Honoured-Brother Thanatos is Constructed...

... And Codicer Tuvial is almost complete.

First up the Angels Sanguine. I started getting some base colours on my dreads during the times I couldn't build. I quickly realised I'd made an undercoating error and red'ed up half of my Death Company dreadnought along with the other two. I spent a moment debating rolling with it, but both the fluff and general opinion said go all black. I did however decided to go with a red 'blood smear' image across his 'face' just to make him a little different, I'm thinking of going with this throughout my Death Company models, we'll see.

The other two were easier to continue on, my Furioso got his red's and blacks blocked out fully and Leadbelcher on the metal sections, it's a start. Over a few evenings, in between building Brother Thanatos, I've managed to almost finish Codicer Tuvial, my Librarian Dreadnought. It's been great fun picking out the details and making a character of him whilst retaining the quite simple and clean style of the B@C Contemptor. All that remains now is basing, which will be for all three later in the month, and weathering. I may go heavier on the weathering on my Angels Sanguine than my Dark Angels who are mostly only dirty, we'll see that'll be a new trick to learn.

Codicer Turvial, so bursting with power that 76% body loss couldn't stop him fighting

He looks more menacing from this angle

Two Ravenwing transfers and a skull from the Cadian sheet to make an Angels Sanguine symbol

I'm very pleased with both the black armour's highlights and the glow on his Force Halberd

Finally I've built my Deathwatch Dreadnought, Ancient Thanatos of the Red Hunters.

I love the glow on his Assault Cannon and in the fist

I've struggled a little with his left shoulder, I want to have the iconic Deathwatch text, but none of my attempts have been good enough... yet! My greenstuff version was OK, but not clear enough to make out as text, the silver paint pen I tried wasn't fine enough to be worth it, next up I'm going to have to try painting it on. Otherwise it's all good, the base covers up the wiring problem I created just fine and all of the other little conversions I've made I'm very happy with. The Deathwatch style shoulder auspex is made from the light in the Ven. Dread. set with a small piece of Chaos fencing added on the top and some lenses placed on rather than the lights you normally get (they are greenstuffed away on the back side). I cleaned up a sarcofogus front to add the Deathwatch I on and trimmed down the backpack top for his left shoulder.

                                            

 

The silver text is first glossed to make the Lamian Medium & Stormhost Silver mix flow in nicely and the the panel above is touched up with black to get it sharper. I'm quite pleased with how it turned out.

All in all a good week, tomorrow I begin work again so we'll see how much more I can get done. At the least I hope to complete Tuvial and Thanatos. #Dreadtober is turning out to be so much fun. That is in a large, large part to all of the activitey going on around the net, Twitter is fantastic, and the hashtag keeps popping up on various Facebook groups too, all thanks to Joe at the Broken Paintbrush, please check out the latest showcase post where many participants explain how their week has gone much more briefly than I just have.

The Remorseless - Dark Angels 9th Company - Demi-Company

WHW Command Tanks

Grand Master Xerophus, Master of Relics, The Red Blade of Stavros
His personal heraldry is on the two shields here

Landraider Excelsior

Rhino Primaris

Master Davial, The Iron Angel

Elixian, company Chaplain

The Remorseless, Command Squad

The Relic Guard - Squad Cadorush

Squad Amian

Squad Trayfal

Squad Lenial

Squad Ainstein

Ancient-Brother Cicarus

Honoured Brother Kain

The Pride

Lion Fang & Lion Claw

Grand Master Xerophus (Command Tanks)
• Land Raider Excelsior: Extra Armour; Rod of Command 220
• Rhino Primaris: Dozer Blade; Extra Armour 215

Brother-Chaplain Elixian (Interrogator Chaplain in Terminator Armour): Digital Weapons; Melta Bombs 155

Dreadnoughts
• Honoured Brother Kain (Dreadnought): Twin Linked Lascannon; Twin Linked Autocannon; Extra Armour 140

