Attacking the Carcharodons

So, in a group of great painters and modellers, why am I here?

Well, I have a never-really-started army sitting in a crate, and this seems like the perfect driver to get them assembled, painted and on the battlefield! I've spent the last couple of years using Grey Knights and Necrons, and also I've changed how I paint up my armies from using a Dipping technique to waving an airbrush at stuff.

I've done photo-logs of my previous armies;
Tau
Blood Angels
Skaven
Grey Knights
Necrons

...and I'd like to think I've improved, so the new army is planned to be a good, flexible force that looks good on the battlefield, and can be used in a number of ways...so that suggests that a Space Marine force is the way to go.

For my background, I'm diving into the Forgeworld Badab books, and will build up an attack force of Carcharodons Astra/Space Sharks. This means a Space Marines codex list with a reliance on close-quarters fighting. The chapter are known for their older levels of equipment, having been sent out on deep-space patrol not long after the Horus Heresy. To that end I'm going to be making plentiful use of Forgeworld items, with my base-level power armour variant being Mark V Heresy Armour. Carcharodons have a few signature items...lightning claw equipped terminators, more scouts than normal, and usage of drop-pods. I've got several items that were bought but not used for my Blood Angels and Grey Knights, so these items will be inducted into the new force.

What I have already in the crate-o-stuff, or partly assembled is;

• 2 x 10-man Tactical Squads (Mark V Armour, with Sergeants in Mark III)
• 1 x 10-man Assault Squad (Mark V Armour, with Sergeant in Mark III)
• 1 x 10-man Cataphractii Terminators (with weapon options for Lightning Claws, Thunder Hammers and Storm Bolters)
• 1 x 5-man Assault Terminators
• 1 x 5-man Scout Squad (Sniper Rifles)
• 1 x 8-man Scout Bikers
• 2 x Deimos Pattern Rhinos
• 3 x Drop Pods
• 1 x Storm Raven
• 2 x Medics
• 1 x Tyberos the Red Wake (HQ)

I've yet to finalise a colour scheme (I should probably hurry up on that). I'd like to use the Mako Shark as an inspiration, and using an airbrush build up a light-dark blue fade from the feet of the model up. As part of that I also plan to use some sawtooth masks, to give a slightly more aggressive look to it. My first goal will be doing some test models.

I'm also well-known for magnetising my models...I find this is really useful, not just for allowing you to re-equip and swap units around, but also for painting, as you can get arms/backpacks out of the way. I'll do a post and demo on how I go about magnetising Space Marine models, as with the right tools it can be done easily, and is invisible.

First up in January for me will be a Tactical Squad, and a Medic. I want to hold off on doing Tyberos until I have the Cataphractii done, and I also have a couple of other bits of painting to do (namely a campaign map of ~200 Planetary Empire tiles, and a couple of Necron items for an event in April...)

Pete

The stars are right!

Before the sane and sentient beings of the universe formed the chaos gods out of their raw emotions and fears there were things that slid in and out of reality, things that ruled the stars before even the Necrons. And like the Necrons they slept, in the dark spaces between the stars and the gaps in reality. Now, with the final accent of the end the very stars are aligning to awaken the Elder and Outer gods for the last confrontation when all will battle against great Cthulhu and his allies.

So for a long time I've wanted to make a Cthulhu themed army, and have deliberated between army books, and have considered Chaos Daemons with Chaos Space Marine allies or Tyranids. With this challenge on I think I've finally settled on Tyranids, because they're an army I haven't tried before. With the codex having so many monstrous creatures it gives me the opportunity to model all sorts of tentacled nightmares and strange things,

My troops choices will be made up of Mi-Go Gargolyes, Cultist Termagent, Ghoul Hormagents, with Colour Out Of Space ripper swarms and Night Gaunt or Byakee Winged Warriors. Perhaps Hounds Of Tindalos might be Genestealers. Lot's of deep striking Cthonians and winged creatures lesser gods, with lasher tendrils and few shooting attacks will be the order of the day. Shoggoths, Black Goats of Shub Niggurath  can make the Carnifexs and the like. 

I intend to make a lot myself but will try and use some GW bits to vaguely keep it GW legal as well as making sure my models are at least as high as their Tyranid counterparts.

And of course there will be a flying Hive Tyrant from R'lyeh.

Space Marines- FUCK YEAH!!!

Space Marines- FUCK YEAH!

So as with all good ideas the genesis of this idea started a long time ago and has mutated its way into what I'm planning now. The HATE Krew were returning from a jolly successful romp at SVA 11 (my first ever event none the less!) and the conversation turned to the utter pasting that the 'good' team had taken from the villains (which included us). We all agreed to start 'Good' armies and get them ready for the following years SVA, to try to help redress the balance somewhat. Also because some of us had NEVER fought for the Emperor and it was decided that perhaps it was high time we did!

