To some of the less enlightened among the Imperium’s multitudes, the Space Wolves can come across as savage and barbaric – not least due to how they eschew helmets and let their dazzling locks flow free. What the uninitiated don’t realise is that you can tell a lot about a Fenrisian from how he keeps his mane, and the distinctive differences are clear to see among all of their new plastic kits.
Unlike the majority of Space Marine Chapters, novitiate Space Wolves start as Blood Claws rather than joining the Scout Company. These impetuous warriors are full of juvenile aggression, and the helmetless heads in the new kit highlight their youth with a marked lack of facial hair.
You can tell the Pack Leader is the most experienced, as he’s starting to develop some quality whiskers.
With their violent instincts tempered by years of service, Blood Claws grow past their impulses and join the Grey Hunters – who strike a more delicate balance between discipline and ferocity. Accordingly, their fine facial hair is closely cropped and well maintained, letting the odd hair braid and wispy flair do the talking.
Sorry, chin fans, but this is the last you’ll see of them for a while.
Those who have survived long enough to join the elite ranks of the Wolf Guard Headtakers maintain a huntsman’s mien, keeping their beards short but distinguished – in our minds, to avoid getting tangled up when duelling enemy leaders. Each set of three comes with six unhelmeted heads, so you can pull together a full-size squad with their own unique styles.
The chap with the eyepatch is distractingly cool, isn’t he?
Wolf Guard Terminators, on the other hand, are icons of age and experience – and have some spectacular facial hair to go with it. Each squad of five Terminators has a whopping 13 unhelmeted heads to pick from, with some sporting intricate braids and bands while others’ beards are left to flow free in their majesty.
We’re pretty sure some of these epic plumages have sagas of their own.
Now, we can’t wrap up talking about facial hair without a few honourable mentions. The legendary Logan Grimnar keeps his chin relatively well-dressed in favour of championing possibly the greatest moustache of all time, while his close confidant Njal Stormcaller makes up for that with an impressive two-pronged approach.
Given his astonishing age, we can only imagine what kind of hirsute artistry Bjorn the Fell-handed is packing beneath his sarcophagus…
The full range of new Space Wolves miniatures go up for pre-order on Saturday, along with Codex Supplement: Space Wolves.
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