Sword Bearers and the Unforgiven (Updated 1/07/23: Angels Redeemed)

[Spaced Hulk]

Cheers brothers, glad you like 'em .

Two more members of the Command Squad:

Company Champion, armed with a power lance, boltgun & storm shield (counts as a normal vet)

Knight-Veteran, armed with power fist & tigrus pattern bolter

Just need to build one more model to complete the squad. Will either be an apothecary or a maybe a veteran armed with a two handed broadsword.

Have also primed another Tactical Squad. I'd actually intended to paint these for my fifth ETL vow, but didn't think I'd have time to complete them all before the deadline.

Tactical Unit Two Three (Second Squad, Third Company), the 'Vorpal Blades'

http://i1372.photobucket.com/albums/ag344/mat_at/ETL%20Vow%203/CIMG7367_zps902e804f.jpg

http://i1372.photobucket.com/albums/ag344/mat_at/ETL%20Vow%203/CIMG7365_zps05cd7014.jpg

Thanks for looking

[Brother Excedis]

Shweet.

[deathspectersgt7]

Looking Good Brother. 

[Dark Rage]

Awesome squads as always, your marine poses keep getting cooler really like that lancer with wrist mounted shield.

[Firepower]

Company Champion, armed with a power lance, boltgun & storm shield (counts as a normal vet)

Stolen.

:)

[Spaced Hulk]

Thanks brothers! Decided on an Apothecary to finish off the Command Squad:

And here's a group pic:

[deathspectersgt7]

Nice Job on the Sawbones Brother!! .Now where is the FLUFF!!? 

[Spaced Hulk]

Nice Job on the Sawbones Brother!! .Now where is the FLUFF!!?

Cheers brother! Fluff is in progress, but unfortunately progress is a bit slow . In my defence, I have been on holiday

On the other hand, Balian's strike squad is getting ready to renew their attack on the Necropolis:

My intention is that they'll be painted to coincide with the next instalment of the Pathfinder/Necropolis story

Have also taken some better pics of a couple of my ETL squads, which I'll post up over the next couple of days with a bit of background.

[deathspectersgt7]

I will let it slide this time . 

Edited August 25, 2014 by deathspectersgt7

[Spaced Hulk]

Cheers brother. Sending you a pm. Edited August 26, 2014 by spacedhulk

[Brother Excedis]

Looking good. You're making quick progress.

[Spaced Hulk]

Cheers brother! How are the Alteran Praetors coming along?

Another small update:

The Divided Brotherhood

As with so much of their early history, the origins of the Sword Bearer's Knightly Orders remains speculative at best, their creation shrouded by both the mists of time and the inherent secrecy that is so prevalent amongst the Unforgiven. All that can be stated with any certainty is that in addition to the standard template of squads and companies (as dictated by the revered Codex Astartes), the Chapter includes of a number of ancient warrior cults: martial brotherhoods whose individual members are linked by common ties of honour, loyalty and tradition. Many of these Orders, as they are known, exist purely at the squad level – small bands of Astartes who form a tightly knit group of warriors, often specialising in a particular form or mode of combat. At the other end of this spectrum are the infamous Penitent and Revenant Orders, large, insular cults with highly ritualised beliefs and tactical doctrines, which completely monopolize their respective Companies. Regardless of their size, each Order remains fiercely independent, adhering strictly to their own codes of conduct and tenets of war. Unsurprisingly, the rivalry between many of these factions is particularly bitter and antagonistic...

Extract taken from 'Idiosyncrasies of the Imperial Space Marine', by Inquisitor Christoph Noekel, 742997.M41

Squad Thraxus, Veterans of the Third Battle Company, Knights of the Order of Retribution

[deathspectersgt7]

Like these Brother, Great Job on the Robes.

[Brother Excedis]

Interesting bit of fluff. I like it.

 

The Alteran Praetors are coming along qiite slowly... real life has been very hectic recently.

