Lore of the Guardians of the Covenant: The Lelith Incursion. Part I

The Lelith Incursion

Part 1

 

One of the most famous battles the Space Marines of the Guardians of the Covenant have fought, the Lelith Incursion was also one of the must brutal, grinding the chapter down to almost two thirds of its strength, costing the lives of many Battle-Brothers. The campaign began with a cry for help from the distant world of Chordis, a planet colonised during a crusade, several centuries ago. All this reached the ears of Inquisitor Volkov, who requested an audience with Lord Guardian Solaceon. His plea was that the Chapter sent its full strength against this alien threat. Volkov, being a Psyker, had long felt a shadow approaching through his witchsight. He felt the threat was so dire, that the entire Chapter needed to rush forth to meet this threat.
With just the formal request for aid from Chordis, Solaceon and his Council of Angels found no reason to march the entirety of the Chapter to war. Something that had not been done since the Second Battle of Mortikah, several thousand years ago. And thus, not the Chapter, but a strike force comprising of elements of several squads from different companies led by Chaplain Olmas, the acting Force Commander, got seconded to the Ordo Xenos and in the ancient strike cruiser In Crimson Clad the expedition went forth to meet the Xenos threat.

The veterans of the Lelith Incursion can well remember these vile Xenos. They describe black and grey beings, clawed and fanged with red eyes. The Lelith were said to move with the shadows itself, utterly deadly and highly psychic. And there were so many. A seemingly sophisticated society with primitive but efficient ships of their own, the Lelith came forth from the uncharted regions of the Halo Stars in vast numbers. No one but the Adeptus Astartes could have met such a threat and hope to be the victor. Though the price would be high indeed.
Chaplain Olmas led the strike force valiantly, gaining a firm foothold on the surface of Chordis, digging themselves in. There was no resistance. Until night fell.
Brother Thetys was the first to fall. Out of thin air they came, clawing their way through sacred Power Armour as if it were wax. The onslaught was bloody and brutal. Within minutes, over a tenth of the strike force's strength had been sapped. The casualties on the side of the foe were even bigger. Between the gunmetal corpses, white armoured apothecaries waded through scythed and clawed Xenos bodies to reap the Chapter's Due.

Chaplain Olmas was quick to adapt to the Xenos' style of warfare, the Guardians of the Covenant having fought against countless alien races. He distributed the strike force's strength between concentrations of the enemy, his Battle-Brothers being supported by swift attack craft such as Land Speeders and Astartes Bikes. The weeks that followed were dangerous and lethal. Each force testing each other's strengths and weaknesses. It was a war of attrition. A brutal stalemate into which many bodies fair and foul were ground to a bloody pulp. Casualties on both sides were staggering, but the sheer overwhelming firepower combined with the stubbornness of the Crimson Brothers made sure they were slowly winning.
The world of Chordis got turned into a charred husk. There had been no trace of its inhabitants to begin with, but following the war, even the last traces of Imperial civilisation had been all but gone.
As Chaplain Olmas thought the battle done; the last of the Lelith had been put to the sword, he received word from the strike cruiser In Crimson Clad. Strange alien vessels were bleeding from the warp. Within moments, the sky of Chordis turned purple and strange semi-organic drop ships fell from the atmosphere, impacting upon the surface shortly after.
Chaplain Olmas suddenly understood that the fierce war on Chordis, that had cost the lives of so many of his brothers had been a mere test. Seeing no chance to return to the strike cruiser, he decided have the remnant of the strike force dug in, while the cruiser sent a a desperate plea for help.

It was well over a month later when the astropathic choir of the Spire received the distress call. Upon hearing it, Lord Guardian Solaceon gathered the entirety of the Chapter and gave the now famous speech of deliverance. In his mind it was clear. The threat was dire, and an entire sub-sector was threatened. No longer would the Guardians of the Covenant send a strike force or a company.
The entirety of the Chapter would answer the call to war.

