Siege of Terra; IX Legion, 83rd Company "Crimson Thorns"

[Brother Lunkhead]

Looking forward too seeing the final results on your Sanguinary Guard 

[OakRiver]

Thank you. My plan is to work on finishing up the Crimson Thorns, and then taking stock of the remaining components to build a small force to stave off the Tyranid invasion on Baal. The color scheme should be similar, with the only real difference being I'm thinking of adding a purple wash to the minis. The bases will use the crackle paint to show Baal's irradiated surface.

 

The force itself will likely be cobbled together from different units - formerly wounded and returning to service with their squad deployed elsewhere, Brothers returning from assignments elsewhere, etc.

[Blindhamster]

Lovely progress, always enjoy seeing heresy blood angels! Nice work

[OakRiver]

Thank you :D  I'm currently mulling ways to make the armies look visually distinct, while having the same pedigree. For the 40K force I am thinking of a slightly cleaner look with no sponge weathering, but painted on minor scratches, more ornamentation as the armor is more relic having been passed from Astartes to Astartes for ten millenia, and possibly a purple wash to make a slight difference in tone. The bases will obviously be different also. 

 

Of course the names of The Twins will feature in the 40K force to show that their tribes continue to honor their sacrifice, and also help tie the forces together.

[OakRiver]

In a break from custom this WIP thread will actually have some WIP (shocking, I know)

 

Tobias's head with the first shades and highlights

 

Armor shaded and highlighted before the battle damage is added. This is close to the look I'll be aiming for with my 40K force when that project begins.

 

 

Battle damage added, gold 90% done, armor joints completed, Rhinox Hide used to block in purity seals and rope, metal basecoated and washed.

 

In case the more observant had any questions as to why Tobias is in the same red armor as his Brothers the idea for his background is that he is an Apothecary Aspirant. He has shown an aptitude for further training as an Apothecary and was taking his first steps on this journey when the Heresy broke out. As he is not a fully fledged Apothecary his armor will remain red, but his right shoulder pad will be white to mark his emerging status. 

 

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Tobias looks promising. You're making good progress.

[sockwithaticket]

That weathering's good, particularly the chest plate scratches.

[OakRiver]

Thank you both   Here is the finished product

 

 

Apothecary Aspirant Tobias, Alessio's Squad

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Brother Tobias was a son of Baal, and one of the noblest sons of Sanguinius I ever met. He had been selected for further training as an Apothecary as word reached us that our Legion was to muster in the Signus System. In the wake of the events there, and as news of Horus's treachery reached us, we regrouped to defeat the Traitors. All transfers and reassignments for training were halted to have every Battle Brother available for the inevitable conflict. During that time Tobias learned as much as he could from the Apothecaries of other Companies. His eagerness to learn was not in vain.

 

On the Traitor ship 'Harbinger's Wake' Captain Eco fell to the blade wielded by a bastard of Nostramo. As Eco's Honor Guard drove the enemy back from his fallen form Brother Tobias raced to aid our Lord. Determined to claim their kill the sons of Curze took their toll on Tobias, destroying much of his Mk.III battle plate and claiming his eye. In spite of his own grievous wounds Tobias continued to work to save Eco's life. Had it not been for Tobias then Captain Eco would have been completely lost to us.

 

As he recovered from his own injuries our new Captain, Ennius, approached Magos Goibniu and requested that ally in the Mechanicum give his own personal attention to restoring Tobias's warplate. Goibniu repaired all that he could and replaced the irreparable parts with the best experimental pieces he had available. The armor came back to our Company in the colors of our Legion, but it was the Brothers of the 83rd who embellished it before it was presented upon Tobias's recovery. The bright white shoulder pad was Ennius's gift, the Saints crafted the chalice he wore on his armor's power supply, the blood drop on his knee I presented. To the surprise of many even Vizioso contributed to the decoration.

 

During the Siege Tobias was with us every step of the way, his Chalice carbine suppressing the enemy so he could tend to our wounded.

 

Tobias survived the Siege, and was among our Brothers who boarded the 'Vengeful Spirit' when the Arch Traitor dared Our Father and The Emperor to face him. During the reformation of our Legion with the Codex Astartes Tobias remained a Blood Angel, and he started his service as a full Apothecary tending to a great many who had been selected for bionic implants" - Veteran Sergeant Alessio

 

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Is that a kitbashed narthecium, or a chainfist?

