The Salient Cluster- Phatsquirre1's WIP

[Kolgrim DeathHowl]

Excellent looking army so far!

[Marshal Rohr]

Amazing work and awesome, distinctive scheme.

[Phatsquirre1]

Thanks guys! 

[ranulf the revenant]

Nice looking guardsmen, like that scheme!

[Phatsquirre1]

Thanks ranulf, I based it off of early WW2 germans, as I really liked the two-tone field-gray and gray schemes they used.

 

 

From Hell, Victory

Squad 2-1, 'The Headsmen'

Aegis Company, 9th Salient Voltigeurs

 

++++++++

 

‘Two years. That’s how long it takes. Indoc, basic, jump school, survival courses,

qualifiers, the academy, and graduation. That doesn’t even count the time to complete

two tours on orbital, which are fugging useless if you ask me.

 

Two years spent to forge soldiers for the most elite air-mobile regiment this side of the

rift, proficient in special tactics, reconnaissance, sapping and airborne operations, and

damn ready to put those skills to use killing whatever the fug decides to get in our way.

Instead, they stick us in frakking soft-cover trucks outside this Emperor-damned city so

that the Generals can march around inside and look cool.

 

Throne above, it never ends.’

 

++++++++

-Specialist Torgan Dhemenyk, Squad 2-1, Aegis Company, on the Icarian

Suppression Campaign.

 

Seen here is Squad 2-1, Aegis Company, 9th Salient Voltigeurs, known informally as the Headsmen*, during the opening of campaign operations on Icarus. The presence of grav-chutes amongst some of the squad members indicates these picts were captured some time prior to the Tolmaghtan Sprawl Counteroffensive, the only time period in which the Voltigeurs operated in numbers above platoon strength.

 

 

Like most other Voltigeur squads, it is organized and operates following established Voltigeur doctrine, with an emphasis on prolonged operations without supply or refit as light infantry. As such, like its sister units, it counts a munitions specialist, vox-operator, and weapons specialist amongst its ranks.

 

 

Such tactics have served the Voltigeurs well in their many millennia of service, allowing them unparalleled mobility in-theater, a valuable asset for airmobile troops used to acting both as a reactive force and as a spearhead for Imperial operations. 

 

 

However, during the Tolmaghtan Counteroffensive, this innate flexibility would serve 2nd Platoon especially well, as they found themselves caught up in a bitter running battle with the insurrectionists. Both sides engaged in brutal assaults that lasted two days before 2nd Platoon was finally able to make their way to an Imperial Strongpoint outside the Akaashic Straits. 

 

 

Despite this, Squad 2-1 would quickly find itself pressed back into rescue operations, and are credited with later assisting Damage Company, 73rd Salient (Armored) in consolidating Imperial Control of Complex Gamma-28-05a.

 

++++++++

 

*Editor's Note: Such epithets are relatively uncommon amongst the uncharacteristically taciturn Voltigeurs, who consider such publicity as an honor reserved for specific events or deeds of great renown. The 'Headsmen', as they are now known, are the 9th's claim to fame, and earned their title during operations on Samarghast some sixty years prior, where they reportedly '...engaged and destroyed an archenemy [commander] in the Segardax Sub-sprawl during the Iron Warriors' push on Korelia Hive, which disrupted the Iron Warriors' offensive, and bought enough time for Imperial reinforcements to arrive and repulse the archenemy attack'. Independent investigation by both Ordos personnel and myself can verify the authenticity of these claims, which is truly remarkable, considering that Squad 2-1 emerged from that maelstrom with less than 40% casualties, going on to serve heroically throughout the remainder of the campaign.

 

Their legend, cemented through rumors and an exceptional service record during the Korelian Reconquest, would grow until they were caught out by indiscriminate shellfire in the Korelian Sub-Hive Sprawl during the close of operations, which virtually wiped the squad from existence. Indeed, only two Voltigeurs are known to have survived, and are almost certainly not counted amongst the ranks of the 9th today. For their actions, the squad was posthumously awarded the Honorifica Imperialis, and counted a number of Astartes from the Raptors Chapter as part of their funeral procession, a singular honor that no other Voltigeur unit can claim.