To be continued

A Thousand Points of Warfare: The Pictures

Last Friday night I had an awesome battle with two young lads, Melih and Rowan. Though their 1500pt list (we upscaled it a bit) was filled with some cheese (*cough* the Stormlord *cough*) and I got utterly wiped from the table, I still had a lot of fun. On my insistence, we filled the table with all sorts of terrain. The more terrain, the better.
I fielded two tactical squads, one with Ezekyle attached, the other in a rhino. A Mortis-Contemptor, a Company Master with a versatile Veterans squad, scouts and finally a rifleman dreadnought.
That against the shootiest and killiest army out there and two young rules lawyers which left no stone unturned.
All in all, though facing defeat, I had a blast.

Setting up the table.

The final set up of the battelfield.

Nightfighting. (The flash!)

This time without a flash. The scouts got wiped in two shots..

Some unpainted, but nevertheless deadly.

The Guardians march.

The Command squad in the trench.

Hunter squad. Killed with one volley of Battlesuit fire.

Into the fray!

Overview of the trenches.

The foe approaches!

Close combat!

Birds eye view.

Challenge! (Which I lost..)

Lore of the Guardians of the Covenant: Mortikah

Mortikah

Mortikah VII as seen from its sister planet

Mortikah VII

The primary planet located in the green zone of its star Mortikah Prime is Mortikah VII. It is a world of many mountains and vales. With soaring snowy peaks and lush and verdant valleys in between. It is a world where grassy plains meet endless mountains and oceans clash with ancient volcanoes. But despite all this, it is a scarred world as well. War has been to Mortikah several times during its history and though the planet is recovering, it is doing so slowly. Unnatural canyons formed by planet killers and the ruins and volcanic rock formed long ago by chasms in the planet's crust are grim reminders of the ancient but terrible wars. Nevertheless, Mortikah is a majestic world reminiscent of Old Earth.
In its valleys are the cities and townships and near the rivers and seas are its ports. All but the Adeptus Astartes of the Guardians of the Covenant have forgotten about the wars. It is they who remain ever vigilant, for the threat of the vile alien is never far away.

 

Golgotha
 

The sprawling metropolis that is Golgotha is the official capital of Mortikah VII. To imagine Golgotha, one must envision a baroque city with lots of neogothic architecture, brass piping and narrow streets. To live in Golgotha is to live in a classic Imperial City, a meritocracy where the Astartes serve as overseers of the ruling class; an elite of educated men and women from all strata of society.
Golgotha is named after the first Lord Guardian of the Chapter, the Chapter Master at the time when Mortikah VII was first colonised. For his epic deeds and achievements in several early Halo Crusades, he was deemed saintly by the Ecclessiarchy. In one of the many green valleys of Mortikah VII, a small shrine was erected. It was only after thousands of pilgrims flocked to the shrine that the city of Golgotha was slowly formed. In place of the shrine, there stands a baroque Cathedral so vast, only the spires of the Guardians' Fortress-Monastery rise higher.

Golgotha - Old Quarter

Sparta

Like its namesake in the old Grecan legends of Old Earth, Sparta is first and foremost a martial city. It is this city where the biggest garrisons of the Spireguard are housed and Sparta is the global training centre for the thusly named planetary defence force. It is a city of plain architecture and buildings wrought from red stone and grim neccesity. Here the young men from all over the globe gather to train in the aspects of war. The more martially orientated Astartes stay here in a large Monastery-Outpost, overlooking the training and scouting for possible recruits, for the Chapter is ever in high demand.

 

Lucianport

The city of Lucianport was the place where Lord Guardian Lucian, a Grand Master of the Guardians of the Covenant of old, set out on an eventually doomed crusade into the Halo Stars, taking two whole companies with him, their strike cruisers swallowed by a volatile warp storm never to be heard from again. Despite all this, Lucian was deemed a hero, and the city grew into a metropolis of trade, located along the coastline and thus boasting both a sea- and a spaceport.

