Omnissiah's Skunkworks

The Word Bearers Cataphractii squad are the armoured elite of the legion and these are the first I've included. Line troops are undoubtedly important as scoring units, but nothing quite matches the prowess of armored elites, especially the formidable Cataphractii pattern. While I have previously worked on a small squad for Ultramarines, my focus has mostly been on troop options and transports for the Word Bearers. However, with the inclusion of a full squad of ten models in the new Age of Darkness boxed set, I found myself inclined to gift them to the seventeenth legion. Assembling and painting a unit of ten Terminators is no small task, at least not for me. To ensure I could benefit from the unit more quickly, I decided to split them into two groups. The first contingent consists of a Sergeant and Terminators armed with combi-bolters for ranged engagements. The second squad includes a heavy flamer and additional melee options. This approach not only allows me to have two smaller u...

Who doesn't love armour penetrating las-cannons? The Word Bearers Vindicator brings an array of four to the party. With so many all-new plastic kits flooding the market, it can be daunting to decide where to begin. However, I also have a backlog of older kits that I don't want to see neglected. Therefore, my first priority is to reinforce the Word Bearers with a magnificent Deimos pattern Vindicator. And while I'm at it, a formidable centerline-mounted magna laser destroyer array would be a perfect addition. The tank's aesthetic is brutal, particularly the thick overlapping armor that transforms the Deimos chassis into something more akin to the mighty Caestus assault ram than the humble transport it was originally built as. When I retrieved the kit from storage, having previously assembled it for a different legion, I was struck with a moment of panic. The main gun components and exhaust stacks were nowhere to be found. After a thorough search, I eventually discovered ...

Creatures of the ruinous powers, daemons of the ruinstorm. They go by many names but during the heresy Dorn and Malcador often referred to them as the 'neverborn' in the Siege of Terra series of novels. The neverborn of the Ruinstorm were an integral part of my Word Bearer plans from the very beginning. I had a specific palette in mind that differed from what is typically associated with 'Chaos Daemons' in Warhammer 40K. I envisioned a less saturated color scheme, resembling corrupted and warped flesh—milky white and unnatural. This was based on how the Astartes described them in their earliest encounters. While I started with models that would be considered plaguebearers of Nurgle, in the context of the Heresy, these are simply lesser daemons of the Ruinstorm. Imperium forces do not yet understand their association with a specific Chaos power. They lack the knowledge and experience to recognize the difference. This was another reason for choosing a neutral base palette...

Every army needs a centrepiece miniature. That miniature is the Word Bearers legion Falchion super-heavy tank. Twin titan-killing volcano cannons mounted on a gargantuan chassis. Of the three legion super-heavy variants the Falchion was initially my least favourite, but after building one I found I preferred the brutish slab sided look of this self-propelled monster to that of it's more sleek looking kin, the Fellblade and Glaive. The Falchion's numerous flat panels provided an excellent canvas for showcasing the intricate iconography and blocks of script unique to the Word Bearers. Its design perfectly complemented the red and black palette that characterizes the legion's aesthetic. Decal application When it comes to applying decals on heresy tanks, or any kits for that matter, my best advice is to apply them as early as possible, preferably before any atmospheric weathering or battle damage. By doing so, you can make the decals appear as if they are an integral part of th...

The Horus Heresy isn't all about the Dreadnought's, but they sure are a big part. The Word Bearers traitor dreadnoughts were both added as part of the build up for an event army. For the longest time Warhammer 40,000 had only the 'box' dreadnought (Castaferrum to give it the proper designation) and that was about it. The heresy series however brought us the 'Contemptor', 'Mortis', 'Deredeo' and 'Leviathan' classes. Some of the names may be familiar as they are from Warhammer's distant "Rogue Trader" past and pre-date even the Castaferrum. Two of these were a good fit to provide heavily armoured close support and long-ranged anti-armoured firepower for the Word Bearers, those being a Leviathan and Contemptor. Exotic weapons The Leviathan is the heavyweight of the two with incredibly tough armour. I have faced these in zone mortalis games and short of a melta-bomb there's really not a lot legionary infantry can do against ...

Word Bearers are treacherous, so they need a treacherous transport. In fact they need three Terrax pattern legion Termite tunnelers. When considering transports for my World Bearers, the Terrax pattern Termite from Forgeworld quickly rose to the top of a very short list. I wanted to do something different from my previous legion, the Ultramarines, and the release of the Termite seemed like the perfect opportunity to shake up the dynamics of my attacking force. The idea of deep-striking Termites supported by summoned daemons was simply too much fun to ignore. As a kit, the Termite is incredibly well-designed, featuring easily accessible sub-assemblies that make it a pleasure to paint. To enhance its versatility, I embedded a cylinder magnet into the hull of each Termite, allowing for magnetization to the base. This meant I could deploy the Termite on its base and then leave the base behind as an exit marker (which counts as dangerous terrain) after the transport moves off. This concept ...

The Word Bearers Legion Infantry have really grown on me the past couple of years. I don't have a particular affinity with the seventeenth legion, but I thoroughly enjoy painting their palette, which exudes a distinct aesthetic of the Great Crusade era. The candy-style metallic red, in particular, stands out compared to any of the armies I had painted before. It quickly became my top choice among the traitor legions to tackle. Additionally, being among the first to align themselves with the neverborn and unleash the daemons of the Ruinstorm added to their appeal. On the tabletop, they are visually striking, standing out alongside armies like the Emperor's Children. In my opinion, they are one of the more visually exciting forces. Even if most players love to hate them from a narrative standpoint. That's ok, I can't stand Erebus either! The difference between gods and daemons largely depends upon where one is standing at the time ~ Lorgar Aurelian The core of my Word Bea...