Welcome to our Warhammer 40,000 Kill Team Diaries. For this series we have some fantastic guest bloggers, Jonas and Aidan, on board to document building and painting the two kill teams in the new Warhammer 40K Kill Team Boxed Set.

Let's check in first with Jonas, who is working on the Skitarii.

Building the Skitarii

I made a straightforward job of what could’ve been a project involving more obvious conversions, more customisation, perhaps even more fun. I ended up building them exactly as per instructions though. With only little spare time at hand, I wanted them done fast and well – prioritising care of assembly over unique modelling choices.

The red plastic took me a while to get used to. It ‘felt’ less detailed to begin with, perhaps more like toys than models, but is cast in the crisp detail I expect from GW. Unlike the earlier formula they used for Space Hulk, it’s not even a bit brittle and workable in exactly the same way as the standard grey plastic crack.

I decided to build my team as Vanguard, if only because I like the idea of troops so radioactive that they’re literally killing themselves over time. Basically, rule of cool. I still feel that the transuranic arquebus doesn’t suit them as well as the rangers, but, again: it looks cool. Likewise, for my Alpha – as well as for all others – I chose the gear that I thought looks best. I attempted no conversions but a most subtle rotation of Alpha’s left wrist, and gave him a couple extra purity seals. Instead, I chose to spend my time carefully filling and smoothing the gaps in all greatcoats. (Cure greenstuff for about 45 min, smooth with small amounts of cooking oil.)

At this stage, I left all backpacks and pairs of legs off the torsos; everything else is glued. No chance I could possibly paint the insides and outsides of their greatcoats any well any other way.

For the bases, I was very lucky to be given a mate’s leftover Mechanicum bits when he cleared out his hobby closet. I ended up using mostly spare Kataphron parts, alongside cork from cheap cork coasters, cheap watch gear cogs, and dried and sieved dirt, all glued with watered down PVA. I imagine the Skitarii climbing over the remnants of a first wave run into the ground already.

I hope to update sooner than later with that I’m planning to be a spin on a Ryza paint scheme. Thanks for visiting.