The Fortis Crusade

[SydonianDragoon404]

Thanks man, I hope to go back some time soon as well but it is rather expensive. Maybe when their bunker facility is complete and I can spend the night there instead of getting a hotel I'll make another trip. 

Also, if anyone has suggestions on a good camera to use for this type of thing that doesn't break the bank, I would greatly appreciate it. I have a damn lightbox, its time I invested in a proper camera. 

 

Edit: Looks like this post started a new page! See page 4 for the hobby pics! 

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Great job on the Stormraven and the jump infantry! Did you green stuff the decorations on the Stormraven?

[SydonianDragoon404]

Thanks Bjorn! Actually, all of the decoration on the Storm Raven can be found in the Templar Chapter upgrade kit. I love that kit, its so versatile! 

[SydonianDragoon404]

TRANSMISSION INCOMING/PLEASE ADVISE/TACTICAL DATA TETHER.... DEPLOYMENT DETAILS OF FORTIS CRUSADE... LEVEL: VERMILLION

 

 

Attention, wall of text incoming!

 

So, this is a post that gives my thoughts and summary of how I ran my army pre-chapter approved, and some list variations I've been messing with for post-chapter approved. Feedback and criticism is appreciated. 

 

So, first lets start off with how my army typically deployed pre-chapter approved. 

 

Fortis Crusade Deployment Pattern: Titanfall

 

Standard Fortis Crusade Double-Battalion detachment, 2000 points

 

Battalion 1: 

[HQ]

1) Marshal Praxis (High Marshal Helbrecht)

2) The Emperor's Champion

 

[Troops]

1) Crusader Squad(5): Melta, Combi Melta, Lascannon

2) Crusader Squad(5): Plasma, Combi Plasma, Heavy Bolter

3) Crusader Squad(5): Plasma, Combi Plasma

 

[Heavy]

1) Land Raider Crusader: Twin AC, Hurricane Bolters

2) Leviathan Dreadnought: Cyclonic Melta Lance, Leviathan Fist

 

[Flyer]

1) Storm Raven: Twin AC, Hurricane Bolters, Twin HB, Missiles

 

[Dedicated]

1) Razorback: Twin Lascannon

 

Battalion 2:

[HQ]

3) Lieutenant: Power Sword, Crusader Helm

4) Tech Marine

 

[Troops]

4) Crusader Squad(5): Flamer, Combi Flamer

5) Crusader Squad(5): Flamer, Combi Flamer

6) Intercessors(5): Bolt Rifles

 

Deployment went like this: High Marshal, Lieutenant, Crusader Squad 1 and 2 would go in the LRC. Champion, Tech Marine, Leviathan, and 2 Flamer squads would go inside the Storm Raven. Squad 3 inside the Razorback, Intercessors on foot. 

 

This list essentially utilized a Beta Strike tactic, where I would have minimal unit deployments "drops" and often would either go first or gain a +1 (many of us used this rule in advance of Chapter Approved's release). Everything is deployed in a transport aside from the Intercessors, and all transports surge forward turn 1, often laying down fire that softens the blow of the first turn of fire. 

 

Turn 2, Titanfall. The Leviathan is usually in position to deploy at that point from the hatch of the Storm Raven, along with his Techmarine, and the Emperor's Champion plus flamers. All of this reaching my opponents backline was always devastating. The LRC and sometimes the Razorback as well would be at the midfield by the that time, which is when Helbrecht and all the troops deploy from their transports. Basically, this created a situation where my opponent was facing 3 transports, and then is suddenly surrounded on all sides. At that point, it becomes mop-up. 

 

I also have options with this list if I'm facing a melee oriented opponent I can simply deploy the Leviathan on the field at the front of my deployment zone, drawing the enemy towards it whilst my transports work the flanks to surround the enemy. 

 

After deploying in this fashion close to half a dozen times, my local opponents eventually caught on to the strategy and developed ways to counter it. Namely, a GK force conducting a full deep strike alpha strike, and also grinding the relatively elite force down with attrition, and assaulting the LRC in order to take its shooting (which becomes devastating with Helbrecht's re-rolls) out of the fight. 

