A Lesser Son of Greater Fathers: Dabbling in Epic

[Pearson73]

Looking good with the breachers.

[BrotherCaptainArkhan]

GW and ultra fans should rejoice at what forge world has done to the flavorless Marie sue Ultra marines, this current "blue plauge" as Chaplain Kage has coined it that the new forge world books and black library have inspired has corralled some of the most creative and skilled minds on this forum into producing evocative and stunning models beyond anything I previously would have associated with the XIII legion. The diary excerpt you wrote is an epic insight into a warriors soul more gritty and rage fueled than any old school Ultra could claim and I applaud you sir and all those who have despite decades of GW"s bad writing of ultra's for inspiring a new found palatability, nay a hungering desire to see more Ultra's on these boards

 

Fluff and models are stellar man and I can say that folks like you have shed light on a style of Ultramarine that has converted an old school smurf hater into a huge fan of the reborn boys in blue

 

You are far too kind - however I understand where you're coming from, as I certainly am not a fan of the way the Ultramarines have historically been presented (although I feel this is largely the fault of a couple of Black Library novels and the 5th Edition Codex: Space Marines). However, their presentation in the Heresy series and in some of the older material (e.g. 3rd edition fluff) isn't too bad. I am intentionally going for a darker tone with my Ultramarines - as stated, I'd like to depict the stories of those legionaries who, for whatever reason, didn't fit the image the commanders of the XIIIth wanted their Legion to present to the wider Imperium. I already have a rough idea of the force's background, and intend to do a fluff-post here soonish.

 

Thanks very much for your kind words :)

 

I for one approve of this. Ultramarines shouldn't be held responsible for what GW and Ward did to them.

 

Also, anything Arkhan puts his mind to ends up marvellous, so I will hunker down and await more progress 

 

Also far too kind - and I would certainly not say that all of my work is marvellous, but I still appreciate the praise and hope to produce something worthy of it here. Cheers brother.

 

 

Oh yes, breachers. Everyone seems to have some, but I never get tired of seeing them.Yours are off to a good start.

 

That's a shame about the Kromlech Gladii. Did you know that Anvil have a set? They're not as a grand looking, but they probably scale better.

 

http://www.anvilindustry.co.uk/The-Armoury/Close-Combat-Weapons/Gladius-Conversion-Set

 

 

Excellent shout. I'd completely forgotten they existed. I also did not know that Ultramarines Breachers could switch their bolters for power swords (I still do not have Tempest - I started this force a couple days before the book actually came out). You may have made me rethink these guys somewhat - I really don't want to rip off the bolters, but perhaps some magnets might be in order...? Hmmm...

 

 

Looking good with the breachers.

 

Cheers brother. Much appreciated.

 

Update-wise, Kage's suggestion earlier in this thread about a Siege Breaker Consul sparked something in my brain and I haven't been able to stop messing around with that Consul model since. I still haven't found a wargear combination or a helmeted head I like, although he does have a bare head, already magnetised (similar to Ludvos Arkhan, if anyone remembers my Sons of Tyr log). He's probably going to be heavily magnetised to suit a variety of options as I would like to be able to run him with a variety of units. A Siege Breaker seems in retrospect to have been such an obvious choice to lead this force and I have to give Kage credit for the suggestion, I'd been thinking of something typically XIIIth Legion like a Legion Champion to lead the force, but the grim and gritty Siege Breaker is a much more natural and fitting prospect. Progress on him, unfortunately, is going to be very slow - I have managed to leave his shield-bearing arm in my home country while I'm overseas so it'll be at least six weeks before he's finished.

