Lucumon's Blood Angels Task Force

[Lucumon]

So... committing to something is a guaranteed way for me to avoid that something... once I get a fire for something, it's a non-stop pursuit until I find the next shiney.... but, I will usually come back to that thing in the future.

 

How I ended up married... that's a mystery to me.

[Dolchiate Remembrancer]

I love the lack of nipples!

Do more nipple-less marines! Let's see the Sanguinary Guard!

[Inquisitor Eisenhorn]

This is looking really nice, guy!

[Lucumon]

So, I completed the three tactical marines with the black, highlighted, and white under coats (see below image in that order)

I'm not sure the undercoat matters with how thick the pigment in the base Mehiston Red is.

That being said, the black basecoat makes it easier to ignore deeply recessed areas... as they are black, rather than white, causing me to have to wash the area.... and thereby causing more work

Next up: Finishing the objective markers with a Blood Angel bend... because I am great at getting stuff done when I should be working on something else.... like the next ETL IV vow...

[evildrcheese]

Some really nice stuff in this thread.

 

Keep it up!

 

D

[Lucumon]

Edit: Bukimimaru: I see your objective marker and raise you 6! ... Although, 2 are underwhelming...

Some really nice stuff in this thread.

Thanks! I love others' threads as I draw on them for ideas... and hope that I am able to do the same.

Anyway, this past month or so I've been working on and off on objective markers with a BA bend:

I am not sure I will go any further with the bases... maybe clean up where the dice were cut in half with grass flock. Otherwise, I prefer the bases black as it services to focus on the model, not the base. It's a clean slate that will never clash with whatever terrain you are playing..

[knife&fork]

If you want them black, why not give them a quick coat of black paint? There's just something about unpainted plastic that looks wrong on the table.

[Bukimimaru]

If you want them black, why not give them a quick coat of black paint? There's just something about unpainted plastic that looks wrong on the table.

 

Or use Black "lavarock" (textured) paint.

It'll even the base out so the dice sits a bit smoother and it won't distract from the seriously awesome paint job you've done on those dead marines.

[Lucumon]

An ETL IV Update:

This Imperial Knight is huge... and really well done. I've completed the body so now just the heavily magnetized arms, carapace weapon, and base. I think I am going to use Martian Ironearth on the base... and that's it because I hate basing. Thanks @Charlo for showing his bases to encourage me to actually base.

My story behind this guy, who is House Terryn, is that he linked up with the BA during their Hive Fleet Leviathan activities. In reality, I wanted to paint something with blue (since my BA are red, space elves are yellow, evil space elves are purple, Cadians are green.... you get the idea).

@Bukimimaru: I've airbrushed black onto the base... I don't know if I can tell the difference.

On the gaming side of things, I played another game against a CSM force of Khorne, Tzeetch, and Slaneesh... and did way better than the last time (read: my tri-ravens survived the entire match while only losing one hull point). Additionally, I killed more stuff, used some deep striking terminators to wipe a squad of khorne possessed and a hovering helldrake before succumbing to psychic shriek from a summoned keeper of secrets.

Oh well, I guess that means I need to keep playing. I will see if I can get a battle report up on that game soon-ish.

Edit: the model is so big, the camera on my phone cannot focus on the entire thing... I should break out my DSLR so I can make changes to focus on the entire thing...

[Charlo]

Hey, glad I inspired someone! Even better that it's you because now we're even for you inspiring me to do yellow weapons on my assault squad!

 

Ironearth is the easiest thing in the world, only advice I can give is just really glob the stuff on and leave it. It will take ages to dry and look like its not doing anything (potentially even the morning after) but just wait and you'll have some slabby cracks to work with for a darker wash or lighter dry brush.

[Lucumon]

Charlo - I have based the Knight Crusader and it came out pretty awesome.... for the amount of work it took.  Pics to follow.

 

I dropped into the local GW store for a game and ended up playing with a Space Wolf against a Black Templar (using the new codex as it was delivered to the store today) and a Khorne Daemonkin with an awesome 20 beserker drop podding squad that charged on the first turn (Formation: Fist of Khorne I believe).  I would throw up a batrep, but the pictures are from the wrong angle and the middle turned into a maelstorm (hahaha) of HtH doom.

