Lion El'Jonson by Michael
With primarchs seemingly being returned to action by Games Workshop, it seems opportune that this fabulous vision of the Dark Angels' primarch sees the light of day.
The cool, tactically-cunning primarch leads his Legion and allies into action. The mounted cavalry section of The Order ride their black horses and flourish lances, bearing a Ravenwing emblem on their shoulder armour. And there are other great visual tie-ins to the current Dark Angels throughout — not least the sheer quantity of flowing bone-coloured surcoats on display.
[…] history wise I tried to fit the event into the Rangdan campaign — and sort of toyed with the idea of Mr. Jonson having brought a mounted Jaeger regiment to fight with his Legion, whom I've given great helms in order to convey their knightly background… I may have taken a few too many liberties, but I think it works.
Michael
I like the accompanying infantry with their lasguns, running alongside the mounted knights. Very reminiscent of the 92nd Gordon Highlanders at Waterloo where some of the them joined with the Scots Greys dragoons passing through their regiment (on their way to attack d’Erlon’s I Corps) by grabbing their countrymen's stirrups as they passed by.
Incidentally, the Rangdon campaign took quite a toll on the Dark Angels. Reputedly over 50,000 were lost fighting the xenos.
The Lion himself look resplendent (although strangely un-grimdark) in his black plate and superb lion-faced gold shield, leading the full might of his Legion. I particularly like the planetary map detailing on his robe. It's always tricky trying to depict a character like the Lion as everyone will have a predisposition of what he looks like. Neverthless his cool, taciturn, determined personality certainly comes across successfully I think. Certainly not someone to be messed with.