 

The Spire

The Guardians of the Covenant built their Fortress-Monastery on top of the world. It is located amonst some of the tallest peaks the mountain-rich planet has to offer. The air in and around these mountains is so poor in oxygen, that only someone with the enhanced physiology of a Space Marine could hope to survive there for long periods of time. With this the Astartes made sure the Spire is inaccessible to most. If not the locale of the vast construction would stop someone from travelling there, the thin air would prevent one from staying long.
To envision the Spire is to imagine a enormous cathedral with vast spires soaring up to the sun, adorned with gargoyles and belltowers, statues of heroes, Primarchs and the Emperor of Man depicted in numerous stained glass windows. At first glance, the Spire looks more like a lavishly adorned place of worship, but alongside the towers and halls, missile silo's, hidden gun turrets and other heavy weaponry point upwards at the clear sky, ever vigilant for whatever horrors may arrive from the uncharted worlds of the Halo Zone.
The inside of the Spire houses all the conventional things one might find in a Fortress-Monastery of the Space Marines, were one so lucky to set foot in one, let alone two to compare both. Aside of this all, the things that make the Spire truly unique are its vast Librariums and stacks of knowledge, both leather-bound parchment and digital and its galleries of exquisite artwork from all over the Imperium. It is said that the Spire was built not just to house its Astartes, but to guard this vast font of knowledge above all things.

Mortikah V

The fifth planet in the Mortikah system is the sister planet to Mortikah VII, it is a lifeless grey rock where life has never sprung from the earth. Though where it is poor in terms of life, it is ever so abundant in rich and rare minerals. It is for this primary reason that the Adeptus Mechanicus has built its outpost here in the form of vast forges and an ever growing mining operation.  It is from the bowels of Mortikah V that the iconic Mortikan ore is mined. The ore is made into steel, iron and gunmetal and used in a wide variety of objects. From the holy bolters the brothers of the Guardians of the Covenant carry, to the lasguns of the Spireguard and even the piping in the city sewerage. The dark copper coloured Mortikan Ore is as abundant in Mortikan society as the Chapter itself.

 

Heaven Forge

The primary forge of Mortikah VII is Heaven Forge. It is here where the war machines and materiél of the Chapter is made and maintained. Being a remote Chapter located on the rim of the Imperium and the galaxy at large, it is important to be self sufficient and supplies are ever in high demand. The strong bond between the Red Priests of Mars and the Guardians of the Covenant has made this possible. Many an adept has helped leading a crusade into the uknown, for riches and spoils will be waiting for those who dare venture into the dark.
Heaven Forge is backed by the rich minerals and ores that Mortikah V bears. Aside of aiding the Chapter, the Adeptus Mechanicus has its own agenda as well, and Heaven Forge is a big part of it.

Guardians of the Covenant Fellblade Superheavy Tank - Part V: The First Layer

Hey folks,
It was about time I started painting the Fellblade. The task of starting to paint a model and deciding what colour goes where is a daunting and intimidating task. It was for this reason that this beauty of tank lay waiting in the yellow storage box since the 20th of August. But today, after my lovely girlfriend told me to just paint it and stop fussing about it so much, I started painting the first layer.

The first layer is always the most special one. It alone gives me an idea of how the model will look when finished and it motivates me to continue painting. As you can see, it still looks like babby's first warhams-model. But it's only the first layer. Those who have seen, say, the Storm Eagle will know that there will still be lots of work in a large model such as this. The Fellblade will be subjected to several more layers, washing, drybrushing, highlighting and weathering before the painting is finished. And finally as a finishing touch, I will be using the decals I've printed myself, which were featured in a post some months ago. But, each journey begins with the first few steps, and this is a giant leap towards completion.


- Revan88

Colours used: - Mechrite Red foundation paint, Boltgun Metal, Tin Bitz.

Lore of the Guardians of the Covenant: The Chapter and the Imperium

The Chapter's Relations with the Imperium

Adeptus Mechanicus
 

The Guardians of the Covenant have indeed very favourable relations with the Priests of Mars. The simple fact that the Mechanicum and the Guardians of Mortikah have in common that they gather and catalogue a vast wealth of information is not the only cause of this. It happened that while crusading in the Halo Stars, a Grand Master of old unearthed several intact fragments of a Standard Template Construct and granted this boon of Old Night to the Adeptus Mechanicus. The favourable relations between both faction, which were already existent, would be forged in steel and gold henceforth. Over the centuries, the Priesthood of Mars gifted the Chapter many ancient relics of ages past, such as several Contemptor Dreadnoughts from the time when the Emperor walked amongst men and even two mighty Fellblades, which they uncovered from an ancient weapons cache.

