Here we are nearly four months since my last completed miniature, what have I been doing all this time? Well, I’ve been working on a project that has been rattling around my brain for a few years now. I really enjoyed Aaron Dembski-Bowden’s Black Legion books, which tell of the creation of the Black Legion from the ashes of the Sons Of Horus. The Black Legion will take any Chaos Space Marines who feel drawn to Abaddon’s big project, so it includes former members of the other Legions who are now wearing the colours of the Black Legion. This offers some fun modelling and painting prospects, the chance to try and create a unified look using disparate models. I have not attempted to create the models by slavishly following the descriptions in the book, because that’s not my jam, but I have to make them conceptually relevant by using miniatures and parts that I feel represent the characters in the novels.

Iskandor is a Tzeentchian sorcerer, painted in blacks and dark blues, with sword and staff. The magic hands carrying him into battle were a right pain but I hope show him as a battlemage moving into battle. Nefertari is a Hasslefree elf, whilst Gyre is a wolf from a box of animal companion miniatures I bought a few years back. Ashur-Kai I chose a bird-headed sorcerer because of his affinity for birds. Like the Rubricae his black paintjob offers hints of the former bright-blue. Abaddon is Abaddon, though his sword is a parts-swap. Falkus has hints of Abaddon about him, his lightning claw references the Talon of Horus, but his mutations show that he is Possessed. The daemon Nagual miniature was chosen because its lots of animals, and Nagual was said to take many animal forms. The Ragged Knight is a fan-sculpt of the Hero Quest Gargoyle, itself based on the first version of the Bloodthirster. Tokugra, well, I liked the miniature, though I can’t remember where it comes from. Ilyaster, Telemachon, and Amurael are all vintage Chaos Space Marines, which is conceptually accurate. Ilyaster was a Death Guard, and his mini feels like a solid infantry slogger, with antler-esque horns and a face that reminds me of Nurgle. Telemachon was a swordsman of the Emperor’s Children, and his mini is lithe, ribbed, and preparing to use that chainsword. Amurael is an apothecary, so it seemed fair to use the only chaos apothecary miniature in existence, but without the bits that make it Fabius! Valicar was an Iron Warrior, so the Iron Warrior Captain miniature made sense. Sargon was a Word Bearer, but it was his damaged voicebox and zombie voice that really stood out. I thought that this head, with its sewn-up lips and blindfold, would do the job. The zombie miniature came out of the pile and I liked its pointing fingers, this is no mindless shuffler but a creature being controlled and animated. Note that both characters are pointing with the same arm. The Zaidu and Vortigern minis aren’t a good photo, sorry. Zaidu was a Night Lord, so I picked a spiky mini, and I felt that the unhelmed head would help me because I could do a skull mask on it. The maul had broken off, but that enabled me to fix it differently – a chainglaive is a very Night Lords weapon. Vortigern was a Fallen Dark Angel, so I wanted something vaguely knightly and the big sword, full armour and chainmail loincloth both worked. He also has a plasma pistol, a very Dark Angels weapon. Both these minis are from the Sixth Edition box set, some of my favourite Chaos Marines. For the former World Eaters Lheorvine, Delvarus, and Ugrivian I needed Khorny minis and found some vintage Berserkers and a vintage Possessed for Delvarus. Lheorvine needed a bit of work to find the right heavy weapon arm, but I got there eventually, I think that is from an early metal Havoc. Finally the mortal contingent. Ceraxia was a mini I bought on kickstarter years ago and was an absolute nightmare to build because there were so many fine parts. Ultio, well, the cyborg version of the Vengeful Spirit’s machine-spirit seemed an obvious choice of the Space Crusade Chaos Android. Tzah’Q was a beastman so I used one from Blackstone Fortress, and Moriana is another kickstarter mini, a witch whose staff-hand needed extensive pinning. And that’s it! I hope you enjoy them.