Calth: An Apologist and Doghouse True Scale Project Log

[Slave to Darkness]

oh Mk III all the way. yes indeedy. Great work as always guys, considerng i hate ultras and im a long time word bearer at heart, i love this thread... 

 

http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd369/_RabidFerret_/LOLZ/love-this-thread.jpg

[apologist]

Cheers all! 

More completed marines

More Ultramarines trailed into the temporary base, some advancing cautiously, others limping. Some were being assisted, or even carried. Everyone was on edge. The appearance of the Lieutenant, along with three experienced veterans of the 15th and a new recruit of the 190th, however, proved a heartening sight for the rattled loyalists. A ragged cheer rose across the line as he clashed forearms with the sergeant who had assumed temporary command.

 

I'll show some more details and background for the new marines when I get some spare time over the next few days, but thought I'd post up a group pic of some more marines I've completed. This point marks the first time I can field two complete twenty-man squads in the new style, complete with vexillas, vox-network and sergeants; and I even tied off a simple Lieutenant (Centurion) to lead the group.

Basic 1 HQ and 2 compulsory troops complete! *fireworks*

 

Excuse the mixture of basing styles. I'm aiming to convert them all over to the bicarbonate of soda snow style eventually, but I always think basing works best when done in one fell swoop.

 

Basic troops. Note the precedence of the Praetor-pattern helm. I missed these, so there are quite a few in the more recent batch.

[Commissar Molotov]

Excellent stuff! Great to see your force continuing to take shape (or regroup!) 

[apologist]

Cheers – good to see your excellent stuff progressing too

+++

Lieutenant Caperneon

A minor officer of the Legion, Caperneon was a stolid and dependable Terran, as suggested by the symbol of the Raptor's head on his breastplate. While a capable – even daring – fighter in his early years as an Astartes, he found his true vocation in helping to oversee the Legion's expansion across the Five Hundred Worlds in the years following the discovery of Macragge and the Primarch. Proving a capable governor, distributor and commander, he was moved from Chapter to Chapter many times during these years. A naturally stand-offish character, he used his reputation as distant and disapproving to good effect in getting the best from the Ultramarines of the line.

Before joining the 190th as a training officer immediately before the Calth Muster, Caperneon served as a Naval commander, operating as a true 'void marine' and helping to co-ordinate fleet movements across the sector, a task that found him working alongside a number of other Legions. His demeanour – briskly professional – doubtless reinforced many non-Ultramarine personnel of the XIII's characteristic style.

His approach proved useful in some joint engagements – he received respectful commendation from allied commanders in Expedition Fleets of the Iron Warriors, and Dark Angels – though a number of other Legions and Solar Auxilia commanders found his manner grating enough to be a drawback in relations. The normally affable Captain Sejanus of the XVI remarked that Caperneon exemplified the Ultramarines as 'toffee-nosed, affected and dull as dishwater'.

In addition to the Legion symbol worn by all Ultramarines of the 190th on their left pauldron, he bears a wreathed inverted omega on the right. This is the symbol of a Line Captain – the XIII often wore an abbreviated visual rank system that made it as easy as possible for friendly troops (particularly those unfamiliar with Astartes rank divisions) to identify broad 'strata' of rank – line troops, tactical officers and commanders. This was borne on the right pauldron (the trailing arm when firing a boltgun) to make identification clearer for supporting troops.

Caperneon's armour is – as one might expect of his dutiful and understated nature – conservative in style, with additions to the basic structure of his composite mark II and IV armour restricted to common rank symbology: a short leather loincloth and the black-and-white longitudinal crest of his helm.

A silver rank crest on his backpack replaces the more common back banner; and is the sole personal affectation on his armour. It marks him out as a void specialist, the reduced height being more suited to ship-to-ship and zero-gravity combat.

Despite his reputation, Caperneon proved a thorn in the side of the invading Word Bearers, rallying the surviving 190th and 15th until relieved by superior officers. He perished, like so many others, in an unremembered and unmarked tunnel skirmish during the Underworld War.

