The Just - Dr. Ruminahui's new Emperor's Children

[Sume]

Not sure I seen this pistol before.  Not a big fan of the goliaths over all is probably why.  I really like Delaque though.   I end up picking things for mostly how I like the look of it and not how it plays.

[Dr_Ruminahui]

It's this pistol - though that isn't my model, just one I image googled.

Edited April 14 by Dr_Ruminahui

[Dr_Ruminahui]

Another week, more EC conversions.

 

First of all, I've almost finished off cape-ing my prerelease army box - just have 2 noise marines and the 2nd tormentor squad's champion.  The champion is awaiting a 5th shoulder pad - I got 4 each of the "1 off" pads, which I am using to differentiate Tormentor squads, so just need 1 more, which I will get when I pick up the combat patrol box.  Fortunately, that's going on preorder next week, so I should have him all done and ready for when Call to Arms 2025 starts in June.

 

Oh, another thing I did was do cords on the back of the 7 or 8 models with 1 skull on their capes, whose pre-existing cord was amputated by my conversion method.  Nothing too exciting, so no photos of that.

 

 

Here are the other 4 tormentors who are currently missing their champion, plus the two bolter guys from the other squad - as you can see, I decided to give the tormentor bolters a barrel extension to make them look a bit fancier and to help visually signal their [Precision] keyword.  Picked up the plasticard this weekend as the store where I buy it is conveniently on the way to visit my parents, whose place I went for dinner on Saturday.

 

 

And these are the 2nd group of 5 models to round out my infractors squad.

 

Currently, they are all in my garage waiting for their primer to dry.  After that, just have to work up the courage to try out my airbrush for the first time on them.

Edited April 22 by Dr_Ruminahui

[Slaanbull]

Love the bolter extensions, works really well. It was only after my first game with the new rules that I realised our bolters actually fire two shots at 24” and not one at full and two at half range!

I want to make a large ‘shooty’ squad with a LE to compliment my noise marines (as for calling 14 s4 bolter shots shooty, I’d say that in the land of the blind the one eyed is king!).

[Sume]

3 hours ago, Slaanbull said:

Love the bolter extensions, works really well. It was only after my first game with the new rules that I realised our bolters actually fire two shots at 24” and not one at full and two at half range!

I want to make a large ‘shooty’ squad with a LE to compliment my noise marines (as for calling 14 s4 bolter shots shooty, I’d say that in the land of the blind the one eyed is king!).

 

Oh really? I need to go look at that entry again.  I mean str 4 shots are nothing to write home to Slaanesh about. Expect that's more shots than expected.  It is interesting that they trade rapid fire for precession.  Not sure if anyone has actually caught that  yet.  Like I feel as a whole a lot of us over looked some of the data sheets. Like at first take I still don't think terminators screamed at me as a must take. Then looking around at the general lack of a power fist or something among the normal squads seemed a bit off. 

Edited April 22 by Sume

[LSM]

Chaos "Boltgun" entries have been a flat two shots at 24" since the beginning of the edition. (Across Legionaries, Noise Marines, Plague Marines, and Rubric Marines.) 

 

The Lord Exultant would give them [Lethal Hits] to help with the S4, but... that's probably not the best use of a Lord Exultant.

 

Plus: a unit of Noise Marines with a Lord Kakophonist isn't much more expensive than a full unit of Tormentors (not to mention the LE). Tormentors are definitely very useful pieces in an army, but...

[Dr_Ruminahui]

Glad you like the extensions, @Slaanbull- I felt they needed something.

 

Thanks for the heads up Slaanbull and @LSM - I hadn't realized that chaos bolters were now simply A 2 and no rapid fire, including in the EC codex.  Turns out, to my probably unwarranted surprise, I don't actually have any regular bolters in my CSM.

 

That said, I don't usually play with unpainted models, so I don't expect to get any EC games in until 2026 - that said, I'll probably only get 3 or so games in total in that period, so its not as big of a wait as it might at first appear.

