30k Vehicle/Automata Concepts - The Manufactorum

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

Hey folks, said I'd keep y'all updated on how the job application was progressing, and today I got word that my application has been declined.

 

I'm not super surprised, this was always a bit on a wing & a prayer. It does however mean that I'll likely stop putting time into designs like these, or do them *very* occasionally - previously I could justify the time expenditure as being portfolio work for future job applications but from now on I'll really have to dedicate the time to commission works and less specific portfolio stuff, as this route into concept art seems pretty firmly closed to me now.

 

Anyway, thanks for following my stuff over the years, it's been really encouraging to see people enjoying my work, and probably helped me make the final decision to try for a career in art after I'd firmly turned away from it.

 

I'll keep these threads open, cause there's a *chance* I'll eventually do more stuff that's relevant to them, but either way, thanks for all the kind words over the years

[bluntblade]

Sorry to hear that dude

[Fenbain]

That really is a shame and I'm sorry to hear it. If you have an instagram or facebook page for your general portfolio work, commissions and any other sketches etc., I'd love to follow it and I'm sure many others would as well.

[malika666]

Sorry to hear about the rejection. Don't stop doing this kinda stuff though. There are more companies out there, and you're really talented. As for commissioned work, I might have someone for you, PM me your info...

[Charlo]

Sorry to hear pal, thats such a shame considering your impeccable work!

 

Did they give any feedback as to why?

[Hesh Kadesh]

Gutted for you mate, sorry to hear that it didn't work out.  Would love to hopefully see more of your work

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

Sorry to hear that dude

 

Thanks, looking back it seems a little *too* perfect a route into concept art, I'm not too bummed out, but it would have been nice to know what it was that let me down

 

That really is a shame and I'm sorry to hear it. If you have an instagram or facebook page for your general portfolio work, commissions and any other sketches etc., I'd love to follow it and I'm sure many others would as well.

 

I'm still setting up 'infrastructure' like that - I'm planning on having a portfolio site, work-in-progress blog, Instagram and print store set up *eventually* (I'm still studying for my MSc at the minute) but when they're all set up, you'll be able to find them from my Twitter: https://twitter.com/Leevesy_M

 

Thanks for the interest!

 

Sorry to hear about the rejection. Don't stop doing this kinda stuff though. There are more companies out there, and you're really talented. As for commissioned work, I might have someone for you, PM me your info...

 

As above, I haven't finished setting up all the logistics required for commission work, and the course is sapping most of my time at the minute, but when it's all set up, I'll put out a call for commissions on my Twitter - thanks so much for the interest though, it's really encouraging

 

Sorry to hear pal, thats such a shame considering your impeccable work!

 

Did they give any feedback as to why?

 

Thanks, nah they don't give feedback at this stage. It's possible they just weren't looking for anyone at the minute:

 

"Future vacancy: There is no job available currently, but we are always searching for passionate and enthusiastic people to join the Citadel Miniatures team. This could be the start of a relationship that may result in you joining the team in the future."

 

but I have no way of knowing  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

Gutted for you mate, sorry to hear that it didn't work out.  Would love to hopefully see more of your work

 

Thanks - the stuff I do outside of the forum tends to focus on character portraiture and natural studies, but I have a feeling without this stuff sating my interest in mechanical designs, I'll start doing more stuff of an 'engineering' nature

[malika666]

As above, I haven't finished setting up all the logistics required for commission work, and the course is sapping most of my time at the minute, but when it's all set up, I'll put out a call for commissions on my Twitter - thanks so much for the interest though, it's really encouraging.

Do keep us posted, very curious to see what more you'll be doing!

[STC Logisengine]

Sorry you didn't get the job. You'll get the next one! ;)

Meanwhile, look what's rolled off the assemblyline!

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

Holy , it's *perfect*

 

You've done an incredible job STC, thanks for sharing - hey, even if don't get to design miniatures in a professional capacity, it was all worth it just for that

[STC Logisengine]

I'm glad you liked it, thank you for the effort with making the original design. :D

[Supe robot gangster #1]

Absolute shame to hear mate. If ever you get the opportunity to PDF all your designs I’d love to have a crack at making as many of them as possible!

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

Absolute shame to hear mate. If ever you get the opportunity to PDF all your designs I’d love to have a crack at making as many of them as possible!

 

*Most* of my stuff which has rules, a design & background that I'm happy with can be found up here: http://the-manufactorum.blogspot.co.uk/

 

There is plenty of older stuff that isn't on there, but over time I'm less happy with some designs, want to update them, combine them in different ways, etc., so that's the best source of stuff which I'm happy with.

 

I'm constantly having ideas for designs, that part of my brain hasn't just gone away, it's just that with finishing my Masters this summer, I'm planning on going all out into freelance & commission illustration to see if I can actually earn a living from it, and there's just no way I can justify the time investment in this cause it isn't monetised - it's possible if I can find a balance, I'll come back to do this stuff for myself, but 'cause it's so niche, I can't even wave it away as portfolio work anymore (unlike some other 40k / 30k illustration stuff which I plan on continuing).

