Heroes of the Imperium - Chapter Master Ogotai and Master Librarian Jaran

Re-colored in Mantis Warriors. Original by MasterAlighieri

I finally finished my Mantis Warrior characters for Heroes of the Imperium month. I was extremely busy with baby's first birthday, Gettysburg, etc so I barely had any time to get these models done. I did spend an hour or two every other night putting paint on, but it took a while because they're large models and I did quite a bit of weathering.

The Mantis Warriors are likely an Eighth Founding of the Marauders, a second founding of the White Scars. This means they trace their lineage to the Mongol-like White Scars who do much of their fighting from the bike. I drew some inspiration from these images:

I've always liked Space Marine biker models. They look tough and imposing. Each dude is ready to cross the field and fight as fast as possible. There are a ton of opportunities for weathering, exhaust, etc. The models themselves aren't super hard to paint.

For my pledge I chose two models by Scibor. I picked these up at Adepticon because they looked so cool in person. They're also HUGE. I like to have alternative models as my HQs because I like being unique and not just using the same models as everyone else as my leader.

Here are the models primed green:

You can see the dudes look like terminators riding bikes. Could be artificer armor. The bikes are a lot bigger and come on their own scenic bases. I attempted to put them on my Secret Weapon Minis forest bases but they didn't fit, heh.

First up, Chapter Master Ogotai:

I really like the detail on the models - the flowing robes, the angels, the trim on the bikes. The engines are detailed really nicely. The way they're built makes it really easy to weather them and make it look like they've been on a penitent crusade for a long time.

I really wanted Ogotai to have that 'old space marine' look with a pale white face. It was REALLY pale so I had to flesh wash it a little bit. His relic blade came out nicely - I used pigments and wash from SWM. I'll put a Maelstrom Warders logo on his left shoulder pad.

Master librarian Jaran looks better in my opinion, probably because of the contrasting colors. I use a very dark blue for my librarians. I think I like it more because they don't look like Ultramarines and it makes them look more dangerous. You can see the mud effects and the exhaust weathering on this model pretty nicely.

I've had a ton of bikes to paint for a long time but never really had the inspiration, even though space marine bikes are probably my favorite models. Now I'm going to paint these dudes for the Michigan GT and hopefully actually go.

I have a command squad with company champion, apothecary, storm shields and thunder hammers (355 points!). I also have three squads with attack bikes and a meltagun each. This rounds out an 1850 force pretty nicely:

1850 Pts - Codex: Space Marines Roster

HQ: Space Marine Captain in Power Armour (1#, 200 pts)
   1 Space Marine Captain in Power Armour, 200 pts (Bikes (Character); Assault Grenades; Krak Grenades; Iron Halo; Melta Bombs; Artificer Armour; Relic Blade x1; Storm Shield x1; And They Shall Know No Fear; Combat Tactics; Independent Character; Warlord)
      1 Space Marine Bike (Twin-Linked Boltgun)

HQ: Space Marine Librarian in Power Armour (1#, 135 pts)
   1 Space Marine Librarian in Power Armour, 135 pts (Bikes (Character); Assault Grenades; Krak Grenades; Power Armour; Psychic Hood; Space Marine Bike; Bolt Pistol; Force Axe; Twin-Linked Boltgun; And They Shall Know No Fear; Combat Tactics; Independent Character; Psyker (Mastery Level 1))

: Command Squad (5#, 355 pts)
   1 Command Squad, 355 pts ((C:SM, pg. 55 & 132); Automatic Unit Type; Space Marine Bike; Twin-Linked Boltgun; And They Shall Know No Fear; Combat Tactics)
      1 Apothecary (Assault Grenades; Krak Grenades; Narthecium; Power Armour; Unit on SM Bikes; Bolt Pistol; Chainsword; Twin-Linked Boltgun)
      1 Company Champion (Assault Grenades; Krak Grenades; Combat Shield; Power Armour; Unit on SM Bikes; Bolt Pistol; Chainsword; Power Sword; Twin-Linked Boltgun)
      1 Veteran (Assault Grenades; Krak Grenades; Power Armour; Storm Shield; Unit on SM Bikes; Bolt Pistol; Thunder Hammer x1; Twin-Linked Boltgun)
      1 Veteran (Assault Grenades; Krak Grenades; Power Armour; Storm Shield; Unit on SM Bikes; Bolt Pistol; Thunder Hammer x1; Twin-Linked Boltgun)
      1 Veteran (Assault Grenades; Krak Grenades; Power Armour; Storm Shield; Unit on SM Bikes; Bolt Pistol; Thunder Hammer x1; Twin-Linked Boltgun)

