Beyond the Praetors of Calth

[GrandMagnus]

Well thank you, now I think I need to add some Imperial Army troops to my Ultramarines :D

[apologist]

Thanks very much! Now back to our scheduled Space Marines

The Old

The New

The Following

...and everything all together (at least, all the basecoated stuff)

[Natanael]

Very very nice, as Always. I might have missed it, but how do you do the trim on your shoulderpads? I noticed that most of them are casts (I assume that you made them yourself) but the initial ones? Is it easier to make them with plasticard, green stuff or some other way?
Thanks.

 

- Natanael
 

[apologist]

The original shoulder pads I used were Terminator shoulder pads with 1mm thick L-shaped plasticard strips glued on. This was a bit of a faff to do individually, so after the first thirty I sculpted a couple of pure ProCreate ones and had them cast.

 

I wanted additional trim on the newer marines, and couldn't get the sharpness and precision I wanted, so I ended up giving the specs to a 3D modeller who designed these; I then got them 3D printed.

[Natanael]

Right. Thanks. I have 30 something marines waiting for the shoulder pads, so I best get going with that plasticard then =)

[apologist]

Good stuff! 

 

Thinking about it, I think I did a tutorial a few years back. The shoulder pads were one of the few things that were a personal contribution to the 'truescale' fad that went arounda while back. Let me see if I can find it...

[Daemon2027]

The Black Hands are so awesome. I want to start a guard army so bad now.

[apologist]

Thanks – and go ahead. We always need more men for the Imperial Guard! :)

 

I've popped a tutorial for the paint scheme up on my blog, if anyone's interested in how I went about it. I'd repost it here, but it's quite long and a faff to organise the images.

[Natanael]

Good stuff! 

 

Thinking about it, I think I did a tutorial a few years back. The shoulder pads were one of the few things that were a personal contribution to the 'truescale' fad that went arounda while back. Let me see if I can find it...

 

Great! I'll have a look myself for it. If you find it, let me know =)

[Vazzy]

Dude, your stuff is so great. I love looking at how individual each of your marines are, and how I can get my stuff to look that good.

[apologist]

[Olis]

Hey, look, a teaser. Is it Raven Guard or more of the Thirteenth?

Edit: Nevermind!

[apologist]

+ Pict-capt source: Isstvan V: South of the Urgall Depression +
Tentative ident: sinister–dexter – Brothers Phaestos and Ulc'cagni, XVIII Legion; Braar Taarlach, Iron Tenth.
Incept-link α:serpens. Contact: Aqua.
 

+ These three are the first in a mini skirmish team, representing a few surviving Astartes from the Drop Site Massacres during the Horus Heresy. The intention is to allow me to scratch a few hobby itches without committing to big armies.

• Salamanders and Iron Hands – I've wanted to build some of these for a while, and this offers a great way to build two or three of each.
• Ultramarine purity – every so often, I find a cool bit that I want to use, but I really want to keep my Ultramarines much more uniform this time round. This hotch-potch group should let me use up those special bits without diluting the imagery on my Ultramarines.
• Variation – I want to play around with the background, and show that while all the Legions had certain marks of armour in common, there was also a lot of variation in the Legions. Showing Salamanders and Iron Hands next to each other will be a great opportunity to highlight both the differences and similarities.
• Storytelling – Isstvan V is a great canvas for skirmish games...

+++
+ Setting the scene +
+ These marines are going to be an example of what happened to the survivors on the day after the events at the Urgall Depression on Isstvan V. Because I want to build Salamanders and Iron Hands, I've decided that this group were separated from the rest of the Legion and isolated as the Alpha Legion and Word Bearers pushed forwards into the Depression from the South.

 

+ The map below shows the deployment and main thrusts of the various forces. Our lost marines find themselves running south, having been missed between the Word Bearer and Alpha Legion thrusts directly below the Imperial Army symbol (winged sword in the centre of the depression). This point seems sensible to me – the Alpha Legion were notoriously insular and the Word Bearers relatively undisciplined, so a point between the two seems the best place for our marines to have somehow avoided a picket or sweeps during the clash. In addition, both of the Traitor Legions would have been pushing hurriedly into the centre.

 

+ This spot also means that it's possible for the Salamanders to make contact with the broadest possible spread of loyalist forces, including the Iron Hands, Imperial Army and even potentially Legio Atarus, the loyalist forces of the Mechanicum. This should allow me to play around with various other models.+

[Tyrannicide]

I'm really looking forward to this, dude. The heavy bolter toting Marine is my favorite. 

 

Your Ultras have always been a pleasure but watching you tackle some of the Istvaan survivors might just top it! :)

[Olis]

I heartily concur with Darth Potato. The opportunity in this new change of direction is very promising. :)

[apologist]

Thanks – hopefully it won't be too disappointing :)

 

Ultramarines

I primes the WIP breachers to check they were looking alright before I add the backpacks, grenades and pouches etc.

 

I also finished a marine reloading his boltgun:

 

...and built a new signifer. The standard top is from a Rogue Trader squat; I'd been looking for it for ages, as it really matches some of the Rogue Tader-era artwork:

 

+++

 

Flight Risk

Brother Taarlach of the Iron Hands

Originally built for the Ultramarines, I really like this model. However, something was off for its intended use. I just didn't get the Ultramarine feel from him, so I've taken the opportunity to change him over to the Iron Tenth.

 

 

The primer's shown up a few annoying mouldlines and bits I need to tidy up (hence why I use grey), but I'm looking forward to having a go at the skin.

 

+++

 

Brother Phaestos

This furious marine carries a banner. I really love the folds and way it's being clutched – I think it really adds to the sense of desperation; literally clutching to the Legion's identity.

