Yep since we have a new edition I had to paint up a new demo for Warhammer 40k! I'm still not a fan of it at all but hey other people enjoy it and it's tough to demo a game without a worthwhile demo. Let's face it the last starter set was a 2:1 points ratio so that was no good even then let alone now.
The new marines are possibly the most dull and un-creative models I've ever painted. The poses are uninspired (they all look bored) and other than some very minor changes to the armor they are just the same old sculpts blown up in a 3d cad program and re-posed to be less dynamic.
To top it off for me at least the 'reivers' or whatever they are called look the same except they have a little skull faceplate. Don't worry there is NO WAY that that tiny detail will be lost on the battlefield and just be confused for more giant sized marines. Seriously GW this is just lazy and frankly boring but others who have never painted marines in the past may enjoy them more.
Whoever did the nurgle sculpts on the other hand did a MUCH better job! Sure the poses are rather blah but try getting a demonic space zombie to be dynamic and make sense. The nurgle symbolism is carried throughout the model and there are plenty of little details all over the place. On top of this since they are nurgle you can go as in depth or as quickly on the paint job as you want and it will still look just fine! Major props to these guys they were fun to paint!
And these little pox walkers were equally a blast. It's like painting cultists but instead of wanting to tear your hair out over the boredom experienced you actually get to have a ton of fun painting little bits of tentacles and boils and all sorts of gooey fun. They also aren't so overloaded on little doo dads and trinkets that they look like anything but a basic rank and file minion so well done again.
So overall I think the new space marines are just another in a long line of 'how do we get them to buy another space marine army' cash grab but the nurgle stuff actually has a lot of soul and attention to details in it. Always fun to paint nurgle too!