Reinforcement Rush - March '17: Now live!

[Pr3Mu5]

Good evening Brothers.

I will firstly apologise for my absence of late. I have barely been home in the last few weeks due to travelling for work.

I do, however, come baring good news.

After a day of commitment to the cause five Astartes have proven themselves worthy of elevation to the hallowed ranks of the 1st of the Chapter.

Brothers please meet the Veterans of Squad Ulixes

Vow two is complete, my third is to be made.

Courage and Honour.

[derLumpi]

Nice looking squad!

I like those shields a lot.

[Pr3Mu5]

Brothers, I might well have bitten off more than I can chew but he who dares wins!

I, Brother Pr3Mu5, proud member of the Ultramarines, do swear upon the tome of the Primarch to raise our Father, our Primarch, Master of Ultramar, The Avenging Son the Lord Roboute Guilliman in all his glory before Friday the 31st day of March 2017. By that date I shall provide the logs of the Librarium with an pict capture our Gene Father both prior to and following the process of his return to glory. If I succeed, I shall bring glory to my brothers-in-arms. If I fail, shame and grief shall be my only companions.

This will be my third and final vow and I am putting pressure on myself to get him done before Friday but I have faith that the Emperor and Guilliman is with me. I made a start about 3 hours ago and am now on my first break from painting to try and stretch out and give the eyes a rest, it might be late one tonight to get some headway made. I will try and get a progress pic up before I slope off to bed at whatever Emperor awful hour that might be. Wish me luck.

For Guilliman and the Emperor! Courage and Honour!

[Brother Captain Ed]

Uh oh.  Cutting it close.  Good luck, brother!  The goodwill of the chapter goes with you!

[Sugarlessllama]

Whoa! RG with three days left?! That is ambitious indeed. Good luck brother!

[Pr3Mu5]

So Brothers.

I said I would bring you updates and here it comes. Now gone 1am and I think I am done for the day.

First stint of building and painting got me to here.

With the last few hours bringing me to this point...

My Lord did I underestimate that god trim but I'm happy with the progress so far.

I can guarantee a good few hours tomorrow so I am confident. I am an Ultramarine and my will is unbreakable!

I will update you further tomorrow Brothers.

Courage and Honour to you all.

[derLumpi]

Amazing! Keep it up. Still twi days left. Given the progress so far I think you can do it - no I know you can do it! :)

[Sugarlessllama]

Keep pushing! You can do this!

[Daigo Cannon]

Almost done with my vow, just last details on my sergeant and 1 arm for my special weapons marine( I had to do a minor conversion due a miscalculation on the pose)

 

I will formally present them by Friday morning

[Pr3Mu5]

Brothers...

6 hours tonight and here is were I stand.

Tomorrow will see his head and Iron Halo added before highlighting begins.

First time I've ever painted fire and I'm really pleased with how it's turned out.

I WILL complete this vow by the deadline!

COURAGE AND HONOUR!

[Pr3Mu5]

Brothers.

I had a day off work today and in three days with a total of about 20 hours my third vow is complete. I refuse to know shame!

The Primarch has been raised to stand afore his sons.

He was even ready to take to the field at veterans night earlier this evening... At which point I managed to get him to murder his way through what we later worked out to be nearly 800 points worth of Orks!

There's still a little work to do on his base but I tend to base in batches and he will be no different and have the outer parts of the base done with the rest of the chapter that are waiting once I complete the 2nd Co. Command Squad and Honour Guard who are next in the to do pile.

I was contemplating a little silver edge highlighting on some of the highest gold trim... thoughts?

To all who have taken part in the Reinforcement Rush I am proud of you and a massive thank you to everyone who supported me through it, especially the last vow with so little time remaining.

Courage and Honour!

[Aspecti]

So with plenty of time left I finally got time to work on the Contemptor, getting his pose done. Both weapons are magnetised(off camera) and the torso can turn about 45 degrees either side. Vindicators and the Predator are almost done I hope I get everything done tomorrow, really don't want to fail this vow!