 

Some notes/thoughts:

 

1. We lost 10-8... but we scored more objectives since they scored 5 victory points off 2 D3  tactical objective cards.  I'd call this luck... but this is my 4th loss in a row.  On the upside, I am way better at knowing the rules than before.

 

2. The Angel's Fury Formation did not show up until turn 2 (again).  After two games in a row of 3+ re-rolls failing, I think it is time to get a bunker/bastion with a Comms relay... or a Damocles Command Rhino.  For 15 meltabombs (or the same cost as an imperial bastion), I get a +/- 1 reserve roll and orbital bombardment.

 

3. The 3 'ravens survived again, only losing 1 hull point. In all, they killed:

- A 5 man devestator squad

- 5 or so tactical marines

- 5 or so Khorne beserkers

- 4 or 5 Khorne Hounds

- 3 or 4 hull points off the Khorne Drop-Pod (5 hull points on a drop pod!)

The Tactical Squads (bare save one flamer in a squad) killed:

- most of 3 squads of 8 blood letters

- a khorne skull cannon

 

Now, the question is: Is the formation worth it?  I scored half of the TOs with the formation... but the 'ravens *seem* to be less effective than I expect.

 

3. The Fist of Khorne is awesome... 20 beserkers charging on turn 1 from a drop pod that can fly around afterward and shoot rockets.  They charged the 5 Thunderwolf cavalry and ran them all over. Between long fangs and 2 storm ravens we whittled them down.

 

Edit: somehow submitted the entry before I wanted to...

[Charlo]

He shouldn't be flying the Khorne Drop Pod around after it lands, at the cost of the Strength D hit it inflicts on arrival, it is immobilized.

 

Can't wait to see the base though dude, Ironearth must look good on one that big!

 

What was in your list that can benefit from the Ravens? Or were you still running it as the double bluff?

[Lucumon]

Well, he explained that since he did not hit his target (my ally's Land Raider Crusader full of Terminators with Arjack Rockfist, a SW Chappy, and other Terminators with Thunderhammers) thankfully. It just bounced around and was a general annoyance.

My list was totally null... his was deployed out. I had a couple meltacide squads (they popped the opponent's land raider and a couple termies that rolled out.) with a scout squad and a Sang. Priest that was loaded into one of the Stormravens. What are your thoughts on what can be used to support the 'ravens?

Anyway, in the world of painting, I finished a vow and marked some already completed marines to have a complete squad (The 4th fully painted, based, and marked tactical squad)

The arms on the sergeant, heavy weapons guy, and special weaponeer are magnetized.

A couple thoughts:

1. Using 10 year old transfers sucks. You have to cut them really close, they dont do well on curved surfaces (you have to cut slices into them), and you end up having to paint over top of them so it doesnt look totally like a decal.

2. Martian Ironearth has changed my mind on basing models. I've used a broad-bladed modeling knife as a trowel to spackle the goop onto a base to ensure no brush marks and it is thick enough...

Anyway, no gaming over the past few weeks due to work and social commitments... hopefully a battle report soon!

[Sanguine_Blood]

I am absolutely in love with your painting. Is it by hand, or airbrush? Everything looks so even and smooth, and luscious.

Well done, definately inspiring.

[marine7312000]

I'm loving the bases.

[Lucumon]

So I had my first match against someone who had the new DA codex.  Ho-lee-farkle-sticks. I forgot to break out the camera, but here are my recollections and thoughts as they pertain to BA.  He got a lot of rules wrong (like he had 3+ re-rollable jinks saves, formation issues, etc) but he is a buddy of 20 years and he just got the codex... but, next time...

 

His list was as I remember

 

- Ravenwing Attack Squadron with 3 bike (2 plasma guns) and a Landspeeder Vengence (that one with the huge plasma cannon)

- Deathwing Redemption Force with 2 squads of mixed Terminator Squads of 5 (with assorted weapons like lightning claws, assault cannons, storm bolters, etc.) and a squad of 5x thunderhammer terminators... led by their named chaplain (note: this is not legal and I think he was confusing rules as he bought the codex just before the match... and he is new to 7th ed.)

