Advanced Infiltration: Heralds of Extinction

[Xenith]

Last pict recovered from the auto-transmissions of Vigilator Doratian Grekis of the Legion: Ultramarines

 

>++INCOMING TRANSMISSION++

>How? How did they get to the surface? And in such numbers? Consul, respond! Large [audio >corrupted] force sighted in the eastern hills. Come in? Anyone? Is anyone.....

>++SIGNAL LOST++

>...

>+ATTEMPTING TO RE-ESTABLISH CONNECTION++

>...

>...

>++SIGNAL RETREIVED++

>incoming data packet...

>receiving...

>++ERROR 40004...data corrupted.

>Begin auto purge...

>Audio log deleted

>Pict log deleted

>All logs deleted

>END.

Edited November 1, 2023 by Xenith

[Lunar Centurion]

An Israeli marine?

 

All joking aside, looks good. Can't wait to see some more.

[Kizzdougs]

Looking forward to this :)

[Daemon2027]

Cool start, will keep an eye on this.

[Xenith]

Thanks, guys.

 

Here are some colour pics of the agent.

 

Zoomed out

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk141/Mechxen/Alpha%20Legion/Veteran%20Tactical%20I/2015-12-01%2023.32.22_zpsdzzuso1v.png

 

The close up

 

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk141/Mechxen/Alpha%20Legion/Veteran%20Tactical%20I/2015-12-02%2010.02.16_zpstsn8jedj.png

 

Infiltrating some Blood Angels

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk141/Mechxen/Alpha%20Legion/Veteran%20Tactical%20I/2015-12-01%2023.31.50_zpsnlyzuxio.jpg

 

Chained Alpha.

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk141/Mechxen/Alpha%20Legion/Veteran%20Tactical%20I/2015-11-30%2022.42.03_zpsze89uyai.jpg

[Sol_Invictus]

I love the XX on the right pauldron. So simplistic, yet it's just perfect. 

[Frater Cornelius]

Thanks, guys.

 

[...]

 

Infiltrating some Blood Angels

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk141/Mechxen/Alpha%20Legion/Veteran%20Tactical%20I/2015-12-01%2023.31.50_zpsnlyzuxio.jpg

 

[...]

 

Gentlemen, there is a spy among us.

[Pearson73]

Nice colour on the Alpha, liking the eyes also.

[Legionary Pallas]

 

Thanks, guys.

 

[...]

 

Infiltrating some Blood Angels

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk141/Mechxen/Alpha%20Legion/Veteran%20Tactical%20I/2015-12-01%2023.31.50_zpsnlyzuxio.jpg

 

[...]

 

Gentlemen, there is a spy among us.

 

Steve: *Psst* "Gary, hey Gary!"

Gary: "What is it Steve?"

Steve: "I heard there is a spy amongst us!"

Gary: "I heard too, Jim has been acting strangely."

Steve: "Yeah I think it's Jim as well, but the new guy's a Blood Angel through & through, you know."

Gary: "Definitely, even if he wears that weird bluey-greeny armour & has all those Hydras."

Steve: "I think we can safely cross him off the list of potential spies, but I think the spy could also be Gary."

Gary:  "I AM GARY!"

[Xenith]

Master of Recruits: Initiate, what is your name?

Definitely not a spy: I, am Al...an. Alan. Yes.

Master of Recruits: *Eyes narrow suspiciously* Hmm. That's the fifteenth Al...an today. What are the odds. Well, you already have the crosses on your shoulderpads, welcome to the chapter.

[Trevak Dal]

Cool

[Hengist Ironfang]

I always find the Alpha Legion's infiltration success rate to be irritating. I personally find it highly implausible that battle brothers who had fought day in day out alongside each other for centuries wouldn't become suspicious. All it would take is one or two key pieces of knowledge to cause a total cock up of the situation!

 

The model looks good though!

[Excessus]

I always find the Alpha Legion's infiltration success rate to be irritating. I personally find it highly implausible that battle brothers who had fought day in day out alongside each other for centuries wouldn't become suspicious. All it would take is one or two key pieces of knowledge to cause a total cock up of the situation!

