https://bolterandchainsword.com/rss/1-default.xml/All new contentenHello brothers! As promised, I broke off the 'finished GSC' thread, to start a new one, since I believe this one HAS to have its own dedicated space. About a year (and some change) ago, my wife bought me a Creality Ender3V3KE 3d printer. That is an FDM printer (for those not familiar with 3d printers, it is a filament printer or Fused Deposition Modelling printer). I've printed a few bits and bobs here and there (nothing illegal, mind you, mostly originally created stuff) such as sci-fi consoles, or industrial floors, etc. Granted, some where heavily inspired (emphasis on 'heavily') by games such as Necromunda or Kill Team, but that's about that. Fast forward a few months, and I've started printing bigger stuff, which I won't get into details here. After finishing my CSM army, and being content that I won't be doing much with it, I decided to start on my GSC army project. I always liked the underdog feeling that the GSC had: everyday men and women of industrialised planets and forge worlds, assimilated by vanguard forces and rise up to the oppressive Imperium, which will lead to their ultimate demise. Their weapons of destruction are the chains that held them down: survey vehicles, rockgrinding trucks, heavy mining equipment. Their clothes and gear worn from everyday use in the mines and incinerators. Even one of their fortifications is a tectonic fragdrill, used in creating localised earthquakes to bring down their enemies. That, along with a memory of what was called 'Mobile Base Crawler', an Enclave engine from Fallout 3, gave birth to the GSC Crawler Volcanic Drill. In my mind's eye, this thing was basically a mobile laser drill that got repurposed to serve the nefarious ways of the Four Armer Emperor. This slow moving behemoth moves around in four individual tracks, using technology provided by the Omnissiah to excavate planets and bring to the surface precious minerals. Some alterations from the cult were made: salvaged twin heavy bolters, heavy mining laser emplacements and the laser drill itself, repositioned to bring its fury forwards, instead of downwards. In game terms, this would 'count as' a Shadowsword tank. The whole platform would be a sprawling conglomeration of equipment, power generators and hybrids, both neophytes and aberrants, since the place needs a lot of hands (pun intended) to function. It is still a heavy work in progress, as a lot things still need to be fleshed and filled out: positions of the superstructure/driver's compartment, generators, power cells, weapons... I am still dry-fitting the majority of the stuff, and printing greebles to fill in empty spaces (I am sure I'm going to be left with a ton of extra stuff) and see what it sticks. In any case, here are some pictures. I'll try and upload them in chronological order but since it takes some time to print new stuff, it might become a slow process until this things gets painted. I hope you'll enjoy it. The first four pictures are the crawler itself. This is four 'simple tanks', with their tracks glued upside down (it seemed more fitting than to glue them the actual way, since this is an industrial vehicle, not an assault battle tank), and the actual platform, which are four flood tiles inspired from Necromunda (I speculate, not 100% sure).Wed, 22 Jul 2026 11:27:51 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342702-ahriman-afterjpg/Wed, 22 Jul 2026 11:03:23 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/album/17978-flight-log-2026/A log of my attempt to get back into the Hobby for 2026, including back log clearance and the Combat Patrol MagazineWed, 22 Jul 2026 11:03:23 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342701-chaos-cta-after-1jpg/Wed, 22 Jul 2026 11:03:20 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342700-chaos-beforejpg/Wed, 22 Jul 2026 11:03:18 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342699-terminators-beforejpg/Wed, 22 Jul 2026 11:03:14 +0000Various tidy-ups as well as rolling 10th edition errata into 11th edition (which I feel should have been in the core rules but never mind). https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/rgqanids/warhammer-40000-july-update-what-you-need-to-know/Wed, 22 Jul 2026 10:44:04 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/album/17838-rxtacys-dark-angels/Wed, 22 Jul 2026 01:59:16 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342698-20260721_155925jpg/Wed, 22 Jul 2026 01:59:16 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342697-20260721_155351jpg/Wed, 22 Jul 2026 01:59:14 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342696-20260720_154614jpg/Wed, 22 Jul 2026 01:59:11 +0000Hello all, I spent a great deal of time and effort cross referencing and researching to scale the approximate locations and distances of planets, systems, structures, and notable locations in the imperium. The map is interactive you can click on different markers to see known information. The page is http://cartographia40k.com I would love to hear any Input or suggestions, corrections that need to be made, anything really. ITs 100% free no signup no ads nothing.Wed, 22 Jul 2026 00:04:04 +0000Hello All. I am looking to jump back in to 40k after being out of the hobby since the first couple months of 7th edition (life happens). Starting in 4th I had built up about 4500 points of Blood Angels and about 6000 points of orks. Having looked at all of the new style marine models, I am thinking of starting a different chapter army as a gateway into “modern 40k” (at least for a while, I am sure I won’t be able to stay away from the little red dudes forever). I have considered doing Crimson Fists and running them as generic marines rules wise. However, the lore/modeling/painting side has always been more of my home than competitive play and I have to say that the Dark Angels have had many of my favorite models/lore in the game from the beginning (my taped together copy of Angels of Darkness is staring at me as I am typing). I love the variety in look and feel of the Green Marines vs Deathwing, Ravenwing, Horus Heresy black armor. As stated, I don’t focus on competitive play but also do not want to start out with a core of newer models that can’t beat a cold. What would be the first 1000 points some of you would go with if coming into Dark Angel collecting from scratch? Deathwing terminators? Gunlines full of plasma? Ravenwing (from what I have been reading on the forum, probably not)? I hope this is not too much of a rambling post. I appreciate any suggestions. The game has changed enough that I am treating coming back more as an opportunity to start new rather than returning to old haunts. Thanks, Tycho’s GhostTue, 21 Jul 2026 20:21:23 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/blogs/entry/1790-angels-of-death-grenadier-assault-intercessor/I rested yesterday and now I'm ready for a next project. It's linked with dread. While I'm working on the dread I was focused on NMM. In this project I want to learn more about values and color saturation. I use same recipe for yellow, though I add neutral grey into pallet for colors desaturation. Here is Assault intercessor grenadier. Since killteam starter doesn't had one I kitbashed him using his own hand. I cut off his bolted and glued together two Cadian castellan's chainswords. So get kind of bastard sword And use spiky spear part from Gitmob as a sword hilt. Also for this project i wanna try to paint a backdrop for mood. I blocked most of the colours and now need finish transitions. There is also a shadows and a reflex lights missing. Next I'll add battle damage dirt/dust. I'm happy with his face so far, but can't shoot it right. If it's in focus picture would be desaturated. If it isn't fixture oversaturated. At least without proper backdrop I couldn't photoshoot it right :(Tue, 21 Jul 2026 19:46:12 +0000From the Warhammer Academy :DTue, 21 Jul 2026 14:09:56 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/blogs/entry/1789-the-red-hunters-part-6/"Non permittant vivere impuritus." Well I did a little more painting last night on the Armageddon Librarian. This is character 2 of 3 characters, plus I have 4 squads to paint for my 500 pt list. Captain Razak- Completed Librarian Zarghul- WIP Bladeguard Ancient Bladeguard Veterans (3 man) Intercessors (5 man) Assault Intercessors (5 man)- need to build Heavy Bolter Elimintaor (3 man) Since Bladeguard Veterans are almost Characters, are the same colors, with a lot more detail, I think I will paint the Bladeguard Veterans and Ancient with the other squads so Intercessors with a Bladeguard Veteran, Assault Intercessors with a Bladeguard Veteran, Eliminators, Bladeguard Veteran and Bladeguard Ancient. It took me about 4 days to paint my Captain. So hopefully about 5-7 days due to for the Librarain then a week per squad. Red Hunters Chapter Librarian Zarghul, currently assigned to 3rd Company Army Painter: Army Painter Warpaints Fanatic Matt Black- Outer Cloaks, Tabards, future Metallics, and flex armour Army Painter Warpaints Fanatic Brainmatter Biege- Inner Cloaks Army Painter Warpaints Fanatic Dusty Skull- Skulls Army Painter Warpaints Fanatic Ancient Stone- Staff/ Force Weapon Army Painter Warpaints Air Encarmine Red- Shoulder logo Still more colors to block out, highlights and washes, decals then glow effect, which I am nervous about. So I am looking at techniques and I found this one on Reddit user/darcybono. "A white base followed by transparent paints like Contrast Paints, Speed Paints or inks. Once you have your white lining apply a thin glaze of your brightest color (in this case Iyanden Yellow) then immediately wipe away the center where you want it to be brightest. Once that dry just tinge the edges with a darker color in the same hue (in this case orange). NOTE: I don't recommend using Corax White as it's basically a light grey and will not result in the same glow effect. It will make your colors more muted than putting it over an actual white."Tue, 21 Jul 2026 13:25:35 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/blogs/entry/1788-a-tale-of-hats%E2%80%A6/Well, this was an “adventure”. I wanted my specialist units to have a more Grey Knights vibe. So I searched the interwebs and found a suitable looking helmet. They were described as Diesel punk Sallet heads for Arcamundi. I had no idea what that was but assumed it was 28mm scale. On arrival they were too small. They are 28mm but I’m guessing the whole Primaris thing… So I got to measuring them and found that they were about a mm too small. This worked out at 20%. I spoke to the maker on etsy and he was kind enough to make and send me the helmets at 120% of the original. They look great but a little “conservative” for my version of Sanguinary guard the Pretorian guard. But they do look great on everyone else like Terminators and my version of