IVIilitarus' Legendary Freeblades

[IVIilitarus]

I recently completed a trio of Imperial Knight Freeblades for use as display and game centrepieces.

 

The three knights are converted freeblades, all of the Cerastus chassis and representing one combat style and one force of the Imperium.

 

Each knight features modified weaponry and is placed on a scenic base. The bases are pine and each model is fitted with an aluminium plaque, commissioned from a carpenter and jeweller, respectively. I felt rather strongly that impressive centrepiece models deserved better bases than the standard thin, black plastic and I sprung for something more impressive.

 

The three knights each represent one of the combat configurations: melee, ranged or mixed. I plan on adding a Knight Atrapos to this collection later on.

 

The project took a considerable amount of planning. The goals I had in mind were:

 

1. To test my modelmaking and painting skills after a year and a half of building models and miniatures.

2. To create centrepiece models for my army (and future armies)

3. To create unique, eye-catching Imperial Knights.

 

One of the things that inspired this project was simply the lack of interesting Imperial Knights in Games Workshop's lore. Having read all there is to read about Imperial Knights, I found that the knights shown in official materials were honestly a bit drab. Each and every noble house seemed to follow some kind of pseudo-European stereotype and fought with 'honour' or 'gallantry' and represented some kind of warrior character traits. I'd hoped the Freeblades would be different, but sadly, even the official Knight Freeblades were basically the same weapon combinations and the same knight chassis with different names and colour schemes.

 

To that end, I wanted my knights to be unique and have personalities. I used the Cerastus chassis because it is far more poseable than the Games Workshop knight and mounted weapons onto each platform that weren't the norm. Of the three, only Le Fer de Lance is painted in the conventionally 'knightly' aesthetic and the other two were used to explore different motifs. I also took the opportunity to build bases worthy of centrepiece models - finished pine wood with aluminium plaques and dramatic scenes from war on each base.

 

After many hours of work, I am extremely proud of the result. While I know they're not perfect, I am satisfied with their appearance and look forward to more of the hobby from here on out.

 

The three are together below:

http://i.imgur.com/skwNqCh.jpg

 

 

Individually, they are:

 

LE FER DE LANCE

 

Le Fer de Lance (The Spearhead) was the first of three. Le Fer de Lance was hand painted and modified with a clay sculpted axe head and filling for the shield. I modelled Le Fer de Lance after French knighthood. The classic colours of French heraldry - blue, white and gold are its main colours and it also features the fleur de lis icon prominently. An axe head was sculpted for its shock lance, effectively making it a halberd. I also disliked the open frame design of the original shield and filled it in with clay, which I then decorated with knightly heraldry. The plaque reads: LE FER DE LANCE - Show me what passes for fury among your misbegotten kind

 

The base of the model depicts a trio of assault marines charging into combat alongside Le Fer de Lance. I used the assault marines to give a better sense of scale for the knight and I also thought there was something plain comical about having the comparatively tiny space marines charging into battle alongside a knight.

 

Le Fer de Lance's pilot is the image of arrogant, Imperial nobility. Sir Gerard Foch found court life absolutely loathsome and felt that his talents were better used elsewhere. A consummate close combat fighter, Sir Foch undertook the rite of the freeblades with his knight, Le Fer de Lance and redecorated in his personal heraldry, leaving his house forever. He know travels the galaxy in search for great and worthy adversaries to slay (preferably in single combat, on the charge, like the jousts of his homeworld). Le Fer de Lance is a reflection of its pilot - extravagantly gilded and gallant, wearing its heraldry proudly on the way into combat.

 

http://i.imgur.com/rdSiDC1.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/D518Csk.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/9CiRdzr.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/vUBQJyQ.jpg

 

Reference images for Le Fer de Lance here:

 

 

THUNDERHEAD

 

Thunderhead was the second of the trio. Thunderhead is an all-ranged knight built on the Castigator. Its tempest warblade has been replaced with a rapid-fire battle cannon with belt feed ammunition system. Thunderhead was partially airbrush painted, with most of the purple carapage and gunmetal grey frame being airbrushed. The belt feed ammunition system for the rapid-fire battle cannon was crafted using putty and discarded .22LR casings, some of which can be found spent at its feet. I also used Thunderhead to play with an unusual motif: rather than the traditional medieval knight fare of horse and coat of arms imagery, I wanted something different. I chose to paint it in purple, a traditionally feminine colour and then cover it in cherry blossom and butterfly decals. The central motif of cherry blossoms and butterflies runs on the diagonal white stripe across the knight. The plaque reads: THUNDERHEAD - We meet darkness without fear for we advance in the shadows of giants

 

Thunderhead's base depicts an Imperial Guard infantry advance inspired by the massed infantry advances of WWI and WWII. A variety of Death Korps of Krieg models were used to portray a dramatic advance under heavy fire, including wounded and broken men in Thunderhead's shadow. Thunderhead is portrayed as steady and unwavering, stamping over barbed wire and lending fire support for the troops below.

 

Thunderhead is piloted by Lady Odessa de la Torre, last of her name. She is the sole surviving scion of House de la Torre and has pledged herself in service to the common soldiery of the Imperium - the Imperial Guard. She pilots the family's prized knight suit with absolute determination and precision, bringing the guns of Thunderhead wherever they are asked for. Thunderhead is decorated in her personal heraldry, but she bears the half-tower symbol of House de la Torre with a drop of blood, signifying the loss her house has experienced. Today, she serves alongside the forces of the Imperium of Man, giving her family the chance to still have a shining legacy.

