From Barbarus To Betrayal: The Broken Blades

[adamantium_wang]

From Barbarus To Betrayal: The Broken Blades

 

Being an account of the 153rd Assault Battalion of the XIV Legion Astartes during the years of the Great Betrayal and its subsequent reorganisation into the renegade warband known as the “Broken Blades”.

 

http://i.imgur.com/VbWqYGW.jpg

 

Preface

 

My Lords,

 

As requested by the Governor Militant of the Domains of Sladia I present to you this investigation into the origins and history of that scourge of our sector, the renegade Astartes warband known as the 'Broken Blades'. Although the times of the Great Betrayal are thankfully far behind us we must delve into them to fully understand the machinations of this now uncommon enemy. Their tactics, their operational structure, their equipment, even their strategic goals all have a foundation in those dark and terrifying days. Thanks to unprecedented access to archives and sources ranging from the fortresses of Bakka and Cypra Mundi and even relays to Holy Terra itself I and my small team of colleges have been able to piece together as complete a picture of the Broken Blades as I believe is possible. May it prove useful to all of those brave souls that strive to keep our Imperium whole.

 

I am, as always, your most obedient servant,

 

Kalliandra Elwick

 

Sladia Secundus, 337.M31

 

 

On the XIV Legion Astartes

 

Many great volumes have been written on the Legiones Astartes in general and on the XIV Legion in particular and it is on these past works that I draw this brief note. The XIV were generally accustomed to fighting as a single force under the leadership of their Primarch as a whole but the needs of the Great Crusade meant that this concentration of force was not always practical or even possible. The vast majority of worlds in the galaxy are utterly hostile to human life and it was often on these planets, which were frequently rich in mineral wealth, that dangerous xenos species would seek to avoid their rightful destruction at the hands of Man. Left unchecked these aliens could conceivably build their strength until they were in a position to threaten nearby Imperial worlds. This state of affairs could not be tolerated.  

 

The hardiness and resilience of the Emperor's Space Marines is well known but the XIV were exceptional even by these standards. The Death Guard took a fierce pride in fighting in conditions that would sorely test the capabilities of even the Legiones Astartes and would carry the day against the most dangerous xenoforms in the most hellish of environs. Independently operating groups of Mortarion's sons would be formed in response to identified threats or requests for assistance and dispatched by the Primarch all over the galaxy. Most commonly these would be battalions of two to ten centuries under the leadership of a Lieutenant Commander.

 

These battalions were the smallest elements of the XIV capable of independent operation. They were often assigned a capital ship (or at the very least a light cruiser) with attendant escorts and frequently accompanied by supporting Mechanicum elements. Rare were the times mere human armies would be able to operate or even survive in the theatres the Death Guard were assigned to, but nevertheless auxillia regiments consisting of enhanced Barbarussian troopers or failed Legion aspirants occasionally supported these Astartes battalions. The flotilla would travel to a war zone, perform their mission, and return to the main Legion body upon successful completion.

 

As with most units within the Death Guard each battalion was an ad hoc affair with the constituent centuries drawn based upon materiel availability and operational need. Each century originating from the same Great Company was as frequent as it was not, although there was a tendency to have veteran centuries accompany less experienced commands. In this way the lessons of the Legion could be passed from one generation to the next with the newer Astartes carving out their own legends under the watchful eye of the older warriors. In the end the part would return to the whole and all would be better for it.

 

This practice would persist from the latter half of the Great Crusade into the black years of the Great Betrayal right up until the Legion's fateful final muster in preparation for the Siege of Terra.

 

 

+++++++++++++

 

 

Hey folks, and welcome to my Death Guard thread. Having been bitten by the 30K bug hard I thought I'd try my hand at running a blog to keep track of my painting and fluff progress in the one place. Inspired by some of the amazing threads on here I thought I'd approach this from the perspective of a historian trying to piece together the past of a local threat that has its origins in the inferno of the Heresy. Progress on this will probably be slow as this is more of a painting and writing project without any pressure to get the army ready for tournament gaming. Any feedback is very much welcome =]

[Phatsquirre1]

Very cool fluff and models, looking forward to see what comes next. 

