40k Minka Lesk Command Squad (and new novel)

[Lord Marshal]

Separate thread, as per LVO lock.

 

 

Quote

Captain Lesk and her veteran command squad make up the figureheads of the Cadian 101st – nicknamed Hell’s Last – with an eclectic mix of characters picked up from across her many missions. Grawnya Ironbrow, first seen in Shadow of the Eighth, joins Veteran Trooper Jaromir and Commissar Shand, while the seventh company’s standard is carried by Confessor Talbeas in a remarkable departure from standard Astra Militarum doctrine.

 

Minka herself makes her second appearance in plastic, depicted as a more experienced commander than in her previous incarnation. The squad is an excellent collector’s piece for fans of the Astra Militarum and their novels, and can also be used in casual games of Warhammer 40,000 with an upcoming Legends datasheet.

 

 

Quote

The regiment find themselves pushing through a deadly jungle in Hell’s Last by Justin D Hill, determined to break a siege that threatens to wipe their illustrious record from the galaxy as the Gallows Cluster buckles under enemy assault. It may just be the most difficult mission of Lesk’s career, and the fate of the entire campaign rests on the battle-worn Cadians under her command.

 

Edited January 17 by Lord Marshal

[DemonGSides]

If nothing else, a slightly fancier command squad.

 

Though I think that Commissar will be showing up all over the place in army photos. Such a fun lil model with the power axe peeking out the side. 

[Redcomet]

It is fantastic 

[Lay]

Yeah, people will get this commissar for the hat alone

[Robbienw]

Why is there a Scottish Cadian Lady? 

 

The Commissar is brilliant. The meltagun chap is great too. 

 

The ministorum priest is cool, looks incongruous with the standard though.

[sairence]

Looks lovely. Slight kitbashing and you have a functional Cadian Command Squad. Give the lady with the large scalpel a medkit and the commisara gets a big servo skull to act as a Mastervox and you're golden.

 

I need to catch up on her stories. Last one I read she was still a Sergeant. 

Edited January 17 by sairence

[StrangerOrders]

1 hour ago, Robbienw said:

Why is there a Scottish Cadian Lady? 

 

The Commissar is brilliant. The meltagun chap is great too. 

 

The ministorum priest is cool, looks incongruous with the standard though.

To give them credit, when it comes to Caucasian-like characters Scottish seems to be GW code for 'familiarly tough and rugged' with German and American being 'ooooh how exotic'.

 

I kind of want to make a joke there about GW being willing to fight to the last breath before acknowledging that the French or Spanish exist in 40k. 

 

Its a cool kit though, although its made me realize how odd it is that you don't see more Ecclisiarchy-aligned models in Guard Squads that I can recall, you can't throw a rock without hitting a company chaplain in most Guard novels it seems.

Edited January 17 by StrangerOrders

[DemonGSides]

1 minute ago, StrangerOrders said:

To give them credit, when it comes to Caucasian-like characters Scottish seems to be GW code for 'familiarly tough and rugged' with German and American being 'ooooh how exotic'.

 

I kind of want to make a joke there about GW being willing to fight to the last breath before acknowledging that the French or Spanish exist in 40k. 

 

Its a cool kit though, although its made me realize how odd it is that you don't see more Ecclisiarchy-aligned models in Guard Squads that I can recall, you can't throw a rock without hitting a company chaplain in most Guard novels it seems.

 

I like the Munitorium Priest and ran him a couple of times. Without any sort of good melee squad to attach to tho, it's hard to justify a guy who only really buffs melee. 

 

I would like to see more of them as well!!

[Emperor Ming]

7 minutes ago, DemonGSides said:

 

I like the Munitorium Priest and ran him a couple of times. Without any sort of good melee squad to attach to tho, it's hard to justify a guy who only really buffs melee. 

 

I would like to see more of them as well!!

They and commissars should be allowed to join ogryns!

[Tokugawa]

1 minute ago, Emperor Ming said:

They and commissars should be allowed to join ogryns!

Or at least make one such character could join gryns via enhancements.

[Cleon]

It's a real pity they couldn't find another character in the book to make it Lesk, Commisar and a four man squad to be able to 'counts as' a regular command squad as well as the legends option without needing to tack in a regular guardsman.

