Plastic Stormtroopers II: Inquisition Requisition

I recently found out that my post last year regarding plastic stormtroopers is both the most-widely searched for, AND the most-widely read article on my blog.

That makes me feel proud. In fact, since the release of the Imperial Guard Codex yonks ago and the fact that people are still interested, searching, and looking for news, rumours, ideas and inspiration for plastic stormtroopers tells me there's a bonzer market for it. Come on GW, get your act together and RELEASE SOME MOAR PLASTIC CRACK. Please, please PLEASE!

In the meantime, I built my own. As will most players. (See: Crimson Stormtrooper above)

This is what happened: Using GW cadian parts, Wargame factories arms, guns and greatcoat bodies, AND Forgeworld respirator heads, I made my own Kasrkin-ish Stormtroopers. And thus they sat unpainted for months and months as I focused on playing my then-new Grey Knights army.

I lacked the drive, nor the necessity to complete my Stormtrooper project. And thus they languished, as with many other projects in the back of my mancave cupboard (the less said about my Ogre Kingdom plastic Ogryn conversion, the better...).

Fast forward over a year now, and I'm coming back full circle but still through the route of Grey Knights. The Inquisition have requisitioned my converted Stormies, and I've dusted them off and started painted them up in the familiar black-and-red colour scheme.

Here's a shot of my IG Kasrkin model, with 2 of my recently and quickly-completed Inquisition Warrior Acolytes, along with an in-progress palette-swapped version. I'm just painting them super-quick with minimal highlights and no basing, but I think when you compare the size and stature of the Wargames Factory bodies they do indeed stand up well against the GW 28mm heroic standard.

I must confess when I started the Cadian 512th, I had toyed with a black-and-red colour scheme for my Cadians, so I'm very pleased that these Acolytes can blend in with the current scheme of my IG force. In fact, the black-and-red patterns kinda remind me of this:

Ahhh, memories of wasted youth. Just like 40K.

Anyway...

I'm planning to run my new Warrior Acolytes in trios, with plasma guns to accompany my ever-busy Inquisitor in a Chimera along with an expanded retinue, but that's another post for another time. I'm just happy that the way I've painted them, they really do *pop* on the battlefield as RED is such a strong, vibrant colour.

I basecoated them black, with base areas of maroon (the old red gore) and highlighted with blood red, and using green as a counterpoint colour. Everywhere else is black with almost no highlights, but I've opted to keep everything black (special ops-style) with some twinkling lights on the equipment. Pretty effective, I think!

Personally, I wish that the GK Warrior Acolytes did indeed measure up to their IG Stormtrooper counterparts (they have lousier BS, Ld, etc. The ability to re-equip as one pleases does make up for it though, and I understand not ALL Acolytes have to come from the Schola Progenium, so hey-ho), but as far as game balance goes they're a very nice little addition to a GK force that can open up new tactical possibilities, so am I moving away from all-Grey Knights lists? Watch this space.

On a side note: It's my in my opinion that the IG codex has missed a trick. Anyone remember the 'Commisar Lord' released for the codex? Does anyone run them?

Thought not.

You know what I think?

Tweak the Commissar Lord so that it unlocks Stormtroopers as a Scoring Unit in the next upcoming new Imperial Guard codex.

That way people will definitely run them in games, and buy more plastic crack, and the Commissar Lord will be promoted from the ranks of useless doorstop to a must have, effective, and fluffy battlefield choice.

Genius! Obvious! DO IT!

But I'm sure GW won't listen to an avid fan, modeller, collector, and player such as I. Perhaps a false rumour should be circulated along these lines, that way GW will realise the obvious and make it so. I can only wish.