[OakRiver]

It's a narthecium made with a chainsword, and a cable from an Assault Terminator

[Xenith]

Great blog, keep it coming!

[Blindhamster]

Nice work! I like the WIP post

[OakRiver]

Thank you, I need to get better at posting updates showing the WIP and just just the finished minis.

[MrBear]

Tobias turned out really good, both fluff-wise and painting. Nice work on the weathering, it's quite subtle but gives him that little 'extra' 

[OakRiver]

A quick update on the final two Legionnaires before we get to the narrator himself;

 

Santo;

 

 

 

A warrior-poet more commonly found in the company of the Remembrancers than his own Brothers before the events of Signus Prime. His belief in the Imperial Truth is shaken to its core after combating the Neverborn

 

 

Aldo;

 

 

 

The oldest and longest serving member of Alessio's squad. I used the older MkIII armor to show his length of service and no newer parts mixed in. The left shoulder pad was selected to have the same silhouette as the right one.

[OakRiver]

After more than three months I finally have progress to share;

 

 

Brother Aldo - Alessio's Squad

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Brother Aldo was the longest serving member of my squad. In truth he had served my predecessor before I was promoted to lead the squad. He was a most solid and dependable brother, level headed and faithful to the Imperial Truth. I had long pondered why I lead the squad and not he. It was an unspoken question that settled between us, but never uncomfortably. He never challenged my authority or failed to perform his duty. Had I any doubts of his disposition to me they would have been answered when he lost his eye to an enemy on a world who refused our offer to join the Imperium, pushing me aside before a fanatic detonated a suicide vest.

 

It was not until we were on the wall that he spoke of the unspoken. The burden of responsibility for the lives of battle brothers under his command was something that sat uneasy with him, and he was thankful that my ascension spared him this burden, or having to refuse the honor Captain Eco would have bestowed on him.

 

On Terra he saved my life for the second time. Sadly on this occasion it cost him more than his eye" - Veteran Sergeant Alessio   

 

 

Brother Santo - Alessio's Squad

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Each member of our Legion was affected by the Signus Campaign, some more than others. Before we ever set foot on that blasted soil, or met the abominable Neverborn Santo was an exemplar of the ideals that our Great Crusade embodied. He spent much of his time in the company of the Remembrancers who accompanied us, eager to learn from as many of them as he could. The rest of us gently mocked our warrior poet brother as only those of us who fought and bled together can. He would take it in good grace and have a retort from his newest learning.

 

After Signus he was not the same. He became more withdrawn and almost superstitious, his battle plate started to bear more oath paper, and he spent more time speaking with our Wardens. He spent less time with most Remembrancers but was in the company of a small group believed to be adherents to the Lectitio Divinitatus. I suspected that he bore their teachings into battle in his scroll pouch, but I never challenged him on this. In truth I knew that each of us had to come to terms with what we had witnessed, and if that was his way then so be it.  

 

After the Traitors had been driven from Terra and the Emperor ascended to the Golden Throne Santo was inducted into the Chaplaincy where his new found faith was put to good use" - Veteran Sergeant Alessio 

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Well done.

[OakRiver]

Thank you. Looking at my bitz box I have more bodies and parts still left than I intended to have so I will expand the 83rd slightly. My tentative plans are to bring the plasma squad up to five, and then increase Laertes's squad to 10.

 

To that end Sergeant Constantin has lost his plasma gun. It will be wielded by another, as yet unbuilt, member of the squad and the 4th member of the squad has just been built. Constantin will have his plasma gun replaced with a more ornate weapon as befits his station.

[Pearson73]

Continuing to crank out good work brother, Aldo's face especially is well done. The small variation of spot colours used on the members of the 83rd works well to lend individuality, but still maintain cohesiveness.

[hushrong]

Your Blood Angels are fantastic! They still look regal even with all the wear and tear on their armor!

[OakRiver]

Your Blood Angels are fantastic! They still look regal even with all the wear and tear on their armor!

Thanks. I think it has been more by accident than design that the wear and tear on the 83rd has served to highlight their noble nature, as they bear the vicissitudes of the Heresy and continue to bear the burden of betrayal. What helps is that the weathering is applied to the armor after the red has been completed, but before the gold and other ornamentation has been started so there is that contrast.

