Blackshields: Reavers and outcasts: (July 6th)

[Archidamus]

After many months of re-reading Retribution and looking at the rules I've finally decide to commit to creating a blackshield force based on the Dark Brotherhood from the Eye of the Storm section. This is mostly because of how awesome the Nemean Reaver is, and the representation options of the Blackshields themselves.

The main armour style I'm going with is drawn from the three colour profiles of the Dark Brotherhood from the Eye of the Storm section. There isn't much to go on apart from the mixture of armour marks and their armour being predominantly black. Later on I'm probably going to take designs from the Gerasene Host and add them into the mix as well.

Dark Brotherhood Marauder and Gerasene Host warrior (HH Book 6: Retribution pages 86, 223 respectively)

I will roughly be collecting to an army list I wrote up (it will end up in the army list section at some point). The primary theme is that due to the blackshields being even more cut of from conventional supply lines they are mostly going to be utilising the easily manufactured STC weaponry and vehicles, whilst scavenging weaponry from their foes.

In the case of the Dark Brotherhood they were seeking a safe haven, this mostly drew them into conflict with auxiliary forces of the army with scattered legion forces thrown in either to hunt them down or they crossed paths by happenstance. As such weapons that aren't particularly used in most legion lists will be used in this army. Things such as rotor cannons, and the Malcador assault tank as a Lord of War. Of course xenos deathlocks will make sporadic appearances once I've found something that looks suitable (i'll most likely end up using Skitarii weapons).

Now for some early WIP pictures of some of my test models (worry not I'm still working on my ETL vow, I got distracted by video games and then this ).

Rakoth, Dark Herald of the Nemean Reaver, the Dark Brotherhood (WIP)

I decided to give him a white helmet which was shown on the first Dark Brotherhood colour profile. The marine it showed was part of the Nemean's retinue so I'm going to reserve the white for Blackshield officers (within the Dark Brotherhood).

The bolt pistol is from the Death Company sprue, just pretend it's an artificed Blood Angels pistol, that may or may not belong to Dakoth.

The banner is decorated with the skulls of those would-be-champions, who sought to see the banner of the Nemean fall. Each one fell to the warblade of the Nemean whenever they tried. Once the Blackshield transfer sheet is out I'm planning on adding the icon of the Nemean to the banner. Its likely that I'll paint the banner cloth a white/dirty bone colour much like on the Nemean's personal Storm Eagle. This may mean I turn the skulls into gold and pretend Balthasar Gelt is running around as Librarian.

Banner inspiration (Book 6: Retribution, page94/95)

Marauders armed with a pariah flamer, bolter & nuncio vox, chainsword and bolt pistol.

You may recognised the middle chap. Thats right he used to carry the banner before I hacked his arm of.

If you made it to the end of this post you may be wondering "What about your Thousand Sons?". Well I've gotten to a point where my desire to collect for them has dropped off for the time being, as I want to see what Inferno brings to the table for them. I am still intent on finishing of what I currently have for them, so keep an eye out for my Thousand Sons thread popping up every once and awhile.

[Archidamus]

"By time they realised we hid in the asteroid belt, it was already too late for them. Outnumbered and outgunned we still ravaged their fleet and took what we needed. My master was truly a paragon of war, and I firmly believe he was one of the first. A true Angel of Death." -fragments of a Blackshield journal entry recovered from the Pale Stars

Over the last few days I've been having some fun painting up my first few blackshields as members of the Dark Brotherhood. Although I've only got access to limited parts I feel like I've been able to give them suitable character (hopefully). I will shortly be starting work the Gerasene Host test miniature. But for today I have three completed blackshields to show. The only things not fully finished is the banner and the beaky marine. I've started to paint all the skulls gold. My intent is to still go by the Nemean's stormeagle in which it was a bone/cream colour with his personal icon. Though this may change.

I hope you enjoy them.

the Dark Herald Escaron and two marauders

Data captured: Unknown, those in the our Order believe it to be before the Dark Brotherhood entered the Pale Stars.

