Tag Archives: Praetorian Guard

Warhammer 40k Armies – Praetorian Guard

October 4, 2019 Subedai 27 Comments

My 1,000 points Praetorian Guard army for Warhammer 40k 7th Edition is finally completed. It started out 20 years ago with the Chimera and the lascannon teams taking part in a tank battle. Since then the other elements gradually came together, with the occasional interruption for re-basing and additional detailing on parts that had already been finished.

Birds eye view of infantry and vehicles between adobe buildings — Taking up positions in an abandoned outpost

Similar to my Mordian Iron Guard, this Praetorian Guard force is based around an infantry platoon with attached weapons teams and some armoured support. The backbone of the Imperial Guard taking to the field.

Squads of infantry in red uniforms and pith helmets — A forward headquarters is being established

Infantry and heavy weapon teams — Squads are ordered into a defensive perimeter

The reconnaissance element consists of a Sentinel with multilaser and two 3-man teams of Ratling Snipers. All suitable choices for the savannah like area of operations I have in mind.

A war walker advancing alongside infantry soldiers — The Sentinel is brought up to run patrol

View into the cockpit of the war walker — A multilaser also provides solid offensive capabilities

Space hobbits with sniper rifles in green uniforms — “Quick, secure the pantry!”

Fire support is provided by lascannons and a mix of heavy bolters and an autocannon. When I saw how people had swapped the lascannon wheels for those from the old Ork artillery, I borrowed the idea.

Lascannons on gun carriages behind sandbags — The big guns hunker down behind improvised barricades

Heavy guns crewed by soldiers in red uniforms with pith helmets — Any attackers will wade through a hail of bullets

Three weapons teams with mortars — A mortar battery lays down suppressive fire

The Lemon Russ was the last model to be finished. All vehicles ended up with different shades of sand colour, since several generations of paints went out of production during the raising of this force. I chose to interpret it as adding to the realism of an army supplied by the Adeptus Administratum.

Tank with large calibre cannon — The Leman Russ acts as a mobile strong point

While I was avoiding painting the tank I decided to convert the veteran squad and accordingly also the Command HQ which is formed of veteran soldiers. I both wanted to add variety to the appearance of the infantry units and also make it easier to tell them apart on the battlefield. The topknots were mainly plundered from the Chaos Marauders for Warhammer Fantasy Battle which is a kit that keeps on giving.

Commander of the Imperial Guard waving a chainsword — The Command HQ flies the banner of Praetoria

Squad of soldiers with pith helmets decorated with black horse hair — A veteran squad brings experience and firepower

There are another 500 points of reinforcements in different stages of assembly and painting, so the Praetorian Guard will be added to whenever inspiration for them strikes me.

Infantry advancing in front of an armoured vehicle — The Chimera is a mobile command vehicle

Eye level view of a line of Praetorian soldiers — Men and machines in the service of the Imperium

Command squad with standard bearer — “Smite the enemies of the Imperium, for Praetoria!”

Warhammer 40k

Praetorian Platoon

November 20, 2017 Subedai 14 Comments

The infantry platoon for my Warhammer 40k Praetorian Guard is finally complete. With the base colours already in place, I managed to stay focused just long enough on the production line. While I don’t want to paint another pith helmet in a while, I might put together and base coat a second platoon while I’m at it, so I have them ready for the next push.

Ranks of soldiers in red uniform jackets accompanied by a figure in long black coat — A Commissar strengthens the resolve of the troops

Soldiers lined up into four units — An infantry platoon with command section and three squads

Praetoria is a hive world yet their regiments are often associated with actions on more rustic planets. Enter the adobe buildings from 4Ground once again, and some improvised barricades which I believe are from Ziterdes.

Several dozen troops marching in front of adobe buildings with heavy weapons on roofs — Taking up defensive positions

Large groups of soldiers with laser rifles — The pride of Praetoria

Now having an Ork army to field against them would be nice. Unfortunately, only 11 out of 69 models for that army are painted so far – a project for another year.

Ranks of soldiers in red jackets and tropical helmets advancing on two adobe buildings with Orks in the background — Infantry assault on an Ork settlement

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Warhammer 40k

Praetorian Guard Advance

November 7, 2017 Subedai 14 Comments

I’m progressing with my Praetorian Guard for Warhammer 40k and finished the first of three infantry squads in the platoon. There are only so many different sculpts, so this is going to be a bit repetitive. There actually is a conversion amongst these ten though, where I used a head from the Empire Flagellants, turning a Mordian into a Praetorian sans pith helmet.

Squad of soldiers in tropical helmets with red jackets and laser rifles — The infantry advances with fire support from a Sentinel

As I mentioned, I have a little battle scene set up, with the Necrons advancing on the Praetorian line. Here’s a shot from behind the gun line, showing the latest reinforcements throwing themselves against their pitiless enemy.

Squad of soldiers from behind in the distance with two laser cannons in the foreground — Lascannons are moved into position behind hastily assembled barricades

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Warhammer 40k

Seasoned Soldiers

November 3, 2017 Subedai 22 Comments

It’s been a good few years since I made the last push to complete a 1,000 points army for the Praetorian Imperial Guard. Since then all troops are assembled and base coloured, so in theory it shouldn’t take that long again.

To get back into the drill I completed a half finished veteran squad equipped with a missile launcher, two grenade launchers and a plasma pistol.

Soldiers with pith helmets and red uniform jackets aiming their weapons — The veterans lead the Praetorians into battle

Now I have three regular infantry squads and a Leman Russ left. I’ll tackle the infantry in groups of five – let’s see how far I get over the month. The battle tank will most likely be last to trundle onto the field.

Several units of soldiers amongst sandbag barriers — Fire at will!

Epic 40k, Warhammer, Warhammer 40k

Spicing Up My Bestiary

August 27, 2017 Subedai 10 Comments

The Reaper Miniatures Great Worm is a modern miniatures classic that I’ve seen pop up in many people’s collections. For a long time I’ve been taken it off the rack in a local games store and putting it back, so as not to add to my painting queue. Last time a gamer friend of mine came to visit, I got caught up in his shopping spree however and finally bought my own version – on the condition I’d paint it up quickly.

There is no particular army, game or even genre I am associating the giant worm with, so it is intended more as a piece of (dangerous) terrain. Rather than painting it purple though, which is the most commonly used colour, I felt more inspired to turn it into a sand worm.

Four soldiers in red jackets aiming guns at a large worm that burst from the desert floor — Praetorian guardsmen find that the desert is alive

A desert death world would be a very suitable setting to use the sand worm in. I have a bunch of Rogue Trader era creatures and monsters to work on, which this fits nicely into.

Two living mummies with weapons aloft next to a giant worm emerging from the sand — The Tomb Princes of Khemri summon a great sand worm

As a creature of the desert, the giant worm would make an interesting feature in a Khemrian landscape, or for a dungeon adventure in the Lands of the Dead.