[Laughingman]

Sorry to hear your job application got rejected. No idea about Forge-world/ Games workshop, but in other companies (stateside at least, no idea about the UK)  I've worked for have job requisitions get pulled all the time. It sometimes has nothing to do with the prospective employees, but rather bean counting choices internally.... My recommendation if you actually got a name of someone in recruiting/hiring department contact them like once a month, make sure they know you are still interested... Especially if they are already using your work on occasion 

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

Sorry to hear your job application got rejected. No idea about Forge-world/ Games workshop, but in other companies (stateside at least, no idea about the UK)  I've worked for have job requisitions get pulled all the time. It sometimes has nothing to do with the prospective employees, but rather bean counting choices internally.... My recommendation if you actually got a name of someone in recruiting/hiring department contact them like once a month, make sure they know you are still interested... Especially if they are already using your work on occasion 

 

Yeah, this position has been advertised on and off over the past few years - this is the first time I've been in a position to apply for it, but I'll probably submit a new application next year if it's still up.

 

I'm still not sold on them using my work to be honest - there's some similarities between a few of my concepts and a handful of FW releases, and even though I've been told that the FW design team are aware of my work, and then you've got stuff like Autek Mor's circuitry tattoos (something I'd depicted on Iron Hands a couple of years before), and the whole 'Brannsar' product bundle....but still, I'm wary of assigning anything more than coincidence.

[bluntblade]

Just searched Volkite and the first result is "cascade Sicaran". You really made an impression.

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

Hey folks, I've been gradually whittling away at my list of vehicle concepts, and I'm trying to make rules for as many as poss. Writing rules is relatively easy, I find making lore for units more laborious / intensive (& adding points costs even more so), so they'll likely just end up being posted as a list of unit entries. At the moment, artwork is off the table (for the time being, but I'll follow with a post about that later).

 

Anyway, here's the list of units I've made rules for so far / what's in the pipeline:

 

LEGIONES ASTARTES VEHICLES:

 

Legion Novel Vehicles:

These three all have entirely new chassis I've designed - none are variants of existing Legion vehicles:

 

* FAST ATTACK: Legion Warg Attack Squadron:

Okay, so this one's chassis isn't *entirely* novel - y'know those double-treaded tracks at the front of the Mastodon? Well, the Warg is what you get when you separate the tracks out and stick a tank in between them. It's a dedicated battle tank, designed as close support to Legion assaults, so turret weapons are: Kheres Assault Cannon / Reaper Autocannon Battery (the one on the Fire Raptor) / Frag Cannon / Melta Cannon with a hull TL Heavy Bolter too.

* HEAVY SUPPORT: Legion Mauler Heavy Battle Tank:

This one's been mentioned a few times in the black books, and description varies between heavy / main battle tanks, but my design is a heavy tank, sitting somewhere between a Malcador & Spartan, but pretty much a land cruiser - it comes with 5 TL weapons across the hull & a turret too.

* LORDS OF WAR: Legion Hephaestus Special Weapons Tank:

A hybrid of the Sicaran and Glaive, this one's mentioned in the Sicaran's profile but with no detail, so I've designed it as a heavy tank used to test new weapon designs, current esoteric-sounding options: Volkite Cavalcade / Neutron Pulse Laser / Conversion Annihilator / Grav-Flux Projector

 

Legion Sentry Emplacements:

 

* FAST ATTACK: Discordia Sentry Claw:

This one's an oldie for me - pretty much an Anvilus Assault Claw with the transport capacity swapped for a turret with 2 twin-linked heavy weapons and Flare Shields, which can Deep Strike just like their precursors.

* FAST ATTACK: Termite-Scoria Sentry Assault Drill:

The Termite's version of the Deathstorm Drop Pod - emerges vertically 'cause it doesn't have any passengers to disgorge, so each hatch contains an articulated weapon arm similar to the sponsons on deimos-pattern vehicles.

* FORTIFICATIONS: Stormfront Sentry Battery:

What happens when you take the turret from the 40k Hunter tank and stick it on an emplacement - armaments will come in anti-aircraft (Hydra Autocannon / Rockets), artillery (Thudd Gun / Griffon Mortar) or conventional (Avenger Bolt Cannon / Laser Destroyer) and batteries will get a bonus for fielding all of one type.

 

Legion Scout Vehicles:

 

* DEDICATED TRANSPORT: Legion Sphinx Recon Carrier:

Another oldie, this is a 6-capacity scout transport based off an enclosed version of the Legion Basilisk / Medusa hull - can carry Tac Vets / Destroyers / Recons / Seekers

* FAST ATTACK: Legion Peryton Scout Squadron:

Pretty much a stripped-down Predator - these use the classic razorback manned turrets with the large frontal armour plate (with vulnerability reflected in its rules), which can have TL heavy bolters / autocannon / lascannon, and has the option of missile-launcher sponsons - it's fast, but with lesser stats than the Predator (the idea being it's a stop-gap production from an inferior STC encountered in the Great Crusade when predators stocks thinned)

* FAST ATTACK: Legion Grendel Attack Squadron:

An old favourite, these are stripped-down Legion Basilisk / Medusas which mount support weapons in place of artillery, with all the standard Rapier options plus the (non-TL) Hellfire Plasma Carronade cause I thought it'd look cool

 

Legion Skimmers:

 

* DEDICATED TRANSPORT: Estoc Recon Speeder:

Combo of the Landspeeder Storm & Javelin - take the Javelin hull & stretch it out, with two outwards-facing seats on each flank, an additional engine, a rear heavy weapon turret (similar to the Sicaran Venator's pintle mount) and sit the transported squad's sergeant in the gunner's seat - you've got a skimmer transport which can carry 5 Legionaries

* HEAVY SUPPORT: Legion Jetbike Sky Burner Attack Squadron (Trident Attack Jetbike):

