The Road to Astronomi-Con 2014 (page 8 Inq Warband Complete)

[hendrik]

love the heavy flamer team! and i usaually hate that gunmodel! ;)

[WarriorFish]

The camouflage looks very nice, as do the models overall. Great work! :D

[Kierdale]

Keep at it man. That's excellent work.

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

Thanks for the compliments, gents. Next up is the Grenadier squads painted-up as inquisitorial storm troopers (using kasrkin models). Also working on some tanks at the same time.

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

Here's a little sneak-peak of part of the second Grenadier Storm Squad, who are my Inquisitorial Storm Troopers:

 

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/2/10/583656_md-.JPG

 

The Sergeant is only just started ... the others just need basing and an =][= on their right shoulder pads. I don't know what, if anything, to put on the other shoulder pad. Should they have some sort of squad/company marking, or will it look okay having a marking on only one shoulder?

[WarriorFish]

I like the red, they're really coming along nicely. I think some numbering on the other shoulder pad would look good but is by no means essential.

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

Yeah, I think numbering would look good. My current thought is to put a Roman Numeral I on the left shoulder and say that it denotes company or cohort, and this will represent the First Cohort under the command of Inquisitor Soulis. That way I can number all my Storm Troopers the same and not worry about mixing-and-matching weapons (for example, I am still unsure whether I will bring 2x melta or plasma to Astronomi-con, but would use varying options from game-to-game anyway). These guys paint up SO much faster than the Kreigers due to using Citadel paints instead of Tamiya so I should have finished shots up by week's end.

 

Now ... I'm still humming-and-hawing a bit about the most important character in my army, Lord Inquisitor Soulis. Really, I probably should have built him first and then fashioned the army around him, but I like saving the characters (most fun conversions/painting) for last as a reward for slogging through all the troops choices. I am still waiting for an answer back from GW Digital Editions, hoping that they might have a better answer for me than Forgeworld did about the ability to use Codex: Inquisition with DKoK. It seems I have three options:

 

1) DKoK Command Squad - Momento Mori and Power Fist

2) Canoness - don't know what weapons I'd give; maybe an inferno pistol and power sword (or maybe eviscerator -- waiting on clarification from GW DIgital Editions since the Codex: Adepta Sororitas has conflicting entries on who can use it).

3) Ordo Hereticus Inquisitor - inferno pistol and null rod

 

I like the idea of an infernus pistol for fluff reasons.

 

Now, for options 1 & 2 I have in mind to use the Solar Macharius model with a head swap (I'm going to be very courageous and try making an inquistitor puritan-type had out of green stuff), some green stuff coat, the rod in his right hand (null rod or just a cool prop), and then either a power fist or inferno pistol in the left. This would be a VERY ambitious conversion job and I'm more than a little afraid I'll feth it up. But if it works it would be Inquisitor Soulis par excellence.

 

For option 2, there are a lot fewer options for models out there. I DON'T want to use the Coteaz model if I can avoid it (mostly because I already did a Coteaz conversion for when I used to use Straken's rules to represent Lord Inquisitor Soulis). I think that a Blood Angels Sanquinary guard with a green stuff cape instead of backpack could work. Don't know what I'd do for a head. Solomon Lok from Forgeworld might work although I'm not crazy about the hooded head. Maybe try the Inquisitor hat thing there? I don't know, just not really "feeling" any of the power armour options I see out there, unless I'm missing something. If only Hector Rex didn't look so terminator-ish.

 

Now, rules-wise, it seems to me that the canoness is the most badass close-combat option which fits Inquisitor Soulis who has always lead from the front. Back in 3rd edition when he was in terminator armour using the "Heroes of the Imperium" in the main rule book, he once single-handedly took down a squad of Chaos Raptors. The model was retired shortly after he took a Catachan demo charge to the face when Codex: Daemonhunters was released. So I like the idea of stubborn, WS 5, LD 10. I also like the idea of having a Rosarius (which Soulis used to carry) and a retinue of priests, crusaders, and arco flagellants. Big down side is this is a VERY expensive option since I need to take a squad of Sisters of Battle too. So I would have to cut a fair bit out of my list.