- 2x Tactical squads of 5 with bolters who sat in the backfield and camped objectives

- Nephilim Jetfighter with Twin Linked Lascannon and missiles with Missile Lock

- A squad of 3 landspeeders

- A Whirlwind

- A 5 man Dev squad with a lascannon, plasma cannon, heavy bolter, missile launcher

 

My list:

- Angel's Fury with hurricane bolters on the SRs and flamers/heavy flamers on all Tac Squads

- Mephiston, Lord of Smashing Land Speeders

- Damocles Command Rhino (2+ re-rollable first turn arrival of as heck?  Yes, please.)

- 2x Meltacide Squads in a drop pod

- Cassor, Lord of 1's who died to 

 

 

Overall Battle Result Thoughts:

1. It is really necessary to focus your power on one unit.  I was able to use the turn 1 Drop Pod assault with a meltacide squad and Cassor against some bikes and the dev. squad thinking I could wipe both.  But, thanks to Cassor's inability to roll average, he ended up in combat for two assault turns with the Devestators.

 

2. I love the idea of a character dreadnought as a troop choice... I can make challenges to smash the character powerfists and I dont need to spend the points on a tactical squad or a scout squad.

 

3. Mephiston was on pure smashing duty... but keeping him away from the 3 Terminator Squads was interesting.  Luckily, I found out that 20 marines with bolters and heavy flamers does a pretty decent job against them.

 

4. I ended up winning the match 7-5 because on the last turn I focused fire at his Land Speeder Vengence, and despite his confusion of the rules giving him a 3+ re-rolling junk, allowed me to wreck it on the last shot to score 2 TOs.

 

5. Until this match, I didn't feel anything about the 2015 codices getting really awesome and fluffy formations.  Now I am a miffed.  For example, here in NOVA, they are debating whether to let Angel's Fury get the Turn 1 Drop Pod assault... while there is the Fist of Khorne and Skyhammer Annihilation formations out there.  I can only conclude that the only reason there is this kind of debate is because the people running NOVA 2015 are stuck in 6th Ed and just dont like the formation rules.

 

6. 3+ re-rolling jink saves is brutal.  We'd want to smash things in HTH, except...

 

7. BS2 or higher overwatch is brutal.  Skyhammer Annihilation Force Support 

 

8. They have the ability to deny overwatch?!  ? So, they can move without being hit, have a high BS on overwatch, and the potential for no one else to overwatch them, and a 3+ re-rollable jink?  The hate is really starting to flow as we seem to have been stuck with a 6th Ed codex in the middle of 7th.

 

 

I am absolutely in love with your painting. Is it by hand, or airbrush? Everything looks so even and smooth, and luscious.

Well done, definately inspiring.

 Thanks for the compliment!  It's a mix of hand and airbrush as follows:

1. Airbrush Vallejo Black Primer

2. Airbrush Mephiston Red (with Airbrush Medium!) in a somewhat objective light source manner

3. Paint all the details base colors (knee pads brown, purity seals green and tan, weapons and other bits black/gunmetal, trim in dark grey

4. Wash with a Imperial Primer/Future Floor Wax mix... Because Nuln Oil doesnt cut it.

5. Paint red Mephiston red with Evil Sunz Scarlet on all edges then Wild Rider Red on top edges only.

 

I will put up a step by step picture tutorial shortly if you think it will help.

[Lucumon]

So, I completed my 4th ETL IV vow of a magnetized dreadnought... I am going to try using it as Cassor to fill the troop tax without feeling like I've wasted points. Who knows... maybe I'll go back to my scouts.

Anyway, I started by magnetizing everything:

I also did the Librarian and Furioso face plates along with the frag cannon and force halbred arms... but they are not shown. I used 1/4", 1/8", and 1/16" round magnets.

Assembled in his "hands up, don't shoot" pose:

Painted, they look as such:

And assembled, here he is:

[Lucumon]

So, I re-played the Khorne Daemonkin guy this past weekend using an Angel's Fury/Skyhammer list in an effort to help him prep for the NOVA open. We played a Maelstorm mission rather than the NOVA open missions for some reason... I forget why. This was the mission where you have 6 TOs turn 1, 5 turn 2, etc. I also failed to take pictures... so hopefully someone reads this wall of text... because of this, I may be somewhat of an "unreliable narrator".