Unknown blackshield marauder

Due to their nature it is hard to properly identify any blackshield definitively. We believe in this instance, this marine was once a member of the XIX^th or the XX^th legions. This is disputed by some in our Order as the armour is uniformly Mk IV pattern, leading them to believe the helmet was stripped from a dead legionary.

Marauder legionary with Nuncio vox

This blackshield created quite a stir within the Order. His previous allegiances to the XVI^th are extremely clear for all to see. This pict was recovered from a traitor orbital station. It appears this marauder infiltrated the station and deactivated its defences, allowing his fellows to storm the station unopposed. His armour markings led us to believe he once served in the 1^st company of the Sons of Horus, to what capacity and role we cannot say.

Dark Herald Escaron

We have ascertained from old vox recordings that this herald of the Dark Brotherhood was often referred to as the 'Nemean's Hand' or Escaron. The order has searched through many archives to locate a legionary called Escaron, but thus far no records have been found. He was pictured in this instance utilising IX^th legion equipment, though he has been known to use a variety of other legion wargear notably that of the 1^st and 3^rd legions.

[drakarth]

Great start I like your dark herald, can't wait for more to come.

[Brother Aiwass]

Forget the ETL and do more blackshields please!

[Archidamus]

Great start I like your dark herald, can't wait for more to come.

Cheers glad you like him

Forget the ETL and do more blackshields please!

With my amazing ability to get project sidetracked that's probably what will happen . Though I'm sure I'll get both done, soon.

Shortly after I finished the Herald and Nuncio marine, I started my test mini for the Gerasene Host. Trying to emulate the single image of them has been a challenge. He's about 60% finished. Once I've added his highlight and cleaned him up, he'll be getting a fair few technical and dry paints put on him (in this case Typhus corrosion, Ryza rust, and BFTBG). As the image shows little bits of corrosion and rust coming from the rivets and external fibre bundle type things.

WIP: Unidentified astartes of the Gerasene Host.

If all goes well I may eventually do a test mini for the Ashen Claws, though that depends on me not accidentally deliberately starting the VIII^th

[Brother Aiwass]

You can never go wrong with the VIII LEG.

[Archidamus]

"They are rage, brutal, without mercy. But you. You will be worse. Rip and tear, until it is done." -

Unknown recording recovered from an abandoned facility thought to be where the Gerasene Host were created.

Today I bring pictures of my finished (yet unbased) Gerasene Host marauder. I feel that he has come out rather well considering it was my first time using typhus corrosion and ryza rust. I had attempted to create the faint armourial pattern that was displayed on the Host's shoulder pauldron, (see opening post) but it made the leg look really busy, so I decided to scrap it.

I am unsure of how to base him but for now here are some pictures of a very unstable astartes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7zde6R0vEc

"It got in through the damn airlock! Repeat we have a hostile in sect- argh!" - last transmission of corporal Gorras aboard orbital outpost Theta-9.

This as yet unidentified Astartes belongs to the blackshield group codified as the Gerasene Host. We have determined from what remains of the Theta-9 installation that he gained access through the airlock by tricking the station guard detail to open it. He did this by triggering the proximity sensors in the area.

They didn't live long enough to regret the decision to go out, all that remained of the five sent out were pieces of ragged flesh only identifiable by their ident-tags. Once inside he slaughtered his way to the hanger control deck and allowed his brothers to enter in their gunships. What happened next cannot be considered a battle, it was a massacre. Out of the several thousand stationed there only a handful 'escaped'. We believe they were set free to spread terror and discord in the neighbouring systems. We may never know as they were never found during the immediate aftermath of the Heresy War.

"It matters not how I kill you mortals, as long as you die screaming. We will rip and tear, until all that remains of your meager existence is your blood staining our armour." -Unidentified commander of the Gerasene Host assault on Theta-9

I hope you enjoyed these pictures, I look forward to adding the Blackshield transfers to this mini and creating more of them in the near future.

[Brother Pheidias]

Looks good. You're not doing the swirly pattern?

[Archidamus]

Looks good. You're not doing the swirly pattern?

 

I tried to do it on the left leg but it ended up looking a little too busy with the weathering there. I'll attempt to do it on the next one when I get my order in. I may go back and add it once I've gotten a bit of practise in creating it.