 

http://i.imgur.com/wkwMNYy.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/rgrHelM.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/E7abRyo.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/iJQV8YR.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/jF1UOKQ.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/NEDeWs6.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/jEbZnzX.jpg

 

Reference images for Thunderhead below:

 

http://i.imgur.com/tYDokW7.png

http://i.imgur.com/4EnKS1G.png

 

NIGHTHAWK

 

Nighthawk is the last of the three knights. Nighthawk is a modified Cerastus Knight Acheron with an emphasis on devastating flame weaponry. The Acheron's standard reaper chainfist was replaced by the Castigator's tempest warblade, and a pair of Land Raider flamestorm cannons were fitted to the side of the sword. Nighthawk was painted specifically to be incredibly menacing and devoid of life. Its armour is pitted and scarred from damage and corrosion and it bears no markings or heraldry. Nighthawk was conceived to be the opposite of traditional Imperial Knight depictions. The lore plays Imperial Knights up as being universally noble, proud warriors from respected houses. At worst, an Imperial Knight might only be a brutal, but effective fighter. I wanted to build a knight that was as far from chivalrous and gallant as possible and had more in common with Arnold Schwarzenegger's Terminator, or a walking genocide than European nobility and Nighthawk was born. The plaque reads: NIGHTHAWK - Light your way in the darkness with the pyres of burning heretics.

 

Nighthawk's base was an exercise in bringing artistic themes into the hobby. I built Nighthawk on a snow base like the rest of my army. The white snow contrasts with the dark bunker and knight stepping onto it. The bunker itself is divided into two scenes. The ceiling shows a heroic banner raising by a Tempestus Scions command squad, while the interior shows the devastation wrought on the occupants of the bunker - a story influenced by a Marine's combat memoirs from the Pacific during WWII.

 

Nighthawk is pledged in service to an inquisitor. The inquisitor's actions saved a noble household from collapse against a marauding ork invasion and in return, they promised him whatever reward he desired (within reason). In his time with the nobles, he had learned of a prodigal, but damaged child who was the shame of the house and cursed Imperial Knight suit locked away in the household sanctum. The inquisitor requested both of those as his reward and the family obliged, taking the chance to rid themselves of the two stains on their name.

 

After much conditioning, brainwashing and training, Nighthawk is now piloted by the prodigal noble. Battlefield accounts of Nighthawk speak of a grim, looming figure that has sometimes been mistaken for a renegade knight, shortly before it opens fire on the enemies of mankind, scouring them their hiding places. All those who have fought alongside Nighthawk speak of its coldness and implacability, but none would ask the inquisitor it is pledged to the truth. Nighthawk's pilot is permanently sealed into its throne mechanicum and lives in a drugged, brainwashed state of delusion.

Nighthawk is a genocidal beast bringing flame and ruin to worlds. Its Throne Mechanicum corrupted and tortured by centuries of genocide, now with a mentally ill prodigy implanted in it, Nighthawk strides the battlefields of the 41st Millennium, burning all in front of it. All the while, the pilot lives in contentment as he watches how quickly the unbelievers repent and worship the Emperor when he brings the Emperor's light and warmth upon them. In the pilot's eyes, the he is but a humble pilgrim who brings the light of the Emperor to his enemies, causing them to kneel and worship the righteous Emperor's servants.

 

http://i.imgur.com/5r6LxjG.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/wXGZzUK.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/f07Q4qA.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/qUESF73.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/U38oaET.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/eAlsv3K.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/3kjJX72.jpg

 

Reference images for Nighthawk below:

 

 

http://i.imgur.com/8pqimRq.png

http://i.imgur.com/tdK8ltj.png

[Pearson73]

Brilliantly well done, both with the models and the research/backgrounds which come with them. Well deserving the plaques and stands.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Impressive work, overall. I hope your Knights' specialization won't hurt them in games, though. (Personally, I'd mount heavy bolters on Le Fer de Lance to counter tar pits; and give Nighthawk some non-flame weapons in case he encounters an Avatar of Khaine, whose Molten Body special rule makes the latter immune to flame and melta weapons.)

[stuka06]

Those are some incredible models thematically. You have great models, themselves telling a story. Kuddos!

[IVIilitarus]

Those are some incredible models thematically. You have great models, themselves telling a story. Kuddos!

 

Many thanks!

 

Impressive work, overall. I hope your Knights' specialization won't hurt them in games, though. (Personally, I'd mount heavy bolters on Le Fer de Lance to counter tar pits; and give Nighthawk some non-flame weapons in case he encounters an Avatar of Khaine, whose Molten Body special rule makes the latter immune to flame and melta weapons.)

 

I just run them counts-as whatever I need at the time. Besides, they're super-heavy walkers. If worst comes to worst they can always stomp and punch.

 

Brilliantly well done, both with the models and the research/backgrounds which come with them. Well deserving the plaques and stands.

 

Thank you!

[QuarterPounder]

Wow - those are truly impressive! I love the story that each one tells. My favorite has to be Nighthawk, though - you can just read the story right there on the base along with your creative, unique take on the Knight himself (lack of heraldry, etc). Plus, the visual of a torrent of flame against the winter snow and the artistic impact of the small Scions next to this giant machine is great.

[Newtoncain]

Nice job on the knights

[mcme]

wow they look great man.

just a tiny little tip, give your white areas a little  dark wash around the edges where the big "flat" white area meets the raised edges of the silver/gold trimmings to give it some extra depth.

 

otherwhise awesome and keep it up!!!