[Spaced Hulk]

The next wave of Seditionist infantry surged from the catacombs, a living tide of degenerates frantically clambering over their fallen comrades. Like the sea of corpses that already littered the killing ground, these were the dregs of the rebel armies: cultists, mutants, abhumans. Lightly armed with primitive blades and scavenged firearms, the Irregulars displayed little of the cybernetic modification usually so common amongst Dominion forces. They were cannon fodder, and they had swarmed from the Undercity in their hundreds, attempting to drown the Imperial invaders through sheer weight of numbers.

As before, the five Knights strode purposefully forwards to meet the charge. Small arms fire raked across them – stubbers and autoguns mainly, with the occasional scarlet flash of a lasbeam. The torn robes and tabards that shrouded each massive figure were ripped and shredded even further, but the fusillade simply pattered harmlessly against the dense ceramite plate beneath. As before, the five Sword Bearers ignored the impacts, not even bothering to return fire, although their pace noticeably quickened as they closed the distance with the enemy.

Then the two lines met, and the killing began. For the rebels, each one a Seditionist and traitor to the Imperium of Man, there could be no mercy or respite.

Retribution had arrived, delivered on the edges of shining blades.

***

They fought in a loose circle, as they had been taught. Each Knight guarding the flank of the warrior to his left. It was a simple, elegant system, designed to minimise casualties without negating combat efficiency. Collectively as a Chapter, the Sword Bearers had long realised their tendency to neglect self defence in their desire for vengeance and glory. The Knightly Orders attempted to temper this proclivity, by honouring those who protected their brothers.

Arno Thraxas, Knight Sergeant of the Third and Champion of his Order, slammed his storm shield into another screaming, blood daubed cultist. The blow silenced the rebel instantly, shattering his ribcage and breaking his spine, the force of the impact sending the corpse flying backwards into the mob. Taking advantage of the extra space, Thraxas swung his great sword in wide arc, cleaving another four rebels apart at the waist even as they rushed towards him. Blood fountained from the bisected bodies, adding to the pool of dark crimson that already covered the hall's ancient flagstones.

Bayard, the Order's Remembrancer, was fighting to the Sergeant's left, a gleaming, power edged broad sword in one hand, a traditional Mire combat blade in the other. Each weapon was a blur of movement, as the warrior efficiently butchered every Dominion fighter within reach. Gore coated every inch of the Knight's usually pristine armour, including the artificer etched pauldron on his right shoulder which marked his position within the squad. As Remembrancer, it was his duty to record the battle honours of every member of their Order, the greatest of which would be added to the shoulder plate, to be carried into combat for all to see. Should Bayard leave them, either through death or by advancement into the upper hierarchy of the Chapter, the pauldron would be passed on to another member of the squad, continuing the tradition that had endured since the founding of their Order.

A cultist, his features hidden by a crude respirator mask and with a heavy calibre autopistol lashed to each arm, slipped unseen behind the Remembrancer, aiming both brutal, Orkish-looking weapons at the Knight's power pack. Before he could fire, Thraxas lunged out with his great sword, skewering the rebel through the chest, then used the blade to sling the convulsing body back into the mob. Glancing behind him, Bayard gave a quick nod of appreciation before continuing the slaughter.

To the Sergeant's right he could see Tomas, the oldest and most long standing member of the squad. Tomas, who had been the backbone of the Order since before Thraxas himself had joined their ranks, and who steadfastly refused promotion or advancement to this very day. In the chaotic confines of the melee, the venerable warrior had eschewed his power lance for the moment, leaving it embedded in the torso of a rebel at his feet. Instead he fought with his other favoured weapons: a long, mono-molecular stabbing dirk and an drum fed, wrist mounted bolt pistol. A mutant: a lithe, skeletal creature with long, multi-jointed arms and gaping, fang lined jaws; somehow managed to avoid the stream of bolt fire to launch itself at the Space Marine. Snarling through his vox grill, Tomas lashed out with a vicious head butt, crushing the vile creature's skull and leaving his Dominus pattern warhelm streaked with blood and shards of bone.