Chaplains converted from Inner circle companions… So I got to looking at helmets and found some Roman style ones. On their arrival my initial impression was that they were too small too. I rechecked the blurb and they are advertised as Primaris. Comparing them against regular GW helmets they are proportional. Unfortunately the neck bubble is tiny so they sit far too low. I’m now experimenting with blobs of milliput in the neck holes and hoping they adhere. I have since found lots of good stuff on scaling Here - are Primaris 32 or 28 mmTue, 21 Jul 2026 10:08:56 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342695-img_1964jpeg/Tue, 21 Jul 2026 09:50:40 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/album/18047-the-setting-sons/An homebrew chapterTue, 21 Jul 2026 09:50:40 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342694-img_1963jpeg/Tue, 21 Jul 2026 09:50:37 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342693-img_1962jpeg/Tue, 21 Jul 2026 09:50:35 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342692-img_1961jpeg/Tue, 21 Jul 2026 09:50:33 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342691-img_1959jpeg/Tue, 21 Jul 2026 09:50:31 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342690-img_1958jpeg/Tue, 21 Jul 2026 09:50:29 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342689-img_0031jpeg/Tue, 21 Jul 2026 09:50:26 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342688-img_1955jpeg/Tue, 21 Jul 2026 09:50:23 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342687-img_1954jpeg/Tue, 21 Jul 2026 09:50:20 +0000Tue, 21 Jul 2026 05:14:37 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/articles.html/liber/voidhunters-r37/Tue, 21 Jul 2026 05:14:37 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/album/18057-red-hunters/Space Marines of the Red Hunters Chapter in Service of the InquisitionTue, 21 Jul 2026 02:01:56 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342686-img_7430jpeg/Tue, 21 Jul 2026 02:01:56 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342685-img_7431jpeg/Tue, 21 Jul 2026 02:01:54 +0000Hi everyone! This is my first post here and I would really like to know what you all think. I have recently found warhammer 40k and I love it. My favorite chapter is the Salamanders but I havent found really any characters with great feats of strength (like Tyberos or Kaldor Draigo) so I wanted to create my own. Let me know what you guys think! Act I: The Echo of Mockery The descent was always a test of endurance, but to a son of Nocturne, the violent shaking of the Thunderhawk gunship was practically a lullaby. Inside the cramped, red-lit hold, three Space Marines of the Salamanders Chapter sat locked into their crash harnesses. The air tasted of ozone, slate-dust, and the heavy, comforting scent of hot oil. Beside Rak’Shua sat Brother-Sergeant Solon and Brother Pyriel. Their green power armor was scarred from a dozen campaigns, decorated with the hammered drake-scales of their volcanic home world. In the center of the hold, locked into a heavy-duty magnetic weapon-rack that groaned under its weight, hung Rak’Shua’s weapon. The Anvil’s Tongue. It was a monstrous slab of dark, volcanic obsidian-alloy, ten feet of uncompromising metal, three feet wide at the crossguard. It looked less like a sword and more like a sheared-off piece of starship hull. Rak’Shua looked at it, his dark, coal-black skin reflecting the red warning lights of the hold. Beneath his armor, his mind drifted back to the sulfurous smithies of Nocturne, and the day he had forged it. He remembered the absolute frustration of his early years. He had shattered three standard-issue power swords during training drills—not out of anger, but simply because his muscles gripped and swung with a freakish, unchecked kinetic force that standard ceramite and power-fields could not withstand. He was average in height, normal in build, yet possessed a terrifying, silent density of muscle that defied explanation. He had forged the massive blade out of sheer necessity. It was the only weapon heavy enough to survive his swing. But others didn't see necessity. They saw a joke. He remembered a joint campaign on the world of Armageddon alongside the arrogant Prime-Marines of the Genesis Chapter. One of their Lieutenants had pointed at the massive slab on Rak'Shua's back and laughed aloud. "Is the Salamander trying to compensate for his lack of battlefield honors?" the Lieutenant had sneered. "A magnificent gift of strength, wasted on a blacksmith who would rather guard supply convoys than take glory. Hand that blade to a true warrior, and we would have ended this war yesterday." Rak’Shua had said nothing. He had simply bowed his head, accepted the insult, and returned to his duties. "Twenty seconds to touchdown," Sergeant Solon’s voice rumbled over the squad’s internal vox-channel, pulling Rak’Shua back to the present. "Brace yourselves, brothers. This world has been quiet for too long. Keep your eyes sharp." The gunship hit the ground with a massive, teeth-rattling shudder. The magnetic locks on the weapon rack hissed open, releasing The Anvil’s Tongue. Without a sound, Rak’s Shua reached out. His massive, green-armored hand gripped the leather-wrapped hilt. With a single, effortless flick of his wrist, he hoisted the ton sword and magnetically locked it to his backplate. He didn't strain. He didn't grunt. It looked as light as a twig in his hands. Beside him, Brother Pyriel gave a quiet, roaring chuckle through his helmet's grill. "Still makes the gunship tip to the left when you carry that thing, Rak’Shua. Let's hope you get to swing it today." "I swing when the Emperor commands, brother," Rak’Shua replied, his voice a low, gravelly rumble. The heavy assault ramp hissed and slammed downward, revealing the dead world of Aurelius Minor. The sky was a bruised, silent purple, and ash fell like snow over empty, skeletal ruins. There was no sound. No wind. No signs of life. Only the silence. The heavy assault ramp hissed and slammed downward, revealing the dead world of Aurelius Minor. The sky was a bruised, silent purple, and grey ash fell like slow snow over empty, skeletal ruins. A cold wind moaned through the gaps of hollowed-out cathedrals and giant, rusty manufacturing towers. There was no sound. No screaming xenos. No engines. Just the desolate howl of the wind. The three Salamanders stepped off the ramp, their heavy boots crunching softly on the thick layer of ash. Pyriel raised his heavy flamer, the pilot light hissing a steady, reassuring blue in the gloom. He swept the muzzle left to right, his helmet’s auto-senses searching the dark corners. "The scanners are quiet," Pyriel muttered, his voice crackling over the squad’s internal vox. "No thermal spikes. No biological readings. It’s like whatever xenos were here just... packed up and vanished." They marched in a tight, defensive wedge down a wide, ruined avenue. On either side, colossal gothic buildings rose like jagged teeth against the sky. Rak’Shua kept his gaze high, watching the empty balconies and shattered glass windows. He could see the jagged claw marks on the stone walls—the brutal remnants of the previous xenos invasion—but the wounds on the city were old, filled with years of settled dust. They walked for nearly an hour, navigating deeper into the dead silence of the administrative sector. The utter lack of life was deeply unnatural. Usually, even a conquered world had scavengers, feral beasts, or the lingering rot of the invaders. Here, there was nothing. Eventually, they paused in the shadow of a massive, cracked statue of an Imperial Saint. Pyriel knelt to scan a pile of old rubble, while Solon consulted a glowing wrist-projector displaying a wireframe map of the city. Rak’Shua stood guard, his massive hand resting lightly on the hilt of The Anvil’s Tongue resting on his back. He looked around the desolate plaza, then turned his helmeted head toward the Sergeant. "Brother-Sergeant," Rak’Shua’s voice rumbled, low and grave. "May I speak?" "Always, brother," Solon replied without looking up from his map. "I understand the Imperium wishes to reclaim Aurelius Minor, but... why us? Why were three Salamanders sent across the sector to inspect a ghost world? A squad of Scout Marines or a local PDF patrol could have confirmed the xenos are gone." Solon stopped his map and sighed, a heavy sound over the vox. He looked up at Rak’Shua. "Because a PDF patrol would not know what to look for, Rak’Shua. And because the planetary governor who contacted our Chapter Master was desperate. He bypassed the Inquisition entirely." "Why?" Pyriel asked, looking up from his scans. "Because of what lies beneath this city," Solon explained, gesturing to the ground. "Before the xenos took this world, deep-core miners uncovered a sealed vault dating back to the Dark Age of Technology. The governor’s secret records suggest it contains a high-yield STC fragment—designs for heavy-duty metal refinement. If the Inquisition knew, they would have sent a fleet to lock down the sector, or worse, destroy the planet to keep it from falling into the wrong hands. The governor wanted us because he knew the Salamanders would secure the vault and preserve the world for the people to return." Solon stepped closer to Rak'Shua, placing a heavy hand on his shoulder pad. "We were sent to ensure the vault is intact before the reclamation fleet arrives. If the xenos left, we must ensure they did not strip the vault on their way out." Rak’Shua nodded slowly. "And if they did not leave of their own free will?" Before Solon could answer, the air changed. It was subtle at first. A faint, bitter smell drifted on the wind. It wasn't the sulfur of Nocturne, nor the sterile dust of the ruins. It was the scent of burnt promethium and heavy, stale ozone—the telltale exhaust of massive warp-engines. Suddenly, the static in their helmet vox-links flared into a deafening screech. “...Kzzzzt... brothers... do you hear... kzzzt...” Pyriel’s voice cut through the feed, warped by a sudden, massive spike of electromagnetic interference. "Form up!" Solon commanded, his voice instantly snapping back to combat readiness. "Defensive perimeter!" The three Salamanders stood back-to-back, a tiny triangle of green armor in the center of the wide, ruined plaza. Then, the shadows between the massive buildings seemed to detach themselves. They did not rush forward with the mindless, screaming rage of beasts. They emerged with terrifying, synchronized discipline. Massive, bulky silhouettes clad in heavy, trim-rimmed power armor of iron and hazard-striped bronze. Large, skull-faced helmets stared back at the Salamanders, their glowing visors cutting through the ash-fall. Iron Warriors. "Traitor Astartes!" Pyriel roared. Before he could squeeze the trigger of his flamer, the plaza erupted. Heavy bolter fire rained down from the shattered upper