Imperial Fists Praetor

With the pending release of HH2.0 there is a bit of a stir the 'A Galaxy in Flames' camp. For me its a review and revamp of my HQ at the moment, magnetising arms and adding a little extra flair.

Even though i feel the VIIth legion is not one to embellish themselves in pomp and finery like the Emperors Children or the Blood Angels, I did decide to add  a cloak to my praetor but kept it demure and simple.

I'm hoping that the Imperial fists still have thier character and bonus for fighting in challenges in the new edition, as this captain with his re-rollable invulnerable save due to his shield and Stone Gauntlet Rite of War will be a potent threat to enemy heros.

 

Templar Bretheren

These guys have been through a few incarnations but here is my finally finished Templar squad. I started out using the full templar upgrade kit but soon found i wasn't happy with it. 

The arm poses were very static and even though the torsos were very intricate i felt they didn't portray the feeling for the templars that i thought they should have. I ended up dropping the upgrade kit and only used the helms , right pauldrons and a few of the combat shields. 

Using green stuff i added tabbards and weapons from a grey knight sprue, gave these guys what i think is a much more martial look. 

I don't use these guys very often as i prefer a more numerous, basic infantry flavour to my lists but putting these guys in a land raider and letting them sow havoc on a flank is pleasing to watch. When pitched against the right targets, these guys perform just as exemplary as every bit of their lore describes them as.

 

Marauder Blackshields Pt I

Honour and pride. Honour and pride had filled Artuas' heart the day he had been selected from the mass of noviates stationed in the training camps on Terra, to be elevated to full Astartes. Honour and pride at being chosen to take part in the Great Crusade to bring all the lost worlds of humanity back under the Emperors fold, whilst wearing the colours of the famed Luna Wolves. And when Artuas thought his hearts could not be any more full of pride, the day came when he, and all his Terran brothers were reunited with their genetic father, the primarch Horus Lupercal. 

Not long after, the legion was renamed The Sons of Horus and an influx of cthonian recruits swelled the legions ranks. Victory upon victory was had by the legion until the greatest victory of them all happened. 

Ullanor was finally secured and by the hand of Lupercal and his legion. Artuas could not be any more honoured by the achievements of his primarch and legion as Horus was named Warmaster and give command of the Emperors armies.

Brother Artuas

It wasn't until many years later that Artuas began to notice a change within his beloved legion. A distinct cultural rift could be felt widening between the cthonian and terran legionnaires, which became more pronounced after an operation in the Davin system. The terran brothers were getting less and less and a sense of exclusion was beginning to feel pronounced. Artuas put aside his concerns as petty though, as the great crusade was at its zenith and overshadowed anything so trivial.

Though trivial matters became more of a concern in later years as Artuas noticed the rise of warrior lodges within the legion. He couldn't quite place his finger on it, but a sense of wrongness seemed to hide just under ordered and calm exterior of the legion. Legion practices and protocols were changing ever so subtlety. discipline and respect seemed to be waning and any mention of such occurrences brought scorn and a swift reprimand.

Brother Abbas

It was many months later, as the legion was moving in system in the Istvaan system that Artuas felt something was truly amiss. He could not say what it was this feeling he had, and it angered him as this feeling flew in the face of all the honour and pride he had felt since his induction into his beloved legion, but it filled him with a sense of foreboding that drove him act.

Feigning homage to warrior lodge and secreting an attendance, Artuas's fears were soon realised. A schism had formed within the legion and a "purge" was soon to occur and purify the Sons of Horus.

Gathering the only two remaining terran brothers Artuas knew, Khol and Abbas, the trio bluffed thier way onto a mechanicum service frieghter to work their way towards the outer vessels of the fleet. Once there a warp capable shuttle was stolen and the trio made a run for it.

Brother Khol

With neither truly comprehending the rashness of their decision, or the reason for acting on it, they spent almost 16 months Terran standard, jumping from system to system to reach terra. It was there as they entered Sol system again for the first time in decades that they were not greeted with the majesty of the Throneworld but by a juggernaut of war and fortification. 

