“The Rhino Is A Common Armoured Troop Transport Produced By The Imperium.”

“Its use is entrusted to only the most loyal of soldiers.”

These three 6mm scale plastic models of a Rhino used to be produced by “Games Workshop” as part of their now long out of production (OOP) “Epic” range. I actually seem to have acquired them second-hand, as I discovered them whilst rummaging through an old box of “Adeptus Titanicus” from 1988, and their previous owner predominantly primed them in a disconcertingly thick black paint.

As a result, I decided to pigment them as part of the Black Templars chapter, so having permanently attached them onto some small “Flames Of War” stands by “Battlefront Miniatures”, I simply gave them a coat of watered down “Citadel” Abaddon Black. I then had to decide which areas, such as the vehicles’ doors and hatches, were going to be ‘picked out’ with any “Vallejo” White, but ultimately decided just to apply a combination of “Vallejo” Gunmetal and “Citadel” Nuln Oil to their weapons, tracks, and handles.

Black Templars encounter a horde of daemonic Bloodletters

I did look for any suitably-sized decals which would mark the armoured vehicles out as specifically belonging to the “Loyalist Second Founding Space Marine Chapter derived from the Imperial Fists' gene-seed”. However, I couldn’t find any within my own collection, so eventually just settled upon them being black and silver. This did though cause me to pick out some extra details on the Rhinos with “Vallejo” Gunmetal and “Citadel” Nuln Oil, before treating them all to a coat of “Vallejo” Matt Varnish.

"Robots are artificial constructs capable of completing complex tasks automatically."

Having ‘bagged’ a handful of points for the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge [AHPC] with my transports, I also decided to complete a second 6mm plastic “Epic” Conqueror Robot. This particular sculpt was undercoated with “Vallejo” White Surface Primer as part of my AHPC preparation, so was simply treated to a couple of layers of “Citadel” Abaddon Black, before having its large power-fist ‘picked out’ with some “Vallejo” White and Pale Grey.

The automaton’s heavy bolter and auto-cannon were originally given a layer of “Citadel” Abaddon Black, and then later treated to a little “Vallejo” Gunmetal and “Citadel” Nuln Oil. In addition, I dabbed the killing machine’s prominent eyes with “Vallejo” Heavy Red and a dash of “Citadel” Carroburg Crimson. Finally, I spotted them with (more) “Vallejo” Heavy Red.

"Epic" WIPs - An Assault Marine (Dark Angels), land Speeder (Space Wolves) and Terminator (Black Templars)

I really am on a big “Epic” push currently, with several more Space Marine-related units in my painting queue, including some Assault Marines, Terminators and a Land Speeder. As with my recently finished Rhinos, some of these 6mm models have already been partially-painted by their previous owner/s, but where-ever possible I have tried to ensure that my combined Adeptus Astartes force represents more chapters than just the Black Templars…