stories of the surrounding buildings. The explosive shells detonated against the stone floor, kicking up blinding clouds of pulverized stone and ash. "We are baited!" Solon shouted over the deafening roar of gunfire. "They knew we would come! Retreat to the canyon pass! We cannot hold the open plaza!" A heavy bolt round slammed directly into Pyriel’s shoulder pad, spinning him around and tearing a chunk of green ceramite away. He grunted, firing a jet of roaring liquid flame into a doorway to cut off an advancing squad of Chaos Marines. Rak’Shua reached behind his shoulder. His fingers wrapped around the leather hilt of The Anvil’s Tongue. With a deafening shink, he drew the colossal blade. The weight of the movement would have thrown a normal marine off balance, but Rak'Shua’s feet remained planted like iron pillars. He swung the massive slab in a wide, horizontal arc. The wind pressure of the swing literally blew aside the thick cloud of smoke and ash. A charging Iron Warrior, chainsword raised, tried to parry. The traitor's chainsword didn't just break—it disintegrated. The Anvil’s Tongue carried so much kinetic force that the impact shattered the Iron Warrior's arms inside his armor, caving in his chest plate and launching his multi-ton body thirty feet backward into a stone pillar. "Move!" Solon ordered, firing precise, single shots with his boltgun as they backed toward the narrow rocky gorge that bordered the city. But the Iron Warriors had planned this ambush with cold, mathematical precision. From the ridgeline of the canyon above, a heavy weapons team targeted them with a missile launcher. “Look out!” Pyriel yelled, throwing his body in front of the Sergeant. The missile struck. The explosion was blinding. When the smoke cleared, Pyriel lay motionless, his armor blackened and cracked. Solon was on his knees, his armor leaking coolant, his left leg pinned beneath a massive fallen slab of a collapsed cathedral arch. Heavy, thudding footsteps echoed from the dust. A squad of six Iron Warriors was closing in, their bolters raised to finish them. "Rak’Shua..." Solon gasped, his voice strained through a failing vox-grill. He looked at the massive cavern opening just behind them—the entrance to the very deep-core mining shafts he had spoken of. "They are here for the vault... you must... survive..." "I will not leave you, Brother-Sergeant," Rak’Shua said, stepping over Solon's pinned body, raising The Anvil's Tongue with both hands to form an impenetrable wall of metal. "That is an order, brother," Solon whispered. With his remaining strength, the Sergeant reached for the heavy meltabomb strapped to his waist. He didn't prime it to throw at the enemy. He punched the detonator and slammed it directly into the cracked rock face of the mountain cavern behind them. "Live, Rak'Shua. Tell the Chapter." "Solon, no—" Before Rak'Shua could lung forward, Solon grabbed him by the ankle with a desperate, iron grip and physically hurled him backward into the dark cavern shaft. A split second later, the meltabomb detonated. The white-hot thermal blast didn't just kill the advancing Traitor Marines—it melted the supporting stone pillars of the mountain. Millions of tons of rock, dirt, and iron ore came crashing down in a deafening, apocalyptic roar, completely sealing the cavern entrance and trapping Rak’Shua in the pitch-black depths of the earth. Act II: The Weight of Survival Darkness. Cold, suffocating, and absolute. For a long time, the only sound in the black void was the wet, ragged sound of Rak'Shua’s own breathing. Slowly, the internal systems of his power armor began to flicker back to life, painting the inside of his visor with a cascade of amber warning runes. CRITICAL DAMAGE detected. Left clavicle fractured. Left radius fractured. Internal hemorrhaging detected. Administering pain-suppressants. A hiss of cold narcotic chemicals injected into his neck, dulling the sharp, white-hot agony in his shoulder and arm. Rak’Shua pushed himself up onto his knees, his ceramite plates grinding against the loose shale. "Pyriel... Solon..." he croaked into his vox-grill. Only static answered. He checked his tactical overlay and navigation systems. The signal bar was dead, blocked by miles of solid rock and electromagnetic interference. He was entirely alone. Using his one good hand, he swept the darkness until his fingers brushed against cold, textured leather. The Anvil's Tongue. The massive ten-foot blade was buried deep beneath a heavy slide of jagged granite and iron ore. Rak’Shua didn't panic. Gritting his teeth against the pain in his broken shoulder, he began to dig. He cast aside boulders that would have required a crane for a mortal man, clearing the rubble hand by hand. Finally, wrapping his massive fingers around the hilt, he braced his feet and pulled. With a heavy, metallic rasp, the giant sword slid free from the earth. He magnetically locked it to his back, the weight of the slab sending a dull throb of pain through his fractured collarbone. He began to walk, using the low-light filter of his helmet to navigate the jagged, winding cavern. The air grew progressively colder, tasting of ancient dust and stagnant water. He marched for what felt like hours, his heavy boots echoing softly in the dark. Eventually, the rough, natural rock of the cavern gave way to something else. Smooth, grey concrete. Rusted steel support beams. Rak'Shua stepped into a wide underground chamber and stopped. Rising out of the dark was a massive, blocky concrete structure. It was an old military bunker or a deep-core mining outpost, but it was heavily damaged. Finding no doors, Rak’Shua drew The Anvil's Tongue. Wrapping his hands around the grip, he swung the massive slab. The heavy obsidian blade smashed into the concrete wall with a deafening, echoing CRACK. The wall shattered inward, pouring rubble into a pitch-black interior. Rak’Shua stepped through the breach. Inside, the building was a chaotic labyrinth of ruin. The ceiling had entirely caved in; the massive administrative towers from the surface had collapsed straight down into the subterranean complex, leaving a colossal heap of twisted steel girders, crushed concrete slabs, and shattered machinery. Suddenly, a sound echoed through the ruined halls. “...secure the southern corridors... the tech-vault must be intact...” The voices were deep, distorted, and laced with a cold, mechanical rasp. Iron Warriors. Rak’Shua pressed his back against a collapsed pillar, his heart rate spiking. Through the gaps in the rubble, he saw the yellow-and-black hazard stripes of traitor armor moving through the dust. There were dozens of them. He could not fight his way out. Not alone. Not injured. He scanned his surroundings. There were only two exits. The first was a wide, clear archway, but a heavy squad of Iron Warriors was already marching through it. The second exit was a collapsed section of the outer wall where a massive steel-reinforced floor plate from the building above had pancaked downward, completely blocking the path to the surface with tons of shattered masonry and iron. Clink. A small pebble rolled near his boot. Across the ruined hall, a skull-faced Iron Warrior turned his helmet toward Rak'Shua's shadow. "Loyalist!" the traitor bellowed, raising his boltgun. "Sighted! Kill the Salamander!" Bolter fire erupted, explosive rounds chewing into the pillar beside Rak'Shua, showering him with sparks and concrete dust. Rak’Shua didn’t think. He ran. He sprinted toward the collapsed, smashed exit. Behind him, the heavy thud of Traitor Astartes boots gave chase. Bolt rounds whined past his helmet, detonating against the rubble. He reached the blocked exit. It was a solid wall of ruin—a massive, multi-ton slab of reinforced concrete and steel girders pinned beneath the weight of the collapsed ceiling. There was no turning back. Rak'Shua shoved The Anvil's Tongue into its magnetic sheath. He shoved his massive hands beneath the bottom edge of the collapsed concrete slab. He planted his boots into the fractured ground, bent his knees, and braced. "Vulkan..." Rak'Shua growled through gritted teeth, his voice a low, desperate snarl. "...give me strength." He lifted. The weight was unimaginable. His power armor screamed in protest, warning runes flashing red across his eyes. MAXIMUM LOAD EXCEEDED. ACTUATOR FAILURE IMMINENT. His muscles tore. His veins bulged black against his face as he pushed. The massive concrete slab groaned, the rusted steel rebar bending under the agonizing, raw leverage of his arms. "Ahhhhh!" Rak’Shua roared, a primal, roaring sound of pure, unadulterated willpower. With a sickening screeech of grinding metal, he slowly, painfully hoisted the massive structure up. Just enough. Just a few feet. He held the crushing weight of the building with his back and shoulders, his legs shaking violently, the metal of his armor warping under the pressure. Gritting his teeth, he dragged his broken body through the narrow gap he had created, tumbling out into the gray daylight of the surface. As he pulled his legs free, he let go. The massive slab collapsed behind him with an earth-shaking THUD, completely sealing the gap and cutting off the shouting Iron Warriors inside. Rak’Shua lay in the ash, gasping for breath. Every single muscle in his body felt like it was on fire. His power armor began to hiss, the suit’s medical systems forcibly locking his limbs in place. WARNING: Fractures compounded. Aligning bone structure. Injecting bone-coagulant. A series of sickening cracks echoed inside his suit as the armor's internal mechanics physically forced his broken bones back into place. Rak’Shua grunted, biting down on his tongue until he tasted blood, waiting for the agonizing reset to finish. Slowly, the pain faded to a dull, throbbing ache. He dragged himself to his feet. He was outside the city now, near the edge of a massive, temporary landing zone the Iron Warriors had established. Through the falling ash, he spotted it—a small, dark-iron Chaos shuttle, its engines idling, completely unattended. The sentries were patrolling the far perimeter, confident that no enemies remained. Rak’Shua drew his combat knife. The blade was as long as a human sword, forged from the same volcanic metal as The Anvil's Tongue. Keeping low, using the rising smoke and ash as cover, he slipped into the camp like a shadow. Two Iron Warrior sentries stood near the boarding ramp of the shuttle, speaking in low, static-filled tones. Rak’Shua crept up behind them. With a sudden burst of his remaining strength, he lunged. He rammed his combat knife upward through the soft seal of the first sentry's neck-joint, severing the traitor's spinal cord instantly. Before the second sentry could raise his boltgun, Rak’Shua grabbed the back of the traitor's skull-faced helmet with his massive, bare-grip hand, slamming the Iron Warrior's head into the steel ramp of