Model Mondays: Warhammer Dreadnought

Model Mondays is back after a brief hiatus due to travel and the aforementioned kidney stone, and all the fun things that went along with that ordeal.  This edition showcases the Space Marine Dreadnought, from the Warhammer 40,000 tabletop miniature wargame.

In the universe of Warhammer 40,000, the Imperium of Man is in constant conflict with aliens and heretics that threaten mankind's very existence.  The tagline for the game is "In the grim dark future, there is only war."  The Imperial Guard (whose vehicles have been the subject of a few of these posts) is essentially the army of the Imperium.  They are an incredibly large, often cumbersome organization who more often than not wins battles through sheer numbers and not out of any particular skill.

However, there is another force that wages war on behalf of the Imperium:  the Adeptus Astartes, more commonly known as the Space Marines.  The Astartes warriors are genetically engineered super-soldiers, bred specifically for combat and fanatically loyal to the Emperor of Mankind.  They are 10 feet tall and are incredibly strong, even without their power armor.  The Adeptus Astartes are divided into chapters, each with its own lineage and battle history.  At the time of the "current" events in the game, most of these chapters have existed for several thousand years.  Space Marines themselves are nearly immortal; they will not die of natural causes, due to their physiology.  They can, however, be injured or killed in combat.

The Space Marine Dreadnought is a piece of technology designed to extend the life of mortally wounded Space Marines.  The Astartes warrior is basically entombed in the body of the Dreadnought; he continues to live inside the Dreadnought, and controls its actions with his mind.  The link is permanent, and the warrior will continue to live as long as the Dreadnought is not destroyed.  In this manner, the chapter does not lose that warrior's skills, knowledge, or experience, and he can continue fighting for centuries.

This specific Dreadnought is from the Ultramarines chapter.  It is equipped with a twin-linked lascannon and a power claw.

The model itself is about 4 inches tall, but has a pretty fair amount of detail.  I finished it a few years ago.

Enjoy the pictures; comments are always welcome!