 

Otherwise, work on the tech-thralls and Ferrata is about to start in earnest. Final shots of the respective first halves of tech-thrall formation #819 and breacher squad Ferrata, along with rally point Lambda (objective marker), before undercoating:

 

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj598/Mjolnir771/P1020733_zpsdzqtgjs4.jpg

 

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj598/Mjolnir771/P1020735_zps1txwzpcp.jpg

[Urauloth]

So many good heresy-era Ultramarine projects lately - I'm starting to think we did the XIII a favour at Calth :p

 

This is superb so far, really love the fluff, and I like the way Augustus is shaping up. The dust on his boots and greaves is very cool. I'm a fan of your Sons of Tyr, so I'm looking forward to seeing how your Ultras turn out.

[Brother-Chaplain Kage]

I'm glad my suggestion is working out so well for your new force. Always happy to help someone find their path in 30k. :)

[Daemon2027]

Fantastic idea you have for the XII, the models look great. The blue you achieved on the model in OP was really nice. Can't wait to see more.

[BrotherCaptainArkhan]

Brief update on the tech-thralls, the first 5 are nearly (not quite) finished - here's a somewhat hurried photo I took before the sunlight pouring into my room ruined any hope of taking good photographs:

 

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj598/Mjolnir771/P1020741_zpsbcwuqlzd.jpg

 

 

Thoughts? They're not as washed out in real life, nevertheless I need to up the contrast a bit, especially on the red armour (the worst casualty of the poor lighting is the bases, which are much less flat colour-wise than the photo suggests).

[BrotherCaptainArkhan]

Well, the first half of tech-thrall covenant Macero is finished. Any thoughts? Snuck in two photos with different backgrounds, as you can see I'm still having lighting issues...

 

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj598/Mjolnir771/IMAG1131_zps8q6mz9as.jpg

 

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj598/Mjolnir771/IMAG1132_zpswb7qipnb.jpg

[BrotherCaptainArkhan]

The Tech-Thralls didn't pick up a whole lot of attention, no love for the mortal infantry huh? ;) Let's try this...

 

First half of I Squad 'Ferrata' (Breacher configuration), VERY work-in-progress shot, note missing arms with gladii and a total lack of transfers:

 

All criticisms and thoughts very welcome - this is my first time painting the Ultramarines and I would really like to improve beyond what I've done here.

 

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj598/Mjolnir771/IMAG1160_zpswbdureql.jpg

[Reyner]

These look awesome, love the design of the shields you have gone for :D That blue is nice too - how are you doing it? 

[Dom_]

Very cool! Keep it up!

[GrandMagnus]

As a big Ultramarines fan I aprove of this thread. Spectacular work.

[Grim Dog Studios]

Some very nice work in here! 

 

Just wondering, where is Augustus' hoplite shield from, I'm trying to find some for my own project but its hard to determine the sizes of shields from different manufacturers without buying them all first which I'd rather not do, but the one you have looks perfect!

[BrotherCaptainArkhan]

These look awesome, love the design of the shields you have gone for That blue is nice too - how are you doing it? 

 

Cheers dude. I've actually changed the blue recipe entirely - am using GW's new line of paints now, building up from Kantor Blue, to Macragge Blue, to Alaitoc Blue and finally a 50/50 light drybrush of Alaitoc Blue/White Scar. Very simple but I like it much better and it pops more on the tabletop.

 

Very cool! Keep it up!

 

Cheers! I'm very keen on your Ultras, nice to receive a compliment from you.

 

As a big Ultramarines fan I aprove of this thread. Spectacular work.

 

Thanks. Hopefully you will continue to approve :)

 

Some very nice work in here! 

 

Just wondering, where is Augustus' hoplite shield from, I'm trying to find some for my own project but its hard to determine the sizes of shields from different manufacturers without buying them all first which I'd rather not do, but the one you have looks perfect!

 

Cheers Wulox! I'm afraid that shield was part of the event-exclusive Salute model from 2013. You may find it on Ebay, but I'd recommend checking out Anvil Industry's hoplite shields, which I've seen in person and are roughly equivalent (very slightly bigger).

 

Time for a proper update.

 

__________________________________________

 

 

I

 

Ferrata

 

_______

 

 

 

'Fifteen seconds.'

