Veteran Sergeant Alessio, IX Legion, 83rd Company.
"We'd come a long way from the Signus Cluster.
We had lost many brothers, in one way or another, to the Warmaster's monstrous betrayal. The Imperial Truth was no more. The Emperor's vision of an Empire of Man thwarted by the son he had entrusted to complete his mission. We were now embroiled in a civil war the likes of which Mankind had never seen before. The galaxy burned as son fought son, and brother fought brother.
In spite of all all our losses, every backwards step we had taken, we were here.
Terra.
We were each veterans of this long war. The 83rd Company was a shadow of what it once was. Captain Eco had fallen before we reached our destination. Slain by a Traitor. He was being interned in the hull of a Contemptor chassis as we entered the Sol System. After he named his successor it was his dying wish to be permitted the chance to fight on. Even in death he wanted to strike out at those who brought us low. He had been born on Terra and served our Legion before we were reunited with our Father. Captain Eco wanted to be there to defend it until all life was truly taken from him. His service to the Emperor started here, and he meant for it to finish here too. Our new Captain Ennius had been born on Baal, one of the first of that breed to be admitted to our Legion, and had been the right hand of Eco. He called the sounds of battle his marching tune. There were few others I would rather have been lead by in those dark days.
The orders for our deployment came from The Angel himself. Our Primarch had chosen us to be his Crimson Thorns. His curse on our enemies. His moniker for us came from one of Baal's few native flora that could survive in the radiation soaked plains. The plant was known to ensnare and entangle the unwary, its envenomed barbs inflicting terrible pain upon those suffering even so much as a graze.
The importance of our sworn task was not lost to us. Neither was the heavy price that we knew each of us would pay in blood. It was an arduous task, but an elegantly simple one. Every Traitor we brought down, or stopped from reaching The Palace, was one less that our Father and Brothers would have to face. Our mission was to slow the invaders down by holding the walls, and when they were breached to fall back in good order and harry the enemy sowing confusion and disarray in their ranks. Like the thorns we were named after we would be an ever present nuisance to our foes, slowing them down, slowly bleeding them, and causing pain far greater than our presence. No quarter was to be given, and none asked. It was a long way from how we typically fought our foes. No longer would we fight as the wrath of The Angel striking down from the heavens. Instead we would be an extension of his implacable will, defying the foe at every turn.
We were to relieve the survivors of a detachment of the VII Legion, the Imperial Fists. Lord Dorn had sent a force to guard a weak point in the defenses in the lower levels by the hab zones. The wall there had the potential to be breached, but the terrain to any opening would be narrow and unforgiving for the attackers allowing only infantry. Their formidable armored units could support their attack, but they could not follow them through any breach. Should a breach be forced it would be so narrow it would be a fatal funnel for attacker and defender alike.
The traitorous Sons of Horus had calculated that because of the limited utility of any breach at that point the wall would be minimally guarded at best. They underestimated the pride and ferocity of the Legion who had built the mighty walls of the Imperial Palace. If the Traitors wanted though they would pay the price in blood.
When we got there the butcher's bill had been steep, yet the walls remained unbreached. Of the hundred or so Imperial Fists scarcely a handful remained who were fit to fight. How any of these Astartes had survived the onslaught was beyond my comprehension. It was only when our cousins spoke of how the Sons of Horus were being aided and abetted in their efforts by siege experts of the Iron Warriors did we understand their determination.
On the eve of battle we were joined by a stranger to us who beseeched Captain Ennius for an audience. He wore our colors and our livery, but he was not of our Company and not known to me from another. After a short while he and our sire emerged, the order came that the stranger would aid us in the fight ahead. Brother Soddu would later claim that he heard the stranger say that he was of our Legion and was an oath sworn brother to the commander of the Sons of Horus contingent that we faced and had come to seek him out to purge the stain from his honor. Some claimed he was another Son of Sanguinius who had served with Amit on Signus, but had become estranged from his Company after the Cathedral of the Mark was toppled. Others claimed that he was of a loyal son of a Traitor Legion and had donned our colors to fight against those he had once called Brother. Whatever the truth was in the days ahead we were grateful for him.
We did not have to wait long for the enemy to present themselves.
To this day I will never know if it was intentional, used as an omen or seeking the favor of some false deity, but the former Luna Wolves attacked by the rising of the moon. Captain Ennius was first to see their furtive advance and he called us to arms;
“For The Angel!! Death to every foe and Traitor!” "
Pic Capt. DZ7120-5-10; Sergeant Constantin seen directing his squad's fire against Traitor elements during the Siege of Terra
Pic Capt. DZ7120-5-11; Note the mixing of armor patterns typical during late Heresy fighting. The majority of Constantin's armor is heavily modified MkIII Iron Armor, with the left arm being MkIV, and the left shoulder being an experimental pattern with reinforcement. Sergeant Alessio's records show that these shoulder pads were produced in limited number, and at Captain Ennius's instructions were given to Constantin's squad. As a plasma gun armed Tactical Support Squad it was anticipated that they would be prime targets for rebel forces.
Pic Capt. DZ7120-5-15; Of note is the Cherub pattern targeting matrix integrated into Constantin's armor. This allowed the bearer to better designate targets for his squad, as well as assisting in calculating target vectors.
'Sergeant Constantin had served the IX faithfully before the Heresy. He rose through the ranks before finding his niche as a specialist serving in the 83rd’s Breacher Squads. Like many Brothers of the IX who preferred close quarters combat to a more ranged affair Constantin was cut from that same cloth. Constantin however preferred bringing his plasma gun to bear in close ranges to devastate the enemy and allow his squad mates to advance through narrow corridors during boarding actions. During one assault on a hostile vessel the hull ruptured and Constantin was blown into the frigid embrace of space, being recovered by the 83rd just before his war plate failed from the battle damage and the trauma it suffered from the rapid decompression. The almost complete failure of his armor caused near irreparable damage to his gene enhanced respiratory system, resulting in a rebreather mask and artificial respiration system being incorporated into his body."
Automatically Appended Next Post: "The Unknown Brother, known to us as Enigma, was a boon as we fought back against the Traitors at the breach. He found good company in Vizioso's squad where he could add his twin pistols to the close range carnage they dealt. Like a vengeful spirit he carved his way through the opposition, perfectly placed shots slaying our enemies.