 

Against opponents with lists that were not quite as somewhat optimized as this one, I would swap out the Storm Raven and Leviathan for various other options. 

 

So, enter Chapter Approved. We now see a massive point cost increase on the Storm Raven, and a moderate increase by proxy on the Land Raider Crusader due to the increase in points on its weaponry. So, given the trends of my strategy being countered and these point cost increases, I knew that my mainstay strategy would need to change or be adapted in some way. I was also interested in dabbling in other options, especially Primaris units and how they could fit in to a Hybrid-style list, given their point cost reductions. 

 

Here's what I've come up with:

 

Fortis Crusade Double Battalion: Blade and Bolter

 

Battalion 1:

[HQ]

1) High Marshal Helbrecht

2) Emperor's Champion

 

[Troops]

1) Crusader Squad(5): Melta, Combi Melta

2) Crusader Squad(5): Plasma, Combi Plasma

3) Intercessors(5): Bolt Rifle, Power Sword

 

[Fast Attack]

1) Inceptors (3): Plasma Exterminators

 

[Elite]

1) Reivers (5): Combat Blades

2) Vanguard (8): Sarge w/ Thunder Hammer, 5x VV w/ Double Lightning Claws, 2x VV w/ Double Chainswords

 

[Heavy]

1) Hellblaster Squad (5): Rapid Fire variant

 

[Dedicated Transports]

1) Razorback: Twin Lascannon

2) Rhino

3) Repulsor: Heavy Onslaught, Onslaught, 3x Storm Bolters, etc (cheapest loadout possible)

 

Battalion 2:

[HQ]

3) Captain: Jump Pack, Power Sword, Crusader's Helm

4) Lieutenant: Power Sword

 

[Troops]

4) Scouts(5): Shotguns

5) Scouts(5): Shotguns

6) Scouts(5): Shotguns

 

Deployment: Helbrecht, Emperor's Champion, Lieutenant, and Melta Squad go in the Rhino. Plasma Crusaders in the Razorback. Hellblasters and Reivers in the Repulsor. All transports move up the field together. Captain, and Inceptors deploy in the sky to create a backfield threat. Scouts and Intercessors for screening/objective control. Vanguard Vets have the option to either deep strike as a backfield threat or deploy alongside the transports to screen them/create immediate Close Combat threats depending on the deployment type. 

 

So, here are my thoughts. I wanted to create a list where, similar to the previous list, I have a mass of meat and metal moving up the board to create a front line. I have shooting, mobility, objective control, and assault elements. The Repulsor, now being cheaper with certain loadouts than the LRC with a comparable amount of firepower, is transporting the deadly Hellblasters, which every opponent thus far has focused on when I deployed them on foot. 

 

Normally, I don't rate Reivers. I don't think they're a good assault unit. However, I had a thought one day when playing around with Honor Guard and Company Vet squads as bodyguards to take overwatch hits and such for the Emperor's Champion, Helbrecht, etc when they charge in to an opponent. I used to simply do this with one of my many Crusader squads. Then I had a thought, how can I help mitigate overwatch against the Champion and Helbrecht? I realized quickly that Reivers make the perfect bodyguards. Would I pay 90 points for a 10 wound bodyguard unit that can disable overwatch completely of a select opponent, make them -1 to hit for a turn, and if they aren't infantry, take the overwatch for my heroes and provide a few attacks? Yeah, I would. So, there they are. 

 

I wanted an assault element to my army as, well, being a Templar player I of course figured I should give it a go. Why double Lightning Claw Vanguard Vets? Well, I have a couple variations on the list that use Lightning Claw Assault Terminators, with a TH/SS Sergeant instead, which frees up a couple points elsewhere. I also have a variant that uses the very expensive Company Veteran Bikers, 4 with Lightning Claws and a Sergeant with a power fist. Of these, I prefer the Vanguard Vet and Assault Terminator option, as they can pull double duty as backline threats. 