The VIIth legion was making its mark upon Sol and upon announcing thier arrival to the system monitors, Artuas and his brothers were quickly boarded and detained. Marked as traitors and held captive within the bowels of the Phalanx, the three legionaries were subjected to many long months of scrutiny and interrogation. Though confessing to abandoning their legion they never renounced their vows to the Emperor, claiming they only wanted to continue the great crusade for his glory.

But there was also another reason. Revenge. Honour and pride had been all but stolen from him and Artuas wanted revenge for the wound he felt to himself and to the Imperium. After being granted clemency, Artuas and his brothers would soon find the chance for revenge along side the warriors of the VIIth legion.

These guys are simply the first three of my blackshields marauder allies for my fists. A feel good hobby project of mine where i just wanted to paint some of the other legions, quickly turned into a fully blown Blackshields ally force. I wanted to model these guys to look like a small pack of fast moving hunters. each has his own weapon and style but together they form a tight pack of efficient killers. 

Raven Guard Volkite Support Squad

Another Squad finished, this time a Volkite support squad.

I'm really pleased with the brass used on the weapons. To my eye it gives them a bit more of a steampunk/grimdark look.

Raven Guard Plasma Support Squad

I am building a small centurion style Raven Guard force and these guys are the first squad completed. 

Different painting style, different basing and a new look from the Fists i usually paint. My first try at glow effects on the plasma coils too.

Imperial Fists Librarian

I have always loved the psyker aspect of GW games. The other worldly space wizard aspect is amazing for creating wonder and horror in a grimdark setting.

Now unfortunately, the VIIth legion did not field its members of the librarius after the edict of Nikea was introduced. They weren't even reintroduced into the rank and file. Instead, Dorn mandated that they should be confined to barracks upon the Phalanx until further notice. Now they weren't imprisoned but they were effectively quarantined. Whether Dorn did this over concerns and mistrust of his gifted sons, or if the primarch could perceive some other purpose for them remains to be fleshed out. Personally i think it was a little of both.

So as i am a super adherent to the fluff, ive not converted a librarian because of this.......but now things have changed. With the timeline creeping closer to the siege of Terra, and a time when all legions used anything they had on hand (including witchy mind bullets) to fight the enemy, i felt a little more at peace with building and using a librarian, mind you only for games set close to the siege of Terra time.

This particular librarian i've converted with the vision of a senior librarian prior to the edict of Nikea being enforced, stripped of position and rank, confined to barracks on the phalanx but then re-instated when everything sideways with Horus's assault on Sol. He has legion command insignia, with Terra unification honours. I modelled him no other weapons other than his force staff to try give the feel his powers are what he has come to rely upon. The pose was intended to not be one indicating direct fighting as i have a preference for the divination powers and i wanted to showing him acting in a support role because of his powers. 

 And the final touch i wanted to portray was the eagle topped staff and book on his waist, little signs of the Lectitio Divinatus creeping into the legions, almost as a direct opposite to the taint of the warrior lodges. Being a Terran born fist i felt he would be more susceptible to the teachings that the Emperor was indeed a god, even though it being contrary to the Imperial Truth.

Back from the depths

Hey guys,

Keepy here back from my visit to the real world. It has been a long time since I have logged on and published something and I had a spare 5mins to update you all on goings on. The blog has been a bit quiet of late mainly due to, as I have eluded to, real world things that have been taking place in the background.

I left the Army managed to get a new job which I really enjoy, it is however contracted to the Australian Defence Force and have spent a bit of time away from home. I now have another daughter, so time at home has been pretty hectic with two young children. The spare time I do have is spent catching up with my wife and relaxing at home. Things have settled down a bit now so I should be able to bang out a couple 30k projects and get some posts up.

As you are all no doubt aware, MKA was here in Australia and ran a course - I learnt an absolute ton, made a heap of new friends and can't wait to practice my new skills - I will do up a post about it shortly.

I also started my own home business, Norseman Hobby Supplies, which focuses on airbrush components and accessories. It is only new and the range is small but I am looking to develop it and hopefully it takes off. Check it out! www.norsemanhobbysupplies.com

So what else has the crew been up to?