 

His list was the following spread over two CADs.  He usually runs the Khorne Decurion formation to generate blood tithes points... and that army needs them:

 

2x Blood Thirsters (one with the str D axe, and the other was the non-lowest tier one...and his warlord)

2x 8 man bloodletter squads

1x cultist squad

3x Chaos spawn

2x 8 man chaos hound squads

2x 8 man CSM squads: one with three plasma pistols, one with 2 meltaguns and a combi-melta

1x Khorne Herald

1x Soul-grinder

 

My list:

- Angel's Fury with hurricane bolters on the Stormravens (one of the sergeants was my warlord)

- Skyhammer with 2 full devestator squads with 2x Grav Cannons, 2x Multi-Meltas, and a combi-grav each; 2x 5 man assault squads with 2 flamers

 

He deployed first with the hounds, CSM squads, one Spawn, and the Khorne Herald outflanking thanks to his warlord trait... I ran a null deployment... but I was able to seize the initiative.

 

Turn 1 saw my entire army coming in.  One Devestator squad dropped in on my left to unload on Str D Bloodthirster... and took him down to 2 wounds as we were playing night fight.  I left the 2 blood letter squads in the middle alone as my assault squads deep struck in order to capture objectives.  On the right, the other dev squad dropped in and took the other blood thirster down to 2 wounds as well with the grav cannon combat squad while the 2 multi-meltas only scored a 'weapon destroyed' on the soulgrinder.... taking out its powerfist.  The stormravens finished off that bloodthirster (who was also his warlord) and eliminated the cultist squad as it was the only thing in their firing arc.  The bottom of turn 1 had the Blood Thirster on my left charging the devestator squad on with the 2 chaos spawn and the blood letters advancing.  He left the devestator squad on my right alone while his soulgrinder took pot-shots at a stormraven.  In the assault phase, the remaining bloodthirster and a chaos spawn wiped the multi-melta combat squad while the grav cannon combat squad killed the other chaos spawn... but was still locked in combat due to the other one being in a disordered charge situation.

 

Turn 1 ended with my up 6-2.... Three of my VPs was from killing his warlord so quickly.

 

In Turn 2, My ravens zoomed left and dakka'd up the blood letter squads, reducing them to 3 daemons each.  The devestator element to my left was reduced to 1 combat squad.  A hound squad, the melta CSM squad, and the Herald arrived on my right flank in front of the right devesator element. The soulgrinder caused a HP to one of the Stormravens.

 

Turn 2 ended 8-3 with me ahead.

 

Turn 3 had the one SR with the lost hull point zoom off the board with the other two SRs fly up to the Str D bloodthirster's face and vaporize him.... The assault squads continue to bounce around my half of the board capturing objectives.  The Devestator squad on the right shot up the CSM squad (with the hounds as a cover save) and killed 5 of the 8.

 

The bottom of turn 3 had the rest of his forces arriving.  One Spawn arrived on my left to capture an objective while the remaining CSM and hound squads arrived on my right.  The Soulgrinder continued to shoot at the 'ravens. His other hound and CSM squad with the herald assaulted the dev squad and associated drop pod.... these devestators stayed in combat for a few turns.

 

At this point, the match was 11-4.

 

Turn 4 the other raven came in (automatically!) and I dumped out all three tactical squads: one captured an objective near his deployment zone on the back right while another jumped on the objective in the middle... so I got 2 VPs for the BA tactical objective card where he selects 2 objectives and i get D3 if I cap both.  The remaining tac squad dakka's up the Spawn on my right.

 

The rest of the battle was mop-up with the final score being 15-7 as the match went to turn 7.

 

Thoughts:

 

1. Khorne Daemonkin NEED their special formation for blood tithe points. This match he only had enough to eek out the Feel No Pain army wide rule until later in the game when he summoned more Bloodletters in the middle as I wiped out the first 2 squads.  Turn 6 he summoned another bloodthirster... but that dude did nothing.

 

2. The Skyhammer Annihilation force was not at effective as I was expecting.  I didnt charge him with the assault squads but instead used them to capture objectives and flame up bloodletters.  The devestator squads didnt cause as much dakka damage as I expected... although this was the only one match and I should play with it 10 times before making a decision.  I used the Ultramarines Chapter Trait... and think that is the best one for these guys.

