11. Suppressors: Completing Strike Team Solarien (Sort of)

So, midway through last month (January 2024) I bought a copy of White Dwarf 496. I'm very haphazard regarding such purchases but, on this occasion, there was something inside which really intrigued me: the rules for the Solarien Task Force.

While I haven't done so yet, I am eager to get into the playing side of the hobby. However, when (or more likely 'if') I get to playing for the first time, I want to start small and what smaller than a Combat Patrol.

At this point, I already have a full combat patrol for Adepta Sororitas but, with their rules on miracle dice seeming a little complex, I wanted to maybe start simple with some of the Space Marine miniatures I already have.

This is what made the Solarien Task Force both intriguing and tempting; because so far I already have a painted Phobos Lieutenant, a squad of Infiltrators and a Librarian (although Legends instead of Phobos. But I can proxy, right?)


All that's left is the Suppressors, and I have a trio of those waiting to be painted (having already been primed in Chaos Black).

With that plan in place, I made my painting choice for February and started them with Armour. I painted their power armour same way as usual did:
  • Started with a Base of Macragge Blue (3 thin coats instead of two), changing things up by focusing on Power Armour only)
  • Washed those painted sections with a coat, but Nuln Oil this time instead of Drakenhof Nightshade.
  • Then Drybrushed with a layer each of (in the following order): 
    • Macragge Blue
    • Calgar Blue
    • Fenrisian Grey
(Surprisingly, I found that I applied the drybrushing on my Sergeant (the first model I painted) much better than I have been)

Finally, I touched up of Macragge Blue to hide any part of the miniature where the Calgar and Fenrisian hit that they shouldn't have and there was part one done.


Next up came the application of all the other colours. These were all, again, the same as I've done on past miniatures. However, this time I worked to ensure better accuracy. Those paints were (shown by Base/Shade/Highlights):
  • Hair - Mournfang Brown, Agrax Earthshade, Deathclaw Brown, Kislev Flesh 
  • Face - (Corax White) Rakarth Flesh/Reikland Fleshshade/Flayed One Flesh
  • Helmet/Lights - Mephiston Red/Nuln Oil/Evil Sunz Scarlet, Wild Rider Red 
  • Pauldron trim/Aquila - Retributor Armour/Seraphim Sepia/Auric Armour Gold, Liberator Gold
  • Other Gold - Balthasar Gold/Nuln Oil/Liberator Gold, Runefang Steel 
  • Metal - Leadbelcher/Nuln Oil/Ironbreaker, Runefang Steel 
  • Gun Case/Under Armour - Abaddon Black/Eshin Grey, Dawnstone 
  • Brass - Runelord Brass/Nuln Oil/Sycorax Bronze, Runefang Steel 
  • Belt/Pouches - Mournfang Brown/Agrax Earthshade/Deathclaw Brown
  • Gun Handles - Dryad Bark/Nuln Oil/Gorthor Brown
  • Purity Seal - Khorne Red/Nuln Oil/Wazdakka Red, Cadian Fleshtone
  • Parchment - Rakarth Flesh/Agrax Earthshade/Pallid Wych Flesh
  • Wiring - (Corax White) Waaagh Flesh, Averland Sunset, The Fang/Agrax Earthshade/Warpstone Glow, Yriel Yellow, Fenrisian Grey
  • Other - Aethermatic Blue
    • Martian Ironearth
    • Reikland Fleshshade
    • Wild Rider Red

With the model finished, it came time to complete the base. This time, after painting it again with Steel Legion Drab, I used Martian Ironearth, shading it with Reikland Fleshshade and then drybrushing with Wild Rider Red once the prior step had dried before gluing my Sergeant to his stand and then applying transfers.

So, with my Suppressor Sergeant complete, I did the exact same process for my other two Suppressors. There were minor changes, such as (obviously) a full helmet instead of hair and a face. Also, I shaded the base with something instead of Reikland Fleshshade; one with Nuln Oil and the other with Agrax Earthshade.


So, with the trio of Suppressors built and painted, my Solarien Task Force is complete (well, sort of) and ready to be used.

All that is left is to find the time/place/inclination to be able to play but I can try and move on to that now I have (another) something to play with.

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