 

Sergeant Antoninus' utterance over the squad-vox barely rose above the ground-shaking roar of the curtain wall collapsing, less than a hundred metres from where Sulla and the rest of I Squad crouched in the blast craters left by the artillery bombardment. Their shields raised high to ward off fire from the battlements above, neither Sulla nor his brothers could see anything of the curtain wall's ruin, nor of the chaos wrought among its defenders, although the cries of dying men and those freshly wounded by the wall's collapse rang out clearly over the noise of falling rubble. A bow wave of ash and smoke swept over I Squad, coating their black-and-cobalt armour in grey. Advancing through this would be a nightmare. The enemy wouldn't see them coming through the dust kicked up by the curtain wall's destruction, but they'd be expecting them, and even firing blind the damned separatists had enough firepower to put a dent in Legiones Astartes armour. Despite himself, Sulla grinned, the expression lost behind his helm; this wasn't the first time Ferrata had stormed a breach blind, and it wouldn't be the last.

 

'Five seconds. Shields.'

 

Sulla rose into a half-crouch, hefting his shield tightly against the shoulder guard of his Mark III plate. To either side of him, Pullo and Cornelion did the same, lowering their helms to decrease their target profile to the enemy. Thermals would have a tough time picking clear images out of the smoking rubble left by the Mechanicum's plasma artillery, but it never hurt to make the enemy's shot harder. His bolter remained clamped to his side; he drew his gladius in a smooth motion, activating the energy field around the blade, and braced himself for what was to come.

'Ferrata! Courage and honour!'

 

With a guttural roar, I Squad rose from the blast crater, locking their shields into a tight wedge, running for the breach in the collapsed wall dead ahead, mud churning beneath their boots. Almost immediately, the air rang with the crash of anti-infantry weapons, and slugs and shells tore through the smoke of the breach to slam into the Astartes shieldwall. Sulla faltered momentarily as a heavier round – autocannon? - hit his shield dead on, tearing out the shield's periscope optics and momentarily rendering his arm numb. Two strides later he was back in the line, alongside Pullo and Cornelion, shields locked tight against the withering hail of fire. Not for nothing was their cognomen 'Ferrata'. It would take more than that to stop a XIII Legion assault.

 

Small arms fire ripped out of the smoke straight at them. The bell-ring of bullets and shells off the breacher squad's shields rose to a crescendo where the noise of each impact could no longer be distinguished from the next; the constant storm of fire carried tremors through Sulla's shield, shaking his vision. Gritting his teeth, he advanced at the half-run the rest of the squad moved at, their initial momentum slowed by the sheer weight of fire from the citadel's defenders. The ground beneath them changed from sucking mud to shifting rocks and rubble, and Sulla knew they were at the foot of the breach. In concert, the marines of Ferrata slowly ascended the mound of shattered rockrete that had been the citadel's curtain wall; step by torturous step upwards, trusting to treacherous rocks and fragments of masonry that shifted underfoot. Beside him, Pullo stumbled, a plate of rockrete suddenly sliding beneath his weight. Almost instantly, a bright flash – lightning-quick – pierced the smoke, and Pullo was thrown backwards, collapsing into the marines behind him, his helm a molten ruin of blood and ceramite. Sulla swore as two more flashes of energy cut through the ash-smoke and another marine behind him fell, crying out as his leg was severed at the knee. The stench of charred flesh was strong enough to carry through the smoke to reach Sulla's helmet filters. Now came the moment when the breach would be taken or Ferrata would perish to a man. To his left, the shieldwall held. To his right, another battle-brother moved into Pullo's position, leaving the wounded marine behind. Stopping to aid a fallen brother now would leave the shieldwall wide open.

 

'Twenty metres, crest of the breach. Frags.'