 

I think I'm in agreement with you guys - I don't think Tormentors are taken for their shooting, but rather as infiltrating cultist equivalents for sticky objectives.  As such, I think they are mostly best in 5 man squads, though I'll probably also build a 10 man squad to try it out.  I'm also not sure they are worth giving a Lord to, though I'll probably do that at first as I'm going to be having Lord Exultants coming out my ears as I'll probably have 5 once it is all and done (2x spear/whip, 1x sword/whip, 1x fist/screamer, 1x 3 gun), though that's more due to my love of kitbashing (plus getting them bundled into the prerelease and combat patrol boxes) than any actual need or desire to have that many.   With tormentors, I actually think the lethal is most useful on the meltagun rather than the bolters, if you can trigger it.

[Slaanbull]

Oh my, I think @LSM pointing out the bolter stat being nothing new really is a testament to how ineffective it is since none of us had realised 

The point about noise marine pts cost is mute however since I’ll already be maxing those three slots out! 
 

@Dr_Ruminahui my hobby goal for the new EC was to not play with unfinished models, too bad I focused the time up to release painting my predators and dreadnoughts, thinking that I could then focus on new infantry models and characters! (I was half right)

My second plan after seeing the roster was to just focus on noise marines and and infractors for Boarding Action games, not knowing that we’d be limited to terminators and flawless blades(!).

 

Do you have any specific routine for painting up forces? Unit before a character for palate cleansing for example. Or finishing a unit completely before building the next (I realise that you’ve built both your tormentors and noise marines already). I enjoy kitbashing and converting so much that I always end up building more than I can paint in a feasible time-frame. 

[Dr_Ruminahui]

Its partially that, @Slaanbull, and partially that not much has a chaos bolter on it these days - basically just bolter legionnaires (where the melee version is just flat out superior and actually has special rules that benefit that build), and odd places like the havoc champion (who you are probably going to give a plasmagun to instead).  So it just really doesn't come up anymore, unless you have some retro-style legionaires squads for flavour reasons or because that's what you have painted (given that cultists are flat out better, and cheaper, in the objective grabber role, there really aren't many reasons to take bolter legionaires currently)  

 

I feel for you with the hobby lurches the exclusions from the codex have inflicted on you - hopefully you can slip your intended-to-be-EC units into a Heretic Astartes army so your hard work isn't wasted.  I wasn't aware of the Boarding Action restrictions - do you know why the other EC infantry units aren't fieldable?

 

I don't have any set routine for hobbying, though certain patterns do work better for me.  When painting, I do try to complete units before starting something else, as I know from (painful) personal experience that if I don't its really hard to get back to - I just finished 2 models that had been half painted for 3 years just to get them off my desk, and I have a unit of 10 legionaires in the same state and vintage still undone and 5 half finished seekers dating back to the summer of 2020 (hopefully I can finish those off as part of my push to get a fieldable EC army).  Other than that, I do try to scatter in between characters and vehicles, though I have no real pattern for such, other than I tend to paint a lot of characters during Call to Arms, as they give me the most event points per time spent.  BTW, Call to Arms is a great way to get models painted and get hyped by your fellow members, so I strongly encourage you to participate when it starts mid-June.

 

I too have a problem with building units faster than I paint them - I try not to buy models unless I plan to build and paint them next, or if I do, to not assemble them until I'm ready to paint them, as I find the building process can be a big motivator for the painting process, which for me is where I have the hardest time staying motivated.  For my EC, I am deviating from that somewhat, as the prerelease box "forced" me to buy a whole swack of models at once, and given that I intend to airbrush them it made sense to me to do that in one go (as much is possible) as well.  So, I'm hoping that needing to get them painted to play the army at all will help keep me motivated to paint the daunting number of models I now have assembled.  As well, I have them hidden away so that they aren't staring me in the face while I work through a given unit, and only intend to bring out the models I will immediately be working on.

Edited April 23 by Dr_Ruminahui

[Slaanbull]

Good points on the bolters. I think that personally I am more inclined to houserule CSM units into the EC codex rather than continuing playing my CSM army, some of this is probably hobby self-flagellation which I have a lot of comments on, but I’ll reserve that for another discussion rather than your thread here. 

