The Ollanius Crusade - Fighting Company Luther

[Brother Kraskor]

Story Fluff - Introduction:

 

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+++Incoming Transmission+++

 

 

The Inquisitor looked up from his readings to the comms bank. He had insisted the unit was installed in his chambers aboard the Eternal Crusader when he was assigned. On the surface it was plain and unassuming, but its simple appearance belied its full capabilities. Secretly it monitored all incoming and outgoing vox transmissions in the fleet, which was useful for knowledge of immediate movements and short-term plans . Far more potent however, was its ability to tap the direct output from the Astropathic Choir, allowing the Inquisitor to learn vital information of far-reaching consequence - often even before his Astartes hosts.

 

Rising to his feet, the Inquisitor crossed his dark, incense-wreathed office to the unit, and inputted his passcode.

 

 

+++Passcode Accepted. Incoming transmission origin: Strike Cruiser Helios, Ollanius Crusade+++

 

 

The Ollanius Crusade? That can't be right. The Inquisitor frowned. The doomed Ollanius Crusade had not made contact for years, and its final transmissions had painted a dire picture indeed. The crusade had been officially declared "lost" by the High Marshal, with no further information - the Inquisition would be very interested indeed to hear it had resurfaced.

 

 

+++Full report of Fighting Company Luther downloaded to databank. Accessing.

 

Error. Insufficient clearance for any subject matter pertaining to individuals designated EXCOMMUNICATE TRAITORIS+++

 

 

What? What clearance? The Inquisitor flashed, his mind racing. The only way the databank could have clearance restrictions was if they had been programmed upon installation, before the Inquisitor took occupancy of his chambers...

 

The Astartes knew he was listening in. And right now, they would know he'd heard something he shouldn't.

 

A bead of sweat slid down his furrowed brow as the Inquisitor worked the console, trying a workaround to identify the restricted individual, even if he could not hear the full report. This was exactly the kind of smoking gun the Inquisition was after, and exactly the kind of lead that could get him killed if he didn't move fast. As he inputted the command, he heard the door to his chambers open in the adjoining room - the Asartes were here.

 

 

+++Command accepted. Pronouncement: By order of the High Marshal, and in the God-Emperor's name, Marshal Luther Sable of the Ollanius Crusade has been designated EXCOMMUNICATE TRAITORIS+++

 

 

"The Marshal?!" he cried out, turning to see power-armoured figures storm the chamber, before a blow to the back of the head knocked him out cold.

 

Well-met brothers! This is the start of my progress log - just some fluff to get the ball rolling.

 

I have recently gotten back into the hobby and invested in some Primaris, so expect to see mostly shiny new marines in this thread but some notable oldmarine exceptions!.

 

Looking forward to revealing more as I get stuff painted.

 

 

~K

 

 

Order of Battle & Photo Links:

 

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+Command+

 

Marshal Luther: Cataphractii - Rubicon (Gravis) - Grand Marshal - Grand Marshal (Gravis)

 

The Emperor's Champion: Brother Julian

 

Chaplain: Reclusiarch Grimaldus

 

+Marshal's Household+

 

Sword Brethren: Aggressors - Stormbringers (Bladeguard) - Ebon Eagles (Terminators)

 

Dreadnought: Reclusiarch Conrad (Redemptor)

 

+Battleline+

 

Intercessors: Squad Tyron - Squad Veer (1) - Squad Veer (2)

 

Assault Intercessors: Squad Ricard

 

+Armoury+

 

Transport: Impulsor Primus

 

Air Support: Stormhawk Interceptor 'Sabre One'

Edited July 17, 2020 by Brother Kraskor

[Sword Brother Adelard]

Intriguing...

[Canadian_F_H]

I don't know where this is going...  *stares in loyal to the Emperor*


look forward to your progress.

