A Holy Work - The Three Hives Rebellion

[marine7312000]

Epistolary Ilm is simply awesome.

[JackDaw]

Thanks everyone for your comments, and apologies for the delay in replying :)

 

@ Argent Aquila - thanks man, much appreciated. Tactical Blade Rashan is my second favourite unit in the whole army. And yeah, the Talons are more practical and pragmatic than fancy and shiny.

 

@ Marine7312000 - loads more to come :) And glad to hear you like Ilm.

 

@ DeathSpectreSgt7 - it's one of my favourites as well, that's how Astartes should be I think.

 

Right, lets get on with the show then....

[JackDaw]

Escalation - the rapid strikes of war

 

“From the on-ramp, we could see the Secessionist convoy heading out about 3 kloms ahead. Standard mix of light armour and support vehicles, looked like a supply run. Jesker was about to target mark them for air-support engagement when the Astartes struck. Some heavy speeder variant hammered along the highway at a frankly ridiculous speed, banging off missiles. Throne knows how, but every one hit home, wiping most of the light armour. The poor bastards tried to return fire, but they had nothing that could hit anything that fast. The Astartes speeder made two passes along the convoy, turning tighter and faster than anything I’ve seen before, strafing everything in sight with missiles and its rotary cannon. Then it lit off, leaving the wrecks behind it. We moved in and mopped up the survivors.”
Field report of fire-team leader Calin Droost, recon section, 131st Malaz Heavy Infantry

***Begin Record

 

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Created from a recovered STC template by their Primogenitors the White Scars, it is perhaps unsurprising that the Iron Talons Astartes favour the use of the Tempest pattern Land Speeder over any other variant. Bearing heavier armour and greater fuel/engine ratios than its lighter kin, the Land Speeder Tempest excels at extended hunt/kill missions and reconnaissance, able to face down armoured opponents many times its size due to its speed and manoeuvrability. Post-combat reports gathered over the years indicate that the Iron Talons used the Tempest almost exclusively, often fielding them in roving squadrons of tank-hunters that used their immense speed to expose the weaker armour of their prey. Crewed by a single Astartes working in concert with slaved machine-spirits, the Land Speeder Tempest is able to engage and destroy targets at speeds unreachable by conventional human armour unit crews, the augmented physique and power armour of the Astartes ensuring that any ill-effects from the g-forces and extreme speeds experienced are minimal at best.

 

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During the Aren Prime Reclamation, Land Speeder Tempests were deployed via close-orbit drops to the mainly Secessionist held Nothern territories, acting alongside scout-recon forces in an information gathering role. This later changed to outright harassment and seek/destroy objectives once the conflict escalated into open war, with the Tempest providing much needed heavy support for the lightly armed and armoured Scout units. Pictured here we can see a Tempest bearing the designation Spear-6, information gathered from the recovery of its auspex data-looms following its destruction during the armoured engagement at the Rogen Tertiary service station. Armed with a heavy assault cannon in the nose and linked missile pods on the flanks, Spear-6 is able to engage infantry and armour alike with ease. Further investigation of the targeting array mounted atop the Tempest indicated that the machine spirit governing the weapon systems was advanced enough to engage aerial targets as well as ground targets. This, along with eye-witness accounts of Astartes flyers active on Aren Prime would account for the apparent lack of any Secessionist air-support.

 

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Of particular interest to scholars of Astartes militaria is the complete lack of any Chapter, company or honour markings on the chassis of Spear-6. Some savants had opined that the Tempest’s role behind enemy lines precluded the use of any markings that could be used to identify the Talons presence, while other more pragmatic individuals point out that the high speeds at which Land Speeders operate results in a large amount of carbon scoring and incidental damage from micro-particulates, thus necessitating the constant repainting of any markings that could be applied. Considering the attitude displayed towards armoured units and transports by the Iron Talons, either theory is entirely possible. Regardless, the bone colouring of Astartes armour became an increasingly common sight in the air and on the ground of Aren Prime as events continued to escalate towards the unfortunate climax of this Reclamation Action.

***End Record

[JackDaw]

Escalation – fury of the Astartes

 

 

“[signal corruption/electromagnetic interference]...request immediate support, the damned Astartes are here! First and Second platoons are already gone, we’ve got nothing that can withstand firepower of that magnitude [signal corruption/electromagnetic interference] need armour support, artillery, anythi- [signal lost]”
Comms-intercept of Secessionist military signals during Reclamation Action 37/sh-9. Post-action investigation showed evidence of significant Astartes firepower engagement including high levels of plasma-fusion particulates.

***Begin Image Record

 

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A rare sight captured by Secessionist gun-cams during engagement – Iron Talon Adeptus Astartes of a Devastator designation. Imperial Tech-savants have identified the heavy gauge plasma weapons borne by two Astartes as Starfury pattern plasma cannons and have noted with interest the use of additional targeting arrays by all members of the Astartes unit.

