Painting the hydra!

The Consul Saboteur doesn’t look like he follows orders very well.

The pandemic has been a nightmare for many, but one bright ray of light has been the increased level of painting productivity. Just a quick glance at the blog will show that Dallas, Greg and Dave have been cranking out the models recently. I have not had the same production boost. My job as a first responder means that my work schedule has not changed and with all discretionary and vacation leave being cancelled indefinitely, I will be spending a lot of time at work. I’ve been fortunate to be in this position as many have lost their jobs and others are not sure if there will be jobs to go back to...some day. I’m not complaining, it just explains part of the reason why I haven’t posted anything in a while. The more significant impact to my painting has been the cancellation of school. Trying to teach and entertain a 6 year old on my days off and before I go to work is definitely not conducive to painting.
With this all being said, I finally managed to complete my first batch of Horus Heresy Alpha Legion. Above are two tactical squads, a praetorian in terminator armour and a consul ‘saboteur’. Paint colours are stegadon scale green base, sotek blue layer and temple guard blue highlight. I used drakenof nightshade for the wash. The saboteur is a conversion using various space marine bits and I tried to go for an anarchist look. Next up I’ll be going back to the Imperial Fits to finish some Rhinos that I started before he painting challenge.

30k Battle Report - No Hope For The Hydra

"Alpha to omega!" A Preator from the Alpha Legion (name redacted) leads his detachment into action against the loyalists of the VII Legion during 30k gaming last week.

Conscript Mike F stopped by last week for a 30k game, and here are a few pictures to share from the battle. Both of us enjoy the Black Library novel "Praetorian of Dorn" (it's a great book, go read it!). While the specific battles from that book are not something I can re-create at this point, we still thought it would be fun to pit the opponents from the story against each other. So some of my Alpha Legion forces would battle against his Imperial Fists.  We set up a small game, using the fan-built 8th edition of 30k.  The "Power Level" for both sides was 70.

A view of the deployed forces on the first turn...

The table was 6' x 4', an arid setting (maybe some isolated part of Terra?) with a communication-relay set amid some ruins.  The key was to secure this communications relay objective.  You could do this by moving into contact with it. But there was another way to win: wiping out the opposing detachment! It's 30k, after all...besides, the Alpha Legion wouldn't want any witnesses.

Deredeo class dreadnought covers the approach of the XX Legion.

The carnage arrived rapidly.  The sons of Alpharius made short work nearly all the members of Mike's tactical squad.  The firepower from my Deredeo Dreadnought was impressive, and things seemed to be going well! But that would not last...

Alpha Legion seeker squad - "Headhunters" - move out.

Wait a minute - who invited these guys??? The elite of the VII Legion teleport to the battlefield...

And then...the Imperial Fist terminators arrived on the scene.  I hoped my Praetor, together with some Lernean Terminators and the squad of 10 Headhunters would be able to cut them down to size...it was not to be.

Where did the seeker squad go?? Eliminated by VII Legion Terminators...

Alpha Legion Preator confronts the Imperial Fist elite...

It's all-in with the Terminators...if we don't stop these guys, we don't stand a chance...

The VII Legion Terminators first BBQ'd my Headhunters.  The Alpha Legion Preator charged in, but could not bring down his opponent.  The assistance of the Apothecary kept the Alpha Legion commander around a bit longer, but you can only get whacked by a chain fist so many times and still expect to be around...and so the Alpha Legion Preator fell in action.

The Apothecary could only do so much...

Meanwhile, my Alpha Legion tactical squad, after losing their Rhino, found themselves facing both a Leviathan Dreadnought and a Contemptor Dreadnought.  The covering fire from the Deredeo Dreadnought was insufficient, and they were soon wiped out.

"Hey, we're moving in on the objective, great news!"

"Oh no! Two huge dreadnoughts! Hope we can hold out!"

Suddenly there is only one survivor in the Alpha Legin tactical squad...

Overall, a loss for the Alpha Legion. Or was it? Surely this was all part of some greater scheme...

The covering fire had no effect...

Mike's collection of Imperial fists looks amazing! He does a great job with the yellow (always a tricky colour) and it continues to expand bit by bit.  This was the first time I came up against a Leviathan Dreadnought, and it was...pretty unpleasant! Melta-bombs were not going to stop that thing...I love the 30k setting, and 30k gaming. While a bit more luck on the dice would always be preferred, this was a fun game - many thanks to Mike F for visiting and bringing his fantastic VII Legion forces out for a spin!

Hope everyone out there has enjoyed the final days of summer. The fall has now arrived - and the countdown is on toward another Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge...