[adamantium_wang]

The 153rd Assault Battalion

 

The 153rd was formed shortly after the devastating Dropsite Massacre at Istvaan V. Delays by the martyred loyalist forces at Istvaan III and the heroism of Nathaniel Garro had cost the Warmaster the element of surprise and he was forced to turn a swift stroke of a coup into a grinding, bloody civil war. In order to keep the loyalist forces off balance and to retain the strategic initiative for as long as he could the Warmaster directed his brothers to split off a small measure of their strength to be sent on far ranging and highly destructive raids. In this way the true movement and intent of the traitors would be masked by a deluge of panicked and conflicting reports. The 153rd was one of these raiding forces.

 

At its core the 153rd Battalion was comprised of five centuries drawn from three Great Companies: the 92nd Heavy Assault Century under Konstandin Sologon, the 98th Siege Century under Leutrim Skender, the 144th Pathfinders lead by the infamous Caradin Tolon, the 207th Infantry of Saban Quendrim and Lothor Valon’s 33rd Armoured. Command of the battalion was awarded to Enver Bardh, a first generation Barbarussian astartes formerly of the 92nd.

 

http://i.imgur.com/nvGEPEo.png

Edited November 21, 2016 by adamantium_wang

[Candleshoes]

The three main colours in your scheme are toned perfectly with the weathering, and your gold and brasswork is flawless.

 

Hell of a start to your project.

[adamantium_wang]

Thank you for the kind words gentlemen.

 

++++++++++++++

 

Enver Bardh, Lieutenant Commander, 153rd Bn., XIV Legiones Astartes

 

http://i.imgur.com/SpvCRbz.jpg

 

Enver Bardh was among the first XIV inductees drawn from Barbarus, having fought as a child in Mortarion’s armies against the horrifying xenos masters of that world. He would go on to serve through the major campaigns of the Great Crusade with a solid but fairly unremarkable record. He was known to be a dependable soldier but not a talented leader of men, and spent the latter half of the Crusade holding the rank of Lieutenant.

 

As was common with the Barbarussian members of the XIV he displayed a fanatical dedication to his Primarch, who was revered as the savior of their benighted world. It was this loyalty that spared him from the cull of the Istvaan III Atrocity and it was in this bloody war of fratricide that he found renewed purpose. After helping to spearhead the final breaking of loyalist resistance he was granted command of the reconstituted 92nd Century, formerly under the leadership of the Terran-born loyalist Arthuria Griffith. The Albian longsword of its previous commander was recovered from the shattered ruins below and presented to him on his promotion by his surviving traitorous comrades.  

 

Leading his new command in the crucible of Istvaan V he took part in resisting and then crushing the Salamanders assault on the Urgall Depression. Although victorious, losses to the 92nd were substantial and were it not for the protection offered them by their heavy Mk III and Cataphractii plate it is debatable if they would have even held against the incendiary rage of the XVIII in the first place. Indeed, both sides were pushed to their breaking point and were it not for the betrayal of the second wave both Legions would have likely utterly destroyed one another. The combi plasma Bardh bears was the ninth weapon he used that day, recovered from the corpse of an Iron Hands veteran as the loyalist landing zones were finally overrun.

 

In the interregnum it appears Bardh’s name came up as a candidate to lead one of the raiding elements that were part of the next stage of the war. While there were certainly other officers that had more storied careers or were better leaders of men most of them were either deemed more vital to the planned offensive against the Cyclops Cluster or were broken bodies on one of Istvaan’s scorched battlefields. Bardh was not the best choice for the job but it appears that to Mortarion there was little alternative.

