Evolution of a force: Adeptus Arbites

Hi there! Back to 40K again. Today I'm bringing you a compilation of pics showing how I begun to build up a force of Arbitrators. For all those non-warhammerers, Arbitrators are just the Judge Dredd concept taken into 40K. Law enforcers who deliver judgement upon criminals and heretics Imperiumwide. You know, hard stuff for the dark millenium.

In the beginning there was the core :P

I had these minis so long I even can't remember

And they are not even the first RT models

But they have aged quite decently

Look, there is an eagle on your head! No, not joking!

And the core was of Arbitrators, and these Arbitrators were the core of my upcoming force :D
At some time I saw this conversion work by mighty Mike McVey:

So I fell in love with it and felt that I needed one of my own. My first attempt (I believe at some moment by 1997-98) was this... thing:

The pic was taken much later

This is why Mike McVey is a genius and I am not

It is a converted Chimera, as you may have spotted. But of course I could not be satisfied at all with this, so I had to repaint it. Arbitrators need black gear. Don't ask me why, but these guys really need ominous colours.

Does it look different?

If black is good enough for the new Robocop, it is good for Arbites

Another example of my absurd obsession about details

So I had a small bunch of cops and a van. Good enough for a start. But, as you can imagine, not enough at all. By that moment I had already read the first book of the Arbites' trilogy and I was totally hooked by the leading character, Shira Calpurnia.

A really good sci-fi novel, even if you are not into WH40K

I needed some more Arbites. I traded for some minis and I finally got enough models to build up two squads, one with shotguns and one with bolters. The main problem was the Judge (the leader of the squad). I couldn't have twenty different minis, but at least I would not have two identical Judges. I converted this one who was to lead the bolter squad:

Couldn't stand that helmet

So this is what I got:

There are more people than in the first pic!

Ten guys with shotgun and a grenade launcher

Seven more with bolters and another grenade launcher

Hmmm... What else could I add to my force? A model I'm in love with. A Forge World's Arvus Lighter. Let me show you the pain in the *** process.

FW's superior quality resin blah blah blah

Panting the inside

Adding details I will see no more as soon as I glue the pieces

But I will know they are there.

This is the pilot of the Airbus Arvus

Wooops, fingerprints. Windscreen wiper needed

The aspect of this flying shoebox ship begun to be like this:

Yup, this is supposed to fly

The usual Aeris ductus, cautio and cave pedes signs I tend to paint on all my ships, remember

Once you put the wings on, this is the final aspect of it:

Lovely tiny shoebox

Adeptus Arbites insignia

A final shot

Now to cross the skies!

So this is my current Arbitrator force!

After all this mess, I painted a few Arbites for a friend. I'm only posting here the conversions on the Judges (the rest of the minis are just the same!)

Judge 1, step 1

Judge 2, step 1 (a true RT original model!)

Judge 3, step 1. Yes, that is a lascannon. My friend specifically asked for it

When finished they look like this:

Haha, I have hair! Hair!

Old West Sheriff, 40K version

Nineteenth century gentleman moustache. Just to compensate the rough weapon

Here it is, Team Arbites:

Over there!

Once I have shown you all this, I must say I bought the Necromunda Arbites, but have not painted them yet, and I really want to, the set includes one guy with riot shield and a K9 unit.

Oh, all this deserves an scenario. Or two. Or a full campaign! Agh, too many projects!