[Brother Kraskor]

Story Fluff - A Successful Ruse?:

 

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Six long hours had passed since the Inquisitor had been taken from his chambers, and put before the High Marshal. When he came to, he had expected imminent death, or torture and interrogation at the very least. But there were no chains, no headsmen, no iron brand. What luck! What rich reward for his faithful service! And yet still that heady, intoxicating relief, felt only by doomed men spared annihilation at the last moment, was as nothing compared to the sweet succour he now departed Helbrecht's company with.

 

He left with the truth.

 

The Inquisitor made all haste away to his chambers, to report back the news of this cancer that had grown on the fringes of Black Templar control, at the heart of the Ollanius Crusade. As he scuttled off, the door to the High Marshal's sanctum slid shut, sealing with a hiss. Almost immediately, the members of his inner Household began whispering furtively.

 

"... do you think he bought it?"

 

"Never, the Inquisition wouldn't believe it surely?"

 

"They believe what they want to believe, and this story suits their purposes..."

 

"But how will they react? Will it all come undone?"

 

"What will become of Luther if this doesn't work?"

 

 

"Only time will tell."

 

 

The Household fell silent at their master's words.

 

He was right, of course.

 

Unit Fluff - Intercessor Squad Tyron:

 

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Sword Brother Tyron looked on impassively as his squad performed their bolter drills. Since regaining his position as head of his squad of Intercessors, he had been working them tirelessly, to re-earn their respect and faith in his command. He allowed himself  a smile beneath his helmet as he noticed Initiate Canton pushing himself mercilessly, scoring headshot after headshot on the target range. 

 

Initiate Canton, previously Sword Brother Canton, had ceded command of the squad after a fair and honourable challenge from Tyron. Command of the squad had alternated between the two for some time now, each constantly pushed to better themselves by the threat of the other.

 

This was one of the many innovations Marshal Luther had brought to the Ollanius Crusade. Tyron's breast swelled with pride at the thought of his Marshal. He embodied everything the Ollanius Crusade stood for: piety tempered with truth, valour girded with logic, and a boundless dynamism that ever-strove for one goal: to save the Imperium. Marshal Luther does not embark on vainglorious assaults deep into enemy space, nor countenance the needless blooding of his forces for political gain. His Crusade gives hope to the hopeless, faith to the faithless, and remains the ever-ready guardian shield of the Imperium's weakest in their direst need. 

 

But the Crusade was yet young, and still recovering from its ill-fated birth. Tyron's mind darkened as he thought back to its tumultuous beginnings: the warp storms that destroyed more than half the fleet, leaving just one Strike Cruiser, the Helios, and a number of small support vessels. Even before this there had been many who might have preferred the Crusade did not go ahead. So many Primaris, but led by a Firstborn who by some accounts places little stock in the traditions of the Black Templars. After the warp storms, these naysayers spoke of vindication, and the calls for the Crusade to end became louder.

 

But Marshal Luther does not disregard tradition. Indeed, it is his respect for the heritage of the Black Templars that leads him to innovate, to employ unorthodox tactics, and to embrace new technologies and techniques so readily. For Luther, the Templars have never followed the Codex not because of animosity toward its author (though this plays a role), but because they refuse to submit to pre-set governance on how to conduct war. Luther believes they must always seize opportunity where it presents itself, exploit enemy vulnerability, and set a punishing battle rhythm: none of which are possible when doggedly applying pre-existing doctrine.

 

And so while the organisation of the Crusade's only Fighting Company might appear increasingly in line with the resurgent Codex ideas to some, that is only half the truth. Luther employs such strategies as he needs, but will not hesitate to abandon them should the course of the war dictate.

 

And so the organisation of squads under a leader, a 'sergeant' to the Ultramarines but a Sword Brother to the Templars, is not a violation of the chapter's ideals. It is precisely to enhance those ideals, and for that reason the position of Sword Brother of a squad is never static. Any Initiate can challenge his Sword Brother, and if successful in a series of open and fair tests set by the responsible Castellan, the mantle of Sword Brother passes, and command of the squad with it. The defeated brother is stripped of his special wargear and armour, and returned his original Initiate's equipment.

