++A Roar amongst the Thorns++ Project Restart (Pg 6)

[Markus_]

These terminators are absolute monsters.

[TheTrans]

Well been a bit unfun without good ole B&C being up... not going to lie, really missed it haha!!

 

So with my tournament only 3 saturdays away, I've put my arse into gear and started painting. Currently about 70% through:
Huron
Ancient
5x Termies
6x Marines
1x Apothecary

Batch painting FTW!!

But I still have to build and paint a rhino and some bolter scounts...

But you see.. to me... scouts in a late-war Astral Claws army make very little sense. I honestly feel, with how vicious the war had become by then and the fact it was marine on marine combat.. it would be almost madness to put a marine (who while the AC where churning them out through a variety of unsavory ways, it would still be quite resource intensive to make even 'cheapo marines') into anything but power armour when versing other marines. 

So to me, while I need to take some scouts for point costing reasons, they don't fit thematically for late war AC... so I was pondering and boom.. it hit me...

Renegade Marauders.

It also works super well given the 3 flavours of marauders and the 3 basic scout builts.

Stalkers = Sniper Scouts w/CC
Murder Cultists = Scouts with BP + Knife
Hereteks = Bolter Scouts

And with that, given I just wanted to try out some bolter-scouts.. I started my Hereteks.

I based them off of solar auxilia models, but then heavily threw in some GSC and AdMech bits and pieces. I wanted them to look like pirate scavengers that would be able to fight in a void.. but also look a bit chaos-e..but not full blown stars everywhere and that sort of stuff... as although Huron was getting super shifty toward then I still don't reckon he was full blown chaos until after the melta blast.

Any way, some pics! 

 

This was the first fella I built.. (will just say they all need some GS work and will all probably get a tattered cloak or what not also). I wanted them to be servitor-ish..but still have a bit of personality about them. He sort of set the scene..or feel for the rest of them.

 

I built the chick second, she'll be rocking probably some long hair with a sort of half bald cut.

 

This is the 3rd fella, I've since changed his gun out to a bolter.. didn't want them rocking to much DE gear

 

Bro number 4.. he has a bit more of being a servitor about him..but still seems like he has some soul left

 

Bro number 5, just a bit of a filler, I realise that he is rocking just a bolt pistol, but I feel as if maybe a heavy bolt pistol is almost the equivalent of a bolter for an normal person.

 

Last but not least, fair chance this fella may be the squad leader due to the trophy pole.

Anyway, hope you like them, pretty happy with how they've come out and to me they feel like they could be toughness 4 with a 4+ armour save.

Anyway, I should have most of the marines painted by the end of the weekend..so when they are done I'll get some pics up!!

Cheers,

Nick

[Brother-Chaplain Kage]

 

But you see.. to me... scouts in a late-war Astral Claws army make very little sense. I honestly feel, with how vicious the war had become by then and the fact it was marine on marine combat.. it would be almost madness to put a marine (who while the AC where churning them out through a variety of unsavory ways, it would still be quite resource intensive to make even 'cheapo marines') into anything but power armour when versing other marines. 

 

Nick

 

I'd disagree and say scouts became even more important as the war went on because the Claws and their allies would always need information about the enemy, and once they started losing access to satellites, space vessels, and even entire cities, they would have to rely on gathering it the old fashioned way: with eyeballs and camo. 

[TheTrans]

 

 

But you see.. to me... scouts in a late-war Astral Claws army make very little sense. I honestly feel, with how vicious the war had become by then and the fact it was marine on marine combat.. it would be almost madness to put a marine (who while the AC where churning them out through a variety of unsavory ways, it would still be quite resource intensive to make even 'cheapo marines') into anything but power armour when versing other marines. 

 

Nick

 

I'd disagree and say scouts became even more important as the war went on because the Claws and their allies would always need information about the enemy, and once they started losing access to satellites, space vessels, and even entire cities, they would have to rely on gathering it the old fashioned way: with eyeballs and camo. 

 

Quite possibly mate, but I've always seen it as marines can reconnoiter quite easily as well, I honestly don't think any of the AC would of had any issues about camoing themselves up a bit and chucking some netting over them selves at that point int the war.

 

Actually given that Huron was attempting to recreate an actual SM legion, I see it as very plausible that he'd be running something akin to the Legion Recon Squads available in HH. Would also give the team a much better chance of survival if spotted.. I can't imagine (fluff wise) that carapace armour would off much in the way of protection from proper bolter rounds. Going along this tangent I feel that scouts would almost be a non-thing in late war Astral Claws. Your new initiates would go straight into power armour akin to Blood Claws, and if recon needed doing, you'd camo up your vets and strap a scope on their bolter and call it a day :P.

 

 

Also honestly if we look at late war.. it was just huge set piece battles generally just smashing the :cuss out of each other until one side couldn't do it any more.

