To Build a Better Guardian: Ulthwe Phoenix Guardians

[Dr. Clock]

Hey all,

 

Wanting to use those fancy new chainsword guardians, but... not being that enthused about 2 S3 attacks... and having both an abundance of wraith forceshields, sisters of slaughter shields and some untouched RT vintage weapon sprues, I was not able to resist converting a 'heavy shielded guardian' unit.

 

Basically thinking of using them in small units as Striking Scorpions combined with small units of Dragons or Avengers in Serpents, likely with a Warlock or Farseer because Ulthwé.

 

I build the first 5 yesterday; will post WIPs in a bit after work. For now, the fluffff:

 

"Phoenix Guardians of Ulthwé may sometimes be found amongst the most venerable Webway Strikeforces appearing in the Ghoul Stars. These honoured Guardians are selected for their experience in close assault, webway or mounted strikes where small units operate most effectively. Phoenix Guardians are identified and tasked by the Autarchs or Farseers when one or more original Levy units are depleted below the 10 citizens that generally constitute a minimum Defender or Storm squad.

 

For strikeforces it is often not possible to reform Levy units due to the distances involved, or the rigours of campaign, and so these units are commissioned fine wargear and armour, wrought as vessels for their fallen comrades' spirit stones. Since most Phoenix Guardians will possess nagging wounds from the events which fractured their original units, they rely on advanced armour and protective field arrays to both confuse and reflect opponents’ attacks. They are thus armed with a Force Buckler and Holo-array in addition to pistols, chainswords and occasional personal heirloom power or digital weapons.

 

A favored tactic of the Phoenix Guardians is the Mirrorshield Formation, where they make their number appear much larger than it is through directed holographic projections. In battle they rush directly into the jaws of the enemy, striking mercilessly at enemies distracted by their spectral doubles, or pushed off balance by the discharge of force bucklers. Indeed, the warlocks speak darkly of the fact that these Mirrorshield images are expressions of the death rapture of the spirit stones wrought into their armours. In this way the Phoenix Guardians re-enact the moment of their sundering in each new battle, hoping always that the next victory will permit them to finally return home and render up the unquiet spirits of the Fallen to the Infinity Circuit.

Phoenix Guardians take their name from Asuryan, the Shield of the Eldar. Embodying the Protector, Phoenix Guardians are to be found in close support of the small units of Aspect warriors an Ulthwé Strike Force might possess. Their hardiness relative to even Black Guardians makes them equally suited to supporting Fire Dragon or Dire Avenger assaults, and they may accompany Warp Spiders and Striking Scorpions in precision webway raids. They are most frequently found protecting whichever Autarch, warlock or farseer was most closely connected to the circumstance of their Levy’s sundering."

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor.

Edited March 28, 2022 by Dr. Clock

[Dr. Clock]

Update with WIP; using Incubi darkness base for black; current grey areas will be either yellow or metallic. Gonna add quite a bit of gold to link them into my Corsairs who often show up in my Ulthwé lists (falcons, windriders and others). Helms are going yellow with black face plates and plumes; gems are going to link to to my Dire Avengers who have 'white/pearl' gems instead of the greens I used on that Ranger pictured...

 

C&C welcome - will post more WIPs in coming days.

 

[MithrilForge]

OOH Yeah These guys/Gals look very special.

I like the Fluff behind them and think the idea is quite awesome!, cannot wait to see a lick o paint on these 

 

Mithril

[Prot]

They look super cool. I actually really like the added size and bulk with the back pieces. Some clever use of bits there!

[Dr. Clock]

Well... got them assembled. Gems and washes next. Thoughts on eye lens colour? 'Glowy blue', right?

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor.

Edited March 31, 2022 by Dr. Clock

[Dr. Clock]

Well... A couple hours on some washes and gems and... I'm moving on to the next 5. More in a bit.

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor.

 

[Prot]

Excellent job on the models. I love the subtle yellow, nothing crazy, but a great contrast to black.

[Dr. Clock]

Excellent job on the models. I love the subtle yellow, nothing crazy, but a great contrast to black.

Thanks, Prot!

 

The yellow is honestly just Iyanden contrast over grey seer, with a few touches of Yriel layer at the end. Quick and effective, even if a good chunk of it is just cleaning up the grey seer after the blacks and metals are blocked in... and being careful.

 

I know I owe this thread another 5 Phoenix Guardians sooner or later, but last week I got distracted with the Ancient Greys and derelicts:

 

 

 

For the Wraithlord, they started the week with no heavy weapons... Having languished in disrepair after my third last house move when I left a case in a hot car too long and my super glue exploded therein. The tip of the lance had the misfortune of being just a bit too close to where the glue pooled, and I think it's still lodged in that corner of my case lol.

 

At any rate I had originally painted it basically 'wraithbone and bronze' when it first came out, so this codex definitely inspired me to return and refurbish/revamp to current army standard. Both heavy weapons pilfered from Guardians box!