[Pr3Mu5]

So with plenty of time left I finally got time to work on the Contemptor, getting his pose done. Both weapons are magnetised(off camera) and the torso can turn about 45 degrees either side. Vindicators and the Predator are almost done I hope I get everything done tomorrow, really don't want to fail this vow!

You will do it Brother. We are all behind you!

[Sugarlessllama]

Dude! I can't believe you finished RG in three days! And he looks awesome! Great work. :D You should be getting MVP!

 

Aspecti, if you manage to pull off your vow I think you have a good chance of stealing that MVP title. Either way, I'm rooting for you!

[Pr3Mu5]

Just a little group photo of this Rush's completed vows.

Again a huge thanks for all the support and for those of you who still have vows to complete may the Emperor be your light and the Primarch your guiding hand. We are with you!

Courage and Honour!

[Pr3Mu5]

Dude! I can't believe you finished RG in three days! And he looks awesome! Great work. You should be getting MVP!

Aspecti, if you manage to pull off your vow I think you have a good chance of stealing that MVP title. Either way, I'm rooting for you!

I can scarcely believe it myself.

It was 2 sessions roughly 5ish in the evening until gone 1am and then half of today.

More than anything I'm just proud of how quickly I managed to turn him out and specifically how well his blade came up (I was so intimidated by the prospect of painting fire).

He's I think the first model I've ever had that hasn't suffered new model syndrome.

There was a price to pay though... My other half has not been happy with how little attention she's been getting as I paint in a trance like state but my growing model collection I think is a sign that this is more than just a pastime.

That reminds me, I really need to update my signature, I'm well past those points. But I digress, I'm now here to cheer on Aspecti, you can do it Brother, I believe in you.

[Race Bannon]

RG in 3 days is awesome!  ^_^

 

The Dread stomping on the CHaos dude who is still shooting as he is getting crushed is also full of awesome :tu:

[Ishagu]

Some absolutely great stuff here guys!

 

I didn't realise so many of you were as talented as you are!

[derLumpi]

Aspecti - good luck brother! Looking forward to the painted Contemptor!

 

Pr3Mu5 - Awesome job, brother! 

[Prot]

That 3 day Guilliman is ridiculously good. What do you think you put into that fig for hours?

[Dosjetka]

Just under 12 hours left! Paint away, brothers and sisters!

[Pr3Mu5]

That 3 day Guilliman is ridiculously good. What do you think you put into that fig for hours?

He's still not quite at the final level I want him at but he's near enough there. Well the first two days I worked on him it was a matter of getting in from work at about 5/6 and then working near enough non stop until gone 1 am. The final day I had off work so I got up about 10 and started and after finishing had a quick shower before I left at 5pm for veterans night at 6 so rounding down and taking out some time for 5/10 min breaks and to eat I'd say about 20 hours.

 

Even that being said I completed my first vow of Marneus Calgar between the 2nd and 4th of March I think it was so only a few days and that was just short evenings.

[Pr3Mu5]

I thought Since my other vows (Calgar and Gulliman are obviously well known) that a little spotlight should be shone on my second vow lest they be relegated to backseat passengers sandwiched between two towering heroes of Ultramar.

 

So, a little backstory for the Veteran Sergeant Ulixes and Veteran Brother Rexulus (our white shielded friend) on their final mission prior to the events of GS3.

 

Hidden Content

 

The high pitched screams of the wind was almost deafening. If it was not for his gene enhanced senses Albinus Ulixes would not have been able to see the rest of the squad through the sandstorm and within the holy ceramite plate of his armour he could have been forgiven for thinking he was completely alone.

He was not.

Ten other members of the Adeptus Astartes surrounded him, falling like meteors from the Thunderhawk from which they had flung themselves. The deep onyx of his Chaplains armour was but a haze below him, his squad arranged around him in spiculum formation as dictated by the tome of his Primarch. Out of his line of sight as he arrowed towards the surface of the world, he checked on the disposition of his fellow Astartes by way of the tactical display blinked on inside his battle helm.