 

Antoninus' command carried across the vox-net like a clarion call. And as if on cue, the smoke parted, and Sulla rose his head over the shield's edge for a split second to guage the foeman's strength. The breach's defenders, a line of separatist elites atop the breach's crest, probably outnumbered Ferrata three or four to one. Tightly packed. Too tightly packed.

 

Three frags from the second row sailed over Sulla's head, impacting in the centre of the separatist formation. A desperate scream rang out, but too late - a dull, muffled 'thud', a flash, and suddenly Sulla's visor was covered in gore, as limbs, entrails and bone fragments flew out in all directions.

 

'Engage!'

 

With a roar Ferrata surged forward, and this time, their momentum went unchecked. Another lightning-flash as one of the separatists brought a heavy weapon to bear, but the shot went wide as desperation rather than discipline took hold. Sulla pounded up the rubble, leaping from rock to rock, his brothers to either side of him, the shieldwall thinner but still holding. The first defender rushed down from the position above to meet them, shellshock or insane courage giving him the bravery to rush an Astartes line alone. Sulla killed the man without breaking pace, smashing him from his feet with a shield bash and flattening the man's skull with a stomp as he strode past.

The rest of the defenders fell like chattel. Cornelion slew four with as many thrusts of his gladius. Antoninus pistoned his power fist through a separatist colonel's breastplate, destroying the man's torso utterly in a shower of gore. The separatists' best hope had been in killing the Astartes at range. At close quarters, there was not a mortal in existence who could hope to best a transhuman. A woman, one of the separatist elites, ran at Sulla, fists beating against his shield, and as he took her through the belly with his gladius, barely registering the effort it took to open her guts with a single stroke, he realised almost too late that her fists hadn't been empty at all. Two pins clattered against his chestplate, and with a curse he hurled the woman away from him with his shield.

 

Almost too late. The grenades went off and the noise almost deafened Sulla even through his helm's auditory mufflers, the world turning upside down as the sheer force of the blast threw him from his feet, crashing into the warrior behind. His ears rang from the blast, and temporarily deafened and disoriented, he lay prone for a brief second. The battle moved forward, the line of his blue-armoured brothers moved out of his vision, into the citadel. Sulla's shield's power field had failed, and what was left attached to his arm was now no more than a block of dented ceramite, fused to his arm by the heat of the blast. The air was rent asunder by the whip-crack explosive submunitions, the bestial roar of a transhuman in pain, and another marine staggered back into Sulla's vision, toppling backwards with a ground-shaking crash. His helm was split in two, the face beneath barely recognisable as welts of blood poured from a mangled mess of bone and pink tissue. Drusus, the squad's vexillifer. The vexilla lay tattered and bent beneath Drusus, even as the transhuman warrior's lifeblood poured out over it. The screams of dying men and women were no more than a distant susurration to his ears, and he was dimly aware of the roar of boltguns like distant thunder -

 

Boltguns.

 

Still dazed, Sulla rose from his prone position as the sound of heavy footfalls broke through the haze of his concussion. A cobalt-blue gauntlet stretched down to him from above, and a split second later its bearer hove into view, the grille-faced helmet of another Ultramarine, a transverse horsehair crest declaring the bearer's status as a veteran sergeant. Grasping the gauntlet in his own fist, Sulla rose to his feet.

 

'Back in the line, battle-brother Sulla. Ferrata has need of you yet.'

 

The words echoed dimly through Sulla's helm, still half-deafened as he was, but now the world was clearer, sharper. The marine was huge, bigger than even Sulla in his mark III armour. Without waiting for a reply, the big marine turned away, gesturing behind him to warriors emerging from the smoke.

 

'Pankrator, with me! Clear the killzone!'

 

Brother-Sergeant Nestor, IV Squad Pankrator. Taller than most Astartes, he did not need his imposing Mark III plate to cast a shadow over his battle-brothers, who moved past him in good order, pouring bolter fire over the ruined wall in support of their brothers in Ferrata.