the shuttle with enough raw force to crush the helmet and kill him instantly. Both traitors slumped to the floor, silent. Rak’Shua dragged their bodies inside, closed the heavy boarding ramp, and took the pilot’s seat. His fingers, used to delicate smithing tools, ran over the defiled, chaotic controls. He punched the ignition. The shuttle’s thrusters roared to life. With a heavy jolt, the ship shot into the bruised purple sky, leaving the dead world behind as it rocketed toward the cold, black void of space—and the Imperial war cruiser waiting in the stars. The cold, silent vacuum of space was suddenly shattered by blinding beams of coherent light. The stolen Iron Warriors shuttle groaned as a macro-cannon shell detonated nearby, the concussive force of the near-miss sending the small craft into a violent, spinning tumble. Inside the cockpit, red alarm lights bathed Rak’Shua in a bloody glow. Ahead of him loomed the Dread Sovereign, a colossal, cathedral-like Strike Cruiser of the Imperium. It was the flagship of the reclamation task force. And right now, its defense turrets were locked onto him. "This is Brother Rak’Shua of the Salamanders!" he roared into the vox-transmitter, his hand flying across the defiled, chaotic controls as he executed a desperate evasive roll. Another lance strike flashed past the cockpit glass, vaporizing the shuttle's external sensors. "I am the sole survivor of Squad Solon! Do not fire!" The cockpit shook violently as automated point-defense flak chewed through the shuttle's rear thrusters. The ship was dying. The next hit would vaporize him. "Identify yourself, pilot, or be purged in the Emperor's name!" a cold, mechanical voice boomed over the static-choked vox. "I am Rak’Shua! Son of Nocturne! I bear critical intelligence regarding the traitor forces on the surface!" He punched the thrusters, diving hard to avoid a tracking missile. The console in front of him exploded in a shower of sparks. The shuttle was in a terminal dive. He closed his eyes, bracing for the final, vaporizing strike. Then, the vox crackled with a new, deep voice. "Message received, cousin. You may enter the docking bay. Emperor guide you in." The defense turrets abruptly fell silent. Fighting the failing manual thrusters, Rak'Shua guided the flaming, smoking shuttle through the glowing atmospheric field of the Dread Sovereign’s primary hangar bay. The ship skidded across the metal deck with a deafening screech of tearing iron, throwing up a massive cloud of sparks before slamming to a halt against a heavy blast bulkhead. Inside the cockpit, silence fell. Rak’Shua exhaled, his body trembling from the sheer exhaustion of the orbit escape. He activated the ramp release. The heavy steel door hissed and slammed downward. As the smoke cleared, Rak'Shua dragged himself out of the pilot's seat. He stepped onto the ramp and froze. The entire hangar bay was in a state of lockdown. Standing in a massive, semi-circular firing line were hundreds of loyalist Space Marines. Their armor was not the forest-green of the Salamanders, but the stark, polished red and gold of the Genesis Chapter—an arrogant successor chapter of the Ultramarines. Behind them, heavy-duty combat servitors and hundreds of Imperial armsmen held their weapons raised, all aiming directly at the smoking hatch. Rak’Shua took one step forward. His damaged leg gave out, and his exhausted, torn muscles finally collapsed under him. He fell heavily to his knees, his ceramite-clad body hitting the hangar floor with a dull clang. The Genesis Chapter marines did not rush to aid him. They kept their bolters trained on his chest, their faces cold behind their skull-faced helmets. A tall officer wearing an ornate cloak and a decorated centurion helmet stepped forward. Captain Trevor of the Genesis Chapter. He looked down at the kneeling, ash-covered Salamander with a mixture of pity and mild disdain. "Lower your weapons," Trevor commanded his men, though his own hand remained on the pommel of his power sword. "He is indeed an Astartes. Though he looks more like a beaten dog." Trevor waved a hand toward the smoking shuttle. "Inspect the craft. Search for chaos taint or traps." Two fully armored Genesis Chapter tactical marines stepped past Rak'Shua. As they reached the ramp, one of them stopped. He looked down at the massive, ten-foot-long slab of dark volcanic metal that had slipped from Rak’Shua’s magnetic back-mount when he fell. It lay flat on the hangar floor, looking entirely absurd—like a monument that had fallen over. "Look at this," the marine scoffed, nudging the hilt of The Anvil’s Tongue with his boot. "The Salamander brought a steel girder with him. Is this what they pass off as weaponry on Nocturne?" The other marine chuckled. "A foolish vanity. All that strength wasted on a Salamander who has not and will not live up to such a gift. Move it out of the way so we can clear the boarding ramp." The first marine bent down, wrapping both of his red gauntlets around the leather-wrapped grip. He planted his feet, braced his shoulders, and pulled. The sword did not move. The marine frowned behind his visor. He adjusted his stance, activating his power armor's physical actuators. The internal gyros of his suit whined, a high-pitched squeal echoing through the hangar bay as he exerted maximum hydraulic pressure to lift the blade. The sword remained firmly stuck to the deck, as if it were welded to the ship itself. "What are you doing, brother?" the second marine muttered, stepping up. "It is a sword, not an anchor. Let me." Both Genesis Marines gripped the hilt together. They bent their knees, their power-packs roaring as their suits pushed to their physical limits. Their armored joints hissed and groaned under the strain. The ten-foot slab of obsidian-alloy barely budged an inch before slipping from their fingers and slamming back onto the deck plate with a heavy, metallic THUD that vibrated through the boots of every man in the hangar. The scoffing and chuckling among the surrounding loyalists instantly died. A heavy, suffocating silence fell over the hundreds of assembled soldiers. Trevor narrowed his eyes, staring in absolute disbelief at his two strongest tactical marines, who were now standing over the weapon, panting and shaking from the exertion. From his knees, Rak'Shua let out a low, tired sigh. Slowly, painfully, he reached out with a single, green-armored hand. His fingers closed around the leather grip. Without a grunt, without his armor's servos even whining, he casually lifted the -ton blade off the deck with one arm, slid it onto his back, and magnetically locked it in place. He braced his hands on his knees and stood up to his full height, looking down at the stunned Genesis Marines. "It is balanced for my grip," Rak'Shua said, his deep, volcanic voice echoing in the dead silent hangar. "Now, Captain. Take me to your war room. We have a battle to prepare for." The heavy steel blast doors of the Dread Sovereign’s tactical bridge slid open with a pneumatic hiss. The chamber was cold, dominated by a massive, circular hololith table that projected a flickering, three-dimensional wireframe of the ruined city below. Surrounding the table were senior officers of the Genesis Chapter, their polished red-and-gold armor gleaming under the harsh fluorescent lights. At the head of the table stood Captain Trevor. His helmet was off, revealing a stern, battle-scarred face with cropped gray hair and eyes like flint. Rak’Shua stepped into the room. His damaged power armor had been quickly patched by the hangar tech-servitors, but the deep scorch marks and cracked plates remained. On his back, the massive weight of The Anvil’s Tongue drew the wary, silent stares of every officer in the room. No one laughed this time. "Speak, Salamander," Trevor commanded, leaning over the hololith. "You claims to have intelligence. What did you find down there?" "The xenos did not abandon Aurelius Minor of their own accord, Captain," Rak’Shua rumbled, his voice steady despite the lingering ache in his chest. "They were purged. The Iron Warriors have claimed the world. They are searching for the subterranean tech-vault. They know of the STC fragment." Trevor’s face instantly darkened. He slammed a heavy, armored fist onto the edge of the hololith table, the holographic projection flickering violently from the impact. "The STC?" Trevor snarled, glaring up at Rak’Shua. "How do you know the parameters of this mission? That information was classified under the highest level of task-force security!" Rak’Shua opened his mouth to explain that Sergeant Solon had told him, but before a single word could leave his lips, Trevor raised a dismissive, gloved hand, cutting him off with a sneer. "I should have known that a Salamander would trust his subordinates with precious information," Trevor said coldly. "An error that shall not be made again. Your chapter’s obsession with sentimentality and 'brotherhood' always compromises operational security." The other Genesis officers muttered in quiet, arrogant agreement. Rak’Shua kept his jaw clenched, his golden-red eyes burning, but he did not snap back. He kept his mind on the mission, on the sacrifice of Solon and Pyriel. "The Iron Warriors do not care about our security protocols, Captain," Rak’Shua said, his voice dropping to a dangerous, low frequency. "They are already on the planet. I escaped through the collapsed administrative sector in the city center. The vault lies directly beneath it. The traitors have established their primary dig site there. If we do not act immediately, the STC will be in the hands of the Despoiler’s warsmiths." Trevor stared at the glowing hologram of the city center, his anger fading into cold, calculated military resolve. He zoomed the map into the coordinate grid Rak’Shua indicated. "Damn them," Trevor muttered. He straightened up, turning to his communications officer. "Sound the horns of war. Order all drop-pods prepped for immediate launch. We deploy the full strength of the Genesis Chapter. We will drop on the city’s outer ridges and draw their heavy armor away." The captain then turned his piercing gaze back to Rak’Shua. "But we cannot risk a frontal assault on the vault itself. If the traitors realize they are losing, they will destroy the STC out of spite. We need a scalpel." Trevor tapped the hololith, highlighting a narrow subterranean pipeline route leading into the administrative center. "An infiltration team must slip beneath their scanners, enter the vault, and secure the fragment before the main battle reaches them." Trevor stepped closer to the stoic Salamander, looking up slightly at his broad frame. "You know these tunnels. You have survived them. You will guide our infiltration team directly to the vault, Salamander. Do not fail me." Rak’Shua reached back, his hand resting on the hilt of his massive sword. "For the Emperor, and for