“Brother Trisus keep that right side tight. When we land we will be amongst the greenskins, do not make me come and drag you from a perilous position you find yourself in due to lax discipline”

An affirmation rune flashed on the heads up display as the Sergeant watched the marker representing the marine move back into its correct place.

Ulixes wondered whether Trisus would make it through this campaign. He had been promoted from the ranks of the Tenth Company weeks before their deployment to the Hannain system and the fierce fighting of the Orks had taken a harsh toll on the Eighth, felling many of its most prized fighters. Ulixes himself had needed his left hand replacing after having had it removed by a colossus of a greenskin. He had slain it all the same but Ulixes was less than enamoured with the field bionic he had been given. The fighting they would see now would be the fiercest yet and Trisus could only ride his luck so long. He put the concern he had for the newly promoted Brother out of his mind. He was an Ultramarine and Ulixes was sure he would do what was needed.

“Ten seconds”

The voice of Chaplain Vetorius came through the vox and brought the Sergeant back to the present and the folds of a scowl etched his face beneath his helmet as he prepared to unleash the Emperors judgement upon the invaders of this world.

The assault marines hit the ground before they saw it. Spinning through the swirling winds to right themselves, jump packs firing to arrest their decent they hit the Orks like hammers hitting glass. Flesh was crushed beneath their feet, the enemy so densely packed as they pushed towards the front line they could hardly be missed.

Ulixes cleaved an Ork in two with a single swing of his chainblade, firing explosive shells into the horde before a reverse swing removed anothers head. A veteran in all but title the Sergeant was one of the few seasoned fighters left to the company. Even before their deployment to counter the vast hordes of Warboss Badkin’ the assault company of the Eighth had suffered tremendous casualties at the hands of the Warsmith Honsou and his attack on the Realm of Ultramar. Now the self-declared king of the greenskins had almost brought the Company to its knees. The Eighth had been send to Hannain at just over half strength and now they numbered just over three hundred. Many of the Brothers of the Ultramarines Chapter had fallen in the first engagement on the only inhabited world in the system. Arriving at almost the precise moment that Hannain Prime was about to be overrun the entire Company was dropped to the surface on the front line and repelled the green tide from the hive city. Since that day the Astartes had failed in a number of attempts to draw the greenskins in to a full scale battle on their terms. Instead, much unlike any Ork behaviour Ulixes has seen before, the Orks had fought a hit and run campaign attacking Imperial forces from within a sandstorm which cloaked their forces entirely. The desert planet was not unused to such storms but this was different. This storm had never subsided and seemed to grow as the horde grew. It moved as if at the behest of the Orks shifting over the human lines as an attack began and receding with them the moment they withdrew from the fight. The air power brought by the space marines had as a result been almost useless forcing the defenders of humanity into close quarters fighting which only favoured one side. These factors had been the catalyst for a new strategy. Chaplain Vetorius would drop from Thunderhawk gunship deep into the storm as the next assault on the walls came. There, along with squad Ulixes he would draw the enemy Warlord into combat and once located Captain Numitor would descend upon the squads homing beacon to help slay the beast. Even now, Ulixes had felled ten greenskins already and the rest of the squad were wracking up kills themselves. Badkin' would not be able to resist a fight in the face of such slaughter.

“Ultramarines, on my lead” Ulixes commanded as he opened the skull of a howling Ork with a shell from his bolt pistol.

A flash of Azure ahead marked the position of their Chaplain, his Crozius smashing greenskins apart with every swing.

“This way”

A stray round from a crude projectile weapon found Brother Dexius’ promethium canister. His flamer had been incinerating scores of Orks with every gout of burning death it unleashed. Now a stroke of luck gave the enemy an opportunity they would not waste. The resultant fireball consumed Dexius and Crascus as the weapons fuel cooked off. Despite taking several greenskins with it the explosion opened up a gap in the marines rearguard and the Orks spilled in. Ulixes turned to see savage axes and clubs bluntly crack ceramite as more of the foul beasts beset the marines closest to the opening. The defiant roars of the Astartes inside those armour plates filled the ears of Ulixes as his squad were butchered.

“Close ranks now! Form a perimeter” he shouted.

