The Hearthguard:

The most trusted veterans of each Household form the personal retinue of their Warleader.

Sometimes these experienced warriors will act as squad leaders for line units, at others they serve as bodyguards for their commander. As the Marines Adamant never use dedicated Assault Squads, when a position must be taken the Hearthguard are also often used as linebreakers and breachers, a role at which they excel.

Whether clad in power armour or Tactical Dreadnought battleplate, it is often the case that Hearthguard fight in a very traditional style, eschewing most ranged weapons and instead arming themselves with a variety of power blades and large, heavy storm shields. The Iron Wyrd Artificers and the Magi of the Gharant Forges make such arcane, powerful equipment readily available, and this makes the Hearthguard especially deadly in urban warfare or boarding actions.

So, painting still progresses, if a little slowly, but there isn't really anything exciting to show, so I thought I'd add another build update.

The TDA Hearthguard are obviously mostly Wolf Guard. They do have a few regular SM termi bits where it would be awkward to remove the wolf skulls, the rest is just filed off. The shields I like, from Greytide Studios, I prefer the more squared shape - somehow feels right for an IH Successor? And the Great Weapon came from a spare bit left from a Techmarine or AdMech guy, I can't quite remember off the top of my head?

The power armoured Hearthguard (Headtakers) are just an Assault Intercessor squad from the Indomitus box - I chose this set for their more aggressive poses compared to the multi-part kit. Their CC weapons are from a variety of sources, but I like the individual feel of them. The shields are from Dragoon Gaming (who were extremely helpful when I requested that the order be somewhat modified, btw) - these are a bit less fancy than the TDA ones, but I think that works?

Thanks also has to go to the staffer at my local GW who graciously allowed me to a pinch one of the easy-build Infernus Marines that they give away to new players (I won't name names, just in case he shouldn't have done it!) I was then able to convert it into the 6th Headtaker (front left).

Anyway, that's it for today! I don't have that many squads left to build for my 2k list, main thing will be a heavily kitbashed counts-as Desolation Squad! But next time, painting, I swear! Really!

…probably…