Here’s the boarding patrol unit selection for EC taken from my copy of WD, it’s a detachment system so I guess there is the possibility of more varied playstyles down the line! 

Only the warp knows why they’ve limited it like this, but the detachment is called Sublime Strike and the text blurbs attached seem to focus on precise dagger strikes and humiliating the enemy by going straight for the bridge. So in that regard I guess there is a strong theme.
 

I might jump on board for the Call to Arms, thanks! Deadlines and pledges can sometimes be the bane of my motivation, but if with the time to prepare for it I might be able to enjoy it! I’m also wanting to start up an army blog inspired by you and Sume (and more!) since I enjoy reading those and might like a place to record progress. Was a bit halted by trying to learn the blog system (having a thread appear in both WIP forum and here for example would suit my planned posts) but ultimately I haven’t been able to figure out the functionalities so I will probably create it in this sub-forum with the rest of us Slaanesh enjoyers. 

Edited April 25 by Slaanbull
Typos

[Sume]

1 hour ago, Slaanbull said:

Good points on the bolters. I think that personally I am more inclined to houserule CSM units into the EC codex rather than continuing playing my CSM army, some of this is probably hobby self-flagellation which I have a lot of comments on, but I’ll reserve that for another discussion rather than your thread here. 

Here’s the boarding patrol unit selection for EC taken from my copy of WD, it’s a detachment system so I guess there is the possibility of more varied playstyles down the line! 

Only the warp knows why they’ve limited it like this, but the detachment is called Sublime Strike and the text blurbs attached seem to focus on precise dagger strikes and humiliating the enemy by going straight for the bridge. So in that regard I guess there is a strong theme.
 

I might jump on board for the Call to Arms, thanks! Deadlines and pledges can sometimes be the bane of my motivation, but if with the time to prepare for it I might be able to enjoy it! I’m also wanting to start up an army blog inspired by you and Sume (and more!) since I enjoy reading those and might like a place to record progress. Was a bit halted by trying to learn the blog system (having a thread appear in both WIP forum and here for example would suit my planned posts) but ultimately I haven’t been able to figure out the functionalities so I will probably create it in this sub-forum with the rest of us Slaanesh enjoyers. 

Oh, that seems sort of odd I guess for the Boarding Party.  Guess I'll need to borrow my friends copy of the White Dwarf for the month.  He'll probably end up giving it to me, since it has EC stuff in it.  I can see EC cutting to the chase and sending in heavy strong units straight to a ship's bridge though.  Which does explain the units your allowed.  I mean terminators in tight quarters are going to be tough to dislodge.  

Thank you.  I find having a blog to at least post pictures or do an update helps motivate me.  Especially if I am in a time crunch like I am.  I'll probably end up making one for both Ork forces.  In total I think there's like 6k points of Orks between the two forces that got kitbashed. With things to swap out cause there meant to be for doubles or singles depending on the event.  Like this one initially had a burna bomber that would only be present in the 1500 force but not a 1k or 2k since the 2k going large and saying Stompa is fun.  

[Dr_Ruminahui]

That's weirdly limiting for Boarding Patrol - are all of the factions like that, or is the same kind of thinking that lost EC most of its vehicles?

 

My advice with Call to Arms, is since you get 3 vows (well, 4, if one of them is something big), start small, as you can always make another vow when you are done.  And yes, totally join, its a lot of fun.  Personally, I don't find deadlines motivating, so I typically vow amounts that I would probably paint anyway, but the posting and interactions really help get them done when otherwise I might be tempted to play Crusader Kings or the like instead of picking up my brush.

 

I also highly encourage starting a thread of your stuff.  Personally, I am not a fan of the actual blog function, but I do really enjoy showing off my stuff in my own threads in the various army forums.  Not only is the reactions and discussions that can arise from them very motivating, but so it the very process of taking photos of them and posting them.  Plus, it offers an easy way to stroll back through memory lane and look at all your projects in the order that you completed them.