Venerable Dreadnoughts
• Ancient-Brother Cicarus (Venerable Dreadnought): Plasma Cannon; Powerfist; Extra Armour 140

The Remorseless (Command Squad): Company Champion; Apothecary; Storm Shield; Company Standard; 2 × Meltagun 165

The Relic Guard - Squad Cadorush (10 Devestator Squad): Veteran Sergeant (Plasma Pistol; Thunder Hammer); 9 Devestator Squad; 4 × Plasma Cannon 250

Squad Ainstien (9 Devestator Squad): Space Marine Sergeant (Combi Plasma); 4 × Lascannon; Armorium Cherub 235

Squad Lenial (9 Devestator Squad): Space Marine Sergeant (Storm Bolter); 4 × Missile Launcher; Armorium Cherub 210

Squad Trayfal (9 Devestator Squad): Space Marine Sergeant (Storm Bolter); 4 × Heavy Bolter 185

Squad Amian (9 Devestator Squad): Space Marine Sergeant (Lightning Claw; Lightning Claw; Meltabombs); 4 × Grav Cannon & Grav Amo 315

The Pride (2 Predators)
• Lion Claw (Predator): Lascannon Sponsons; Dozer Blade; Extra Armour; Storm Bolter 135
• Lion Fang (Predator): Lascannon Sponsons; Dozer Blade; Extra Armour; Storm Bolter 135

2 500 points

Games Workshop Oslo's 40k Hobby Week (June 27th - July 1st)

Back at the end of June my local GW held a hobby week for 40k. Running up to the 27th the staff had helped me with list planning and conversion ideas. I got together a ton of bits from various boxes at home and ordered a couple last pieces to complete the list.

This is what I came up with:
Grand Master Xerophus (Command Tanks)
• Land Raider Excelsior: Extra Armour; Rod of Command 220
• Rhino Primaris: Dozer Blade; Extra Armour 215

Brother-Chaplain Elixian (Interrogator Chaplain in Terminator Armour): Digital Weapons; Melta Bombs 155

Dreadnoughts
• Honoured Brother Kain (Dreadnought): Twin Linked Lascannon; Twin Linked Autocannon; Extra Armour 140

Venerable Dreadnoughts
• Ancient-Brother Cicarus (Venerable Dreadnought): Plasma Cannon; Powerfist; Extra Armour 140

The Remorseless (Command Squad): Company Champion; Apothecary; Storm Shield; Company Standard; 2 × Meltagun 165

The Relic Guard - Squad Cadorush (10 Devestator Squad): Veteran Sergeant (Plasma Pistol; Thunder Hammer); 9 Devestator Squad; 4 × Plasma Cannon 250

Squad Ainstien (9 Devestator Squad): Space Marine Sergeant (Combi Plasma); 4 × Lascannon; Armorium Cherub 235

Squad Lenial (9 Devestator Squad): Space Marine Sergeant (Storm Bolter); 4 × Missile Launcher; Armorium Cherub 210

Squad Trayfal (9 Devestator Squad): Space Marine Sergeant (Storm Bolter); 4 × Heavy Bolter 185

Squad Amian (9 Devestator Squad): Space Marine Sergeant (Lightning Claw; Lightning Claw; Meltabombs); 4 × Grav Cannon & Grav Amo 315

The Pride (2 Predators)
• Lion Claw (Predator): Lascannon Sponsons; Dozer Blade; Extra Armour; Storm Bolter 135
• Lion Fang (Predator): Lascannon Sponsons; Dozer Blade; Extra Armour; Storm Bolter 135

2 500 points

During the week I was able to turn up each day, but later than everyone else (kids on summer holidays). Still my kids were also away on holiday so I was able to make up the time during the evenings. It was great fun, and really inspirational to hobby in a real active environment for a change. Over the course of the week I managed to finish building all 58 Infantry models, the two Predators (the WHW Command Tanks were already built and basecoated) and the two Dreadnoughts.