Elite: Dreadnought (2#, 155 pts)
   1 Dreadnought, 155 pts ((C:SM, pg. 65 & 137); Vehicle (Walker); Searchlight; Smoke Launchers; Extra Armour; Dreadnought CCW; Multi-melta; Storm Bolter)
      1 Drop Pod (Vehicle (Immobile, Open-topped); 12 model capacity, or; Storm Bolter; Drop Pod Assault; Immobile; Inertial Guidance System)
Troops: Space Marine Bike Squad (5#, 190 pts)

   3 Space Marine Bike Squad, 190 pts ((C:SM, pg. 68 & 140); Bikes; Assault Grenades; Krak Grenades; Power Armour; Space Marine Bike; Bolt Pistol x2; Meltagun x1; Twin-Linked Boltgun; And They Shall Know No Fear; Combat Squads; Combat Tactics)
      1 Attack Bike (Bikes; Assault Grenades; Krak Grenades; Power Armour; Space Marine Bike; Bolt Pistol; Multi-melta; Twin-Linked Boltgun; And They Shall Know No Fear; Combat Tactics)
      1 Sergeant (Assault Grenades; Krak Grenades; Power Armour; Space Marine Bike; Power Sword; Twin-Linked Boltgun)
Troops: Space Marine Bike Squad (6#, 225 pts)

   4 Space Marine Bike Squad, 225 pts ((C:SM, pg. 68 & 140); Bikes; Assault Grenades; Krak Grenades; Power Armour; Space Marine Bike; Bolt Pistol x3; Meltagun x1; Twin-Linked Boltgun; And They Shall Know No Fear; Combat Squads; Combat Tactics)
      1 Attack Bike (Bikes; Assault Grenades; Krak Grenades; Power Armour; Space Marine Bike; Bolt Pistol; Multi-melta; Twin-Linked Boltgun; And They Shall Know No Fear; Combat Tactics)
      1 Sergeant (Assault Grenades; Krak Grenades; Power Armour; Space Marine Bike; Power Fist; Twin-Linked Boltgun)
Troops: Space Marine Bike Squad (6#, 215 pts)

   4 Space Marine Bike Squad, 215 pts ((C:SM, pg. 68 & 140); Bikes; Assault Grenades; Krak Grenades; Power Armour; Space Marine Bike; Bolt Pistol x3; Meltagun x1; Twin-Linked Boltgun; And They Shall Know No Fear; Combat Squads; Combat Tactics)
      1 Attack Bike (Bikes; Assault Grenades; Krak Grenades; Power Armour; Space Marine Bike; Bolt Pistol; Multi-melta; Twin-Linked Boltgun; And They Shall Know No Fear; Combat Tactics)
      1 Sergeant (Assault Grenades; Krak Grenades; Power Armour; Space Marine Bike; Power Sword; Twin-Linked Boltgun)
Fast Attack: Stormtalon Gunship (1#, 125 pts)

   1 Stormtalon Gunship, 125 pts ((DFTS, pgs. 57 & 68); Vehicle (Flyer w/ Hover mode); Ceramite Plating; Twin-Linked Assault Cannon; Skyhammer Missile Launcher; Escort Craft; Strafing Run)
Fast Attack: Stormtalon Gunship (1#, 125 pts)
   1 Stormtalon Gunship, 125 pts ((DFTS, pgs. 57 & 68); Vehicle (Flyer w/ Hover mode); Ceramite Plating; Twin-Linked Assault Cannon; Skyhammer Missile Launcher; Escort Craft; Strafing Run)
Fast Attack: Stormtalon Gunship (1#, 125 pts)
   1 Stormtalon Gunship, 125 pts ((DFTS, pgs. 57 & 68); Vehicle (Flyer w/ Hover mode); Ceramite Plating; Twin-Linked Assault Cannon; Skyhammer Missile Launcher; Escort Craft; Strafing Run)
Total Roster Cost: 1850

This is a quick-attack force that relies on speed and force to get there and dismantle people. I'd say it is pretty much 'go big or go home'. Hopefully I don't face any heldrakes ;)