Personally having not read the books I'm not sold on the Knife wielding sgt, Idon't like a few of the design choices and the mismatched paint scheme, but thats very much personal taste and the rest are well done. 

[Deus_Ex_Machina]

The last time I have played IG a command squad consisted of five models. When you add later the Commissar you end up with six models.

 

About the characters depicted: They don´t look like gritty soldiers with the exception of the melta gunner. I stick with my Catachans.

[ThePenitentOne]

This was the sleeper hit of the preview because it was unexpected. I love this kit.

 

I'd had my heart set on going full Krieg, but these guys make me want t run a few Cadians. 

 

Of course, I could just get them for painting and collecting... I guess I'll have to figure it out when the models drop.

[CL_Mission]

At first I didn't pay this set too much mind as I haven't read the books but looking at them again I really like them a lot. I'll certainly pick them up and mix them with a regular command squad, Lesk herself will take the place of a Castellan and the commissar, well, a commissar. 

[Dark Shepherd]

FWIW going through the webstore, models of Black Library characters sell crazy well (or they dont make enough)

[grailkeeper]

Strange this character has gotten so many models recently where as some other beloved characters haven't.

[DemonGSides]

What's strange about supporting a book with a model release?  It's happened a ton of times.

 

[Remain_Indoors]

1 hour ago, grailkeeper said:

Strange this character has gotten so many models recently where as some other beloved characters haven't.

 
Not really, they’re popular books and the previous Lesk model sold well. 
 

News of a new Justin D Hill novel is always welcome and even better when it’s part of the Lesk series.

[phandaal]

2 hours ago, grailkeeper said:

Strange this character has gotten so many models recently where as some other beloved characters haven't.

 

Ciaphas Cain when??

 

They are just holding on to that one to release alongside his Amazon series, right? Please?

[Robbienw]

I get the impression the character isn’t a particular fan favourite (not unliked, just not a big favourite) hence why another version with an entire squad seems odd. They have done other characters that don’t have big fan profiles though.  Could be someone in the design team really likes the stories.

[lansalt]

This kit is great, but I doubt Minka Lesk is so popular than she justified a model release, nevermind her whole retinue, over many other well know characters still without them.

It seems more of a marketing effort to push her popularity. Nothing wrong with it, but still baffling.

[Ahzek451]

1 hour ago, Remain_Indoors said:

 
Not really, they’re popular books and the previous Lesk model sold well. 
 

News of a new Justin D Hill novel is always welcome and even better when it’s part of the Lesk series.

Huh, I figured this character had a more lukewarm popularity level, I just dont see see many people talk about her let alone even know she exists but maybe that's just in my circles. 

 

Models seem ok. My biggest criticism is the commissar and his pose. He looks like he's rocking on his feet and he's about to say, "Suffering succotash!". Hiding that axe behind his back about to swipe at a tweety bird. 

 

The melta gunner looks cool. Like the scarred face. 

 

Another vote for Cain to get some love.

 

I'll have to look into this lesk character.

Edited January 18 by Ahzek451

[Indy Techwisp]

I think this is the 3rd Minka Lesk BL unit, which is where some of the enmity is coming from.

[Fire Golem]

1 hour ago, Indy Techwisp said:

I think this is the 3rd Minka Lesk BL unit, which is where some of the enmity is coming from.

Only the second, I’m pretty sure. She had a single model of her, and now this which is in the format they’ve done a few BL models in recently particularly for AoS (expensive 5 person set). What was the 3rd?

 

Edited January 18 by Fire Golem

[Toxichobbit]

18 minutes ago, Fire Golem said:

Only the second, I’m pretty sure. She had a single model of her, and now this which is in the format they’ve done a few BL models in recently particularly for AoS (expensive 5 person set). What was the 3rd?

 

 

There hasn't been a 3rd. The first model (the one in your post) has an alternative build for using her as a trooper/Sergeant with a lasgun - people might be mistaking that for a separate release. Or they could be thinking of Severina Raine, who was another BL female Guard character that got a release 4 or 5 years ago, though she's a Commissar, not a Cadian.