The Trident is fundamentally a two-Legionary Jetbike, inspired by the old artwork of a BA jetbike-chariot. This is a bit more streamlined, with the central fuselage similar to an extended Scimitar (not heavy weapon though), with a rear seat raised slightly above the pilot, allowing the passenger to wield a shoulder-mounted heavy weapon (not a lascannon / autocannon / missile launcher), and the 'Trident' bit refers to a pair of outriggers which each mount a missile launcher

* HEAVY SUPPORT: Legion Harpoon Assault Skimmer:

Based off the 40k DA landspeeder vengeance, swaps out the 4 turbofans for two larger engines, replaces the front seating with single, central armoured cockpit, & mounts a sicaran / razorback style turret with a quad heavy bolter / twin kheres / twin plasma cannon / quad lascannon

 

Legion Aircraft:

 

* DEDICATED TRANSPORT: Legion Phyrrhocorax Assault Gunship

Precursor to the Corvis Blackstar, swaps jet intakes for missile pods / skyreaper battery, replaces entry wells with large engines, rear entry ramp – 10 capacity

* FAST ATTACK: Orgus Flyer Attack Squadron:

40k Stormhawk chassis, replace wings & turbofans with articulated anti-grav ‘paddles’ with inbuilt missile pods, chin weapon mount

* FAST ATTACK: Anvilus Pattern Thunderbolt Heavy Fighter:

‘Upgraded’ Thunderbolts were mentioned in Inferno as being used by the Thousand Sons – one of the biggest differences will be giving it an Anvilus Autocannon Battery, but there’ll me a number of upgrades & options to tie it closer to other Legion vehicles

 

Legion Voidcraft:

 

* DEDICATED TRANSPORT: Legion Melichae Strike Ram

‘Stealth’ boarding ram, based of the 40k SW Stormwolf, with a central graviton weapon & an array of abilities similar to the Kharon Aquisitor, able to carry 10 PA Legionaries

* FAST ATTACK: Legion Vehemence Heavy Fighter:

Heavy void fighter, combines the aesthetics of the Fury interceptor with Space Marine Strike cruisers, armed with a nose quad heavy bolter, wing aracnus heavy lascannon and an array of missiles – heavily armoured

* LORDS OF WAR: Legion Deimos Pattern Shark Assault Ram

Assault Ram equivalent of the Mastodon – frontal melta weaponry, and several defensive missile & lascannon weapons. 40 transport capacity, along with void shields & a powerful ram ability. Cause it’s so massive, thrusters & anti-grav can only keep it airbourne at speed, so once it’s passengers disembark, it effectively becomes a fortification instead, with its void shields projected over a larger radius.

 

Legion Predator Variants:

These are just new turret weapons for the trusty old Predator, primarily instigated by lore in IA: 2 that there was a pred with a turret-mounted Graviton Cannon and that the SA have a Volkite Leman Russ.

 

* HEAVY SUPPORT: Predator Dominus Battle Tank:

Turret Graviton Cannon! Obviously the fluff is gonna point towards the His being the main proponent of this pattern.

* HEAVY SUPPORT: Predator Incinerator Battle Tank:

Turret Volkite weapon! Undecided on whether it’ll have a twin-linked volkite demi-culvern akin to the leman russ incinerator or whether I’ll create a purpose-built weapon (maybe a longer-ranged weapon, styled after the caliver?)

* HEAVY SUPPORT: Predator Lanius Battle Tank:

Turret quad heavy bolter! Because rule of three, and there isn’t currently a dakka predator variant, plus the interaction with some legions’ special rules / ammo could be fun.

 

Legion Tank Hunters:

 

* HEAVY SUPPORT: Legion Sabre Tank Hunter Squadron:

The status of the sabre has been a bit ambiguous since the FW heresy biz started, and with the Sicaran Venator & laser-destroyer Vindicator making it’s niche pretty crammed. My version has its main weapon be little more than a slightly enhanced lascannon, mainly designed to use its shock pulse ability to stun hard targets so that its sponson missile launchers can hammer it into paste, allowing these lighter vehicles to punch above their weight.

* HEAVY SUPPORT: Legion land Raider Terminus Tank Hunter:

Yup, it’s the Heresy version of the Terminus ultra – pretty much the Land Raider Achilles, but with TL lascannon sponsons and the quad mortar swapped for quad lascannon.

* HEAVY SUPPORT: Legion Notus Tank Hunter:

For a while I’d been trying to figure out the best chassis to mount a 30k version of the Astraeus grav-tank’s massive macro-accelerator cannon, and then I remembered that the lore for the Malcador specifically talks about its redundancy producing several variants used to test out weapons, so the Notus is pretty much a Valdor tank hunter with a macro-accelerator autocannon in place of the neutron laser. The malcador chassis is a bit ‘Legionified’, and because the main gun is hull-mounted, it doesn’t have the rapid tracking rule, but I’ve still given it a pretty meaty profile.

 

Legion Support Vehicles:

 

* DEDICATED TRANSPORT: Legion Rhino Advancer Assault Carrier:

Y’all know this one – open-topped Rhino variant to increase carrying capacity (in this case, to 15). Fluff-wise, I'm gonna take it in the direction of primarily being designed as a fast assault transport, stripped down to increase the vehicle's speed, with the increased capacity a peripheral bonus.