Braden (aka Dice Wizard) and I have been planning and preparing for a beginner's airbrush course in Melbourne which entails all the basics of how to use an airbrush, clean it, maintain it and get some good effects out

of it. It starts on the 16th July so we are off shortly to run that, hopefully he does not expose his wizard's sleeve like he did at MKA.

Wadey has been madly painting his EC and now has a Kakophoni army ready to shred all comers with a wall of noise. He is also working on some sweet objective markers that have daemonettes coming out of portals - can't wait to see what they look like!


Spraggy has been slowly adding more to his already large IF force, and has taken to "subcontracting" hobby jobs for a few people, building custom canopies for fliers, assault cannon gauntlets for BA contemptors and working on a heap of terrain. He is also plotting some good themes for a planned AGIF 30k tournament in Townsville later this year - more on that later.

Felix has just had another baby, so I can imagine he will have his hands full! Felix also has a couple of posts in the works and hopefully they will be out soon.

Wiseman has been very busy planning and plotting for his tournament series, Inferno, held in Brisbane. I have seen a couple of pics of his ever evolving DA army, and it looks wicked.

Dedled has a new job down in Victoria and will be taking some leave from the blog to pursue some career goals. We wish you all the best and hope that you come back soon mate!

Buzz has been busy with another bub as well (what is it with us? Something in the water?) but is still making some progress with his DA army. Spraggy joined him for a game a while ago and it was great to see the new legion rules in effect, man those bolter rounds are fierce.

Well that's it from me, just a quick update to say hello and that we are not all dead yet. Keep an eye out for an overdue wrap up from MKA, the airbrush course wrap up and a post about a proposed tourney in Townsville.

See you soon!

Keepy

Rebuilding a Legion - Part 1 "Starting Fresh"

Howdy all, Felix here with a well overdue post. Not only has it been so long since my last post that I've managed to have another child in the meantime, but a bunch of the other AGIF guys have been flat out in hobby Valhalla the past few months flexing some new found hobby prowess that will, hopefully, start interweb beaming into your eye-holes in the comming days and weeks!

To make up for the lack of content specifically delivered by me however, I figured I'd start a Legion Hobby Journal, something that I had been planning to do on AGIF for well over a year now, chronicling the rise of my collection of painted XIII.
Days, weeks and months rolled on, with many a mini painted but not a single post made!

"So, why not just post some pictures now Felix" I hear you ask?
Well, voice inside my head, that's because the 6000-7000pts of Ultramarines I built up over the past two years or so has moved onto a new owner, so there's not much there to take pictures of!

Well, except a parting image I took. "Goodnight, Sweet Prince..."

My motives for selling the army were pretty straight forward. Despite the army looking pretty good on the table, I had the fortune to hit up the MKA class in Sydney, Australia earlier in the year and it made me really feel like I could do so much more than I had achieved already and, rather than strip and repaint, I opted to start from scratch (a decision I've both relished and regretted over the past few months).

VIIth Legion WIP: Breachers Squad II

If you guys have been following the progress of my Imperial Fists, you'll know that i love these guys. Imperial fist breachers are so good to play with on the table, and so much fun to paint and convert.

The difference good terrain makes to your games and why you need it.

Everyone at some stage, most probably a tournament (well at least here in Oz), has played a game on a table that was, well.....lacking. Terrain was sparse or not painted and the general feel of the game was...meh.

Conversely i would like to hope that gamers have at least at some stage played a game on terrain that was sooooo good and realistic that it just drew you into the fiction you were playing there right on the table. This is the reason i so adamantly believe that terrain is one of the most important parts of a 30k game (any minis game really) for those who are hobby enthusiasts. Not so much for those who play WAAC or the tournament scene as they play predominately strategy and not so much tactics and tactics can be driven very heavily by terrain.

So before this devolves into a rant....let me tell you why i think good terrain is so important.

32mm bases are the ticket...

