October’s glorious Warhammer Day celebration is almost upon us, and one of the stars of the show is a jaw-dropping commemorative miniature – Bayard’s Revenge. This dynamic diorama is only available during this year’s festivities which start on the 8th of October when it all kicks off.
We talked to sculptor Maxime Corbeil – who also designed last year’s awesome Emperor’s Champion – on the model’s journey from concept to reality.
Warhammer Community: How is this model different from other Emperor's Champions?
Maxime Corbeil: There are several differences in this Emperor’s Champion from others we’ve seen. As most Black Templar Crusades have one, and a lot of crusades are going on simultaneously, I had an opportunity to represent variations of the Armour of Faith and Black Sword I’d made on the previous model.
They’re among the oldest and most precious relics of the chapter, and I wanted to imply that some were made by the same artificer, maybe even around the same time. But as the Emperor’s Champion fights in the thick of it, I imagined that these artefacts must have been repaired and modified over time.
The helmet is different from the previous iteration, but it’s reminiscent of Helbrecht's or the crusader's helm from the Black Templars upgrade kit. I felt he also deserved a bare head, a nod to the first Emperor's Champion, Sigismund.
WC: What is it like creating a model that pays homage to a piece of art?
Maxime: As a Warhammer 40,000 fan who grew up poring over classic Warhammer art, it's extremely rewarding! But there’s also the pressure of stepping in the footsteps of giants.
We want to stay as close as possible to the original material, but there’s always something that needs to change in the translation from 2D to 3D, as we can’t use the same painting and composition techniques that make our favourite pieces so emblematic.
Sometimes it’s straightforward, like with the Black Templar Castellan or Eisenhorn, modifying proportions and rendering the details to a paintable size, and sometimes you’ll adapt to a modern armour design, as with Helbrecht. With this model, the translation was difficult as the artwork relies on a strong, unique angle and dramatic lighting, so we decided to keep the spirit of Alex Boyd’s artwork and went from there.
WC: This is quite an unusual pose for a Space Marine. Can you tell us more about that?
Maxime: The other Champion was an imposing figure, this one is more grounded and gritty. This Champion is exacting revenge on the Orks after the events of Helsreach, and the demise of one of his most prestigious predecessors – Bayard.
Although our models are usually warriors, it’s quite rare to design a duel. It was exciting, but took many tweaks and the help of veteran designers Jes Goodwin and Seb Perbet to settle on this very unusual pose. We had to make sure it worked from every angle, so I’m glad I designed the Armour of Faith to allow more freedom of movement. It's almost like I was guided by the Emperor himself.
Thanks again, Maxime. You can order your own Bayard’s Revenge when Warhammer Day – celebrating 35 years of Warhammer 40,000 – begins on the 8th of October, when there’ll be a Warhammer Preview Live packed with Warhammer 40,000 reveals. Stay tuned to Warhammer Community for plenty more announcements and reveals across a whole week of celebrations.