***End Image Record

[JackDaw]

Escalation – Fear incarnate walks amongst us

 

“Secessionists had breached the line in a half dozen places, they were all over us. It was done man, we were dead. Then...it arrived. They said it was an Astartes. Frak me, I never want to see an Astartes like that ever again. It was laughing as it killed them….laughing…”
Post action report of Corporal Lev Hadir, 16th Platoon, 131st Malaz Heavy Infantry, Reclamation Action 631/nd-4. Corporal Hadir was later removed from active duty and sequestered by agents of the Inquisition. No further contact has been made with Corporal Hadir and he is listed as Missing, Presumed Dead.

“Death is here mortals. Witness.”
Vox-broadcast statement recorded during Reclamation Action 631/nd-4. Source believed to be Astartes in origin.

***Begin Image Record

 

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Secessionist gun-cams capture arrival of Iron Talon Astartes individual via low altitude/high-impact drop during Reclamation Action 631/nd-4. Imperial savants tentatively identify figure through honour-marking and known Astartes pattern-recognition as equivalent to Adeptus Astartes Chaplain in rank. Iron Talon specific nomenclature and identification remains unknown.

***End Image Record

[marine7312000]

Love the chaplain.

[strongbow]

Loved this Plog over on Warseer, glad to see it here!

[JackDaw]

Escalation – swift and unyielding vengeance

 

“Run and hide if you like – it matters not. We are the red right hand of the Throne, and we will find you.”
Vox-signal recovered from data-systems of Coshell Refinery District 19, previously Secessionist held. Tech-adepts advise that the signal was set to continuous broadcast throughout Coshell Refinery District 19 public and private broadcast systems and was only halted by destruction of the local vox-mast and control tower. This self-inflicted vandalism also ensured that Secessionist forces were unable to use high-gain vox relays to request support in the face of an Astartes assault.

***Begin Record

Perhaps as a result of the genetic and dogmatic legacy of their Primogenitors, the Iron Talons have always displayed a propensity for close-quarters combat and a willingness to cross blades with the enemy that can often verge on the tactically unsound. Unsurprisingly then, Astartes Assault squads form a large percentage of the Chapters overall number of warriors, with some Company Blades numbering as many as fifty Assault Astartes, with their battleplans often drawn up accordingly. For many Astartes of the Talons, there is no greater glory than facing your opponent blade-to-blade and ending its life with your hands rather than from afar with a firearm and their love of close-quarters warfare often results in glorious, if somewhat tactically unsound battlefield decisions. Indeed, during the Blackmaw Subjugation, this lust for glory and the excitement of close blade-work, coupled with the large numbers of Assault Astartes resulted in immense casualty and injury rates, bring the Chapter almost to the point of dissolution. Once removed from the theatre of war, it was noted that the equivalent of two and a half companies of Astartes had been lost, with near a hundred more removed from active service to recuperate from their wounds. For a Chapter the size of the Iron Talons, the loss of a full third of their fighting strength was a grievous blow, albeit one that had torn the heart from the Blackmaw xenos-clans. While this method of warfare was indeed glorious and destructive to the enemy, it was also bloody and injurious to the Talons themselves. Despite this, the Assault Astartes remain at the core of the Iron Talons fighting strength and the Chapter as a whole still follows the tenets of the White Scars fighting tactica – the fast powerful strike that catches the enemy unawares and kills them before they even notice.

 

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Prior to the bloody events of the Blackmaw Subjugation, the 5th Company Blade of the Talons fielded approximately two-score-and-ten Assault Astartes alongside its half century of Tactical Astartes, a ratio that is a little unusual for the normally assault minded Talons. The leadership of Praetor Varras can perhaps be seen as the source for this disparity between the 5th and some of its brother Companies, representing as he does the ‘new-breed’ of Astartes officer beginning to rise from the ranks of the Talons: a more cautious, pragmatic and tactical-minded cohort than their glory-hungry peers. Regardless of the reason, the Assault Blades of the 5th performed their duty as admirably and savagely as any other during the crusade against the Orkoid xeno-beast and suffered their wounds in return. On arrival in the Logros sub-syst, it is estimated that barely a score of Assault Astartes were in battle-ready condition and of these, only the full-strength Assault Blade Sethek were deployed planetside with any regularity.

