Warhammer 30k: The Unification Wars
The Emperor’s Thunder Warriors are unleashed in all their ferocity into a grueling melee upon the Nordyc techno-barbarian clans of Scandanavia during the bloody war to bring the whole of Old Earth under the Master of Mankind’s banner.
Massed battle scenes are a staple of Warhammer art and something I have long been fascinated by. As a viewer, there is always something more to see and imagine, placing you right into the heat of battle and the world around it. As an artist, it’s an opportunity to make lots of small paintings within one big one and really immerse yourself in the world and process.
I have always felt the Thunder Warriors and Unification Wars before the Emperor ever left Earth are some of the most interesting parts of the lore. I looked a lot at John Blanche’s older work depicting this era and there hasn’t been a lot since, I thought I might toss my own hat into the ring.
In comparison to their successors: the Space Marines, the Thunder Warriors were more brutal, barbaric, and borderline low-tech. They were less disciplined and mentally stable, but stronger and more savage. I wanted to capture all of this as well as a more ancient and antiquated feel to their look. I looked at a lot of classic Roman and Greek armor as well as gladiators and barbarians. In the end I’m really happy with the frenetic feeling of this battle, the ancient and rugged look of the Thunder Warriors, and the additional representation I could bring to The Unification Wars.