I got to thinking and realised a large part of my desire for what I wanted in a new army was a smaller, more elite force. I'd been playing with hordes of guard (and in the past hordes of Orks) exclusively for ages and wanted an elite army of more individual warriors. I felt an urge for a force of heros, all named, with stories and legends of their own. Basically as small a number of models as possible, so that I could lavish more attention on the modelling and painting and also have an entirely different tabletop experience.

I'd always liked the background and colour scheme of the Imperial Fists and considering they have the strongest backstory for their first company (led by Lysander) I decided to do a Fists First Company army. Mainly terminators, some venerable dreadnoughts and a few veterans. Perhaps working up to some Forgeworld landraiders for transportation. I knew making an army of this nature was possible with the dark angels and space wolves codexes and so started making some models. I made some terminators an some veterans. Got them a nice desert yellow undercoat and played some small games (including 'Blood for the blood god OG, the first ever OG 40k event). Things seemed to be going well but at this point I hit a couple of big problems...

The first issue was a crunch one. I'd never really played against the deathwing list before starting the Fists and when I did so (and read the codex better) I realised that it was a very dull, spammy army, with limited scope. This was annoying. Also, it quickly became clear the 'Loganwing' was inappropriate for a codex chapter like the Imperial Fists.

The second issue came as I dawdled over actually applying paint to toy. I procrastinated with other projects an eventually got fully taken up with getting back into Orks. After some reflection it dawned on me that I had very little experience painting power armour and didn't want to do a sloppy job on my carefully modelled (mainly FW) terminators. I didn't really know where to start. The project was fully shelved (quite literally) and gathered dust in the storeroom at HATE hq as I threw myself into my grimy Orks...

After almost a year of WAAAGHing around the country in a haze of blackened smoke my thoughts turned back to the abandoned Space Marines. With the new Dark Vengeance boxed set, as well as some second hand bits from friends, I had the beginnings of a more generic Space Marine army. And so I decided to start a regular Codex Marine army, in order to give myself some practice modelling and painting Power armoured warriors, in preparation for the coming First Company force.

But how to theme it? I can't just be doing 'a Fists army'. That wouldn't do at all! I got to thinking about what I liked about regular space marine battle companies, second to seventh that is. I liked the idea of the titles of each companies Captain, Master of the Watch, Master of the Arsenal, Master of the Marches etc and the potential special responsibilities and role this would impart upon the company. Far more than just a battle company, there could be specialisation here that allowed for a tactical doctrine unique to each company. I liked the part of the Fists background that related to siege warfare, particularly in their ongoing enmity with the Iron Warriors. And so I've focused on that. Once I'd thought of the title of 'Master of the Breach' there was no going back!

So I've decided that in recent times, although maintaining the broader tactical doctrines of the Codex Astartes, the Fifth Company of the noble Imperial Fists have had their role re-defined as a 'siege breaking' company. Designated to engage where grinding siege stalemates have developed. Not to enter the meat grinder of ongoing siege warfare of course, that is the duty of the legions of the Imperial Guard. But rather to be deployed as a lightning strike. Breaching the enemies defences in a hammer blow, so that the might of the Emperor's armies might flood through that breach and cleanse the enemy!

This has mainly been he personal endeavour of the company's new leader, Captain Darvos Nostromo, Master of the Breach. Who has personally campaigned for a more aggressive tactical approach. A return to the crusading campaigns of old. A great churning explosion of earth heralds the arrival of Termites, taking the fight to the heart of the enemy. As thunderous artillery blasts defences asunder, specially trained combat engineers infiltrate those positions and sabotage vital resources from within...

So I'm quite exited about this army now and the Rising Panic Army Challenge has provided me the perfect platform to get it moving. So what to expect:

A Captain- I've got a great conversion idea for Nostromo

Librarian- got the Dark Vengeance one

Master of the Forge- the siege breakers have much support from the tech marines and armoury.

Termites! Drop pods in fact. Have some nice models from ramshackle to get me started but expect conversions.

Tactical squads- the backbone of any strike force

Combat engineers- need a better name but you get the idea. Going to use scout bits to make some really grizzled, demo charge waving fuckers!

Storms to fly the engineers in.

Ironclad 'siege' dreadnoughts.

Thunderfire cannons

Vindicators

Later some vets seconded from the first company, as my painting starts to get good ;)

Expect lots of demolitions stuff. Melta bombs and grenades, las cutters and siege mantlets. An emphasis on mud, blood and knocking on the door. Hard.

Going to start with a tactical squad (obviously) and probably the librarian for now as I've got him and need to get some practice in before I get to the big boys.

Any ideas or thoughts about em out. Input is always good!

Thanks for reading. More soon...