 

Hoisting up the ruined mess of ceramite that had been his shield, Sulla stooped to pick up his gladius from the rubble, its field still active. Scanning around him, he saw the warriors of Ferrata, now clear of the curtain wall's ruin and pushing across a courtyard held by the last of the citadel's defenders not to have retreated back to the keep. Barely fifty metres away, Ferrata's warriors pushed en masse into the citadel's assembled yeomanry, the separatist standard flying high in the centre of the courtyard as a swarm of men and women fought to push back their transhuman attackers with sword, fusil and bare fist. Even as he watched, the flag caught in the wind and snapped back suddenly, falling as Cornelion rose above a sea of separatists to rip the standard from its mount and cast it down. The air split asunder with transhuman roars of victory, as a marine from Ferrata rose above the fray, a XIII Legion standard clenched in his fists, the blue-and-gold fabric billowing in the wind.

 

'Ferrata! Ferrata! Ultramar and the Legion!'

 

Pankrator's marines were firing no longer, embroiled in a morass of fleeing separatists, hacking apart fleeing men and women by the dozen. In the distance, the citadel's keep loomed over them, imposing, but ever more vulnerable now that the curtain wall had collapsed.

 

Sulla grinned. Tonight that citadel would burn to the ground when the destroyer cadres moved in, the crawl-burning horror of phosphex ripping apart masonry and flesh alike; the blackened ashes of the defenders' burned and broken bodies would salt the earth for miles around.

 

In his mind's eye, the fires already raged.

 

 

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj598/Mjolnir771/P1020745_zpsy4pwgzub.jpg

 

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj598/Mjolnir771/P1020758_zps0lq7teyx.jpg

 

 

Sergeant Antoninus

 

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj598/Mjolnir771/P1020756_zpswfnh3q5g.jpg

 

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj598/Mjolnir771/P1020755_zps99bl5n7t.jpg

 

Battle-Brother Victus

 

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj598/Mjolnir771/P1020754_zpsgfavckw2.jpg

 

Battle-Brother Tarquin (Vexillifer)

 

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj598/Mjolnir771/P1020752_zpsnljhurot.jpg

 

Battle-Brother Cornelion

 

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj598/Mjolnir771/P1020749_zpsgsamvhdu.jpg

 

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj598/Mjolnir771/P1020750_zpsm3qn60pq.jpg

 

Battle-Brother Sulla

 

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj598/Mjolnir771/P1020748_zpsfeakod5l.jpg

[RolandTHTG]

Excellent. Excellent update.

[Grim Dog Studios]

 

 

Some very nice work in here! 

 

Just wondering, where is Augustus' hoplite shield from, I'm trying to find some for my own project but its hard to determine the sizes of shields from different manufacturers without buying them all first which I'd rather not do, but the one you have looks perfect!

 

Cheers Wulox! I'm afraid that shield was part of the event-exclusive Salute model from 2013. You may find it on Ebay, but I'd recommend checking out Anvil Industry's hoplite shields, which I've seen in person and are roughly equivalent (very slightly bigger).

 

 

Appreciate the reply. The anvil industry shields were in the 'lead' as I have bought a fair bit of stuff from there before and its always been fantastic.

 

Lovely piece of writing/fluff there, and I really like the grittyness and realism of your ultras. Very excited to see more!

[Brother-Chaplain Kage]

Excellent choice with the blue stripe down the shield that the Ultra icon fits perfectly into. It's a great visual point of interest and I think you should carry that motif to the rest of your forces in some way.

[Kronus Stormbringer]

not something you see a lot of comments about but i like the fact youve gone to the effort to make the bases all different with additions from the bitz box to most if not all, instead of the usual layered cork board it really makes the models pop even pre painting

[BeatTheBeat]

Absolutely love the Breachers. Great work!

Cheers,
BTB

[Schultzhoffen]

Love the Breachers.

 

One question: where did you source the swords?

[Radiation]

Great Ultras. Cool swords.