What happened to him after the Siege I cannot say. None that I spoke too after remember seeing any sign of him, but we remember the crack of his twin plasma pistols. Whether he was a true son of Sanguinius or not I will never know but he was a brother to us of the 83rd"
- Veteran Sergeant Alessio
Automatically Appended Next Post: "Gilberto was a thorn in the side of our enemies, just as he swore he would be. As a foe would charge at him to strike a carefully placed bolt round would stagger them so he could crush the life from them with his power fist.
Against the power armored foes it was a perfect strategy. Against the Terminator elite he drew off from the main force it was a death sentence as their heavier armor absorbed his rounds. He gave good account of himself until he fell"
- Veteran Sergeant Alessio http://i.imgur.com/J4Ksimo.jpg" border="0" />
"Egidio had taken Eco's death on the enemy cruiser hard. He had sworn an oath to be his shield and he had always felt that he failed his lord. All of us who fought in that boarding action knew he could not have fought harder. As we journeyed to Terra he repainted his helm black as a sign of mourning. His war plate had been extensively damaged as he fought with reckless abandon to get to Eco's side. The damaged pieces were replaced with experimental components that had not yet been field tested. While it resembled the armor he would later wear the materials were not as efficient and the servos required additional power which exposed cables provided. In those dark days necessity trumped many other concerns.
I found him when the dust settled Kneeling over Gilberto's remains, his fingers gently closing the eyes of our fallen brother. Together we bore Gilberto's body back to the Palace on Egidio's shield. Over time as we took stock of our losses he carved the names of our dead to the inside of his shield, swearing an oath to avenge each of them."
- Veteran Sergeant Alessio
Automatically Appended Next Post: Andino "The Boy"
[Archivist's Note; Pic capt shows subject equipped with early experimental pattern of power armored leg pieces which would later be refined and adopted as Mk.VII. This early set appears to be inferior to the adopted model as the heavy damage to the right knee from a relatively minor blow shows. Contemporary sources show that the 83rd's assault element made heavy use of these experimental units to replace armor pieces rendered unfit for kinetic operations. This particular set of armor appears to indicate that the 83rd had contact with Magos Goibniu]
"Andino was the youngest member of the Honor Guard. A native of Baal he found his home in the Legion's Despoiler Squads and from the outset stood above his peers. Eco personally selected him for his retinue after Andino threw himself between his Lord and an Eldar champion, turning aside a blow aimed at Eco's exposed flank and decapitating the foul xenos. He was brave and foolhardy, frequently following in the footsteps of Vizioso as he cut a path through the enemy. Of all of his squad he found most in common with Galterio whose calm demeanor and, outside of combat, gentle nature acted as a teacher to The Boy.
I feared Andino lost to the Traitors as we fell back but I met him and Galterio at The Palace, the venerable warrior supporting the wounded Andino. After the Siege was lifted and we began rebuilding after the Codex Astartes he was selected for the Flesh Tearers Chapter. As he left for his new assignment that was the last I saw of him."
- Veteran Sergeant Alessio
Automatically Appended Next Post:
"In contrast to The Boy Galterio was a native of Terra and like Eco had been inducted into the Legion early in it's history. He never spoke of how he lost his left arm and none that I spoke with could ever remember when that arm was flesh.Outside of combat he was warm and gregarious, always willing to lend his experience to the younger Brothers of the 83rd. As I started my life in the IX Legion his sage advice was most welcome. Once he was encased in his war plate and his helmet was donned it was as if he was a different man; a grim executioner striding the battlefield, his huge axe taking a life with each swing.
After The Siege and the breaking of our Legion into smaller Chapters he volunteered his expertise to train the newest Battle Brothers who were being inducted into the scout forces as we rebuilt our loses"
- Veteran Sergeant Alessio
Automatically Appended Next Post: Veteran Brother Marcelo, Captain Ennius's Terminator Elite; "The Saints"
"While Brother Captain Ennius was known as The Anvil those who accompanied him were known to the Brothers of the 83rd as The Saints. Each of these mighty warriors was a paragon of what it meant to be a Blood Angel, and each was a hero in their own right. None would leave Terra alive.
Brother Marcelo had won the right to wear the mighty Cataphractii armor after preventing his position being overrun by Greenskins when the rest of his squad was laid low by one of their foul weapons. His actions saved the lives of those who were wounded and allowed the rest of our forces time to reach our beleaguered Brothers. The Legion badge which he wore on his right shoulder was hand crafted on Baal at Eco's request following Marcelo's leadership of a small Expeditionary Force. The halo'd blood drop atop his carapace was for his actions during the Scourging of Amaranth when, separated from the rest of The Saints, he held enemy forces at bay as they attempted to capture a vital bridge, his combi-bolter making a mockery of their armor while his power fist smashed their vehicles to dust.
He met is end during the fighting withdrawal to The Palace. His armor was proof against many of the attacks of the Traitors who attempted to fell him. It was only when they had expended enough of their blood to occupy him while their meltaguns were brought to bear that he passed into legend, a trail of enemies marking his path" - Veteran Sergeant Alessio
"Vizioso was a veteran before Captain Eco became a part of the IX Legion. But that was not his birth name. In the closing days of the Unification War the Emperor's forces brought in new recruits from all across Terra. Some by right of conquest, some as tribute. Vizioso was born into a mercenary band of Keyltes who had plied their trade from Merica to the Yndonesic Bloc. During the Franc Campaign their chieftain pledged allegiance to the Emperor, and as a token of fealty offered his first born son. If Vizioso remembers his Clan name he never spoke of it, instead preferring the name his instructors gifted to him from his combat trials against the other Aspirants; Vizioso, the Vicious One.
