Warhammer 40,000 (5th edition) Ratling Miniatures

Ratlings are a small species of Abhumans, with natural talents for marksmanship, stealth and staying out of harms way. In Imperial Guard regiments, Ratlings are typically found serving as snipers and scout, where they can put their natural talents to use.

Ratlings (front)

Ratlings (back)

In an earlier post, I painted a collection of eight ‘Old School’ metal Ratling miniatures from the 2^nd edition of the rules (the 1990s).  Since then, I have painted five more Raltlings, which are from the current range of Ratlings produced by Games Workshop (this range was introduced during the 5^th edition of the rules: 2008 to 2012).  I used a woodland environment colour pattern for these miniatures, paintings the Ratlings’ combat fatigues in a combination of a four-colour woodland camouflage and olive green.

For more images of these miniatures, please visit the Ratlings section of the Old Guard; a website dedicated to Games Workshop’s Warhammer 40K miniatures, with a focus on the classic range of Imperial Guard models from the 1990s.

Warhammer 40,000: Blood Pact Miniatures

Features in Dan Abnett’s Gaunt’s Ghosts series, the Blood Pact are the rank-and-file soldiers of Archon Urlock Gaur; the chief Chaos Warlord in the Sabbat Worlds. The Blood Pact are a notch above the average cultist trooper, possessing skills and tactics on par to the Imperial Guard. Blood Pact soldiers are distinguished by their grotesque face masks, blood-soaked combat fatigues and scars on their palms; scars obtained from the sharp edges of Urlock Gaur’s power armour, where the warriors pledge their allegiance to the Archon through a ritualized blood pact.

Blood Pact (front)

Blood Pact (back)

Blood Pact (front)

Blood Pact (back)

Inspired by Dan Abnett’s Gaunt’s Ghosts series, I ‘kit-bashed’ a squad of ten Blood Pact warriors, using components from a range of manufacturers.  One distinguishing feature of the Blood Pact are their grotesque face masks.  Reading the books, I envisioned these masks appearing as the demonic face masks worn by the samurai.  I used Secret Weapons Miniatures’ metal Oni masks for the heads.  The greatcoat bodies are from Wargames Factory’s plastic Shock Trooper set (I purchased this set several years ago when Wargames Factory was still around).  Most of the weapons are from the Cadian Shock Trooper set (there are also components from the Catachan Jungle Fighters and the Age of Sigmar Flagellants sets).

For more images of these miniatures, please visit the Blood Pact section of the Old Guard; a website dedicated to Games Workshop’s Warhammer 40K miniatures, with a focus on the classic range of Imperial Guard models from the 1990s.

Cadian Shock Troopers: Desert Camouflage (Imperial Guard/Astra Militarum)

Once a mighty Imperial Fortress World located near the Eye of Terror, Cadia is the home world of the Cadian Shock Troopers; Imperial Guard regiments renown for their disciple and devotion to the God-Emperor. The entire planet of Cadia was destroyed in the 13th Black Crusade; despite this, the ‘fighting spirit’ of the Cadian Shock Trooper still lives on through the 3 million Cadians who have fled their planet’s destruction.

Desert Pattern Cadian Shock Troopers (front)

Desert Pattern Cadian Shock Troopers (back)

Desert Pattern Cadian Shock Troopers (front) 

Desert Pattern Cadian Shock Troopers (back) 

  

I made the decision to paint the metal Cadian Shock Troopers in two distinct camouflage patterns, since I had several duplicates in my twelve-model collection.  The first half of the Cadian Shock Troopers were painted in a four-colour woodland camouflage pattern, based on the U.S. Military’s woodland camouflage of the 1980s (please see previous post for details).  For the second half of the collection, I painted these miniatures in a tri-colour desert camouflage pattern; a similar pattern I used for the Armageddon Steel Legion miniatures.

The metal Cadian Shock Troopers were introduced in 1994, when Citadel Miniatures moved away from their generic Rogue Trader era Imperial Guard models, to Imperial Guardsmen themed around the specific home worlds they were recruited from.  The metal Cadian Shock Troopers were designed by Michael Perry; while the heavy bolter was designed by Norman Swales. 

For more images of these miniatures, please visit the Cadian Shock Trooper section of the Old Guard; a website dedicated to Games Workshop’s Warhammer 40K miniatures, with a focus on the classic range of Imperial Guard models from the 1990s.