Edited November 18, 2019 by Phatsquirre1

[ranulf the revenant]

Ah, yes, they looked somehow familiar. Let's just hope they keep their hands off Poland... Edited November 19, 2019 by ranulf the revenant

[Phatsquirre1]

I don't know what you're talking about...  

[Tyrannicide]

It’s been a very enjoyable read so far, man. Really impressive background and models, and I particularly dig the color scheme on the Voltigeurs.

[Phatsquirre1]

Thanks Tyrannicide, that's high praise.  I was a little unsure of the color scheme at first, but it quickly grew on me, and translated much better than I thought it would on the vehicles.

Edited November 20, 2019 by Phatsquirre1

[Pearson73]

'The Headsmen' look great, big fan of the respirator heads, they give a much more sinister feeling than the regular heads.

[Phatsquirre1]

Thanks Pearson!  I totally agree, and have been a fan of these heads since I first saw them. They remind me a lot of Stormtrooper/ODST helmets, and that vibe was very much what I was going for with the Voltigeurs. 

[Phatsquirre1]

From Hell, Victory

Lex Talionis, Heavy Counter-armor Squadron

Damage Co., 73rd Salient Armored (detached)

 

++++++++

 

He could hear familiar footsteps on the hull behind him.

 

Without taking his eyes off of the gunsights, Commander Zabayr unsealed the top access hatch and opened it, murky sunlight filtering into the cramped confines of the battle-tank's interior. His vision danced at the sudden change in light, but he didn't dare move a muscle.

 

He reached out a hand, and almost instantly the thin parchment the runner had been carrying was in his hands. Without a word, the guardsman hopped off of the battle tank's hull, undoubtedly running other missives to the rest of the line. Zabayr closed the hatch and forgot about him. He didn't need the distraction.

 

He handed the script down to Tazov, who quickly tapped out a series of code only his crew was familiar with; the mark of a seasoned Kill-Jaeger. 

 

He considered his options as the message came through, before he finally gave a quick thumbs up.

 

Voltigeur support teams hadn't been able to crack whatever was hammering the line, and with the rest of Damage tied up in a counteroffensive to the east, it was up to the Lex to un-frak the situation.

 

Slowly, the battle-tank's engine came to life, growling in protest as the crew pushed her from idle to active in a matter of moments. Zabayr ran his hands along the tank's inner hull, trying to soothe the venerable machine as she was roused from her slumber. 

 

Her movements were sluggish and haughty. She was reluctant to listen, just as she had been when Zabayr had first been inducted into her crew. A thin smile crept across his face at the thought. Let most cavalry officers enjoy the fiery temperament of lighter tanks or the bland behavior of the Leman Russ. No, the Lex was perfect for him, and he read her like a book.

 

He kept his eyes on the gunsight, turning levers and activating her primary weapons systems by memory alone as the Lex trundled across broken ground towards their target. He didn't have the luxury to be concerned with surrounding terrain, or the threats they bypassed on their way to the target. His entire world was focused on the coming kill. It took an immense amount of focus to command one of these tanks, and Zabayr was trusting both his crew and the Voltigeurs nearby as he prepared the gun-systems to fire. 

 

After what felt like an age, the tank crept to a halt, the movement so slow that there was no forward momentum at all, no rocking of her suspension. It was as if they had hovered to a stop, floating on air. Just as it should be.

 

Now came the dangerous part, where they were most vulnerable. Remaining off-comms and idle had made them all but invisible. Moving slowly had increased the risk but kept them off-auspex for the most part. The kill itself, on the other hand, would expose them completely to every tracking system in a five mile radius. Such was the power the Lex held in her hands. 

 

It also meant that if they missed, they were dead.

 

Time seemed to stand still as the Lex awaited her quarry, the twin barrels of her main weapon peeking over the lip of a broken hab-block before them. They could only just see the avenue of their target's advance, and even then it would have been a tough shot for an experienced gunner.