The Keyltes were known to be proud warriors who favored devastating short range firefights with their slug casters before charging in with their scian blades, and Vizioso excelled in that role in the service of the Emperor. Because of that it was often felt that he would have been more at home with the Wolves or our Cthonian cousins. His nature allowed him to thrive under the early Astartes training doctrines, adapted as they were from the Thunder Warriors. Throughout the Great Crusade he excelled in shock assaults and close quarters combat. His proud, often unruly nature and unwillingness to advance in rank rankled his former commander, especially when Vizioso turned down the honor of Tactical Dreadnought Armor as he felt that it was too cumbersome for how he fought. His commander in the 147th, Captain Emesto, never forgot that perceived insult. After declining promotion to the Terminator elite Vizioso turned down other opportunities for advancement beyond Sergeant that would have kept him from combat and he quickly fell out of favor, coming close to censure on more than one occasion. Truth be told that was how he came to the 83rd. Following the Purge of Goetha XXI Captain Emesto was on the verge of casting him out for his actions during the campaign until Captain Eco requested his transfer and made him a part of his personal retinue. It was in this role that Vizioso finally found his niche, fighting at Captain Eco's side as they dove into the heart of their foes. When Eco fell Vizioso took it the worst of all the Brothers, believing that he personally had failed to protect our lord, and his already choleric nature deteriorated. As our new Captain began rebuilding the Company Vizioso remained distant spending his days exorcising his ill temper on the training cages, much to the vexation of our Brother Techmarines. Many of us ruminated on what the future may look like for our Brother. Defeat weighed heavy on his shoulders as he bore the shame of loss and our new Captain waded into battle in Cataphracti plate, not descending from the heavens as his predecessor did and Vizioso already had a difficult relationship with him on account of that.
We did not have long to speculate on his fate.
On the third night while Captain Eco was still being stabilized prior to donning his ironform Ennius entered Vizioso’s training chamber in his training garb, ordered the rest of the squad to depart, gestured to the cage and closed the door to the rest of the Company. When they left the room both were bloody but the new found respect for each other was evident. Captain Ennuis’s decree was that Eco had not been failed by his honor guard, and that those members who survived the boarding action were entrusted with the honor of the 83rd in extracting payment from our foes in blood and making the Traitors pay painfully for every breath they dared draw. Vizioso had the look of a man redeemed. This was the task he had been born for.
As much as he deserved the name he was re-born with during his induction into the IX Legion he was an unusual specimen. It always amazed me to hear his almost sing-song voice over the comm directing the most brutal assaults in the heart of the enemy forces. I once spoke with a Remembrancer who said that his voice was typical of the Keyltes; the almost melodic tones at odds with the crimson path he carved in the service of the Emperor and the Angel.
After the Siege was done and the Traitors driven from the Imperial Palace I returned to the wall that we had faithfully defended looking for those who had fallen so that they may honored for their sacrifice. It was on this solemn journey that I found the body of Vizioso. Ever loyal to Captain Eco he stood watch over his chassis’s shattered remains when he suffered his final death delaying the Traitors from pushing further in. At the narrowest point he had lashed himself to a pillar to keep himself upright before he succumbed to his wounds. Chained to the pillar and standing over the remains of his lord at the pass he fought to the last breath, his body covered in a dozen fatal wounds." - Veteran Sergeant Alessio
[Archivist's Note: As with all of this squad note the early variant armor which would become common place in the later stages of the Heresy. As with other examples this armor often has exposed power cables. Following the death of this subject records indicate that the leg armor was 89.76% as effective as the later patterns which saw widespread adoption with the new Chapters]
[Archivist's Note; it is unusual to see the mark cross mark on the armor of a Blood Angel during this time period. Sources from the 83rd (c/ref audio logs gamma 9 through kai 78) suggest that the members of this Company used this as a sign of mourning for the loss of Eco. This symbol would see more prominence after the loss of their Primarch]
Thank you. The flesh is a basecoat of Cadian Flesh over a black undercoat, shaded with Agrax Earthshade and then highlighted up using Pallid Witch Flesh.
The shade of red is a little darker and with better defined shadows in real life. Getting a good balance for the red against the other colors for the photos has been a new challenge for me.
My hobby supply drop added so I can start adding some armor variants to the force other than just what is available in the B@C set;
Some MkIII goodness
Automatically Appended Next Post: The Anvil of the 83rd, Captain Ennius
[Archivist's Note: The upper arm of Captain Ennius shows bionic augmentation not present in what few pict captures we could review prior to the events of Signus Prime. While documentation of the events during that encounter are not permitted to those outside the Chapter it is speculated that his injury was sustained in that compliance action]
"Captain Ennius was widely considered to be distant, cold and ruthless by the Brothers of the 83rd prior to his leadership of our Company. Some of the less charitable saw him as calculating and aloof.
Those few that he let see past his frosty exterior knew a different man possessed of a razor sharp wit and warm to those he trusted.
Eco had trained Ennius since the latter was inducted into the IX Legion, acting as a mentor to him. Captain Eco and he had a bond stronger than that between most blood kin, their personalities and strengths complemented one another’s weaknesses. Were Eco was a natural diplomat who could speak with anyone regardless of their station, Ennius was a natural strategist more focused on the end rather than the means.
He was a veteran of our Terminator elite and he was always at the forefront of their implacable advance into the heart of the enemy. His chainfist making short work of any enemy armor that barred his way, his mind dismantling their strategies with equal ease. He acted as the anvil while Eco was our hammer. In the void over Amaranthe when Eco sentenced the world to death it was Ennius who commanded our flag ship. It was he who gave our supporting Imperial Army ships the order to pull back to prevent synthetic infiltration, scattered the opposing fleet, and who coordinated the waves of reinforcements onto the planet to support the small vanguard that Eco had taken to the surface on the ill fated diplomatic mission.
He spoke with me in private when Eco fell. He came to me seeking Brother Tobias to personally thank him for keeping Eco alive until he could be tended to aboard our vessel. While many Brothers were struck by the lack of emotion he showed with the loss of his friend I saw different. When we spoke that day I could see the silent burden on his shoulders. The man who was like a father to him was mortally wounded and he had just inherited our Company as the galaxy burned and madness raged across the stars like the laughter of mad gods. He knew all too well of his reputation within our Brotherhood, but he also knew the enormity of the task he faced in keeping strong the bonds of our Company. Like the broken blade of Eco that our Techmarine brothers now toiled on to repair the Anvil of the 83rd had to reforge our Company so we would weather the coming storm." - Veteran Sergeant Alessio
Prior to the arrival of the additional MKIII pieces this was the structure for the squads comprising my small force from the B@C set
Squad Laertes; Undermaned Vet squad
Missle Launcher & Flamer
Laertes as a duelist (sword wielder)
Kul – bolter
Tito (“giant”) - Missle Launcher
Sergio (“attendant”) - assistant gunner
Silvio (“silver”) - grey haired vet
Drago “dragon” - Flamer
Squad Alessio; Vet squad
Heavy Bolter & ?
