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Blood in the Snow

Good day all! 

Today +Andrew Dart is taking his Khornate warband into the snows of a ruined world in order to recover archaeotech that will lead to the long-lost Space Hulk, Ark of Scorn. Unfortunately for the budding warlord Urlag Blackfang, his plans are being impeded by a group of orks in search of the same ship! With the astrogation device's components spread over a large stretch of the icy world's surface, the two warbands will have to face both one another and the elements in order to recover a clear picture of the Space Hulk's whereabouts.

We've been promised a battle report in the next few days covering the ingame action that will unfold. In the meantime I offer you a short snippet detailing one of Urlag's followers before the battle, alongside a rough of the scenario I created for this game. Further shorts such as 'The Huntmaster' will be coming soon as we progress further into the Hollosun Campaign!

Scenario: Blood in the Snow

More Renegades, More Blood!

Over the past two weeks I've been piecing together various units for my Renegade Guard allies list.  I hear rumors of an updated Imperial Armor book with a brand new Renegades army list is on the horizon, so I'm eager to get these guys built up and painted.

I'm keeping loadouts fairly generic to accommodate any changes in the rules, but I think these are pretty standard Astra Militarum fits.

Ultramarines Update : Landspeeder Storm and Close Support Squads

Reconnaissance Force Itheric

Work in Progress Update

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Landspeeder Storm and Close Support Squads

Seeing the wanton progress my colleague +Andrew Dart has managed with his blood-hungry hounds, I stepped up my game and got most of the Recce force assembled since my last post. This included properly basing my mobile command Landspeeder Storm (finally) and adding an unexpected group of five more scouts. Somewhere along the way I had miscounted the pile of parts I'd scraped together, apparently, so five more scouts have been assigned to Reconnaissance Force Itheric!

Up until now I've not published any official list representing the troops assigned to Telion's mission, a matter I intend to rectify in this post. I'll freely admit that this is not at all a competitive force but has, within its given theme, been selected with an eye towards efficiency. My goal was to make the most use out of the pile of scout bits I had collected over the years with very few purchases - to which I then will add some punch, as you'll see!

Sabol Transport Cases

After a tidy eBay sale, I was sitting on a little but of extra hobby funds. I've needed an army case ever since I sold the old plastic Games Workshop one I had for my Orks over 10 years ago, so opted to look into the higher end versions by various vendors outside of GW. 

I placed an order for a Sabol Armytransport MkIII and the associated foam inserts.  The nice thing that surprised me was the options of foam you can select while purchasing.  My particular case is 14" tall, with the other usual width and length dimension, so I could choose any number of foam inserts that equal 14" in height.  

I was sure to get the largest 4" thick foam for my land raider and maulerfiend, which would be difficult to transport, and still have enough room to carve out a slot for my terminator warlord (which has an impressive trophy pole, warranting the tall foam).

The second foam sheet (which I forgot the exact thickness, 3" I believe) is large enough to fit standard vehicles (not Land Raiders), and I'll probably stand my terminators up in this particular section.

The next four sheets are 1.5" sheets that I'll use for all my infantry.  Marines, daemons, renegade guard.

The foam is perforated in a grid, and easy to "pick-and-pluck" the sections out that need to be removed.  And at a fairly low cost, you can buy plenty of replacement sheets, enabling plenty of loadouts in a single bag.

My only issue now stands as having to find a way to transport the Heldrake, Knight-Titan, and Bloodthirster.  Does anyone have any experience with the "motor pool" Sabol army case?  Would love input!

Overall I'd highly recommend the case. It's sturdy, well made, customizable, and can be worn as a backpack or carried with the sling.  It also has pockets for game accessories, a codex, etc.  It sure beats my old tackle box when I was 13!

Goal Met - Summoning An'ggrath the Unbound, Chosen of Khorne

 Update (October 31, 2014): After receiving my Imperial Armor: Vol. 13 book a week ago, I realized this conversion will represent (quite appropriately!) the special Bloodthirster in the appendix of the book, An'ggrath the Unbound.  I am very pleased to have built this guy for just such a book to be published shortly after!

Another big milestone achieved.  At this rate I may have to add a few more items to the list so I can keep up with stuff year round!  Regardless, this was one of the major items on the To-Do list challenge I began last month at the behest of +Dave Weston!

After building a bunch of marines, traitor guard, and bloodletters, I soon began to thirst for something.. bigger.  To fill this role, I looked to my sorcerer, Hrodir.  He is, of course, Urlag's trusted and loyal ally, employing magics and sorcery to help their nefarious cause.  Powers augmented by the chaos artefacts found on Prospero, in addition to his inherent talents at rune-casting and foresight, make him a powerful ally indeed.

My recent purchases of Bloodletters were acquired solely for the summoning spell from Hrodir (with a small possibility of an allied contingent as time goes on).  But why not summon the big dogs, a Bloodthirster?

So my mind was made up, I need a bloodthirster.

And preferably not one circa 1996.

The task, then, was to scour for bits that I'd want to use.  And it soon dawned on me that the Warhammer Fantasy line of Beastmen had the ideal basis, the Ghorgon.  Next up, some wings.  After a small search, it was discovered that the largest and most impressive wings could be found here, from the LotR range.  What's more is that they're plastic - no fiddling around with those huge metal clunkers on the classic Bloodthirster!  The rest was easy - I had leftover Lasher Tendrils (Maulerfiend) to make a whip, and a Knight Titan chainsword to convert into an immense chain-halberd.  Thinks were shaping up!

Getting a feel for the size of this bad boy.  The Chainsword looks a little big.

