[WH40K] Dark Angels Veteran

Another WIP model. This time it's a Black Templar Sword Brethren who has turned to the better side. The figure itself was already painted, and I used cernite clay to sculpt the robe. I did this just to see how the figure would look. I will strip the clay and paint and rework the model with green stuff.

And for comparison, this is the original model:

[WH40K] A new sergeant

Today I started to work on my first Dark Angel tactical squad. I wanted teh Veteran Sergeant to look like a veteran, but I have no Company Veterans to spare. But then I saw the parts of the Assault on Black Reach Captain and started to be creative. The sergeant isn't finished yet when it comes to painting, but here's a WIP picture.

Yes, he is holding a book =)

And so that you can compare him to the original...

[WH40K] The battle rages on

The ork horde continued its advance upon the Dark Angel task force. It was obvious that there was a darker master behind the strategy of the orks. Someone Fallen was lurking in the mists.

As the orks closed in on the Angels a looted Predator with a crude looking gun crawled into view. It opened fire upon the Mortis Dreadnought Brother Eligor. The ground shook, but Eligor stood firm. On the other flank the Deff Dread opened fire upon a Deathwing squad and managed to take out one of the veterans. Other than that, none of the shooting by the orks had any effect.

Brother Eligor kept firing upon the Wartrak squadron and immobilised the remaining vehicle. Since the single remaining Stormboy was fleeing Sammael switched target to a closing mob of Shootas. The Veteran with Cyclone Missile Launcher in Belial's squad followed the guidance of Sammael and seven orks in total were killed. On the same flank three Ravenwing bikers appeared and easily took care of the looted Predator which was shot to pieces.

In the center the lone Plasma Cannon armed Dreadnought targetted the three Deffkoptas and took out two of them.

On the left flank the Deathwing Veterans avenged their fallen brother and completely destroyed the Deffdread with two well-placed Krak missiles.

[WH40K] Dark Angels versus Orks

I have begun playtesting a 1750 points army which I will use in a local tournament. It simply looks like this:

HQ
Belial with Lightning Claws (because I only have a model armed that way) 130
Sammael in Land Speeder - 205

Elites

Mortis Dreadnought with Twin ACans - 135

Dreadnought with Plasma Cannon & CCW & Storm Bolter - 125

Troops

Terminators 3 TH/SH, 2 DLC, CML, Apothecary & Standard - 290

Terminators 4 SB, 4 PF, 1 TH/SS, 1 CML - 235

Terminators 4 SB, 4 PF, 1 CF, 1 AssCan - 250

3 Bikes with 2 Meltas, Attack bike with Multi Melta - 190

3 Bikes with 2 Meltas, Attack bike with Multi Melta - 190

---

Yesterday I started to play a battle against an Ork army. The mission is Annihilation and the setup is Pitched Battle.

The Ork player chosed to set up first and deployed his entire army except for a looted wagon and a mob of 30 boyz.

I kept my bikes in reserve for outflank moves, and terminator squad 2 & 3 for deep striking.

In the ork first turn his 3 Deffkoptas blew away one of my Assault Bikes. When it was my first turn all hell broke lose.

My remaining Attack Bike Destroyed a trukk fully loaded with orks, killing six of them and pinning the rest. My Plasma Dread killed a Mega-nob and wounded his Warboss. Sammael killed a mighty seven stormboyz in a hail of lead. Eight stormboyz were still standing, but were targetted by the "command squads" Cyclone firing two frags which killed another seven of them. The remaing ork turned and fled the battlefield. And finally my Mortis Dread wrecked one wartrakk and stunned another.

We couldn't play for longer that day, so we are waiting for a good moment when to continue.

[WH40K] WIP Mortis Dreadnought

I have always liked the way the Mortis Dreadnought looks. But somehow the Dark Angels are not allowed to use their Mortis in regular games where Imperial Armour rules are banned. But all Codex Chapters may use the Mortis pattern dreadnought. How can that be?

Anyway, I will use some muscle to make my friends accept that I use one with the Imperial Armour rules.