Currently, the Adeptus Mechanicus has a firm presence in the Mortikah system, occupying the Mortikah V, a barren, lifeless planet which holds vast amounts of Mortikan Ore, which is mainly used to create weapons which have a distinctly coppery colour despite being regular gunmetal. Mortikah V is a small planet, but has vast manufactorii and forges for its size.

 

Adeptus Astartes

As would be expected of one of the Unforgiven, the Guardians of the Covenant have good relations with their Primogenitor, the Dark Angels and the other Unforgiven chapters, but because of their remote location and passive role in hunting the Fallen, they aren't privy anymore to many of the Inner Circle's secrets and dealings.
The relations with other Chapters differ from friendly, to little more than neutral at best. Many of the Chapter's dealings and rites are frowned upon by the more martial Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes. Since a Guardian of the Covenant is unique in dedicating equal time to scholarly arts as to the ways of war, some Chapters may think of the Guardians as a lesser Chapter, not matching their own prowess in battle, though nothing could be further from the truth. Those who have fought alongside the in crimson clad brothers know better, they laud the way the Guardians of the Covenant do battle; studying their foes extensively and using minds as keen as a blade to analyse and construct a fitting plan of battle.


The Inquisition

The Holy Ordos of the Emperor's Inquisition has relatively favourable ties with the Guardians of the Covenant. None more than the Ordo Xenos. The Alienhunters have worked together with the Sons of Mortikah for thousands of years. This made sure both the Chapter and the Ordo Xenos have bonds forged in fire over the course of millennia. This relationship has clear reasons: the Guardians of the Covenant have extensive knowledge and have purged and catalogued thousands of Xenos and they are situated on the galactic rim near the Halo Stars, an uncharted region where many dangers lurk.
Over the centuries, the presence of the Inquisition has gained a firm foothold on Mortikan soil. First and foremost the Ordo Xenos has a presence in Golgotha, the Mortikan capitol under leadership of Inquisitor Basel Volkov and Watch Commander Crixus of the Deathwatch.
Secondly, the Witchhunters of the Ordo Hereticus have had a small presence as well, but the Inquisitor leading the coven has disappeared when leading a crusade into the Halo Stars. A small detachment of the Adepta Sororitas remains in the Cathedral of the Saviour Emperor in Golgotha.


Imperial Guard

Throughout their history, the Guardians of the Covenant has given shelter and supplies to Imperial Guard regiments heading into the Halo Stars. From weaponry to men-at-arms. Mortikans have supplied the armies of the Emperor with fresh sons and daughters to serve faithfully in one of the many regiments of the Imperial Guard.
It was only natural that after Mortikah got attacked by the insidious Eldar, the population founded a planetary defence force. This force, named the Spireguard after the Guardians' Fortress-Monastery, specialises in peacekeeping, policing and the defence of the Mortikah System when the Guardians of the Covenant are away from their planet. The Spireguard are equipped as regular guardsmen, wearing long crimson greatcoats with an ivory single sword emblem to set them apart from the crossed swords of their Astartes brethren. Armed with lasguns and combat knives and well disciplined, any invader would have trouble besting these brave soldiers defending their homes.

Future Ideas: Custom Sammael, Predator Assassin Squadron

Predator Assassin Squadron

Recently, i've been musing about some really, really cool ideas for my Guardians of the Covenant Apocalypse army.
Slowly but surely, I've been building towards an Predator Assassin Squadron. With the first lascannon Predator already done and a second one in black basecoat, I'm now turning my eyes towards a third one.
The third predator will be the Squadron's leader. So it has to be special.
Let's look at the specials:

1. I can choose for a Predator MkIVC. With it's reinforced symmetric turret and custom lascannon-sponsons, it's a pretty thing for one's eyes. If you can spot the differences that is.

2. I could also choose for a Deimos Predator. With it's dome turret and archaic looks it would stand out more than the MkIVC. There is one "but". The Deimos Predators aren't made to fit Forge World's dozer blades. And a big feature of the Assassin Squadron is that I want to oufit them all with dozer blades.