 

I haven't fielded this chonkyboi since probably 5th or 6th edition!

 

Other bit this week was diving in on that skyrunner farseer... who looks alot more black out of direct sunlight I can assure you ; )

 

Also as it turns out the plan this week is also a 'guardians' conversion, except that it's gonna be '3 Corsair Windrider Nobles' aka Shining Spears from the bitz box...

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor.

[Doghouse]

Very nice stuff!

[Prot]

Great freehand. You gotta love some of those contrast paints. I even use them for shortcuts on some models using techniques  that used to take a lot longer.

 

I’d  love a bike seer like that. Looks awesome!

[Dr. Clock]

Very nice stuff!

The Legendary Doghouse likes my conversions! No higher praise would I seek.

 

Great freehand. You gotta love some of those contrast paints. I even use them for shortcuts on some models using techniques  that used to take a lot longer.

 

I’d  love a bike seer like that. Looks awesome!

Thanks again, Prot... Yes - contrasts are more and more central to most of my recipes these days. My 'black' is Basilicanum Grey underpainted with Incubi Darkness, a fast recess / shade of Model Colour Blue and chonky edge highlights in game colour Verdigris. My other big fave is Wyldwood, which I use pretty much on its own for any/all leathers.

 

Before the 'contrast as glaze' solution, I often had to spot in Abbadon Black and various washes on top of everything to make it 'black' again after the initial grading layers, and this often went awry. Contrast has made it alot more consistent and easier to get a unified finish while retaining just enough of the under-painted gradients to keep good depth.

 

That said, I think possibly the biggest helpful change to my general approach has been 'basecoat everything twice with Grey Seer'. I was religiously, staunchly a black undercoater for most of my hobby life... Simply choosing not to start yellows, oranges and reds from black is a big win for me lol.

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor.

[Dr. Clock]

'Corsair Nobles':

 

 

Definitely benefit from a few touch-ups washes, but at least they're assembled...

 

Orange over pink is my new fave, officially...

 

But remind me not to paint 3 jetbike 'characters' at the same time.

 

I like that they've all got different headgear, and different solutions to 'laser lance'. Hard to see, but right bloke has affixed a blast pistol to an Avenger power glaive.

 

Headcanon-wise these are Exodites who, having lost their world, have sought refuge in my Corsair band. Their weapons and panoply are relics brought with them into exile in the deepest reaches of the Webway. My Corsair Kin generally are to be found throughout a great watery gulf in the Webway that is still inhabited by the colossal, bubbling servitor races of the Old Ones. Some of them retain the Old Tongues that allowed Aeldari to command and conjure the works of shoggoths and other unthinking species. Thus, the Deepweb Corsairs are still able to bring all manner of fishy monstrosities to bear as mounts of war, and many Exodites and Drukhari throughout the Eastern Rim have been drawn into the Coelian Gulf for sport, or to hide themselves from the predations of Realspace.

 

Basically - license to use Idoneth and Lovecraftian fiends in 40k ; )

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor.

[Captain Coolpants]

Nice freehand! I've always been too scared to ever try it.

 

And the pinky orange goes well

Edited April 21, 2022 by Captain Coolpants

[MithrilForge]

Very Nice, the orange over pink does look good!! , great freehand too and they are full of Character (pun intended )

 

Cheers Mithril

[Dr. Clock]

Thanks, y'all!

 

It's game day - first outing for 'Deepking' (Autarch on 'bike') and Nobles, and first time running sans 'actual guardians' since... maybe ever.

 

Phoenix Guardians are riding with Dragons though, and of course there are 5 'Corsair Rangers' based on ancient pewter guardians with new-fangled plastic rifles ; )

 

 

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor.

[Dr. Clock]

Kurnous be praised! Another victory for the Asuryani and Anhrathe!

 

Tear Down Their Icons into Death Guard. We routed the enemy in turn 3. Opponent didn't have enough terminators IMO, and wasn't quite aggressive enough to push me off center. List was 3x8 plague marines in rhinos, Daemon Prince, Plaguecaster, 8 possessed, helbrute, 5 Blightlord terminators, Plagueburst Crawler, cultists, and a plague drone.

 

I got first turn and I think opponent got pretty rattled by the double falcon drop on the center that, combined with some jetbike shooting and an early Scorpion assault managed to completely remove a Rhino and occupants on my left, although the Possessed were close behind it.

 

Opponent responded well on my right, lining up helbrute and Prince onto my aggro Serpent, but did not go centre immediately, diverting their centre rhino squad to retrieve data. They did not push possessed on my left either, instead choosing to focus on the lone exarch remaining from turn 1.

 

Turn 2 the dragons, fresh from the destruction of their serpent, nuked the helbrute while their Phoenix Guardian (Scorpion) brethren jogged around the Daemon Prince to strike at the plaguecaster and consolidate into the plague marines slightly behind him. Meanwhile the spears and autarch jumped a ruin to slap down the Daemon Prince who had been weakened by some clutch cross-table Ranger fire in T1, and they consolidated into the Rhino that had jumped on that objective full of Plague marines.

