently dispatched an order to www.PaintedFigs.com to paint some of my tanks for me, however, although they provide an excellent 'standard' service, I wanted to do all the fine detailing myself so I sent stripped down versions of the tanks to them. When they return I will embellish them with weathering, touch ups to my exacting specifications and add all these bits and pieces plus transfers etc.

I know the purists out there will say I should do the whole project myself but, hey I haven't that much time and a huge project list (see the right hand bar! A reaver is sitting there calling to be started proper (for you Inner Geek), plus 2 Devestator squads, Veterans, Assault troops, Full Command etc etc) and they are just doing the basecoating and highlighting the basic model. All the time consuming 'boring' bits in my mind and they're super cheap to boot.

As you can see, the devil is in the detail - and this way I get to 'own' the tank again. Troops are different, there is no 'boring' expanses and it is all detail work. My Landraiders will gladly be my own work from top to tail as I want the insides painted too. Look out for the future results of these WIP Vindicators...

Mk 1's Razorback and Vindicator

Here are two tanks from my collection, The razorback is about 12-13 years old, (my first tank, aged 14..ah the memories..)and will be given an fresh lick of paint. I like the fact that the new Space Marine Codex discusses this variation, with the lascannon/twin-linked plasma configaration.

The second tank again is about 12 years old. I based the idea on the vindicator from the final liberation computer game. The tank then was armed with a thunderer cannon. I'm planning on have this as a Mk I version. As again this variation was mentioned in the codex in the history of the vindicator.. The tank itself was based on the old rhino, with a massive cannon on the front. I used the largest syringe I could find. The original version had the roof open, with crew interior. I used two plastic marines, some cpu boards trimed around the edge and some shells from another kit for the main weapon. However when GW produced on I felt it didn't look right to have a tank, with a huge weapon showing its workings, so I added the metal roof with the fans on it..

Ultramarine Vindicator

This week, my Ultramarines have the addition of another mighty Vindicator to its ranks. This is a Forgeworld model, which has taken a while to complete. (To much on the go.)



The main issues I had to start with was the warping of the resin parts, a quick blow with a hair dryer sorted that out. I really rate the Forgeworld model over the GW one, I just feel the cannon looks menacing, I did a slight conversion on the side doors so that they are reversed.


A couple of coats of Ultramarine blue over a black undercoat, plus some boltgun metal in places was the theme for this model. The dozer blade was painted UB, then washed with Badab Black to give it a worn look. I like all my vehicles to look as clean as possible, it just doesn't seem right to have a dirty Ultramarine tank (maybe I'm mad).