The Old World Army Challenge: Inquisition

Showing posts with label Inquisition. Show all posts

Sunday, August 2, 2026

James WRR’s Wrap Up: The battle at the end of time

We are the edge of the sword, the tip of the spear, the hammer of the immaterium and we will suffer not the daemon to exist. The Daemonhunters of the Ordo Malleus are coming for you.

Mighty, Dark-Winged, Avenging Inquisitor, James, with his Might, Avenging Ordo Malleus Army.

That’s it! My second OWAC attempt completed and another (nearly) 4,000 points worth of models painted for Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader.

Now I can try get a game in.

The experience of painting this Ordo Malleus army has been markedly different to that of painting my Emperor’s Children. Not that I’ve not had a great time with the project, just that I’ve found myself a bit less… absorbed in it.

That might be because I’ve been decorating a new flat at the same time as ploughing through this batch, and navigating a whole host of new responsibilities. It might also be because I’m a Chaos guy deep down, and painting “holy” warriors goes against my instincts.

But I am proud of this army, just as I am of every project I manage to complete. It’s not every Warhammer player who can say they’ve painted thousands of points in just a couple months. God knows I’ve got so much more waiting in the wings, but that’s a problem for another day… another OWAC, perhaps.

Collecting this force was a joy and putting it all together was a real education. I’ve got a whole new appreciation for those who managed to construct and paint armies of RTB-01 marines back before we had so many modern tools and paints. I’ve also been surprised, even blown away, by the quality and charm of many of these models — the Terminators and Daemonhunters being obvious stand outs.

This challenge attempt hasn’t been without its, well, challenges. I’ve been rushed at times, uninspired in others and very distractible. But seeing my challenge companions and friends build such amazing armies of their own has really pushed me towards this success.

Once again, I'm also impressed at how well deadlines work for my brain and my workflow. Having the structure of monthly quotas and small goals really helps make a big project manageable. If you've got your own major army project to get done, I can't suggest enough following along with the next OWAC, or even just make your own mini challenge to motivate yourself.

I think my next project is going to have to be a colourful one. Painting an all-metallic, largely monochrome force has been great for speed and efficiency, and they do look as mean and brutally efficient as I was hoping they would, but I need a bit of whimsy back in my life.

I think that might call for a Second Edition-era force of some kind. Oh, I know a Death World that’s lovely this time of year! How about we visit Catachan next OWAC?

And with that, I reckon I can close the book on this project. I can’t wait to see these guys on the tabletop, burning away the corruption and naivety of a doomed galaxy. As always, please do join me on my ongoing hobby journey on Instagram at @Illuminator_Hobby.

Until next time, keep watching the skies.

Army list

Inquisitor Halfthor
Daemonhunter
Tactical Dreadnought Armour, Bio-Scanner, Displacer Field

Plasma Gun, Power Glove, Digital Weapons, Psyk-Out Grenade

Bionic Leg

Psychic Mastery Level 3
201 points

Inquisitor Clavicus
Daemonhunter
Tactical Dreadnought Armour, Bio-Scanner, Displacer Field

Psycannon, Force Rod, Scare Gas

Psychic Mastery Level 4
454 points

Captain Torkamadus
Grey Knight Terminator Captain | Hero
Tactical Dreadnought Armour
Nemesis Force Weapon

Psychic Mastery Level 4
450 points

Techmarine Tarantus
Techmarine
Basic equipment
Vincent Black Shadow motorcycle
97 points

Squad Deza
Grey Knight Terminator Tactical Squad
1 Sergeant and 4 Marines in Tactical Dreadnought Armour

5 Nemesis Force Weapons

Psychic Mastery Level 4
1,200 points

Brother Bethor
Deredeo Dreadnought
Missile Launcher, Heavy Plasma Gun
Standard Sensor Package, 2 Power Fields, Power Field Synchroniser
270 points

Squad Heliod
Tactical Squad
Sergeant with Bolt Gun, Bioscanner and Power Glove
1 Marine with Missile Launcher
1 Marine with Flamer

7 Marines with Bolt Guns
275 points

Bright Sword
Rhino APC with Techmarine Pilot, assigned to Squad Heliod
2 Bolt Guns
387 points

Riot Corps
Adeptus Arbites Squad
1 Magister with Bolt Pistol and basic equipment

5 Judges with Bolt Pistols and basic equipment
102 points

Squad Apollo
Devastator Squad
Sergeant with Bolt Gun
2 Marines with Beamers
2 Marines with Heavy Bolters

5 Marines with Bolt Guns
379 points

Grand Total: 3,815 points

Sunday, July 5, 2026

James WRR’s Wildcard: Blue Aquila Down

G’day!