 

With the Vanguard Vets, I have a more expensive, but more mobile and flexible unit. The Vanguard Vets can be deployed on the board if my opponent gets ballsy with deployment, as with some deployment maps, a first turn charge is easily done. They can be deployed in the sky as well, which can work as a backfield threat, or even a screen unit for my Inceptors, a unit that is likely to be focused down as soon as they drop. However, the Vanguard Vets are not nearly as durable as the Terminators, and this particular unit is actually more expensive than taking 5 Assault Terminators, 4 with double Lightning Claws and the Sergeant taking TH/SS.

 

The Terminator unit in question is also a tough contender. It's relatively cheap, at just under 200 points. I'm getting less lightning claw attacks, but gaining a 2+ armor save, 5+ invuln, a 3+ invuln on the Sergeant, and two more wounds total. Main thing is, these guys would really only be deployed on the field against the most dedicated of assault armies, which not even Tyranids really are these days. It's yet another very elite 2 wound per model unit in an army that already has quite a few of them. That scares me, especially in the face of Imperial Guard and smite spam. 

 

So, why double lightning claws? Well, that's because I highly value the extra attack, and re-roll to wound. That simple. I've tried out Vanguard Vet squads with mixed loadouts of swords, axes, fists, and I've tried out biker company vets with lances, and what I've found is that 2 attacks with such weapons just simply doesn't cut it. I've tried out a full squad of TH/SS terminators, and given their cost in exchange for how many attacks you actually will hit on average, even with a re-roll, it just doesn't amount to an exchange that feels good in my experience. 5 Thunder Hammer Storm Shield Terminators, with re-rolls, ought to be able to outright mulch a Daemon Prince, a Defiler, a couple of Bloat Drones, an Eldar Wave Serpent, or a Leman Russ with ease. I don't know if I'm just unlucky, but they can't seem to do any of these. Maybe a matter of selecting the wrong targets? But if THSS terminators aren't meant to hit big things, what are they supposed to hit? 

The purpose of the Assault Terminators with Lightning Claws, would be a bully unit, or a supportive assault unit that helps out the Emperor's Champion and/or Helbrecht. The Lightining Claws will be good at killing Guardsmen, Marines, Scions, and their equivalents. Even more so if being made Strength 5 by Helbrecht's re-rolls. The TH/SS Sarge is really only there to tank plasma hits, if he does anything, its icing on the cake. This would not be a unit used to take on something strong by themselves. A follow-up swing of the sword to mop-up a devastating blow from other units like the Inceptors or Hellblasters, or a unit used to outclass an objective sitter like Scouts or Skitarii. 

 

I have another variant of the list above where I completely forgo any assault element and simply take my trusty Leviathan Dreadnought on foot and call it a day. 

 

Thoughts, brothers? 

[SydonianDragoon404]

Here's some pics I took tonight when playing around with my digital camera. I'll have to take some more with some of the units I lost pictures of during the photobucket heresy, and some of my recent stuff that I feel my phone camera didn't do just to. I'm using a Canon Powershot A1400. I think it will do quite nicely.

 

 

A heavy bolter scout I got off ebay

 

 

Album: https://imgur.com/a/loYm1

[SydonianDragoon404]

Brothers, the one year anniversary of the creation of my Fortis Crusade thread is nearly upon me. I can't believe it's already been this long. More than a year ago I began my Crusade, and this army has grown steadily in both number of models, and in emotional investment. I find that this army, much more than others, has found me much more emotionally involved than the others. I used to play Imperial Guard, and yes my guys were all little heroes. My Mechanicus Army, born out of my fascination with the Mechanicus lore and look of the models, ranging from both 30k Horus Heresy models to the new GW army, one of the last of 7th edition, I dabbled in converting and learned all sorts of new techniques for painting. In game, I lose a few soulless, emotionless automatons and play in a cold, calculating manner, detached from the individual models themselves.

 

But the Templars, from the very beginning were different. The models almost come to life to me, I started to become frustrated with failed charges and gunned down heroes, but also that much more elated with success. I still remember that game where the Emperor's Champion, using his 7th edition rules, instantly killed a Death Guard Chaos Lord, the first time in which I had ever successfully done this. Nothing that any previous army I played could compare to the emotional investment that took place with this army, without me even realizing it. 