* HEAVY SUPPORT: Legion Griffon Support Battery:

The Legion version of the Griffon looks like a deimos pattern of the 40k Hunter, except the skyspear missile launcher is replaced with an ‘accatran-pattern heavy mortar’. It has special rules to help fill a slot as a close-support vehicle for infantry, with less range & power than other Legion artillery, but an array of versatile shell types (including Legion-specific types).

* HEAVY SUPPORT: Legion Mammut Assault Transport:

This is the little cousin of the Mastodon, based off the Malcador chassis but built similarly to the Caestus assault ram, the central hull ends in a ram/assault ramp with melta cutters. It’s available for any unit which can take a Land Raider as dedicated transport, but has a 15 person capacity, and has a rule that allows it to tank shock / ram followed by its passengers disembarking.

 

Legion Dreadnoughts:

 

* HQ: Legion Ancient:

The legion ancient is an upgrade for any unit consisting of a single dread, transferring it to a HQ slot, and giving it a number of leadership-based boosts to surrounding troops. There’ll also be several upgrades that will depend of the chassis, and the ability to select a themed bonus.

* ELITES: Legion Lucifer Dreadought Talon:

The Lucifer Dread is smaller even than the boxdread, being designed with shipboard combat or engagements in other enclosed spaces in mind. I designed this one a while back based off the classic dreadnought and original contemptor sketches, but I’ll likely update the design some. Regardless, it’s got the standard configuration of DCCW and heavy weapon, with a carapace articulated weapon mount too. Comes in talons of 1-5.

* ELITES: Legion Leviathan-Thrasos Assault Dreadnought Talon:

The idea behind this is similar to the contemptor-cortus, being a slightly inferior pattern of Leviathan built to overcome the difficulty / cost of their construction, only seen openly once the Heresy had begun, but constructed in secret by the forces of the fabricator general from designs stolen in response to the perceived threat posed by the Leviathan. Doesn’t have the chest-mounted weapons, swaps the frag grenades for frag assault launcher, and rather than phosphex dischargers has the option of a cyclone missile launcher. The only arm weapon in common with the Leviathan is the siege claw, which comes with an inbuilt heavy bolter / flamer and the dread must have at least one of. The other arm can be another claw or an avenger bolt cannon, and I’ll be designing flamer / volkite & plasma arms too.

 

Legion Artillery Vehicles:

 

* HEAVY SUPPORT: Legion Hydra Flak Battery:

Similar to the Griffon, the Legion Hydra is takes a deimos pattern hunter chassis and swaps the Skyspear for a TL Anvilus Autocannon Battery.

* HEAVY SUPPORT: Legion Thunderstrike Assault Squadron:

This is another design I did a while ago but never made rules for, pretty much the Land Raider (armoured) Proteus with a turret siege missile launcher / dual quad mortar and sponson TL heavy bolters / TL multi-meltas / Flamestorm cannon / Frag cannon.

* HEAVY SUPPORT: Legion Maelstrom Artillery Tank:

This one’s based of the 40k DG Putrid blight-crawler hull, undemonified and equipped with an ‘accelerator bombard’, pretty much just a mortar useing the tech from the accelerator (auto)cannon.

 

Legion Spartan Variants:

 

* HEAVY SUPPORT: Legion Spartan-Hermetika Siege Command Vehicle:

Mentioned in the Damocles Rhino entry, this Spartan variant removes the frontal assault ramp but gets a specialised ram, extra durability, special command rules and gets a hull flamestorm cannon / magna-melta. Comes as a dedicated transport for  Command squads, or a 0-1 heavy support otherwise.

* LORDS OF WAR: Legion Orthrus Heavy Tank Hunter:

The Cerberus, but with a massive offset melta weapon in place of the neutron laser battery, which has a dual profile giving it the option of a non-blast, gets hot strength D attack.

* LORDS OF WAR: Legion Ajax Heavy Assault Tank:

Designed this one a while ago without rules, fundamentally a moving void-shield bubble with some transport capacity and fire support capacity.

 

Legion Fellblade Variants:

 

* LORDS OF WAR: Legion Scourge Super-Heavy Special Weapons Tank:

This takes the Glaive and swaps out its volkite carronade for a scaled up version of the salamander pyroclasts’ flame projectors, allowing it to flame infantry and melt armour. Fluffwise, it’ll be based around Ferrus Manus and Vulkan working together to scale up the latters’ flame projector tech and disseminate it among the Legions.

* LORDS OF WAR: Legion Fellhammer Super-Heavy Assault Tank:

The Fellhammer is to the Fellblade what the hellhammer is to the baneblade, with all the same hull weapons but a siege cannon that’s capable of both direct and indirect fire.

* LORDS OF WAR: Legion Kronos Super-Heavy Command Tank:

Removing the Falchions’ cannon and swapping them for a traverse-mounted twin arachnus lascannon or dual battlecannon allows the majority of the hull space to be used as a mobile strategium, and it has special command rules, a transport capacity & the option to take orbital strikes like the Sokar Stormbird.

 

LEGIONES ASTARTES UNITS:

 

Legion Command Units:

 

* HQ: Legion Imperator:

For the imperator, I wanted a chance to explore the not-quite Astartes among the Legions, figures like Kor Phaeron who have undergone extensive enhancements to bring them close to, but not matching Legionary level. They’ll have a different statline and less combat-oriented abilities, and will never be able to be the Warlord or compulsory HQ, but I want to reflect that they’d all be figures of relative import to their Primarchs to justify the risk in their ‘uplifting’.