And therefore I need to build one. And here it is.

The guns were taken from the Aegis defense line box. The Dark Angels bitz were taken from the Company Veterans box.

[WH40K] The Ultramarine coverup

What you read here can shake your very trust in the Emperor and the Astartes. If you prefer to live in the lie and belief that humanity's finest warriors are flawless, then stop reading. If you have seen the film Ultramarines and think that the Ultramarine Chapter is the Emperor's finest, then I will hereby prove you wrong.

What do we know of the Ultramarines?

Well, we know that they were the 13th Legion to be created among the 20 first founded Legions. Their Primarch was Roboute Guilliam, the very author of Codex Astartes.

Currently The Ultramarines control nine star systems. This makes their Chapter unique among its peers.

It is said that Horus sent the Ultramarines Legion away to a distant part of the galaxy prior to the heresy. This caused the Ultramarines to miss the battle of Terra, and therefore they were at full strength when the war was over.

At this time Roboute wrote his famous Codex and enforced it upon the others. He even used firepower to force Rogal Dorn of the Imperial Fists into submission. You could say that he gave Dorn an offer he couldn't refuse.

When the Tyranids "invaded" Ultramar, the Ultramarines got to prove their place in defeating them with the aid of a Titan Legion which is Ultramar's planetary defense. So when all legions were forced to split up, the Ultramarines got to have their own Titan Legion in their backyard? And just because the Ultramarines are so adept at killing these so-called aliens (Tyranids) they get to send a lot of marines into the Deathwatch.

Ever thought that these Tyranids might be a bio-morph project run by the Ultramarines? So that they can justify their Titan Legion and so that they can put their men into the Deathwatch? This smells.

Finally... I have found ancient files that the Imperium has tried to destroy. In these files the following is recorded:

"Chapter Ultra-Marine of the Legiones Astartes was founded during the inter-legionary wars of the thirty second millennium. Tradition places the date at 4001001.M32 - the very first day of the millennium. The chapter is therefore over eight thousand years old, making it a chapter of the third founding. Upon its inception, the Emperor gave the chapter the number 13 - formerly the number of one of the treacher-legions now banished to the Eye of Terror 'without number and name with all honours erased'.

Along with their number, the new chapter received the gene-sperm, implant zygotes, rituals, and other paraphernalia of indoctrination previously entrusted to the banished 13th legion. The chapter's founder was Roboute Gulliman whose bones now lie in the Reclusiam on Macragge"

- White Dwarf issue 97, January 1988

Now this really smell. The Imperium is clearly trying to make us believe that the Ultramarines are tru first founding marines. But in fact they are nothing but replacements. Is it even verified that it is Roboute's bones that lie in the Reclusiam? Can it be so that Roboute is still out there, alive and kicking, scheming and building his power base?

My belief is that the Emperor's true finest - the Dark Angels, actually has discovered this coverup and are secretly picking off stray Ultramarines (nicknamed Fallen) in order to interrogate them so that they can collect more evidence of this whole business of Roboute's. That is why the Dark Angel's secretly is building a power base of their own, so that when the day comes, they will be able to bring Roboute into justice...

[Mordheim] Uncle Archie becomes a hero

Last game was Lost in the bog. And since my warband has the highest rating, I was the one to be lost. And what happened was that the others saw their chance and attacked me. So when I had the chance, after losing six models, I volountarily routed.  At least did Aeron take the Tomb King Lich Priest and one of the Acolytes out of action with her blunderbuss. Étaín took the other acolyte out of action with her bow.

Duncan got pretty messed up (deep wound) and was going to pass the coming three games. And when I rolled on the experience chart for Uncle Archie, he got Lad's got a talent. Therefore I decided that Duncan had to go, and Archie was given his position among the heroes of the warband.

The other warbands are gaining a lot of experience due to my high warband rating, so next game I think that I will try to sit back just to make sure that I can get some experience for my heroes. If given a fair opportunity, I'll try to kill one or another enemy.