 

This isn't to say that say the Mantis Warriors wouldn't be rocking scouts as I imagine they'd still be going through the 'normal' recruitment process as opposed the the AC's "get as many power armoured bodies on the frontline ASAP!' 

 

Either way, this is the joy of a setting, we can take the fluff whichever way we like and not stand on anyone's toes. 

[TheTrans]

Just working on a banner basic design at the moment. I'll probably cheet and print the outlines onto some clear transfer paper and use that as a guide for the large chapter banner.

Would love some input and peoples thoughts on what should be on a bannter.

I've started chucking bits together, but am well bloody lost, so please weigh in!!

 

 

Very rough mock up, but you can see what I'm getting at, thanks in advance,

Nick

[hushrong]

Great updates and I like the banner idea!

 

I wonder if you could remove the body of the lion and keep the head, mane, and wings. Then move just that portion of the lion so it is resting on the banner. I am kind of curious about how that will look if you show more of the tyrant's claw behind the lion (even though that portion is just a black paw). Plus, I like the idea of the tyrant's claw encompassing the older lion's head insignia of the chapter. Show's off the changes in the chapter as the badab war raged on and more AC bore the tyrant's claw insignia on their war plate.

[sockwithaticket]

Those Hereteks look really interesting, though the DEldar weapon reslly stands out on one of them. I'd look to swap it out tbh.

[TheTrans]

Great updates and I like the banner idea!

 

I wonder if you could remove the body of the lion and keep the head, mane, and wings. Then move just that portion of the lion so it is resting on the banner. I am kind of curious about how that will look if you show more of the tyrant's claw behind the lion (even though that portion is just a black paw). Plus, I like the idea of the tyrant's claw encompassing the older lion's head insignia of the chapter. Show's off the changes in the chapter as the badab war raged on and more AC bore the tyrant's claw insignia on their war plate.

Thanks mate, will have a crack and get another option up for you guys!

 

Yeah my marines have a mix of Astral Claws symbols and the Tyrants Claw symbols to sort of show that yes there is some old guard that didn't get caught up in the 'cult of Huron' but some a full blown Huronites (it makes you wonder if there was any schism within the chapter during the war that you don't know about... god damn Bligh (my the Tyrant bless him) left so much scope for your own thoughts and ideas while at the same time giving a good amount of character to the chapters. 

 

 

Those Hereteks look really interesting, though the DEldar weapon reslly stands out on one of them. I'd look to swap it out tbh.

It is already gone mate, I agree with you totally, did take it a bit far, has since been replaced with a heavy bolt pistol looking thing :).

 

 

[TheTrans]

Alright @hushrong, let me know what you think mate.

Was playing around with the colours, but here we have the original

 

Next the slightly cut down lion

 

Feel free to weigh in gang!! 

[sockwithaticket]

Ah, missed that line of text. Good call.

I like the new version of the banner better, have the claw more visible really works.

[TheTrans]

Ah, missed that line of text. Good call.

 

I like the new version of the banner better, have the claw more visible really works.

S'all good man, was a lot to read through haha.

 

Yeah liking it to, I think I'll go like the bottom, but without extra lion deleted. 

[Tyrannicide]

I would consider raising the bottom scroll over the bottom of the lion symbol, to hide the gap that is currently between the two. Otherwise, this looks fantastic.

[TheTrans]

I would consider raising the bottom scroll over the bottom of the lion symbol, to hide the gap that is currently between the two. Otherwise, this looks fantastic.

Aight got a final mate, let me know what you reckon.

 

 

Got that bad boy printed onto some transfer paper. So going to whack that onto the banner, as a guide then paint onto it/blend it in to the rest of the paint job. 

[Brother-Chaplain Kage]

Looking good. Definitely has the feel of the old school banners. 

[TheTrans]

Looking good. Definitely has the feel of the old school banners. 

Thanks mate. Was totally what I was trying for, like the baller old Ultramrines one when the dude is blamm-ing the nid haha. Love them! 

[TheTrans]

Ok the tournament is rapidly approaching (6 days egads).

Currently left to do is:

Paint:
Rhino
5x Marauders
Base everyone
Eyes/Lights on all marines
Banner.

So with a couple of late nighters I can probably pull this off.

But anyway, here is a pic of Huron, he still needs to be based and dusted up a bit.

I did all their eyes greein last night, came out with not quite enought 'pop' any suggestions on eye colours are a good process/guide to doing it I would be eternally greatful!

Any way, the big boy. (Colours are a bit washed out.. taking a good pictures till eludes me after all these years haha)



So probably need to add a bit of glow onto the eyes/lenses to get a bit of 'pop' to the model.

 

Super pumped with how the lion head came out, it has a lot more depth to it in RL, so again apologies for the :cuss post.

While it was a joy to paint.. who ever sculpted Angrons cloak is a masochist.. amazing...but damn!

Any way, I'll try to get them lensed up and painted in the next few days and they can have a wee photo shoot.

 

Cheers.