* HQ: Legion Decurion Cadre:

I wanted a HQ choice to represent the Lieutenant tier of command in the Legions, with stats & gear between a centurion and vet sergeant. 1-3 can be taken per selection, but they’re independent characters as per, and one can only be selected as warlord if they’re the only HQ choice.

* HQ: Legion Armour Marshal:

The legion equivalent to the solar auxilia’s tank commanders, these are an upgrade for tanks akin to Castrmen Orth.

 

Legion Consuls:

 

* HQ: Legion Alaris Consul:

The biker / jetbiker consul! They’ll have deployment rules, and several biker-styled bonuses that’ll be conferred to any squad they’re part of.

* HQ: Legion Opsequiari Consul:

The consul type revealed in the SW background section of Inferno. They’ll have purely leadership-based rules (but therefore a significant boost), and cause the lore mentions summary executions, I’ll *consider* a rule similar to commissars, although it might feel a bit off in the context of Astartes.

* HQ: Legion Tesserarius Consul:

They aren’t called Castellans ‘cause the IF have dibs, but these are Castellans. Fortification rules, bonus to cover saves, etc.

 

Legion Infantry Units:

 

* FAST ATTACK: Legion Veteran Assault Squad

I’ve always found the specification of ‘tactical’ veterans a bit weird, but I thought it was about time there was a vanguard partner to their sternguard equivalent. Vet stats, and more equipment options than you can count – plus they’ll have veteran tactics.

* FAST ATTACK: Legion Courser Squad:

Equivalent to the Sisters of Silence Pursuers, these are legionaries who employ various cyber-carnivora to track down their foe. Similar units have been mentioned in the Black Books, and I’m planning on leaving the rules for their cyber-carnivora as modular as possible so they can be used to represent a variety of different creatures from cthonian mongrels to chemosian warhawks.

* HEAVY SUPPORT: Legion Terminator Support Squad:

Yup, they’re a pan-Legion heavy weapon terminator unit – but don’t fear IW & Ultras, no cyclones here. Straight up power weapons only, but their guns are: heavy bolter / heavy flamer / multi-melta / plasma cannon / volkite culverin, so they’re designed for close support.

 

LEGIO CUSTODES VEHICLES:

 

* DEDICATED TRANSPORT: Legio Custodes Jocasta Pattern Grav Attack

This was mentioned in Inferno, and I’m taking it in the direction of the classic deodorant speeder, similar to the Hormeas pattern I designed for the mechanicum. Because that version isn’t massive, it holds its 6 custodes passengers in harnesses along the flanks, with layers of shielding to protect them and the classic rear turret and missile pods.

* FAST ATTACK: Legio Custodes Equinox Pattern Interceptor:

Another one from Inferno, this one’s designed to look like a diving eagle, with its primary weapon being the telemon heavy dread’s arachnus storm cannon, and with a pair of internal missile launchers similar to the Xiphon’s rotary launcher.

* FAST ATTACK: Legio Custodes Hermes-Pattern Grav-Sled:

You guessed it, this one’s from Inferno too. It’s mentioned as being fragile, so I’m styling it after the guard skiffs accompanying Jabba’s sail barge in Return of the Jedi, really proposed for sentry duty (I envision it carrying a trio of Custodes above large crowds, so they can spot potential threats). It’ll have an enclosed pilot’s cabin at the rear like the Pallas, with sponson-positioned weapon mounts.

 

s

SISTERS OF SILENCE VEHICLES:

 

* FAST ATTACK: Sisters of Silence Omen Jetbike Squadron:

Employed when they have to pursue fast-moving psykers across open ground, the omen jetbikes have heavy stubbers with underslung snare guns / flamers. Design wise, they’ll be more lithe than the bulky custodes / astartes jetbikes as they don’t have to carry such a huge weight, and aren’t purpose-built for high-intensity combat.

* FAST ATTACK: Sisters of Silence Ichnaea Pattern Phase Carrier:

This is an analogue of the Termite which relies entirely upon phase technology and graviton impactors to pass through solid matter, used by the sisters to access prey that’s encased in fortifications or densely packed urban terrain.

* HEAVY SUPPORT: Sisters of Silence Eclipse Gunship:

This is a gunship deployed when the Sisters face tough opposition, deployed instead of armoured ground vehicles. Its aesthetics will be heavily styled on the Kharon pattern aquisitor, with a sinister corvid-like design, and it has a TL Illiastis accelerator, and mini anti-infantry turrets at the end of each wing.

 

IMPERIAL KNIGHTS UNITS:

 

Imperial Knight Armours:

 

* LORDS OF WAR: Armiger Balescythe:

Armigers don’t currently have 30k rules, so this’ll be on the backburner for a bit, but it’s the close fire-support Armiger class. Carapace weapon will be a cyclone missile launcher equivalent, with one arm mounting a gatling stubber (think 5 heavy stubber barrels) and the other being the dominus pattern’s siegebreaker cannon, one of which can be swapped for a thermal lance.

* LORDS OF WAR: Questoris Knight Arbiter:

Back to the trusty old questoris chassis, this one is based of artwork for the house devine ‘banelash’ knight, so mounts a plasma weapon on one arm and power scourge on the other.

* LORDS OF WAR: Acastus Knight Eurymedon:

Kin to the Porphyrion, this Acastus is armed with a pair of massive storm cannon – pretty much what you’d get if you combined several long-barreled autocannon into a rotary weapon.