3. Thirdly, I could just go for a regular Predator as well and give it lots of extra gubbinz. I've still got a spare Baal Predator front plate and other shenanigans. Maybe I could outfit it with a reinforced hull from FW?

So, there's some choices. And boy, how I am *NOT* good with choices.

 

Custom Sammael on Jetbike

On the other hand, another great conversion project has been bubbling from my mind for quite some months now. Ever since the Scimitar jetbike got released, I've been thinking of buying one and converting it my custom Sammael.
I know some people don't like the Scimitar and think of it as very "phallic" in nature. Hence being called the dickbike lovingly. But I quite like it.
I have some spare robed Ravenwing legs and torsos lying in my bitz and I was thinking of using the head from the Dark Vengeance Company Master. I know some would call be mad and point at GW's Sammael and how majestic it looks with the aquila on front and all that robed goodness. But naw. That's Sammael, and I don't want my Guardians of the Covenant to be simple "Dark Angels in a different colour scheme".
In my Lore-post, I've already come up with a name for this noble warrior and his metal steed: Grand Master Drachyon and his jetbike Mercurion

Lore of the Guardians of the Covenant: Chapter Organisation

Index of the companies of the Guardians of the Covenant and their Masters.

1st Company – Convenio Mentoris “Gathering of Teachers”

The First Company is known as the Covenio Mentoris, its members are called Mentors. It is their task to instruct the neophytes and brothers of the Chapter. Their wisdom is vast and they are each warriors without peer. Traditionally, they are clad in Terminator armour, and like their predecessors, the Deathwing, they operate in elite squads with unique equipment. Even within the elite of the Chapter, there is a core of warriors of even greater prowess and renown. These are the Knights of the Covenant; ancient and wise warriors, carrying arcane relics into battle. The Knights of the Covenant are led by Grand Master Trayarch, the Master of the First Company.


2nd Company – Convenio Venator “Gathering of Hunters”

The Second Company, known as the Convenio Venator, the Gathering of Hunters. This Convenio is an offshoot of the Ravenwing and originally served the same purpose as their primogenitors: the hunt for the Fallen. Over the centuries, the Gathering's paradigm has shifted from hunting the Fallen to becoming a highly mobile surgical strike force. The Convenio specialises in bikes and Land Speeders, the latter of which they can field entire squadrons. The Second Company has an elite core of veterans as well. These are called the Black Knights, similar to their Ravenwing counterparts. The Black Knights wear jet black suits of archaic power armour under their flowing crimson robes and it is their task to hit the enemy where the fighting is fiercest. The Convenio is led by Grand Master Drachyon, who rides into battle Mercurion, an ancient Scimitar-pattern jetbike.


3rd Company – Convenio Tutores “Gathering of Guardians”

The Third Company, the lauded Convenio Tutores or Gathering of Guardians, is the most renowned of the battle companies. It is they who are on the forefront of the many battles the Guardians of the Covenant are involved in, and they serve as the solid backbone of the fighting strength of the Chapter. The history of the Convenio Tutores is a long and glorious one and they are the exemplars of how the Imperium and the Mortikans view the Brothers of the Chapter. The Gathering of Guardians is led by Master Isolder.

 

4th Company – Convenio Fides “Gathering of Faith”

The Fourth Company, also named the Convenio Fides or Gathering of Faith are the second battle company of the Chapter. They too are part of the backbone on which the Chapter relies. The Convenio Fides has earned renown when the full Company deployed en masse during the Lelith Incursion, where the company, despite heavy losses, was able to hold the line against the shapeshifting ultra-violent tide of Xenos known as the Lelith. The name of the Convenio has its origins in the Reclusiam; it was from this Convenio that the Chaplaincy traditionally recruited its members. The Company is led by Master Tarvanix.

5th Company – Convenio Pares “Gathering of Equals”

The Fifth Company of the Guardians of the Covenant is traditionally the company in which Battle-Brothers first come together as Tactical Marines, hence the name Convenio Pares or Gathering of Equals. In this company a Brother will be first put to the test to utilise all his skills, whether it be assault, devastator or tactical duty. The company rarely deploys in full strength, but instead sends of one or more squads as part of a multi-disciplined strike force led by a Force Commander. The Company is led by Master Zahariel.