 

Tyron winced inwardly at the memory of when he first returned his power fist to Canton, and the shame of losing his squad's trust. But that trust was soon renewed, and stronger than before, as he had thrown himself back into perfecting his craft, just as Canton was doing now. There was no animosity between them, quite the reverse: a respect that cannot be forged except through contest. This fierce meritocracy keeps the route to command open: but once earned, it must be vigorously maintained. Complacency in battle is fatal, and so through this permanent internal tournament, Luther has bred it out of his Crusade.

 

Tyron snapped out of the reverie as the sound of the last bolter casing hit the deck of the shooting range aboard the Helios. His squad were at attention, awaiting his word. But they already knew what he would say.

 

"Again."

 

A bit of fluff there for you, and now some miniatures!

 

Intercessor Squad Tyron, my first stab at painting in years. Photos thumbnails aren't great, but if you click on them they more or less capture how they look in person.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

~K

Edited July 4, 2020 by Brother Kraskor

[Sword Brother Adelard]

It's an interesting concept, and well thought out. It's not my personal cup of tea, as I always saw entry into Sword Brethren as being a rite of passage that once passed led to a closer brotherhood, not something that could be changed.

 

I do agree with you wholeheartedly however on the attitude towards the Codex. It's much more in line with what ADB wrote as being Grimaldus' point of view in Blood and Fire. The Codex is the greatest treatise on space marine warfare. It has lasted, because it works. But a slavish adherence to it, has left gaps. Look at how the Ultramarines had to wrestle with their consciences about breaking with the codex to have tyrannic war veterans. But the codex was not designed to be a straight-jacket, but a tool.

 

It's ironic therefore that the Black Templars, by understanding the codex, using it when appropriate, and ignoring it when not, are arguably closer to what Guilliman intended than his own chapters!

 

Out of interest, have you read Circle of Honour?

Edited May 29, 2020 by Brother Adelard

[Brother Kraskor]

  On 5/29/2020 at 2:49 PM, Brother Adelard said:

It's an interesting concept, and well thought out. It's not my personal cup of tea, as I always saw entry into Sword Brethren as being a rite of passage that once passed led to a closer brotherhood, not something that could be changed.

 

I do agree with you wholeheartedly however on the attitude towards the Codex. It's much more in line with what ADB wrote as being Grimaldus' point of view in Blood and Fire. The Codex is the greatest treatise on space marine warfare. It has lasted, because it works. But a slavish adherence to it, has left gaps. Look at how the Ultramarines had to wrestle with their consciences about breaking with the codex to have tyrannic war veterans. But the codex was not designed to be a straight-jacket, but a tool.

 

It's ironic therefore that the Black Templars, by understanding the codex, using it when appropriate, and ignoring it when not, are arguably closer to what Guilliman intended than his own chapters!

 

Out of interest, have you read Circle of Honour?

 

 

I do have a lot of sympathy for the rite of passage to closer brotherhood, and think I personally almost bizarrely prefer it to what Luther has going - but my conception of Luther requires him to be a bit outside the box. It's a weird feeling, almost like he has got one over on me! Bizarre.

 

I have not read Circle of Honour! Have I accidentally breached some canon contained therein?

 

In fact the only BT content I've read is out of codices, and I love BL - time to rectify. Do you recommend it?

[Sword Brother Adelard]

Yeah, it's part of a series of works Guy Haley did some years ago. Some of it is better than other bits. Circle of honour focusses on one initiate's journey to join the Sword Brethren.

Of course, squads don't have to be led by Sword Brethren specifically, your marshal could give them their own title?

 

I created my own brotherhood within my crusade for the heavy weapon specialists. The longbow brethren.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Your Templars are well-painted.

[Brother Kraskor]

Homebrew brotherhood - I like that idea! Will find a way to introduce one.