 

Mechanicum Knight Armours:

 

* LORDS OF WAR: Mechanicum Armiger Krypteia:

Again, no 30k rules for this chassis so they’re not super planned out, but I’m tempted to give it a pair of extra weapons on the sides of the torso in reference to the old space crusade dreadnought which the Armiger highly resembles.

* LORDS OF WAR: Mechanicum Cerastus Knight-Proioxis:

Another mechanicum cerastus, this one’s for wrecking armoured / entrenched positions, with a knight-scale rad weapon to cook foes in their bunkers and a seismic ram to smash them apart.

* LORDS OF WAR: Mechanicum Dominus Knight-Anicetus:

A mechanicum variant of the dominus chassis, this one replaces the central carapace mount with a large shield projector (similar to the atomantic pavaise) which provides an invulnerable bubble / reinforces existing invulnerable saves, including knight ion shields. Fluffwise, these would primary be deployed alongside taghmata forces to protect lesser constructs / forces as they made their advance, with the remaining two carapace weapon mounts hosting anti-aircraft weapons (probably the knights’ Icarus autocannon). The torso meltas are swapped for TL lightning guns or single mauler bolt cannon, and the current arm weapons consist of a graviton weapon and a pulsar-fusil (from the krios venator).

 

COLLEGIA TITANICUS UNITS:

 

* LORDS OF WAR: Legio Titanicus Reviler Support Titan:

Mentioned in Extermination as a local pattern incalaidon used by the tiger eyes, this a ‘sub-titan’, somewhere between a warhound and heavy knight classes. It’s mentioned as a dedicated inferno cannon platform, but I like the idea of it’s designs being disseminated to the other Titan legions after the mechanicum effectively rescues Incalaidon, with the design primarily maligned as a poor imitation of ‘true’ Titans, but with a handful of Legions using them and even adapting them to mount different weaponry. The design is basically a pair of legs and a gun, with the main weapon integrated into the central chassis, offset next to the ‘head’, and with a small defensive turret below the hull. Weapons are inferno cannon / plasma blastgun / volcano cannon & stats are lower than the warhound, with only a single void shield.

* LORDS OF WAR: Legio Titanicus Claviger Scout Titan:

Used to screen larger titans rather than as a true scout, the claviger has a more powerful generator than its contemporaries, allowing it to power three void shields rather than 2, and giving it the ability to regen these more easily & shield other titans when it doesn’t move. It has 4 weapon mounts rather than two, but with roughly equivalent firepower to a Warhound – each weapon being single turbolaser sized.

* LORDS OF WAR: Legio Titanicus Desolator Battle Titan:

Roughly equal in size to a Reaver, this one’s the artillery titan, with zero melee weapon options. It’s built around an offset central gun in the ‘torso’, on par with the Warlord arm weapons. On top of this, it’s got a pair of conventional arm-mounts either side of the torso that mount warhound-equivalent weapons. The main gun can be a belicosa pattern volcano cannon / mori quake cannon / ‘Enyalios Macro Bolt Launcher’. This last one is a combination of accelerator tech an massively scaled-up bolter weaponry, consisting of a railgun equivalent launch system, with a secondary self-propelled payload of similar scale to apocalypse missiles. The idea behind this is to outrange pretty much any similar scale conventional weapon, allowing the Desolator to bombard foes from far out of contact range, meaning it’s the exception to the rule of Titans rarely being deployed alone – sit one at the other side of the continent and reduce a city to dust.

 

[Laughingman]

Like the idea behind the legion Courser Squad, had a earlier thread on it. I imagined them attached to seeker squads or recon units to hunt down specific targets in an area were even enhanced Legionary smell and sight might be compromised (Deep underhives, Sewers, Depressurized space hulks, etc).  

[bluntblade]

Just as soon as I clear up my dribble, I have a question.

 

What's your naming convention for the Mechanicum Knights?

[Charlo]

Incredible stuff as always.

 

I really want the Lucifer dreads... Astartes Killa Kanz!

[STC Logisengine]

So,.... due to some miscasts in my recent FW-order I have a couple of spare sides to a malcador, I had this small idea to build a transport out of those parts for my Unification-Era XIX Legionaires, probably with a spartan-esque assault ramp. And here you are with your Mammut assault transport; having a very similar idea!

 

Though I had more an idea of an fast transport with support weapons, more like the quick Legion sibling of the Solar Auxilia Dracosan, or a complement system to the Land Raider wich at this point was in extremely limited supply, rather than an assault ram :)

 

I was thinking a front and rear ramp, with a dual engine to handle the added weight with each engine moved, chimera-style, into each track unit where the malcador's sidesponsons usually live, then a front, limited-traverse citadel for a suppression weapon, maybe a twl flamer or flamestorm cannon or ye olde heavy bolters. then maybe a single heavy weapon up top, in the same style as the HB on the sicarian venator.

 

Fancy making a scetch? :P

[Ryltar Thamior]

man, every time i stop through your threads, I can't help but wind up coming away inspired. Even without the excellent pictorials!

My mind's particularly captured by  the notion of using those Astartes basilisk chassies for other purposes; and I'm also very glad htat somebody's putting decent thought into Corvus Blackstar and Stormwolf forerunners in the Heresy. Provided you're on that kick - have you perhaps considered how the frag-cannon weapons the Deathwatch use might figure on Astartes of the period [seems like quite a useful weapon for ship-clearing and such, particularly once the Heresy itself gets going due to the option for both submunitions and serious-grade penetrator rounds]?