[Mordheim] The enemy

Just a brief update on the enemy.

The Undead warband has been disbanded, and the player started with a fresh Beastmen warband.

So the warbands I clash with on mondays are:

Dwarven Treasure Hunters
Tomb Kings
Cult of the Possessed
Beastmen

[Mordheim] Success and disaster

Last monday's gaming was both a victory and a loss. First, I recruited three new warriors to my warband. Seoc the ruffian and the two sisters Iseabail and Flóraidh (kin).

Seoc
Seoc is cousin to Angus and Duncan. He actually arrived to the camp together with his brother Iain. But Iain was so drunk that he had passed out, and couldn't join the warband in the two coming scenarios.





The sisters Iseabail and Flóraidh (Kin)
Two of Caitlin's cousins from Glen Finlay. Iseabail is fourteen and Flóraidh is eighteen years old. They have heeded Caitlin's call to arms and joined her warband.




Treasure Hunt
The first scenario went well. It was a Treasure Hunt with nine Wyrdstone shards on the field of battle. My warband managed to collect four of them. The most astonishing event during that scenario was when Étaín pulled the trigger of her blunderbuss and killed 2 Ungor, 1 Gor and 1 Bestigor. That lass is truly talented. She also managed to bring one of the wyrdstones into safety.

Death pays a visit
The second scenario was Monster Hunt. This time the Beatmen and the Possessed ganked my warband, and in the end Angus, Duncan, Artair, Étaín, Uncle Archie, Seoc Iseabail and Flóraidh was taken out of action. And unfortunately Flóraidh was killed. Duncan, who was quite fond of her, took her death so hard (or maybe it was that hit to his head) so that he is now subject to Frenzy.




A new hero is born
Luckily one of Caitlin's cousins from Oakwood, Aeron, did cause the monster som injury, so Caitlin decided to promote her to be one of the commanders of the warband.



Aeron, the new hero

Iain has recently gotten fairly sober

[Mordheim] Enter Uncle Archie...

Last evenings scenario went well. We played the Bounty Hunting scenario. It went well. I tried to kill the dwarves twice, but all I managed was to stun their leader. It all ended when the Tomb Kings and the Undead volountarily routed and the rest of us formed an alliance. I lost no-one this time either. And this time Étaín managed to find a Blunderbuss for sale.

When the Macduffs had returned to their base camp they saw that a cooking fire already was lit. When they got closer they were greeted by a rumbling laughter. It was Caitlin's Uncle Archie who had come all the way from Albion to join her warband.

Uncle Archie (Ogre)
Archibald is half-brother to Caitlin's mother. No-one knows who his father was, but rumours has it that it actually was one of the giants of Albion - how that even could be physically possible. Archie seems to like that version of his life, and tells every stranger he meets of his father - The Giant of Black Moor.

My first attempt to paint a tartan. He will be holding a sword in his right hand.

[Mordheim] A deeper presentation of my warband.

Caitlin Nicduff and her warband is a bunch tribal warriors from Albion. They lived in the northern part of Albion, where there is constant warfare between the clans. In the autumn of 1998 several hostile clans allied and deal the Macduff clan a deadly blow. The survivors of the clan that managed to flee were scattered all over albion. Those survivors who had gathered under Caitlin’s leadership followed her across the Sea of Chaos. They landed in Marienburg soon after the disaster had struck Mordheim. When they heard the news and promise of riches, they decided to go there to seek fortune. Before they boarded a river boat that was going to take them on a journey along the River Reik and later on the River Stir, Caitlin sent one of her cousins back to Albion to gather more survivors and tell them to head for Mordheim.

More information about the members of the warband

Caitlin Nicduff

Caitlin is the daughter of Conor Macduff, the late Chieftain of the clan. He was killed during the battle against the hostile clans, and Caitlin has sworn to avenge him. Most survivors of the clan Macduff see her as the natural heir to the leadership of the clan.

After the second scenario we played, Caitlin gained a level and recieved an additional point in Ballistic Skill (BS), taking her to a BS of 5.

