Kron's Inq28 Log

[Kron]

Hi all,

I have recently returned to a very old project, namely Inquisitors in 28mm. I received the excellent Eisenhorn Omnibus for Christmas and really enjoyed the insight into the shadow war being fought for the Emperor's soul.

The Dark Vengeance box set was another present and I had the idea of using one the Cultist leaders as my new inquisitor, with some simple conversions. I had a look to see if others had used the cultists and of course they had! I take my hat off to the many great logs on here, and in particular KrautScientist! 

So without further ado here he is, Inquisitor Abraham van Hillstoch of the Ordo Xenos.


I am putting together a retinue for him, from my existing collection and from some new kitbashing. It is great fun and quite different from amassing large armies.

I hope to assemble a band for each Ordo, with some Chambers Millitant for support, and other random but fun pieces. More to follow!

The Emperor protects. 

[Keravin]

As I'm currently cutting up my own version my suggestion would be you need to do more with the arms as the naked arms under the tassels is not a look most inquisitors can pull off.  Good start though.

[Koval]

I agree with Keravin on the arms issue.

I've got a slight problem with the eyepatch; it looks out of place on an Inquisitor (who can damn well afford a bionic replacement!). Unless it's supposed to be more than an eyepatch, which I would endorse. The last time this discussion came up (admittedly, over on the Ammobunker), I illustrated the idea of "more than an eyepatch" with a picture of Alex Kingston. It looks like an eyepatch, but in fact it's rather sophisticated tech that does things that no real eyepatch has any right to do.

[Kron]

Very true, I had left the arms bare due to time contraints but I will probably find some sleeves for him. To be honest I have been known to paint over bare flesh with a colour and from a distance nobody notices. 

Regarding the eye patch, yes he could have a bionic, and maybe he does....

I was moreso interested in the beard part of the model but then remembered someone else who also rocked an eye patch..



Although River Song rocks too!!!

[CantStrafeRight]

It's a great start.  I agree with others about the arms, but I think there are multiple reasons he might have an eye patch.  It might just be temporary while he waits for a new cloned eye to be grown, or it could be that he has a dislike of technology after a run in with the dark mechanicus.  He could even be hiding a digiweapon in there for emergencies.

[Koval]

The last one sounds the most plausible, though I should point out that the whole reason digital weapons are called digital weapons is because they're worn on (anatomical) digits, ie. fingers.

So it would be more of an ocular weapon.

[Kron]

It's a great start.  I agree with others about the arms, but I think there are multiple reasons he might have an eye patch.  It might just be temporary while he waits for a new cloned eye to be grown, or it could be that he has a dislike of technology after a run in with the dark mechanicus.  He could even be hiding a digiweapon in there for emergencies.

Thank you! Yes the arms will be either replaced or painted over (like a bodyglove), I'm not too worried about that.  Regarding the eyepatch, I am thinking he recntly lost it to a hungry Kroot and hasn't yet decided whether he wants a bionic one or not. I would say no to a hidden weapon, that is more Yarrick and his Bale Eye.

I am pleased with how Van Hillstoch turned out, although I may replace his arms with clothed ones, or simply paint it (and hope nobody notices). The sabre is a Dark Elf Corsair cutless, trimmed to look less barbed. The head is from the Empire militia sprue, with the hat trimmed off (and fortuitously the resulting chopped bit looked like hair so I ran with it!).

Anywho, here are some retinue members. As I plan on making a band for each Ordo, some radical, some puritan, they is a certainly fluidity to affiliation right now.

Van Hillstoch is considered a radical of the Ordo Xenos, as he will consort with certain aliens as a means to an end. Such as this fellow, Loader Grigg, formerly of the Squat Army.     Grigg is happy to help Van Hillstoch ever since the Nids gobbled his homeworld.



Also pictured is Preacher Josiah Pratak, armed with his Hammers of Golgotha. I like the Warrior Priest model so much I think I will just keep it as it is, maybe just add a purity seal or two to make him more '40k.' He will find his way into an Ordo Hetecticus retinue in due course.

[Koval]

Regarding the eyepatch, I am thinking he recntly lost it to a hungry Kroot and hasn't yet decided whether he wants a bionic one or not.

Why would he willingly impair himself in that way when the medical technology is there to give him better sight than what he started with?

Van Hillstoch is considered a radical of the Ordo Xenos, as he will consort with certain aliens as a means to an end. Such as this fellow, Loader Grigg, formerly of the Squat Army.     Grigg is happy to help Van Hillstoch ever since the Nids gobbled his homeworld.

Okay, two things:
1) Squats are very much alive and kicking; they're on a list of recognised abhumans, so they're not exactly aliens.
2) Given the proximity of the Squat Homeworlds to the galactic core, the majority of us have rejected "Squats Got Eaten" as rubbish that was conceived in what can only have been a tearing hurry. Not only do I recall Jervis admitting that was a mistake and then talking at length about why the Squats got dropped, but GW have also retconned them back into existence anyway.

As for the model, if you're going for the Dwarf In Space route (which isn't unjustified given what a Google image search of the old Squat miniatures revealed), I'd replace the shield with something less obviously Fantasy. I'm also mildly concerned about the pose in which he's holding his plasma pistol, as it looks like he's trying to rally a unit -- it doesn't really say "action" to me.

Also pictured is Preacher Josiah Pratak, armed with his Hammers of Golgotha. I like the Warrior Priest model so much I think I will just keep it as it is, maybe just add a purity seal or two to make him more '40k.' He will find his way into an Ordo Hetecticus retinue in due course.