Edited November 22, 2016 by adamantium_wang

[adamantium_wang]

Leutrim Skender, 98th Centurion, XIV Legiones Astartes

http://i.imgur.com/55mZ58E.jpg

Born on the industrial world of Zeta Mundi, Skender was part of an exceptional Legion intake to shore up the catastrophic losses sustained during the harrowing Rangdan Xenocides. Owing to an uncommonly rushed implantation and indoctrination period and immediately hurled into some of the worst fighting the Great Crusade would ever see barely 12% of Skender’s cohort would survive the year. Already dour by nature, the experience left him hollow and the subtle alienation that plagued he and other non-Barbarussian Astartes of the XIV turned him into a cold and taciturn individual.

He displayed an aptitude for heavy weaponry and its application against fortifications and large xenoform constructs and rose surprisingly rapidly through the ranks. After a period seconded to the IV Legion (and some not so quiet suggestions that he remain there) Skender assumed the role of master of the 98th Siege Century. His talent for siege craft earned him grudging respect and his service with Perturabo’s sons and the gleaming augmetics that were the legacy of Rangdan won him the epithet of “the Iron Warrior”.

The 98th Century were in the fortunate position of being recently resupplied by the time of the Istvaan Atrocity and most of its members are equipped with the latest Mk IV plate. Several pieces of Skender’s armor have been further reinforced with ablative layers held in place by the nearly ubiquitous molecular bonding studs. Although a newer mark of armor was adopted some old habits die hard and like many in the XIV the older Phobos mark bolter was retained as the unit's standard armament. Although a temperamental and ancient design by the time of the Betrayal the wealth of ammunition and parts for the model helped to simplify the Legion's supply chain and the higher impulse of the larger calibre round proved particularly advantageous when combating other Astartes.

Edited November 28, 2016 by adamantium_wang

[adamantium_wang]

Deathshroud, Unknown Designation, attached to the 153rd Battalion, XIV Legiones Astartes

 

http://i.imgur.com/K0Wbc8s.jpg

 

 

Hand picked by the Primarch Mortarion, the Deathshroud were an elite cadre of warriors equipped with advanced armor and weaponry and primarily acted as a bodyguard to the higher echelons of the XIV Legion. Being chosen to enjoy the protection of these silent and deadly individuals was considered an honour and a sign of the personal favour of their sire. However as the war ground on the increasingly paranoid Primarch also used these fanatically loyal Astartes as his eyes and ears in the increasingly disparate war zones the Legion was involved in, monitoring the resolve of supposedly steadfast officers and watching for any signs of psychic corruption among the rank and file. As the rebellion spiralled out of all control and reason the corrupting influence of Horus’ allies worked its poison amongst the traitors, and there is evidence that more than one ambitious or unscrupulous officer met his end under the blades of those he thought sworn to protect him.

 

The inclusion of a squad of Deathshroud to act as a personal bodyguard to Commander Bardh was a late decision by Mortarion. So late in fact that the Carrion Crow, the heavy cruiser assigned to the 153rd as flagship, was already in the process of leaving high anchor around Istvaan V when she was suddenly ordered to prepare to take on additional troops. Tracking and verifying the deployment of Deathshroud is fairly problematic as the names of these Astartes are struck from records upon their induction and we are forced to rely upon contemporary visual records to identify individuals in a Legion notorious for their lack of personal embellishment. We can however say with a reasonable certainty that anywhere from six to eight warriors were assigned to the 153rd with four of them pictured here. It is also probable that one of these is the fell Tyrus Mourne, whose actions during the Siege of Terra would have long lasting ramifications for his battalion and his Legion.

 

http://i.imgur.com/1ad63vm.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/NSHUjb0.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/FAmi0SW.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/5sIwYh1.jpg

 

++++++++++++++

 

Just a brief word about the scythes: I know some people won't like them and I completely understand why. But to me farming scythes on Terminators looked a bit goofy so it was a simple change to turn them into war scythes. Also I think it fits thematically as well with scythes being the weapon of revolutionary peasants and the XIV being shaped by Mortarion to liberate people from tyrants and warlords across the galaxy.

Edited December 21, 2016 by adamantium_wang

[Phatsquirre1]

Those are some wicked looking Deathshroud, and I love the scythes- it makes them look so much more sinister. 

