8 Pacters Painted

I'm trying something new with this army, something innovative and designed to save my sanity and help me focus on having fun with the hobby: painting what I build.

In the past when I've made an army, I've purchased the majority of the models for a 1500 point force, built them, and then painted a squad or two. I have finished a Night Lords army, an Ork army, a Necron army and an Ultramarines company (the last on commission). The other armies I've started (IG: none, SoB: half, DA: 1 squad, Tau: none, WH: only the Inquisitor, DE: none, Eldar: 1 squad) all end the same way; I get tired of building and then the weight of unfinished models crushes my inspiration. I sell the army and move on.

Not this time, says I. I have no rush to build this army in order to play. I'm taking my time and building a unit and then painting it. It seems to be working, and when I deviated, well I was punished by Him who is venerated by the Pact:

I was taking a break from painting and started work chopping plasticard for the Blood-Pact AT70 when I sliced my finger open.
He cares not from whence the blood flows...

So back to painting, and I realize that I only primed the first 8 models of the squad.
8 is His number...

So the apparently Blessed squad one, mostly finished:

The scout calls a halt.


Grim, my favorite grotesk style.


Grotesk pulled aside. Still need to figure out a good way to paint scars on his face and everyone's hands.


Sarge front and a side shot showing the patina on his holy brass emblem.


Vox operator showing off the handset and the brass-etch bit on his 'caster.


Flame trooper. I had a blast painting those tanks.


Needs painting: RPG team, 1 newly built Blood-Pacter.
Needs building: AT-70 from Leman Russ kit, 9 troopers and 3 heavy teams.

New pictures of the tank I love

I just discovered the way to link these outside of their flash pop-up on the order page, so here you are, more pictures! It seems to be a few inches longer than a Leman Russ, but about the same width.

Design Elements

I've been pondering how to represent the various Blood Pact vehicles from the novels. The stalk tank seems the most problematic and seems likely to end up scratch built. For the AT70 or AT83 I've been pondering a redesign based on the Leman Russ kit. Until I saw this and fell in love:



It's a resin kit produced by Heavy Support, a fledgling company out of Germany. If it wasn't 70 euros ($100) I'd be picking up 3. It's perfect for the AT83, maybe even the AT70. Anyone have any Euros laying around?

As far as design elements, I think I'll keep the Macharius look for all the Blood-Pact conventional AFVs:

Rear track armor overhang.  Rearward turret.
Front sponson is mini-turret.  Terraced hull.

Not only does it look great, it looks a bit older than the regular guard stuff which is perfect for the Urdeshi Forge World.

In other news, the first 7 Pacters are done and awaiting a sunny day for photographing. I should have the 8th, their Sergent, painted by then as well. I was working on a tank conversion but filleted my finger and so was relegated to painting, He cares not from whence the blood flows...

Paint on the Pact

I set down and painted a test model and it worked out so well I painted another the next day. I'm having fun painting these one at a time and skipping the assembly line. I've had to hold myself back from buying more IG so I don't bury myself, but just in case MaxMini go out of business or discontinue, I've ordered a bucket of the heads and packs. Enough type, on to the pictures!

I need to figure out a good method for painting scars on their hands and faces. Any tips appreciated. (Edit: The pictures disappeared.  Replaced from memory.)

Here's my pride and joy, the finished vox.

Squad 1: Built

I wasn't going to use vox-casters, but Gaunt's Ghosts mentions many times how well coordinated, trained and equipped the Blood Pact are. Even mentioning them looting imperial voxs. So the squad was finished off with a vox and an RPG.

Vox; talking on the horn.

RPG and loader.

Gave this guy a press-molded grotesk to make him fit in. Peer pressure and all.

Blood Pact, finally!

I saw these at MaxMini.eu and knew that I could finally make the army I had wanted since Abnett's Honor Guard: The Blood-Pact.