Alessio - Powerfist
Tobias – white shoulder pad
Arturo (“strong as a bear”) – Heavy Bolter gunner, “The Bear”
Galterio (“strong warrior”) – assistant gunner
Lanzo (“lance”) – specialist
Orza – demo specialist
Bertrando (“brilliant raven”) – marksman (spent time with Alpha Legion briefly during Kayvas Initiative)
Santo (“sacred”) - boltgun. Skull shoulder pad?
Donatus (“present”) - lobbing grenade?
Aldo “archaic”
Squad Constantin (means firm – background squad acts as bulwark)
3 man tac support squad (undermanned)
Sergeant Constantin – combi plasma
Edmondo (“happy defender”) - plasma
Martinus (“warring”) - plasma
Squad Niko; "The Saints"
Terminator squad (combined from survivors of other squads – 1x assault, 1x tac)
Sergeant Niko
Brother Reuel LC armed
Lucan (“light”) - Heavy Flamer
Raimondo “mighty protector”
Marcelo “hammer”
Squad Vizioso Sergeant Vizioso - lightening claw & hand flamer
Galterio “strong warrior” - two handed axe
Gilberto “oath” - power fist
Andino “brave” - sword and axe
Egidio “shield bearer” - shield & sword
"Captain Eco was the best of us. When he was laid low it was a crushing blow to our Company, especially in the wake of Signus Prime. When he returned to us resplendent in his Ironform we rejoiced.
For anyone internment in a Contemptor chassis is a burden on mind. body and soul. How could it not be? For Captain Eco he also bore the burden of having to learn how to wage war in his new body. Before he was placed in his sarcophagus he brought war in the manner of the Angel himself, bearing down on foes with his jump pack, his attendants from Vizioso's squad never far behind. It was a small mercy that his inferno pistol, dubbed the Ruin of Amaranth, could be salvaged and form part of his new body. The sword he had carried in life had been shattered by the Traitor who slew him, but it had been recovered with him and at Eco's instructions it was reforged for our new Captain, who dutifully put aside his Cataphracti's chainfist to take up what was now the 83rd's symbol of office." - Sergeant Alessio
Brother Captain Eco, IX Legion, 83rd Company
The Celestial Blade, Savior of Thessia VII, Commander of the MMXXXVII Expeditionary Fleet, Scourge of Amaranth
KIA; Siege of Terra
Notes; Ironform and pilot suffered irreparable wounds fighting rear guard action against Traitor forces after walls breached. Examination of wreckage showed assault cannon ammunition expended with all barrels critical and on verge of failure, close combat weapon showed extensive use and damage to internal components from heavy sustained use, integrated melta weapon recovered and presented to IX Legion survivors.
"And so we found him amidst the ruin and despair of the end of the siege. Perhaps for those who perish it is easier, after all the living must count the cost and take stock of what remains. He had fought bravely until his final death, surrounded by the corpses of his foes. I can imagine him bludgeoning his foes with the assault cannon when it ran dry. Those of us who survived helped bear his remains to where the remnants of our Chapter gathered. As we rebuilt our forces one of our Techmarines presented me with the halo'd blood drop he bore on his chest. I wore it as we prosecuted the remains of the Traitor forces, all the way until the end of my service to the Imperium of Man"
So after an extended break I finally have some progress to share
Veteran Brother Raimondo, Captain Ennius's Terminator Elite; "The Saints"
Brother Raimondo was a veteran of the 83rd's Legion Support Squads. His specialty was in employing melta weapons to devastating effect against enemy armor. He earned the honor of wearing mighty Cataphractii armor during a boarding action while attached to Magos Goibniu's retinue. He and his squad were instrumental in using their weapons to carve a path through the twisting corridors of the enemy vessel. When the foe mounted their counter attack Brother Raimondo directed the defense which allowed the Magos time to retrieve precious STC data from their bridge. In the years following this his tactical acumen was employed to lay low the enemies of The Emperor and devastate their armored capabilities.
The shield he bore on his left shoulder, and indeed the combi-weapon he wielded, was a gift from Magos Goibniu in recognition of his crucial role in the recovery of the STC data. The blood drop on his left shoulder was once a Legion badge, but during the Signus Prime campaign one of the fell beasts tore the wing from it. As we recovered our strength in the wake of that campaign he refused to have it restored to it's former glory as he wanted it kept as a reminder of the Warmaster's betrayal. The laurel was an honor bestowed upon him by Captain Eco for his marksmanship and his leadership of his squad during the Vas'ii Rebellion when his squad's melta weapons were all that stood between the enemies tanks and a decimated Imperial Army force attempting to establish a beach head.
He met his end, like the other Saints, during the fighting withdrawal to The Palace. When Sergeant Niko allowed Brother Reuel to slip his leash and bring death to the Traitors each Saint took to their assigned roles. Brother Raimondo targeted what little armored support the Iron Warriors and Sons of Horus could bring through the breach, harassing their Dreadnoughts until he was overwhelmed" - Veteran Sergeant Alessio
Veteran Brother Reuel, Captain Ennius's Terminator Elite; "The Saints"
"Of all the Brothers of the 83rd none was so deeply affected by Signus Prime as Brother Reuel. Before we ever heard of that accursed place Reuel was known as the Jester, a Brother of great wit and mirth who even in the midst of the most ferocious combat could be heard making light of circumstances and mocking our foes. His bond with his Brothers in Daltoni's Cataphratii squad was legendary and unshakable. On Signus Prime it died. Brother Reuel was the last survivor of his squad with every other member of Daltoni's team laid low by the foul creatures we faced. As we reorganized our forces he was folded into Sergeant Niko's squad to bring them up to fighting strength once again. His relationship with his new squad could best be described as professional.
On the journey to Terra Reuel swore mighty oaths to avenge his fallen brothers and had his oaths affixed to his left shoulder. His mirth gone like ash in the wind he spent more and more time in the practice cages honing his skills. His jovial nature was erased, instead he smoldered with rage always waiting for the opportunity to sharpen his hatred of the Warmaster's forces. The winged skull he bore on the carapace of his armor he fashioned himself to honor his lost brothers, the Sons of the Angel are artists not just of war. His armor was almost a reliquary to the fallen as he stripped off his own honor marks and replaced them with those recovered from his squad.