Lasher tendrils to be re-purposed as whips.

Starting to get some glue!

Green-stuffing the gaps with some fur (in-progress).

The chainsword is entirely too big.  I'll need to trim down the engine housing.

Knocked off the rear power plant, added some gnarly teeth and starting the banding.

Hrodir and his new friend.  Terminators come up to its knee!

The finished build.  Lacking armor plates, but I think I may like it better like this.

So there it is!  An impressive build, bigger than I anticipated, it doesn't even fit on the 60mm round base I wanted to use!  Had to order a single Maulerfiend base to mount him on.  What're y'alls thoughts? Should I change anything? Add more?  I have a bunch of scale chain links to wrap and add if that will make it more menacing.  Let me know what you think!

I'll throw some paint on it this week.  But for now, let me check this bad boy off my list!

Melochor the Dread, Lord of the Bone Sacrament, Defiler of the Thirteen Sanctuaries of the Eternal Spire, Blood-Chosen of Khorne's Court of Skulls. Behold!

Dart, out.

Ultramarines Update from Outpost Houston

Reconnaissance Force Itheric

Work in Progress Update

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I'm not dead! I don't want t'go on th'cart!

I am, however, reporting in from Houston with some progress updates on my Ultramarines scout force. My writing sojourn here ended up with a bit of difficulty working on models, as the apartment took some settling in and I don't have my usual work space. After some time though I managed to put effort into this project, including sprucing up some old metal melee scouts!

That little job reminded me how much I'm grateful for resin, even with the problems Finecast has had.

Pinning my scout helmets into place and doing a few other modifications really helped bring the old models (stamped 1997!) back to life. Almost enough to make cutting, sanding, and otherwise mauling the heads off them worthwhile. One is left as I didn't bring enough helmets for the metal nuisances.

A few more plastic scouts came off the proverbial assembly line too, which includes finishing up Sergeant Vanus that leads the close support team these metal gents belong to. His running pose and bionic arm, not to mention a combi-flamer from the Sternguard kit, really help set him apart in my book. The other two scouts represent a member of Telion's strike squad, complete with camo cloak and bolter, and a fire support member from one of the sniper teams.

The cloak was created by a mix of milliput standard and green stuff, 50/50 mix, and after smoothing allowed to cure a bit before gently layering in place. Vaseline and clayshapers helped fold it over on itself without sticking. Quite pleased with how that came out - only four more to go!

A small update all around but hopefully gives everyone a little insight into where things are going with this force. I've got some fluff additions to make as well, of course, continuing the Hollosun Incident stories leading up to getting my campaign with +Andrew Dart going. 

With things more settled here I'll certainly be more active. 

Happy gaming!

+Kyle Haydon 

Dark Beginnings - Prospero

A brilliant blue flash engulfed the horizon, blinding all combatants, dazing even the mightiest of Astartes who were fighting on Prospero's surface.  When Urläg squinted up, his opponents were gone, the Thousand Sons had simply vanished.  He spat, clearing his mouth of the blood that had accumulated there.  The ornate grey terminator armor had been covered in the blood of his adversaries, his chainaxe slick with gore.  His desire for bloodshed had grown to exceed those of his typically savage Space Wolf brothers.  Urläg roared in anger, furious that this great contest of strength had abruptly come to an end with the cowardly use of sorcery by the traitor legion. 

The massive spires were ablaze, gleaming white structures that housed relics and tomes of untold power - all put to the torch.  Urläg could not begin to comprehend what had just happened, or what damages had been caused that could never be undone.  It was none of his concern.  He had been tasked, as had the rest of the legion, to exact a decisive blow to the Thousand Sons on Prospero.  Leman Russ himself led the attack.  Urläg Blackfang and his elite cadre had witnessed their Primarch battling the traitor Magnus the Red, a struggle of titans, a worthy battle.  Magnus, too, had mysteriously vanished in the blast. There was a moment of silence and confusion that lingered, some foul sorcery had been used against them and honorable combat could not be joined.

The Space Wolf Legion assaults Prospero

"Regroup on me." came the calm-yet-fierce command from the bloodied Wolf Guard leader.  Urläg needed to prepare his squads for departure, their task had been completed, albeit to a standard he did not enjoy.  He didn't waste a moment surveying the field.  "Hrodir, make best speed to our position, you've been inside far too long."

"I'm already on the way, but there is so much to be learned if we stay.  Surely the knowledge of our enemy can--" the Rune Priest was suddenly cut off by Urläg's sharp response, "No, and hurry, the entire complex is about to collapse.  You may return with the survey crews if the Primarch wishes it, but I don't think your runes could predict even that decision."

Hrodir, alone, nodded in silent agreement to Urläg's command, deep in the darkened vaults of one of the many libraries on Prospero's surface.  The sole defender of these artifacts had vanished only moments before, a crimson-clad space marine, his weapons clattering to the floor as his body was ripped through the Immaterium.  Hrodir gathered up the few scrolls he had managed to reclaim, and turned to exit the great chamber, finally noticing the wicked staff laying between himself and the vault's portal.  His mind raced, thinking of the previous day, to him casting his runes for a portent or omen of good fortune, of the uncertain future.  The stones had fallen in such a way to suggest great upheaval of power, of great battles, deception, and change.  Change.

Whispers. Hundreds of languages, voices of all vocal ranges quietly murmuring at a frantic pace.  They came to an abrupt stop as soon as his fingers touched it.  Hrodir's grasp on the haft tightened, lifting the staff.  The silence was deafening, he understood now.

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[More to come]