Angus Macduff

Angus was married to Caitlin's younger sister who was killed when one of the hostile tribes raided their village. Angus is also twin brother to Duncan Macduff.

When Angus gained his first level he gained one additional point in Strength (S), taking him to a total of 4.

Duncan Macduff

Angus' twin-brother. Duncan is a fierce warrior who loves wield the old claymore he inherited from his father. Once, when out in the woods hunting, he managed to kill an enormous stag with his bare hands. Unfortunately one of the stag's hoofs hit him right in his face and severly mutilated him. To hide his hideous appearance, Duncan wears a helmet with a chainmail visor. The helmet is decorated with the horns from the stag.

When he reached his first level he gained the skill Strongman.

Artair

Artair is one of the feared Druids of Albion. He is still young an inexperienced but learns fast. He started his career with the knowledge of how to make Blessed Ale.

Artair got the Tanglefoot spell when he gained his first level.

Étaín

Étaín is one of Caitlin's cousins from Cíuinn Dun. She managed to survive the massacre together with two of her brothers. They are all skilled hunters and prefer to use the staff sling. Caitling saw that Étaín has got potential, and therefore raised her status within the warband, so that she now is one of the commanders.

When Étaín got promoted she recieved Toughness +1 to a total of 4.

The Cousins from Oakwood

These are Caitlins cousins on her mother's side. They are all lowlanders, and a merry bunch of hunters.

When they gained a level they recieved Strength +1

The Cousins from Cíuinn Dun.

Cousins to Caitlin on her father's side. They come from the second largest dun in the clan's territory.

When Étaín was promoted the rest got Ballistic Skill +1

[Mordheim] Six years!!!

It was six years ago that we ordered some terrain pieces for our gaming club. And for six years those pieces have remained unpainted. Until this very day.

This is what one the terrain pieces looked like unpainted.

Assembled and painted.

Different angle.

The other building.

Happy campers.

[Mordheim] In the grim dark past...

First a little about my Ostlander warband.

I did chose the Ostlanders because when I read their fluff, I got this feeling about them being from Scotland. And I have this thing about Scotland. Maybe it's because my ancestors came from Scotland to Sweden in the early 1600s.

But I really don't like the Mordheim mercenary models. So I looked around a bit, and found the Celtos miniatures, more precise - the Gaels. They were exactly what I was looking for.

So this was my starting warband:

Caitlin (Elder)
Wargear: Bow, knife

Angus (Blood-brother)
Wargear: Spear, knife, helmet

Duncan (Blood-brother)
Wargear: Two-handed sword, knife, helmet

Artair (Priest of Taal)
Wargear: Spear, knife, helmet

The Cousins from Oakwood (Jaegers)
Wargear: Staff sling (counts as bow), knife

The Cousins from Cíuinn Dun (Jaegers)
Wargear: Staff sling (counts as bow), knife




So this was what I started with.

In the campaign we are running, I am facing Undead, Possessed, Tomb Kings and Dwarven Treasure Hunters. So I made a mental note to stay out of close combat.

Our first scenario was Monster Hunt. The Undead team killed the Young Griffon and claimed the treasure. My Cousins managed to do some temporal damage to the Undead, but nothing that took any of them out of action. Other than that I didn't see any action, and therefore managed to stay alive with my entire warband.

In the second scenario we played Treasure Hunt. This time the Undead player couldn't be with us. The Possessed warband routed very early, and my Ostlanders allied with the Dwarves to kill the Tomb Kings. Caitlin and Artair managed to get one Wyrd stone each, and stayed back from the fighting. My cousins, protected by the twins (the Blood-brothers) started to chase down the Tomb Kings who had lost their spell caster. They managed to wound the Tomb Lord twice, and killed all regular skeletons. At least three ricochets were shot during the game.
Caitling, who had watched the fighting from distance, saw that one of the Cousins from Cíuinn Dun really had a talent. So she promoted Étaín to Hero.

Étaín