In Need Of Repair - Part Two

Just over a month ago I started to try and re-paint the Emperor's Champion model I used as the HQ choice for my (Fifth Edition) Black Templar Space Marines Force.

Time had most definitely not been gentle with the "Games Workshop" metal miniature, having especially left its Black Sword battered and chipped; something especially disappointing as the "Warhammer 40K" model never saw a 'battlefield in anger', so I can't even explain away the damage as 'war wounds' and cite some heroic actions.

As a result I have been spending some time trying to re-paint the figure's defects, and also add some extra detail to the Chosen of the Emperor's colour scheme. In particular I wanted to break up the sheer white the model's left leg.

Unfortunately, the coating of PVA glue I used to use to coat all of my models has made any such attempts a disaster, and despite the considerable passage of time, the glue returns to a sticky liquid state just as soon as paint (and water) touch it. This has meant that the "Vallejo" Gold kneepad I intended to apply, quickly became a lumpy stodgy mess as the glue mixed with the paint both on the model and on the brush tip.

After several attempts, it became clear that the model either needed to be completely stripped or binned and replaced. Initially I was inclined to go for the later option, and simply retain my (old) Emperor's Champion as a sentimental reminder of painting days (and skills) gone by. However I have struggled to find a metal replacement at any reasonable price, and with such a vulnerable pose, I was not willing to consider the "Games Workshop" Finecast alternative.

As a result I have completely stripped the model, although a few bits of paint remain stubbornly stuck to the miniature's cloak and waist. I've also been able to properly pin the Emperor's Champion sword arm to the torso, and replace the figure's backpack with one which actually belongs to the Black Templar Chapter.

 Having now undercoated the model with two layers of "Coat D'Arms" Black, I've started to paint a small 'Rogue Trader era' two-man Crimson Fist 'Sergeant' stand using some more of the excellent 15mm Retained Knight models from "The Iron Age".  

In Need Of Repair - Part One

Back in 2007 I started to paint a small Black Templar Space Marines Force in an attempt to learn the rules for "Warhammer 40K". Ultimately the project didn't really amount to much more than my painting a handful of Adeptus Astartes, a vehicle and one of my favourite "Games Workshop" models, albeit an expensive miniature even way back then, the Emperor's Champion.

Now despite my Sixth Edition of "Warhammer 40K" still remaining undisturbed within its cellophane wrapping, I have recently fancied gaming with some Space Marines using the "Savage Worlds" "Science Fiction Companion" setting, and as a result have started painting up a five-man Ultramarines Sternguard squad. As a result I've stumbled across a small cardboard box containing my old Black Templar Force and thinking it would be ever so simple to just re-base them (in order to better tie-in with the current basing scheme I use for all my models and scenery) I've set to work on them in order to do just that.

Unfortunately time has not been kind to these models, especially my Emperor's Champion, despite having spent much of the intervening years tucked away in the dark. As you can see, my quick and easy 'all-over black' colour scheme has robbed the model of many of its finer details, the super-glue connecting his backpack has perished and failed, and several scratches have scraped off the paintwork... especially along the length of his fabled black power sword. Plus the model is old enough to hark back to the days when I 'protected' all my paint jobs with a coat of PVA glue.  

As a result I thought I'd post up a small series of updates as to how I get along renovating these "Games Workshop" models, in the hope that one day they'll stand shoulder to shoulder with their Ultramarines brother space marines on the tabletop. 

In the meantime I'm also continuing to make some progress in working my way through some more "Mongoose Publishing" models from their "Judge Dredd" range.