“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.