As a result of the dangerous close-in nature of their role, the armour worn by the brothers of Sethek is a patchwork of hybrid suits with several Astartes sporting miss-matched shoulder pads and sections of battleplate recovered from early marks of power armour. Clad in the common bone and crimson of the Talons, the members of Sethek also display a wide variety of kill-tokens and honour markings, along with pattern variations on the standard armaments of the chainsword and bolt pistol. The chainsword in particular is the hallmark of the Assault Astartes, a terrifying weapon chosen as much for the psychological effect of its throaty roar as for the horrendous damage it can inflict against flesh and bone. Coupled with the inhuman speed and strength of the Astartes, a full Assault Squad is a fearsome prospect to face, easily capable of facing down many times its numbers in combat. While some Assault Blades of the Talons will go to war safely ensconced within armoured Rhino transports or heavier Land Raider assault-tanks, Sethek can be seen here utilising the bulky jump-pack that is perhaps the hallmark of the Assault Astartes. Consisting of two heavy-yield propulsion units, the Astartes jump-pack may lack the delicate touch of Elysian grav-chutes or xeno-equivalents such as the Tau battle-suit systems, but it more than makes up for it in raw power. Able to lift and propel a fully armed and armoured Astartes over great distances at a relatively great speed, the Astartes jump-pack sacrifices agility for raw power and eye witness accounts have described instances of Assault Astartes using jump-packs to propel themselves through intervening walls and windows (transcribers note: these ‘accounts’ are dubious and fanciful at best, bearing an unfortunate resemblance to the exaggerated ‘Space Marines’ of popular contemporary prop-lit and penny-dreadful publications).

 

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Shown here is the Second Edge of Assault Blade Sethek, led by Edge Veteran Holan Syr, seen in the centre. Syr displays a starburst insignia on his right pauldron in place of the common squad marking adopted by Sethek, indicating his status as a void-war specialist and one who has successfully crippled an enemy ship. Whilst void-combat actions are not unusual for Assault Astartes, it can be inferred that Syr’s actions directly led to the capitulation of the vessel possibly through destruction of its engines or the death of its captain, thereby granting him this particular honour marking. The remaining Astartes of the Second Edge can be seen displaying the usual mix of idiosyncratic honour and squad markings, as well as several kill-tokens hung from weapons and pauldron rims. Of particular note is the large anti-personnel flamer unit wielded by one brother – truly a fearsome weapon when wielded against the mass infantry targets that are often the first victims of Sethek’s attentions. This flamer-unit bears the inscription ‘Fortitude’ – unusually noble and idealistic for the somewhat savage Talons and a less-kind observer could infer that this piece of wargear has perhaps been ‘appropriated’ from another nobler Astartes Chapter at some point.

 

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The First Edge are shown here, as close to Assault Veterans as any of their peers amongst the Company Blades. Led by Blade Veteran Meryn Kibre, Sethek have cemented their reputation as hardened warriors eager to take the battle to the foe and willing to endure any wound in return for a taste of glory. During the Blackmaw Subjugation they were responsible for the spear-thrust kills of xeno-leaders, leaving the attendant warriors-breeds bereft of leadership. On Aren Prime, their role was very different. Lacking any centralised command or leadership figureheads to vent their wrath upon, Sethek instead contented themselves with the reaping of lives, tallying a kill-total that exceeded all other Astartes units engaged in the Reclamation. Utilising the full repertoire of the Talons swift-thrust tactics and the use of info-system terror actions, Sethek were renowned for being able to break the will and morale of the enemy before they had even engaged in direct combat, though some Imperial observers were said to harbour deep misgivings about their tactics. Several engagements prosecuted by Sethek drew formal complaints from Imperial military figures who quoted unorthodox and unsettling terror-tactics, as well as unacceptable levels of civilian casualties and bodycounts of enemy combatants that bordered on levels of slaughter rather than accepted military engagement. To date, no comment has been received in response to these complaints from either representatives of the Iron Talons Astartes or senior members of the Holy Inquistion.

 

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Meryn Kibre has worn the bone and crimson of the Talons for close to three hundred years, almost all of which have been spent in the Assault Blades. Perhaps the embodiment of the Talons propensity for glory over sound tactical thinking, Kibre is a viciously skilled warrior and amongst the best with a blade in the 5th Company and his early years amongst the gang-slums of the Glass Hives of Scotia marked him as a killer without compassion. Recognised as the de-facto leader of the 5th Blade’s Assault squads, Kibre has been outspoken in his criticism of Praetor Varras’ command decisions and what he sees as ‘warfare lacking in glory and passion’. This may be attributed to mere displeasure at the appointment of Varras to Praetor over Kibre himself, but it is clear that the brotherhood of the Talons is not as close as other Chapters of the Astartes. Seen here shortly before deployment planetside, Kibre wears a modified suit of Mark VI power armour, bearing replacement arm plate sections and a non-standard pattern of helm. This may be due to hasty repairs and recovered sections from other suits of power armour, however it is also likely that Kibre himself has made some amendments to his battle-plate. Kibre’s wargear also shows the signs of personalisation – his plasma pistol bears additional reinforcement along the muzzle, allowing for two to three additional shots before replacement is needed. The powered blade wielded in his right hand is modelled after the scimitars used by the Founding Three, the White Scar veterans responsible for the founding and leadership of the Iron Talons from its birth and through its early years. Recruiting as they do from a wide diaspora of planets, each Talon has his own favoured blade in a multitude of forms and patterns, however it is not uncommon for Veterans such as Kibre to wield a variant on a scimitar or tulwar as a way of honouring their founders and Primogenitors both. The combination of powered blade and armour-busting plasma pistol makes Kibre a fearsome opponent and one well suited to his preferred hunting of elite warriors and commanders. Kibre’s remaining battle-plate and shattered scimitar were recovered from the battlefields surrounding the Namas Highway after the Secessionist forces had been broken and following the unfortunate events thereafter.

