Captain Semper's HH Word Bearers

[Captain Semper]

+++Kar Maaneth's Mission+++

This will be my Word Bearers project and will be tied to the Loyalty & Treachery event that is to be launched on January 15th, 2015.

A few words for my force:

I got the Betrayal at Calth box set and totally fell in love with the minis (bar the Contemptor but I can live with it). I immediately decided I wanted to go for an all-WB force given I always wanted to go for it - I even tested a few minis back in my Emperor's Children thread. Zardu Lyak has nothing to do with it, I swear! Truth being said, the only mini in the Word Bearers' range I'm not too hot about is the Primarch himself...

Anyway, back to my project. I decided that the first batch of my force will be the entire contents of the B@C box and will aim for my favourite 1,500pts force that is to be expanded later on as I add units at whim. Right now the focus is to get a playable force up and running. To this end I worked out the following list:

HQ

Centurion Delegatus Kar Maaneth - 120pts

+ Cataphractii armour w/ chainfist

+ Master of the Legion (Chosen Duty)

The reason I want for Chosen Duty is that it allows and indeed makes it compulsory to use at least two Vet. Tacticals as troops. I decided early on that there were too many funky stuff in the box to just go for "boring" Tacticals. However, if the box was offering 40 PA minis I might have considered it - just for the pure size of it.

Chaplain V'Atan - 140pts - WIP

+ Artificer armour

+ Burning Lore

+ Plasma Pistol

Total 260 pts

The Chaplain is compulsory for Word Bearers (well, it's either that or a plain Centurion). Since the mini was there I was compelled to use it.

Troops

Three Veteran Tactical Squads each ten-strong with vexillas and tooled up Sergeants:

+ Tac 1: Snipers with two plasma guns - 275pts

+ Tac 2: Tank Hunters w/ two missile launchers - 285pts - WIP

+ Tac 3: Furious Charge w/three power weapons + lightning claw for the sergeant - 285pts

Total 845pts

Elites

Contemptor w/ multi melta - 175pts

Termies w/ heavy Flamer, three Power Fists and a Chanfist - 220pts

Total 395pts

Overall total: 1,500pts

The fluff behind the force is that Centurion Kar Maaneth was given some mission of high importance of taking and keeping a Manifactorum sector (also a project underway) in a city the WBs invaded. To this end he was given a small but elite force to see this through. In his side is his friend and mentor, Chaplain V'Atan who will join him in his mission. I need to flesh it out some more but this is it for the time being.

Now enough of the intro, let's see the minis.

This is my first squad assembled:

Now this is a statement: WORD BEARERS ARE NOT BLOOD ANGELS OR THOUSAND SONS!

What I mean is, my personal preference is that the WB the red should be really dark. Like really dark.

So what I did was undercoat them with Army Painter Chaotic Red - a colour that is very dark, bordering to brown. There are not enough good things to say about this colour! I love it. Really do... So that's how everybody looks after the spray:

And the Chaplain:

So next steps:

- I'm using Agrax Earthshade to shade it. I am using it without thinning it with Lahmian Medium - just a bit of water. I try to keep it tidy though, I'm not dipping it or anything... Just the recesses.

- then I'm using a 1:1 mix between Army Painter Chaotic Red and Khorne Red to cover most of the mini leaving not only the recesses but also the dryer areas in this very dark red.

- then I use Khorne Red as a final highlight. Initially this was where is wanted to stop.

The mini at that stage looked very nice under intense light but in normal conditions it seemed a bit too dark. So I used light dry brushing of Mephiston red in the most exposed areas...

Here is the result:

So I'll be doing this squad as for now and see what I'll pledge for the L&T - Probably another squad, the Termies and the Consul Delegatus himself!

[Stormborn]

Thats a really nice looking red, how is the calth kit to work with (haven't given mine more than a quick look to see that nothing was missing)?

 

Never really like the Word Bearers especially the gruesome twosome (Erebus and whats his name) everyone on the BnC always makes them looks so damn cool, just stop it all of you.  I've already brought Gal Vorbak and Ashen Circle just because they look cool if I'm not careful I'll end doing Word Bearers.

[Dosjetka]

Looking good, Semper! Glad to see you back on the hobby horse :tu:

[Daemon2027]

Cool good to see you back and painting Cap. The test red looks good.

[Captain Semper]

Thank you guys, it's been a while, but I'm gradually getting my act together... :tu:

 

@ storm born: I think it's better than the average 40k kit. Very subdued mold lines, excellent fitting - espeically the. Missile launcher that is a pain to put together in resin form and of course a great assortment of specialist gear! I cannot recommend it enough! Very happy with it. :)

[Kilofix]

This confirms my suspicions about the Dark Angels.

 

But really, very nice.

[Pherex_]

That's a really nice red. I think a darker red would set them apart nicely from Blood Angels and Thousand sons.

[Flint13]

That red looks baller, Cap'n. No one is going to mistake them for a fancier red legion :D

 

Can't wait to see these bros all together!

[Kilofix]

Must see Contemptor

[Dosjetka]

This confirms my suspicions about the Dark Angels.

 

But really, very nice.

Now that you mention it... :lol:

[Black Cohort]

I really like the deep red.

[Captain Semper]

@ Kilofix: The Contemptor I'm least keen on... It will be done though, rest assured! :D

 

Thanks everyone! Truth is they look even better once they are grouped together... I'll put up the first batch soon. :)

[Captain Semper]

OK guys, I messed up with the basing... So any help on how to unbase the minis without destroying them in very welcome... :(

[GhostMalone]

Hmmm depends how bad is it? You could always emerge the whole model in simple green but it will strip the paint aswell?

[Aqui]

The first thing I said to myself when I read the title was "Captain Semper's WHAT?!"

But then I saw them

[Urauloth]

I definitely agree about WB being dark red. I'm looking forward to trying out the chaotic red spray on my own BaC minis.

 

Regarding unbasing... if you need to remove the minis from their bases entirely, the best way (assuming you plastic-glued them on) is to use clippers to take the base apart around the minis' boots, then a knife to remove what's left. If you just need to remove the basing substance (like sand), somethng like the point of an old file and some tweezers might do that, ou'd just have to be very careful.

[Captain Semper]

Thanks guys - I appreciate the assistance...

 

It's like the Ghost said, I need to remove them entirely. I have plastic glued them and will use the clippers when my new resin bases arrive... Done it only once before so wish me luck... :D

[Iron Bars]

Good luck on the bases. The test red looks good. Looking forward to more.

[Captain Semper]

Alright. The bases are not here yet, so ignore them for the time being...

Here's the progress on the squad so far:

And here is the Chaplain:

[depthcharge12]

Good work...

 

...ya heretic :P

[GhostMalone]

I feel like all word bearers need that steel face plate it's just so fitting

[Captain Semper]

Good point - something I'll take under serious consideration...

 

Also the lighting. It seems too dark and combined with the dark red just shows like reddish mud... :( 

[GhostMalone]

It takes away the over saturation of red and works well with the Metalics and black, otherwise the Red mutes the whole Marine but the purporting are more even.

 

All in all semper they look great

[Captain Semper]

Thanks, I will follow your advice - I kind of like the result myself... ;)

[ckpmax1108]

Have you tried painting on white script on the armour Cap'?

 

Might not be as intensive as brighter highlights of red/orange on the armour, but it does help break the continuous red on the model and brighten up the portion slightly on areas where applied (as naturally observed on white on any dark surface)