 

The model looks good though!

To be fair, the Deliverance mission was counting on a few things to make it work.

 

#1: It was a too outlandish plan to even remotely rouse suspicions by the RG.

#2: Ptsd from Istvaan V where everybody was acting wierd afterwards.

#3: They practically stole the memories and faces of dead marines with librarians and apothecaries and implanted them into specially trained operatives.

#4: We don't know the success rate...it might have been 90% or it might have been 5% of the operatives that actually made it back to Deliverance.

 

...and to infiltrate the World Eaters, well, I don't think they would suspect anyone else but them crazy enough to basically lobotomize themselves.

 

When it comes to Iron Hands, well

that was the big A himself so I would assume that he would have a certain mastery...

[Kol Saresk]

Actually, the World Eaters side had the captain suspicious of his suddenly calm and controlled lieutenant, but he kept getting distracted by the Nails which kept him from doing anything about it.

 

Rather, the big, glaring flaw with the whole "stolen memories" thing was that apparently they got none of the Raven Guard's memories as they didn't recall basic teachings, codes(except for the lord commander one who remembered someone else's codes) and the fact that even though they couldn't remember anything about being a Raven Guard, they couldn't stop remembering how to act like an Alpha Legion line soldier.

 

PTSD usually makes people not act like themselves. It doesn't make a British soldier act like a CIA operative. That much of a "shift" in personality should be setting off all kinds of bells, especially(or at least) in a Primarch.

[Charlo]

Reeeeeeeeeally sick effect you have on the armour here Bro. So many colours all coming through there. Hiding your true colours like a real (...Fake?) Alpha.

[Lunar Centurion]

I love the XX on the right pauldron. So simplistic, yet it's just perfect. 

I had thought it was a Star Of David. Now I feel stupid. But the dudes look great!

[Xenith]

 

I love the XX on the right pauldron. So simplistic, yet it's just perfect. 

I had thought it was a Star Of David. Now I feel stupid. But the dudes look great!

 

 

Ahh, I can see what you mean now. I didn't understand at first, assumed Israeli's were good at infiltration or something. I've seen Munich.

 

Reeeeeeeeeally sick effect you have on the armour here Bro. So many colours all coming through there. Hiding your true colours like a real (...Fake?) Alpha.

 

 

Thanks, Charlo! It was really an accident, trying to replicate the FW scheme for them, but I actually prefer the darker blue.

 

It's 3 washes of Drakenhof over runefang, a silver highlight, then several thin layers of waywatcher green on the top side of the plates.

Edited December 6, 2015 by Xenith

[Arkangilos]

This thread was awesome. I also like how the filter made it look like actual art from a book.

[Xenith]

"Win the war before your enemy realises that you are theirs. Knowledge is power, so remove their strength, not by rendering them blind, deaf or dumb, no. That is the way of the VIII Legion, not the XX make them weak by letting them assume all is well and good,that they are safe in their homes and chattels, when the very foundations of their fortresses and bastions have been extinguished. Only then, when victory is a foregone conclusion, do you make your intentions known"

- Attributed to Alpharius, Primarch, XX Legiones Astartes.

 

Planetary compliance procedure [infiltration Protocol] Phase One: Infiltration

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk141/Mechxen/Alpha%20Legion/Veteran%20Tactical%20I/2015-12-06%2018.26.15_zpsfmjs1quy.jpg

Silence their information gatherers. Take their place if needs be.

 

"Leave them looking, leave them guessing how you appeared behind the rear guard. Break their defences, then begin the slaughter."

- Attributed to Alpharius, Primarch, XX Legiones Astartes.

 

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk141/Mechxen/Alpha%20Legion/Veteran%20Tactical%20I/2015-12-06%2018.35.00_zpsfptklroa.jpg 

 

I made up another few Alphas, giving me the beginnings of a Legion Veteran squad - Heavy Bolter, 3 boltguns, and Legion Sergeant with combi flamer (sniper flamer, anyone?), power dagger, and powerfist.