Behind them, Eremial – the youngest and most recent initiate to the Order – was duelling with a hulking Necropean Guard. The squad had encountered several of the Dominion Enforcers in the catacombs, the gene-forged brutes seemingly leading the motley rebel forces arrayed against them. Eremial's great sword, the twin of the Sergeant's own blade, clashed against the massive, two handed power maul being wielded by the Necropean, the energy fields of the two weapons colliding in a display of coruscating sparks. Despite the Enforcer's steroid enhanced strength, the Knight easily parried a flurry of immense, bone crushing attacks, then struck back with a speed and skill far beyond his opponent, decapitating the enemy warrior with a single strike.

Beroldus, the final member of the squad, fought between Eremial and Bayard, completing the circle. Wielding a deadly, broad bladed power lance in both hands, the Knight was keeping a large beastman pack at bay, eviscerating any of the ferocious abhumans that ventured too come. Clad in an ornate suit of hybrid Maximus-Aquila armour, Beroldus's personal heraldry marked him out as the current Grail Keeper, protector of their Order's most treasured relic. Before every battle, each Knight drank from the Cup of Retribution, an ancient chalice filled with water from the Chapter's rain sodden homeworld of Mire. According to legend, the grail itself originated from the earliest days of the First Legion, and by drinking from it the Order formed part of a great, timeless circle, linking themselves to the warriors of old.

Without warning the beastmen charged en mass, attempting to overwhelm the Knight. Beroldus thrust the power lance forward, spearing through three of the foul creatures at once. Letting go of the ensnared weapon, the Grail Keeper drew a pair of Umbra pattern bolt pistols from the holsters at his waist and methodically opened fire.

***

As expected, the battle was brief and one sided. Ignoring the carnage they had created, each Knight quickly checked their weapons and armour before they continued their advance.

There were far more deadly threats waiting for them in the depths of the Necropolis.

Edited August 30, 2014 by spacedhulk

[deathspectersgt7]

Great Fluff for a Great looking Squad.

[Spaced Hulk]

The Restructuring

There are legends which speak of a great schism within the ranks of the Sword Bearers shortly after their founding, between the newly emerging Order of Revenants and those who closely followed the knightly traditions of the First Legion. With their tactics, philosophy and codes of honour so diametrically opposed, the animosity between the two factions festered and grew, until it was perhaps inevitable that dispute would become conflict. It is unknown who struck the first blow, Knight or Revenant, but as the matter escalated and each side prepared for battle, civil war between the brothers of Mire seemed unavoidable.

It was Mathias, the First Supreme Grand Master of the Sword Bearers who calmed the storm, restructuring the Chapter into the form it still retains to this day. The Revenants, he decreed, would be restricted to just a single Company, the Second, which was where the bulk of their Order had originated. However, in exchange for this confinement, they would be granted a large and exhaustive arsenal, including the majority of the Chapter's supplies of jump packs, assault bikes and land speeders, wargear which complimented their Order's preferred tactics and combat doctrine. In addition, they would be allowed to recruit their own Initiates from the warring highland tribes of Mire, and would also receive their own, dedicated fleet of strike cruisers. These privileges, Mathias believed, would allow the Revenants to operate independently, reducing the friction with the rest of the Chapter and eliminating the antagonism that had almost led them all into civil war.

However, at the time of the Restructuring, not every Space Marine of the Second Company – at that time known as the Raven Knights – was a member of the Revenant Order. Despite their protests, these unaffiliated warriors were disbanded and transferred throughout the Chapter, allowing the Second to dedicate itself solely to it's new creed. And so the Raven Knights became the Celerem Mortem, whilst those who had been displaced began, over time, to refer to themselves as the Exiles.