[Grim Dog Studios]

Love the Breachers.

 

One question: where did you source the swords?

 

They look to be these ones from Anvil Industry http://www.anvilindustry.co.uk/The-Armoury/Close-Combat-Weapons/Gladius-Conversion-Set 

[deathspectersgt7]

The Breachers look Brutal. And the fluff  .

[jeremy1391]

Arkhan what are you using those breachers as game wise?

They are beautiful!!!

[jimbo13]

As always your work is inspiring. I love the fluff as well, really adds a lot of depth to the models. Surprised your HH army weren't some Xeric Raven Guard, but pleased nonetheless.

[BrotherCaptainArkhan]

Thanks for the kind words, brothers and sisters :)

 

Excellent. Excellent update.

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

 

Some very nice work in here! 

 

Just wondering, where is Augustus' hoplite shield from, I'm trying to find some for my own project but its hard to determine the sizes of shields from different manufacturers without buying them all first which I'd rather not do, but the one you have looks perfect!

 

Cheers Wulox! I'm afraid that shield was part of the event-exclusive Salute model from 2013. You may find it on Ebay, but I'd recommend checking out Anvil Industry's hoplite shields, which I've seen in person and are roughly equivalent (very slightly bigger).

 

 

Appreciate the reply. The anvil industry shields were in the 'lead' as I have bought a fair bit of stuff from there before and its always been fantastic.

 

Lovely piece of writing/fluff there, and I really like the grittyness and realism of your ultras. Very excited to see more!

 

 

I would definitely recommend Anvil to anyone. Let me know how it works for you.

 

 

Excellent choice with the blue stripe down the shield that the Ultra icon fits perfectly into. It's a great visual point of interest and I think you should carry that motif to the rest of your forces in some way.

 

Cheers Kage. As it happens it's going to be a major theme in the rest of the force, great minds think alike.

 

not something you see a lot of comments about but i like the fact youve gone to the effort to make the bases all different with additions from the bitz box to most if not all, instead of the usual layered cork board it really makes the models pop even pre painting

 

Thanks, Kronus - hoping to improve my basing techniques even further.

 

Absolutely love the Breachers. Great work!

Cheers,
BTB

 

Thanks BTB!

 

Love the Breachers.

 

One question: where did you source the swords?

 

 

Cheers Schultz. As mentioned by Wulox - Anvil Industry is your friend. I strongly recommend them and this particular kit, HOWEVER I should note that the gladii will look a little oversized on anything that isn't Mark III armour.

 

Great Ultras. Cool swords.

 

Thanks!

 

The Breachers look Brutal. And the fluff  .

 

Cheers DSS, always glad to please.

 

Arkhan what are you using those breachers as game wise?
They are beautiful!!!

 

Cheers dude. As it happens I'm using them as...Breachers ;) No, seriously - XIII Legion Breachers have the option in HH Book V: Tempest to replace their bolters with power swords, at a price. I think the modification looks too cool to pass up.

 

As always your work is inspiring. I love the fluff as well, really adds a lot of depth to the models. Surprised your HH army weren't some Xeric Raven Guard, but pleased nonetheless.

 

Yeah, you and me both...the Terran Ravens will still happen, but I have the mojo for the Ultramarines at the minute. The Ravens will return. I have bits for them lying in wait, and would like to do them full justice, so better to wait for the inspiration to return.

