Minis: Blark, the "Genestealer"

Blark is a member of a minor xenos species from a small blue planet way out on the Western Spiral Arm. A warp accident deposited him far across the galaxy on Ursis Prime where he scratched out a living as a gun for hire. Unfortunately for Blark, his species' colouration and skull shape strongly echo that of a purestrain genestealer. When he awoke after a night of heavy drinking to find a Patriarch welcoming him into the family, one look at the horde of four-armed monsters slavering around him suggested that he better go with the flow.

As I had a few minutes to spare, I grabbed a model that appealed to me and painted quickly. He's a Malig Tank Ace from Ion Age's Year One Collection. Looking him over, it was to the usual high standard of their sculpts and I was particularly enamored of the aviator goggles. As my first alien figure, I wanted something suitably exotic and went with Genestealer Purple for the skin. Little did I know that I'd be dipping into that pot quite frequently as I dug through the leadpile. Technically the Malig are space goblins so a green would have been called for but I'm sure that can be done with the next batch.

I kept the scarf off white to save time and the uniform is Alaitoc Blue simply because it goes nicely with the pre-existing white and purple. The rest of the model saw a combination of Dwarf Bronze, Dryad Bark, XV-88, Ironbreaker and Hawk Turquoise used on the details. As a stand alone figure, I suspect he might pop up more in Starport Scum scenarios than set-piece battles.

Minis: The 369th "Last Resort"

The world of Armageddon has produced a steady stream of Steel Legion regiments for service across the stars. Three companies intended to reinforce the 369th were deployed to Ursis Prime fifteen years ago in what many are beginning to suspect was a clerical error. Not ones to waste trained manpower, the rulers of Ursis have been assigning them to urban pacification missions since then. Clearly, the governor wants to get as much use as possible from them before the error is noted and they are reassigned. As a result, casualties have been high and morale is poor.

I couldn't think of a better place to begin than the humble Imperial Guard. The models were all chosen from Ion Age's Cold Climes platoon. It had a fair mix of troops so any model with a fully masked face was conscripted. These are painted as Steel Legion analogues, clearly drafted in from a nearby Hive world. The uniforms are a mix of Desert Yellow, Abbadon Black and Death World Forest.

I went with a bright orange on the respirator tubing to brighten them up, perhaps they find the local air a little too clean and need some industrial solvent blended into their air mix to give that little taste of home.

The colours are perhaps a touch too drab for 15mm and I have some concerns about how well they'll stand out on the table but they do look quite nice in the flesh. As miniatures, the sculpts were very clean. They were also straightforward to paint with clearly defined, sharp features.

There's eight models in total, including our fallen hero, so that will make about a squad's worth of grunts.

Fluff: An Introduction to Ursis Prime

Representative of Ursis Industrial Harmony Commission
 meets with striking workers, Fab-Unit #3191, M40.545. 

Oh, sweet Ursis, tis of thee,
Warm pyres of industry,
Swarming with loyal drones,
Watched ov'r from noble homes,
Ever guarded by soldiers true,
Ever watered by chem-seas blue,

Gaze on glorious ash-wastes,
Chew vit-cubes of unique taste,
No rebel scum or xenos swine,
Shall pollute any lands thine,
Our Royal lords protect thee,
Now labour on with dignity,

Commoners of Ursis Prime,
Imperial subjects for all time,
Ursis demands your best,
Know only traitors seek rest!!!

-Final verses of the Ursis planetary anthem.

There's only so many Oldhammer Rogue Trader battle reports one can read before the urge to do something similar nests in your subconscious. Now, as I lack the time, ancient lead stockpile or skills to do 28mm Rogue Trader justice, I'm going to go my own way and work in 15mm.

In my mind's eye, Ursis Prime is a long colonised, backwater mining planet in a dustball system, somewhere along the Imperium's borders. Noble families and off-world merchants squabble to gather what wealth can be found in its ramshackle mines. The wider Imperium doesn't really care what happens here as long as it doesn't impact on more valuable worlds and the decadent, bloated and definitely disloyal Governor Winzor just wants to keep the whole mess from drawing too much attention as the planet is, frankly, riddled with xenos, cultists and rebels. Diverting a portion of the profits from his various side projects should be enough to keep the entire enterprise rolling for another few decades and let him buy his way into a grander title and off this Emperor-forsaken dustball.