It’s Wildcard month, which means we’re allowed to go a little… wild with our projects. And so, in the spirit of bringing my latest Imperial army to life, I thought I’d take the opportunity to paint one of my favourite pieces of terrain ever:

The crashed Aquila Lander from Battle for Macragge.

Despite my undying love for all things 80s/90s Games Workshop, my actual career in the hobby began shortly before this 4th edition starter set was released. I remember sharing the box with my little brother (now long-retired from the hobby in favour of skateboarding and making smart financial decisions). I took the Space Marine side and painted them up as Ultramarines (of course) while my brother took his inspiration from Alien to paint his ‘Nids mostly grey and green.

I don’t think either of us really took the rules all too seriously when we did get some poorly painted minis on the field. In fact, at some point, I think my Space Marines once ended up fighting an army of Dwarfs from The Battle for Skull Pass among the ruins of this crashed starfighter.

But it was never really about the game. It was about the vibe.

And boy was that vibe good. I don’t think we appreciated, at that moment, that “modern” 40k was pretty much at its aesthetic and mechanical peak. Naturally, it couldn’t match the vibe of Rogue Trader, or even Second if that’s more your vibe, but Battle for Macragge was really a high point in my view of what Warhammer could be.

This crashed Aquila Lander is a good physical representation of that nostalgic ideal. It’s not an L-shaped ruin. It wasn’t designed to give balanced cover to both sides of the table. No, it’s a piece of plastic that tells a story, of which us gamers play a big part.

I remember scenarios from the starter set booklet that involved your heroic Space Marines fighting through never-ending hordes to make off with the ship’s power supply, or defending the downed passenger with his container of scientific samples.

Ahh. Officially licensed narrative gaming. Bliss.

The ruins I now have in my collection came from a second-hand lot, made up of mostly Battle for Macragge bits in pretty rough condition. Though that meant a bit more work, it really told me that this was a collection that someone had loved, maybe in the same way I had. Or, at the very least, they’d given the hobby a red-hot go.

It worked out for me that they’d given it up at some point. I’m certainly not complaining that I get to relive those glory days.

Anyway, painting this set seemed daunting at first, but actually proved fairly simple. I hit the whole lot with a black spray then sprayed the edges of the crash site with red to better match my Grey Knight’s bases.

As you’ll see, I’ve ended up putting some flock down, and a few “alien plants” on the base. I want to keep most of my Oldhammer 40k stuff on red desert-adjacent bases, so adding some natural elements should help blend this terrain more easily into future boards and armies.

To paint the ship itself, I picked up an iconic, time-tested tool: the sponge.

Nicking a little yellow block from beneath our kitchen sink, I built up a few layers of successively brighter, desaturated blues (and whites on the wing tips). I really like using a sponge on a big piece of plastic, as not only does it neatly avoid recesses, you can really modulate the intensity of your colour in a similar way to drybrushing - or even airbrushing - without the faff. The trick is, like drybrushing, to build up more gradually, with lots of quick stabbing dabs rather than a thick “splodge”.

I finished off the ship with simple glossed black for the shattered windows and some cabling details. I really love painting hazard-striped cables, the quickest way to do so being basecoating them with Scale75 Sahara Yellow, laying down some neat(ish) black stripes, then painting a thin line of Tenere Yellow over the whole length with the edge of your brush.

I weathered the ship with sponges, again, using a really dark Blue Steel metallic to add chips and battle damage. Games Workshop rust effect was watered down and applied to recesses, before a dark red pigment powder was jammed in mostly where the ship parts meet the ground. This final step really brought the whole thing together, so I’ll definitely be repeating it across future models.

And so, that’s it! All the painting done for my 2026 OWAC challenge. It’s been a fun ride, with a few ups and downs and funny little unforeseen challenges. But, all in all, it feels like it’s absolutely flown by.

I did also manage to paint up this Bob Olley Ogryn for the Olden Demon challenge in May, as well. The sculpt is just absolutely brilliant, full of character and attitude. I decided that he needed an appropriate beverage for the sweltering jungles of Catachan, and seeing as I’ve met plenty of Australian blokes who look like this (wrap-around sunnies and all) in my time, I had to paint him a few tinnies of Aussie-as VB.

Drongo the Ogryn

This fella marks the start of my next big army project: an all-metal Catachan army for second-fourth edition. Watch this space!

Thanks for joining me on this journey so far. Some final full-army shots and a good write up is set to land next month.

Emperor protect you, citizen.

Friday, June 5, 2026

James WRR’s Leader Month: Nobody expects the Ordo Malleus

+++ LOG OF INQUISITOR ALBRECHT HALFTHOR, ORDO MALLEUS +++

+++ THOUGHT OF THE DAY: A LOGICAL ARGUMENT MUST BE DISMISSED WITH ABSOLUTE CONVICTION +++

The assault on Sanctum Sapiar was a great success. The texts upon which this small, yet unbearably thorny, culture had structured itself were located, swiftly interpreted by sacrificial Servitors, then burned upon the pyre.