[JackDaw]

Simple and effective. I love how he doesnt stand out too much from his line Astartes, a proper no-frills Centurion. Lovely as always, and I'm jealous of your continued output.

[Augustus b'Raass]

There should be a Wayne's World-themed 'we're not worthy' emoticon to express my awe at your modelling, painting, but mostly your über characterful character descriptions.

[Slave to Darkness]

Guess we will have to make do with this

 

[apologist]

Ha ha! All are equally worthy in the eyes of the Emperor – and I'm no Alice Cooper. Thanks anyway though :)

 

Brother Xevious

Brother Xevious, late of 15th Chapter (cognomen: Praetors of Calth), hails from the moons of the gas giant Circe. Modified Phobos-pattern boltgun resting on his hip, he strikes an insouciant figure in this holopict-capture, taken after he and his surviving squadmates had liaised with the 190th. after the initial shock of the atrocity. Unusually for this period, he is clad in hybrid Mark V plate, with its distinctive reinforcing rivets and exposed cabling,

 

From his unusual armour style, one might suspect that he has been issued with gear at a later date than his brethren – perhaps as part of a recent intake or transfer from another Chapter – but records and serial analysis indicate that Xevious' suit is his original issue, with minor changes caused by gradual part replacement over time. Note that this has restricted the normally large Legion symbol to a small area at the very apex. This was a common contemporary position for the icon for those issued with bonding-studded plates, in contrast to its transfer to the right-hand plate as is common today.

 

When standing alongside his brethren, little remains to suggest his stocky and short pre-Astartes build – his baseline gene-runes being overridden by the majesty of his Legion-sire upon implantation and turning him into one amongst thousands of the nigh-indistinguishable Astartes. Surviving records from Captain Teutonus mention – perhaps wryly – that his forced appearance change was 'the last time Xev obeyed anyone, willingly or otherwise'.

 

The legionary was notorious amongst the officer cadre – but well-liked by his peers – for his contrary nature and dogged determination not to fit in. Fortunately for him, he mainly chose to exercise this strong-headedness through the pursuit of excellence; making himself stand out as different through virtue. Nevertheless, he was cited numerous times for 'imaginative' interpretation of orders, wilful damage to Legion property and low-level friction with his superiors. Until his death during the early days of the Calth war, he remained simultaneously the most decorated and most censured Ultramarine in the Chapter.

[Slave to Darkness]

You have more talent than alice cooper >.<

[Augustus b'Raass]

Yeah and it's poison.

 

 

To my further attempts at truescaling. ;)

[Slave to Darkness]

I hate going into GW when schools out

[Augustus b'Raass]

This maniac's in love with your models.

[Slave to Darkness]

Gullimans so hard he sleeps on a bed of nails

[apologist]

The Sincerest Form of Flattery

 

A quick inload to show some WIP marines in a new style, based on the style created by the excellent Monkeyballistic, of Those Whom the Gods.

 

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ce2tj5COnq4/VWzLb2hFRVI/AAAAAAAAR34/zbY8IRB6fQI/s1600/IMG_2271.JPG

 

They're based on Grey Knight Terminator torsos, and require much less putty work. Great technique, MB! :)

[Commissar Molotov]

Nice work. Which bare head is that? One of the Imperial Fists ones? Which is the second helmet, also? My Forgeworld-fu is weak! 

 

I'm keen to see what you come up with! 

[The_Chaplain]

Nice work. Which bare head is that? One of the Imperial Fists ones? Which is the second helmet, also? My Forgeworld-fu is weak!

 

I'm keen to see what you come up with!

mol the second head is from the mk 2 or 3 command set, pretty sure.

[malika666]

Will they also be getting the Cataphract Terminator legs, or will you stick to the Tartaros ones?

[apologist]

The bare head's from the Imperial Fists - it was kindly donated, so I'm not sure which pack it's from exactly. As The Chaplain says, the other head's from the Mk II command set.

