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I'm looking to do a small force of pre Heresy Thousand Sons and I'd like to ramp up the medieval Middle Eastern influences on the models just for a slightly different look. I was wondering if anyone knew of any sexy bits or had any ideas on what my very nebulous concept could ultimately look like.

I know Puppets War does some not Tallarn heads, however not sure of they'd look a bit dumb on Astartes. And I think Kromelch and Scibor have a few Egyptian Khopesh weapons (which admittedly breaks my theme but who can say no to funky weapons). Just looking for other ideas if anyone has them.

Well you could paint Islamic based designs on them, it would really set up the regional/cultural aesthetic.



They're already pretty middle eastern, so paint will do most of the work, maybe gold tinted armour with the patterns painted on the large flatter areas, then varnished to look like glossy enamel...

What a brilliant idea I love using more broad cultural references for SM and IG forces than just medieval Europe

It's way beyond my painting skill, but how about using a lot of the SM robed legs and painting the cloth in middle-eastern silk style? Would look really cool

I think the colour scheme would be what really sells these. Bronze/brassy armour, rich reds and purples (which works for TSons and they already have red and gold armour, so just darken the gold a bit) as accent colours, lots of intricate freehand designs ect.

Otherwise, keeping your swords curved across the force is a good idea, as is using lots of parchments and braziers and stuff, I think that'd help.

Loving the robed legs idea. I'm pretty out the loop when it comes to GW kits, where can I pick up just the robed legs? I know Spellcrow do some which might work for Mk 3. I can always sculpt my own pretty easily however

Yeah definitly do the robed legs and curved swords they would be awesome

I,m doing the same thing for 40k.
Magnus still a bit to do






The bits are out there, just shop around. Tomb kings and 40k thousands sons. All could be useful.

Tomb Kings and the 40k Thousand Sons bits are a bit too Ancient Egyptian for what I want to go for though I must admit the effect always looks amazing when completed.

Roped legs ain't that hard to sculpt and there is couple tricks to do them. I have done some, in past, by using tinfoil hardened with superglue or paper soaked with eather pvc glue or that stuff you use to put wallpaers or posters in walls. Or one stuff that hardens at least cloth to resin like substance, that could work with thin paper, too...

I think Blood Angels, Dark Angels and Templars come with a good few robed legs, and the Sternguard kits have a couple too there's probably enough there to get enough robed marines to get the effect looking good

Dark Angels and Templars have some robed torsos too which would look cool

Can't wait to see some test pieces of these guys

Keep in mind, Thousand Sons are very ancient Egyptian in their theming, and not Islamic. Islam came from the Persian culture and took to 'overwriting' other cultural influences as it spread. So the Egyptian aspects of the Thousand Sons would predate the spread of Islam to Egypt. The Scarab, Kopesh, Helmet design, Pyramids, most of the names used, even the look of the Tzaangors and Acolytes are very Egyptian, not Persian or Islamic. That's not to say, you can't or 'shouldnt' do it with your army, it is your army after all.