Paint job: Aramis in Skullstalker

“Ok, boys, bolt me up.”

Aramis cursed the day he got his hand on Skullstalker. He loved the damn thing of course, it had saved him more times than he cared to remember and helped him land more plunder for the crew and captain than he could remember. It was a marvellous machine but he hated it too. Hot, ill tempered, noisy and cramped. His back always started to ache just by looking at it. He could barely fit inside. His knees pushing up against his cheekbones. It wasn’t really meant for a man inside not one with both a upper and lower body at least. But Aramis had pulled out the hardwired Servitor and retrofitted it for him to use. At least he still could get inside.

There was two ways of getting inside, both were cumbersome and time consuming. One was to remove the boiler and squeeze yourself inside the other was to disassemble it, get inside and have the crew bolt it back together again. “Let’s face it, I’m not teenager anymore”, he used to say to himself before he started to disassemble it.

Getting out of it wasn’t much easier. In a pinch he could blow the emergency charges, which basically severed it in half, and make a run for it. He’d done that once, the bang had almost deafened him. And the ringing didn’t go away for more than a week. He preferred to have the boys pick it apart instead.

The last chuck crunched firm and tight. He was locked inside. “I got a red on six. Probably just some rust. Can you yank it for me?” Aramis asked the crew after a light had lit up during the start up routine. The crew greased the hinges on the leg and hammered away until the rust released its grip. Aramis gently pushed forward and Skullstalker began to walk across the deck. He checked the ammo again, fully loaded.

“Brilliant! Tell the Captain we’re ready.”

+++

Here’s something out of the blue for you all – about a year and half ago I started working on a INQ28 Warband for the Chapel. It based around a Rogue Trader and his crew of ragtag privateers. I never got around to finish it. I made a couple of kitbash models but never got around to painting them. Until now. I converted this odd skull thing from the Promethium Refinery kit into a small combat walker. Just for the fun of it. I added a Heavy Bolter, repositioned the legs a bit and made room for Aramis inside.

Meet Aramis and Skullstalker.

Black and moody ones first.

Then some bright and sunny ones.

Here’s a couple of close ups on Aramis inside Skullstalker.

And finally some more shots of Aramis.

Oh, one more for size.

I’m super excited about this conversion and paint job. Very grim dark and very 40k. Hope you guys like it too. Oh, this also means I finished another hobby challenge (Jewel of July).

Keep on keeping on!