Space Marine Apothecaries – Rogue Trader and Primaris

I love doctors. And I love Space Marines. Put them together, and you get Doctor Space Marines, dispensing healthcare and the Emperor’s justice across the battlefields of the 41st millennium.

Space Marine Apothecaries – Rogue Trader and Primaris
Brother Herophilus on the Nemesis Chapter battlelines.

Here’s the 2017 Primaris Apothecary alongside his very own primogenitor – the very first Apothecary miniature Games Workshop produced back in 1987. Oh, how far miniature design has come in thirty years.

“Don’t talk to me or my son ever again.”

The Primaris Apothcary is absolutely loaded with so much detail he crosses the line from miniature into micro-diorama. He stands over a fallen Battle Brother, having removed the progenoid glands, and every surface is festooned with details like cannisters, helix motifs, lenses and surgical tools. However, I have become obsessed with one detail – the mysterious skull strapped to his arse.

“Dad, your bum is looking at me.”

During the long evenings of painting, I came up with my own backstory about who this skull belonged to…

“Ultracurses. Thus I die.”

The Rogue Trader Apothecary came from Rochie of Buried Under Lead. Rochie has converted and painted up this mini already – you should check it out here. Thanks for the gift, Rochie!

Patreon Painting Tutorial

If you’d like to learn how to paint white exactly like this, I took super-detailed stage-by-stage photos on the Ninjabread Patreon, and have written up the method, colours and theory.

A twelve-step tutorial teaching twelve steps to crisp white armour.

On top of this tutorial, patrons get instant access to the whole six month back catalogue with five more masterclasses covering other colours of power armour, cloth and my Golden Demon winning piece.

I’m really keen on collecting more Apothecaries now, and am taken by the idea of one with a Crimson Fists one with a bike or jump pack with “Fist Responder” armour graffiti.

Brother Rochfort supporting the improvised Crimson Fists defences.

The sheet-metal walls you can see above are a preview casting of a Fogou Models terrain set that’s coming soon! Keep your eyes peeled!

Coming soon: even more Space Marines, old and new!

Curis

Curis has painted for Games Workshop, Forge World, Warlord Games, Mantic Games, Avatars of War, Wargames Foundry, Studio McVey and many others. He's won at Golden Demon and Salute. He publishes monthly painting tutorials on Patreon.

20 thoughts on “Space Marine Apothecaries – Rogue Trader and Primaris

  • February 4, 2019 at 2:19 pm
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    That white is low fat milk, bluey smooth. Exceptionally nice work.

    Is the MkVI apothecary/medic’s backpack integral? It looks like it has some character specific geegaws on it.

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    • February 4, 2019 at 3:10 pm
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      Thanks sho3y!

      I added the obscure medipack backpack to the Rogue Trader Apothecary (he was initally released with simply a plain backpack with the other RT101s). The medipack was released along with the Rogue Trader giant-fan jump packs and some banner-poled backpacks, but never made it into any of the major catalogues so tends to slip people by.

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  • February 4, 2019 at 2:27 pm
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    That is brilliant.

    I love how you change your painting style to reflect the age of the miniature. Very cool

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    • February 4, 2019 at 4:04 pm
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      Thanks Riot! It’s the same colours on both minis, but I switch up the thickness of the highlights to reflect the style of the sculpting. It’s great fun.

      Reply
  • February 4, 2019 at 9:00 pm
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    The only way this could be more perfect would be if there was a tiny skull on the butt of the RT medic. Actually scratch that, that would be a bit too creepy :s

    This was a great idea for a blog post, and some beautifully painted miniatures to compliment it :D And the comic is grand too!

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    • February 5, 2019 at 11:30 am
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      That’s a great idea! Nabbing that for the next Apothecary! Thanks Crooksie. Butts are never creepy.

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  • February 4, 2019 at 9:05 pm
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    Quality work there, and the absurdist juxtaposition of the old and the new is real dedication to craft.

    Is that Omega Skull marine a chapter of your own devising?

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    • February 5, 2019 at 11:33 am
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      Thanks! I really like having old and new together – I’m working on some of the Black Legion from Blackstone Fortress at the moment and am trying to work out what the original Black Legion minis were, according to Realm of Chaos Slaves to Darkness.

      The Omega Skull is my own design. Nemesis Chapter do exist in the background, but with just a standard skull. I developed it into an omega shape to reference them being an Ultramarines successor. And also “Nemesis” was blin in mythology, so it’s also got a blindfold over the eyes of the skull if you look carefully.

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  • February 5, 2019 at 7:56 pm
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    Gorgeous as always Curis. I never realized the size difference in the minis, so much bigger. So much charm in those old minis, and the Fist Aid is perfect. I like the idea of the Fist Responder. Can’t wait to see that conversion. ;)

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    • February 19, 2019 at 2:01 pm
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      Thanks Grove! The size difference really makes me want to bust out my 54mm Artemis miniature and so some side-by-sides.

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  • February 5, 2019 at 10:46 pm
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    That’s absolutely fantastic. I love the way you chose colours and particularly that specific tone of white. Terrific results!

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    • February 19, 2019 at 2:03 pm
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      Thanks Suber! I’m really enjoying this particular white as it’s so anti-septic and medical. Can’t wait to show off more Apothecaries in it soon.

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    • February 19, 2019 at 2:03 pm
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      Thanks Warbie!

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  • February 8, 2019 at 5:15 pm
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    Another cool comparison to the old figures. The comic is great fun, and I look forward to reading the tutorial.

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    • February 19, 2019 at 2:06 pm
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      Cheers Sean! I love doing comparisons, I’ve got some vintage Black Legion from the RoC era to show off alongside the new Blackstone Fortress stuff soon!

      Reply
  • February 11, 2019 at 8:58 pm
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    Nice… I’d never seen the old medic backpack before either.

    I’m absolutely shocked at how upscaled the Marines have gotten. I don’t have any newer ones, so I keep forgetting.

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    • February 19, 2019 at 2:18 pm
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      Yeah, it’s a pleasingly obscure piece the old backpack. There’s a couple of Marines that were released only to fall out the catalogues too, I’m planning a blog on them soon!

      Reply
  • March 5, 2019 at 5:42 am
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    Beautiful work as usual, mate. It’s funny to see how much scale creep we’ve had since those early, heady days!

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    • March 11, 2019 at 3:14 pm
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      Thanks Azazel! Yeah, these new minaitures feel a bit like those Todd McFarlane shelf art Spawn sculptures at times.

      Reply

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