[Cryptix]

I could have sworn warscythes were spears,- like these so much better.

[1ncarnadine]

Whaaaaaat, you made scythes that actually make sense and work??? Those look completely awesome! Good job! :D

[adamantium_wang]

Hey all,

 

Things have been slow as they usually are this time of year but I thought I'd make a post that includes what I'd managed to do last year. I'd been meaning to get into the Heresy for ages but only decided to take the plunge halfway through this year, and I've been pretty consistently building and painting since then. It seems that most of the people who get into HH do it for love of the lore and the game and their projects tend to be a labour of love, as I'm finding this one to be. So here is everything else I've built and/or painted for my army during the last half of 2016.

 

Completed:

 

Konstandin Sologon and his Cataphractii of the 92nd

 

http://i.imgur.com/tUz4WqP.jpg

 

 

Heavy Support Squad Balor of the 92nd

 

http://i.imgur.com/Mwu0rNl.jpg

 

 

And from the painting table we have:

 

Caradin Tolon of the 144th

 

http://i.imgur.com/f65OEQJ.jpg

 

 

Tactical Squad Kord of the 92nd

 

http://i.imgur.com/FDEBmse.jpg

 

 

Assault Squad Menaeus of the 144th

 

http://i.imgur.com/5Hi4Yy6.jpg

 

 

Tactical Support Squad Hyrese of the 98th

 

http://i.imgur.com/RiD3L0n.jpg

 

 

Heavy Support Squad Agon of the 98th

 

http://i.imgur.com/W7rVAUh.jpg

 

 

Veteran Squad Ledion of the 92nd

 

http://i.imgur.com/hCd5VmZ.jpg

 

 

Rapier Quad Gun of the 98th

 

http://i.imgur.com/ajh29qY.jpg

 

 

Command Land Raider

 

http://i.imgur.com/LP5X4vA.jpg

 

 

Javelin Speeders of the 144th

 

http://i.imgur.com/TYLzdgm.jpg

 

 

Brother Valbonax of the 98th

 

http://i.imgur.com/BhPB3nP.jpg

 

 

Brother Valdrinor of the 92nd

 

http://i.imgur.com/GwAcUbT.jpg

 

 

**************

 

All in all comes up to a 2500 points list that I can swap a few things around in. I'm really pleased that I've come this far and I'm looking forward to getting 3000 points fully painted by the end of the year.

Edited January 8, 2017 by adamantium_wang

[Ryltar Thamior]

This is a really decent-looking force :D Well done! Manages to be the appropriate level of gritty and besmirched for Death Guard - but without losing a certain crispness and precision of the painting.

I'm also a bit of a fan of the alternatibe scythes. I hadn't thought about it til this log pointed it out, but it does seem a little ... curious for conventional scythes to be used as a weapon as they're intended to. 

Also, is hte helmet on your lieutenant commander from the Blood Angels upgrade sprue? 

[adamantium_wang]

Thanks for the kind words, and the helmet is a power-armoured Grey Knight helmet. I had to trim it down a bit and dremel out the Praetor's torso to get it to fit.

[Ishagu]

Some wonderful stuff here. I love these Death Guard :-)

[adamantium_wang]

It has been far too goddamned hot to do much of anything these last couple of months, but I did manage to finish off the first members of the Tactical squad:

 

http://i.imgur.com/KFiAVeA.jpg

[adamantium_wang]

Tactical Squad Kord is finally done:

http://i.imgur.com/AV2qoSc.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/4SBOFjI.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/Pb7ju6K.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/g30bqs3.jpg

[adamantium_wang]

Caradin Tolon, 144th Centurion, XIV Legiones Astartes

The so-called “Headsman of Barbarus” had already carved out a sinister reputation for himself long before the Great Betrayal. A Barbarussian native, Tolon was born shortly after Mortarion’s arrival and was a member of one of the earliest generations of Astartes to be raised from the world. By this time the influence of the Terran Dusk Raiders was still strong as the Primarch was only just beginning to reshape his legion. Tolon stood apart from his contemporaries by actively seeking tutelage from the older veterans and attempting to incorporate their hard won knowledge and experience into the doctrinal directives laid down by his sire. In doing so he combined the cunning of the warriors of Old Albia with the survivor's brutality of a Barbarussian and won himself the recognition of his commanders in a series of punishing close quarters actions. He rose to command his own demi-century after seven savage years and was promoted to lead his own century a decade later.

