Tor Megiddo: Seqemose and Guardsman Vell

War in the Sun.

As of writing this, Tor Megiddo, a collaborative hobby event hosted by Alexander Winberg from Echos of the Imperium and Helge "Wilhelminiatures," is about to take place. The event sees a group of incredibly talented hobbyists building warbands and ramshackle vehicles to race across the sun-scorched ruin that is Tor Megiddo. Although we knew we were not going to be able to make it to the event, we wanted to create a few models to take part. Inspiration was not hard to come by for the project, with the setting’s parallels to GorkaMorka (and Mad Max), coupled with all of the incredible models being produced over the last few months (search #tormegiddo on Instagram a Twitter for a fraction of the excellent models that have been created). We decided that we wanted to create a pair of bounty hunters, one a grizzled Imperial Guard veteran, while the other a tall and wispy thin humanoid bird creature.

Converted from an Infinity model, Seqemose was designed to bare resemblance to Max Rockatansky in Fury Road (aside from the bird head, ha ha).

The allusion to Mad Max would not be complete without a sawed-off shotgun!

To convey the scorching heat and biting sand of Tor Megiddo, I used a variety of Vallejo Pigments and Ammo of Mig oils to create texture and weathering.

In a nod to the classic film Akira, multiple decals were hand painted to conjure images of Shotaro Kaneda’s iconic red motorcycle.

Additional pictures of some of the decals painted on Seqemose's bike.

Upon reflection, we realized we had already created the perfect model for the first bounty hunter, an Inq28 model aptly converted from an old GorkaMorka Digga Shaman, Arkan Vell. The model was one of our first Inq28 models, made way back in 2013 when the blog was first formed. For the bird creature, which we affectionately referred to as Big Bird throughout the creation process, we decided to use an Infinity model. The choice of model was two fold: first, Infinity has a much larger range of motorcycle models than Games Workshop, including some that look like modern day cycles that might actually work. Second, while still 28mm, Infinity models are not heroically scaled. They tend to be taller, with smaller and more realistic hands and feet. This different aesthetic contrasts sharply with most GW models, giving the model a slightly alien quality, which was something we wanted for Big Bird (who was later renamed Seqemose). Seqemose’s head was created using one from an Aetherwing out of the Stormcast Eternal Vanguard-Raptors set. Along with the motorbike, we imagined Seqemose looking a little like Max Rockatansky from Fury Road. To further this connection, green stuff was used to better simulate Max’s classic leather jacket, and I converted a double barreled sawed-off shotgun.

Although it took many years, Guardsman Arkan Vell is finally complete

Vell was created with an old GorkaMorka Digga Shaman model, ideal for the desert wasteland that is Tor Megiddo.

To help convey Vell’s service in the Astra Militarum, an Imperial aquila was painted on his shoulder.

Although it was close, I was able to finish both models just in time to ship them off to Finland to take place in the event. So together, Seqemose and Vell made planetfall on Tor Megiddo, a makeshift stop on their way to the Forge World Urdesh, pursuing a contract. But with the planet in the grips of a Black Thirst, and rumors telling of many notable warlords preparing to raid the Flesh Baron’s overrun Promethean Tower, there is not a shortage of blood money. Blood in the sand. War in the Sun.

- Adam Wier