In the final episode, the iconic 1999 Forge World resin Baneblade stands complete: scarred by war, layered in dust and grime, and grounded firmly in the brutal battlefields of Armageddon. This wasn’t about building a clean display piece. From the outset, the goal was to create something that felt used, heavy, and believable – a super-heavy tank that looks like it has earned every dent and scrape.
From raw resin to frontline relic
Over the course of the project, the Baneblade evolved from an imposing resin kit into a fully realised centrepiece. The final stage brought everything together: controlled chipping to suggest years of service, pigment work to build depth and weight, and oil weathering to tie the whole surface together without overpowering the underlying paintwork.
The diorama base plays just as important a role. Rather than acting as a simple stand, it anchors the Baneblade in its environment, reinforcing the sense that this machine belongs in the thick of the conflict rather than on a shelf.
This final episode focuses on:
- Advanced weathering techniques layered for realism rather than excess
- Subtle but convincing battle damage and surface wear
- Dust, grime, and oil work to unify the model
- Diorama groundwork that completes the narrative
- The full reveal of the finished Baneblade
The result is a model that feels cinematic without being overstated, heavy, grounded, and unmistakably Imperial.
Closing one chapter, opening another
Project Baneblade was always about celebrating a classic kit and doing it justice with modern techniques, without losing the character that made it special in the first place. With the Steel Legion’s ultimate tank now complete, it felt like the right moment to turn the page.
So, whats next?
As always, these projects are shaped by the wider hobby community. If there’s a classic kit, forgotten relic, or ambitious build you’d love to see tackled in the future, let us know in the comments.
Edit:
We’ve already begun work on Project Phantom, a very different challenge that shifts focus from brute-force armour to elegant, old-school Eldar engineering. The restoration of the 1989 Eldar Phantom Titan is now underway, starting with careful structural repairs and resin restoration before any paint even enters the conversation.