 

That was why Zabayr handled it. Experienced didn't accurately capture how familiar with the Lex he was. With sixteen years of service dedicated to her, he was, In many ways, just an extension of her heavy frame, another moving part in the machine.

 

The faint sound of heavy tracks nearby reached Zabayr's ears through the external audio transmitters, and judging by the sound he could tell that their target was already heavier than a battle-tank, but smaller than a true super-heavy. He could tell it was large, the sound of its engine old and ill-kept, and Zabayr's smile disappeared as he realized what the target was.

 

He adjusted the laser destroyer's charge to just under full, thumbing the trigger to build up power before he unleashed the Lex's wrath. He had only killed one of these before, and it had been a much closer experience, thanks to a mistake which had ultimately cost him his right leg and his crew. But, as with all his mistakes, he and the Lex had learned from it quickly. 

 

The Malcador came into view, and Zabayr resisted the urge to fire. He waited for a second longer, just long enough for a specific section of the enemy tank to appear, a small seam between the mantlet and the fixed casemate that fed right back into the main compartment. He knew this thanks to the hours he had spent poring over various data-slates and technical specifications of armor patterns he regularly expected to encounter in training. After all, every good armor officer knew it paid to come prepared. The angle he had wasn't optimal, but it would do.

 

The stillness stretched before he suddenly punched the firing pedal, releasing the trigger less than a micro-second later to ensure the correct amount of charge was fed to the twin-barreled Neutron Laser. If he did it too fast, not enough charge would release, dooming the shot to dissipate harmlessly over the Malcador's hull. Too slow, and the feedback would cause the gun to overload and kill the crew inside. It had to be timed perfectly, and was one of the key skills he had trained for years on before finally firing a shot.

 

Two brilliant beams of incandescent light shot from the Lex's barrels, hitting their mark almost perfectly, hyper-electromagnetic energy meeting the venerable and battle-hardened hull of a tank that had endured centuries of warfare. It never stood a chance. The first beam melted straight through the Malcador's hull, incinerating anything in its path, allowing the second beam, just a nanosecond behind the first, to encounter no resistance where the first beam had traveled, allowing its full force to hit the ammunition lockers that stored the shells for its demolisher cannon.

 

The result was catastrophic. A deafening thunderclap shook the ground as a shockwave erupted from its hull and flattened everything within 100 meters, shattering the glass in broken windows and sending rock and debris tumbling end over end. Soldiers nearby were tossed like rag-dolls, some coming to rest in unnatural positions. A moment of still quiet followed, all eyes turning towards the source of the explosion.

 

All eyes, except for the Lex's, who was reversing at full-power now, Zabayr and the rest of the crew frenetically backtracking towards friendly territory in anticipation of the certain firestorm that would be coming their way. Their job was done for the day, their target eliminated, and with almost no charge left in her sole weapons system, they were useless on the frontlines anyways.

 

Still, the Lex's engine growled in protest, uncaring of the feat they had just accomplished or the danger that faced them.

 

Zabayr smiled despite himself. Still irascible, still arrogant and proud.

 

Some things never changed.

 

++++++++

 

Seen here is Damage 1-9, also known as the Lex Talionis, sole member of Damage Company's Heavy Counter-armor Squadron.

 

 

The final word in the 73rd's anti-armor capabilities, the Lex Talionis personifies the power and grace that is associated with the increasingly rare Ryza-Omyda Class Laser Tank Destroyer, a hunter-killer vehicle which uses dual Neutron Lasers provided by the Omydan Mechancium to engage and destroy armored targets well above its own size.

 

Indeed, in theory only the major drawbacks it suffers from, including a propensity to backfire and a grueling training course that takes years to complete have prevented this pattern from gaining wider recognition amongst the Imperium. However, it is far more likely that the astronomical costs involved with producing even a single Tank Destroyer and reliance on support from the Mechanicum have stymied any effort to disseminate this pattern far outside the Cluster. As such, even most regiments among the Cluster favor alternative Tank Destroyers, such as the Leman Russ Vanquisher for anti-armor work.