 

______________

Whilst I paint up the rest of Ferrata - on basecoats and washes at the minute - I thought it'd be a good time to upload pictures of a Horus Heresy Zone Mortalis game I played last week, against a beautiful Salamanders force (with proxies). I like to think this was a training exercise that got a little rough ;)

 

ULTRAMARINES:

 

Siegebreaker Consul, Cataphractii plate, combi-melta, power fist, phosphex bomb

 

Legion Apothecary - artificer armour

 

Legion Tactical Squad (Pankrator) x10 - bolters, additional CCWs, vexilla, sergeant with artificer armour and power fist

 

Legion Breacher Siege Squad (Ferrata) x10 - power gladii, melta bombs, sergeant with artificer armour and power fist

 

Legion Destroyers x5 - rad missile launcher, x2 phosphex bombs, sergeant with artificer armour

 

SALAMANDERS (from memory):

 

Legion Praetor - paragon blade, artificer armour, the Salamanders storm shield that upgrades Inv saves (giving him 3++)

 

Legion Pyroclasts x5 - Sergeant with artificer armour and power sword

 

Legion Pyroclasts x5 - Sergeant with artificer armour and power sword

 

Legion Tactical Squad x10 - Sergeant with artificer armour

 

Deredeo Dreadnought with Anvilus battery and Aiolos missile launcher

 

MAP:

 

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj598/Mjolnir771/IMAG1202_zps0d8wfupl.jpg

 

 

MISSION: Zone Mortalis Assault - Force the Breach!

 

Ultramarines defending

 

 

 

Deployment:

 

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj598/Mjolnir771/IMAG1205_zpstfexa5op.jpg

 

Note the objective in the Ultramarine quadrant; I rolled a 4+ for deployment and opted to deploy directly opposite the Salamander and be in his face from turn 1. The Apothecary started with the Breachers, as did the Siegebreaker Consul. On the Salamanders side, the Deredeo faced down my left flank whilst the first squad of Pyroclasts + Praetor got ready to assault the Breachers guarding the bottleneck at the bulkhead door.

 

Turn 1

 

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj598/Mjolnir771/IMAG1205_zpstfexa5op.jpg

 

The Pyroclasts move forward towards the door, readying for a breaching manoeuvre. On the other flank, the Deredeo shreds the door guarding my left flank (as Defender, I opted to keep all doors Locked) and now has line of sight to my Breachers.

 

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj598/Mjolnir771/IMAG1207_zpsv6aanrab.jpg

 

The Pyroclasts assault the door...

 

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj598/Mjolnir771/IMAG1208_zpsmam0hkgj.jpg

 

...and destroy it with melta bombs!

 

Turn 2

 

Rallying to the Consul's shout, Breacher squad Ferrata surges into the breach, storming towards the XVIII Legion elites. In my rearguard, the Destroyers arrive and secures the home objective whilst Ferrata takes the fight to the enemy. The Salamanders overwatch is brutal, but thanks to the void-hardened armour of the Breachers, some FNP rolls and a couple of good Invulnerable saves from the Consul, no casualties are suffered.

 

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj598/Mjolnir771/IMAG1212_zpskpl3cf3g.jpg

 

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj598/Mjolnir771/IMAG1209_zpsbuvblgdr.jpg

(Hardened armour re-rolls help. A lot.)

 

In combat, the Apothecary rises to the Salamanders' Praetor's challenge, hoping to hold off the veteran warrior while his own commanding officer removes the threat posed by the Pyroclasts. Although the Apothecary falls senseless, stunned by the blunted training weapon employed by the Praetor, his sacrifice works as planned and the Pyroclasts are incapacitated to a man between the Consul and the power-fist wielding Breacher sergeant.

 

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj598/Mjolnir771/IMAG1210_zpsucrvhj9x.jpg

(The Breacher power gladii never once came into effect in either of our games; damned Salamanders and their omnipresent artificer armour)

 

Elsewhere, the Salamanders reserves are arriving, and the Deredeo is paving the way for the (off-camera) objective in the abandoned table half to be claimed by wrecking every door he can see. Recognising the futility of going up against the venerable walker without anti-armour, the Ultramarines await the arrival of their Tactical reserve before pushing forward.

