Battlefleet Gothic Azure Flames – Spear Squadron Gladius Frigates (plus new case!)

It feels good to get a brush back in my hands.  I started with the Armourium Cherubs for Big Game VI, but in the course of unearthing some old bitz for the Guard models I lent Scott, I found six Forgeworld Gladius cruisers.  Seeing as how my Space Marine fleet is severely lacking when fighting… certain opponents… I decided to give them a go.

So, the latest addition to my Space Marine fleet: Spear Squadron.  Complimentary to Sword Squadron, I can now field two full squadrons of Gladius Frigates.  For… reasons…

Certainly not specifically to fight the Eldar.  That would be a ridiculous speculation and I resent the very idea.

But it would work.

What doesn’t work is my current case for the Azure Flames for Gothic.  Currently, they live in the same overly complicated tackle box with my Epic Armageddon Azure Flames. (Yes I own a representation of the same army three times.  It saves on paint.)  However that case is so jam packed I keep Epic scale Rhinos in the top compartments with no padding.  There’s not room for one more escort, let alone six.

That’s why family is a wonderful thing.

Last Xmas, my cousin’s husband confided in me that his business had a rather unique by-product.  He sets up audio rigs for small churches.  A lucrative endeavor as new churches spring up all the time.  His deft hands compile the necessities of an audio system into a convenient roiling cabinet.   What’s left over is an empty microphone case.  He had more than 100 empty padded cases.

I took about 16.  I used one as a transport for my Guard to Big Game VI.  And now…

…it holds the fleet.  Granted, there is no room for me to expand further, but I see no need (unless twelve Gladius Frigates are insufficient for the Eldar…) so I consider the collection complete.  The case has a makeshift padded interior left over from various pluck foam and matress pad endeavors.  The top is padded with further foam.

It’s not pretty, but given that I did it with waste foam, a free microphone case, and my wife’s glue gun, it was practically free!  It also gave me a chance to use something I’ve had for a while:

A custom luggage tag, to mark it out!  I plan to have several more of these cases for other armies for Gothic, Epic, Necromunda, Blood Bowl, and so on.  So, a while ago, I designed luggage tags to mark out the cases.  This is the first one I’ve had a chance to use.

Next: more batreps, more painting, and more fiction!