Thursday 25 October 2012

Praetorian Ridgeback

Greetings all!

It seems somewhat serendipitous that my 101st post should be about the following...

I was thinking what does Colonel Winterborne need, what would no self respecting, upstanding Praetorian offer go to war without.

The answer clearly is a dog! and more precisely a Praetorian Ridgeback!



The Praetorian Ridgeback is a dog breed developed in the highlands of Rhodia. Its forebears can be traced to the early Praetorian pioneers who settled the at the time largely uninhabited continent of Natalium, who bred the typical hunting dogs favoured by the nobles of Praetoria Majoris with the much larger feral dogs found in the new land.

In the earlier parts of its history, the Praetorian Ridgeback was known as Pernel's Lion Dog, the Rhodian Lion Hound or Rhodian Lion Dog because of its ability to distract a much larger prey while awaiting its master to make the kill.

In regiments principally drawn from the citizens of Hive Rhodia, of which the 4th Mechanised Infantry is one, the Praetorian Ridgeback is a common sight accompanying their officers into battle.



Colonel Winterborne pictured with his favoured Praetorian Ridgeback "Rex"



Severely wounded in the 3rd War for Armageddon, the company chirurgeons at the request of Colonel Winterborne endowed Rex with substantial cybernetic enhancements in order for this loyal dog to continue in service to the Emperor.



I hope you like the dog and the brief Praetorian history lessons!

Cheers!

8 comments:

  1. Nice! It's truly right and proper for the regiment to have a mascot animal, and that definitely fits the bill! I dig how that turned out, and I like the fluff you've come up with for it - is that the one from the games day enforcer model?

    Good stuff, man!

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  2. Good spot, it is indeed the enforcer dog. I picked it up at the Badab war primarily for the dog! I don't know what to do with the enforcer yet.

    Thanks!

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  3. Very nice indeed, and I love the fluff. You could make the enforcer into some sort of personel bodyguard for the good old Col, or even a bat boy as all good officer's have somebody to wipe there arse and do the menial jobs around the camp for them.

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  4. Commissar Dave has some nice ideas for the Enforcer, especially the personal bodyguard one.

    Nice piece of fluff to go with the well-painted dog. I love it!

    Ludovic

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  5. Wow awesome addition, really nicely painted they go really well together! I take it he will count as a bodyguard? I'd looked at the forgeworld enforcer but just wanted the dog so it was a lot of money for just the one model. Seeing what you have done though, when I eventually get there, I might fork out for him, he looks great!

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  6. I could see the enforcer as the start for a Penal Legion Custodian conversion, should you be inclined to include one of those units.

    Have yet to start painting my own Arbites K9 unit. Hope it looks half as good as yours sir.

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  7. Cheers for the ideas and comments!

    Enforcer for a penal legion, I like it. I've fancied a penal legion for a while. I've also been thinking about some native auxiliaries to use as conscripts. I don't think I'll stop till I've Praetorianised every unit entry in the codex...

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  8. Well, you know I'm a big ol' fan of dogs for officers. This is a win. Nice work, matey!

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