Mor Deythan Strike Squad for Raven Guard 30k

Mor Deythan Strike Squad from the XIX Legion

Some more reinforcements for the XIX Legion.  This is a "Mor Deythan" strike squad, an elite unit of the Raven Guard in the 30k/Horus Heresy setting.  The figures are from Forge World.

Very nice sculpting job by Forge World - I really enjoyed these figures

These figures blend a number of concepts which seem to me, on paper at any rate, not to work together.  Heavily armoured troops, equipped with sniper rifles, who are really good at infiltrating, yet still dressed in ornate armour that marks them out, and would appear to be intended as a kind of shock force.  Those should not all go together...but somehow they do. I'm not sure which designed sculpted these figures, but my hat goes off to him or her - great job!

Fancy shoulder plates...

Fancy helmets...

Fancy everything...Corvus Corax must have contacted a brand consultant for these troops

The figures are wearing ornate Mk VI "beakie" power armour (it seems that the Raven Guard and the Alpha Legion both have a lot of "beakie" stuff, for whatever reason) with fancy cloaks and nasty sniper variants of bolt guns.  There are a lot of optics, targeters etc. which add nicely to the look of the troops.  

Kneeling figures - not generally a favourite pose, but it works for these models

Another partial view of the fancy shoulder plates

When you dress like this, I'm not sure why you bother with flash suppressors or silencers, but hey - whatever works!

While there were a few casting issues, overall the models were a lot of fun to paint and I'm pleased to get this unit finished.  Perhaps the only downside is that, due to the size of some of the figures, I had to use the stupid new 32mm bases for these figures - something I'm generally resisting for my Marines.  I thought it would be OK in this instance as they are a special unit/special case.

Lots of dramatic swirl in the capes

Scoping out targets for the Emperor...

These models can represent either one or two elites choices for a Raven Guard force, depending on the size of the game and the circumstances of the scenario etc.  I am looking forward to getting these fellows out for some 30k gaming on the Fawcett Avenue tables this summer!