USD ($)
EUR (€)
Warhammer 40k’s Ballistus Dreadnought is an intimidating war engine armed with heavy weapons. Its missile launcher and lascannon provide the perfect counter to those heavily armoured enemy troops and tanks.
Prepare For Battle
First appearing in the Leviathan box, the model was later released on its own for those who wanted to add one to their army. The multi-part kit includes 21 plastic components spread across three sprues, along with a 90mm round base and a Space Marines Vehicles Transfer Sheet featuring 325 transfers for the different factions. As the parts are push-fit, the miniature can be assembled without the need for glue.
Owing its loadout to the original metal Dark Angels Dreadnought, the Ballistus is laden with destructive ranged weaponry. Equipped with twin storm bolters mounted on its front, a set of lascannons and missile launchers on either side of its hull, this combat walker looks ready to stride into battle. The weapon arms can be rotated, allowing for different poses, and there is a rocky base topper that slightly raises the model’s right leg.
Art Attack
I painted my Ballistus Dreadnought in the colours of the Blood Angels. Here’s the method I used (using Citadel Paints unless specified otherwise):
Firstly, I used a can of Mephiston Red spray to prime the model. If you don’t have a red primer, a neutral grey or bone would work as well, you’d just need to basecoat it with a couple of coats of Mephiston Red base paint or one coat of Blood Angels Red Contrast Paint. I then blocked in all the sections that weren’t going to be red. For the gun casings, chest symbols, and joints, I used Abaddon Black. Any lenses and wax seals I painted Warpstone Glow, and I basecoated the pieces of parchment with Morghast Bone. For the areas of silver, I used Iron Warriors, and for the gold, I used Retributor Gold.
To add some depth, I used a few specialised Shade paints next. Carroburg Crimson for the red armour, Agrax Earthshade for the parchment, Nuln Oil for the silver parts, and Reikland Fleshshade for the gold. After tidying up any small errors on the red armour with Mephiston Red, I moved on to the highlight stage. I blended Evil Sunz Scarlet into the previous stage, concentrating more on the upper parts of each section that would catch more of the light. I then applied an edge highlight of Wild Rider Red around all the panels, before finally adding a spot highlight (for the highest points and corners) of Fire Dragon Bright. For the gun casings, chest symbols, and armour joints, I highlighted with Mechanicus Standard Grey and then added Dawnstone to the highest parts. On the lenses and wax, I used Moot Green, before popping a tiny bit of White Scar on the lenses for a reflective dot. I highlighted the parchment using Ushabti Bone. Finally, I highlighted the metallic areas, using Leadbelcher and Stormhost Silver for the silver, and Liberator Gold followed by Auric Armour Gold for the gold.
You can message us on social media @ZatuGames if you’d like to show us your painted Space Marines. We’d love to see what you’ve been working on!