 

And, there is no problem posting your stuff here and in the WIP forum as well.  That's what I did, though by personal preference I only post my conversions in the WIP section, then I post all of my completed units in the Honours subforum. 

 

@Sume, you know you can fit 2 stompas  in 2000 points - just saying.  

Edited April 25 by Dr_Ruminahui

[Dr_Ruminahui]

With New Recruit (my go-to army building app) now having Emperor's Children in it, I was able to do up some lists.

 

Turns out, I can field an EC army now only using painted models.  Not what I would call a good army, but it is 2000 points, which is 500-1000 points more than I usually play.

 

Anyway, it consists of:

 

Demon prince with wings (warlord)

2x noise marines in Rhino

Spawn

Landraider

2x Maulerfiend 

1x Heldrake 

Keeper of secrets 

2x demonettes

Seekers (5)

Fiends (3)

 

I also have a few more units painted that could go in the list but don't really have a place - a Lord Exhaulted, a sorceror or two and another squad of demonettes (or 4 more if I field 3 without banners or instruments), plus I could make the Keeper Shalaxi.

 

My starting 1500 point list would  just take out the Landraider and the Keeper.  That's the points level I would most likely play. 

 

If I go down to 1000 points (not uncommon), I could ditch the demons and end up with something like the following:

 

Demon prince

2x Sorcerers

2x Noise Marines

Rhino

Spawn

2x Maulerfiends

 

So, I could get a game in with the codex earlier than I had previously thought.  But man... those lists sure encourage me to paint, because they sure aren't what I would otherwise choose to play (I'm particularly concerned about the lack of sticky objectives)

[Tallarn Commander]

Other than the Heldrake, that looks like a fun list that would still do well in casual settings. In lieu of a sticky back-field holder, I guess you could relegate a Spawn squad to holding your back objective. Although, as you note, it's not ideal.

 

Hilariously, in my game vs. EC earlier this month, my opponent relegated the task of back-field holder to a squad of 3 Flawless Blades. That tells you how little he valued them.

[Dr_Ruminahui]

Yeah, that's definitely how I would use my spawn, and I would use the demonettes as kind of the reverse - deepstrike them onto objectives not in my deployment and hopefully out of LOS.  Certainly, my tormentors will be first on my list of things to paint, with probably my Kakaphonist.

 

Given my more competitive CSM lists struggle against my pals (well, my friends orks probably only have a slight edge, with the necrons of my other friend, though, its a chasm), I expect the same with my EC when I actually get it where I want it.  Before then... well, it will be a struggle, but hopefully one which motivates me to paint.   That said, if it gets too bad I'll just play knights for a while, where it's my friends who have the rough time... plus the knights + tiny friends Grotmas detachment is super fun and thematic.

 

I've preordered the combat patrol (mostly because I need one shoulder pad out of it to complete one of my mostly built squads, otherwise I would have waited to buy it after I've finished painting all my other new stuff), and expect I will be painting the flawless blades last out of the 5o-ish EC models I'll have in my painting queue - hopefully they'll be good by the time I get to them. 

[Slaanbull]

4 hours ago, Dr_Ruminahui said:

[...](I'm particularly concerned about the lack of sticky objectives)

I wouldn't worry too much about this particular part with the 1000pts list you're describing, there's plenty of pressure units, and potentially going for middle objectives and enemy territories allows you to give up your own objective at little risk.
Or as you both say, the spawn would be a fun model to keep at home, with the redeploy shenanigans should people want to come for it.

[The Praetorian of Inwit]

How did you do the Bolter extensions, they look great.

[Dr_Ruminahui]

Thanks.  @The Praetorian of Inwit, they are super easy - I just bought some appropriate sized plasticard tubing, cut off the muzzle of the bolter (carefully, to avoid also removing the lugs above and below), then glued on 1 cm of the tube to replace it.

Edited May 4 by Dr_Ruminahui

[Sume]

On 4/28/2025 at 9:54 AM, Dr_Ruminahui said:

With New Recruit (my go-to army building app) now having Emperor's Children in it, I was able to do up some lists.

