Defense of Xantinum

Well, looks like finally I'm back :)

WOW got boring again, and the account is about to run out again *sigh*

But I couldn't get myself to start with working on the ATHENA right away. So I started with another project I had at the back of my mind for quite some time now.
It's not far off from the ATHENA and the ZEUS, as it is also situated on Dencara 5.

The "Defense of Xantinum" is one of the important moments in the Dencara history - The 3rd Waaargh of Waarghboss Shucktuck and his Stachlnschweinz against the Dencaran macropole Xantinum.
(you can read more about this in the Stachlnschweinz blog - http://stachlnschweinz.blogspot.com/2008/09/da-fluff.html )

So the diorama will depict one of those cataclysmic situation when the defense of the macropole is at an epic moment. The last of the valiant defenders are hard pressed against the walls of the city, while the flood of attacking Orks is at its apex - the next few moments will decide the fate of Xantinum and the 3rd Waaargh. Will the Imperial defenders be able to hold the onslaught, or will they break, releasing the Orks into the macropole, spreading fear and destruction... ?

So for this diorama I gathered some special characters I want to use:

(ltr) An Imperial Fleet officer in ultra-cool pose with his las pistol, a Space Marine aiding a wounded Sister of Battle, a Priest bearing the flag, the Governor of Xantinum, a Bolter, an Acolyte, a Sister of Battle, and a soldier, having fought to the last bullet, using his rifle as a club.

I then started to work a bit on the basing of the characters (note the SoB in front of the SM that is now cut in half)

Then I started to arrange them in a defense line pattern. I will position them on the top of some rounded stairs.


So I built the stairs and walls out of cardboard. Lots of gothic style arches. The large arch in the center will also contain one of my mural painted windows.

And after a few hours of liberate distribution of rubble debris I created something of a barrier at the top of the stairs.

Then it was time to work on the actual characters some more (please note they are still very WIP).

Here is the priest that will also hold the banner:

Then the fleet officer in a duel pose:

The Governor:

The Space Marine with the Sister:

Fighting to the last bullet and beyond

I also added a "Rambo"

The "standards" received Dencaran Helmets:

Then I added a cloak to the Governor (still needs a lot of work)

And I worked some more on the wounded Sister:

Now it looks like she's holding her hand on an abdomen wound while wrapping pieces of her tunic or cloak around her.

And the way I positioned the two, she will fire her Bolter at the Ork that is attacking the club-swinging Cadian :)

Hopefully this pose will really look as dramatic as I have in my mind.

Well, that's as far as I got.

I hope you like it :)
Cheers

Klaus