 

TURN 3

 

The Salamanders Pyroclast reserves finally arrive, and are tasked with securing the battlefield objective in the abandoned table half. Meanwhile, the Ultramarines Tactical squad has arrived and moves into position in the rearguard to hold the home objective, allowing the Destroyers to move forward and engage the enemy massing at the next corridor junction. Unfortunately, to XVIII Legion dismay, the training scenario includes the use of faux-Phosphex munitions and the enemy Tacticals, clustered as they are, suffer badly. Undaunted by the danger, the Destroyers storm through the lingering horror of phosphex afterburn left by the Sergeant's bomb cluster and assault the enemy Tacticals.

 

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj598/Mjolnir771/IMAG1213_zpsq9suemra.jpg

 

Meanwhile, the combat between the Salamanders Praetor and the Breachers has turned sour - his 2+/3++ proves difficult for power gladii to break through, and he manages to incapacitate the Ultramarines consul, taking advantage of the Cataphractii plate's lack of mobility.

 

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj598/Mjolnir771/IMAG1214_zpsxjy97mrs.jpg

 

Turn 4

 

The Destroyers remain locked in combat with the Salamanders Tacticals, and the Deredeo moves towards the Destroyers, intending to support his brothers in crushing the XIII Legion defenders. At the same time, the Salamanders Pyroclasts rush past the melee towards the last objective available...

 

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj598/Mjolnir771/IMAG1216_zpsij5rhget.jpg

 

Elsewhere, the Breachers recognise they cannot bring down the Salamanders goliath bulling his way through them, and withdraw from the combat, leaving the slow-blooded Salamander to consolidate back into the darkened corridors behind. Unfortunately for him, Tactical squad Pankrator have repositioned by this point to cover the corridor junction in which the Salamander leader now stands, and they let rip with a massive storm of (dummy) bolt rounds that hurl the Salamander from his feet and leave him stunned and senseless.

 

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj598/Mjolnir771/IMAG1217_zpst6tqxrhr.jpg

(Fury of the Legion rocks)

 

Turn 5

 

Final turn. The two last survivors of the Breachers, having stormed forward after the fall of the Salamander leader, recklessly throw themselves at the Salamanders dreadnought, unclamping faux-melta bombs from their armour in a last ditch effort to bring low the mighty hero. Pankrator consolidates back onto the rearguard objective, and the Destroyers remain locked in combat with the Salamander Tacticals.

 

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj598/Mjolnir771/IMAG1219_zpsqoxopc6m.jpg

 

By this point, the day has been won by XIII Legion ingenuity and forward planning; the Salamanders have proven themselves superior close-quarter fighters, but the interplay between XIII Legion units and the timely arrival of the Ultramarine reserves have won the overall training scenario.

 

However, battle-brother Cornelion of Ferrata is not done yet. Perhaps his honour has been wounded by the incapacitation of Ferrata by a single warrior; perhaps he simply seeks glory and advancement, to walk in the footsteps of the mighty heroes who have fought and died in Ferrata before him. Either way, as his last brother is swept from his feet, unconscious, by a kick from the Salamanders dreadnought, Cornelion throws himself onto the side of the Deredeo's hull, abandoning gladius and shield, thrusting the faux-meltabomb deep into the exposed weak rear armour of the dreadnought. Flipping the activation switch and throwing himself clear, the Deredeo looms over him, vox-blasting a bellow of rage, before the EMP in the faux-bomb's systems detonates. As the Deredeo crumples to the ground, most of its systems deactivated, Cornelion knows he has won the position of honour amongst his brothers in today's training exercise; none of the XIII Legion forces present today can claim to have brought low a mighty Dreadnought.

 

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj598/Mjolnir771/IMAG1220_zpsz7hwgcye.jpg

 

___________

 

 

And there it is...game 1 of 2, which went to the Ultramarines. Game 2 proved to be a very straightforward Salamanders victory, as the Ultramarines got sucked into a melee with both Pyroclast squads and the Praetor, without managing to unleash any of their phosphex weaponry. I'll post pics when I can - for now, this is a brief update from me, and now it's back to the painting table to finish Ferrata.

 

Courage and honour!