6th Company – Convenio Armatura “Gathering of Armour”

The Sixth Company is a deviation from the Codex Astartes as laid down by the Primarch Roboute Guilliman. It is the Sixth Company that mans most of the vehicles in the armory of the Chapter. The Convenio Armatura, or Gathering of Armour holds over a hundred Predator Tanks, Rhinos, Razorbacks, Vindicators, Whirlwinds and Thunderhawks, and many relics such as Deimos Predators, Storm Eagles and even an indomitable Fellblade. The Convenio has a large number of Techmarines which are tasked to maintain the vehicles and dreadnoughts in the armoury. The Company is traditionally led by the Master of the Forge,  Luthenas Vairez.


7th Company – Convenio Animus “Gathering of Courage”

The Seventh Company, named the Convenio Animus in High Gothic, or come commonly, the Gathering of Courage is a dedicated Devastator Company. After a set period in the Convenio Robus, a Battle-Brother will be transferred to the Convenio Animus to be well versed in the arts of long range warfare. It is these brothers who wield the heaviest weapons the Chapter has to offer. Seldom do they deploy as a Company, rather, like their brothers from the Eighth Company, they get assigned to Force Commanders to fulfil a specific role, often that of heavy fire support or tank hunters. The Gathering of Courage is led  by Master Monternus.

8th Company – Convenio Robus “Gathering of Strength”

The Eighth Company is the dedicated Assault Company. They are known as the Convenio Robus, the Gathering of Strength. It is in this company that a Battle-Brother gets tutored in the fine arts of close combat by the Company's veteran Astartes, after serving time in the Convenio Consilium. This Convenio is typically divided into ten squads of ten Brothers each, and rarely fights as one. Instead, the brothers within this Convenio are assigned as Assault Squads to other Companies or under the command of a Force Commander. The Company is led by Master Iactohin.


9th Company – Convenio Consilium “Gathering of Wisdom”

The Ninth Company, also known as the Convenio Consilium, or Gathering of Wisdom is the Company where a Scout that has passed the Practicum will learn how to fully use and utilise his Power Armour. It is effectively a Reserve Company and a place of learning for Battle-Brothers freshly donning their suits of armour. It is in this Company that those who have not already completed their Theoreticum, will do so. Hence the name the Convenio carries. If the Convenio Discipuli instructs a neophyte on how to be a warrior proper, it is the Convenio Consilium that teaches one to be a Space Marine. The Company is led by Master Bentagal.

 

10th Company – Convenio Discipuli “Gathering of Students”

It is in this very Company that a neophyte will be able to test his mettle against many threats as a Space Marine Scout. Here he will learn what it is to be part of an Astartes fighting force. Be it as stealthy commandos or front line troops. A member of the Tenth Company, the Convenio Discipuli or Gathering of Students will be subjected to a myriad of tests and courses to prepare himself to become a Battle-Brother of the Chapter. As a part of this Company, a Neophyte will be tasked to add a single piece of knowledge or art to the Great Library of the Spire, proving himself a graduate of the Theoreticum as well as the Practicum; earning him the Crimson Robes as well as the iconic gunmetal grey Power Armour. The Company is led by the Master of Recruits, Crastor Vaharix.

The Circle of Sages - Covenio Arcanum "Gathering of Secrets"

While not Chapter Company, the Convenio Arcanum, or Circle of Sages in Low Gothtic, takes an important place within the Chapter. It is effectively the Inner Circle of the Guardians of the Covenant. Where being a member of the Inner Circle originally meant being privy to the most dire of Chapter secrets, the Convenio Arcanum deviated from its primogentor over the centuries. Only the most wise and most celebrated Guardians are asked to join the Circle of Sages. As such, it is comprised mostly of veteran Astartes. There are a few exceptions however. Some Battle-Brothers have joined the Circle after adding an invaluable item to the Librarius of the Spire, or some have shown exceptional bravery in the tide of battle.
The Convenio Arcanum is led by the Supreme Grand Master, Xandor Solaceon.