Five of them remained. Trisus was still alive although he wore the heavy scars of battle. He had discarded his helm and the fresh wound on the crown of his head indicated why. His enhanced physiology kept him standing and had caused the blood to scab around the wound but the blood covering his face and shoulder told his sergeant it had been a deep cut. Back to back they faced a sea of green. The storm raged around them partially obscuring the beasts that encircled the figures clad in blue.

“What are they waiting for?” snapped Rexulus. He sounded different.

Glancing over his right shoulder Ulixes saw the remnants of a rough blade protruding from the seal beneath the Brothers helm. The owner had snapped it as he’d tried to retrieve it from the marine’s neck and had been punished for such an attempt to fell one of the Emperors chosen.

A roar of immense anger pierced the shriek of the wind. Ulixes snapped his head over his other shoulder to see the shadow of a monster emerge from the ranks of its smaller kin. The average Ork in the throng around them stood at the same height as the Angels of Death but this abomination towered above them all. Its eyes glared through the sand swirling around it, a wry smile at the destruction it wrought etched across its face. A huge claw grasped something dark, its un-augmented arm shouldering an axe, the head of which appeared to be fashioned from the door of an armoured troop carrier of some Imperial designation.

It flung its cargo at the band of warriors, Ulixes stepped aside but behind him Trisus had been facing down the Orks to their rear and was struck by the lifeless body of their Chaplain.

“Captain Numitor, this is Ulixes. We have located the enemy Warboss. We are enga...”

Their formation broken, the monster came for them. The Sergeant took a step back to signal their commander as his squad closed with the beast.  As he relayed their location something struck him in the midrift knocking the words from his lips before he could fully form them. He had watched in those seconds as his Brothers advanced the Warboss swing its rudimentary axe through its attackers. The weapon cleaved through the Ultramarine beside him from shoulder to opposing hip only after taking Rexulus’s arm down to a stump just short of the elbow. It had been his Brothers forearm, still clutching the chain-blade he had been swinging at the monstrosity, which had clattered into the Sergeant.

Ulixes steadied himself, adopting a fighting stance, as their murderer sought to end the fight. It snatched up Rexulus in its oversized claw the pressure cracking the marines armour as he struggled against the inevitable. Ulixes’s heard with the sound of his Brother grinding his teeth hard as the pain suppressors flooding into his body failed to dull his agony. The beast was momentarily distracted by the final member of the squad, Dracius, rushing his blind side and cutting a deep scar through the ork’s leg, the teeth of the chainsword clogging with bloodied flesh sticking in the wound. The marine was stranded, in the moment it took him to realise he was not going to retain his weapon the creature had connected with its first blow. A kick to the solar plexus landed Dracius on his back and before he could roll to safety it was followed up by the downward swing of the axe. The sigil for Dacius blinked from white to red on Ulixes’ retinal display.

The Sergeant surged forwards rolling under a backhand swing of the monsters claw which now crackled with unnatural energy. As it did so the claw opened and Rexulus’s broken body careered past him. Something else hurtled over Ulixes shoulder too, this time in the other direction. Trisus winged towards the giant greenskin, his jetpack firing him at high velocity. Ulixes saw a flash of steel in his hand as he swung his chainsword up through the beast’s wrist. It had been trying to free its “axe” but had lodged it through Dracius’s skull and jump pack and deep into the rock beneath. With a savage cry the Warboss released its grip on the weapons haft and smashed a hammer of a fist into the Marines breastplate. Warning sirens blared inside his helm as he was cast onto his side before his left forearm was crushed my the weight of the monsters power claw, removing the augmetic hand that had been attached earlier in the campaign.

"I never liked it anyway," he thought to himself.