***End Record

[deathspectersgt7]

Laughing while he killed them.Liked the Chaplain. But the Assualt Squad is my favorite.

[Bryan Blaire]

It's always interesting to see one's own literary interests represented in a different fashion in someone's army, especially when it's so divergent to your own. Very nice usage of the Malazan Book of the Fallen material and names, JackDaw, it makes for a very interesting (and fitting) army basis and concept/additions for fluff for 40K. Awesome work on Whiskeyjack, very fitting and nice mini!

 

I like the paint scheme and markings, you've done them really well, very nicely painted mix and kit bashing! Cool work, will look on with interest!

[MrBear]

Haven't commented for a while but this is stellar work. While I do remember much of it from Warseer there are a lot of little details that have slipped my mind so there is always something 'new'  to look forward to when there is an update.

[Maerlen]

Nice mini's and excellent fluff you've got there!

[Disruptor_fe404]

Best thread I've seen to pop up during my time away from the B&C! Awesome minis, great painting, excellent writing!

 

I see you'ave already done it on some models, but is there any chance that you'll drill out all your barrels though?

[Brother Ambroz]

Very inspiring stuff here man. Love the visuals and the fluff is an awesome read. Definitely going to be paying attention to this thread.

[Lord of the Cull]

I'm absolutely loving it. Very well written

[JackDaw]

Afternoon all, and thanks for the continued kinds words about my humble offerings. More to come from the Talons in a bit - and I will be posting some new stuff soon enough in the WiP section, once I can start off my HH plog....

 

@ Marine7312000 - Glad you like him fella, Brukhalian is probably my favourite mini in the whole army.

 

@ Strongbow - Good to see another familiar name :) Hows tricks?

 

@ DeathSpectreSgt7 - Assault squads do look boss, it's a shame they don't get fielded more as used in the right way they are awesome.

 

@ BryanBlaire - The Malazan books are probably my favourite fantasy series, like you say there's just so much in them you can use for inspiration. Hope you enjoy everything else to come :)

 

@ MrBear - Thanks again man, you are too kind.

 

@ Maerlen - Cheers fella, plenty more to come.

 

@ Disrupter_fe404 - Ah cheers man, much appreciated. As far as I can recall, all the upcoming bolters are drilled. I think. Don't hate me please ;)

 

@ Tanith Ghost - Thanks fella, good to have you along for the ride

 

@ Lord of the Cull - Much appreciated mate :) Now if only BL would open their bloody submission window...

 

Right, lets see whats next....

 

[JackDaw]

Escalation – A brother falls.

 

“[signal corruption/interference]-king through on the left flank. Second Edge is moving to deny, heavy fire incoming. Throne take these bastar-[signal corruption/interference]-Juvens, we need support, there’s something her-[signal corruption/interference]-hell is that? Oran, take Arasc and move up thirteen met-[signal corruption/interference]-peat, all Talons fall back to rally point marked on displays-[Partial signal loss experienced for nineteen point three-five minutes ]”

[imperial auguries report unexpected spike in electromagnetic pulse levels during this time and emission-effects consistent with void field level technology deployment]

“[signal regained]-lons respond. Repeat, any Talons respond. Brothers, are you there? I have lost mobility and cardiac function in my primary heart. I am dying. Repeat, any Talons res-[signal corruption/interference]-hat are you deviant? Throne take you, what are you?”

[signal interruption from outside source]

*Greetings Imperial hound. We are the Prodigals.*

[source signal lost due to failure of host system. Attached signal bio-metrics indicate catastrophic and complete cessation of all Astartes bio-functions, indicating death.]

Combat record fragment recorded during Reclamation Action 80/db-3.

