I very nearly forgot about the Ultramarines Legion Rhino in my list. Unforgivable.When I say that, I actually mean technically there are four of them. If I include the two Mars patterns I built and painted in 2010/12 during my ‘very’ brief period of painting Ultramarines for Warhammer 40,000, as opposed to the Horus Heresy.
They serve as a perfect example of what happens when different parts of a collection are painted decades apart, using different processes and paints. None of them are consistent with each other, and you know what? I don’t mind in the slightest. Collections evolve over time, and I have long since accepted that unless I’m building and painting a force for a specific event all at once, like I did with the Word Bearers, units will inevitably look different from one another. And that’s perfectly fine with me.
A few years ago, I wouldn’t have felt the same way. The temptation to recycle or repaint older miniatures would have been strong. However, I’ve learned two important things. First, continuously reworking parts of your collection hinders its growth and development. Second, and more importantly in my opinion, you miss out on witnessing how your painting skills have progressed.
The latter is truly rewarding and outweighs any urge to rework units. That being said, I did part ways with a few units that no longer fit my army list. My flyers and a Razorback found a new home with a friend’s son who was just starting to get into the hobby.
However, I still have a pair of Land Raiders and Rhinos that could be used in Heresy games, especially the Proteus.
The unit markings on the two Mars Rhino are more aligned with 40K and the Codex Astartes, rather than the legion. However, considering that the rest of the force maintains a strong 30K stylistic theme, I don’t believe it detracts from the overall aesthetic if I choose to include them. Ultimately, it’s up to each individual to decide the constraints they place on their own army. I’ve encountered heresy players who, for example, prefer to use the new Primaris kits rather than specific heresy variants, with some opting for conversions and others using them as is. While it may not be my personal preference, I don’t believe in overly restrictive practices that hinder the growth of the hobby, especially when it leads to unhelpful gatekeeping. I can appreciate the dedication and passion that goes into any painted army.
Painting Rhino hatches
Here’s a trick I use when pre-shading or when I want to work on some doors in a contrasting colour or separately for weathering edges or applying waterslide decals. I mark the doors with a permanent marker on the reverse side, indicating the side and orientation (e.g., left/right, front/back). Then, I tack them in place and apply the pre-shade. When I remove them to work on them individually, I can easily line them up correctly, aligning the hatch jaws and ensuring they match perfectly with the pre-shaded areas. Additionally, you’ll notice that I applied strips of tape to seal off the interiors while painting the exterior of the tank. This is because I’ve already painted the interior and don’t want to risk overspray spoiling it.
These are truly fun times! I must have built and painted over a dozen Rhinos by now, spanning across various legions. And these ones won’t be my last—I already have two more on the workbench, one for the Imperial Fists and an even more archaic version for the redacted. I wonder if I put them all end to end, how far they would stretch?
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