A terrible scream echoed around them. Ulixes caught second sight of Trisus. He used his gladius in a reverse grip driven into the Orks collar as a handhold and sliced its head with a blade of immense power. The sight of the relic blade made Ulixes draw an astonished breath. The secondary weapon on their now departed Chaplain was wreathed in power fields that sliced through armour with ease. He had only ever seen it used once by Vetorius, dual wielded along with the Chaplains Crozius in the last defence of Hive city Gargutan against a splinter fleet from Leviathan. Now it was carried by the most junior of his squad with pure hatred. Through circumstance Trisus had shared Ulixes fate of surviving to see the remainder of their squad fall and in his youth he had not yet tempered his exuberance, and in this instant, rage.

Ulixes felt it too but his experience helped him to control it, in an instant he assessed the scene. The Warboss was vulnerable and it knew it. It struggled to shake off its assailant. Its clawed hand was about to fasten around the Ultramarine but it would not be in time to stop the blow that would be next to land. The pressure of the claw on his vambrace now removed, Ulixes scrambled to his feet as the Ork's cries of frustration turned to pain. Trisus echoed its cry, burying the blade into the beasts eye as its mechanical appendage clamped his waist and ripped him down slamming him into the ground.

A ripple of disdainful bellows built to a crescendo as the Orks saw their leader crash to his knees. The greenskins advanced to enact revenge fearing the inevitable and feeling pain in the prospect of defeat. Their charge was cut short by a fusillade of Heavy Bolt shells. Two titanic craft descended from the heavens spitting mass reactive death while missiles and Thunderhawk Battle Cannon tore at the ranks of the Waagh. Ulixes turned as his Captain landed beside him, the fires of his jump pack scarcely arresting his momentum as his armoured boots cracked the rock beneath them, sand and dust kicked up around him and that which did not escape was melted into glass beads by the immense heat of the packs thrusters . Purity seals and scrolls of parchment fluttered from what seemed like every surface of his form. He had laid eyes upon it innumerable times before but Ulixes was always humbled by the intricacy of Numitors armour. The names of every Brother who had fallen as a member of the Eighth was etched into the ceramite plating. The memory of thousands who had gone before was carried by the Captain of the Company and Ulixes bowed his head in not just the honour of his commander but also in theirs.

“I shall gishhhhhhhhhhhhht  the  hooorrsshhhhh”

Ulixes blinked through the data feed from his suit, the damage assessment indicating that his comms link, along with many other parts, was in need of attention.

“Accept my apologies Captain” he said removing his helm, “comms issues”.

He turned to the stricken Warboss that his superior now gestured towards.

“I shall give you the honour Sergeant. Finish this war”

His helmet gone Ulixes senses were now overloaded by the smells and sounds of the battle now raging around him. The remainder of the Eighth were now deployed from the Thunderhawks and were punishing the cowardice shown by the horde of Orks now attempting to flee. His eyes however saw none of this, fixed as they were on the abomination before him. The beast crawled towards him as he strode to meet it. It was clearly weak and its head lolled, the Chaplains blade still lodged in its eye socket. He felt the deaths of his squad now more keenly than before, but now was not the time for lamentation, he would allow himself a moment of joyous revenge. The beast snarled at him, crimson bleeding into its good eye showing the signs of its internal bleeding. It summoned what strength it had left and lifted itself with its wounded arm to snatch at him with its claw. Ulixes was ready though. He turned with the swing allowing it to pass him and using the mechanism as a platform from which to launch his own attack. He sprang from the metal fist, free of his own weapons, and with all his might planted a foot upon the pommel of the sword forcing it deep into the enemy’s skull up to the hilt, the point cracking its way out of the other side.

The Warboss slumped to the sand blasted rock but was not dead. It tried to raise itself again, its alien lips defiantly spitting cursed in bastardised low Gothic. Ulixes planted a boot against the Orks skull and removed the blade to stand above the nightmarish animal and with one fell swing removed its head.

 

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

 

“We will not be prosecuting the war further?”

Ulixes was aghast but fought well to keep it to himself, the question had been posed in the most calmed tone he could muster.

“We are no longer needed here Sergeant. The greenskins are in disarray and Astra Militarum are already in the process of cleansing the planet”

The Captain turned to his Sergeant, despite Ulixes attempts to disguise it he had noticed the shock in his voice.

