Darthangel's Vlka Fenryka Army Project

[DarthAngel]

Hjolda!

I've recently started a new pet project (pun intended) on the Space Wolves (or VI Legion if you prefer 30k era), planning to take things to a bit extreme, intending to make a force suitable to both Warhammer 40k and Horus Heresy, all true scale, on some things I've even taken "freedoms of artist's perspective". While starting the project I took many ideas and built my intuition from the works of Frenzy from Gowarhead and Migs of the Ironsleet-crew (absolutely mad skills, sick models, both in modelling and painting - Hail to you brothers!).

So when scheming how I was going to pull this out, first thing was to design a color-scheme that would fit into both games. Not a hard nut to crack, 13th great company was a easy way out.

Next thing that got me troubled was how to use units appropriately to fit the fluff of the 13th.. I played with a couple of thought to NOT make certain units as their are, most notable being use of several vehicles, Thunderwolf Cavalry and our so beloved Wulfen, kindly enough to be returned to us.. First of all let it be cleared that I love the idea of Curse of the Wulfen, werewolves being one of my all-time favorite mythos. The idea of how the Wulfen are presented by the Company, I absolutely hate. Werewolves in power armour? Please...

So the Wulfen were going to get a little different skin as the form of the Thunderwolves. The idea leans heavily onto many different tales of the werewolf mythos, the Curse's victims turning ever more beastial, ultimately ending up into gigantic shape of a wolf. The ones with ongoing stages of the curse were to become all feral, out of reason, only their inner animalistic instincts to guide them. So to represent the Wolves of Fenris and their "Were-Kin", I decided to mimic Migs' Vlka Fenryka by taking the Thunderwolves un-rided, free to roam the wilderness. I have a very special thing to add to them, but for now, let's leave that when I have gathered supplies and built the models to show you...

The new Wulfen rules were too kick-a** to miss out and so for, I ventured (not too)deep into norse viking mythos and immediately grasped the idea of berserkers. So I would have my Wulfen in a form of a very special caste of Stormclaws, veteran fighters and great warrior each, driving themselves into a trance-like state before the upcoming battle, unleashing the full fury of Canis Helix. This would make them a terrible sight to behold on the battlefield, ignoring wounds that would slay even their brother marines, and even with their final grasp of breath they would lash out on their prey..

And there we can get to first unit built - The Stormclaw Berserkej's (sorry for the blurry pics, phone's camera...):

So here we have a counts-as Wulfen Pack, including two frost claws, one thunder hammer & storm shield, one naked and one with a weapon to act as either as great frost axe or thunder hammer & storm shield.

Notion on the Pack Leader: I definitely wanted the option for assault grenades but didn't want the odd-looking cannon atop of his shoulder, so I just attached some grenades and ammo on his belt to represent the stormfrag auto-launcher's rules.

One known as the Hammar. On this guy I made a weapon that could be counted as either a great frost axe or a thunder hammer..

...And to match the given rules, I've put a storm shield flinging on his back (to further note the material I've chosen on my storm shields. Chaos Marauder/Beastman wooden shields fit into the viking theme nicely).

Onward!

Another thing that I love about Space Wolves are Wolf Scouts. Or at least their fluff. On rules-wise... Well they're Scouts... So I had a vision of a lone Wolf Scout (just how they mostly act in the fluff), an uncomparable veteran, the Sly Marbo of Adeptus Astartes. Problem with that was what single-model unit could I use to act as an Wolf Scout.. After scaling the codices I own I already got to curse the fact that the actual Marbo isn't with anymore.. I almost gave up hope when no candidate added up with the model which I had visioned with such a caring... But then I found it.. Callidus Assassin's rules were everything I looked for rules-wise. Infiltrate, Hit&Run and Polymorph rule (just imagine the Scout lying under the snow for two days just ambush his target) combined with his characteristics (maybe little over the top but hey, who says a seasoned veteran, used to operate all on his own can't surpass personal skills of his chapter master?)

Next model is very special to me and likely the "grand jewel" of the whole project. I give to you - Osgar Drâugrmynd, Wolf Guard Scout, "Ghost of Fenrys"!

I wanted to go extra further on this one. Starting from the fact he too is built true scale, ending to his more dioramatic base.

His wargear consists of his trusty runespear Kvístr(=stick/branch, a nickname given by the Stormclaws of his company), which acts as the phase sword, his modified boltgun loaded with razorhail storm shells, specially crafted ammunition which uses the same components that frost weapons do, spreading wildly on close ranges, making it the ultimate "getaway weapon".

With this I end the first part of my unfolding Saga. I'll post updates on these fellas, as well as on the new members of the "Pack", when I get to acquire and build them that is.

Fenrys Hjolda, Ojor Va Russ!

[DarthAngel]

Hjolda!

Update on the first two painted models from the Berserkej, Pack Alpha and the other frost claw brother!

More updates coming soon! I've also started working on Grey Slayers Pack and am trying to track down to start on a model that will be known as "the Rune-Speaker"...

Last pic on a Fenrysian wolf...

[DarthAngel]

Update! New hammer-berserkej on the hunt!

More coming up up soon!

[MikhalLeNoir]

Very brutal looking Wolves. However you should consider to thicken the upper legs for the next bunch.

[DarthAngel]

Thank you! Yeah, thickening... The legs don't really bother me so much so I'll probably pass on the power-armoured ones. Maybe on Terminators though..? ;)