After the wall was breached and we fell back Reuel begged Niko that as the only member of the squad without a ranged weapon that he be allowed to close with the enemy and meet them blade to blade. Niko granted him his request and allowed him to fulfill his oath. When we recovered his body from where he fell and laid him to rest his face was serene, the rage and pain finally left him as he upheld his oath before being reunited with his Brothers"
- Veteran Sergeant Alessio
Very nice painting, I do like the dark grimy red as befits those Angels defending the walls of Terra. I LOVE the fluff tho. I really enjoy when people bring their models to life through stories and a little fluff. I am planning on doing the same with my Mechanicum eventually.
Very nice painting, I do like the dark grimy red as befits those Angels defending the walls of Terra. I LOVE the fluff tho. I really enjoy when people bring their models to life through stories and a little fluff. I am planning on doing the same with my Mechanicum eventually.
Thank you. Because this is a long slow project with no real deadline, and my first real project to get back into the hobby, I wanted to take my time with it and flesh out the backgrounds partially to keep be vested and motivated.
Brother Lucan
Aside from Sergeant Niko Brother Lucan was the longest serving member of The Saints. His specialty was with promethium based weapons, and combined with his chain fist it was his honor to take the point in any boarding action to cut through the bulkheads of enemy vessels. Once he had closed with the enemy his heavy flamer wrecked havoc on our enemies.
The winged skull he bore on his armor was granted to him following the events on Murder when he and our erstwhile cousins of the III Legion, lead by Centurion Cadmus, used the fury of their flamers and the bulwark of their armor to hold back a swarm which threatened to overwhelm our landing zone. His shield was reward for his actions on an Ork vessel when his heavy flamer kept reinforcements at bay while Raimundo and his Support Squad used their melta weapons to cripple the ship before it could target escaping civilian vessels. The blood drop on his chain fist was in recognition of another action against the Greenskins and his destruction of a cohort of their clanking walkers.
Like the other Saints he claimed Terra as his grave. Where before his heavy flamer was an asset in forcing breaches or leading assaults it was a liability during our fighting retreat. Brother Lucan instead used it to target enemy specialists to confuse their targeting systems, reducing their effectiveness by causing their weapons to overheat, or using controlled bursts to obfuscate our movements and confound the enemy. When we recovered his remains it was clear that the Traitors had taken out their frustrations at his vexing of them on his body long after he passed. On the Legions who dared perpetrate that grave injustice we brought our fury and fire." - Veteran Sergeant Alessio
Thanks. With the Betrayal at Calth set, a sprue from the Prospero set and some bitz I'm trying to make each figure as unique as possible and use their pose to help flesh out their fluff.
"Sergeant Niko was the longest serving member of The Saints. So old was he that none living could ever remember him before he wore the indomitable Cataphracii war plate. He and Ennius shared a beyond long before they swore their oaths to The Emperor and The Angel. Both were born into the same tribe on the radiation soaked wastelands of Baal and grew as blood cousins together before entering the Legion at the same time. Both were mighty warriors and Niko's wit served well as a foil to the more serious Ennius.
Even though he was close to Brother Captain Ennius he was a mighty warrior in his own right and his own personal legend was something that he had earned himself. So many were his honors and laurels that I could not begin to enumerate them all; during the compliance actions beside the forces of Queen Morr'ghyn in the Castelleux System he lead The Saints as they boarded enemy vessels, some with mighty protections from before Old Night. Each of these highly prized vessels the Queen then gifted to our Martian cousins as tribute and the bounty of information and new knowledge each contained was beyond imagination. On Amaranthe while Captain Eco fought to hold the hasty beach head we had established and Ennius commanded the fleet in orbit against the synthetics who inhabited the planet Sergeant Niko lead the assault on their capital's primary armor depot, crippling their ability to respond to our orbital assault.
Of all The Saints he was the last to fall. His plasma blaster punished our foes as they fought to close the distance and his lightening claw rending them apart when they finally got close. As each of his brothers passed he sang his tribe's mourning cant for them. I last saw him alive as he made his last stand against the leader of the Traitorous filth that pursued us through the streets of Terra. His noble sacrifice bought us precious time and allowed many of our Brothers to survive who otherwise would have been overwhelmed." - Veteran Sergeant Alessio
"Orza was one of the Brothers under my command. He was steadfast and reliable under fire, with a keen understanding on how to deploy our krak and melta grenades to create breaches or cripple an enemy vehicle. As we reorganized our squad after the Amaranthe Campaign and we were honored as veterans of our Company I relied on his gift with explosives to be our sapper. He took to his new role with gusto, spending long hours with Raimundo learning all he could from the venerable warrior.
As we fell back to The Palace and obeyed The Angel's orders to harry and harass the enemy Orza rushed to the aid of the beleaguered Raimundo as the iron forms of the Sons of Horus closed on his Brother. Orza could not save Raimundo from the enemy, but his melta charges avenged the loss of The Saint but sealed Orza's fate when the dreadnought's reactor went critical.
We had nothing left or Orza to mourn or return to our Legion but his memory" - Veteran Sergeant Alessio
Thank you. I'm trying to use them sparingly as 30K Astartes generally seem to have less Legion specific bling outside characters, but I want to add some decoration to the minis. For the more 40K parts I'm counting those as early prototypes pressed into service by the 83rd.
[Archivist's note: if is of interest that this subject was using a non-standard power supply, but was also using a prototype load bearing device to transport ammunition for the squad's heavy bolter. Later designs built upon this prototype, but as a feeding device for the specialist wielding the heavy weapon]
[Close up of the shoulder pad. This piece of armor was only produced in limited number, and issued in fewer. Records indicate that Captain Ennius has ordered that these be given to Constantin's Legion Support Squad. It is not known if this piece was salvaged from a fallen brother, or issued to Brother Orsetto due to his critical role in supporting the heavy bolter specialist Brother Arturo]
Brother Arturo, heavy weapon specialist, Veteran Sergeant Alessio's Squad
[Archivist's note: the bare metal war plate of Brother Arturo appears to show recent repairs to heavy damaged components, especially the helmet. This is not an uncommon practice among the savage conflicts during the Heresy as each side invested considerable effort in targeting individuals considered to be force multipliers]
[Archivist's note: as was typical for the IX Legion, and later the Blood Angels Chapter, the armor on Brother Arturo's left shoulder was not merely decorative but was rather heavily reinforced to protect from incoming fire. Vid capts from the Amaranthe Campaign and the Signus Campaign indicate that the ornamentation was added at some point between those conflicts]
"I am honored to be able to call such warriors my brothers. Both Orsetto and Arturo served with me from the earliest days of our service in the Legion all through the dark days of the Heresy. During the Amaranthe Campaign when we were separated from the rest of our Company and fighting our way back to our own lines the lessons we learned helped Captain Eco reconstruct our squad. Previously the 83rd did not have many Brothers serving in a scouting or reconnaissance role, and this was something that was addressed after the planet has been subjugated. Newly honored by our Captain as Veterans of our Company our squad was outfitted to fill the role of reconnaissance and long range patrol. During the short range fire fights on the streets of Amaranthe we relied on Arturo's drum fed bolter to provide suppressive five to allow us to maneuver into position, but it's utility against the light grav vehicles of our enemies showed it's limited utility. To recognize our newly elevated status among our brothers Arturo was gifted a heavy bolter to allow us to properly keep our enemies at bay and to torment any hostile light vehicles. Brother Orsetto immediately volunteered to assist Arturo by carrying the surplus ammunition we would need on extended operations. During The Siege he was instrumental in keeping the heavy bolter barking at the Traitors.