Nocturne," Rak’Shua rumbled. "The vault will be secured." Act III: The Descent of Iron and Flame The drop-pod bay was a cavern of red warning lights, hissing steam, and the rhythmic, metallic thud-thud-thud of hundreds of Astartes loading their weapons. Rak’Shua stood in the shadow of a massive drop-shuttle, checked the power cell of his bolt pistol, and slid it back into its holster. Beside him stood the infiltration team Trevor had assigned to him: five elite Genesis Chapter Veterans, clad in pristine red-and-gold armor, their chest plates adorned with the white-winged skull of the Emperor’s chosen. Their leader, Veteran-Sergeant Lucian, looked Rak’Shua up and down. His gaze lingered on the massive slab of The Anvil's Tongue on the Salamander’s back. "We move fast and silent, Salamander," Lucian said, his voice sharp over the private vox. "Your weapon is a monument, but if it slows us down in those tunnels, I will leave you behind. The STC is the priority. Nothing else." "It will not slow us," Rak’Shua replied simply. "See that it doesn't," Lucian grunted, turning to his men. "Infiltrators, mount up." The drop-ship rode the atmospheric thermals down like a falling brick, slipping through the gray, ash-choked clouds of Aurelius Minor far from the main war zone. To the north, the sky was torn apart by the main assault. The Genesis Chapter’s drop-pods were raining down like falling stars, met by the black-and-bronze flak fire of the Iron Warriors. The earth-shaking rumble of heavy artillery echoed for miles, drawing the traitor army's attention away from the southern ruins. The drop-ship touched down with a soft hiss in a deep, shadowed ravine. The ramp lowered, and the six marines slipped into the dark, wet ruins of the deep-core mining tunnels. Rak’Shua led the way. His superhuman vision, adapted to the pitch-black obsidian caverns of Nocturne, easily pierced the gloom. He navigated the labyrinth of collapsed concrete and twisted steel, his boots silent on the damp stone. Behind him, the Genesis Veterans kept their bolters raised, their movements precise, though their armor servos clicked softly in the enclosed space. "Hold," Rak’Shua whispered, raising a massive hand. Through the damp air, the scent of burnt oil and corrupt copper grew thick. Up ahead, the tunnel opened into a colossal, subterranean cathedral of steel—the vault chamber. In the center of the chamber sat the vault door, a massive circular gate of adamantium, covered in ancient Imperial runes. It was cracked open. But they were too late to find it unguarded. Dozens of Iron Warriors cultists and traitor tech-priests were frantically loading data-slates and glowing mechanical cylinders into heavy iron crates. Guarding them were several fully armored Iron Warriors. And standing in front of the vault door was something far worse. It was a monstrosity of metal and mutated flesh—a Chaos Helbrute. Once a Space Marine, it had been fused and warped into a towering, brass-armored walking tank. Its left arm was a massive, whirring multi-melta cannon; its right was a colossal, spiked power claw that dripped with dark, smoking ichor. The beast’s exposed face was a melted, screaming visage of madness, fused directly into the front plates of its chest. "By the Throne..." Lucian whispered. "They are already evacuating the vault." "The STC fragment is in the central crate," Rak’Shua rumbled, his golden-red eyes locking onto a brass cylinder being hoisted by two heavy-duty servitors. "We strike now. If they secure it, they will destroy the facility." Lucian gritted his teeth, realizing the gravity of the situation. He drew his power sword. "For the Chapter! For the Emperor! Strike!" The Genesis Veterans burst from the tunnel, their bolters singing a chorus of explosive death. The traitor cultists were cut down in seconds, their bodies thrown across the metal grating. The Iron Warriors guards immediately returned fire, heavy bolt rounds lighting up the cavern in blinding flashes of kinetic fury. "Secure the cylinder!" Lucian roared, charging toward the servitors. But the Helbrute let out a deafening, metallic howl that shook dust from the cavern ceiling. It spun, its multi-melta screaming to life. A blinding beam of white-hot plasma shot across the chamber, vaporizing the stone pillar Lucian was using for cover. The concussive blast threw the Genesis Sergeant backward, his armor scorched and cracked. The monster lunged forward, its massive iron hooves crushing the metal deck plates. It raised its giant spiked power claw, aiming to crush the pinned Sergeant into a paste of red and gold. "Lucian!" a veteran screamed, but he was pinned down by heavy stubber fire from a traitor barricade. Rak’Shua did not hesitate. He didn't run to find cover. He didn't seek a tactical angle. He sprinted directly into the path of the roaring beast. With a swift, deafening shink, his massive hands gripped the leather hilt on his back. He drew The Anvil’s Tongue. He didn't activate the power field. He didn't need to. He brought the ten-foot, multi-ton slab of volcanic metal down in a colossal, vertical overhead strike. The blunt momentum of the blow struck the Helbrute’s massive spiked claw mid-swing. The impact was like a thunderclap. The raw, freakish strength of Rak'Shua's arms, combined with the crushing weight of the sword, didn't just parry the strike—it physically sheared the monster’s hydraulic arm completely off at the shoulder joint in a shower of sparks and black, oil-slick blood. The Helbrute roared in agonizing fury, stumbling backward. The surrounding Genesis Marines stopped firing, their eyes wide behind their visors. They had watched their heavy vehicles struggle to dent a Helbrute’s armor, yet this single, "average-sized" Salamander had just severed its arm with a physical swing. But the beast was not dead. It swung its multi-melta arm, aiming the heat-cannon directly at Rak'Shua’s chest. At point-blank range, Rak'Shua grabbed the barrel of the melta-cannon with his bare-grip left hand. The metal of the gun was white-hot, burning through his gauntlet and searing his skin, but Rak'Shua did not flinch. He was a son of Nocturne; he was born in the fire. He planted his boots, gritted his teeth as his veins bulged black against his temple, and pulled. With a sickening screeech of warping iron, Rak'Shua physically ripped the entire multi-melta weapon array out of the Helbrute’s chassis, throwing the multi-ton gun aside like a piece of scrap metal. The beast stood defenseless, its mutated face staring at the Salamander in primitive, chaotic terror. Rak’Shua gripped the hilt of The Anvil’s Tongue with both hands. He activated the sword’s internal plasma vents. The massive obsidian blade began to glow with a blinding, white-hot volcanic heat, humming with a terrifying gravity-disruption field. "For Nocturne," Rak’Shua rumbled. He swung. The burning blade sliced through the Helbrute's thick brass chest plates, through the corrupted marine fused inside, and completely cleaved the monstrous walking tank in half. The impact was so immense that the kinetic shockwave shattered the stone floor beneath them, sending a tremor through the entire cavern. The two halves of the Helbrute collapsed to the ground, exploding in a final, quiet hiss of dark warp-energy. Silence fell over the vault chamber. The remaining Iron Warriors, witnessing the absolute, monstrous strength of the lone Salamander, retreated into the dark tunnels, abandoned by their courage. Lucian slowly dragged himself to his feet, staring at the steaming, halved carcass of the Helbrute, and then at Rak'Shua, who was quietly wiping the dark ichor off The Anvil's Tongue before magnetically locking it back to his shoulders. The Genesis Sergeant walked over to the brass cylinder containing the STC, picked it up, and looked at the Salamander. For the first time, there was no arrogance in his eyes. Only absolute, reverent awe. "I... I have never seen such strength," Lucian whispered, his voice trembling slightly. "The Emperor truly has touched you, cousin. I apologize for my words. Without you, we would be dust." "We are brothers in His service, Lucian," Rak’Shua said quietly, his voice carrying the calm, humble dignity of his chapter. "Let us secure the ship. We have a war to finish." Within weeks, the tale of the "Giant-Slayer of Aurelius Minor" spread across the task force. The Marines of the Genesis Chapter no longer mocked the quiet Salamander or his oversized blade. Whenever Rak’Shua walked through the halls of the Imperial cruisers, the soldiers parted in silent respect, knowing that beneath his quiet, unassuming frame lay the raw, volcanic power of the anvil itself.Mon, 20 Jul 2026 21:49:57 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/album/18066-%CE%B4%CF%85%CE%BF%CE%BA%CE%B1%CE%B9%CE%B4%CE%B5%CE%BA%CE%B1%CE%B9-%CE%B8%CE%B5%CE%B9%CE%BA%CE%B1%CE%B9-%CE%BD%CE%B5%CE%B1%CE%BD%CE%B9%CE%BA%CE%B1/ΔΥΟΚΑΙΔΕΚΑΙ ΘΕΙΚΑΙ ΝΕΑΝΙΚΑ, also known as the Order of the Twelve Divine Maidens, is a Militant Order Minoris from the oceanic world of Kalastria, located on the Pydna Subsector, near the edge of the galaxy. It was formed by the surviving members of a conversion mission of the Order of the Argent Shroud, after nearly all Sisters were slain during the Tyranid invasion on Kalastria, an event known as “The Massacre of the Twelve”.Mon, 20 Jul 2026 19:02:42 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342684-sister-superior/Mon, 20 Jul 2026 19:02:42 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342683-palatine-4/Mon, 20 Jul 2026 15:07:31 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342682-palatine-3/Mon, 20 Jul 2026 15:07:12 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342681-palatine-2/Mon, 20 Jul 2026 15:06:54 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342680-palatine-1/Mon, 20 Jul 2026 15:06:41 +0000He's bigger, greener and richer than you. He's also in Total War.Mon, 20 Jul 2026 15:01:06 +0000How do demons evolve? Let's say new entity was born form some emotional burst and join other little fella of it's kind. But what next? I mean they roaming warp and feed on emotions we produce. But how lil sensation embodiment became bloodletter? Or nurgling?Mon, 20 Jul 2026 14:48:52 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/blogs/entry/1787-the-imperial-governor-and-imperial-citizens-part-2/Well I am still writing the mission and discussing with @The_Oni_of_Hindsight we decided that the Imperial Side (Rescue Team) will get 3 twin Heavy Bolter Tarantulas and a twin lascannon tarantula that will have BS 5+, No movement, T 9, SV 3+, W 10, LD 7+, OC-, Tarantulas are automatic disabled in melee. Heavy Bolter Tarantulas can only engage targets they can they hurt on 4+ or better. Twin Lascannon Tarantula and only engage monsters and vehicles. I did prime the Governor and Imperial Citizens. Army Painter Matt Black Primer Army Painter Matt White ZenithalMon, 20 Jul 2026 14:34:16 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/blogs/entry/1786-the-red-hunters-part-5/"Non permittant vivere impuritus." Well it was a busy weekend for modelling....Did not get done as much as I would like, family life and all. The more I use Army Painter the happier I am for making the switch. The Army Painter Warpaints Fanatic line with the color sets (6-7 colors if it has a Blanche version) that gives you your next highlight is great. Especially if your paint rack is organized. Now the Warpaints Air line uses the Triad system. My favorite part is the the Air and Fanatic line do not use the same 3 colors. As an example. The hair on my Captain was painted using Matt Black, Deep Grey, and uniform grey. His cloak was painted using Matt Black, and then Warpaints Air Raven Black, and Crow Hue. Plus The John Blanche Grim Dark Shadow is amazing. So the main project for this weekend was getting the highlights, decals, and washes done to finish my captain. 