***Begin Record

Transcribers note – the above fragment of Astartes combat signal has been included in this record against the wishes of the Iron Talons and was recovered at great expense by Inquisitorial agents in the months after the end of the Aren Prime Reclamation action. Its relative brevity should not detract from its import, representing as it does the first Astartes casualty at the hands of a person or persons unknown during the conflict on Aren Prime and the end of the increasingly disinterested attitude of the Iron Talons. From this point on, the Talons prosecuted the war against the Secessionist with a cold ferocity that bordered on the unseemly, with several Imperial observers noting that the already somewhat callous Iron Talons became even less observant towards the niceties of wartime conduct. All contact was lost with Astartes forces for seven days following this incident before their renewed interest in the Aren Prime Reclamation Action was announced in the brutal Stane Service Township clash and the complete destruction of the northern Secessionist held Hive Espedair by orbital bombardment and magma warhead deployment.

As unfortunate as this event was, it did seem to foster a partially co-operative attitude in the Iron Talons and it was not unheard of for representatives of the Astartes to make themselves known at tactical briefings and for joint military operations to be performed for the first time during this conflict.

In terms of the unknown factor that caused the death of one of the Emperors own Astartes – the Prodigals – little was known at this time. Only further in-theatre contact with Imperial forces and the strenuous efforts of implanted Inquisitorial agents in the Secessionist held Northern Hives would reveal the truth behind the Prodigals and the work carried out in those remote research stations by rogue Mechanicus and planetary governance agencies.

 

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Secessionist gun-cams capture footage of Astartes forces engaged with Secessionist heavy infantry elements during Reclamation Action 80/db-3

 

***End Record

[JackDaw]

Escalation - the unseen blades.

 

“Know this – we do not care who you are, where you have come from or what you have done in your brief little lives. Not all of you will live. Not all of you will take the crimson and join our ranks. Those few of you who do, we will call brothers.”
From Veteran Suro Hyran’s pre-trial address to Astartes Aspirants.

***Begin Record

As with all Astates Chapters, the recruitment and augmentation of potential candidates is an important and time-consuming process for the Iron Talons. Lacking the permanent homeworld or dedicated 10th Company of their peers, the Talons instead rely on each Company Blade performing its own selection and recruitment trials itself from the various worlds that their dispersed fleets visit. In this way at least, the gene-seed pool of the Talons is kept diverse and varied and less likely to develop an instability or mutation. Many in-depth and informative tracts have been written upon the subject of Astartes recruitment and augmentation, thus we will only refer to the pertinent details here: the ideal candidate for Astartes augmentation is a human male child between the ages of 12 and 15 (older and younger candidates have displayed potential for augmentation however rejection rates significantly increase outside the age parameters noted above) and would already display violent and near-socio or psychopathic tendencies. Certainly, an aptitude for combat and basic good health is also favourable, however the augmentation process itself will take care of any of the malingering ill-effects of malnutrition and suchlike, while the psycho-conditioning process and training regime unlocks the combat potential of the Aspirants themselves. Regardless of the suitability of the candidates themselves, success rates for Astartes augmentation are remarkably low – for every fifty selected specimens, barely a score would be expected to survive to the implantation of the Black Carapace, the benchmark of their new lives as a full Astartes. Where the Talons are concerned, this success figure is lamentably lower, in part due to the lower recruitment figures achieved by their dispersed and fractured fleets and it is rare for a Company Blade to have more than a dozen Aspirants at any time. In either case, the trials, training and surgery necessary to turn a callow youth into one of the Astartes is a long and time-consuming process, often taking a half-score or more years just to get the Aspirants to the point where they are able to take part in front-line missions alongside their full Astartes brethren.

Following the costly Blackmaw Subjugation, the Iron Talons elevated the majority of their Aspirants to Astartes in order to replenish their diminished numbers, leaving only the most recently recruited as Aspirants. The 5th Blade was fortunate in that after this elevation, enough Aspirants remained to form a combat-strength unit that was suitable enough for the data-recovery and terror-actions that the Talons favoured for their Aspirants. Led by the Veteran Suro Hyran, the Talon Aspirants were deployed in secret to the northern continent territories of Aren Prime, deep within Secessionist held areas. Accompanied by close-orbit seeded servo skull drones and Land Speeder Tempest and Stormtalon support, the Aspirants were responsible for espionage and data recovery, mainly regarding the clandestine activities performed in the more remote research stations and laboratoria hidden by the Secessionists. Once the conflict escalated after the death of one of the Iron Talons Astartes and the Prodigals were revealed, the Aspirants turned to their alternate role of demolitions and disruption, attacking supply dumps, training grounds, vox-relay stations and the like. The full nature of their activities behind enemy lines was only discovered during the post-action review and data-purge carried out by the Inquisitions investigators after the Aren Prime Reclamation had been formally declared as successful. It is important to note that Imperial Military Command was at the time entirely unaware of the deployment of Astartes forces to the Secessionist-held north.