“Furthermore, the Chapter Master has recalled us all to Ultramar”

Ulixes didn’t understand. The war on the planet below was not yet over. The Orks had fled and the Imperial forces had enacted huge casualties upon their horde but there was much yet to accomplish. He bit his teeth together and waited for Numitor to elaborate. As the seconds passed it became clearer that further information was not forthcoming and so Ulixes relented.

“Then if there is nothing further, I shall retire to visit Rexulus in the Apothecarion, I ask your leave Captain”

A voice echoed from behind him, “Not so fast Sergeant we have more to discuss”

From a shadowed alcove of the council chamber stepped a legend of a warrior, familiar to all those of Ultramar and even beyond. Clad in hulking Tactical Dreadnought Armour Veteran Sergeant Solinus was a foreboding enemy on the battlefield, even to an Astartes in power armour. His own plate in the hands of the Tech Priests for repairs Ulixes stood before him in a training tunic, the white cloth etched with the grey of the company, the relic blade from the battle now carried on his back with a simple leather strap. Solinus towered over him.

“I have use of you”

“Whatever the Eighth can offer our Chapters Veteran Company I will gladly give”

Solinus nodded approvingly and glanced towards Numitor. The Captain had turned his back on the meeting and stared out of the arched window at the end of the room upon the planet below.

“As we leave Hannain, you will leave us Albinus”, the informality of the Captains use of his first name made Ulixes uneasy.

“I do not understand”

Solinus smiled, “You are no longer of the Eighth. You have been elevated to the ranks of the First and will lead a new group of Vanguard troops”

“I will be given the Crux Terminatus?” The shock now evident in the Sergeants voice.

“I have been watching you for some time Sergeant”

Numitor turned to face him, “As have I, I proposed the promotion myself. I had hoped that I could retain you within the Company, however Captain Agemman has greater need of you”

“We leave within the hour to join the rest of the First”, Ulixes turned back to Solinus as he addressed him. “You will find your armour is repaired and already adorned with the white of our Company. You will meet me at Hangar eleven at thirteen hundred.”

Questions swam through Ulixes head apace.

“Freedom to speak freely?”

“Approved”

“I wish to know what will happen to Rexulus, he was the only one of my squad who survived the strike against the Orks”

He expected the answer from his long time Captain but found Numitor sigh at hearing the question and turn back to the window. It was Solinus that broke the silence.

“Rexulus has also been assigned to the First. He will follow us in two days once his augmetic arm is fitted and functioning to standard. I hear he has a fondness for the Thunder Hammer, it will make wielding one more difficult but I have heard he is a stubborn one and will fight on regardless”

"He will, he fought the greeskin boss with a blade lodged in his throat an augmetic will not stay his wrath, but..." he turned to Numitor, “Captain, is he ready for veteran status?” Ulixes questioned himself as Rexulus’s teacher above anything.

“He will have to be” came the response.

Solinus turned to leave, clearly content that the news had been delivered and their business was concluded.

Ulixes did not know what else to say. After moment he spoke again.

“Then I will return this relic blade to the Reclusium of the Eighth before I depart”

“No” Numitor replied, “That sword is yours to carry now. With it you wield the power to rid mankind of its nightmares, and…”

The Captain paused, “you will be needing it on Macragge”

“Captain?”

Solinus stopped in the doorway to call back to Ulixes, “The Despoiler has turned his Black Crusade to our homelands, Macragge itself will be under attack in 9 days, we go do defend The Fortress of Hera.”

Ulixes spun to face the Terminator Sergeant and blinked in horror.

“Now come Sergeant, we have traitors to kill!”

 

[Aspecti]

So it appears that I did get them all 'done', though they are lacking highlights and I noticed some mistakes and stuff I forgot from the pictures, but I will correct them later, my ladyfriend is telling me to turn off the damn computer already, so here are the pictures:

Contemptor

Predator

Vindicator 1

Vindicator 2

Vindicator 3

[Daigo Cannon]

Brother I present to you my completed bow.

 

 

Back of the squad

 

I just can't find my wire cutter in order to glue them to their base but they are done. Will upload better quality photos by the morning.