In the days following the breaking of The Siege and the changes to our Legion both of my brothers served in the reserve and scout companies sharing their wisdom and experience on this weapon system and the best practices for it on prolonged deployments" - Veteran Sergeant Alessio
Thank you all. I'm slowly plugging away at the pile of plastic on my desk. I have a veteran sergeant for the second squad ready to be undercoated, and an Astartes who is not from the IXth Legion to add to the force.
Brother Martinus - Constantin's Legion Support Squad
Brother Edmondo - Constantin's Legion Support Squad
"Among the Brothers of Constantin's squad there were no more unlikely a pair than these two, known to the 83rd as The Twins.
Both Edmondo and Martinus were natives of Baal, but unlike the kinship shared by Ennius and Niko these two were born to rival tribes who fought for the scare resources of our irradiated homeworld. A part of the same batch of aspirants to our Legion each of them shared the unspoken oath to uphold the honor of their tribe and to prove their worth above their rival. Throughout the trials each of them competed fiercely to prove their worth, and as the trials progressed what started as fierce animosity became begrudging respect. When both were brought into our Company at Captain Eco's request their tribal animosity was gone, instead they acted in concert anticipating the movements of one another, coordinating their attacks with unspoken understanding.
During the fighting retreat The Twins became separated from the rest of the Crimson Thorns. We later found them in the ruins. They had made their last stand together, fighting back to back, protecting each other as they were overwhelmed and brought low.
Long after the Siege has been lifted I had opportunity to journey back to Baal and share with their tribes the tales of their brotherhood and their legend in service of The Emperor. Upon hearing of their shared tale the tribes set aside their rivalry, swearing pacts of loyalty and forgiveness. Many new members born into the newly united tribes bore the names of these heroes, and in turn many new Brothers who were inducted into the Blood Angels Chapter bore these names, all of them upholding the noble names of these warriors." - Veteran Sergeant Alessio
"Among the 83rd we had no finer swordsman than Laertes. Unbested in any of Company's sparring matches or contests, his calm, composed blade work even keeping the fury of Vizioso at bay. A native of Baal he embodied the grace and martial skill that the Angel instilled in our Legion. For decades he stood to the side of Captain Eco as Champion of our Company, and representing our honor at the contests we had with our Brother Companies, and even with our cousins in other Legions. While never as feted as Raldoran or more famous blade masters Laertes was capable of holding his own. His skill with a blade was recognized by The Angel himself, and Our Sire had the left shoulder armor commissioned and bestowed upon Laertes with the honor of bearing the Angel's name on his armor and into battle. I cannot tell if it was mere coincidence or not but when Vizioso entered into service in our Company Laertes had requested to take command of a squad of Legionnaires after their Sergeant, his mentor, fell in battle. Eco granted him this request, but also decreed that he would retain the title of Company Champion. During the long Siege of Terra and the dark days that followed Laertes upheld the honor of our Brothers" - Veteran Sergeant Alessio
"Drago was the close range specialist that accompanied Laertes. He excelled in his role as pointman, bringing his flamer to bear on the enemy and forcing them to keep their heads down while the maneuver elements of the squad closed in. While the wall held he stood brazenly taunting our foes and snapping off shots with his pistol, his temper matching the weapon waiting patiently to be unleashed. As we fell back he waited around corners to hose the Traitors with burning jets of prometium. A Traitor's round found it's mark and detonated the tank of his weapon, engulfing him in flames as our corrupted cousin drew his blade and threw himself at the burning Drago.
After we regrouped at The Palace I saw Drago again. His face horrendously scarred by the flames, he sat in silence having refused all assistance from our Apothecaries and using his combat blade to carve the sigil of a Traitor Legion off the bolter he now carried." - Veteran Sergeant Alessio
Brother Tito - Laertes's Squad
"Brother Tito was the squad member that Laertes and the assault element of his squad tested with their lives to provide and direct the fire support's overwatch. His skill with his missile launcher was something to behold. While Drago taunted the advancing enemy Tito methodically placed his shots to cause the maximum damage, assisted by Brother Sergio.
During our fighting retreat he slowed our foes by tumbling statues or weakened buildings to block the routes we traveled. The slow nature of wielding a missile launcher proved to be his undoing. As the enemy inevitably closed with him he brought down the building he was using as his firebase, burying all inside the rockrete tomb" - Veteran Sergeant Alessio
"Brother Silvio was the oldest of Laertes's Squad. A Terran veteran he was one of the original members of the squad, and it was the only brothers he knew, never having wanted to serve our Lord as anything but a warrior of the line. His silver hair and his armor gave silent testimony to his long service in our Legion. He and Drago were often seen at the forefront of their squad's movement; while Drago advanced to bring his flamer to bear on the enemy Silvio's bolter would guard the younger Legionnaire.
I do not know what happened to Silvio. I have no doubt that during our fighting retreat he was in lockstep with Drago. He was not among our number when we reached The Palace, and the horrifically scarred Drago would not be drawn into discussion of our venerable Brother;s fate." - Veteran Sergeant Alessio
Brother Sergio, Laertes's Squad
"While Tito's heavy weapon provided Laertes and the other members of the squad with overwatch, it was Sergio's keen eyes which was scanning for the next target. He and Sergio understood each other on an almost purely instinctive level, with targets communicated with no more than quick gestures of head nods. During any fighting displacement between shooting positions it was Sergio who would lead the heavy weapon specialist and ensure that he had the time to deploy his considerable firepower.