Rhino APC for 30k Alpha Legion

Head-hunters from the XX Legion on maneuvers with their new APC

Another little bit of 30k painting - this is a Deimos pattern Rhino APC. Capable of carrying 10 marines (never quite looks like it can fit 10 of anything, actually, but that has been an enduring mystery of this model for many years), these vehicles are a mainstay of any Space Marine force.  And while the Legiones Astrates in 30k have access to all sorts of troop-carrying terrors, from Land Raiders to Spartans and more, the humble Rhino is still a core part of moving Legion Marines around the battlefield.

Front panel features door-ish looking plates, while a pair of bolt guns are mounted up top - just like the original Rogue Trader era models for this vehicle

Had fun with the hydra-themed decals for this Legion, although getting that one centered on the top hatch was tricky, and it doesn't look quite right - very Alpha Legion, I guess...

The Deimos pattern model is a conversion kit from Forge World, applied to the current 40k plastic rhino kit (which I'm trying to stock up on before they cancel them to replace it with more garbage "Primaris" kits but that is a rant for another time).  The design is really nice, an homage to the earliest version of this plastic model from the Rogue Trader days.

Main access ramp at the rear of the APC

These vehicles are not much for weapons - just a pair of humble bolt guns up on the turrets - but they do a great job ferrying the Marines around toward their objectives on the gaming table.  I find they do an even better job in the 8th edition of the game, as vehicles linger much longer on the table, even under heavy fire, under the newer rules.  Great news for the fellows catching a ride!

Not sure how 10 guys with that kind of armour fit in there...an enduring mystery of GW...

Close-up of the side hatches...again, the design is a faithful tribute to the original RT-era model

This is the first vehicle I have painted for my Alpha Legion forces.  I have a few more cued up in the painting line, of course, but they may wait for a while, as I have turned my painting attention back to a project that is about 29,000 years earlier on the historical clock...hope to share more soon about that!

Alpha Within, Iron Without - 30k Battle Report

Alpha Legion Headhunters move out toward their objectives inside the loyalist base at Paramar V

Over the past several months there has been some continued expansion and escalation in our 30k collections.  I'm a huge 30k nerd of course, and with my painting spirits animated by fun books likes "Legion" by Dan Abnett and the amazing "Praetorian of Dorn" by John French, I have been building up the Alpha Legion forces I started back during Curt's most recent Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge. Dallas, meanwhile, has started painting up some troops from the IV Legion, the rugged, dependable and so-oft-abused Iron Warriors.  After returning from a wonderful visit to my cabin in Sault Ste Marie, I was pretty psyched to get all of this newly painted stuff out on the table for a scrap.  Dallas obliged, hosting a 30k game last week - here are some photos!

View of the table as the game begins - the Alphas have appeared from their various vehicles and crates, and they must reach the slurm machine near the Mechanicum node at the top right of the photo.

Of course, both the Alpha Legion and Iron Warriors fought under Warmaster's banner in the Horus Heresy, so a game pitting the two collections against each other called for a bit of nuance within the setting.  Fortunately, Forge World itself already provided a handy backdrop for just such a game - the fall of Paramar V, as profiled in "Horus Heresy Book III: Extermination".   The Alphas are tasked to capture this world, and an isolated group of Iron Warriors, unaware of the Warmaster's rebellion or Perturabo's decision to join it, are caught up in the assault, joining the Mechanicum garrison in a final defence.  Thus are the Alphas thrust into battle against some of Perturabo's sons.

Lernaean Terminators prepare to move out.

Heavy support squad, backed by an apothecary

Besides, the Alpha Legion's motives are always so complex and opaque, they could conceivably be pitted against almost anyone...

Iron Warriors despoiler squad moves to reinforce, arriving down a corridor on the base

Kyr Vhalen positions his small blocking force, anchored on the very tough dreadnoughts

The main story of the fall of Paramar V, a vital mechanicum and fleet re-supply depot as well as a critical communications link, is one of a big-time ground assault.  But I wanted to have a bit of Alpha Legion flavour to the game.  The Alphas are notorious for deception, trick plays, underhanded moves and infiltration. So I suggested something along those lines to Dallas in the context of the fall of Paramar V.

Alpha Legion Praetor and his familiar try to inspire progress on the assault

The table would be set up to represent the interior of the facility, a maintenance hangar-type area.  Weeks prior to their assault, the Alpha Legion had connived to send a shipment of "damaged" vehicles from the XVI Legion to the base for repairs. As these were vehicles and associated supplies from the Warmaster's own legion, and the launch of his rebellion was as-yet unknown, these vehicles would a) not be inspected closely, and, b) be placed somewhere important.  When the time came for the assault on the base, a large team of Alpha Legionnaires would spring from these vehicles and associated "supply crates" to launch a critical blow from inside the defences, having essentially mailed themselves behind enemy lines.