Purity seals, scroll cases, Imperial iconography, maybe even some cranial implants if you can find some suitably small bitz with the right curvature. You'd also have to remove or obscure the Twin Tailed Comets tying the model into WFB. I do, however, look forward to seeing what you do with him to "make him more 40K".

[SpruferMLB]

Regarding the eyepatch, I am thinking he recntly lost it to a hungry Kroot and hasn't yet decided whether he wants a bionic one or not.

Why would he willingly impair himself in that way when the medical technology is there to give him better sight than what he started with?

In all fairness, Eisenhorn went for two years with just a stump for a hand because he didn't want a prosthetic, so it's not out of the question that this guy could be in a similar situation.

In response to the conversions its always fun to see some squats, though I'd agree the preacher needs some 40K-ing. Looking forward to seeing some more of these guys.

[MarcoSkoll]

In all fairness, Eisenhorn went for two years with just a stump for a hand because he didn't want a prosthetic.

Because I don't have much spare time, I'll have to be curt: Abnett is an idiot.

It's theoretically possible that one might eschew the use of a prosthesis, but an experienced Inquisitor on active duty deliberately handicapping themselves (particularly to the extent of a missing hand) for two years is ridiculous on so many fronts.

What particularly irritated me was how much that section was glossed over. "Oh yeah. Didn't have a hand for two years. Implication I did this to honour some heretics I exterminated. The end."

[Koval]

In all fairness, Eisenhorn went for two years with just a stump for a hand because he didn't want a prosthetic.

Because I don't have much spare time, I'll have to be curt: Abnett is an idiot.

It's theoretically possible that one might eschew the use of a prosthesis, but an experienced Inquisitor on active duty deliberately handicapping themselves (particularly to the extent of a missing hand) for two years is ridiculous on so many fronts.

What particularly irritated me was how much that section was glossed over. "Oh yeah. Didn't have a hand for two years. Implication I did this to honour some heretics I exterminated. The end."

For someone who's in a rush, you phrase that much better than I would even normally.

But I agree entirely, handicapping yourself on purpose is just really dumb when your ability to be an active field Inquisitor is so severely impaired as a result, and as such I wouldn't take Eisenhorn as a credible source here at all.

[Kron]

In all fairness, Eisenhorn went for two years with just a stump for a hand because he didn't want a prosthetic, so it's not out of the question that this guy could be in a similar situation.

In response to the conversions its always fun to see some squats, though I'd agree the preacher needs some 40K-ing. Looking forward to seeing some more of these guys.

Cheers! The way I see it, every Inquisitor is different, and there certainly isn't a Codex Astartes dictating everything they do/don't do.

Also, the eyepatch looks badass. 

I will probably give the preacher a backpack with some techno devices, as well as the obligatory purity seals/scrolls etc. I won't put too much on him as I do like the model as it is, and the Empire style fits nicely with the gothicness of 40k.

[Eziah Kranox]

There is a perfectly reasonable excuse for him to eschew a prosthesis, if he is a psyker, then he could have been blinded during the sanctioning process and this does not need an eye for warp sight....

Just my 2¢
Cheers
Eziah

[KrautScientist]

First of all, great to see yet another spirited INQ28 thread! Seems like you're off to a good start, Kron! 

Regarding the eyepatch schism, I think the first and most important consideration always have to be: What do I want my character/model to look like? If you think the model looks great with an eyepatch -- go for it! It will always be possible to find an explanation in the background, and maybe the explanation will even make the character more interesting.

Personally, I think while there should of course be traces of realism, we shouldn't really be too stingy about it -- after all, we're talking about a universe where people use chainsaws as CC weapons in one hand while firing mini-rockets from pistols in the other. I could go on, but I guess the point already stands: Realism is all fine and dandy, but the creators of this universe (not only Dan Abnett but all the others as well) seem to be wildly inconsistent about what is and isn't possible, so I think we shouldn't let ourselves be shackled to any such notions. And while there may be good reasons for ignoring parts of the background (or indeed certain authors you don't agree with), it's obvious that there isn't one part of the whole thing more "official" than the other. It's either all true or all a lie - or both at the same time: That's the beauty of it!

So, long story short, if you want your Inquisitor to have that eyepatch: Go for it 

[MarcoSkoll]

after all, we're talking about a universe where people use chainsaws as CC weapons in one hand while firing mini-rockets from pistols in the other.

As I said on another gaming forum recently, it is not inherent that one point unrealistic in our universe begets everything else being realistic.
In the context of the 41st millennium, these are logical points; Many of the routine foes are considerably hardier than humans (to the point that creatures like Orks can survive decapitation if their heads get reattached within an hour or so) so these weapons are not just for their own sake.

On the other hand, bionics are absolutely rife throughout almost the entirety of the Imperium. Take a look through any art book, and just about everyone will have a few extra cables pointing out of their head, a replacement arm, a mechanical eye...
Nobody but nobody thinks twice about bionic or cloned body parts.

The conspicuous absence of one of the "trademarks" of WH40K is somewhat jarring. I know there have been 40K models with eyepatches, but it's always felt unexplained to me. If there had to be a model with a missing eye, I feel it would be much more "40K" to have an empty, sunken, eyesocket.

There is a perfectly reasonable excuse for him to eschew a prosthesis, if he is a psyker, then he could have been blinded during the sanctioning process and this does not need an eye for warp sight....

There's still a difference between not needing an eye, and not being hindered by its absence. There are things that cannot be perceived through warpsight.