As applies Armigers .. i've been pondering how , or whether , to use them in 30k myself - and while it's 40k, had also given quite some thought to upgrading the carapace weaponry from the rather piddly heavy stubber option to a far more 'worthy' tier of weapon. Hadn't considerd a cyclone missile launcher-alike for that role, although *had* posited mounting them in 'cheek'/collarbone positions either side of the head-unit on the main body. Was instead thinking about twin missile-racks of three apiece built out of the Taurox roof-mounted rockets , albeit vertical rather than horizontal and with a guidance system in between, all able to pivot, for the carapace upgrade - the idea being that something as fast (but fragile( as an Armiger could seriously benefit from carrying its own heavy-ish anti-armour guided missile firepower in a manner similar to how the Soviets effectively up-gunned their IFVs with TOWs , also allowing something vaguely analogous ot Scythian / Parthian horse archer shenanigans as necessary. [i'm also attempting to explore alternatives to the melta-based weapon, and an associate put hte "glaive" back in "warglaive" as applies hte ccw]. 

the Legion Imperator option is also a very nifty idea - and as ever, shows your ability to see a natural 'space' created byboh extant background and the logical extension of same. Wil be intriguing ot see what people come up with as applies the specialized armour systems seemingly rquired ot keep many such individuals functioning. Also quite keen on yon Astartes tank commanders; and glad that somebody's doing something with the Lucifer(um?) pattern dreads - perhaps as a nod to older [RT-era] fluff in this area [iirc], they might be available to Solar Auxilia or Imperial Army as well as Astartes? [albeit presumably with performance impairments to match due to their pilots thusly lacking the black carapace etc. rquired to most effectively pilot].

When/if it gets to the visualization stage, I will be most interseted if you can do things like making the Dark Angels Tiesto-pattern landspeeder look legit. You also now have me contemplating Marine [or, at least, Imperial] tank-hunter vehicles based off Stridsvagn .. was it 103s? and the like ; as well as, for that matter, pondering my previous thoughts around stuff kinda like the various South African wheeled not-tanks, IFVs, SPGs etc for Imperial ARmy or Auxilia service [whether due to lighter/faster or different nature of warfare, garrison duty etc.].

Now if you were to, say, work out some way of making a Taurox-based vehicle seem practical/sensible/COOL in the context of hte Heresy .... :P 

In any case - please PLEASE keep up the Good Work doing what you do. You're literally one of the most legit individuals working in this field. 

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

Like the idea behind the legion Courser Squad, had a earlier thread on it. I imagined them attached to seeker squads or recon units to hunt down specific targets in an area were even enhanced Legionary smell and sight might be compromised (Deep underhives, Sewers, Depressurized space hulks, etc).  

 

Yeah I think the idea came from Extermination mentioning cyber-hounds being used by legionaries to hunt down loyalists who escaped from the Isstvan Dropsite? The precurson were the 'Lykus Seekers', a SoH unit I designed a while back, but I thought giving them to all Legions might be nifty, and Coursers could easily be fluffed as specialised recon / seeker cadres depending on the Legion / specific division, but a seperate unit with both legionaries & cyber-carnivora would be the easiest approach rules wise.

 

Just as soon as I clear up my dribble, I have a question.

 

What's your naming convention for the Mechanicum Knights?

 

Thanks! As with most stuff, it's supposed to follow the existing naming convention for mechanicum knights, which all derive from ancient greek mythology, typically cthonic deities or lesser figures / concepts. In this case, Proioxis is the spirit of onrush / battleffield pursuit so seemed to suit a Cerastus knight armour pretty well, and Anicetus was a guardian of Olympus, literally meaning 'unconquerable', so seemed apt for a knight designed around defending its charges. For the mechanicum Armiger I set about looking for interesting ancient roman / greek weapon names to tie into the imperial armiger naming convention around weapons, but after half an hour of searching without finding anything I really liked (or parsed well), I stumbled across crypteia, which while not being super in line thematically was too cool to avoid.

 

Obviously the most important factor is how well the whole name parses, and whether it sounds cool, but I spend a lot of time trying to get the names to be thematically appropriate.

 

Incredible stuff as always.

 

I really want the Lucifer dreads... Astartes Killa Kanz!

 

They should be fun, I'm quite looking forward to the redesign.

 

So,.... due to some miscasts in my recent FW-order I have a couple of spare sides to a malcador, I had this small idea to build a transport out of those parts for my Unification-Era XIX Legionaires, probably with a spartan-esque assault ramp. And here you are with your Mammut assault transport; having a very similar idea!

 

Though I had more an idea of an fast transport with support weapons, more like the quick Legion sibling of the Solar Auxilia Dracosan, or a complement system to the Land Raider wich at this point was in extremely limited supply, rather than an assault ram

 

I was thinking a front and rear ramp, with a dual engine to handle the added weight with each engine moved, chimera-style, into each track unit where the malcador's sidesponsons usually live, then a front, limited-traverse citadel for a suppression weapon, maybe a twl flamer or flamestorm cannon or ye olde heavy bolters. then maybe a single heavy weapon up top, in the same style as the HB on the sicarian venator.

 

Fancy making a scetch?

 

Unfortunately, art isn't currently on the table (for reasons I'll go into something I'll post across my threads tomorrow), but I do have the 1st draft of the rules if that'd help?