 

Guardians of the Covenant Fellblade Superheavy Tank - Part IV: Basecoating

Hey folks,
Today I finally finished constructing the Fellblade. Yes, even the gun sponsons and the cables finally fit together after an "elegan/tg/entleman" on a well known imageboard showed me the way. The basecoat -Citadel Chaos black spray paint- did its job well as you can see. I think the whole tank has used a staggering 2/3 of the entire can before I was satisfied and little to no resin was showing.
Aside of the Fellblade, a third kitbashed predator got a basecoat and as you can see, Belial with a thunder hammer and storm shield got a lick of black as well.

Now the painting can commence. Those who are familiar with my work know that I paint all my stuff by hand, with a pencil! I already thought that my Storm Eagle was too much surface work with a pencil, I can only imagine what effort I need to put into this beast and how much Boltgun Metal and (my last) Badab Black it will consume. Nevertheless, seeing it all black has stirred something in my heart and I have to admit, I'm still in love with the thing.
Anyway, enough ranting. See for yourself!

Guardians of the Covenant Fellblade Superheavy Tank - Part III: Obstacles on the road to completion

What can I say?
It's a beast, this tank. The sheer size of it becomes clear when a "tiny" rhino is placed next to it. And yes I know, it's my Damocles Rhino which still isn't finished (I mean to finish it today! I truly do!). So far, I've not found any more obstacles on the road to completion.
None save one...
There are power cables/couplings on the quad lascannons sponsors and I haven't the slightest clue as to where to connect those power cables! The instructions are vague and the images even more so. Add to that, the pictures of constructed fellblades don't show the right angle! Frustration!

As you can see, (and I say it again) this tank is a beast. Especially when compared to the *cute* Rhino.
My Guardians army has the tendency to be far from photogenic. Whenever I use a flash (as seen in the picture below), my paintjobs look horrible and the dark metal looks a tad too dark. Just look at the pictures taken in broad daylight and those few taken with a flash and you know what I mean.

All in all, tonight is my FLGS Warhammer Night, and I plan to show off my Fellblade and work on my Damocles Rhino. Perhaps even a battle using one of my lists in the Thousand Points of Warfare posts.

Avé

HUEG

The turret dome is as big as the Rhino!

Guardians of the Covenant Fellblade Superheavy Tank - Part II: Construction.

Hey folks,

Well here she is so far. My Fellblade, which I will name "The Last Guardian" once she is done. And oh my, she's a fat lady. Yeah it's a she and, referring to my previous post, I'm still in love with her.

So far, it's been relatively easy to build aside from the regular "resin-hassle" of large Forge World kits. But it is nowhere near as frustrating as the Storm Eagle, which was a horrendous task to build. All in all, it uses very little plastic. Only the bottom plate and the inner sides of the tank are plastic. All in all, it fits relatively well together without too much use of a hairdryer or warm water. The tracks however are a frustrating fit, and the building instructions as vague as ever.

I don't plan on using the two MkII Legionaries that came with the kit. It's not a Legion tank after all. In their stead, I will use robed Guardians sticking out of the hatches like I did with my Laspredator.
All that remains now are the rhino-hatches on the side and of course the quad lascannons/laser destroyers.

Guardians of the Covenant Fellblade Superheavy Tank - Part I: Unboxing

Hey folks,

It's been quite a while since I last posted. And I have to admit, my Damocles Rhino isn't finished yet. I blame it all on the summer. It's hot here in the Netherlands. Couple that with lots of hours on spent working and what's left of the time needing to be spent with the lady, that's not much time left for the hobby. Oh, how I long for cooler days.

Anyway. As you've already seen in the title, I've started work on a very special project. Ever since it came out last year, love bloomed between me and the Fellblade. It's an expensive thing, I know, but a little savings go a long way. It went from romantic dream to a certainty when I read the index of Forge World's upcoming Imperial Armour: Apocalypse. It has RULES for the Fellblade for uses in 40k Apocalypse matches. Aw yiss!

When I read it, I just knew I had to buy one. And so I did. The friendly neighbourhood UPS-man made my day today when he stopped by with a huge box.

