Comrade's Wargames

I’m back with my second batch of vintage metal Plague Marines augmented with snazzy resin bits from Spellcrow. These were a lot of fun to build and paint, and they look surprisingly OK next to some of the newer Death Guard figures that have come out recently. These guys will hit the table later this month in a game in our Caluphel Awakenings narrative campaign.

I’m a big fan of the Middlehammer-era Plague Marine aesthetic, particularly the WWI Prussian-inspired gas mask helmets with spikes on top. I also like how the Nurgle details on these older figures are subtle and understated: cracked armor, a few boils and buboes, but nothing too zany. The gnarly upgrade bits from Spellcrow let me really push things over the top, which is nice.

These guys have a few notable conversions. Here’s a mace of contagion on this champion armed with a plasma pistol.

On a whim, I attached a missile launcher from the old metal Chaos Havocs kit to one of my Plague Marine torsos. I think I’ll run this weapon as a plague launcher in my games.

I also tried my hand at a flail of corruption conversion (another potent close combat weapon available to the Death Guard). I don’t have a particularly large bits box, so I was pleased that I was able to cobble together something halfway useful.

I had a lot of fun playing around with GW’s technical paints — namely Typhus Corrosion and Ryza Rust — to finish off the rusted censers at the end of the flail.

And lastly, I used a bit of green stuff to obscure an Imperial eagle on this plasma gun conversion. It was a simple trick that looks perfectly serviceable with a little paint.

I’ve got another 10 or so vintage Plague Marines waiting to receive a similar treatment (Spellcrow bits + quick paint job). After that, the basic footslogging infantry in my Death Guard warband will be complete!