[hushrong]

Hot damn! Huron looks amazing!!

[Pearson73]

Damn, but Huron looks good, Angron's cloak was a great addition.

[TheTrans]

Hot damn! Huron looks amazing!!

Thanks mate, he is getting there :).

 

Damn, but Huron looks good, Angron's cloak was a great addition.

Thanks brother, yeah I think it really nailed the model, got the regal lion pelt of the early astral claws.. with the nascent reaver showing through with all the skull chains etc.

 

Started work on Huron's base. Was originally going to keep it simple..but where is the fun in that. I was always going to try and avoid using Horus' base as obviously with the Horus model being the core it may of been a bit much. But honestly the symbolism of him standing on a fallen eagle head is too much to pass up (and obviously why they used it for horus) that and I actually don't hate the parallels between Huron and Horus (hmm such similar names..).

 

I've put a dead 'true scaled' Red Scorpion on there, he'll have huge rents/gouges taken out of his chest armour to look as if Huron has just :cussed him up and thrown him to the side. I used the RS honour guard bits as I wanted this corpse to look like some hero of the imperium that has just been ruined by huron and contemptuously discarded like a childs toy.

 

 

Also any thoughts on eye colours and how to do them (for the Astral Claws) would be beyond appreciated!!

 

Cheers,

Nick

[Pearson73]

The slain hero certainly looks like a (ex-)noble champion, I think you're right about the symbolism of the base too. I really like the bricks on the base, actually, they look like the real thing!

 

As for the lenses, I think they're normally portrayed with a pale green?

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Great idea for Huron's base!

[TheTrans]

The slain hero certainly looks like a (ex-)noble champion, I think you're right about the symbolism of the base too. I really like the bricks on the base, actually, they look like the real thing!

 

As for the lenses, I think they're normally portrayed with a pale green?

Thanks mate.

 

Yeah they are, just not looking quite right on the models :/

 

Great idea for Huron's base!

Thanks brother! 

[hushrong]

Man, I am not going to lie I either forgot reading it or just did not know you used Horus for the base of your mini. Your Huron does not look a bit like the Horus. You've done a great job making the Tyrant his own.

 

And as for the eagles head and fallen hero. You are on point with how fitting that symbolism is.

[TheTrans]

Man, I am not going to lie I either forgot reading it or just did not know you used Horus for the base of your mini. Your Huron does not look a bit like the Horus. You've done a great job making the Tyrant his own.

 

And as for the eagles head and fallen hero. You are on point with how fitting that symbolism is.

Thank man! Had the doubles event on Sunday and people said they didn't realise it was Horus also, that is definitely something to be chuffed about!! :)

 

As said just above, Byron and Myself had our doubles event called Preferred Enemy on Sunday. I just want to note the two boys that run Preferred Enemy are stellar dudes, and they hobby expectation of the event is just amazing. 3 Colour Minimum is not allowed, the army has to have had decent amount of work put into. The terrain is all absolutely top notch and the venue it is held at (a bowls club) is amazing!

 

I could give you a blow by blow run down of each of 3 battles... but the beer was cheap, I didn't drive... so my memory of the day is hazy to say the least haha.

 

I do know we got pretty badly trounced each battle, by doubles armies that where much more optimally tuned than ours (and opponents that new how to use them), I don't think any any of the 3 armies we played was there a bad 'list' compared to ours.. but at the same time we had fun, drank and talked much :cuss!

 

I'll get some shots of each of my units individually, and I'll get Byron to do the same, but Byron did get a couple of cool happy snaps of all the models on the display board.

 

 There we have a nice group shot of everyone on the display board. I was pleasantly surprised by how cohesive the whole force looked given it was made by two different people.. but at the same time there was distinctions between the Tyrant's Legion and Astral Claws.

 

Pretty damn happy with how Huron eventually came out. I retried the green lenses with a bit of glow and I think it was just right for the models to a bright point of reference given how battle damaged and dark they are. 

 

Just another little shot here. As you can see on the Auxilia Byron used a variety of different kits to really kick across the rag-tag late war vibe that the auxilia would be suffering from.

 

Anyway, for our efforts we managed to cop the TO's Choice award.. which given the caliber of the armies that where there (and at all of the Preferred Enemy Series events) it was a huge compliment to win that, so both Byron and myself walked away with a huge (drunken) grin on both our faces! 

 

Any way, we'll try and get some pics of units indivually so you can have a squiz.

 

But fear not, I have a 1750 pt event coming up in a month, and both Byron and myself are also attending a 1579pt event in Canberra at the end of January, so we'll still be smashing out models. Mine will be pretty simple being a Spartan (magnetised to turn into a large crusader), Leviathan Dread w/Lucius Drop Pod, some murder cultists and arco flagellants. Byron already has a pair of artemia hellhounds and an arvus lighter enroute.. so expect some more craziness from us! 

[Luna707]

Gorgeous!!!! They look absolutely fantastic man, really great job