 

And of course, there's you guys, the community of BT players. You guys are all a great bunch. Even if we may not agree on everything, we're all part of something that's bringing us together. I think just about all of us here feel that emotional investment in this army. That thrill you experience with victory in single combat, the bond we share with the heroes of our chapter: Grimaldus, Helbrecht, and all of our many Emperor's Champions. No other community has anything like that. So I say again, you guys are awesome. 

Enough of the words, on to the photos!

First, some new additions to my Crusade. The bread and butter of any Crusade force: The bolt pistol and chainsword Crusader. Two in regular Mark 7/8 armor, and two in relic Mark 3 armor. 

 

 

 

 

 

Secondly, I got some inspiration to work on some Reivers. First I've got one with a grapple launcher:

 

 

 

Second, I wanted to make my Sergeant a bit different, a bit more... Templar.. I originally wanted to opt for a scythe, since people at my LGS keep calling them Reapers, but seeing as how I didn't really have one of those, I went for something more faction appropriate. 

 

CHARGE!

 

 

We bring death to the Emperor's enemies, in the form of many blades.

 

 

Tools of the Trade

 

 

Lately, I've been running lots of Sword Brothers with Combi Weapons and chainswords in my Crusader squads. Figured it was time to start making some. Here, I've got this one using an Anvil Industries Lancer Carbine I think its called. Its magnetized, can be outfitted with Plasma, Melta, or Flamer. 

 

Changing Loadout

 

 

Next up, I've got a model to be used either as a Terminator Captain, or Assault Terminator Sergeant. I love these models even if Assault Terminators don't seem to do much for me these days. I still gotta get the unit painted so I can use it for fluff matches, because those forge world shields and terminator pads just look too good to stay solid black. 

 

 

If you would like to see the rest of the album, which includes some better pictures of my Plasma Inceptors, see this link:

 

https://imgur.com/a/cGuF6

 

I've been making slow progress on a number of different projects for this army at once (a horrible habit of mine) so I have a few things sat around that are just primed or half painted. You guys will be seeing more progress on larger things in the near future, like my new Repulsor! 

Ex Unitate Vires Brothers. 

 

[thewarriorhunter]

Looking good! I love those old knightly helmets, they really fit the Templar theme.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Fine models.

[SydonianDragoon404]

Finally got around to painting my Chaplain! Jetpack is magnetized in case I want to run him on foot. Can't imagine why I would do that but hey it is what it is. I was going to submit this to the Blood and Zeal challenge but upon my second skimming of the rules I saw I had to take a picture before it was painted, and apparently something about how it can't be built? I was kind of confused about that but whatever, had the model laying black primed, I had just forced myself to finally start painting a few more Neophytes, so I decided to reward myself (because I love painting characters and elite infantry) by finishing this guy. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As you can see, there's a couple sharp edges where the black is just piercing through the gold. Tried to fix it a couple times before just deciding that was the nature of using metalics like this, I have the same problem with bronze. Really I should have undercoated those areas with khaki or something before going straight to the gold. I'll know that for next time. 

[Bjorn Firewalker]

The Chaplain looks great! I love the gold you used, and his helmet is so detailed!

[Hawklynn]

That helmet is awesome. I really, really need to up my eye painting game. What sized magnet did you use for the JP?

[DarkCrusader93]

I really like the chaplain Brother great work!

[SydonianDragoon404]

Thank you brothers. Hawklynn I used a either a 3 or 4 mm magnet. I didn't use a super tiny one, I have some 2mm that I use for wrists, arms, and other very small work. It's a little bit larger than the nub on the back of most space marine's armor where it slots into a backpack. I think its the 4mm that are the perfect size to fit right into the holes on space marine backpacks. 

[SydonianDragoon404]

Looking for opinions guys: 

 

I am working on some artillery gunners currently. I know that artillery such as this isn't the ideal role of your typical Crusading Space Knight, so, for these guys I went with a scheme reminiscent of the Horus Heresy Imperial Fists. Something akin to, these particular Crusaders taking on a role of learning the valuable siege craft utilized by our gene brothers. 