 

 

Despite this, the Lex Talionis and its kin still enjoy the favor of the Voltigeur Regiments, who appreciate its ability to punch well above its weight against armored targets, echoing in its own way the doctrine adopted by the Airmobile Voltigeurs. 

 

[Phatsquirre1]

From Hell, Victory

Squad 2-2, Aegis Company, 9th Salient Voltigeurs

 

++++++++

 

'Hey. Hey. Tamov, wake up.' 

 

The words roused Tamov from unconsciousness, his head swimming and wondering why in the frak someone was bothering him off-duty.

 

His tired eyes opened to see one of his squadmates in full rattle, respirator on and weapon cradled loosely in his arms. Tamov blinked rapidly, trying to clear his vision as his brain struggled to remember what was going on.

 

Had he missed another frakking drill?

 

It took him a second before the scene around him came into view, exacerbating his confusion. No drill deck, no ceiling, like he was used to. No dim lumens lighting the halls. Just broken buildings and unfamiliar streets. Something new?

 

'Tamov, I know you hit the ground hard, but get the fug up. We need to move.'

 

Tamov groaned as he got up, sudden flashes of pain breaking through the haze that clouded his mind.

 

'Throne, Tam, c'mon.'

 

Tamov felt a lasgun being pushed into his arms, accepting the weapon without a word. Just by touch, he knew it was his, but it looked more battered than usual. Instructor Kamyt would have killed him for this. He numbly checked himself, his training taking over despite the confusion he felt.

 

Knife, reloads, rifle, canteen. No chute. His hands patted his back dumbly before the trooper gently directed his gaze towards the broken shape of his grav-chute, reduced to a heap of scrap and wires a short distance away. Something clicked in his mind at the sight, the memories coming back with a burst of pain behind his eyes.

 

Involuntarily, he doubled over as thick ropes of blood and stomach acid burst from his throat and through his rebreather, draining slowly through the front grille. He shuddered as he ripped the mask off, cycling the fans to purge it as much as he could before he resealed it on his face.

 

He knew exposure was dangerous, and couldn't take too many chances. He was hurt, badly, and probably concussed, but he was alive, thank the Throne.

 

With the memories came questions, and Tamov turned to ask the Trooper what was going on.

 

But no one was there.

 

++++++++

-Mem-log of Specialist Kadar Tamov, Aegis 2-2 (WIA)

 

Seen here is Squad 2-2, Aegis Company, 9th Salient Voltigeurs, during the Icarian Suppression Campaign.

 

 

Research indicates that these picts were taken some time during the Campaign's second phase, when Imperial forces had solidified their foothold on Icarus and pushed Insurrectionist forces into the Tolmaghtan Sprawl. This is most clearly evidenced by the Squad NCO, Brevet Sergeant Sevran Tehyr, seen below, who was promoted during the first phase after the death of Sergeant Forthan. As such, he still wears the helmet utilized by most Voltigeur troopers, likely having had little time to affix the correct rank.

 

 

The non-standard presentation and armament of Sergeant Tehyr mirrored the situation of many of his fellow troopers, who suffered more than most from the constant guerrilla attacks perpetrated against Imperial Supply Depots by Insurrectionist sympathizers. While their training provided them the the skills to survive, and doctrine taught the Voltigeurs to carry extra loads into combat in case they were stranded behind enemy lines, the sheer damage done by Insurrectionist forces to Imperial supply lines forced many of them to, in the later stages of the war, scavenge ammunition and weapons from the dead, or use sub-standard equipment supplied through the Icarian PDF, nearby regiments, or in some cases, the insurrectionists themselves.

 

 

Certainly, many troopers, like those below, would adapt to carry backup weapons in order to offset the relative lack of supply and provide an edge in the close quarters fighting that would make up the majority of combat during the Tolmaghtan offensive. It would prove invaluable, and leave such a mark on the regiment that to this day, it remains the unofficial policy of the many of 9th to carry a back-up in all theaters, no matter what regulations say.

 

 

For their part, Aegis 2-2 would lend themselves to the relief of Complex Gamma-28-05a alongside their sister squad, Aegis 2-1, where they would remain for the majority of the war.