It was Sergio who had selected the firebase where the two made their last stand" - Veteran Sergeant Alessio
"As we reorganized after the Amaranthe Campaign, and prepared for our new role in our Company Brother Lanzo was the natural choice to have the honor of bearing our squad's melta gun. He had shown a natural aptitude for closing with the enemy, and even as an Aspirant he displayed a maturity in his ability to prioritize in a target rich environment.
While Arturo's heavy weapon suppressed enemy infantry and destroyed lighter vehicles Lanzo's melta gun gave our squad a much needed punch against heavier armored enemies, and after studying under Venerable Brother Raimondo carving a path through obstacles that would have otherwise pushed us into fatal funnels.
During the retreat he took his place beside me as one of the last Brothers to fall back each time so he could bring his weapon to bear on the Traitors. When Raimundo fell to the enemy ironforms Lanzo allowed his meltagun to vent his fury on the enemy war machines. When we searched for our lost Brothers after the Siege was lifted we found an ironform from the fallen XVth Legion. I watched as Lanzo took a charge we had retrieved from Orzo's remains and finished off the enemy he had previously crippled and left helpless inside it's broken sarcophagus" - Veteran Sergeant Alessio
Thank you. I currently have the next three members of Alessio's squad assembled and with glue drying so I can begin painting later.
Alessio's squad was a concept that I had bounced around for a long time (since 3rd Edition), which was to take a squad of Marinesin a Rhino and model them as a long range patrol unit equipped to deal with a variety of foes (hence the melta gun and heavy bolter). In game terms this was prior to the short lived Movie Marine concept, but closer in power levels to the fluff so the squad would play in skirmish games using the rules for a Commander and his Command Squad.
Automatically Appended Next Post: I think it's time this WIP plog had some WIP;
Brother Tobias, Apothecary Aspirant
Tobias was an interesting challenge to pose and model, but the parts just seemed to come together. The narthecium was built from a chainsword, and a power cable from a 40K Terminator. A full size bolter looked out of place on the model and was throwing off the balance. In it's place Tobias got a more specialized firearm befitting his role; an experimental Chalice Pattern bolt carbine.
Brother Bertrando, Squad Marksman
Bertrando has a Javelin Pattern experimental designated marksman rifle, a wrist mounted augur, improved helm mounted optics mated to the rifle and the Cherub pattern targeting matrix mounted on his powerpack
Brother Donatus
Simple conversion lobbing a grenade. He'll have a bare head.
[Archivist's Note; subject is armed with a prototype Javelin Pattern Designated Marksman Rifle. This weapon was issued prior to the Heresy for field testing, and this is the only known working sample. Note the most striking variance from the standard boltgun manual of arms with the magazines being side mounted]
[Archivist's Note; Subject equipped with Cherub pattern targetting matrix. This is a unique loadout given the mating of the system with an experimental weapon, and a wrist mounted augur]
[Archivist's Note; wrist mounted augur appears to be a predecessor to the auspexes in common use with Astartes Chapters. Being hardwired to the armor suggests that this is a very early model]
"Our Company's close relationship with Magos Goibniu allowed us the use of experimental weapons. Early on these were new designs for field testing, but as the rebellion spread closer to Terra some were pressed into desperate service to give us whatever edge we could get. The Javelin Pattern rifle was one our squad had received before The Warmaster's treachery. Designed to fill the gap in our arsenal between a full sniper's rifle and a traditional bolt gun it gave our squad some much needed additional range.
Brother Bertrando was our natural choice to bear this weapon into battle. He was our peerless marksman. His well placed shots causing maximum disruption among our foes as he carefully targeted leadership elements, communication specialists, or weapon specialists. He was unique among our Legion in that during the Kayvas Initiative he was one of the few Brothers to spend time with our erstwhile Cousins in the XXth Legion. Regrettably I had other matters to attend to during the brief time our Legions interacted in that theater, but Donatus spoke highly of Bertrando representing our interests.
Early in the Siege the specialist ammo for the Javelin was exhausted and Bertrando made use of standard bolt rounds. While still effective on our enemy the rounds were not as quiet as the weapon system could otherwise have been. As we conducted our fighting retreat the distinctive sound of his overwatch was most welcome. Then it fell silent. It pains me that to this day I know what happened to our Brother. When we scoured the ruins to bring the honored dead back to our Legion we could find no trace of him" - Veteran Sergeant Alessio
Brother Donatus - Alessio's Squad
"Brother Donatus; young, brash, sharp of tongue, impetuous. He was full of fire all the time that I knew him. He was ever willful and opinionated, always with a suggestion on how things should be done. When he first was assigned to my squad I had grave reservations about him. I feared that these traits would lead to another Brother being harmed as he chose to abide by his own mind rather than my orders. I had little hesitation in sharing my concerns with Captain Eco. He listened to me without comment and when I was done reminded me that I shared a great many of those traits when I joined the 83rd, and that Donatus would fit in with my squad well. Our Lord was right. While outside combat Donatus could come across as confrontational, if not damned insubordinate, once in the field he obeyed every order and direction with no hesitation or dissent. Over time I would learn to appreciate his perspective as he, in his own way, pushed us to do better. I was able to learn much from him, and he much from me. Over time he stood as my second in the squad, leading the second combat squad when I split the squad during missions.
When the time came to pass on the mantle of command for my squad he was a worthy successor and I was proud to have had the opportunity to know him during my service to the Legion and the Emperor" - Veteran Sergeant Alessio
Thanks 40kFSU. I wanted this project to test my skills a little with painting and modelling, and having seen so many other wonderful plogs with fluff I couldn't help myself. It really helps when stuck on a mini as it gives a direction I can refer back to.
With this force being mostly just a small force from the B@C box I didn't really have an excuse not to lavish them with as much detail as my skill would allow.
In a break from custom this WIP thread will actually have some WIP (shocking, I know)
Tobias's head with the first shades and highlights
Armor shaded and highlighted before the battle damage is added. This is close to the look I'll be aiming for with my 40K force when that project begins.
Battle damage added, gold 90% done, armor joints completed, Rhinox Hide used to block in purity seals and rope, metal basecoated and washed.
In case the more observant had any questions as to why Tobias is in the same red armor as his Brothers the idea for his background is that he is an Apothecary Aspirant. He has shown an aptitude for further training as an Apothecary and was taking his first steps on this journey when the Heresy broke out. As he is not a fully fledged Apothecary his armor will remain red, but his right shoulder pad will be white to mark his emerging status.
