HAPPY NEW YEAR, I HOPE TO THE EMPEROR (FOUR ARMED) ITS BETTER THAN 2020!

Hello All, something quite historical and super rare this week, a "Super Detailed Armorcast Baneblade", from before Forge World existed. I have had this model for over 20 years sitting at the bottom of the to-do pile mountain and the time I do have to hobby is spent on painting my current Titans and Relictors, so I shipped off the kit to Castle Brush Studios in Poland for a commission paint job - and I am totally satisfied with the customer experience and end results - thank you to Simon and the team at Castle Brush Studio.
I gave them the kit with a few additions, I had chopped off the original triple Bolter side-sponsons and provided modern plastic ones, removed the front Baneblade Cannon barrel so it represents the modern armament of a Demolisher Cannon, added mud flaps to the front to lengthen the whole tank to the same length as the modern plastic kit, supplied GSC icons and a Tank Commander from the Achilles Ridgerunner buggy set and some Death Korps of Kreig atmospheric filters and Heavy Stubbers - I wanted this tank to look like a relic plundered from the local Planetary Force reserve stores.
Castle Brush Studio through great communication added the scheme I wanted to match my existing GSC forces, and weathered the kit to rightly look like the 3rd line reserve forces abandoned and forgotten - hence the older rarer pattern of Baneblade not the usual mass produced front line units the Guard have.
The Imperial icons were defaced and the stowages supplied with a spare Rock Hammer and Mining Laser.
The Machine Spirit has been defaced and violated in the name of the true Four Armed Emperor...
I love that it is an old kit, you know its a Baneblade but it looks completely different to the modern plastic kit - great to define that this is the relic abandoned reserve of a PDF.
All I did to the great job that Castle Brush Studio did was add a couple of paint streaks to the stenciled graffiti.
I had agreed to have an armoured iris on the Searchlight, however with 2nd thoughts I changed my mind so repainted the glass of the searchlight.
I touched up the Heavy Bolters to have laser range sights to match my existing forces.
I love the look of the tank, a great job by the Studio and the characterful kit means I am very happy with this kit and its great to have it done and off the to-do mountain!
I added the spare metal Track Links to the plain armoured glacis.
This is what the kit looks like, a hybrid resin kit with metal details and some FW/plastics I threw in... I will leave you with some parting shots...
My thanks to Castle Brush Studio for an excellent customer experience, if you have the money and not the time, check them out - they provide an excellent service. Have a great 2021 and hopefully some battles (of the tabletop miniature type!).

Cheers, Siph.