Holy Heavies

Xin Armormonks
15 mm

Armormonks provide heavy backup for the Xin's infantry forces.  Their enhanced armor is impenetrable to hand weapons, and their gunstaffs are both a power-polearm and heavy plasma blaster.  The monks have a reputation as jovial ascetics, but in combat they are deadly and terrifying, with even a small number often routing a determined enemy and turning the tide of battle.

Wow... nice to get back into 15mm sci-fi!  I've taken a real detour lately, even if it was for some amazing models.  I know these guys aren't  my best work, but they turned out all right, and fit in nicely with the previous Xin I've done:

"I suddenly feel much braver!"

The Xin are Ion Age models from Alternative Armies.

Flashing Storm of Blades

Xin Combat Acolytes
15 mm

Whirling dust in morning air,
Two warriors in the ring.
With the strength of two great bears,
They make their weapons sing.

Sparks fly high when steel meets steel,
And no one can believe
That these two men are best friends
Not enemies...

Combat Acolytes specialize in close-quarters fighting using edged and striking weapons, seemingly an anachronism in an era of energy blasters and autonomous battle drones.  But in shipboard and fortress assaults they show their value, storming through airlocks and corridors using aggressive movement as a weapon of its own.  Of course, it helps that they wear tough Kuijia III armour suits and are usually backed up by standard troopers with ranged weapons.  Nevertheless they train constantly, honing their abilities to the utmost balance of force and fluidity to ensure they always strike first.  Acolytes seeking a higher calling sometimes leave the service to follow the independent path of the Wu Xia.

Another day of meditation, Tai Chi and sparring...

Figures are Xin Trade Fleet Assault from The Ion Age.

The Three Xiake

Wu Xia Masters of Water,  Fire, and Earth
15 mm

Justice consists not in being neutral between right and wrong, but in finding out the right and upholding it, wherever found, against the wrong. - Ancient Terran warrior T. Roosevelt

"These highly trained and equipped Xin warriors serve no specific master but follow their own code centred around the idea of righting wrongs where ever they may be found... They wear personalised Kuijia III armour and carry Gonglu Blasters and other weapons favouring exotic energy blades such as twin hook swords. Skilled warriors to be treated with respect when encountered."

Figures are Xin Youxia from The Ion Age.  I like these figures, they have similar armour to the regular troopers but their unique weapons and headgear really set them apart as hero characters.  Incidentally, these are some of the cleanest castings I've seen recently: they required so little cleanup it made me nervous I was missing things.