 

3. The Stormravens with tactical squads performed superbly... I think this list might be playtested a few more times as it is a wonderful null deployment and allowed for that alpha-strike where I can wipe out bits and pieces of an army.  The other option was FTSF with a decked out death company with chaplain and sang priest supported by Cassor and a meltacide squad, all in drop pods.  I think the assault oriented FTSF will be better against my Dark Angel friend... but I do want to see his face when I shove 26 grav cannon shots into his precious terminators.... unless he finally took my advice and stopped using those point-sinks.

 

4. I got really, really, really lucky with the TOs I drew.  This was way different than the last match where you had TOs based on the OBJs you controlled... more TOs = more VPs.

 

5. Soulgrinders are awesome... he only has one... I expect he will start taking a few more.  Perhaps I should dedicate the dev. combat squads so i can drop 5 melta shots into one as they are hard to kill.

[Dolchiate Remembrancer]

Thanks for the report Lucumon. On paper the skyhammer looks bloody devastating! Good to know that like many other things, practice and paper don't necessarily agree.

[Lucumon]

So I played a 2,000 pt game against Necrons... and played as a "Red Marines":

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/313930-red-marines-vs-necrons-2000-points/

 

Overall, my love-affair with Stormravens may shift to Stormtalons. Point-for-point the Stormtalons have more firepower... so maybe I will run Angel's Fury with Tyrannic War Veterans with a bunch of Stormtalons that get to start on the board in hover mode... and a 3+ jink save!  Now off to ebay...

 

Also the librarian conclave is awesome... 2+ re-rollable psychic powers?  Yes, please.  Maybe I should stick these guys in with Mephiston with a Stormwing and some support staff and go to town!

[Jorre]

Just found this thread!!

 

Love your objective markers!

[Lucumon]

Thanks!

 

I havent done much in the way of painting over the past couple months due to moving into a new house... but the good news is:  Man Cave.  This means I am going to build a custom table, pick up a fat mat, acquire some terrain, and totally nerd out.

 

Long story short, if anyone is in the Washington DC metro area and wants to get a game in a place where the beer is cold and there is plenty of space and time to roll some dice because the store is packed/too loud/too many little ones... let me know.

[Lucumon]

I am playing the Necron guy again this weekend in a 1,500 point match.  At this level, I wonder if he will drop the Decurion for smaller formations.... and I know he is expecting me to run the Angel's Fury formation like want to.  I am also expecting him to run 3 night scythes... so I am going to run this list and hope that he has not come across B&C yet:

 

Flesh Tearers Strike Force:

1x Chaplain with the VV

1x Sang. Priest

1x Terminator Assault squad with 3 Thunderhammers

1x Cassor the Damned

3x Meltacide Assault Squads with 2 meltaguns and 2 inferno pistols in drop pods

1x Land Raider Crusader

Libby Conclave

2x w/Tigerius

 

The plan is to stick the Terminators, Chaplain, Sang Priest, and Librarians in the Crusader and have Cassor run behind them.  The Meltacide squads drop in to smoke the 2 or 3 Ghost Arks he will run (seriously... with 10 warriors in side it's like a gangster's drive by dream....) The Assault unit cruises forward and crushes anything that falls out in HtH.  Admittedly, this is an obvious list... and I doubt it will be super effective... but it will be fun...

 

Or I will just run an Angel's Fury with a Knight Paladin as he does not know I have an Imperial Knight fully painted thanks to the ETL... you know, assuming he does not read this before the weekend.

 

Thoughts?

[evildrcheese]

I think you'd ne better off with the Knight and formation list.

 

The FTSF list is very much an all in list with everything concentrated around the LR. You'll be sending the melts in piecemeal and don't have enough threats to force your opponent to split his fire between different units which makes his target priority very easy.

 

D

[Brother Scruffy]

Lucumon, I may have told you this a long time ago but 6 years ago, your old painting style was one of my top 3 all time favorite BA schemes. Your new stuff doesn't disappointed either. Nice work. :)

 

 

Good to see you again.