 

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Aspirants of the Iron Talons can be seen here in the act of recovering servo-skull drones, utilised by the Talons as data-recovery agents. Seeded from close-orbit, the servo-skulls are tasked with locating and splicing into data-link networks and cogitator banks and from there to transmit the intercepted information to Iron Talons tactical command. Not only does this allow the Talons unprecedented levels of information regarding their enemy, but also provides them with direct access to civilian and military communication networks, the exploitation of which has become a hallmark of the Iron Talons. Armed with the ubiquitous Godwyn-pattern bolter, this small formation of Aspirants can nevertheless unleash a storm of firepower that belies their limited number. This is further augmented by the medium calibre Heavy Bolter variant wielded by one Aspirant. While lacking in the ammunition reserves of the larger variants utilised by their Astartes brothers, this pattern is capable of firing individually loaded Hellfire rounds – a potent cocktail of acids, monomolecular shards and toxins designed for use on unarmoured targets and larger xenos-breeds. Each bolter has been adapted to suit the needs of the Aspirants, lacking as they do the full auto-senses and enhanced vision of a true Astartes. As such, each firearm bears an additional magnocular viewing unit, synced to the helms HUD and also acting as a gun-cam, recording the in-theatre actions of the Aspirants for later review. In addition to the bolter, each Aspirant also bears a bolt-pistol sidearm and various anti-personnel and anti-armour grenades, along with various additional secondary explosives and gear. While alternative weapon loads such as assault shotguns, combat weaponry and sniper rifles are available, the flexibility and sheer power of the boltgun makes it the favoured tool of the Aspirant.

 

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Despite the various physical augmentations already carried out on each Aspirant, they lack the critical Black Carapace implant necessary to support a full suit of Astartes Power Armour and are instead clad in semi-powered suits of carapace armour. While not affording the same level of protection as Power Armour, the carapace allows a greater freedom of movement more suited to the reconnaissance roles of the Aspirants and a boost to their already enhanced strength and toughness, making even a new Aspirant more than a match for a non-augmented standard human. Of particular note are the enclosed helms seen above – these provide the Aspirants with a rudimentary version of the auto-senses and tactical display suites available from a full set of Power Armour and allow the same level of immersion in the on-going tactical landscape that any Astartes can gain. While it is unusual for Astartes Aspirants to utilise helms, it is important to remember that for reasons known only to themselves, the Iron Talons refused to show their true faces during the Aren Prime Reclamation – it is entirely possible that the reasons for wearing these helms were as much personal as they were tactical. Keen-eyed observers will have noted three points of further interest – the lack of any crimson lacquer on the right arm of the Aspirants, the lack of kill-tokens or other honour markings aside from a single purity seal affixed to the left pauldron, and finally the lack of squad or Chapter markings. The common cause of these omissions is the perceived status of the Aspirants themselves – as they have not been implanted with the Black Carapace and are therefore not true Astartes as yet, they have not performed the savage ritual of The Letting and are therefore not entitled to bear the crimson hallmark of that initiation rite. Similarly, their lower status means they not entitled to take kill-tokens and similar from the dead, and are only allowed to bear a single purity seal confirming that they have been vetted by the Talons Librarium and are free of taint. The lack of squad or Chapter markings has a more pragmatic reason – operating behind enemy lines as they often do, the Aspirants do not wish to advertise the presence of their Chapter to the enemy.

 

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The current Master of Aspirants for the 5th Company Blade of the Iron Talons, Suro Hyran has a reputation as an iron-willed and acerbic warrior, and perhaps the finest shot in the 5th Blade. Entering the ranks of the Talons at the same time as his closest brother, Corvin Varras, Hyran is responsible for shaping the new blood of the 5th, a task he performs with relish. Alone amongst the Aspirants, Hyran wears the crimson of The Letting and bears the Black Carapace beneath his skin. Despite this, he has not worn a full suit of Power Armour since his time amongst the Tactical Blades after his own initiation. Clad in the same carapace armour as his charges, Hyran’s helm contains a vastly upgraded version of the crude auto-senses of the Aspirants, allowing him to keep abreast of all in-theatre developments in real-time. For countless years Hyran has smote the enemies of the Talons with his Stalker-pattern bolter and it bears the hallmarks of an heirloom weapon, from the non-standard suppressor to the enhanced scope array atop its bulk. Although his armour lacks any distinguishing kill-tokens or honour markings, it is common knowledge amongst the Talons that his personal kill-tally is more than equal to the more renowned warriors of the 5th such as Kibre and Juvens, and that many champions of the enemies of the Imperium have found a most ignominious end at the hands of this quiet warrior. It is maybe not suprising then that alone amongst the Astartes deployed by the 5th Blade, Hyran and the Aspirants were the sole unit to escape the Aren Prime Reclamation without any casualties.