The so-called Foot Knights are the descendants of those displaced members of Second Company. With almost all bikes and land speeder mounts retained by the skull-helmed Revenant warriors, the majority of Exiles became infantry squads, often specialising in particular weapons and styles of combat. Although their founders are long since deceased, each unit became an Order in their own right, developing their own traditions and history, proudly remembering both their origins and the perceived injustice of the Exiles. To this day, each member of a Foot Knight Order wears black within their personal heraldry, as a symbol and tribute to the original Raven Knight Company. Enmity against the Revenants has also proven to be fierce and relentless, although in truth this sentiment differs little amongst the Sword Bearers as a whole. Whilst the Restructuring was perhaps a necessary step to prevent civil war, it has ultimately done little to heal the divide within the Chapter.

Since the closing years of the 39^th Millennium, only two Orders of Foot Knights have remained active: Hyperion of the Eighth Company and Corvus of the Fourth. Over time, all the other units descending from the Exiles have gradually disappeared, either through insurmountable battle losses (of which the Sword Bearers are notoriously prone) or through the general decline of the knightly traditions which have effected the Chapter as a whole.

Hyperion Foot Knights

Squad Hyperion, named after the original Captain of the Raven Knights, have traditionally formed a bodyguard for the Master of the Eighth Company. As the highest ranking member of the Exiles, Captain Hyperion was awarded leadership of the Eighth following the Restructuring, and his closest supporters naturally became his command squad. Mirroring the Captain's own favoured wargear, the Hyperion Foot Knights became specialised in the use of lightning claws, a practice their descendants have retained to this very day. Since those ancient times, it has also become a tradition for each Captain of the Eighth to be inducted into the Hyperion Order, forming close ties with those who are sworn to protect him. The current Master of the Company, Titus Raum, is no exception and wields the legendary Raven's Claws, Captain Hyperion's personal wargear, as a symbol of his office.

Edited August 31, 2014 by spacedhulk

[deathspectersgt7]

Another WIN!!!

[Brother Excedis]

Once again you impress.

[Spaced Hulk]

@ deathspectresrg7 & Brother Excedis: Thank you brothers   I really do appreciate the continued support and encouragement from you both. It's quite possible that you will each get a Sword Bearer named/dedicated to you at some point in the future   If you have any preferences let me know   

 

However, I think I'm going to be taking a short break from this army to work on another project. When I start posting in this thread again I should have the Necropolis story finished (or at least a big chunk of it).

 

Until then, my thanks once again to everyone who has read or commented, and my apologies if at times my replies have been a bit lax . It's no excuse, but real life has been difficult over the last few months.

 

Take care brothers 

 

Until the Swords are reforged...

 

 

[Brother Excedis]

You shall hear from me brother. Worry not. And oooh pray tell me it shall be hosted here on the b&c. I enjoy your work.

 

Don't worry about real life getting in the way. It happens and we are all subject to it.

 

Let the swords be reforged soon my brother. The pieces gather dust.

[Spaced Hulk]

Cheers brother!  My new project will be posted over in the WIP forum. It's another Space Marine force, and I'm working on a story for them as well.    

Edited September 1, 2014 by spacedhulk

[deathspectersgt7]

Look forward to the new wip. A Grizzled Vet Sgt would be cool. 

[Brother Excedis]

Aye a grizzled Vet Sgt would be pretty cool indeed.

[Spaced Hulk]

Hmmmm, it's cheating a bit but I actually have a couple of sergeants that are already built and waiting for squads.

For deathspectresrg7:

Col Varus, 'The Spectre of Mire'; Devastator Squad Sergeant, Sword Bearers 3rd Company

And for Brother Excedis:

Raul Excedis, The 'Iron Fist'; Assault Squad Sergeant, Sword Bearers 3rd Company

Grizzled enough for you brothers?

Before I carry on with my new project, I've also realised that I've never posted any completed pics of the Siege Breaker Captain from earlier in the year:

Knight Captain Amon Taal, Master of the Sword Bearer's 9th Battle Company, 'The Siege Breaker'

Looking at him now, I think he could still do with a few more highlights, so I'll probably do some more work on him at a later date.

Edited September 4, 2014 by spacedhulk