After this came a lot of drybrushing,
a really effective way of getting a good highlight down on the Marines
and their tanks that saves a loads of time when you've a lot to do

By the end of the week I'd got a few games in, tried out my first ever Predators in a multiplayer game, another chap had one so we teamed up to form a Squadron, now I know I want a third. Some people got a lot more than me done, by the end of the week I'd got all 62 new models built, undercoated, drybrushed and the blacks were basecoated. I also got one mode complete.

Finally, here is a link to a post with the finished army.

The Remorseless - Dark Angels 9th Company - Demi-Company

We Can Rebuild Him... #Dreadtober Construction Phase

Tomorrow marks the first day of my last week of pappaperm (paternity leave), I'm fortunate enough to live in Norway and have just enjoyed eight weeks of paid leave to spend with my now 13 months old daughter. It's been magic, it's also granted me a lot of extra hobby time. :) Hence the (for me) massive amounts of Dark Angels I've painted this year, and the 4000+ points of other armies I've built.

Knowing that Jay time will be harder to come by for my small soldiers very soon I've now dived into building my Deathwatch Veteran Dreadnought, Brother Thanatos, for #Dreadtober. As Chris the Geek recently admonished me on Twitter, I shouldn't be so hasty, I have got some wires crossed going up Thanatos' legs and that left me a messy base to deal with, apart from that it's been great fun to put together, as Dreadnoughts always are.

I began with the legs, working out how much wire would be needed and cutting out a route

Then came the arms and fibreoptics for the scanners

Once I had some things glued together I added the base that I'd started on earlier

This is when I discovered I'd messed up the wires and would need to do more work on the base

Greenstuff and a large plasticard girder are my friend here, the base'll be fine

 

                                

The Red Hunter Chapter Symbol is used as a backpack decoration on the Deathwatch Vets kit. I shaved it off and added it to his 'personal' shoulder

The wiring and battery underneath are quite tidy really, just very sandy from basing :)

#Dreadtober These are my fearsomefoursome that I hope to complete this month

And without glare

I still have some detail work to go on the big guy, likely a purity seal or two here and there, and the tough part, trying to create a Deathwatch style shoulderpad on his left arm out of greenstuff. Wish me luck. I'll post some photos up when he is finished and I'll be getting into the painting as soon as I can so as to get the most out of this last week off work. 

Brother Thanatos Honoured-Ancient of the Deathwatch

The Red Hunters a Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes with a long, proud and mostly unremembered history. Some of the stories place them among the second founding chapters, and even in those accounts their ties to what would oneday become the Inquistion are clear. Where as the Grey Knights and the Deathwatch are Space Marine chapters that fight as the military arm of a certain Inquisitorial Ordo the Red Hunters will gladly serve any Inquisitor with a task that requires an Astartes level response.

Red Hunters in the Deathwatch

Due to their extensive Inquisitotial duties the Red Hunters are perhaps called on to serve in the Deathwatch less than other chapters. And due to other chapters' mistrust of their extensive Inquisitorial ties the Red Hunters are perhaps found in command posistions amongst the Deathwatch less than other chapters.

Those Brothers that do serve  however excel, the Chapters long experience with Hypno-Training and Deep-Core Psycho-Indoctrination means they learn the tactics and weapons of Xeno slaughter well. Infact few of those who do join the Long Watch return to Montsegma again.

Brother Thanatos

Such Is the case with Honoured-Ancient Brother Thanatos. On M40.039.855.3 Veteran Brother Thanatos, having served a century with the Red Hunters was selected for service in the Deathwatch. After his Killteam succeded in their six mission to assassinate an Eldar Seer Thanatos went on to join a new Killteam on a new mission.

Eighty years and many missions later Thanatos was torn apart by a Mechaniod from the Xeno 'Binary Conclave'. However, much of his torso, spine and head was able to be recovered. This allowed him to be implanted in one of the Deathwatch's Dreadnought sarcophagus'. Now, almost 1000 years later he continues to serve, his zeal for slaying Xenos in the Emperors name undiminished. 