 

HEAVY SUPPORT: Legion Mammut Assault Transport

 

 

Mammut:                   BS: 4   Armour (Front/Side/Rear): 14/13/12 HP: 5

 

Unit Composition:

* 1 Mammut

 

Unit Type:

* Vehicle (Tank, Transport)

 

Wargear:

* Twin-linked heavy bolter

* Hull-mounted twin-linked melta cannon

* Extra armour

* Search light

* Smoke launchers

 

Transport Capacity:

* The Mammut Assault Transport has a transport capacity of 15 models.

 

Fire Points:

* None

 

Access Points:

* The Mammut Assault Transport has one access point at the front of its hull.

 

Special Rules:

* Assault Vehicle

* Linebreaker

 

Options:

* The Mammut Assault Transport may take any of the following upgrades:

- Armoured cermite

- Flare shield

- Frag assault launchers

- Up to two hunter-killer missiles

            - Auxiliary drive

* The Mammut Assault Transport may exchange its twin-linked heavy bolter for one of the following:

            - Twin-linked heavy flamer

            - Twin-linked lascannon

 

Linebreaker:

After this vehicle performs a Tank Shock or Ram, units may still disembark from this vehicle in the same turn as long as it did not move more than 6” as part of this action.

 

Any unit with access to a Land Raider Phobos or a Land Raider Proteus as part of it options may instead select a Mammut as a Dedicated Transport if it numbers 15 models or less (alternatively, 7 models or less if it consists of models equipped with Terminator Armour of any type).

 

 

man, every time i stop through your threads, I can't help but wind up coming away inspired. Even without the excellent pictorials!

 

My mind's particularly captured by  the notion of using those Astartes basilisk chassies for other purposes; and I'm also very glad htat somebody's putting decent thought into Corvus Blackstar and Stormwolf forerunners in the Heresy. Provided you're on that kick - have you perhaps considered how the frag-cannon weapons the Deathwatch use might figure on Astartes of the period [seems like quite a useful weapon for ship-clearing and such, particularly once the Heresy itself gets going due to the option for both submunitions and serious-grade penetrator rounds]?

 

As applies Armigers .. i've been pondering how , or whether , to use them in 30k myself - and while it's 40k, had also given quite some thought to upgrading the carapace weaponry from the rather piddly heavy stubber option to a far more 'worthy' tier of weapon. Hadn't considerd a cyclone missile launcher-alike for that role, although *had* posited mounting them in 'cheek'/collarbone positions either side of the head-unit on the main body. Was instead thinking about twin missile-racks of three apiece built out of the Taurox roof-mounted rockets , albeit vertical rather than horizontal and with a guidance system in between, all able to pivot, for the carapace upgrade - the idea being that something as fast (but fragile( as an Armiger could seriously benefit from carrying its own heavy-ish anti-armour guided missile firepower in a manner similar to how the Soviets effectively up-gunned their IFVs with TOWs , also allowing something vaguely analogous ot Scythian / Parthian horse archer shenanigans as necessary. [i'm also attempting to explore alternatives to the melta-based weapon, and an associate put hte "glaive" back in "warglaive" as applies hte ccw]. 

 

the Legion Imperator option is also a very nifty idea - and as ever, shows your ability to see a natural 'space' created byboh extant background and the logical extension of same. Wil be intriguing ot see what people come up with as applies the specialized armour systems seemingly rquired ot keep many such individuals functioning. Also quite keen on yon Astartes tank commanders; and glad that somebody's doing something with the Lucifer(um?) pattern dreads - perhaps as a nod to older [RT-era] fluff in this area [iirc], they might be available to Solar Auxilia or Imperial Army as well as Astartes? [albeit presumably with performance impairments to match due to their pilots thusly lacking the black carapace etc. rquired to most effectively pilot].

 

When/if it gets to the visualization stage, I will be most interseted if you can do things like making the Dark Angels Tiesto-pattern landspeeder look legit. You also now have me contemplating Marine [or, at least, Imperial] tank-hunter vehicles based off Stridsvagn .. was it 103s? and the like ; as well as, for that matter, pondering my previous thoughts around stuff kinda like the various South African wheeled not-tanks, IFVs, SPGs etc for Imperial ARmy or Auxilia service [whether due to lighter/faster or different nature of warfare, garrison duty etc.].

 

Now if you were to, say, work out some way of making a Taurox-based vehicle seem practical/sensible/COOL in the context of hte Heresy ....  

 

In any case - please PLEASE keep up the Good Work doing what you do. You're literally one of the most legit individuals working in this field. 

 

Thanks! At this stage, I'm only looking at using the larger dreadnought version of the frag cannon, as introducing an entirely new universal heavy weapon at this point doesn't really suit my style, and I'm not really a huge fan of the astartes-portable design.

 

In terms of the Lucifer dread being available to the imperial army, i do think there's some value in having thematic distinctions with unit choices even when the lore might make common equipment more likely - the Custodes not using any legion vehicles for example - in this case, I think dreads are so iconic to the legions that I'm wary of spreading them among non-Astartes.

 

I've had some ideas for the taurox but its one of the many designs I'm still mulling over visually.

 

Thanks for your support - as alluded to earlier, I'll have a post up tomorrow discussing the future of my projects

[STC Logisengine]

Thanks IHF, that always helps the inspiration along!

I managed to get started on the track sections and the rough outline of the hull yesterday, but I'll sen some pictures your way once I have something worthwile to show :)

[Beren]

What kind of time scale are you looking at for completing these?