 

Turns out, I can field an EC army now only using painted models.  Not what I would call a good army, but it is 2000 points, which is 500-1000 points more than I usually play.

 

Anyway, it consists of:

 

Demon prince with wings (warlord)

2x noise marines in Rhino

Spawn

Landraider

2x Maulerfiend 

1x Heldrake 

Keeper of secrets 

2x demonettes

Seekers (5)

Fiends (3)

 

I also have a few more units painted that could go in the list but don't really have a place - a Lord Exhaulted, a sorceror or two and another squad of demonettes (or 4 more if I field 3 without banners or instruments), plus I could make the Keeper Shalaxi.

 

My starting 1500 point list would  just take out the Landraider and the Keeper.  That's the points level I would most likely play. 

 

If I go down to 1000 points (not uncommon), I could ditch the demons and end up with something like the following:

 

Demon prince

2x Sorcerers

2x Noise Marines

Rhino

Spawn

2x Maulerfiends

 

So, I could get a game in with the codex earlier than I had previously thought.  But man... those lists sure encourage me to paint, because they sure aren't what I would otherwise choose to play (I'm particularly concerned about the lack of sticky objectives)

Curious how it goes.  I know I will find out in a few weeks how well the demon soup works.

 

[Dr_Ruminahui]

I'll let you know when I do play - though I imagine you'll be the one getting a game in first.

[Dr_Ruminahui]

So, over the  last week or so I've been doing the research and picking up the stuff I need to use my airbrush for the first time, and, more importantly, keep it clean.   This past weekend I tried it out with just air and water to wash some quite dusty figures that I want to finally finish painting (some seekers dating back to covid times) but didn't actually get any (air brush) paint on models - when I went to try, I discovered my paint was too thick so I need to pick up some reducer, which I plan to pick up after work one day this week (I tried today, but the store was already closed, so I'll need to ditch work early the day I try again).

 

In the meantime, I've been working on my seekers, and they are coming along.  Didn't like their hair colour that I had on them (the mental hurdle to stopped my finishing them previously), so the couple I had that done on I repainted the base colour, applied a different wash to the whole squad's hair, and am now much happier with the final colour, even if it is much closer to that of my first squad than I intended - while both quite vibrant orange, this one is sufficiently more vibrant to tell the squads appart (my Slaaneshi demon units are differentiated by hair colour).  Anyway, I imagine I'll have them all done within a week or two as their base colours are all down, all they need are touchups, detailing, and (non-hair) washes.  Anywway, I'll post pics of the two squads together when I'm done the unfinished one.

 

I also got the Combat Patrol I ordered today, which I would have waited on except I needed one more studded shoulder pad to complete my second tormentors squad.  So I've glued it on the model, now it just needs to have the greenstuffing rebuild done to his cape.  Aside from stealing the pad, the box is now hidden away to be brought back out after I finish painting all my currently built EC, as I find having too much stuff built and visible to be demotivating.

Edited May 14 by Dr_Ruminahui

[Sume]

I hear you about having too much in view. I pack away what I am not currently working on so it doesn't get me down. 

 

Now for seekers. I put away the ones I was going to paint up. As I really don't want to rehase the others or even paint them. I am going to attempt to make a witch elf demonettes mix or just rebate 10 from my demons.  As that force will not miss 10 from the masses.  Reason seekers are being replaced is the unit I planned to use them with got replaced in name of time efficiency for painting. 

[Sume]

I wonder if this video will help out.  I watched a bunch of airbrushing videos and I found this guys videos and other videos to be an amazing asset.  

[Tallarn Commander]

Sume, thanks for  posting the airbrushing video. Dr. Ruminahui, I shall vicariously watch your airbrushing until I use an airbrush for the first time next month. 

[Sume]

I know I am still a novice with an airbrush and I still find it intimidating.  This video helped me understand a lot.  I watched videos after work and on lunch break on how to do it.  Along with different youtubers.  I found Vince explained it best.  I also found out the trick about the Blue White highlights from him, or any pastel colors really instead of a pure white when your looking to highlight whites.