So i've recently acquired a batch of 32mm bases and have started the process of swapping my 30k stone men over to them. I am more than happy as they have allowed me to really to enhance the theme of the army with extra detail on the bases. 

Collapsed walls, razor wire, reo bars and blown out retaining walls gives these mins the realm look of trudging through shattered concrete defences.

Veteran Tactical Squad

So I've changed tactics and gone for the approach of putting AAALLLLL my 30k stuff together first then painting them rather than assembling and painting a unit at a time. Partly because it means i can put more stuff on the table (though unpainted ....tsk tsk) and partly because i just get an overflow of cool ideas for other units that i just have to make happen.

One of those cool ideas was for a Veteran Tactical squad. Since Imperial Fists are supposed to be so awesome at their bolter skills i took that idea to the next level with the veterans. These guys are armed purely with their bolters and two heavy bolters with suspensor webs. The sergeant of course
has his power fist as by virtue of his rank, but these guys are all about the bolter.





The Veteran special ability i chose was sniper of course. Making these guys hit on 2+, with precise shot, wounding on no less than 4+, with AP2 on 6+ to wound. Makes these guys potentially nasty against a vast range of enemies. On lucky rolls they can end a small power armoured, cripple heavy infantry like terminators or battle automata.......even a primarch.



To give them a little veteran flavour, I've modified the bolters to look more speccy. bigger clips, scopes, targeters and shoulder straps. A few have even got bionic limb replacements to represent these guys have certainly been through the ringer and come out the other side tougher. Kinda keen to get these guys painted and finished soon so hopefully i'll have some finished pics soon.

VIIth Legion WIP: Sigismund

1st Captain of the Seventh Legion.

I love this guy!

....and he owns anything on the table with two legs and a heart beat short of a primarch. 

Cool Stuff on Tanks.

Hi guys, Not a big thing to add today. I've been looking back over my tanks as I've been waiting between paint stages on other stuff and been thinking how much more "real life" kit vehicles of the legions would have on them. I'm pretty with legions being a larger and more supported war machine that such things like crew baggage and such would be less, though not totally absent.....but i got to thinking about other little details i could add aside from weathering that might add to the realness of tanks. Comms relays and aerials is one of the first that springs to my mind so i knocked up a few comms aerials to add to my vehicles. I magnetised them too to make transport simple and reduce the risk of snapping (even though they are made of flexi plastic)

What are some other "real life" details you'd expect to see on legion vehicles?

Test templar WiP

Test Templar

Just finished....i think, the first of my templar brethren. Just learnt black is not such a simple colour to work with and make look right. I went with the metallic detail and laurel wreaths instead of the FW typical lacquered green as i wanted a metal armoured look and the less pastel colours the better i thought. used a heap of gear from other kits to add to the standard templar kit to make them look a little more choppy and dynamic, adding in a few two handed poses, with riposte and parries. Trying to make them look more martial rather than just fancy kits with arms and weapons out at silly positions.

The new 32mm bases allow me to go to town in terms of extra detail. I made up some barbed wire and scattered spent shells plus a little blood splatter over the barbed wire. That idea came from my Iron Warrior playing girlfriend.

Ancients of the Legions: Dreadnoughts in 30k

Dreadnoughts in the Legions

Pretty much every 30k (and 40k) gamer loves the story, look and effectiveness of marine dreadnoughts on the the table. These machines boast an exceptional stat line and can pack a vast array of potent weaponry making them a potential game changer when used in the right way. I'm going to give my views and experiences on some of the best ways to utilise and deploy your dreadnoughts in 30k

The Dice Wizard looks at AK Interactive Products Part 1

Hello Dice Wizard, 

VIIth Legion WIP: Castraferrum Dreadnought

Ancient of the 32nd Assault Chapter

I am happily churning out units for my legion and this guy is the latest. He is the first of a talon of three Castraferrum dreadnoughts i am doing with the aim of magnetising and converting one of them to sub as a Mortis if need be. Below is the first of the talon, bearing a plasma cannon and power claw. This guy will ideally be trudging along with a breacher unit to give a little threatening cover fire and assault assistance. 