 

Their turn 2 they just swamped the right with both remaining plague marine squads, and brought Blightlords in behind them. I think they could have pushed one of the plague marines toward centre to disrupt me pretty good there at least, and probably should have dropped Blight Lords in their own quarter to also try for centre or at least hold the line, so although the Autarch and Spears and both Scorpions died on the right, my turn three saw me grab his home objective away from the Plagueburst crawler with 5 ObSec corsairs (and 2 falcons and Prism) while the Possessed who had failed turn 2 charge on to centre copped a tonne of laser and sniper fire and then 5 Voidscarred from a falcon to chop up the last two.

 

So they ended the game with 8 on primary to my 20; they had basically 2x5 Plagues and the Blightlords plus a couple rhinos, but they were all in one quarter and basically outranged and outmaneuvered:

 

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor.

[Prot]

Nice job. I confess my tussles with my local DG have not been nearly as fruitful. 
 

10 Blightlords and a squad of Deathshroud plugging up the middle jus gave me fits. Cloud of flies on 10 Blightlords, then the Stormbolters wounding the majority of my stuff on 2’s brought me too far in deficit of troops to really push back.  They are going to be horrific with the new armour rules. 

[Dr. Clock]

Nice job. I confess my tussles with my local DG have not been nearly as fruitful. 

 

10 Blightlords and a squad of Deathshroud plugging up the middle jus gave me fits. Cloud of flies on 10 Blightlords, then the Stormbolters wounding the majority of my stuff on 2’s brought me too far in deficit of troops to really push back.  They are going to be horrific with the new armour rules. 

Cheers, Prot...

 

Yeah - I was annoyed that shuriken cannons were kind of better than scatter lasers when the book released, but with armour of contempt out there and specifically into DGuard, scatters are a reasonable answer; they are literally almost twice as good as shuriken into plague marines.

 

Losing the 'new AP' on alot of stuff (shuriken, scorps, spiders)  is definitely a bit annoying, but most things also got other buffs that keep us strongly in the top third of books at least, IMO... like just the 6" range on catapults makes them waaaaaay better, and likewise scorp chainswords on S5 (and mandiblasters, obvs) stops Armour of Contempt from completely ruining Scorps.

 

For a minute it seemed like lance weapons and even shining spears might be overkill much of the time, but AP-4 stuff generally now feels better value than it did pre-Contempt. 

 

Also helpful: mortal wounds. Turns out Rangers are kinda fave now. They reliably plonk wounds on Nurgle monsters and characters, and I'm ok with that from 36". I seem to roll pretty hot with them, but if you've got a couple 5s from Strands, why not? I wouldn't have killed the Prince on turn 2 charge without them... Further, while I soft pedaled psychic in this list with 'just' one warlock, one Farseer and one Wayseeker...

 

I found that facing Dguard, just Smiting their faces off felt better than trying to buff MSU shooting or defence. Jinx is still incredibly important, of course. On termies in cover it'll mean that AP-4 just gets them to their invulnerable 5++ lol. I may go harder into aggro psychics on this list in future... Best defence being a good mind-bullet, so they say. By the time you add 2x5 Scorps you can start to get 10+ mortal wound average per turn pretty easily, and with decent reach.

 

Essential learning: aim for any unit to either a) just spam all the shots or b ) spike mortals or AP-4. Everything still counts in large amounts, but so do lances ; )

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor.

Edited April 25, 2022 by Dr. Clock

[Paladin777]

Question for you: How do you think scatter laser spam would work? It would be unaffected by both Disgustingly resilient and AoC, as well as wounding on 3's against all infantry.

[Dr. Clock]

Oh it works, alright! 5 scatter bikes are a pretty much mandatory unit to my mind, and shroudrunners are also pretty decent... plus using scatters on a pair of serpents and falcons... basically as it comes to heavy weapons I'd aim for a 2:1 mix of scatters to lances, and pretty much forget the other options exit lol.

 

Been focusing on basing and AoS recently - I'll post more here re: eldar soon enough, though.

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor.

[Paladin777]

Oh dang! I'm just getting started and that's pretty much what I had in mind anyway.

 

I picked up a patrol box to start Biel tan army and was planning on making all bikes with the scatter laser, and I was very happy that the bright lance for the heavy weapon platform appears to work on the wraith lord because I'm gonna have him dual wield the suckers!

 

The heavy weapon platform will probably end up with a starcannon, but that's mostly because of available bits!

[Dr. Clock]

Definitely. I have starcannon/lance on the WLord because it looked cool... starcannon is decent and fun for sure.

 

Haven't used walkers since 7th - old metal ones that may languish in obscurity, more's the pity. Just... too unwieldy as minis for my taste.

 

May Kurnous bless your aim!

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor.