+ The Angels Numinous +

[A D-B]

You guys are right about the firepower - there's just not enough of it. I could drop the Death Company down to three bolter-bearing footsloggers at just 60pts. so I can still paint a few of them and get them involved, though I suspect they'd be useless on the tabletop.

A Devastator Squad with 1-2 heavy bolters and 1-2 missile launchers might work well, and I really want to see some of those in the final list. Hmm.

Undecided on another Land Speeder. I don't want to spam them.

I'm both intrigued and appalled to think of the amount of gear that rhino has got to pack to reach £100

Razorback £27

Dozer blade £11.50

Predator/Rhino reinforced armor: £19.50

Forgeworld doors: £11.50

Forgeworld turret mount: £13.50

Brass etch: £10.00

Purity seal/skull icon set: £7.50

Total: £100.5 And that's just assuming he wants one turret option.

Am I close ADB?

There are some Blood Angel icons too, but that's about right, yeah.

Have you thought on magnets for your DC? It is not that difficult to do and will save you time (and money) - the same squad can roll with jump packs or in a Spartan!

As fir your list, consider an axe for the Priest (will be better when you expand the army), Sgt to take the challenges, Priest to wade in on his init hitting on 3's wounding on 2's and don't forget the all important AP2

I've never tried mnagnetising but I may give it a go. My issue is that I cringe at the thought of jump pack Marines without the jump pack torsos, so it's probably going to end up being one or the other.

As for the Apothecary with the axe, that's a killer idea, and I have several axes I've been dying to use. He was originally going to have a power fist, but a battlefield medic with one of those sort of makes battlefield surgery a little difficult to believe, so I went back to basics. The axe is a good compromise (and will look more interesting. Hey, I like axes).

£117 on a Razorback? Not even a blinged up Spartan/Storm Eagle but a Razorback? This I want to see because for that price the thing should be solid gold never mind plastic

As for the Death Company point above I wholeheartedly agree. The only time they really work well is as a hammer so it pays to make that hammer as big as possible. I'd probably replace them with something that has a bit of ranged killing power

It's probably madness, so I may not do it. But the temptation is there. Especially as since I aim to have so few tanks, I'd like the ones I do have to look special. It ties into my general hobby mindset, I think; an army becomes "mine" at the kitbashing/building stage. Painting is something I've never enjoyed or cared much about. It's why I try to make my Space Marines kitbashedly distinctive, and why I think, say, £120 on a kitted-out, distinctive Razorback is actually plausible, but a plain Storm Eagle or Spartan at that price is somehow icky.

Excuse my ignorance, but where are those from?

Looks like Forge World Etched Brass. They do a sheet of Small Numbers.

Looks like those are it- thanks!

Those are the little buggers. I'm not a decal kinda fellow. Etched brass was tailor-made for my club-fisted hobbying.

[Quixus]

You guys are right about the firepower - there's just not enough of it. I could drop the Death Company down to three bolter-bearing footsloggers at just 60pts. so I can still paint a few of them and get them involved, though I suspect they'd be useless on the tabletop.

I'm not sure how intimidated your opponents are by the DC. They might draw a more fire than their actual capabilities would merit. Which leaves your other units safe.

A Devastator Squad with 1-2 heavy bolters and 1-2 missile launchers might work well, and I really want to see some of those in the final list. Hmm.

I'm not sure I would bother with the heavy bolters. Missile launchers work pretty well as anti infantry weapons and have greater range and can kill vehicles too. if you can fint 20 pts somewhere, maybe give the Land Speeder, a heavy bolter and a typhoon Missile Launcher. That way it can stay out of bolter range and be effective.

I've never tried mnagnetising but I may give it a go. My issue is that I cringe at the thought of jump pack Marines without the jump pack torsos, so it's probably going to end up being one or the other.

You may want to wrap your head around it. It makes the models a lot more versatile. Also there are many models that can take jump packs and do not have those straps anyways. The Death Company, Dante and the Sanguinary Guard all have the jump packs attached by other means. Even if you do not magnetize the jump/back packs, I suggest you magnetize the Bolter/CC arms of the DC. You never know when you want one or the other. And who knows how the DC will work best in the new codex, if it ever comes.

As for the Apothecary with the axe, that's a killer idea, and I have several axes I've been dying to use. He was originally going to have a power fist, but a battlefield medic with one of those sort of makes battlefield surgery a little difficult to believe, so I went back to basics. The axe is a good compromise (and will look more interesting. Hey, I like axes).

Yes, a Sanguinary Priest needs an axe to chop off limbs, whether they are on his enemies or his battle brothers.

[The_Chaplain]

I say go for (the super razorback that is), it would be a thing of unrivaled, tracked beauty to behold. 

[Balthamal]

 

£117 on a Razorback? Not even a blinged up Spartan/Storm Eagle but a Razorback? This I want to see because for that price the thing should be solid gold never mind plastic

 

As for the Death Company point above I wholeheartedly agree. The only time they really work well is as a hammer so it pays to make that hammer as big as possible. I'd probably replace them with something that has a bit of ranged killing power

 

It's probably madness, so I may not do it. But the temptation is there. Especially as since I aim to have so few tanks, I'd like the ones I do have to look special. It ties into my general hobby mindset, I think; an army becomes "mine" at the kitbashing/building stage. Painting is something I've never enjoyed or cared much about. It's why I try to make my Space Marines kitbashedly distinctive, and why I think, say, £120 on a kitted-out, distinctive Razorback is actually plausible, but a plain Storm Eagle or Spartan at that price is somehow icky.

 

 

 

If you're going to be going light on the number of vehicles then go all out on the ones you have got. I feel you on the painting score though. Since the paint job isn't going to be unique it pays to make up for it on the models. 

 

I'd certainly magnetize the DC, whether that be between jump packs or without and certainly for the arms so you can switch out for CC killing power or bolter bearers. If you feel confident enough with it, I'd do the same for the Razorback turret as well. Gives you a lot more flexibility and will save you plenty on multiple turrets 

[Lord Marshal Ragnrok]

your painting is solid and your figures' gear is really cool - classic BA feel but with a strong sense of individuality.

 

so i know you say you are a slow painter and not a good painter, but im literally worse in both ways.  i spend several hours on 1 figure and it still doesnt look as good as many of these guys' stuff.  see - http://the-lord-marshal.deviantart.com/gallery/45166855/Word-Bearers

[A D-B]

I live.

 

And so do the Angels Numinous. I've decided to go in a slightly different direction as I've finalised a lot of the Chapter's background. A fair bit of it colludes with John French's Chapter, the Red Seraphs, and the Knight World that both Chapters are allied to: Soratheia, home of the reaving House Orthos.

 

One of the things I finally settled on was the paint scheme. I screwed up the Assault Squad with several sliiiiightly different reds - not intentionally; it just... happened, and I was freaking furious and/or disheartened about it. Since then, I've decided to stay with the fairly bright red as seen in the first test model, and have the entire Chapter paint their helmets yellow. It's the Blood Angel Assault Marine scheme, tying them to their parent Chapter, but represents their own direction and makes them look very distinctive. Tactical Marines, Devastators, Captains - and even Librarians, etc. - are going to look (I hope) pretty swish all done up in the same red-with-yellow-helmets scheme. Librarians especially. I've got Sevrin Loth and the new-ish Space Marine Librarian with the staff - two of the coolest models I've ever seen - to eventually lead the army.

 

The exception to the colour scheme will be the Death Company (the Tahk'Rakym) and any Chaplains. Tahk'Rakym Marines will either be red with bone-coloured helmets, or black with bone faceplates. I'm not sure yet. Chaplains will be red with entirely bone helms. 

 

I think Sanguinary Guard might be another exception, but I'm not sure. If so, I like the idea of them being the Chapter's absolute veteran elite, with silver armour and all unhelmeted heads to make them really stand out, and all of them with greying hair to show their age and veterancy. I think that might be a bit beyond me right now, and it's ages away in terms of time, so it's not something to worry about yet.

 

I also normalised the Chapter symbol, as seen in my avatar pic. Before that I was using a mix of Blood Angel iconography (random shoulder pads ahoy!), but I like the idea of sticking with the recoloured Chapter symbol: ivory wings and an amethyst blood drop. So I'm carefully saving Chapter-specific shoulder pads now, like the tiny and precious little things they are.

 

Just to get back into the swing of things, here's this week's work. I really fancied doing something core and generic, to serve as the base of the army now I've lost my Assault Marines. So here's Tactical Squad I. Just first five Space Marines - all bolter-carrying folks, including the combat squad leader with a back banner, a la 2nd and 3rd Edition.

 

[Loesh]

I can't believe i'v never gotten into this thread. But these all look very cool ADB, when I get enough funds for a big project I could only pray to be half as good. :p

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

Love the mix of FW armour and the standard plastic SM kits - that's how proper 40k Astartes should look in my mind, adds a nice Rogue-Trader vibe.

[That Guy Matt]

Nice mix of kits. I particularly like the one on the far right (I'm a big fan of the Sternguard kit). Glad to see you're making progress.

[Son of Carnelian]

Lookin' killer. Thanks for the tantalizing hints at the background as well! While I'm all torn up about the chaplains having the red and bone scheme instead of the traditional black, they are, as the old adage goes, your dudes. Plus I'm sure they will look great. 

[Kol Saresk]

Ironically, a fifteen minute brainstorm at work after readong the Index Astartes Death Company, spotting the Aphotican Oath and the Angels Numinous has given me the inspiration for the name Azure Nephilim, Renegade Chapter of the Blood Angels gene-lineage.

 

Oh, and keep up the good work. ;)

[Captain Semper]

Great mix of bits! :woot:

 

You know what you really need though? A MkV helmet! Best looking helmets out there imo...

[Firepower]

Great mix of bits!

You know what you really need though? A MkV helmet! Best looking helmets out there imo...

Quiet you. Mk IV is clearly superior.

Mk V looks like Darth Vader with warts.

Anyway, that is a delicious mashing of bitz.

One of the things I finally settled on was the paint scheme. I screwed up the Assault Squad with several sliiiiightly different reds - not intentionally; it just... happened, and I was freaking furious and/or disheartened about it. Since then, I've decided to stay with the fairly bright red as seen in the first test model, and have the entire Chapter paint their helmets yellow. It's the Blood Angel Assault Marine scheme, tying them to their parent Chapter, but represents their own direction and makes them look very distinctive. Tactical Marines, Devastators, Captains - and even Librarians, etc. - are going to look (I hope) pretty swish all done up in the same red-with-yellow-helmets scheme. Librarians especially. I've got Sevrin Loth and the new-ish Space Marine Librarian with the staff - two of the coolest models I've ever seen - to eventually lead the army.

The exception to the colour scheme will be the Death Company (the Tahk'Rakym) and any Chaplains. Tahk'Rakym Marines will either be red with bone-coloured helmets, or black with bone faceplates. I'm not sure yet. Chaplains will be red with entirely bone helms.

I think Sanguinary Guard might be another exception, but I'm not sure. If so, I like the idea of them being the Chapter's absolute veteran elite, with silver armour and all unhelmeted heads to make them really stand out, and all of them with greying hair to show their age and veterancy. I think that might be a bit beyond me right now, and it's ages away in terms of time, so it's not something to worry about yet.

The red with yellow head is delicious, but I'm not so sure about the idea for the blahdy-thingy-apostrophe-blah Death Company. I'm not sure bone helmets will stand out much versus yellow helmets. But black with bone faces would obviously dodge this problem. Or you could mix the ideas, giving the guys a standard paint job but with a black helm and skull-ish face paint.

With the Librarians, are you going to go orthodox and paint some chunk of them blue? Because red, blue and yellow on one model screams 'potential eyesore.'

I know the dread of painting vehicles and those large, flat surfaces. So ask yourself, which is scarier- tackling it head on, or buying an airbrush?

[Grotsmasha]

*Indirectly on-topic post* 

 

I have to say it made me do a double take, and double check when I started Trial by Blood and your Chapter Master popped in for a cameo. I really do like that you guys (BL writers) do this sort of thing.

 

Cheers,

Jono

[Kol Saresk]

Obviously my books need to get here. Today. Preferably.

[NightHunters]

I noted the same, very nice touch, and nice tacticals too, just need more red on them ;)

[Emperors Immortals]

A D-B, just want to say your an inspiration to normal gamers everywhere. Keep it up and thankyou for sharing.

[Angrypantz]

Fairy Power Sray for the assault marines to strip them if no one has mentioned it yet. Sorry for the threadomancy but for some reason your message box was full. Can't understand why.

 

I like the direction the army is going and glad to see that you have chosen a colour scheme, looking forward to more painted models!

[Jolemai]

A D-B, are you considering a small pledge to the Blood Angel's ETL assault this year?