 

++++++++

 

[Phatsquirre1]

Welp, its been a while since I posted here, (or anywhere for that matter) so I thought I'd take this chance to post a model I started working on a couple months back. It's a fusion of the Venomcrawler and an Armiger Helverin, as I wanted a Venomcrawler/Forgefiend that looked a little less "Daemon Engine-y" and more Dark Mechanicum for my Iron Warriors.

 

It's still a Work in Progress, as I'm still trying to sort out the carapace, but I figured that as there wasn't enough WIP on here for a WIP log, this would be a useful addition.

 

++++++++

Authorization Code accepted

…

Welcome, [error, data wiped]

…

Opening datafile (file-ref. [redacted])

Reminder: data is sealed under Inquisitorial order.

…

‘My esteemed lords and ladies,

 

At long last, I have managed to acquire a still of the abominable creature we have come to know as the Abyssal Warden.

 

I am still compiling data on this creature, however, I have transmitted this image in order to increase awareness of the existence of this monstrosity. BE WARNED, it is incredibly dangerous, and seems to have an intelligence beyond many of its foul kin.

 

Be on guard for its presence in sectors threatened by the Archenemy, especially those with any signs of heretic astartes, which it seems to accompany. If encountered, prioritize its destruction at all cost.

 

I will transmit further details as they become available.

 

Respectfully,

Magos Dominus Tamarna Salane, Omydan attache, Icarian Conclave

 

++++++++

 

 

 

 

[deathspectersgt7]

Great read. Enjoyed the background.

[Torbenos]

Read through this thread, hadn't come across it before and it was a pleasant read. In particular I am always a fan of reading Imperial Guard narrative writing, and yours here is a good one. The Abyss Warden looks fierce and dangerous, as is befitting.

[Pearson73]

Those guardsmen look great, the FW helmets and respirators are really something. The Abyss Warden is just fantastic, a really well put together piece. Digging the fluff too!

[Phatsquirre1]

Thanks everyone! I'm glad the Abyss Warden went over well. It's probably going to be a while before any paint finds its way onto the model, but I did enjoy converting it up!

 

Regarding the Guardsmen, doing any more Voltigeurs will be a challenge, as FW nixing the Hostile Environment line has thrown a wrench in the works. So, until they come back/are redone in plastic, I'm afraid there won't be a whole lot more on that front. Of course, considering what regiment I chose to replace them, it may just be me making bad decisions. 

 

In other news, as usual, my habit of jumping from project to project has returned in full force. Full disclosure, these boys have been done (apart from transfers) for a while now, but I noticed I hadn't added them to my logs and wanted to share them, as they were incredibly fun to paint and a nice break from metallics and some other "less desirable" color schemes I'm working on. They're also a bit unique in that every army I collect has some sort of fluff behind them and a role to play in the Salient Cluster, while these guys are more an exercise in painting and collecting a canon chapter. However, I've added a short blurb below, just to appease the fluff gods.

 

++++++++

 

'...with the Raptors recalled from service, the Salient Cluster was, for the first time in millennia, left without protection in the form of His angels of death, an unprecedented situation only made worse by the renewal of hostilities across its borders that strained the Cluster's already weary defenders. Of the two chapters operating within the Cluster's sphere of influence, the Astral Guard had long since gone dark, retreating into themselves and ceasing communications with Imperial Command as they continued their penitent crusade, while the inscrutable Void Shrikes pursued their own hidden agenda, reports of their presence across the breadth of the region hinting at the Chapter's pursuit of some unknowable prize.

 

It was into this situation that the Red Scorpions were thrust, their numbers made up entirely of new Primaris Marines who had only just been assigned to their Chapter, the livery of the Red Scorpions still fresh on their power armor. Indeed, none had even made the journey to the Red Scorpions' secretive homeworld, their orders to secure the Cluster issued only days after their re-assignment.'

 

-Extract, Histories of the Salient Cluster (amended edition), Scrivener Kathuaryn Albetu

 

++++++++

Combat Squad Salqhan

Assault Intercessors, Red Scorpions Chapter, 6th Co.