[OakRiver]

Continuing to crank out good work brother, Aldo's face especially is well done. The small variation of spot colours used on the members of the 83rd works well to lend individuality, but still maintain cohesiveness.

Thanks. I have been trying to keep the armor and equipment consistent to keep a cohesive force, but for the skin tones I mix it up a little more and use my recipe more for guidance than any strict adherence. The hair gets a similar treatment, but with more of a focus on the character; hence the difference between Donatus and Aldo, with the younger warrior having a shorn head with stubble and the veteran being bald.

[OakRiver]

Some more WIPs, this time for the Support Squad

 

Brother Giorgio

 

 

 

 

 

For Giorgio I wanted to actually carve some damage into his battle armor, I have no idea why I haven't tried it more until this late stage. Like the previous members of the squad he has a mix of MkIII and MkIV plate, with a helm from the Blood Angels sprue that looks like a MkIV helm but with a vox grill. He also has the reinforced shoulder pad as all others.

 

 

Brother Battista

 

 

 

 

 

For Battista he is a great example of my over thinking a concept and themes. My thinking behind Battista is that he was the last survivor of his veteran squad who was folded into Constantin's squad. To help with that I put more effort into my parts selection than with most others. For a start he is the only member of the squad to be fully in MkIV plate armor, does not have the reinforced shoulder pad, has no molecular bonding studs on his armor, and unlike all the other rank and file brothers his stance is leaning back while the others (except Constantin) have forward motion. You can also see the plasma gun re-purposed from Constantin, which leads us to...

 

Constantin's plasma gun

Just a plasma gun from the BA sprue, but it freed up his for Battista and it seems more likely that a higher ranking Legionnaire would get newer equipment.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

The green stuff pauldrons are impressively detailed.

[OakRiver]

Brother Giorgio - Constantin's Support Squad

 

[Archivist's Note; subject appears to be wearing a modified Mk4. helm with gills and vox grille. Possible experimental helm]

 

 

 

 

 

"Brother Giorgio was another long standing member of Constantin's squad. Like everyone else who served our Company in a Support Squad Giorgio was a master with his weapon, capable of felling a xenos beast or armored enemy with equal ease. I hate to speak ill of him, but he was largely unremarkable. 

After Signus Prime he started to complain about being afflicted by bad luck. After that campaign his original helm, which was damaged by the Neverborn, vexed him. He would complain about the optics shorting out or hearing ghost voices on the comm at critical times. When we fought about the Night Lord vessel in the engagement that claimed Eco's life He claimed that Constantin's warning of an ambush did not register. Thankfully his helm was at least proof against the volkite fire that struck him, but the helm was left beyond repair. After Giobhnu fashioned him a new helm he complained about other systems being plagued by issues. Outside of combat we took some humor at his seeming misfortunes. Santo actively avoided him and would mumble something about malicious spirits if their paths should cross. 

As we made our way back towards The Palace ill fate would strike Giorgio again as his plasma gun suffered overheats and malfunctions, forcing him to engage our pursuers with his blade after he threw his terminally malfunctioning weapon at a charging Terminator.

He was among our survivors as we regrouped prior to assaulting the Vengeful Spirit, but his injuries were too severe to allow him to join the boarding actions that were to follow" - Veteran Sergeant Alessio

 

 

Brother Battista - reassigned to Constantin's Squad

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"As fate would have it in the same ambush that almost cost Giorgio his head it cost Battista his Brothers. It was Battista's squad who bore the brunt of the Night Lords's firepower in the ambush as we pressed towards their bridge, and only Battista survived. In his fury at the loss of his squad his return fire suppressed the Traitors long enough for us to mount an effective response. While Captain Eco was being prepared for his ironform Captain Ennius reassigned Battista to Constantin's now under manner Support Squad. 

While Battista was a capable specialist with his weapon his new squad's role was different to the manner in which he was deployed before. I could always tell his shots; where the rest of Constantin's squad could act in near unison, especially The Twins, Battista's shot always came a fraction of a second later, but no less on target.

During the retreat he would rejoin his fallen Brothers" - Veteran Sergeant Alessio