This is #Dreadtober

This week marks the start of Dreadtober, I wasn't part of the 2015 event, but I see some lovely models were built and painted, this time round I am in. Joe at Broken Paint Brush is organising this year, and he's got us off to a lovely start. A few e-mails to keep us upto date on where we should be, some articles on his own blog outlining the goals and structure of the (slightly long) month and so far a couple of links to advice for getting done what we need to get done. There is a Facebook page for the event, but most of the action seems to be taking place on Twitter, follow #Dreadtober to see it all.   The big picture point of Dreadtober is to get a model done, a Dreadnought or similar sized model, and show it off to a larger community. By all joining together to do it hopefully we'll motivate each other to finish. The nails and tacks up to the minute goal for this week is to make a plan and declare what we want to get done. So here are my goals for the month, a little on how I have arrived at them and how I hope to achieve them.   

•  Build a Venerable Dreadnought with LED's in, copying from taking inspiration from Bruno Massa's recent AoBR Dread. 

     

Bruno Massa's recent Ultramarine Dreadnought    

• Completely finish painting said LED filled almost dead Space Marine hero. 

• A little (sort of) side goal of mine is to get some paint, perhaps even finish the three Angels Sanguine dreadnoughts that I built and undercoated in July. 

Brotherhood of Ancients

 

When it came to deciding what Dreadnought to build I first thought about what I had lying at home, two Ven. Dreads and a Contemptor from B@C, the Venerables lended themselves nicely to the LED idea so job done. A quick poll to my Twitter followers gave the the answer that it should be my first model towards a Deathwatch force rather tgan Dreadnought #6 for my Dark Angels, 100% of votes actually. With this in mind I needed to find a Chapter, I didn't want to go for anything I already collect (Dark Angels, Mentors or Angels Sanguine) and decided that I'd like to avoid any of the Chapters with pads in the DW Veterans box as we'll be seeing enough of them. I hit the Lexicanum pages and went a-browsing. It didn't take long for me to find the Red Hunters, with a nice simple and clear Chapter symbol, a few colours that could be used nicely with Deathwatch black and a background full of Inquisition and reasons to be interesting they were a pefect fit for a model I'd want to show off. 

 

I then briefly played with the idea of using a Dreadknight's sword for his CCW, but I decided that it wasn't the right scale for a MK.IV Dreadnought, also it looked to be a nightmare to make LED's work well. Then I questioned the WH 40k Deathwatch group on any tips for a weapon to go next to the CCW. I didn't want a Plasma Cannon as I'd just painted so many for my Dark Angels, the suggestions and thoughts helped and we ended up deciding on an Assault Cannon as I've not painted one on a Dread before and it's a nice in your fave weapon for a Dreadnought that'll be up close supporting his Battle Brothers. 

 

Next up I'll post a small piece of fluff about my Red Hunter Deathwatch Battle Brother. 

We Do Still Play

Well I last posted in March, we're almost in October, by my maths (math for Americans) that's over half a year! So appologies, excuses and reasons abound. We hope to do a little better in the future, let's call this a wip.

In the past almost seven months there has been a lot of gaming and modelling though. The Highlights include Pandemic Legacy: Season 1, Sushi Go Party, over 6000 points of 40k built, and about half of that finished painted and based, some AoS & 40k has been played, the Marvel Super Hero game was tried out and we've completed all four scenarios in Mansions of Madness 2nd. Ed.

On top of that Mari's broken a finger, we've been to Disney World, Sweden, Cornwall and Stavanger. Life has been great, and now I'm just starting on my #Dreadtober and Tim has recently gifted me Destiny to try out (Level 17 Titan already).

I'll be in touch again soon, some details about all of the models I've been building and painting and a few photos of some of the games played.