 

Of course, Option 1, the DKoK senior officer also has WS 5. He has carapace instead of power armour, but has a 5+ invulnerable. Can't have much of a retinue, although I suppose I could add a quartermaster (Sister Hospitaller) for 1 more body and FNP. Feels kind of lacklustre, but the upside is this is the cheapest option points-wise and is already contemplated in the list he bandied about on page 1 on this thread.

 

Option 3 is probably the best of both worlds for price, cool options, and not having to rely on "counts as" which some tournament goers might not like. Biggest downside is that it's potentially illegal (and I am building this list first-and-foremost for a tournament, plus I have no gaming friends after moving and must rely on gaming nights and tournaments at the local store so can't count on house rules). Plus the Inquisitor stats are the weakest of the three options. Although this can be explained by the demo charge I mentioned earlier which is an important part of Lord Inquisitor Soulis' back story (and of the army when I bring regular IG and penal legionnaires)

 

I'm interested in your thoughts on what would be the coolest model, and the best option tabletop wise. Very tough decision.

[WarriorFish]

That's a difficult one, they all have merits. I think it comes down to what you feel suits the army best. I'd go for option 1 or 3, a Canoness would be cool but that would have you shifting your army's entire structure which is perhaps a bit too much for a single addition. Though Sisters would make a fine ally you shouldn't sacrifice your theme or idea for it. I'd probably settle for 1 though, as if you've not got a gaming group to accommodate you an illegal option is perhaps not the best idea in case your opponent doesn't like it.

 

For coolness, I think they all win ;)

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

Thanks for the input, Warriorfish. Although I should note that Sisters of Battle would definitely NOT change the theme of my list, since Sisters have always been an integral part of the backstory. Sorgrece V is a Cardinal World, and during the Chaos incursion, the Sanctorum of St. Sabbat was one of the last Imperial bastions, defended by Sisters of Battle and Imperial Guard. Also, when Lord Inquisitor Soulis took the direct hit from the demo charge I mentioned, he was leading a Sisters of Battle force. So ever since allied were added, I've been wanting to work Adepta Sororitas in.

 

That said, it WOULD change the structure of the army list I've been building towards, and for that reason it may be best to leave off the addition of Sisters until next year's tournament. And yet I MAY be able to add them in a more limited way, by bringing a stock canoness and a 5-sister squad with flamers. That's only 145 pts, barely more than the cost of adding a third Grenadier Storm Squad. I've been thinking of dumping the anti-air elements since (a) they're neither assembled for painted yet, (b) the rest of the army is designed to be on the move, so the static Aegis defence line doesn't fit; © the Hydra's lack of interceptor is concerning me, as it the lack of redundancy of AV12; (d) I have no pretensions of winning this tournament anyway; (e) from battle reports I've read, massed special weapons fire can be surprisingly effective anti-air.

[WarriorFish]

Something for next time then, definitely :)

 

Flyers are hard to hit without sky fire, but it's far from impossible. All you have to do is roll a 6 so high volume mid-strength weaponry can do enough if you don't have dedicated AA and such weaponry is pretty useful currently thanks to hull points so you won't be hindering yourself by including them. Even better it's something Guard can do very well - there's a reason everyone loves Autocannons! :P

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

So now I'm stumped on what to do for the left shoulder pad of the storm troopers. I'm satisfied with how the =][= turned out in one of my first ever attempts at freehand. I do think I should put something on the other shoulders to balance them out, but don't know what.

 

Another =][=? A roman numeral of some sort to denote company/platoon number (I'm thiniking a V since I've always worn 5 or 50 in sports, and I don't want to put an L). Something else? Anyway, here's a pic of the progress so far (you'll see 12 storm troopers because I couldn't decide on plasma guns or meltaguns so decided to prepare both):

 

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/2/19/586500_md-.JPG

 

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/2/19/586501_md-.JPG

[Kierdale]

Great work, particularly those freehand =][=s.

I love the colour you chose for their weapons, too.

 

I'd say to with a 'V' for the other shoulders. That or some very fine scribblescript.

[WarriorFish]

Agreed, it looks very good I wish my hand was that steady! I also agree that something on the other pad would look nice, a "V" sounds appropriate to me :) It's the number I wear too as it happens!