The 144th was a more specialised century than most others in the XIV, suited as they were to rapid deployment and assault. Most of the line squads were equipped as jump infantry with a preponderance of bikes and speeders as quick and flexible heavy support platforms. Tolon ran his century to primarily perform dangerous pathfinding and reconnaissance in force tasks and to act as a mobile and responsive reserve force. He and his marines roamed the battlefields of the Crusade and frequently engaged vulnerable targets of opportunity with overwhelming force. What opposition could not be destroyed was lured into the main line of advance, a task greatly assisted by Tolon’s reputation.

During his early service Tolon became enamoured with the ancient Terran doctrine of “total war”. It was his belief that the only morally justifiable way to conduct war was to do so so completely and savagely that the mere thought of resistance would be crushed. He shared fervently his Primarch's belief in the liberation of mankind from slavery, ignorance and tyranny and was convinced in the value of thousands of lives horrifically spent in war if it meant the sparing of millions through rapid capitulation. He took it upon himself to be the manifestation of the “hard hand of war” and committed atrocities more at home in the annals of the XIII than the XIV. Taking of heads as trophies, burning of population centres with flame and phosphex and the execution of prisoners were all common practice in the 144th. Higher command echelons would frequently turn a blind eye to such practises as they produced results that were desired by the legion. The XIV was not a legion that occupied itself with the building and maintenance of worlds.

 

Tolon’s talents would serve him well during the years of the Betrayal. Like nearly all native born legionnaires he was wholly behind his Primarch in all things and had no qualms with the purging of the Legion at Istvaan, viewing the brothers that would not support Mortarion as traitors to the Death Guard and humanity as a whole. It appears that as the rebellion ground onwards and more and more terrible deeds were required of him Tolon lost his moral grounding completely, justifying every kill and casualty as necessary for the overthrow of the tyrant Emperor. Like many of those fortunate enough to have missed the XIV’s final muster, the Siege of Terra shattered these illusions completely and the full magnitude of what his Legion and his Primarch had done proved too terrible to bear.

 

 

http://i.imgur.com/HPOyMim.png

 

Alternate bunch 'o heads version:

 

http://i.imgur.com/7pMqzGg.png

Edited March 23, 2017 by adamantium_wang

[adamantium_wang]

Also finished a Land Raider. Been a productive few weeks.

 

http://i.imgur.com/V4yJkqd.png

[Cryptix]

Noice! My only complaint is with Tolon's helmet - eyes seem too close together to me.

[adamantium_wang]

That's an unfortunate trait of the Destroyer heads, they're really narrow =/ Edited March 25, 2017 by adamantium_wang

[adamantium_wang]

Assault Squad Menaeus of the 144th Century

 

http://i.imgur.com/JL55hUk.png
http://i.imgur.com/QjfhEZZ.png
http://i.imgur.com/yjkHMG8.png

That makes 1800 points complete so far.

[Brother Pheidias]

Looove the Assault Squad, and the Land Raider. Where's the sponson-kit from?

[adamantium_wang]

Thanks Pheidias, the sponsons are a conversion. I built it from some cut down lascannons and a spare set of Storm Raven bolter sponsons I wasn't using. Came together well enough and while not perfect it at least evokes the Mk IIB.

[jeremy1391]

Awesome work!

[Phatsquirre1]

Dude, these are wickedly cool. Tolon especially, although its all awesome to look at. By far some of the best DG I've seen.

 

May have to steal that LR conversion too. It's perfect for a mid-evolution representation of the MKIIb and GW Land Raiders.