The evolution of the Praetorian IV

I started writing this blog back in November 2011 as a way to kick start my hobbying after the best part of a decade away.

The army was fairly small in a state of some disrepair those years ago and in dire need of some attention. In terms of how many points I could field painted, it was little more than 1000pts (if that!), I remember that when I played back then I would tool up as much as possible just to fill the points!

Now I strip everything down to the bare lasguns and can field over 4000pts! Times have indeed changed and hopefully they will change some more so that I will be posting photos of 8000pts in another year or two!

How the army has changed over the years. In no small part due to the inspiration and support of all my followers on here. Lets take a look at some old blog photos and take a stroll down Praetorian memory lane...

Up first we have three photos from the very first post back in November 2011. Here we have the predecessor to colonel Winterborne. Before I converted the DKOK command squad I used the original command section models and had Cadian colonel filling. The colonel was originally painted for a golden daemon entry circa 2003/4 when we was mascarading as a titan princeps accompanied by an epic titan legion battle group.

This photo shows all the tanks in their original form. They were painted also in circa 2003 and featured transfers and an utter lack of my now common battle damage and freehand. The main camo colour of the tanks proved to be impossible to replicate due to the change in the paint ranges (snakebite leather sadly bit the zandri dust...) and you will later see the progression in colour in the newer tanks.

Also the eagle eyes will notice the 'exterminator' which has heavy bolters in the turret too! If the veteran (I guess I'm a veteran these days despite being only late 20s) among you cast your mind back, over a decade ago GW released rules that meant you could build your own tanks and pay for various weapons, armour values etc. This variant was to be the Leman Russ Bulldog! I eventually tracked down some autocannons back in 2012 and brought it up to STC spec.

The only infantry at this time was one 10 man squad, the command section and the lancers. A pitiful excuse of an army in all honesty! It was high time I got painting!

Now we fast forward to June 2012. After a frantic 6 months of painting the army went to war in the Badab sector and made the journey up to Warhammer World. They featured the innovation of the explosion markers (I believe I was one of the first to do this) which caught a lot of people's eye and we now have the converted rough riders, storm troopers, commissar lord, a load more tanks and infantry and of course the good colonel himself!

This was the first of several accolades for the army as I picked up best painted!

In terms of addition to the army this must be the golden age of productivity! I need to recapture that drive and get back to it. Perhaps its time for a campaign weekend or big battle to get me motivated...

We now have August 2012 and Praetorian High Command saw fit to attach a mighty Macharius Vanquisher to the army. This photo was taken on the Khemri display board at Warhammer World and is probably the only time the desert camo army has actually been in the desert!

A return to Warhammer World December 2012 where the army picked up another Best Painted! Here we see some fortifications, a couple more forgeworld tanks and some more heavy weapons. Every time I went up there forgeworld stole my money. I say stealing because I really had no say in the matter.

Another photo of the army taken the same weekend, making the most of the lovely gaming boards for some more spectacular photos. That cardboard box under the table contains the next addition to the army. Any ideas what it could be?

On the red ash of the Armageddon wastes we see the army July 2013. We now have the Thunderbolt fighter, the thudd guns, techpriest a few more guardsmen and the chosen men. The army cleaned up in terms of killing orks and was narrowly beaten into second in terms of painting by a beautiful Sisters army.

And now back to present day with the photos taken earlier just a few days ago.

The notable additions now are the two Taurox. Sadly due to real life hobby time has been much reduced in the last year and so the expansion of the army has stalled a few times. A couple of big moves have been causing all sort of problems however with the new year and less moves, we are hopefully heralding in a new age of hobby prosperity for the brave soldiers of Praetoria!

Thanks for following everyone! I'll do my best to keep the posting up!