Vostroyans are back as Made to Order (and on Tale of Painters)

Few Astra Militarum regiments carry as much character as the Vostroyan Firstborn. First introduced back in 2006 as the centrepiece of the Fall of Medusa V campaign, these ornate, fur-trimmed soldiers have been a hobby favourite ever since. And with Games Workshop bringing the classic range back as a Made to Order release this week, now felt like the perfect moment to finally give my Vostroyan Command Squad the showcase it deserves.

The Vostroyans are a proud and fiercely traditional people, bound by an ancient penance dating back to the Horus Heresy, when Vostroya refused to supply the God-Emperor with regiments. As atonement, every family on the planet, be it noble or common, pledges its firstborn child to the Astra Militarum for life. Their home world is a powerful industrial centre with a long legacy of exceptional craftsmanship, and Vostroyan regiments honour that heritage by passing down their richly decorated weapons and wargear from veteran to new recruit. It shows in every sculpt: no other Guard regiment looks quite so magnificent on the tabletop.

A handful of Firstborn: how this collection came together

Back in the day, I picked up a small selection of Vostroyans to paint. My original plan was a full platoon, but in the end this Command Squad is where the project settled. Alongside three Vostroyans with lasguns, the collection includes a flamer gunner and one of the three Commander sculpts available in the range.

Painted in 2009: old paints, timeless results

I painted these models between late 2009 and early 2010, and I think they still hold up beautifully today. The paints I used reflect the era: the old Citadel Colour range from the early 2000s, including plenty of Foundation paints (if those don’t ring a bell, I‘ve dedicated a separate post and video to that range). Alongside those, I used Vallejo Game Color and the old Formula P3 range, which was fairly new to the market at the time. I leaned on P3 primarily for the skin tones and the olive green combat dresses.

A complete list of all the paints and techniques used is in this post, though be warned: most of those paints are long out of production.

A place of honour: why the Vostroyans still belong in every collection

My Vostroyans have held a pride of place in my display cabinet for many years, and I’m genuinely delighted to see them return as a Made to Order release. They radiate gothic flair like almost nothing else in the range, as though they stepped straight out of a John Blanche painting. What do you think?

Feel free to leave a reaction, or drop a comment below, I’m also happy to answer any questions on our friendly hobby Discord server. Thanks a lot, and happy hobbying!