The first thing about this kit, it's massive. And when I mean massive, I mean truly, vastly massive. Just the turret dome weighs more than a Land Raider. It's a solid chunk of resin, not to mention the top plate on which it will eventually rest. This tank is a beast that will dwarf even a mighty Baneblade. All in all, I really wonder what this model will weigh once I've put it together. That said, I just had to share it with you guys.
I've put a Marine next to it to show you the size of the Fellblade's parts. I am happy to announce the first of it's kind: a Guardians of the Covenant Fellblade.

For once, I'm happy that my girlfriend doesn't read this blog, because I think I'm in love with something else.

A work in progress: Damocles Command Rhino. Part III.

After over two weeks of neglecting the hobby and therefore this blog, I decided it's time for an update.

With good spirits, I continued work on the exterior of my Damocles Rhino. After the black undercoat, I painted the red areas with Mechrite Red and all the metal areas with Boltgun metal. The aquilas on the doors were painted chainmail and the side doors Chaos Black. That's the first step. The second step is covering the Mechrite Red with two layers of Scab Red and painting small metal areas like the exhausts with Tin Bitz. Thirdly, the washing can begin. Lots of Badab Black on the metal parts and Devlan Mud on the red parts. The last wash is several layers of Sepia on the silver aquilas, to make them seem dull gold. 

The result is shown below. Not done yet, but I'm getting there. ;)

Showcase: The Veterans

To answer a special request, I began the day with taking some pictures of my veterans: my terminators and vanguard veterans. After reviewing the pictures I've made, well, I concluded that most of them are bad and out of focus. But I'm too lazy to take the pictures again, so they'll have to do. Besides, if you don't click on the unfocused ones, they're not too bad.

Not all the stuff is done though. The assault terminators stand at 90% complete. They still miss detail like eye-lenses and such, which I will get too as soon as I have a day off. Another fancy thing is the new Finecast Belial that I've bought last weekend. I decided to covert him and kit him out of a Thunder Hammer/Storm Shield as opposed to the Marneus Calgar conversion I use as my current Lightning-clawed Belial.

Last but not least there's the Vanguard Veterans. Yes I know I can't use them with the current Dark Angels codex, but that's no bother. I mean, what's cooler than Assault Marines (with the old METAL jumppacks) with awesome power weapons? They've been around a long time and they were a joy to paint.

Anyway, take a look for yourself.

(P.S. Don't look at the dust that's covering some models. Some of them guard a bookshelf when not dying in battle.)

My Belial conversion - First Commander Trayarch with Squad Tempestus

Terminator Squad Tempestus

Brother Hollix-Varnus (The first one I finished and thus named!)

Brother Bastian

Brother-Sergeant Hurios

The Vanguard Veterans - Love these guys to death.

Unfocused, but had to post them.

Power swords. Can't have enough.

A work in progess. Still to be revealed!

The War for Badab (Black): The Pictures

Hey all!

This weekend saw my first match against 6th edition Tau, and oh my, did I get shot up! Markerlights! Markerlights everwhere! In the end, victory was mine because I had First Blood and held two objectives. But I think this was only because we had to end the game to due my opponent having to leave before he could play his last turn, so I was lucky. In the end, it was a nice battle and it really gave me an idea of the fearsome shooting capabilities of the Tau.

...and it ended up with me getting a full pot of the fabled Badab Black in a fair trade with some old metals and bitz.

Lightning Clawed Belial and his Terminators susprise Shas'O R'alai and his battlesuits.

The Land Speeder Tempest came into play while Zooming, flanked by two Dreadnoughts.

Ouch-time. Not many terminators survived. Belial challenged R'alai, though.

The crater marked my First Blood: a blown up Devilfish.

They proved hard to kill.

Shas'o R'alai in all his splendor.

Cadre fireblades with their squads hiding in the bushes.

All those tanks...

All those guns...

My combat squad with a Laspredator to support them.

A Land Raider Redeemer full of Assault Terminators and a Tac squad with Techmarine heading for an objective.

Always bring the snipers! Techmarine fortified these ruins.

Before the carnage: Dakkapredator still alive, same goes for the Ravenwing bikers.

Tactical Squad supported by a TL-autocannon Venerable Dreadnought.

The Battlefield.