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

Well, I am now 100% complete on two troops choices as I finished my second Storm Grenadier Squad -- the Inquisitorial Storm Troopers -- this evening. First a top-view to confirm the completion of the full squad (with two weapons options):

 

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/2/21/586818_md-.JPG

 

And a detail shot:

 

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/2/21/586819_md-.JPG

 

The squad is led by Sgt. Vincenzo Dielese, a trusted lieutenant to Lord Inquisitor Soulis. He was recruited from the Lord Inquisitor's personal prison planet, Salus Secundus, from which most of the inquisitorial storm troopers in Soulis' service have been drawn. He was actually born on the planet, the son of a prostitute, educated from the youngest age in the brutality of a death world populated by violent convicts. His tenacity and strength of will brought him to the Lord Inquisitor's attention and although he did not rise quickly in the storm trooper ranks, his perseverance and refusal to die eventually saw him secure the rank of sergeant.

[Kierdale]

What's the green atop a couple of guys' rifles? A scanner? It looks good.

[WarriorFish]

Nice work Nico, I like the bases they look quite realistic for the mixing of sand colours! I'm sure their paint job will lead them to glory on the table top :D

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

Thanks, gents. Glad you like them. I'm pretty happy with how they turned out. The cool factor of these guys and the other Grenadier squad are indeed high and as a result they shall kick some serious heretic butt! ;)

 

Kierdale: the green is the screen on the top of the meltaguns.

 

Next up, as a thank you to WarriorFish for his attention to this thread, I'm going to put the finishing touches on two Leman Russ Battle tanks that have been "almost done" fir quite a while. Then I'll have two troop and two heavy choices ready. I'm starting to feel more confident about having this army done for the July tournament.

[WarriorFish]

Excellent news! You'll be ready with time to spare at this rate :D

 

Now, about those Leman Russ tanks... :lol:

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

Excellent news! You'll be ready with time to spare at this rate

Now, about those Leman Russ tanks...

Well, treadheads, I was able to finish-off my two Russes during today's lunch break so, I present to you Tank Nos. 223 and 224 -- i.e. Lord Jagiello's Hussars, 2nd Squadron, 2nd Troop, tanks 3 and 4.

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/2/21/586920_md-.JPG

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/2/21/586921_md-.JPG

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/2/21/586923_md-.JPG

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/2/21/586922_md-.JPG

Edited to add one that I forgot:

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/2/21/586925_md-.JPG

[Kierdale]

Beautiful work!

Do you use bandage for your camo netting?

[WarriorFish]

What fine tanks they are too! The camouflage pattern is really good as is the camo netting, all they need now is more friends :P

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

I'm glad they get the WarriorFish, resident armour aficionado, stamp of approval. As you may recall from page 1 of this thread I do have a Forward Command Tank Vanquisher planned. What I struggle with on that score, however, is that I will not have any artillery/barrage weapons ... So it seems a bit steep to pay the 35pt premium just for a BS upgrade and not use the other benefits of that tank.

 

@ Kierdale: yes, indeed, the camo netting is cotton elastic bandage applied with some white glue.

[hendrik]

what about using an allied armoured battalion? the command tank can be the vanquisher and the other leman russes troops

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

Yes, I've considered that, and it is a viable option. I think I would only lose 1 army composition point versus going a pure DKoK. With points saved I could add a co-axial heavy stubber too. However it would preclude me from allying-in Adepta Sororitas and a canoness to represent Lord Inquisitor Soulis who is the lynchpin for all my fluff. The other problem is that the free PDF is no longer valid and I'd have to buy Imperial Armour Vol. 1, 2nd edition, no? That would probably be the biggest stumbling block at this point since I'm really not crazy about spending $100 for a book I'd barely use.

 

And yet, all the nerdgasming going on in the News/Rumours section over the release of the Imperial Knights, I am starting to think that having that BS4 Vanquisher will be very important. Flyers may not be so much of a problem in this upcoming tournament as giant robots if all the delirium in this thread is anything to go by.

[hendrik]

could you not field those sisters of battle as PA acolytes in an inquisitorial detachment? you can always claim unavailability of the sisters of battle codex as an argument...

as for IA. I can help you with that!