[Brother Kraskor]

Story Fluff - A Fated Crusade:

 

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The room was small, dark, and deadly. Marshal Luther knelt on the metal deckhead, his arms crossed making the sign of the Aquila as he prayed in silence. His sanctum was austere, spartan even by Astartes standards, lit only by a few candles scattered on top of polished, gleaming skulls, and wreathed in a cloying, heady incense that was toxic to mere mortals. Luther breathed the thick poison calmly and deliberately, feeling his third lung and oolitic kidney working in concert to resist its effects. He had started taking his prayers under these conditions at the suggestion of an old friend, a Chaplain who even now clung to life on the Apothecary's table. Luther greatly valued the stillness and clarity of mind this technique afforded him, and would cloister himself away in prayer as often as he could. 

 

But as the Marshal of the ill-fated Ollanius Crusade, such free time was often few and far between.

 

Luther quietened his mind further, and focussed his silent benediction, attaining absolute control and direction of his thoughts as time seemed to slow. He thought back to the Crusade's disastrous beginnings, and the warp storm that had claimed the bulk of his fleet. It seemed mere chance that the entirety of the Crusade's Primaris force, and indeed its Marshal, had all been aboard the surviving Strike Cruiser, the Helios, when the storms struck. But Luther knew better than to put stock in chance, for he was a servant of the God-Emperor. For whatever purpose, it was His will that the Crusade seize the opportunity provided by Guilliman's long-secret project with both hands. 

 

But for all his apparent love of the Lord of Ultramar, as his critics so often liked to proclaim, at heart Luther was a true son of Dorn. He believed in the vision of the Imperium and all it stood for - but he shared more than just that with his progenitor. There was a quiet rage inside of him, a yearning to redress the wrongs done to so many Imperial worlds when nobody had come to their aid. It was a terrible, wrathful hate of the Imperium's foes that can only be born out of guilt. It was this guilt that gave the Crusade its name, honouring Saint Ollanius Pius' noble sacrifice in defence of the Emperor during his fateful battle with the arch-traitor aboard the Vengeful Spirit. This was the battle that Luther's ancestors, the VII Legion, arrived too slow to help win. And it is this stain, echoed down through the shared gene-heritage across generations, that stokes the fire in Luther's eyes, and drives him and the Crusade on its noble quest.

 

Luther completed his prayers and rose slowly to his feet, steeped in holy purpose and righteous energy, mere instants before the small vox unit by the door chimed a greeting. 

 

"My lord, a communication from the Eternal Crusader."

 

Luther already knew what it would say: the time had come already, and sooner than he had hoped.

 

"Ready the fleet. And bring my armour".

 

Unit Fluff - Marshal Luther:

 

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The Ollanius Crusade is blessed to possess a number of ancient artefacts and deadly tools of war. Marshal Luther's suit of Cataphractii Terminator armour dates all the way back to the Heresy itself, and was worn during the Siege of Terra. It has had many owners since, and is carefully maintained by the Crusade's armoury. 

 

The suit is equipped with a power fist: a sign of status and well-earned respect within the VII Legion that Luther has chosen to instil in his Crusade. The bestowing of a power fist on a Sword Brother has as much significance for the Black Templars of the Ollanius Crusade as it might do for brothers of the Imperial or Crimson Fists chapters.

 

Marshal Luther also carries Hellrend into battle, a relic blade of fearsome power wielded by some of the Templars' most devout heroes. 

 

In his full panoply of war, Marshal Luther is a sight to behold. Whilst he would prefer to eschew such ornate regalia, and indeed aboard the Helios he wears just a simple robe, he understands the psychological effect such a display of power affords him. It focusses the enemy's effort toward him by dangling himself as a tempting trophy, clearly in command of his forces and an important adversary for enemy champions. As many xenos and traitor leaders alike have discovered, however, this 'trophy' is more than capable of matching the splendour of his armour with the fury of his blade, the inexorable might of his fist, and the crushing zealotry of his adamantium boot.