***End Record

[BrotherCaptainArkhan]

Been a quiet fan of your work here for a while. Keep it up mate, loving the fluff and the models. Would love to see a full army shot at some point.

[Disruptor_fe404]

YES! Been looking for people who used those Pig Iron heads on Scouts for a while now! Thank you for confirming that it works!

[strongbow]

Afternoon all, and thanks for the continued kinds words about my humble offerings. More to come from the Talons in a bit - and I will be posting some new stuff soon enough in the WiP section, once I can start off my HH plog....

@ Strongbow - Good to see another familiar name Hows tricks?

All's well thanks Jack! I hope it's the same for you :).

Very excited to hear about your HH blog. Was about to say I can't wait to see with what you come up with next.

[JackDaw]

Evening chaps, thanks for your comments

 

@ BrotherCaptainArkhan - Cheers fella, much appreciated. There will be army pics later on, at the end of the plog.

 

@ Disruptor_fe404 - Yeah they work really well, but the necks need a little fudging with gs to give them a bit of height. Other than that, they look sweet.

 

@ Strongbow - Yeah not bad man, new job, another kid, another few years older ;) I have made a start on the HH stuff but it might be a few months yet before I'm at the stage I can start the plog.

 

Few more posts to come tonight folks, hope you enjoy.

 

Jack.

[JackDaw]

Lords of War – Shield-Father Armin Brukhalian

 

“We stand as His bloody vengeance, His red right hand. None are safe from our blades.”
Excerpt from the litany of The Letting, an initiation ritual performed by the Shield-Fathers of the Iron Talons.

“Fear is the greatest weapon that we wield, brothers. Nothing cuts deeper”
Shield-Father Armin Brukhalian of the 5th Company Blade, Iron Talon Astartes.

***Begin Record

Amongst the ranks of the Adeptus Astartes, none are grimmer in visage than the Chaplains. Clad in midnight-black armour, their faces hidden behind impassive morbid skull-helms, they are the true embodiment of the Astartes as the Angels of Death. Their roles within the ranks of their brothers can vary from Chapter to Chapter, shaped by the traditions and foibles of their particular brotherhood but all Chaplains share a common cause – guarding the spiritual well-being of their Chapter and ensuring the survival of its rites and traditions. Often mistakenly viewed as the Astartes incarnation of a simple priest or holy-man, the Chaplain is a warrior first and foremost and often the religious dogma and trappings of the Ecclesiarchy are conspicuous in their absence from the daily observances and routines of these champions of the Astartes. The tensions between the Church and the Astartes regarding their veneration of the Holy Emperor are well known, with many Chapters regarding the Emperor as simply equal to their Primarch, despite overwhelming evidence of His divinity. As such, it is not unusual for the rites and traditions of a Chapter to omit any reference to the divinity of the Emperor and instead to simply acknowledge him as the undisputed Master of Mankind and a warrior beyond compare. When in battle, the Chaplain will exhort his brothers to feats of strength and defiance and will lead them in their catechisms of war - the strength of their resolve is legendary and no Chaplain will ever take a step back in the face of the enemy, no matter how fearsome they may be. However, it should also be noted that Chaplains are never fully embraced by the Astartes they call brothers. As the watchdogs of purity, Chaplains have the power to question and censure any Astartes amongst the Chapter and none are safe from their scrutiny. All Astartes know that despite their presence on the battlefield and their guidance in matter of faith and ritual, every Chaplain has one watchful eye upon their brothers, searching for any sign of weakness.

 

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Despite the apparent apathy displayed towards the Codex Astartes by the Iron Talons, it is perhaps surprising to find that Chaplains operate in a functionally identical manner amongst the Talon Company Blades as they do amongst the companies of the Talons peers. Referred to as ‘Shield-fathers’, the Chaplains of the Talons are attached to each Company Blade to support the Praetor and ensure that each Astartes is fully prepared in body and soul, while the senior Chaplain takes the position of Reclusiarch alongside the Chapter Master. Acting as counselor and watchman both, Shield-fathers are not only drawn from those Astartes who show a particular piety, already rare amongst the Talons, but also from those warriors who best exemplify the spiritual and martial strength of an Astartes. Thus, it is not rare to find a Shield-Father whose emphasis is closely placed upon martial prowess, with matters of the spirit and veneration of the Emperor a distant second. Regardless of each Shield-Fathers individual approach, they are true veterans and their experience and wisdom is much respected by their brothers. They also take pride in continuing the traditions and rituals laid down by the Founding Three of the Iron Talons, those proud veterans of the White Scars responsible for shaping the Chapter in its infancy. Chief amongst these is the somewhat barbaric ritual known as The Letting, endured by every brother upon his ascendancy to full Astartes. During this ritual, performed in front of the entire Company Blade, the newly formed Astartes stands clad only in a simple bodyglove, arms and legs bare, his bloodstream infused with anti-coagulants and the surgical scars from the implantation of his Black Carapace often still raw and fresh. The Shield-Father will then slowly and ritually flay the skin from the Astartes right arm, from shoulder to hand, until they bear a red right hand in truth. At the same time, the holy ritual words of the Iron Talons are spoken, reminding the Astartes of his role and the burden he bears and the sacred duty of the Iron Talons as the Thrones agents of vengeance. At the culmination of the ritual, the Company Apothecary will inject the Astartes with hyper-coagulants, ending the slow continued flow of blood and the Shield-Father will solemnly inform his new brother that this will be the last time he will allow himself to be wounded without answering in kind. The newly-inducted Astartes, flayed arm still raw, is then embraced as a brother by the Astartes of the Blade he will join and takes his place amongst their ranks.