 

 

 

[apologist]

If you've enjoyed this blog and are feeling kind enough to help my gaming group out, were looking for some colour text for Imperial Guard regiments and small ork warbands for an upcoming campaign. If you'd like to help, please read more on my blog here:
http://apologentsia.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/project-inload-pcrc-scallop-stars-build.html

[Olis]

I can easily provide a blurb for a regiment or two. For added publicity, I could drop them here, if you like.

[apologist]

Please do – that'd be much appreciated :)

 

Painting-wise, I've been distracted by filthy Xenos for a big finale to a campaign my gaming group have been running. Since then, we've been recovering and gearing up for the next big push – an M37-era campaign telling the story of an Imperial invasion of ork space...

 

 

If you've got any more ideas for regiment or ork tribes, please feel free to post 'em up – I've had some really great ones so far :)

[Olis]

How's this? Any critique or comments?

 

 

The 14th Berrick's World Buccaneers

Currently in the process of being refounded, the 14th has very little notable history outside of the sector. A designated Drop Regiment, in the past the 14th Buccaneers have participated in the fighting on Aulis, Armageddon and Hargreave Majoris, all of which as beach-head troops, forcing a break in defences so that second wave forces can push into enemy lines. On Armageddon the regiment was wiped out alongside the majority of the battle group that accompanied it whilst clearing an Ork 'Rok' (Imperial designate AXF-1344). The 'Rok' was later cleansed by the Silver Skulls chapter.

 

Equipped with Vendettas and Valkyries, the Regiment has very little in the way of heavy armour and relies upon mobile firepower and strike-and-fade tactics to combat superior enemies. Grav Chutes are also employed by the Buccaneers but due to current supply shortages fewer than 10% of personnel can be issued one. 

[apologist]

Apologies for the long delay in replying, but much appreciated! The project has now begun...

 

+++

On a related note, here're some updated Novamarines for our Scallop Stars campaign. These are minor updates on models from earlier; finally with their Chapter and unit insignia, plus weathering. I've also redone the bases.

 

 

 

The thrall:

[apologist]

Hey all,
I had surge of Ultramarine enthusiasm over the weekend, so I pressed ahead with some marines:

 

These five now need their blue highlights, some enrichment on the gold, and then it's just details and basing. Should be able to finish these fairly shortly.

 

Here are a few detail shots. First off, that rarest of things, a marine holding his boltgun left-handed. This is also the first Praetor-pattern helm done in the new gold style. Not yet finished, but what do you think?

Two marines with legs made from Tartaros-pattern terminator plate.

...and two made with regular plastics

[MagicMan]

They look awesome as always, Apologist.

 

The new Tartaros legs look like they were made for True Scale!

 

Your Ultramarine army was what inspired me to collect Space marines and 40k in general, keep up the awesomeness!

[apologist]

Thank very much – always great to hear my models have inspired someone; particularly when the result looks as fantastic as your Marines Errant :)

[apologist]

 

It is a very reaction peculiar to humanity to give titles to momentous events. It is an assertion of power; as though by labelling the impossible we render it smaller, tamer. More... controllable.

 

Of course, the Isstvan Dropsite Massacre was a term given after the events – long after the blood had dried up and the echoes burnt away. The name packaged the horror; rendered it relatable to the wider war. It became another entry on a list, like the Cold Gulf Catchments, the Ghoul Star Advances, or the Battle for Ibysia.

 

It was like none of those things.

 

We did not know it as the Massacre; though even on the ground it was clear the scale of butchery was unprecedented. Time moved strangely after the first day – indeed, even after the first minutes. Taarlach was unusual in keeping us grounded. My head was full of questions. They blotted and confused me. What was the right action now? Who could we trust? Most pressing of all – where was Lord Vulkan?

 

We found Taarlach defending a barricade made up of rubble, rad-soil, and – mostly – dead Iron Hands. He did not fire at us. Indeed, when we came across him, he was unable to do so, having expended the last of his scavenged ammunition in killing an Iron Warrior who had wandered, blast-fried and devoid of his senses, across the landscape of shell-broken Space Marines.

 

He was masterfully practical and focussed, in every way but one. He fell in and moved us out to the south of the Urgall Depression. It was a flawless fallback plan that ticked into place like the workings of an clock.

The sounds of battle fitfully diminished and re-emerged, in the strange hours that followed, as the treacher-legionnaires came across scattered knots of resistance. Taarlach drove us forward mercilessly. I am confident that without him, we would have convinced ourselves to ignore our orders, turned back to find Lord Vulkan – and perished. It is testament to the iron will of Taarlach that he was able to convince us to stay by our duty and rely on our father to meet us.

 

Of course, he never did – nor, to that matter did Lord Ferrus. In the hours and days that followed, we met dribs and drabs of shell-shocked and mindbroken Imperial Army. Non-aggressive Legionnaires – I hesitate to say friendly, as we were all equally confused by the event, and eager to force the truth from any we met; from whatever Legion, and by whatever means.

 

We met none who could offer the slightest explanation or anything but raw speculation. The Isstvan Dropsite Massacre now has a name, but for Taarlach and myself, it was a pilgrimage of sorts. Away from credulity and towards vengeance...

+++
Taarlach marks the first completed marine for my Flight Risk project. An Iron Hand, he was a great opportunity to try out some techniques for whites and blacks; both of which will come in handy for my Ultramarines and orks.

 

A very rewarding mini-project, Taarlach was completed in a couple of hours using a base of a chromatic black mix (Abaddon Black, Scorched Brown, Orkhide Shade and Necron Abyss) with highlights made by adding Fenris Grey to the mix, and a wash of the black wash (Nuln Oil?).

 

Iron Hands are great fun to paint – I'd like to explore the X Legion some more.