 

Here is my Marshal - again click on the images to get a better view. He is a bit of a kitbash that worked out ok I think - I wanted both the BT upgrade sprue power fist and power sword, but unfortunately both are left handed, so I had to cannibalise the power axe arm from the kit and swap out the axe for the sword. 

 

He will be joined by some Cataphractii Sword Brethren when some actually come back into stock - they seem to be sold out everywhere! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

~K

Edited July 4, 2020 by Brother Kraskor

[Medjugorje]

the new Dark Angel Forgeworld 30k models would fit perfect as his sword brethren. I bet you would do them right in terms of painting.

[Brother Kraskor]

  On 5/30/2020 at 8:18 PM, Medjugorje said:

the new Dark Angel Forgeworld 30k models would fit perfect as his sword brethren. I bet you would do them right in terms of painting.

 

Those are beautiful sculpts! But I am keen to equip them with lightning claws for those sweet sweet re-rolls to wound. You've given me an idea though...

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Excellent work on Marshal Luther. Whose skulls are in the reliquary mounted atop his Terminator armor? Vanquished foes, displayed as evidence of the Marshal's martial prowess? Fallen Templars, there skulls borne in battle so their spirits may bear witness as the Marshal avenges them? Imperial saints whose consecrated remains grant the Marshal a measure of protection from witchcraft and Daemonic influence?

[Brother Kraskor]

  On 5/30/2020 at 11:36 PM, Bjorn Firewalker said:

Excellent work on Marshal Luther. Whose skulls are in the reliquary mounted atop his Terminator armor? Vanquished foes, displayed as evidence of the Marshal's martial prowess? Fallen Templars, there skulls borne in battle so their spirits may bear witness as the Marshal avenges them? Imperial saints whose consecrated remains grant the Marshal a measure of protection from witchcraft and Daemonic influence?

 

Good question! I like the idea of fallen Templars bearing witness to the Marshal's vengeance, and it fits the righteous theme of redressing wrongs and paying his debts. Fluff to follow!

[Brother Kraskor]

Have been going a bit nuts on the GW store - got a Redemptor and Impulsor on their way to me! Will try and convert the Redemptor a little to run him as a Chaplain Dread. I've never run particularly mechanised armies in the past and would like to follow the armoured spearhead theme a little with this army if I can.

 

And when Forge World reopens I will be bleeding my wallet on their resin too I suspect - the Sicaran Venator has been calling me!

[Brother Kraskor]

Story Fluff - A Testing Truth:

 

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Luther's face betrayed the burden he now bore as he terminated the communication from the Eternal Crusader. He had emptied the bridge to receive it, as he was bade by the High Marshal. What had been discussed there was for Luther's ears alone. He furrowed his brow, pausing momentarily to take a breath. 

 

"Lord of Man, you test me, and I obey."

 

He signalled on the vox device that the communication was ended, and the bridge began to repopulate, skirting the Marshal who stood by the command chair as if he were diseased.

 

He could not tell the terrible truth of their new charge to his Sword Brothers, and that fact pained him. He sought to eradicate secrecy and mystery in his Crusade, but now he must let it take root. At least, until they were ready. Until he was absolutely certain that every brother in the Crusade could accomplish the dread mission.

 

So for now, they must be tested. Every conceivable challenge, every obstacle, every test of faith he could arrange. The Ollanius Crusade must be blooded, bound together in unbreakable bonds, inviolate and impervious to even the merest whiff of weakness. 

 

"Convene the Brotherhood of the Sword at once."

 

Unit Fluff - Intercessor Squad Veer:

 

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Sword Brother Veer ducked below his brother's swing, launching himself forward like an uncoiling spring and tackling his opponent's midriff. The pair fell to the hard metal deckhead, drenched in sweat and covered in bruises. The squad were training their close quarters skills, and training hard. The Marshal had made his wishes clear: the training regimen must be relentless, and soon their skills would be tested in battle.