 

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Armin Brukhalian has held the role of Shield-Father of the 5th Company Blade for close to three hundred years and has seen two Praetors serve the 5th before the current incumbent, Corvin Varras, was elected within the last 30 years. His experience eclipses all others in the 5th and many amongst the Chapter at large, and whispers abound that upon the death of Jubal Kirsch, Brukhalian will take up the mantle of Reclusiarch. His battered and war-torn body held together by bionics and permanently encased within the onyx armour of his station, Brukhalian has seen every threat and enemy of the Imperium that walks the stars and cast their broken bodies down. During the Charybdis-9 crusade, Brukhalian led Tactical Blade Rashan in the defense of the Charon Gate for 32 straight hours, never faltering in the face of the unclean legions of [REDACTED] before ending the millennia-long life of the Dark Apostle Saardis Uquet of the Word Bearers, breaking the traitors back across his knee before sundering his armour. Accompanying the Assault Blades during the Blackmaw Subjugation, Brukhalian was again found in the thickest fighting, his Crozius smiting xenos champions while his stern gaze ensured that no Assault brother faltered in their duty. Centuries of warfare have not dulled the fires of Brukhalian’s hatred for the enemies of mankind, instead hardening it into a brutal and callous approach to war. He is renowned for his uncompromising attitude to the Iron Talons duty and for his willingness to achieve victory through whatever means necessary, as well as a less than complimentary outlook on the men of the Imperial Guard and the ability of non-augmented humans in general to wage war.

 

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The original mark of Brukhalian’s battleplate is almost impossible to identify after centuries of repair and artifice by the Chapters armourers. Of particular note is the reinforced chestplate displaying the holy Aquila rendered in ancient and tarnished adamantium, a powerful symbol of a true champion of the Imperium and a stark reminder of the immense timespan that Brukhalian has spent defending mankind. The right pauldron bears the crimson of the Talons, indicating that Brukahalian, as all Talons, has undergone The Letting, and is embossed with the Deaths Head symbol of the Astartes Chaplaincy. Additional armour plating has been attached to the left pauldron of Brukhalian’s armour, framing the Imperial Laurels and stylised recreation of the Iron Talons Chapter Symbol. Various kill-tokens adorn this ancient battleplate, with what is understood to be a holy relic of the Talons suspended on Brukhalian’s left thigh-plate. The exact nature of this relic is unknown, with several informed observers of the opinion that the relic itself is not from the Talons but from an otherwise unknown Ecclesiastical source. The Shield-Father’s appearance is dominated by the skeletal bone helm, fashioned in the Deaths-head style and the brutal Crozius Arcanum held easily in his grasp. The Crozius is as much a symbol of office as a weapon, a brute maul encased in a powerful disruption field that sunders armour as easily as flesh. Brukhalian also currently sports a new pattern Angelus jump-pack, two smaller thrusters providing a greater degree of control than the brute packs utilised by the Assault Blades. During the Aren Prime Reclamation, Brukhalian was to be found close to the Assault Blades led by Meryn Kibre, often accompanying them into battle as he did against the Blackmaw xeno-kind. It is unknown whether Brukhalian shared Kibre’s view of their new Praetor or whether he simply placed himself closer to potentially disruptive brothers of the 5th, however it is recorded that Imperial forces were disappointed to see that the Shield-Fathers presence failed to rein in the worst excesses of the Assault Blades.

Shield-Father Brukhalian emerged from the Aren Prime Reclamation bloodied but unbroken, and unrepentant in the face of condemnation from Imperial Military command for the actions of the Namas Highway Incident. It was remarked by many that both Brukhalian and Inquisitor Constans of the Ordo Hereticus shared a similar outlook on how the ends achieved justified the means.

***End Record

[LordOrdGermany]

Great!

[Lord of the Cull]

Loving the back story of Brukhalian, and massive points for using Whiskey Jack's real name. In awe of all the Book of the Fallen references. I'm wondering, do you have an Iron Talon hero for Itkovian?