The Die is Cast!: The Black Iron Convicts

++++ WANTED, EXTREMELY DANGEROUS! SIGHTINGS SHOULD BE REPORTED TO YOUR LOCAL ARBITES PRECINCT. ++++

The warning text flashed across the pict-screen as the patrons of the sump-bar "Forgotten Hole" looked up from their drinks, deals and card games to look at the warnings.

The text scrolled again, above was a grainy mugshot of each convict which the Arbites were trying to re-apprehend. All of them wore the over muscled, forge-worked look at house Goliath.

Studs hammered into skulls, chain hanging from nose rings, work gang tattoo's, and the stimulant pumps dotted around to keep their gene enhanced bodies running.

After a moment, the general murmur of conversation started again amongst the dimly lit, smoke wreathed interior.

As it did a pair of men slumped over their drinks at the bar, looking over the seating area listened to the rumour mill of the subhive scum.

"I heard they broke free during a prisoner transfer just outside the hive. Killed every Arbite of the security detail." A hushed voice said.

"How'd you hear that? They weren't even meant to have left the hive before they were busted out by an outsider. I bet the Inquisition..." Before the speaker could finish, the entire table had shushed him and made warding marks of the Aquilla.

Superstition ran rife, and to utter the name of the Inquisition was to invite their brutal attention down here it was commonly believed.

"Word has it that that ugly brute" the speaker gestured to the pict-screen, "Is their leader, one Jhaed Khraal, and he's been planning a breakout for months. They're calling themselves the Black Iron Convicts and are heading to the Sump to make a place for themselves." He continued.

"How'd you find that out Scabbie?" A disbelieving card shark at the next table asked.

"I've got eyes and ears abound mate. They hit a trade caravan two cycles ago and took off heading...hey, wait".

The two shadowy men from the bar had moved up, and as the Scabbie was talking, one hauled him up and out of the booth.

The other stood with a massive shotgun racked and covering the other patron's who stared for a moment, then turned back to their game and drinks.

As the protesting Scabbie was hauled outside, the shotgun wielder turned and left five Imperial Crowns on the bar.

"Apologies for the disturbance"...

*****

I've had the Necromunda Underhive box sitting unused since it was released. I'd only gotten the Goliath and Escher gangs built before work stopped for some reason. Over the intervening years I've added a few other characters to the collection, and have enjoyed following the Every model is a Necromunda model stuff on twitter for ideas, but never seemed to act on it.

I think the problem is that, as much as I enjoy the setting, just like 40k, I find the rules do not aid that enjoyment, so just never bothered.

Bad I know...

However, as part of my Hobby Season I added that I wanted to get the Necromunda gear painted and off the proverbial "to-do" list.

Here I present the 'Black Iron Convicts' in their disreputable glory.

I wanted a darker scheme for the armour, but wanted to keep some red for the classic Goliath colours. They may be escaped criminals, but they're still loyal to their house overall.

The facemasks remind me a lot of Luchador masks, but I chose to keep them to the same black and metal colours instead of the brightly coloured wrestlers masks.

To add a bit of colour to the miniatures, I painted their trousers in Troll Slayer Orange, which is where the "Convict" idea was born from.

Originally when I had been spitballing gang name idea with Chris, I'd gone with the Black Iron Reaver's, but felt that was too close to my Chaos Warrior's I'd Previously painted.

The orange and red provide a nice warm counter colour palette to the black armour and iron metallics, a little bronze thrown in for detailing finished them off.

Basing wise, I used the Necromunda bases which came in the box.

I started with a rusty metal effect following my Ork metal scheme, but then decided to add some second edition era hazard striping, because everything is better with yellow and black stripes!

The main guts of the gang are here, three melee and three ranged guys.

The two with the pistols and axes I use as the juvie members of the gang, with the rest being established members.

There are a smattering of conversions, such as a Ork choppa being used instead of an axe, and several Blood Reaver heads for different helmet types.

The leaders of the gang, Jhaed Khraal on the left with the Plasma Plasma and "Pulveriser" his hammer.

Kort Drarn, on the right is the second of the gang, a brute with an auto-shotgun, sump-hammer and two long handled grenades, which double as clubs, he's happy to be free of prison, but always looking to advance at Khraal's expense/expiration.