 

Something had not been quite right about him at that meeting. Why would he need to hear the High Marshal's words alone? The sudden, decisively aggressive change in posture of the Crusade was abrupt, yes, but not unheard of. The prior policy of replenishment and reinforcement had been sensible to restore the Crusade's strength, but it was not the only course of action the Marshal could pursue. Deciding to cut it short in favour of immediate incursion into enemy-held space was drastic, but then again, Black Templars live in dangerous times.

 

No, something else was bothering the Marshal, Veer was sure of it. 

 

He was torn from his thoughts by a backhanded blow to his jaw: his brother had wrestled free of the hold and was retaliating. Veer grinned, and spat a thick globule of blood onto the deck, launching a series of feints before finally a crushing kick to his sparring partner's sternum. The Initiate crashed to the floor, indicating that he yielded the bout.

 

"Some good early work brother, but you lost your rhythm when I changed tactic. Fourteen days penance," Veer admonished, applying a harsh penalty as the Marshal had instructed. They were still weeks away from the warfront yet - and the weeks would be hard and long indeed.

 

Here is Intercessor Squad Veer, set up the same as Tyron. I am starting to conceive of how I want the army to perform on the table, thinking of both these squads mounted in Impulsors to provide some mobile firepower, and then a wait-and-see approach for the new Assault Intercesssors, Bladeguard etc. but potentially a large squad of Assault Intercessors footslogging with Chaplain support to seize the midtable. Will have to see how it goes!

 

Also included a "full army" shot, small as it is. As usual, click on the image to see it in better quality.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

~K

Edited July 4, 2020 by Brother Kraskor

[Bjorn Firewalker]

The Intercessors are well-painted. The story is well-written.

[Brother Kraskor]

Story Fluff - The Challenge:

 

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Marshal Luther was silent and stoic amid a mass of shouting, clamorous zealotry. Like a serene candle defying the oncoming storm, Luther, bedecked in his magnificent Terminator armour as was the tradition, stood in judgement at the edge of the circle of Initiates that had formed. In the centre, a pair of power-armoured figures moved with such speed and vigour that it was almost a blur. Brother-Initiate Canton had challenged Sword Brother Tyron again, and the two, fully armoured and armed with a pair of electro-blades, were launching savage blows at one another, streaks of blood already running down both combatants' armour from where the duelling blades had penetrated the suit.

 

Canton had come to Luther having performed the many painstaking rituals required to ask permission for a Challenge. As his claim was just and his devotion obvious, Luther had allowed it. The fact that such a distraction and an opportunity for an outpouring of faith and virtue would be a welcome boost to morale was a happy coincidence.

 

The duel was tight, as it always was between these two. They moved with such speed and savagery that it was almost impossible to determine which was who, if not for the fact that Canton, as the challenger, was missing his left gauntlet: it was still on the deck of the firing range where he had made the Challenge, and would remain there until he returned for it in glory or ignominy. 

 

The raw power of the Primaris soldier never ceased to impress Luther, even after so many years. The Challenge symbolised and exemplified the Ollanius Crusade: constant self-betterment through strife, ruthless exploitation of strength with honour, and above all an unwavering faith. Luther's mind had been battling with a question of his own strength, a question which resolved itself as Canton finally crashed to the deck, defeated by a crushing uppercut to the chin which audibly cracked his helmet. Sword Brother Tyron, as he would remain, stood above his fallen opponent, panting and cradling his left arm where Canton had surely broken it. Tyron ripped his helmet from his face and leaned forward, reaching out with the same broken arm to clasp Canton's bare left hand and lift him to his feet. The brothers embraced and turned to face Luther, standing at attention for his verdict, though they need not have asked. The result was clear, and Luther indicated as much with a curt nod, and the pair parted together for the Apothecarium, swarmed by brother-Initiates cheering in adulation.

 

Later, Luther would visit the Apothecarium himself as well.

