Game 21

The run of Epic games continued with Game 21 being a mash up between 2K points worth of Urn's Word Bearers (using the Black Legion list) and a combined force of Junta's Luna Wolves and my Iron Warriors. (using the Space Marine list)

As we are new to the game we've kept the objectives simple with two objectives that have to be held a full round to win the game.

New units for us to try were Assaut Marines, Whirlwinds and Urn's Deamons. It all started fairly sedately with the Iron Warriors assault marines moving up on the right flank whilst the Word Bearers pushing forward on the left flank.

The Luna Wolves moved up to try and dent the chaos marines but their shooting was lackluster.

A chaos response was brewing behind the hill.

The right flank was fairing better with the Word Bearer's devastators taking a shock pummeling from the new Whirlwinds followed by fire from the advancing Iron Warrior Land Raiders.

The left flank chaos counter attack was fairly decisive and horrible forcing the Luna Wolves away from the objective. Summoned daemons are nasty!

The situation on the right flank went rapidly down hill as the Iron Warriors Land Raiders could not shift there Word Bearer armour and the assault marines lost an assault with the Word Bearer Devastators.

Desite having artillery support the right flank failed to hold their objective and even a last minute dash from a lone Luna Wolf Vindicator was not sufficient to stop the Word Bearers from taking the day.

TTFN

A rather special gift - Horus for Hope!

Every year I take part in the "Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge" (AHPC), which sets wargamer against his lead pile and awards points per figure/tank/otherworldly monstrosity painted.  Simple as that.  The camaraderie engendered by the challenge is a great spur to keep productivity up and entering it the last two years has done more to reduce my unpainted pile than anything else.

One of the fun things that is encouraged is the setting up of side duels.  A gentlemanly/ladylike agreement to see who can paint the most of a certain era and the winner receives a painted figure from their opponent.

Last year I entered into a duel against Greg from the "Fawcett Avenue Conscripts" blog to see who could paint more 30k Heresy era figures in any scale.  Now Greg's painting level is amazing and he can really churn through the figures, so I expected to be soundly trounced!  Fortunately, the butterfly curse that affects all gamers hit Greg in the middle of the challenge and he started painting Team Yankee figures and tanks and so I managed to win the challenge by painting more Wordbearers than is probably healthy.... When it came to name my prize I asked for a delegate from the Sons of Horus to go to war alongside the Wordbearers as I was very impressed with the Sons of Horus figures Greg had painted for the challenge.  So without further ado, here he is

My plan is to either use him as part of a command squad (Horus having sent him to keep an eye on the fanatic Wordbearers) or in smaller games as a medic for my large tactical squad as the encouraging words blasting out of the vox casters ("Horus for Hope! Horus for Hope! Give me an H.... Give me an O....") will do enough to lift the spirits of the wordbearers to see them fight on, even though greviously wounded in body.  Here he is with his intended squadmates and Chaplain

 

Unfortunately this chap drop podded in a little late from the Wilds of Canada Prime to join my recent trip to Warhammer World with the Wordbearers, which was a fantastic trip

He'll definitely be going next time though.

 

30k big fight - charge!!!

So, the moment that we've been planning ever since the silverback went and bought the first Horus Heresy book at Lenton (right after we talked at length about the 30k line and how it was too expensive to get into..... Sigh) - we finally got all of our stuff in the table!

The game was the mechanicum holding the middle and five forces pouring in from the corners to try and take them out

Watch out for those iron hands in the distance (in alternate armour colour)

And now a little closer

The daemons attack....

Get on with it slow coaches! Those three lonely imperial fists are the only survivors of their storm eagle being one-shotted by that sicarian in the top right

Bundle! This is about the point the daemons discovered how hard the mechanicum stuff was, even in combat.

A great day was had by all and a jolly close game that saw units removed by the bucketload and the 30k carnage starts here.

Wordbearers infantry..... Finished

These were the last of the heresy era Wordbearers that I did in the painting challenge and it's the fun stuff.

First up, the Gal Vorbak. These are legionnaries who have allowed daemons to possess them and share their bodies

As forgeworld only do 5 different figures, I did 5 as standard

And five converted using bits from across the GW range.

Really please with how they came out as I tried to keep the palette limited.

They're a little larger than normal marines, guess the daemons are a little like super steroids!

Next up, the other Wordbearer specific unit, the ashen circle

Loads of great detail etched into the sculpts, so I got a break from having to use decals

Time for a break from Wordbearers now, although I may well do an army shot shortly.

More 30k Wordbearers

So, my painting challenge has just wrapped up and input in a special burst of effort to try to get the rest of my 30k heresy era Wordbearers infantry done.

Amongst these were missile launcher heavy support squad from the Betrayal at Calth boxed set

Got to love the homage to the rogue trader era missile launchers

Moulded shoulder pads and loads of religious decals

And then some HQs to lead my forces of religious loonery into battle.

Two chaplains, appropriately enough

One to lead the jump pack unit and the other for the unit of foot

They are the chaplain from the Valth boxed set with a power axe added from the FW Skorr figure and the other is the limited edition DA chaplain from the starter box with all DA stuff sanded off and a hooded head added with an inquisitor hand and book

I figure he'll do me for Erebus too.

Next up - more Wordbearers!

More Wordbearers 30k heretical goodies

These two vehicles are my first proper attempt at weathering. First up, a rhino APC

I've used black sponging for general wear and added some painted metallic chips in the middle of the larger black splodges.

I found this gave me much better control than sponging the metallic colour and looked a little more realistic.

Forgeworld transfers again and the sheet is an absolute gold mine.

Next up, a Vindicator, converted up from a rhino.

I went a bit crazy with this one...... As the Wordbearers are religious loons, I decided that a pulpit/sacrificial table and a torture rack were just the sort of things they'd slap on a vehicle with a honking great gun.

The plan being that they'll waste no time after a battle getting down to the important tasks of preaching and.... Ahem..... learning the enemies secrets.

Somewhat over the top, but I enjoyed doing it. I think I may have weathered a little too much, but it was a good learning experience as most of my vehicles are a little bit "fresh off the production line" as that's easier and quicker (but not nearly as nice).

Next up for weathering is trying some rusting and perhaps oils for streaking as I tried using washes and they were just too thin..... I suspect patience and more coats would have helped instead of giving up!

Last up is a 40k chap, a Hellbrute. These are dreadnoughts partially possessed and certainly mutated.

It's the fourth one I've painted (I did three last year) and I really like the model.

No weathering for this one as he's for my 40k army and I need to go back and weather all of the vehicles for that at some point.

30k Wordbearers jump troops

As there was no way I was going to be able to resist not having a legion on both sides in the HH era, I wanted to make sure my legions played differently. The salamanders are ground pounders, advancing slowly with flamers and meltas. My Wordbearers are going to be close combat troops with daemons as allies!

To that end, one of my troops choices will be this twenty strong jump pack unit.

I know, I know, the jump packs aren't the 30k ones...... But as I could get this unit together by scavenging from Wark's bits (yet again!) and using a few troops from the betrayal at Calth set as opposed to paying £140 at FW, I was decided. The way I see it, these are the first tester jump packs the Wordbearers were trialling. The armour is all mark IV or mark VI, so meets the HH criteria :)

Loads of inscriptions as usual for these religious loons.

Now the two compulsory troop choices are done, it's onto the fun stuff next!