Reinforcements for the VIIth Legion: A Contemptor Dreadnought

 

With the VIIth Legion's infantry finished (although I might add a couple more Tartaros terminators at some point), it's time to turn to the vehicles.  I always think Dreadnoughts are a great first unit to paint when it comes to vehicles, because they aren't too expensive and so a re a perfect choice for:

• choosing your paint scheme and tie it in with the infantry; 
• determining how much weathering and what form it will take
• experimenting with the shading and highlights you will use (the curved surfaces make Contemptors perfect for this)

With the Imperial Fists Contemptor, I used Vallejo's Grey Primer, which I find less prone to dry tip than the white primer, and then an Averland Sunset Base coat.  Yriel Yellow was chosen as the main layer with a slight zenithal highlight of Flash Gitz Yellow.  Tau Light Ochre was sprayed from underneath to emphasise the shadows and give the model some depth. I'm not a huge fan of the obviously airbrushed effect so I like to keep these effects subtle; you can see them better on the model than in the pictures.  And the weathering tones them down a little, as do the varinishes/

I think the Imperial Fists Dreadnought is not as exciting as those of some of the other legions, and the model is starting to show its age, if I'm honest. The gold /bronze effects just don't work so well with yellow, in my opinion.  However, despite these reservations, I think the model has turned out well.  I am not very good at posing dreadnoughts, but this one definitely looks like a killer.

The helmet carries the heraldry of a veteran of the Great Crusade, which I think suits the VIIth Legion's veterans better than the red helmet with white stripe, but that is just a personal preference, partly because I don't know what colour eye lenses I would use if some helmets were yellow and some red.

A veteran of the Great Crusade, and ruthless when it comes to hunting Traitors on the battlefield

Steadfast and ever vigilant

A few battle scars, but this veteran's armour has been reverently maintained