 

Unit Fluff - Impulsor Primus:

 

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The surviving Strike Cruiser, the Helios, was fortunate to be well-supplied with arms and equipment. It also included an extensive vehicle bay, supplying the Crusade with Impulsors for its Primaris-based strike forces. Whilst reluctant to commit to any one style of warfighting exclusively, Marshal Luther tends to favour a decisive, knockout blow in the form of a fast, armoured force.

 

This doctrinal tendency toward manoeuver warfare is reflected in the speed and ferocity of the Crusade in battle, and exacerbates the typical Black Templar problem of limited inter-operability. Luther does not commit his forces to holding territory and steady advance, which might be necessary when operating alongside a coalition of Astra Militarum or more sedentary Astartes. Instead, the Crusade is able to rapidly seek out and eliminate key targets that disrupt the entire enemy system, and renders them helplessly unable to react and respond to the surgical fury of the Templars.

 

Here is my first Impulsor! Not terribly happy with the banner, if it should suffer 'battle damage' in its case on the way to a game I will take that as a sign from the Emperor and not re-glue it. But for now it stays.

 

I've got a Stormhawk primed to follow after this, and Redemptor/Chaplain Dread being shipped to me.

 

As ever, click on the images to see them in better focus!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

~K

Edited July 4, 2020 by Brother Kraskor

[Bjorn Firewalker]

The Impulsor's paint seems rough, especially at the corners; but that can easily be explained as weathering and/or hasty repairs (its operators are fighting a war, and "looking pretty" is nowhere near as important as "runs," "shoots," "has working vox and auspex systems").

 

The story is again well-written.

[Brother Kraskor]

Aha thank you brother, yes the omnipresent saving grace of sloppy painting - blame it on battle damage!

[Bjorn Firewalker]

  On 5/31/2020 at 10:43 AM, Brother Kraskor said:

 

  On 5/30/2020 at 11:36 PM, Bjorn Firewalker said:

Excellent work on Marshal Luther. Whose skulls are in the reliquary mounted atop his Terminator armor? Vanquished foes, displayed as evidence of the Marshal's martial prowess? Fallen Templars, there skulls borne in battle so their spirits may bear witness as the Marshal avenges them? Imperial saints whose consecrated remains grant the Marshal a measure of protection from witchcraft and Daemonic influence?

Good question! I like the idea of fallen Templars bearing witness to the Marshal's vengeance, and it fits the righteous theme of redressing wrongs and paying his debts. Fluff to follow!

Marshal Luther bears upon the carapace of his Terminator armor a reliquary housing the remains of Marshal Elendil and Emperor's Champion Isildur, who gave their lives to banish the Daemon Prince "Sauron" and save the planet Numenor during the Second Black Crusade of Abaddon the Despoiler. Superstitious locals subsequently enshrined the fallen Templars' skulls and honored them as Imperial saints, though the Ecclesiarchy never considered Elendil and Isildur for sainthood. When Numenor was evacuated in anticipation of the 12th Black Crusade- during which Sauron returned to lead a Black Legion warband, and subjected the planet to Exterminatus- the refugees bore the bones of the "Saints Templar" with them, eventually passing the reliquary on to Marshal Luther.

 

Elendil and Isildur's remains still burn with the hatred the martyred Templars bore in life, towards the Warp and all it touched; when Chaplains submerged the bones in holy water to cleanse them, the water boiled; when the bones were polished with holy oil, the oil ignited, but left on the bones a golden sheen instead of blackened soot. In bearing the reliquary, the wearer of the Terminator armor gains a measure of protection from witchcraft, as the martyred Templars' spirits shield the one fighting to avenge them.

 

In-game special rule: Marshal Luther has a 5+ Invulnerable Save against enemy psychic attacks. In addition, if an enemy model targets the Marshal with a psychic attack and rolls a 1 in the subsequent To Hit roll, that model will lose one Wound as the martyrs' spirits retaliate against the "cowardly witch."

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Thought to write my own fluff for the bones on Marshal Luther's Terminator armor. Hope you like it.