 

Mal, they'll get Cataphract legs (or possibly Gravewardens). In the case of the two officers, they've already got legs - all primed and ready for paint! Pics tomorrow :)

[RazakelXIII]

Good to see this thread still going. Love your Ultramarines as always, Apologist, but those Word Bearers/Revelators you converted up on the last page? Holy hell, I can't wait to see those painted up. Any plans to make some truescaled Invictarus Suzerains? Would be very interesting to see you go for something really ornate.

[apologist]

 

 

Good to see this thread still going. Love your Ultramarines as always, Apologist, but those Word Bearers/Revelators you converted up on the last page? Holy hell, I can't wait to see those painted up. Any plans to make some truescaled Invictarus Suzerains? Would be very interesting to see you go for something really ornate.

 

Thanks :)

I'm kind of on a building spree at the moment (best to run with your enthusiasms, I find), but I'm looking forward to painting the Renegades too.

No current plans for Invictarus Suzerains, as the army is supposed to be very stripped back and uniform. That said, never say never – perhaps I might bring one or two in as Breachers or similar.

 

+++

 

Building on the torsos, here are two officers – a Master of Signal, and a Captain.

 

Built from Justaerin Cataphractii legs – for the spikes, which are reminiscent of Captain Ventanus' shoulder pad – a Grey Knight terminator torso, Gorgon Terminator arms, 3D printed shoulder pads, a head from one of the Imperial Fist packs (I got this in a trade, so not sure which), and weapons from the Red Scorpion and Mark II power weapon packs, this fellow required a very deep dig in the bits box!

 

 

Whether he ends up as the de facto leader of the army is up for debate. I'm quite tempted to simply build a load of different officers and just swap between them as I fancy.

 

The Master of Signals is part of the Ultramarines' special army selection (Rite of War) from the new Age of Darkness rulebook. In any case, I've wanted to build on for a while as I prefer my leaders to do command and control rather than be brawlers.

 

 

He uses a hand from the Space Hulk Omnio figure, as it has a cool auspex/monitor thingie built into the palm. Unfortunately, Masters of Signal don't seem to be able to have power fists. Still, I'm sure it can either be deactivated, or simply be large to hold the auspex equipment, rather than powered.

[Bob Hunk]

He uses a hand from the Space Hulk Omnio figure, as it has a cool auspex/monitor thingie built into the palm. Unfortunately, Masters of Signal don't seem to be able to have power fists. Still, I'm sure it can either be deactivated, or simply be large to hold the auspex equipment, rather than powered.

Love the update, especially the auspex-fist. Despite a PF not being an option, I'm sure any reasonable opponent would let you purchase one anyway.

[apologist]

Emperor bless those reasonable opponents, eh ;)

 

Today has been a great day for the Ultramarines, as I've finally pulled the trigger on something I've been saving up for – Tempest, another Contemptor, and some guns for my Deredeo. His missiles will have to wait a little while, as they were a bit above my budget! :)

 

The Contemptor is a standard one. He's going to be armed with twin-linked heavy bolters (such a brutal sculpt) and power fist; and will be mixed in with a Legion-specific one so there's a little more variety. 

 

Impatient fidgeting commencing in 5... 4...

[Commissar Molotov]

Really nice models, and awesome to hear you have gone ahead and bought Tempest. 

 

I wonder whether you ought to try to add a little lip inside the gorget - even a strip of plasticard bent into a circular shape might help. I feel the neck looks a tiny bit too exposed on your Captain - I fear he might die to a sniper's bullet in the neck! I wonder whether the Imperial Fists head is a tiny bit small - I managed to get Sevatar's bare head off eBay and it would fit an Imperial Guardsman without looking too oversized... 

[apologist]

Good thinking Mol. Next time I get some spare time I'll have a little look at how to tweak things - I think the bare head in particular looks a bit high set.

 

While I think of it, are you selling a FW tank crew on eBay? I was looking for the scope and flat hand from the set and found the only seller was someone with an avatar just like yours.

[Commissar Molotov]

I will send you an email!