3rd Company Captain Razak of the Red Hunters Chapter. The Inquisition logos and Skull decals are from Impatient Tabletop. The scrolls, checkerboards, Company number, and other knee icon all GW decals. I need to get more decals from Impatient Tabletop, as my Chapter decals are 2 decals layered and not the actual decals the "Inquisition Skull" they offer. Leg scroll says "Razak" and Shield Scroll "Faith" and "Honor". I really happy with how he came out. Other projects that were worked on. Assault Intercessors (one built) basing on 500 pts (3 models done) Basecoated models (Scenario Models and Librarian) Librarian Zarghul Army Painter paints used: Warpaints Air Matt Black Primer Warpaints Air Matt White Primer Zenithal Warpaints Air Omega Blue base Warpaints Air Ultramarine Blue Mid Warpaints Air Consul Blue highlight Warpaints Wash Blue Tone.Mon, 20 Jul 2026 13:57:43 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/blogs/entry/1785-armageddon-box-update-2-%E2%80%93-summer-slowdown-and-a-first-1000-points/So, I'm slowly getting the Eradicators painted. Work and personal life have been busy, and with the six-week summer holidays just starting, I don't think that's going to improve any time soon. I'm hoping to get a couple of hours of hobby time in each week, but we'll have to see. As usual, though, I got a bit sidetracked and started painting another model. I really need to focus on getting the Eradicators finished first. The aim of this project was to get everything from the launch box painted and then expand the force to 1,000 points so I can start getting some games in. I haven't properly played 40K since late 7th Edition. I managed a few games in 8th, but I didn't play any in 9th or 10th, so I'm a bit rusty when it comes to list building. With the new Codex not too far away, I'm going to hold off buying any new models for the time being. With that in mind, here's a rough 1,000-point list using the Space Marine half of the launch box, plus a few models I already own. I've put it together in the 40K app, but because I don't have the Codex code, most of the rules are locked. I still need to sit down and work out which squads the characters should be attached to. Space Marines (Ultramarines) Reclamation Force Take and Hold Captain Heavy bolt pistol Master-crafted power weapon Relic shield Librarian Bolt pistol Force weapon Smite Chaplain with Jump Pack Bolt pistol Crozius Arcanum Ancient Bolt pistol Bolt rifle Close combat weapon Intercessor Squad (5) Sergeant with power fist Astartes grenade launcher Intercessor Squad (5) Sergeant with chainsword Astartes grenade launcher Assault Intercessors with Jump Packs Sergeant with power fist Astartes chainsword Heavy bolt pistol Ballistus Dreadnought Ballistus lascannon Ballistus missile launcher Bladeguard Veterans Heavy bolt pistols Master-crafted power weapons Eradicators Heavy bolters Land Speeder Multi-melta Onslaught gatling cannon Stormfury missile launcher Vanguard Veterans with Jump Packs Bolt pistols Vanguard Veteran weapons I'm pretty sure this isn't a great list. It feels like it could do with a bit more anti-tank, but any suggestions or advice on changes would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for readingMon, 20 Jul 2026 13:21:37 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/album/17949-12-months-of-hobby-2026/Mon, 20 Jul 2026 12:02:48 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342679-july-vow-1jpg/Mon, 20 Jul 2026 12:02:48 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342678-july-vow-2jpg/Mon, 20 Jul 2026 12:02:28 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342677-july-vow-3jpg/Mon, 20 Jul 2026 12:02:17 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342676-july-vow-4jpg/Mon, 20 Jul 2026 12:01:55 +0000Hey guys, trying to actually start playing again after missing a few editions. Back in the day you could model a character to be a counts as for your chapter as long as the gear matched. Is this still a thing? I mean at sanctioned events not on my local table for funsies. For example if you want to run say uriel ventris you just have to buy the model and paint it blue instead of a generic captain with sword. Thanks.Mon, 20 Jul 2026 02:04:54 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342675-img_7427jpeg/Sun, 19 Jul 2026 22:34:56 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/album/17325-inquistion/Imperial AgentsSun, 19 Jul 2026 22:34:56 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342674-img_7428jpeg/Sun, 19 Jul 2026 22:34:07 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342673-img_7429jpeg/Sun, 19 Jul 2026 22:34:03 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342672-img_7422jpeg/Sun, 19 Jul 2026 19:42:00 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342671-img_7423jpeg/Sun, 19 Jul 2026 19:41:58 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342670-img_7424jpeg/Sun, 19 Jul 2026 19:41:56 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342669-img_7425jpeg/Sun, 19 Jul 2026 19:41:54 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342668-img_7426jpeg/Sun, 19 Jul 2026 19:41:51 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/blogs/entry/1784-venerable-end/So, that yellow guy is done. It's great model, though I don't wanna paint anything big for some time. Finished glow and put remaining metal all around.Sun, 19 Jul 2026 18:45:06 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342667-20260719_212638-collagejpg/Sun, 19 Jul 2026 18:35:12 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/album/18065-kabaakabas-imperial-fists-4th-company-wip/Sun, 19 Jul 2026 18:35:12 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342666-20260719_212900-collagejpg/Sun, 19 Jul 2026 18:35:09 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/blogs/entry/1783-vow-number-one-completed/Having started the painting vow before 11th edition dropped I wanted to create some of the old Space Marine Combat Patrols using a handful of models. I have now completed that vow and will move on to the next, which will add models that will make up the new Assault Force and Blood Angels patrols. After that I will consider adding my unbuilt Impulsor and Dreadnought. When painting the Dreadnought I’m unsure as to wether I should paint it like a large Space Marine (i.e. in the same livery) or treat it like a vehicle with the dazzle camoflauge?Sun, 19 Jul 2026 09:26:31 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/album/11196-scenery/Scenery and terrainSun, 19 Jul 2026 09:24:51 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342665-received_27653721230960023jpeg/Sun, 19 Jul 2026 09:24:51 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342664-img_20260719_110759jpg/Sun, 19 Jul 2026 08:10:54 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342663-img_20260719_110750jpg/Sun, 19 Jul 2026 08:10:52 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342662-img_20260719_110741jpg/Sun, 19 Jul 2026 08:10:49 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/blogs/entry/1782-hive-fleet-asmodeus-part-2-biological-warfare/Hey fellow future biomass, Hive Fleet Asmodeus is back again with the mid sized bugs. First we have the Barbguants. I like the idea of the barbguants, a lighter version of the biovores and a cool debuff that was all the rage when they first came out. They usually are points filler unit now, usually acts as screen for maleceptors. Which probably not the best use for them. Now we have the brain bugs, aka the Zoanthropes. One of the first kits i got for my tyranids, although those guys were metal and came in blister packs of 1. These fellows are from the current kit of course. I usually like to put these guys in reserve. Have them pounce on a target on the flanks. Keeping with the brain bugs, we have Neurolictor. Love these guys! I have yet to try out the ambush predators detachment, but you can give lictors a reactive move which makes them annoying to deal with. I do have a 2nd, but hes still in the unpainted pile. Lastly, we have deathleaper, the king of lictors. I like to call him Cthulhu Batman. It will be interesting to see how 11th edition treats him. Hes a decent marine killer and the battle shock aura ability and with the changes to battle shock maybe there some good use for him. Right now, he just seem a another points filler. That's it for today. Next up will be the bigger bugs.Sat, 18 Jul 2026 20:32:17 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342661-img_20260718_214143jpg/Sat, 18 Jul 2026 19:02:04 +0000So, I’m building the Land Speeder and I notice the crew don’t wear pauldrons. So do they wear badges? I’ve seen videos with both…what do you guys think?Sat, 18 Jul 2026 17:30:19 +0000Hi there! Im getting back into the hobby after being away for quite a few years and Im really intrigued with the Black Shields - both from a lore perspective, modeling possebilities and rules/play style. Most threads on the Black Shields though seem to revolve around alone and forgotten/blade of the just and not so much any of the other oaths. Is there anyone here who have experience playing with/against them and can offer a bit of advice for a newcomer?:) So far a have three concepts for lists that I really could help flesh out and choose between before I start collecting. The three list ideas are: 1 Space pirates (spoils of victory and eternal vendetta) # ++ Crusade Primary Detachment ++ [1125 Point(s)] ## High Command [165 Point(s)] Endryd Haar Command [330 Point(s)] Herald [110 Point(s)]: Power fist Herald [110 Point(s)]: Power fist Herald [110 Point(s)]: Power fist ## Troops [630 Point(s)] Despoiler Squad [210 Point(s)]: • 1x Sergeant with Pair of lightning claws, Melta bombs • 1x Vexilla • 3x Power weapons Despoiler Squad [210 Point(s)]: • 1x Sergeant with Pair of lightning claws, Melta bombs • 1x Vexilla • 3x Power weapons Despoiler Squad [210 Point(s)]: • 1x Sergeant with