 

Calth is an interesting box, and a nice start to a Legion. So far, I'm thining:

 

Skorr, Sabateur, legion veteran Rite, 2x veteran tacticals, seekers/headhunters, Contemptor.

[Xenith]

And the first 5 veterans are finished, bar the basing.

 

You've seen the first, now check the rest.

 

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk141/Mechxen/Alpha%20Legion/Veteran%20Tactical%20I/2015-12-12%2018.38.27_zpsf0zyx6ai.jpg

 

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk141/Mechxen/Alpha%20Legion/Veteran%20Tactical%20I/2015-12-12%2018.38.58_zpsmripmhsm.jpg

 

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk141/Mechxen/Alpha%20Legion/Veteran%20Tactical%20I/2015-12-12%2018.39.15_zpsgzonkjg0.jpg

 

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk141/Mechxen/Alpha%20Legion/Veteran%20Tactical%20I/2015-12-12%2018.39.30_zps1qnxq0zc.jpg

 

I'm still not 100 % sold on the skintone for the sergeant...nor the bare head!

 

I think with a choice of two very similar bare heads in the kit, most of my guys can look just like Alpharius.

[The Pounder]

Off to a great start!

The metallic green is fantastic, really subtle and effective.

[ThatOneMarshal]

I'm not normally into the metallic alpha legion color but you really pull it off well!

[ak1508]

Love Alpha Legion so much, just can't get enough of them! :P

 

Xenith, do you mind sharing your AL colour recipe? Really curious to know how you achieved it! Also, would be great to see these guys in the pictures with no flash and normal daylight (if possible of course!). Loving that AL!

[Xenith]

 

Off to a great start!

The metallic green is fantastic, really subtle and effective.

 

I'm not normally into the metallic alpha legion color but you really pull it off well!

 

 

Thanks guys! This is my first time in a decade attempting a metallic scheme, and it's turned out ok! I dont know how well it will translate to larger tanks, though...I'll be going via a contemptor, so we shall see!

 

Love Alpha Legion so much, just can't get enough of them!

 

Xenith, do you mind sharing your AL colour recipe? Really curious to know how you achieved it! Also, would be great to see these guys in the pictures with no flash and normal daylight (if possible of course!). Loving that AL!

 

No problem, it dead easy:

 

1. Black undercoat all over
2. Base coat with lead belcher - 2thinnish coats to give a flat, even coverage
3. 2 coats of runefang to brighten it up, make sure the coats are even, you dont want darker black or leadbelcher showing through.
4. Paint all pouches, accessories in the correct base colour - unless you are super neat. If you get different coloured paint onto the armour after the above stages, then you'll ruin the model, as it's not easy to go back and get the same effect.
5. Paint the armour with Drakenhof Nightshade. You want this somewhere between a paint and a wash. Dont just slop it on or you'll block details, try and paint it onto the plates, and into the recesses.
6. Allow this to dry fully
7. Repeat this two more times, for 3 coats total
8. I then gave a thin coat of Coelia greenshade on the second 4 models, or biel tan green on the first I show. This gives a green hint.
9. Paint a thin coat of Waywatcher green onto the top half of all plates
10. Paint a thin coat of Waywatcher green onto the top quarter of all plates
11. Paint a thin coat of Waywatcher green onto the top quarter of all plates
12. add a line of waywatcher to where the natural reflection would be/your usual line highlight place. Keep doing this until you get the intensity of green you want. 
13. Leadbelcher with badab black wash and runefang highlight for trim and studs.

It's really fun to experiment with this. You could get some interesting results by doing a line highlight of leadbelcher between the second and third drakenhof layers - the green will be a lot brighter. Or doing all 3 drakenhof, a runefang edge highlight, then a biel tan wash on the upper halves of plates.

 

Critical is to let each wash dry fully before moving to the next. As the washes dry from the edge inwards, if you move it about with a brush before it's dry you'll get tide rings, which future washes will pool in and ruin the effect.

 

All in all, these guys were probably an hour per marine, minus the detailing.

Edited December 13, 2015 by Xenith

[Hesh Kadesh]

Looks brilliant. Only real complaint is the gun barrels could possibly do with drilling.