Edited June 7, 2020 by Bjorn Firewalker

[Brother Kraskor]

I like it! The names seem familiar but I can't think where!

[Bjorn Firewalker]

  On 6/7/2020 at 11:17 PM, Brother Kraskor said:

I like it!

Thank you.

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The names seem familiar but I can't think where!

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.

[Sword Brother Adelard]

I think, it's just an incling though, that may have been sarcasm...? Edited June 8, 2020 by Brother Adelard

[Brother Kraskor]

Story Fluff - Muted Assent:

 

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Marshal Luther remained behind in the inner sanctum as his Sword Brothers slowly filed out of the room. There was an uncharacteristically silent reverence about them: usually at least one or two could be expected to engage in boisterous repartee, or some other witty exchange. But not today.

 

Luther took notice of their silence, and of their response to the matter he had raised just moments earlier. Some had protested, as he expected, that the risk he proposed was too high. Others had said it was unnecessary. But a silent majority had held their tongue, indicating a quiet, guilt-ridden assent to Luther's intentions. The lack of resistance was deafening.

 

Luther noted sadly that only Firstborn had spoken up, and all Primaris had not. This was a sure sign of his failure to encourage integration and develop inter-disciplinary relationships within his Crusade. But then again, perhaps this barrier was too much to overcome. Their very genes set them apart, after all. In any case, the silence of the Primaris spoke volumes about their hidden feelings on a Firstborn commander. 

 

Not that it would matter for much longer. Luther had announced to the Brotherhood of the Sword of his decision to undergo the necessary operations to become Primaris himself. It was not a decision he made lightly, but one he knew he must take if he was to be strong enough for the High Marshal's mission, and if he was to foster the kind of followership he would need from his near all-Primaris force. He had appointed a successor in the event he did not survive, and bade the Sword Brothers not speak of this matter until it reached its conclusion: whatever that might be.

 

Luther exhaled deeply, and then, drawing himself up, girded his thoughts as he remembered how the warp storms had left him mostly Primaris brothers. The Emperor had saved them for a reason, and this was now His test, His Challenge to Luther, a challenge to his worthiness to lead the Crusade.

 

"Lord of Man, I will succeed."

 

Unit Fluff - Sabre One:

 

  Reveal hidden contents

Sword Brother Ajax grunted in pain as he lifted himself out of the Stormhawk Interceptor Simulation unit. Pistons whirred under the strain of his power armour as he manoeuvred himself over to the adjacent console, checking the outcome of his simulation. 

 

Perfect scores, again. Ajax grunted again, a metallic sound, and turned to leave the chamber. Ajax was a Firstborn Sword Brother, and he was old. Old enough to have suffered many wounds in battle, and now most of his body had been replaced with bionics. But he was not yet so degraded as to require internment in a Dreadnought: his mind and reflexes were sharp and agile as ever, and so, at his own suggestion, he had been trained in the use of the Crusade's aircraft. 

 

It turned out he was a natural, and so now he flew Sabre One in the Crusade's prosecution of its enemies. He specialised in flying low and fast, seeking out enemy armoured formations and punching a hole in them for his brothers to pour into down below. He missed the raw savagery of close combat, but the thrill of obliterating his foes at breakneck speeds more than sated his bloodlust. 

 

One of the Techmarines had once joked they would make him a Stormhawk Dreadnought interface if and when his body failed: they had been disturbed when Ajax responded, in his typically acerbic fashion:

 

"Yes. That will suffice."

 

Here is the latest update: Sabre One, my go at a Stormhawk Interceptor. It is kitted out for anti-tank duties - with the new terrain and vehicle rules, it will be even more effective getting around cover and not suffering the usual -1 to hit for moving. 

 

As ever, click the images for a better focus.

 

I've a Redemptor and some Aggressors waiting to be assembled now, so plenty to be getting on with!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

~K

Edited July 4, 2020 by Brother Kraskor