“The Nova-class Frigate…”

“…Is a Rapid Strike Vessel utilised by the fleets of most Space Marine Chapters.”

This 40mm long resin space vessel was purchased as part of a £30 pre-painted job lot from my local wargaming store, having been labelled as being Battlefleet Gothic models by “Games Workshop”. However, upon closer examination the entire collection are clearly 3D printed imitations – with there being not a single Aquila in sight on any of them.

Fortunately though, there are more than enough miniatures to field two rather sizeable Adeptus Astartes fleets, so I have chosen to paint the first half of them as belonging to the Dark Angels Chapter. This particular (not) Space Marine Nova-Class Frigate is 40mm in length and was therefore re-primed using “Vallejo” Dark Green and washed with “Citadel” Nuln Oil.

"The Space Marines had arrived and they are fear incarnate, they are the Lords of Death."

Chiefly used for “patrolling through the domains controlled by a respective Chapter”, the warship was then dry-brushed with (more) “Vallejo” Dark Green and highlighted a layer of Heavy Green. To add some additional colour and interest to the vessel, I also applied a mixture of “Vallejo” Gunmetal and “Citadel” Nuln Oil to its “ultra-heavy directed energy cannon” engines, as well as some “Vallejo” Gold and “Citadel” Agrax Earthshade to its side emblem.

As a penultimate touch I applied a Crusade Icon decal to an area of its armour plating, which was taken from a second-hand sheet of Dark Angels Primaris Space Marines transfers I specially bought for just such a purpose. Lastly, I gave the Frigate’s widget a couple of coats of “Citadel” Abaddon Black too, so as to better hide it on my Deep Space “Hotz” mat. This originally transparent-coloured piece was taken from one of the new “Dropzone Commander” flight-stands, and replaced the broken stem I drilled out before I even started painting…

"Catalyst Game Labs" WIPs - An Ebon Jaguar and some Elemental battle-suits

With my test Battlefleet Gothic piece finished, I have managed to spend some more time on my ongoing Weird War Two project using the 1:285 scale plastic “Battletech” models by “Catalyst Game Labs”. Recently, I was lucky enough to get my hands on a box of fast-selling Battletech: Clan Heavy Battle Star miniatures, and quickly identified the Ebon Jaguar as being a suitable, technological successor to the Stormcrow and Viper mechs I’ve been using to form a German Heer force.

Alongside this Focke-Achgelis class medium war walker, I have also started pigmenting a few bases of Elemental super-soldiers to use as objective-securing ground forces. The 6mm plastic figures actually come on hexagonal bases of five miniatures inside the “BattleTech: Clan Elemental Star” boxed set, but I’ve decided to spread them out a bit more by only attaching three models to every 25mm circular stand.

“The Deathwing Is The Elite First Company…”

“…Of The Dark Angels Space Marine Chapter.”

These 6mm scale metal models of five Adeptus Astartes terminators used to be produced by “Games Workshop” as part of their now long out of production (OOP) “Epic” range, and were recently bought second-hand off of “eBay”. The sculpts had all previously been undercoated with a deep blue paint, however, as their details still appeared to be crisp, I figured their tactical dreadnought armour could withstand some more layers in order for me to field them as part of the Deathwing.

Resultantly, all of the miniatures were given a couple of coats of “Vallejo” White, before being shaded using some heavily-watered down “Citadel” Reikland Fleshshade. They were then dry-brushed with (more) “Vallejo” White, before I treated their storm bolters to a combination of “Vallejo” Gunmetal and “Citadel” Nuln Oil.

A second-hand collection of non-official vessels for "Battlefleet Gothic"

With my latest submission to the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge (AHPC) completed, I have spent some time sorting through a box of second-hand 1:20000 scale spaceships I found on one of the shelves of my local wargaming store. I did initially believe I had bought two official large-sized Imperial Fleets for “Battlefleet Gothic”. However, having subsequently scrutinised the vessels much more closely, they would appear to actually be 3D-printed resin models, as opposed to something historically produced by “Forge World” or “Games Workshop”.

Fortunately, the detail on these miniatures is absolutely insane, with the craft more than favourably matching up with their genuine cousins, such as the Space Marine Battlebarge or Strike Cruiser. Indeed, apart from the models’ material, it is only the complete absence of an Aquila anywhere on the vessels which really gives away that they’re not the genuine article. Perhaps therefore my only frustration with my thirty pound purchase is that I can’t locate who actually produces the models so I can potentially add to the fleets in the future.

"Battlefleet Gothic" WIPs - Several of the spaceships have snapped off their resin stands

Due to owning two identical spacefaring forces, I thought the best thing to do with them was to re-paint them as two different Space Marine Chapters – thus I could pit one against another (due to some misunderstanding) or combine the two against an even larger threat should I ever decide to expand my collection. To this end I have taken one of the smallest ships – a Nova Class Frigate, whose resin base had already snapped off, and started to paint it as a Dark Angels Chapter vessel.

In addition, I have drilled out the rest of the broken stem from its underbelly – which was easier said than done – and superglued one of the widgets produced for the new “Dropzone Commander” flying stands in its place. Once I’ve finished pigmenting the Frigate, I then intend to paint the widget “Citadel” Abaddon Black, so it should become partially lost from sight when the spaceship is being used on my Deep Space “Hotz” mat…