My conclusion? There is not much to say. It is a common story after all. These people simply imagined their way into heresy. I have no doubt that it was quite accidental, mind. But a crime cannot be forgiven simply because it was an accident.

I was surprised that the local population, as seemingly barbaric as they were, was able to mount such a defence. One Brother Donovan of my Grey Knights was slain in the attempt, simply overwhelmed by the mass of desperate arms. But I am told his geneseed was recovered and there were no further casualties. A Space Marine is but a cheap tool to replace.

Our duty on this world is ended.

REMINDER: Inquisitor Clavicus was seen once again departing my quarters. If I suspect his fruitless investigation into my affairs is set to continue much longer, action will be taken. My writ is just as unquestionable as his.

+++ LOG ENDS +++

+++ LOG OF INQUISITOR ERROL CLAVICUS, ORDO MALLEUS +++

+++ THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: HATRED IS OUR SUREST WEAPON +++

My Grey Knights have proven themselves once more on the field of battle. Much unholy blood was spilled and many bones collected for future study.

Halfthor was pleased with his little bonfire, believing the work to be done. But the war rages on. Only through the bloodrite and the scrying of bones will answers reveal themselves.

Either Halfthor is too arrogant to recognise this, in which case he must stand down and let a wiser mind take the lead, or he is complicit and must be removed.

The Inquisitor’s quarters house a great many books and scrolls, not all of which I have been able to examine. It is my belief that he has sequestered texts that he was so keen to have destroyed. Iconoclast, my boot. Halfthor is a fraud and, Emperor forgive me, perhaps worse.

I will consult the viscera.

+++ LOG ENDS +++

_________________

And so, with the triumvirate of leaders complete, my Ordo Malleus force is ready for battle!

Inquisitors Clavicus and Halfthor of the Ordo Malleus

Painting these two models over the course of a month has actually been one of the most challenging parts of this project. Obviously, each Daemonhunter had to receive special care and attention — as well as a carefully considered, utterly ridiculous colour scheme — but I think there was also an added pressure: I had to finish on a high note.

I’ve painted so much silver armour over the past few months I really wanted these guys to stand out. And boy, do they! With their near-fluorescent green accents (the lovely Bright Green from Rogue Hobbies’ Pro Acryl set), they really are set apart from the rest of the army.

Hmm. My finger points!

Which I think they should, right? While an army of Space Marines will be largely uniform beyond a few flourishes, a character as individual, strong-willed and revered/feared as an Inquisitorial Daemonhunter should be able to make their heraldry truly their own.

I can’t judge Halfthor’s pink and green styling, can I? I’d probably be executed as a heretic.

Slaying in style

Each of these models are just perfect representations of their character. The masked and hooded Daemonhunter, Clavicus, bears arcane symbology and devil’s heads designed to make him look as fearsome as the monsters he hunts. Meanwhile, the fellow with the robotic leg and cool ponytail, Halfthor, commands the respect of age and wisdom. He’s stoic, technologically advanced and totally serving judge.

While Clavicus came to me through a job lot of old minis, as most of my army has, Halfthor was a very kind birthday gift from our resident miniature bug-painter Tom. I hope I’ve done him justice!

A truly radical outfit

In terms of painting these fellows, I’ve obviously decided to go wild with their colour schemes, embracing that 80s anarchy found in old White Dwarfs and source books of the time. Halfthor’s green and burgundy armour would be considered complimentary if it weren’t for the flaming orange gun casing in his hand and shock of blonde hair. Clavicus’s black armour and yellow pauldrons paint him as something of a toxic creature, with the addition of the vibrant green making him look positively radioactive and dangerous… and strangely, I think, Brazilian.

These models’ poses really didn’t pose much challenge in terms of painting (another reason to love Oldhammer), though I did struggle to get at Clavicus’ face between mask and hood. I think the bit of flesh tone and dots for eyes suggest enough of a hidden visage to do the job.

A colour scheme that screams "danger" and, maybe, "Lé lé óh"

Of course, being augmented humans with the best healthcare and biomechanical enhancements the Imperium can provide gives them much healthier looking skin tones than my sickly grey Grey Knights. That's another key element that sets them apart.

One of my favourite aspect of this pair of Daemonhunter models is that one is clearly supposed to be more radical, potentially even heretical, while the other is a more clean-cut, inspirational character. Having both at the helm of my army gives it a nice split personality — an ideal representation of a horrific space Empire at war with itself as much as it is with heretics, daemons and aliens.

And so, that’s my quota filled for this year’s challenge! And a month early, too. But I’m not going to rest on these laurels. I’ve got a bit of a wildcard addition to add still…