Alpharius.....or maybe Omegon? But probably just a regular marine. Very pic heavy

G'day all,

It's been awhile since my last post so I decided to do up my version of Alpharius and whack him into a series of WIP.

I'm reading the Legion novel at the moment(slowly) and love the idea that Alpharius could be any one of the marines, changing his name and identity at will.  So I decided to convert him as just that, a 'regular' marine armed like any one of his comrades.  I used the two following pictures as my main inspiration for the conversion.  A quick disclaimer, I'm using these pictures in good will, and with no ulterior motive.

The first pic has fairly standard power armour, but is clearly an important fella, and the second one I like because of the flowing cape around him something I tried to emulate.

So to start with the materials I used are:

- A FW AL torso
- A FW AL head
- A set of Tartaros termi legs
- A left and right arm from the termi set along with left and right hands to go with them
- A left and right arm from the mk3 power armour set
- A bolter (Phobos I think)
- Greenstuff
- Sculpting tools (clay shapers, scalpel, pin)
- a junior hacksaw
- a little bit of 2mm plasticard

We'll start off with the legs.  I sawed them off at the hip (as per my earlier tutorial on mk6 marines) and then pinned them back on reducing the cowboy like stance a little and adding about 2mm extra height to the upper thigh while I was at it.  I made sure the stance was how I wanted it and started to greenstuff.  The purpose of the greenstuff on this part of the leg was to heavily bulk out the thighs, which on humans are naturally a lot larger than the calves, something that's a little lost in translation on space marines (not the only anatomical anomaly).  The end result is quite a change from normal marine legs:

But it's grown on me and I like the bulkiness of them.  As you can see I also added a belt buckle and inserted a pin into the legs for the torso to attach to.

I then took a torso and cut it in half with the hacksaw, gluing a small 2mm spacer in between, making sure the front and back lined up before the glue dried:

I attached the torso like this to the pin on the legs and made sure to leave a few mils of space between the two:

I used a bit of greenstuff as gap filler, ensuring that it didn't protrude out past the body and let it dry to add a bit of structural support before I started the actual putty work.






Greenstuff was then used to add a bit more size to certain part of the armour that needed to enlrged to meet the new scale of the model.

The ribcage:

And the waist, a little bit of detail can be seen here, I didn't go overboard though, it'll all get covered up soon:

His arms are made from the upper section of mk3 and the forearm of tartaros joined at the elbow, a fairly easy changeover that allowed the 2 handed bolter hold utlising the angle of the mk3 arms:

As you can see the skinniness of the mk3 is covered up by the shoulder pads, making a nice natural pose:

His backpack is a combination of the mk3 chassis with mk4 vents, I love the mk3 backpack but wanted him to have newer equipment so went with the new vents.  The pack on the left is the finished product:

His cape would be covering his arms partially so I had to glue them in place before continuing.  I also attached the backpack.  I wanted the cape to be a ragged one like in the source pic above so wasn't worried about keeping the putty smooth and consistent.  I wet my fingers well (to stop the putty sticking to them) and took small balls of putty flattening them out between my fingers and pulling them into position on the mini.  The cloak is meant to look like its blowing in the wind so I pulled the sheets of greenstuff out to the right a little.  I also lapped the left hand side of the cloak around the front of him to create the wind effect.  At this stage the cloak looks a little rough on the back but I fix it up later.  After leaving it to dry for 20 minutes or so I took a pin and teased out a few edges on the cloak to make it look torn..

The next day after the putty has completely cured I added some waves in the cloak.  I took sausages of putty and using photos of how material flows I laid the sausages on and smoothed them into the cloak with the clay shapers.

It took a little bit of trial and error but I eventually got a look I was happy with.

Finally I added some brand new fingers holding the bolter and gap filled any spaces left behind at joints like the wrists and shoulders

And there we have it my interpretation of Alpharius, father of all marines, for we are everywhere.  I think he looks important while still maintaining that ambiguity of the XXth.

A scale shot:

And a little action shot:

Thanks for reading.

HYDRA DOMINATUS

-Ded