"Primarch! Accept this offering!": A Libators Crusade

[Casual Heresy]

Zeron Androcles didn’t turn from his work bench as his first Lieutenant stepped through the door. Otho was in full armour with his crested mark VII helm held in the crook of his arm. The amber and black heraldry had been freshly painted, repairing the damage of the previous campaign. The chalice icon, a new addition carved from plasma sealed lapis lazuli on his chest had been shined to perfection. Otho stood quietly while his Captain finished.

 

Androcles raised the votive blade to eye level to inspect the edge. Satisfied with his work the captain tested the blade on a scrap piece of parchment. The blade glided effortlessly through the sheet.

 

“Otho. I want you to submit a petition for armoury support, for a company level deployment.”

 

“What manner of foe do we face Captain?” asked the Lieutenant. He had to raise his head slightly as Androcles stood. The Captain was still not used to towering over his old friend in this new Primaris body.

 

“Necrons. Primarily the Sautekh dynasty if the intelligence from Macragge is to be believed.”

 

“Then the rumours are true? Damnos is besieged once more?”

 

“It is.” Androcles crossed his chambers to the armour stand and reattached the now sheathed votive blade to his stored equipment belt. “Lord Calgar does not have the numbers to spare to engage the foe alone. Our Chapter, alongside the Brazen Consuls and the Iron Hounds, have pledged support.” Androcles laid a hand on the chest plate of his armour. Like his body it was new, stronger than its previous incarnation. And it was untested in battle. Androcles turned to his Lieutenant, his face split by a rare smile.

 

“We will make a worthy offering of these Xenos to the Primarch. It’s just a shame they don’t bleed.”

 

Greetings all. When the new codex dropped I became obsessed with the colour scheme of the Libators for some reason. Fast forward a few months and after finishing a couple of models, its a project I want to pursue. So this is the tale of my new Crusade force, themed around the 8th Company as deployed during the 3rd war for Damnos. As well as liking the colour scheme, I felt there was room for me to flex my creative muscles with the chapter since there is little written about them.

 

So far I've got two models finished: Captain Zeron Androcles and one of his Lieutenants, Otho Gracchus. I'm quite proud of them, Otho especially as he was picked to feature on one of Warhammer TV's Hobby Roundup shows last month.

 

http://bolterandchainsword.com/uploads/gallery/album_16936/gallery_55046_16936_124753.jpg]

 

http://bolterandchainsword.com/uploads/gallery/album_16936/gallery_55046_16936_20495.jpg]

 

The current plan is to have the 50PL starting force fully painted by the 17th May, which is when my best mate and I will be able to meet indoors to play games here in Scotland (assuming no Nurgle related problems). We're going to play through the Pariah Nexus Crusade book as a campaign. 

 

Next on the painting table are a Primaris Chaplain, a Reiver Lieutenant and three Inceptors. With three squads of Assault Intercessors to follow when the order shows up.

 

 

[Spinsanity]

Just to make it easiers for others to see the pictures...

Edit: Those are great, btw, love the yellow you managed to get

Edited April 9, 2021 by Spinsanity

[Casual Heresy]

Thank you Spinsanity! I tried using the guide for images but seems I've gone wrong again. Can I ask what you did to get them showing?

 

The yellow was quite easy, using Juan Hidalgo's Imperial Fist recipe from his Eavy Contrast serise. Corax white base, Iyanden yellow contrast, shade recesses with Gore-grunta fur and finally highlight with Phalanx yellow, then Dorn yellow.

 

My Assault Intercessors and new Crusade Journal arrived today so got models to build and paper work to fill in now. Currently on track to have the starter force fully painted by 17th May for their first few games.

[Spinsanity]

Thank you Spinsanity! I tried using the guide for images but seems I've gone wrong again. Can I ask what you did to get them showing?

I'll try to explain it clearly, but I long ago learned I'm not a good teacher so bear with me

 

First of all, I switched to "text editor mode" (the button in the complete top left of the editor's menu) so I'd be able to see the code, and then I cleaned up the code around the pictures:

 

Looking at your first image, here's what you originally had:

 

[color=#666600][url=http://bolterandchainsword.com/uploads/gallery/album_16936/gallery_55046_16936_124753.jpg]http://bolterandchainsword.com/uploads/gallery/album_16936/gallery_55046_16936_124753.jpg[/url][/color][color=#666600]][/color]
 

and here after I cleaned it up:

 

[img=http://bolterandchainsword.com/uploads/gallery/album_16936/gallery_55046_16936_124753.jpg]
 

So I basically replace the [ url=... ][ /url ] tags with a [ img=... ] tag...

 

+Edit: Looking back at this, I realized I hadn’t commented on the recope. Thanks for sharing it, it appears it is a lot simpler than I had expected. I’ll have to give it a try

Edited April 13, 2021 by Spinsanity

[Charlo]

I *love* the Libators! Awesome choice of chapter and some great minis!

[Casual Heresy]

Thank you Charlo! I loved the colour scheme first and the idea of blood sacrifices lets me get away with cool Blood Angel bits on the models. I've spent months gathering as many chalice shoulder pads as possible! I really liked the wee bits of lore that exist for the chapter as well, making them out to be a much more brutal and uncompromising version of the Ultramarines.

 

Progress has been made but no photos just now. The Chaplain is almost finished and have the first layer of yellow on the second Lieutenant, Inceptors and all three assault intercessor squads. And the crusade journal is filled in so on track for the first few games next month.

[greatcrusade08]

Wow yellow is not an easy colour to paint, nicely executed, even if not the right shade of blue :p

[Casual Heresy]

Well I haven't made as much progress as I would have liked on painting. Thankfully its because of starting a new job after a rough period of unemployment!

 

But despite being not fully painted the Libators went to war for the first time and performed admirably. Three Combat Patrol games against the foul Necrons and three victories! Experience has flowed and the first battle honours have been earned. Also the first injuries.

 

Captain Androcles fought in two battles and was taken out of action both times. And both times he's picked up a battle scar. He's currently affected by a deep concussion, so can't be affected by stratagems, and the Pariah Nexus scar 'self preservation'. I like the story it's already made with a glory seeking Captain being humbled while his Liutenant (who survived both those games) leads the survivors to victory. I may actaully keep the self preservation battle scar as, while it lowers his leadership and the range of his aura, it does allow him to re-roll his own hits in combat.

 

I'd settled on whirlwind of rage and tactical withdrawal as the chapter tactics and not only do they feel fluffy but its was really effective and useful. Not game breaking but when whirlwind worked well it helped even out some brutal combats and being able to withdraw so another unit could shoot a target the charge again was really useful. 

 

All in all I'm really enjoying this force and I'm excited for the next mission!