 

My question is: would it make sense to for these astartes to have an Imperial Fist symbol on one pauldron, and the Templar Cross on the other? Is that something that simply isn't done in the lore? Or would something like that make sense to do for these guys? 

 

Here's some pics, let me know what you guys think:

 

 

 

[Firepower]

I think you could get away with using both Chapter symbols.  Imperial Fists, seconded to the Templars, and after much valor and value to the Crusade they're honored with the privilege of wearing the Cross.  Bing bang boom, done.

[SydonianDragoon404]

Excellent, thanks FP. 

[Sword Brother Adelard]

Well it is Heresy pattern armour, I can't imagine the Techmarine would fix what isn't broken. Its like how Helbrecht gave Ekane from the Celestial Lions a set of Artificer Imperial Fists armour they had kicking around the armory. I'm doing something similar with a Relic IF Contemptor dreadnought.

[SydonianDragoon404]

Today's theme: A fusillade of firepower! 

 

 

 

 

And two more Volkite Culverins! When the Archmagos got her hands on these they were dead, she and her best weapons priests attempted to restore them to their former glory, and in doing so they installed a more powerful power source. Instead of the constant stream of laser death, the weapon produce a single focused shot with devastating impact, similar to that of a Lascannon! 

 

 

[Firepower]

Nice.  Though I think the army as a whole would benefit greatly from a little more work on the bases.  It's utterly tedious stuff, but makes a huge difference in the overall look.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Well done. Are the Thunderfire cannon operators Imperial Fists, or Templars wearing their parent Chapter's symbol to show solidarity with fellow sons of Dorn?

[SydonianDragoon404]

Well done. Are the Thunderfire cannon operators Imperial Fists, or Templars wearing their parent Chapter's symbol to show solidarity with fellow sons of Dorn?

Thank you, and to answer your question, yes. 

 

 

Nice.  Though I think the army as a whole would benefit greatly from a little more work on the bases.  It's utterly tedious stuff, but makes a huge difference in the overall look.

You are correct. It's just something I haven't put time into yet. Most of the time, those tan bases fade into the board, as many of them feature a similar sand or brown dirt color. It makes for a neat visual trick on the right board as your minds eye ends up ignoring them. It is a time saving measure. But ultimately yes, you're right. Let's just say that for right now, I'm not planning on entering any painting competitions. I know there are many people out there that are miles above me in painting talent and experience. I'm just trying to get decent looking game pieces on the board. 

[Firepower]

Ultimately all that matters is that your models meet your standards. I'm just here to offer advice...and paddlins, when needed.;)

[Bjorn Firewalker]

 

Well done. Are the Thunderfire cannon operators Imperial Fists, or Templars wearing their parent Chapter's symbol to show solidarity with fellow sons of Dorn?

Thank you, and to answer your question, yes.

So you'll use the same figures to represent M31-32 (Heresy-era) Imperial Fists and M40-42 Templars? Fair enough.

[SydonianDragoon404]

@Bjorn, The idea behind all of my use of MkIII armor was originally so I could build a dual-use army for 40k and 30k. That is, until interest in 30k died locally due to the release of 8th edition. Now I'm not really super worried about sticking to that. Though I probably still could use them, I would just need a lot more bolter marines. 

[SydonianDragoon404]

It's hammer time motherfethers: 

 

 

 

 

 

This guy is yet another Captain model, using the Forgeworld Moritat model as the base. His left wrist is magnetized, and he has the second plasma pistol, a power sword, and a chainsword option available to him. He can also equip a storm shield to his right hand gauntlet. I just really wanted to get the thunder hammer option painted up. 

 

And also, a nearly complete WIP:

 

Who is the mysterious hooded Astartes? He bears our chapter symbol, but in an unusual color! Why does he have the mark of the Inquisition on his pauldron? Next to nothing is known about this Crusader. Is a member of the Inquisition's Deathwatch? A rogue Astartes? 

 

 

 

See the full album for both models here:

 

https://imgur.com/a/YIV3K