IV Legion Deredeo dreadnought lays down heavy fire

The defenders would include Dallas' Iron Warriors, bolstered by some 40k Adeptus Mechanicus models standing in to represent the Mechanicum garrison on the base (no reason these cool models can't be in a 30k game).  The Alpha Legion force was overwhelming, larger than the combined defenders by about 50%.  The challenge for the attackers was the isolated location of their objective - a slurm machine in which Alpha Legion operatives had pre-placed and hidden a critical device that would, once activated, shut-down the automated shields and defences of the base.  They would have to move flat out to make it there in six turns...

The Alpha Legion's heavy fire group tries to take down the enemy dreadnoughts

For rules we used the new 8th edition of 40k. I am aware that GW has made the (absolutely baffling) decision to maintain 7th edition for the Horus Heresy gaming, but as is so often the case, the fans of GW's games tend to be as much or more nimble and competent stewards of the game than GW itself.  Fan-driven and created 8th edition rules for the 30k setting have appeared in amazing short time, and we made use of these for our game.

Iron Warriors look to block the dreaded Lernaeans...

Frederick, Indo (aka "the voice of Alpharius") and Mike A played the Alpha Legion attack force, while Dallas, John and Mike F took command of the defenders. Battle was joined!

Dallas' fantastic Mechanicum models were part of the doomed defence

The Alpha Legion troops sprung from the various vehicles and crates in which they had been hidden, and swarmed towards their objective.  The defence of the loyalists was anchored around a trio of Iron Warrior dreadnoughts - one Deredeo class and two Contemptors.  They all fell in glory, but took a number of Alpha Legion troops down in the process. 

Tough outing for the IV Legion! The Lernaeans reduce the 15-model Despoiler squad down to three survivors...ouch!

The stars for the Alpha Legion side included their own Deredeo dreadnought (wow, those things are amazing), their heavy support squad equipped with missile launchers (scary enough in the 7th edition, even more vital in the 8th edition and the new way that vehicles and dreadnoughts take damage) and the Lernaean Terminators, who carved a pretty bloody swathe through the defenders. I have never seen Terminators be so effective on the tabletop...

KABOOM! An Iron Warrior dreadnought explodes after sustained abuse.

The defenders suffered near total losses, but after six turns the Alpha Legion strike team had not yet reached their objective, so it was a phyrric victory for Kyr Vhalen and his defenders of Paramar V - although poor Kyr Vhalen got hit by multiple krak missiles in the final turn, so was not really in a position to enjoy this bitter success.

EDITOR'S NOTE - upon reflection, Kyr Vhalen, as a character, wasn't a legit target for the missiles, with that big tactical squad right nearby.  Oops.  We'll chalk that up to more Alpha Legion trickery...

The Alpha Legion strike force surges ahead

Contemptor dreadnoughts put a beating on an Alpha Legion tactical squad

The Lernaeans step in to finish the opposing dreadnoughts

Of course 30k/40k as a rule set continues to boast a number of large flaws, but as a not-too-mentally taxing game it is a lot of fun to roll out for the group. I have really started to enjoy the 8th edition (after a bit of a bumpy start) and I think, in particular, the 8th edition of the rules will be a lot of fun for 30k players out there.

Kyr Vhalen finishes the game as a recipient of multiple krak missiles...looking back now, I don't think he could have been targeted as he was a character...but that is the Alpha Legion for you, always sneaking around the rules...

Thanks to the guys for playing and to Dallas for hosting.  Was great to see his Iron Warriors and Mechanicum guys out on the table, and I hope it inspires further painting and collection escalation on his part (and keeps Mike F going on his Imperial Fists).  Outnumbered and mounting a last stand, it was a pretty rough scenario for the Iron Warriors.  Once Dallas gets more of them painted, we'll have to set up a game where they enjoy a bit of a more balanced chance.

Alpha to omega! Horus for hope!

Lernaean Terminators for 30k Alpha Legion

Cataphractii Terminators for the Alpha Legion

More lake painting to share.  This is a squad of Lernaean Terminators for my 30k Alpha Legion forces.  These are plastic Cataphractii Terminator figures from GW spiffed up with decals and conversion bits from Forge World, including embossed shoulder plates made specially to fit the bulky Cataphractii models.

