When I first picked up that box of Grenadier Fighting-Men, I was probably the least excited about painting this guy. His sword looked like a half-cooked noodle, and his helmet crest was... well... uninspired. I mean, I understand that miniatures casting back then wasn't the same as the techniques companies use today. And he's made of pure lead, which is much softer than the pewter and white metal used today for your typical Warhammer 40k dude.But ... inspiration struck over the weekend. I've got a huge collection of spare bits, helmets, weapons, shields, laser guns, etc., from my years collecting and painting Warhammer armies. And it just so happened that I had the biggest, most ostentatious helmet crest in the world, along with a freakin' spiked mace that would put a 10th-level cleric to shame.
Take a look at the finished product. On top of his helm: that's a unicorn, with a pennant, topped by a fleur-de-lis. It's probably bigger than his actual helmet. And that's totally fine—this guy isn't going to be hiding behind doors or slinking through dim passageways. He's going to announce his presence with a ringing challenge to the agents of chaos lurking in the depths of the dungeon. Good stuff! I have just 3 fighting-men left to paint before I've completed the set.