Pair of lightning claws, Melta bombs • 1x Vexilla • 3x Power weapons Despoiler Squad [210 Point(s)]: • 1x Sergeant with Pair of lightning claws, Melta bombs • 1x Vexilla • 3x Power weapons # ++ Auxiliary - Tactical Support ++ [670 Point(s), 1 Auxiliary Detachment(s)] Despoiler Squad [210 Point(s)]: • 1x Sergeant with Pair of lightning claws, Melta bombs • 1x Vexilla • 3x Power weapons ## Support [250 Point(s)] Rapier Battery [120 Point(s)]: 2x Graviton cannons Rapier Battery [130 Point(s)]: 2x Laser destroyers # ++ Auxiliary - Tactical Support ++ [260 Point(s), 1 Auxiliary Detachment(s)] ## Support [260 Point(s)] Rapier Battery [130 Point(s)]: 2x Laser destroyers Rapier Battery [130 Point(s)]: 2x Laser destroyers # ++ Auxiliary - Armoured Support ++ [680 Point(s), 1 Auxiliary Detachment(s)] ## Armour [680 Point(s)] Predator [150 Point(s)]: Heavy conversion beam cannon, 2x Sponson Mounted lascannon Predator [150 Point(s)]: Heavy conversion beam cannon, 2x Sponson Mounted lascannon Sicaran [220 Point(s)]: Arcus missile launcher, 2x Sponson Mounted lascannon Vindicator Siege Tank [160 Point(s)]: Magna laser destroyer # ++ Apex - Officer Cadre ++ [220 Point(s), 1 Apex Detachment(s)] ## Command [220 Point(s)] Herald [110 Point(s)]: Power fist Herald [110 Point(s)]: Power fist Pretty straight forward idea, trying gain points by winning combats… 2 Robomarines (the flesh is weak and reapers of lives) ++ Crusade Primary Detachment ++ [600 Point(s)] ## High Command [140 Point(s)] Praetor [140 Point(s)]: Pair of lightning claws ## Command [160 Point(s)] 2x Centurion ## Transport [300 Point(s)] 2x Rhinos 2x Termites # ++ Auxiliary - Tactical Support ++ [360 Point(s), 1 Auxiliary Detachment(s)] ## Support [360 Point(s)] Tactical Support Squad [180 Point(s)]: Plasma guns Tactical Support Squad [180 Point(s)]: Plasma guns # ++ Auxiliary - Tactical Support ++ [430 Point(s), 1 Auxiliary Detachment(s)] ## Support [430 Point(s)] Heavy Support Squad [200 Point(s)]: Heavy flamers Tactical Support Squad [230 Point(s)]: Meltaguns # ++ Auxiliary - Tactical Support ++ [520 Point(s), 1 Auxiliary Detachment(s)] ## Support [520 Point(s)] 4x Rapier Battery [260 Point(s)] Laser destroyer 4x Rapier Battery [260 Point(s)] Laser destroyer # ++ Auxiliary - Tactical Support ++ [480 Point(s), 1 Auxiliary Detachment(s)] ## Support [480 Point(s)] 4x Rapier Battery [240] Point(s)] Graviton cannon 4x Rapier Battery [240] Point(s)] Quad Launcher The idea would be to both be able score points of objectives with flesh is weak as well as by killing enemy units. The army would also have an allied detachment of mechanicum that would buff the marines with cyberthurgy. 3 Space wizards (Legacy of Nikaea and Pride is our Armour) Endryd Haar [165 Point(s)] ## Command [230 Point(s)] Librarian [115 Point(s) Biomancy, Telepathy Librarian [115 Point(s) Biomancy, Telepathy ## Elites [1360 Point(s)] 4x Veteran Breacher Squad [340 Point(s)]: Pride is our Armour, Frag grenades, Krak grenades • 1x Veteran Breacher Sergeant with Thunder hammer • 1x Breacher Veteran Astartes shotgun, Vexilla • 4x Breacher Veteran [32 Point(s)]: Lascutters • 4x Breacher Veteran [32 Point(s)]: Power weapons # ++ Auxiliary - Tactical Support ++ [490 Point(s), 1 Auxiliary Detachment(s)] 2x Rapier Battery [130 Point(s)] Laser destroyer 2x Rapier Battery [130 Point(s)] Laser destroyer ## Elites [230 Point(s)] 5 Veteran Tactical Squad [110Point(s)]: Combi-bolters 5 Veteran Tactical Squad [110Point(s)]: Combi-bolters # ++ Auxiliary - Tactical Support ++ [490 Point(s), 1 Auxiliary Detachment(s)] 2x Rapier Battery [130 Point(s)] Laser destroyer 2x Rapier Battery [130 Point(s)] Laser destroyer ## Elites [230 Point(s)] 5 Veteran Tactical Squad [110Point(s)]: Combi-bolters 5 Veteran Tactical Squad [110Point(s)]: Combi-bolters The 3 lists arent done and Im not at all dead set on the equiptment or anything. But before I start buying, building and converting it would be cool to hear any advice/surgestions regarding if any of the lists work and not in a competetive way, but more if the oaths support the units and if it Will be fun to play with/against Any surgestions are appreciated, cheers!Sat, 18 Jul 2026 15:48:04 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342660-img_20260718_134709jpg/Sat, 18 Jul 2026 13:34:56 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342659-img_20260718_134734jpg/Sat, 18 Jul 2026 13:34:54 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342658-img_20260718_133107jpg/Sat, 18 Jul 2026 13:34:51 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342657-img_20260718_133101jpg/Sat, 18 Jul 2026 13:34:49 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342656-img_20260718_132949jpg/Sat, 18 Jul 2026 13:34:46 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342655-img_20260718_132937jpg/Sat, 18 Jul 2026 13:34:43 +0000We used to see them everywhere in 9th, but now I barely do at all! Was the change to the inferno bolt gun with the additional ap so good that the flamer is irrelevant now? What do you take?Sat, 18 Jul 2026 09:58:42 +0000Hi all, I'm looking at adding to my very small 30k Thousand Sons force, but want to build units that will be usable in both systems, with appropriate load outs (effectively building a new 40k TS army!). I'm looking for inspiration on a range of things that could be used in both systems, either single models, or unit load outs - if you have any ideas, please share! Heresy/40k 5 veterans with rotor cannon = 5 rubrics with soulreaper Flamer support squad = rubrics with warpflamers Scarab occult = direct use as Sekhmet Sorcerers on disk = jetbikes? Predator, rhino, land raiders = use as-is. Hellbrute = castraferrum dread - would anyone object to a contemptor being used as a hellbrute? Characters = their 30k equivalent Tzaangor enlightened = ruinstorm Daemon harriers/cavalry?Sat, 18 Jul 2026 09:55:43 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/blogs/entry/1781-jobs-a-midun/I was thinking a month ago that I haven't painted a proper sized Knight in over a year and got a hankering to try out one of the new Destriers because they have some pretty useful abilities for 11th ed (Ignores Cover + Towering, good movement, etc...). So I got one and have now built it up, including keeping the hatch on top open. Normally I wouldn't, but my FLGS is doing a painting competition at the end of the month and one the two categories is Big Guy: a model with a base of 50mm or larger. In general I'm not really good at painting comps, my style is definitely more suited for speed painting challenges as that is how I tend to paint, but since this lad will be for a comp I decided to challenge myself and actually paint the Scion inside. This is also sort of a speed challenge, as I have to paint the Destrier and my current in-progress work (Azrael, Belial count-as, 12 ICC) by the 28th because I think I might use Azrael and 3 of the ICC for the second category of Leader and Followers (minimum 3 followers for a 4 model minimum unit). We'll see, I might use some of the Sanctifiers I've painted recently instead. Anyway, that's all for the actual modeling/painting I have going on, but I have decided to get some Ironhead Squats to use as Cthonian Beserks for my Gnostari Dominion Ironkin army. They'll probably be ordered next month, as right now the old hobby desk is pretty full with my current 40k projects and all of the Battletech stuff I have. Alright, thanks for looking! Oh, the blog name is a play on the CtA event's additional vow name, Job's a Big'Un- the Destrier isn't quite big enough to make it to a Big'Un for points, 7 versus the required 10, but I still gladly vowed it as my final Imperium pledge.Sat, 18 Jul 2026 00:22:29 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/blogs/entry/1780-venerable-ivv-steel/Right arm is glued on it's place. Finished ammo box and added some metals on leg. After the horror of barrels other parts are going smooth. Im add metals in different styles gloss, matt, damaged, dark, light. Tbh it would be faster just make him with one approach, but this "project " is more like training model. Next would be painted parts like barely above ammo box and I'll switch to power fist which I don't know how to paint i. Worn and torn metal on fingers and armor II. Worn armor and dark metal fingers with lightnings III. Chrome Any suggestions?Fri, 17 Jul 2026 20:08:40 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342654-img_20260717_213430jpg/Fri, 17 Jul 2026 19:56:27 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342653-img_20260717_213423jpg/Fri, 17 Jul 2026 19:50:11 +0000Yesterday, I played my first game of 11th using a mixed T unit (you can see my comments on the game here - it was the first game with my "technically, its a knights army" list). Anyway, as part of that list I played a Traitor Enforcer, which is a unit composed of a human commissar type + his ogrynn bodyguard - so, it's a character unit composed of 1 character with T 3 (and a 5++) and 1 non character with T 6 (and no inv). While its a leader unit, I didn't attach it to another unit. Where are the rules for mixed stat units? I couldn't find them - are they not there, or are they just hiding? Anyway, I played the unit as T 6 until the ogrynn died, on the thinking that if you didn't use the highest value things like mixed leadership units also didn't work. As well, if attached, does the same apply to the bodyguard unit as a whole - I would assume not, but that's just because that was the rule last edition. The ogrynn also has the rule that character models in the unit (so, the enforcer) have a 4++ FNP while the ogrynn is still alive. Does this rule ever apply in 11th outside of precision? Given that the enforcer ihas the CHARACTER keyword and the ogrynn doesn't, outside of precision I can't see any circumstance where wounds would go on the enforcer before the ogrynn is dead as even mortal wounds have to go on the non-character(s) first.Fri, 17 Jul 2026 17:25:40 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/blogs/entry/1779-red-hunters-3rd-company-armory/Non permittant vivere impuritus." “Suffer Not the Unclean to live.” The Red Hunters Chapter is constantly at war, on missions, and serving as bodyguards for Inquisitors. As such, resupply is sometimes infrequent, with their Chapter homeworld, Montsegnur, being on the edge of the Segmentum Tempestus near the Ultima Segmentum. As the Red Hunter's forces needs to be become combat ineffective, they will return to Monesegnur When resupply is required for armor the Red Hunters have many Forgeworlds to call upon spread through the galaxy. One Such Forgeworld is Ikarus. Originally my Red Hunters had no armor, besides the Land Speeder. Then I added the Impulsor and Gladiator. And now I may add another few kits. So lets look at the srmor I am adding or thinking about adding and the paint scheme I am going with. Land Speeders: 2 x Land Speeders from