Close-up of one of the Lernaeans

In 30k each of the Space Marine Legions has their own little menu of specialized elite units they can select forces from in addition to the standard rosters of tactical squads, assault squads etc. One of these selections tends to be a Terminator unit - I think just about every Legion has some kind of fancy Terminator unit option.  In the case of the Alpha Legion, their elite Terminator units are known as "Lernaeans".  They wear Cataphractii armour and carry a slightly altered weapon loadout, using volkite chargers and power weapons in place of the traditional combi-bolters and power fists/chain fists.

View showing the rear detail on the figures - and you can see the large gaps I left among some of the shoulder plates..oops...

Plasma weapon for extra support, in place of the more traditional heavy flamers or reaper autocannons

Forge World hasn't yet issued sculpts for Lernaeans, so I thought I would try combining the plastic Cataphractii figure kits with accent pieces from Forge World.  The results were...well, they were OK, but I goofed in a couple of ways.  The first problem is the spacing and sequencing of the shoulder plates...try as I might, I could just not quite figure out the precise placement of the multi-layered shoulder segments on these figures.  As a result, several of the figures are sporting sizeable gaps in their shoulders - I think there is supposed to be a small gap, but not large ones like I ended up with...I'm just not a very sharp model builder...

The bulky and ominous Cataphractii terminators are sharp-looking models

The other issue is the close assault weapons.  These are Cataphractii conversion bits from Forge World, but they are chain-axe-style weapons rather than power weapons, which is what the Lernaeans are supposed to be sporting.  These chain-axe things have a grim, spiky look that I'm not entirely pleased with - they seem more like things the World Eaters or Night Lords would use to open bottles.  Looking back I regret not finding some different weapons that resembled the sleeker look of power weapons - or just keeping them with traditional power fists, which is still an option for the Lerneaens, but at the time I was fired up to have them look different, and the regrets did not occur until everything was glued...oh well, now that they are painted, I'm sure they will work out fine.

Now which one is Alpharius?

Despite the modelling issues, I'm glad to have some Terminators finished for the Alpha Legion. And I really, really like the look those embossed shoulder plates for the Cataphractii terminators. The casting from Forge World was very sharp (never a guarantee) and it really helps set them apart.  I would like to try this for some other Legions (or add more for the Alpha Legion) again in the future.

I never get tired of the sunsets at my cabin...

This wraps up my painting from Lake Superior in 2017 - about 31 figures completed this year.  Not as many as last year or as many as I had hoped - but there is always more to paint anyways, right?  In particular I had hoped to get some 30k vehicles painted for the Alpha Legion, but that will have to wait for a little while.  They are still building into a good sized force - about 60 infantry models and a Deredeo Dreadnought. I hope to get them into some kind of game soon! Meanwhile a few vehicles will move forward in my "pending pile", but who knows what my butterfly-style attention span will turn to when I get back home...

Alpha Legion 30k Tactical Support Marines

Tactical support Marines for the Alpha Legion

Labour Day 2017 has come and gone, and I was able to put the time spent at the lake toward a bit more painting. Here is a post with some outcomes from that painting - a few more troops for the XX Legion.  These are tactical support marines in Mark IV power armour carrying plasma guns.  They are plastic kits from GW, and have embossed shoulder pauldrons and decals from Forge World.

I love the little decals from Forge World - I wish they would do entire sheets of those small decals...

In 30k the so-called "tactical support squads" provide extra punch for the regular tactical marines who are equipped only with bolters.  By concentrating the harder-hitting weapons together in these units, tactical support squads hit pretty hard.  This was particularly critical in the 7th edition of the rules, with its restrictions on targeting, where everyone in each squad had to target the same enemy unit, so isolated special weapons could not fire at other more opportune targets.  Way less of a problem when the whole squad is equipped with high-powered weapons!

The 8th edition of the game is much more sensible when it comes to targeting (your models shoot whatever you like among what they can "see"), but these tactical support squads are still an important means for your 30k Legion forces to concentrate the high firepower required to take out other Legion Marines.

I love those embossed shoulder pauldrons with the Legion symbols...just awesome...and addictive, unfortunately...

A view of the power packs and features on the shoulders

While "volkite" weapons are my absolute favourite special weapons in terms of looking cool and effectiveness in the game, the plasma gun still offers plenty of punch, and looks pretty neat.  Even better, the 8th edition of the rules has done away with the infinitely moronic "gets hot" rules, so you don't need to worry about three or four models from this unit becoming casualties in the game simply because they fired their own weapons. 

Ready to eliminate loyalists and/or eye-witnesses...

This group will join another set of five similar models painting back during Curt's most recent Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge to make a full 10-man tactical support squad. The Alpha Legion forces continue to grow...alpha to omega!

Up next - some Terminators!