Armageddon Storm Speeder Hammerstrike Impulsors: 2 x Impulsors (Ikarus Forgeworld "Closed" IMP tank Pattern) Gladiators: Gladiator "Lancer" (Ikarus Forgeworld "Jouster" Spartacus Tank Pattern) Gladiator Valiant (Ikarus Forgeworld "Brave" Spartacus Tank Pattern) Dreadnoughts: Redemptor Dreadnought (Ikarus Forgeworld Pattern Redemptor with Ballistus Weapon options) Repulsor Executioner: Repulsor Executioner (Ikarus Forgeworld Exterminator Tank Pattern) Repulsor Executioner and Gladiator Valiant are maybes. The Redemptor Dreadnought was going to my Grey Knights Army and I now I feel like it should be in my Red Hunters.Fri, 17 Jul 2026 15:34:48 +0000picture used without permission, apologies if this breaks any rules. Link provided instead - scroll to One Model In Area Terrain - https://www.tabletopbattles.com/40k-ruleshammer-11th-edition-article-updates-01 FORGET THE TEXT ON THIS PICTURE, ONLY THE PLACEMENT OF THE GUARDSMEN AND TAU ARE RELEVANT! Is there a shooting scenario whereby the Tau player can remove the model at the front and therefore make the rest of the unit invisible during the same unit's shooting attack? For example, the 4 guardsmen have 3 Lasguns and Melta Gun. The Guard player chooses the Melta Gun first. Hits, wounds, the Tau player creates his saving groups, the shot cannot be saved, the Tau at the front is killed. Do the remaining Lasguns get to fire? Would the answer change if one of the Tau was a Character? My initial thought is that the remaining Guardsmen still get to shoot because the unit as a whole was chosen to fire at the enemy unit as a whole, but the order of events clearly states to select weapon, then select targets (which must be visible).Fri, 17 Jul 2026 14:36:36 +0000I'll caveat this by saying I didn't play a single game of 10th and can't yet had an 11th game until mid August. Enhancements/Upgrades are free but limited to one per army initially. Each time a player wins a game they can choose another Enhancement, to a maximum of 4. At the start of the game, if one player has won more games than their opponent, the opponent gets the difference in CP per turn. e.g, I show up having won 3 games whilst my opponent has won 5, I'll get +2CP each turn. Would this help prevent snowballing whilst still rewarding the winner?Fri, 17 Jul 2026 14:15:27 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/blogs/entry/1778-venerable-iiiv-heat/That was easy. I've expected it would turns some horrible brush fencing on tips of barrels but it's turns pretty easy. I coat it black. Once it dries put few glazes of deep magenta. And wait again. Put some white highlights here and there and add few glazes of night blue. And another glaze of magenta on top and sides. For reference I uses my stove pipe (:Fri, 17 Jul 2026 08:04:21 +0000Fri, 17 Jul 2026 07:55:37 +0000, Good Afternoon All Reached out to admin to ask where to put it, alas no reply, so mods/admins if it needs to move, please shimmy it! Have just put together a small trial of a Mordhiem to 40k conversion. This started mainly as a thing for myself and some mates to play some small scale 40k campaign based skirmish without sort of learning a new 'core' system. Shadow Wars was just going to be too much (as well as a bit off the mark, Terminators and Grey Knight kill teams certainly increase the 'scale' of the game). We forayed into N17, but not only did that not have the 'death by bottle in back alley' vibe that Mordheim has (hell N17 feels like elite kill teams/navy seals going in to wreck each others face!), Necromunda's are very human-centric and just...vast. N95 was fine, but again different enough that it would be another game system burning out our collective old man brains. Thus Mord Hive. I figured that it may be of some interest to people here as obviously we all love Mordheim. I love the ability to create a small, weird warband that may be a bit off kilter and never evolve into a true army due to the work (Looking at you lizardmen) invovled, but allows a bit of fun or to try something new. As above Necromunda doesn't really do that as it is all/90% humans and is a bit more complicated. So hopefully this can give some gaming groups wanting that 'small 40k but mordheim' feels! This was very much an attempt to keep the Mordheim/OldHammer feels, with the GW turn of the century art and fluff styles (less is more etc). I've created a few trial factions, based heavily off of existing Mordheim Factions (Imperial Guard, Orks, Pox Cult, Ordo Hereticus Retainers and a single Forsaken Astartes (Just added Cult of the Four Armed Emperor), this in its nascent form is meant to just use the core Mordheim rulebook, skill sheets and missions. It has new (mainly renamed) equipment, with new weapons that will no doubt require a heap of balance massaging! Feel free to have a squiz and if you see anything that needs fixing, please yell out, this is very early in its life, but I've at the very least had a lot of fun putting it together and it never hurts getting some fresh sets of eyes on it! Mord Hive: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1rSFnIEstQpbZh11AdRdanLLqK31RwCsF?usp=sharing Feedback: https://forms.gle/voZxiSghBGDbFAB79Fri, 17 Jul 2026 05:50:21 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/blogs/entry/1777-venerable-iiv-chrome/...over and over again expecting... paintjob to change... Ok, Insanity is working just fine. Got result. Barrels looks nice. Now it's need a lot of fixes, secondary reflections like Dread's hull or base elements. It's great experience and challenge. Would be glad for criticism and feedback.Thu, 16 Jul 2026 19:14:45 +0000I'd rather just have extra types of modifiers with no limit to stacking, but this only works if GW moves to the D12, which they never will because legacy crap.Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:16:27 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/blogs/entry/1776-the-red-hunters-part-4/"Non permittant vivere impuritus." More work done on Captain Razak. ready for clear coat, decals and wash then it will be off to highlighting stages. Army Painter Fanatic Metallic Bright Gold Army Painter Fanatic Metallic Shining Silver Army Painter Fanatic Metallic True Brass for shell casings Army Painter Fanatic Grey Castle for scrolls, parchment and tilt shield Army Painter Fanatic Deep Grey on tilt Shield Army Painter Fanatic Dusty Skull on skulls and bones Army Painter Air Broodmother Purple My planned 500 pt list minus Captain Razak and the 5 Assault Intercessor I need to build. I was discussing my army with @The_Oni_of_Hindsight and how I have 3 Different Space Marine armies, last night. We both agreed that my Red Hunters need armor support and transports for some of the units as they are the balanced force. I have a Gladiator Lancer and 2 Impulsors, I was planning on using for my Exorcists. Also during the course of the discussion, we started talking about Ikarus Pattern and his awesome upgrades. One of our favorite things about his models is how they feel like realistic interpretations/ changes to the modern Space Marine kits and how they feel like am old Forgeworld Conversion kits. My Favorite kits are Generic "Jouster" SPARTACUS Tank Ikarus Pattern Conversion Kit and Generic "Closed" IMP Tank Ikarus Pattern Conversion Kit Tracked armor does not feel right in an all Phobos army. But it does feel right in an Inquisitor aligned force. So I ordered 2 of the Closed IMP and Jouster kit.Thu, 16 Jul 2026 14:13:40 +0000So I'm basing this theory entirely on rumor, so this is obvious wrong, but fun to think about. The rumors/evidence: 1) The final book in the Eisenhorn/Ravenor/Bequin series is written and on hold to coincide with the major announcement 2) We have the revelation already as to who the King in Yellow actually is. 3) Before the emperor's confrontation with Horus he was working of a way to tap into the Webway and bypass the Imperium 4) There are hints that the body on the throne isn't the Emperor 5) Henry Cavil's favorite army is Custodes So here is my theorycrafting of what we have coming up: A major sequel universe shift of about the scale of The Horus Heresy prequel where we find out that the City of Dust doesn't lead to the Warp, but instead is a gate to the Webway. What Bequin saw was the war secretly being fought by Valor, The Emperor and a new breed of Astartes that were created from Sanguinius' gene seed and fight along side Constantine for control of the Webway under the command of the Emperor. This way they release a series of new armies: a new Custodes army based on Sanguinius gene seed, a female Custodes army -see below, at least one new Eldar faction and.. the old ones) This also opens the door for where some of the MIA Primarchs went and a path to bring some back. Khan especially since he went MIA when he chased the Drukhari into the Webway, so it would be easy to reveal he joined the King in Yellow in the fight for the Webway. It might also explain the GW position on Female Custodes as they reveal that Bequin's gene seed is very unique and they used it to create a series of female Custodians who were also blanks. In the end I think my theory fits nicely with the overall plot of WH40K: The Emperor had great plans that fell apart and doomed humanity... again. Ah the Emperor, the cause and solution of all of our problems.Thu, 16 Jul 2026 11:32:32 +0000@Dr. Clock I thought I would move the discussion here… Re mounting parts on “Sprue Spiders” I’m having a devil of a job making the bits stick. I’m using Loctite super glue but it doesn’t want to set quickly so I have to hold each part steady for what seems like ages it’s become a right old faff. To anyone else…how do you mount your arms, pauldrons, etc for painting?…Thu, 16 Jul 2026 10:37:55 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/album/17880-ikkas-stuff/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 10:07:00 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/342652-wip-destrier-jpg/Thu, 16 Jul 2026 10:07:00 +0000https://bolterandchainsword.com/blogs/entry/1775-venerable-iv-gun/Did I ever tell you what the definition of insanity is? Insanity is doing the exact... same thing... over and over again expecting... Something to change... That. Is. Crazy Looks like I bite more than can chow. Heh, for some reason I had feeling I'm kind of artist and can do anything I can want. There is 4th attempt to paint cursed Gatling cannon. First 3 are just a mess. Im add base coat, it's all right. Add first layer and it's almost fine, add second and get all ribbed tube. And can't fix transition again and again. It's works just fine on larger details or smaller. But cannon of exact size where any wrong strokes are visible and small enough to make it's hard to paint. Again and again til I found the ray way to put stroke. Any way I hope(no hope in the dark future) I find proper approach and now slowly building metal.Thu, 16 Jul 2026 08:46:04 +0000