"Brother Tobias was a son of Baal, and one of the noblest sons of Sanguinius I ever met. He had been selected for further training as an Apothecary as word reached us that our Legion was to muster in the Signus System. In the wake of the events there, and as news of Horus's treachery reached us, we regrouped to defeat the Traitors. All transfers and reassignments for training were halted to have every Battle Brother available for the inevitable conflict. During that time Tobias learned as much as he could from the Apothecaries of other Companies. His eagerness to learn was not in vain.
On the Traitor ship 'Harbinger's Wake' Captain Eco fell to the blade wielded by a bastard of Nostramo. As Eco's Honor Guard drove the enemy back from his fallen form Brother Tobias raced to aid our Lord. Determined to claim their kill the sons of Curze took their toll on Tobias, destroying much of his Mk.III battle plate and claiming his eye. In spite of his own grievous wounds Tobias continued to work to save Eco's life. Had it not been for Tobias then Captain Eco would have been completely lost to us.
As he recovered from his own injuries our new Captain, Ennius, approached Magos Goibniu and requested that ally in the Mechanicum give his own personal attention to restoring Tobias's warplate. Goibniu repaired all that he could and replaced the irreparable parts with the best experimental pieces he had available. The armor came back to our Company in the colors of our Legion, but it was the Brothers of the 83rd who embellished it before it was presented upon Tobias's recovery. The bright white shoulder pad was Ennius's gift, the Saints crafted the chalice he wore on his armor's power supply, the blood drop on his knee I presented. To the surprise of many even Vizioso contributed to the decoration.
During the Siege Tobias was with us every step of the way, his Chalice carbine suppressing the enemy so he could tend to our wounded.
Tobias survived the Siege, and was among our Brothers who boarded the 'Vengeful Spirit' when the Arch Traitor dared Our Father and The Emperor to face him. During the reformation of our Legion with the Codex Astartes Tobias remained a Blood Angel, and he started his service as a full Apothecary tending to a great many who had been selected for bionic implants" - Veteran Sergeant Alessio
A quick update on the final two Legionnaires before we get to the narrator himself;
Santo;
A warrior-poet more commonly found in the company of the Remembrancers than his own Brothers before the events of Signus Prime. His belief in the Imperial Truth is shaken to its core after combating the Neverborn
Aldo;
The oldest and longest serving member of Alessio's squad. I used the older MkIII armor to show his length of service and no newer parts mixed in. The left shoulder pad was selected to have the same silhouette as the right one.
I've got to say, Dreadclaw, your models and painting is great, but you really go the extra mile in giving each one their own little story. Makes me want to paint up a squad of marines and do something similar!
Keep up the great work! I look forward to see the whole gang in a group shot.
Thank you so much. Santo and Aldo are about 90% complete as I type this.
I was working over the Christmas period and did not have a lot of hobby time. Once the New Year arrived I started a new job, with a lot of time training, and we're about to go on vacation shortly for a few weeks so there have not been a lot of opportunities to but paint to plastic.
I did stumble across it just before christmas but sadly did not suscribe or comment.
Anyways, I absolutely love it. Great models and background, looking forward for more!
Thank you both so much. As I'm looking at my stock of pieces that have gone unused so far I should be able to squeeze out some more members of the 83rd. My original plan was to wrap them up after painting the small force and move onto Necromunda, but those minis haven't captured my imagination as much.
I do want to create a small 40K force of Blood Angels centered around a small taskforce during the Devastation of Baal tasked with assisting the native clans evacuate to help protect the Chapter's future recruitment. I'm envisioning a rag tag group of Marines from all across the Chapter, but I haven't decided if any Successor Chapters should be included.
"Brother Aldo was the longest serving member of my squad. In truth he had served my predecessor before I was promoted to lead the squad. He was a most solid and dependable brother, level headed and faithful to the Imperial Truth. I had long pondered why I lead the squad and not he. It was an unspoken question that settled between us, but never uncomfortably. He never challenged my authority or failed to perform his duty. Had I any doubts of his disposition to me they would have been answered when he lost his eye to an enemy on a world who refused our offer to join the Imperium, pushing me aside before a fanatic detonated a suicide vest.
It was not until we were on the wall that he spoke of the unspoken. The burden of responsibility for the lives of battle brothers under his command was something that sat uneasy with him, and he was thankful that my ascension spared him this burden, or having to refuse the honor Captain Eco would have bestowed on him.
On Terra he saved my life for the second time. Sadly on this occasion it cost him more than his eye" - Veteran Sergeant Alessio
Brother Santo - Alessio's Squad
"Each member of our Legion was affected by the Signus Campaign, some more than others. Before we ever set foot on that blasted soil, or met the abominable Neverborn Santo was an exemplar of the ideals that our Great Crusade embodied. He spent much of his time in the company of the Remembrancers who accompanied us, eager to learn from as many of them as he could. The rest of us gently mocked our warrior poet brother as only those of us who fought and bled together can. He would take it in good grace and have a retort from his newest learning.
After Signus he was not the same. He became more withdrawn and almost superstitious, his battle plate started to bear more oath paper, and he spent more time speaking with our Wardens. He spent less time with most Remembrancers but was in the company of a small group believed to be adherents to the Lectitio Divinitatus. I suspected that he bore their teachings into battle in his scroll pouch, but I never challenged him on this. In truth I knew that each of us had to come to terms with what we had witnessed, and if that was his way then so be it.
After the Traitors had been driven from Terra and the Emperor ascended to the Golden Throne Santo was inducted into the Chaplaincy where his new found faith was put to good use" - Veteran Sergeant Alessio
Yeah, an update! Gotta say, I really like how you manage to come up with so creative backstories to each and every marine and that the models look exactly like the characters you describe them to be. I don't even want to know how long you spend thinking before building and painting a miniature. Great work!
After looking at the parts I still have it looks like I can add more to my 83rd Company. I have the narrator, Veteran Sergeant Alessio, built but I want to get warmed up again to do him justice. So I will bulk up my Support Squad to 5 members. I built a new, as un-named Brother, and will switch out the sergeant's plasma gun for another to free up a 30K style weapon for the 5th squad member.
Lum wrote: Yeah, an update! Gotta say, I really like how you manage to come up with so creative backstories to each and every marine and that the models look exactly like the characters you describe them to be. I don't even want to know how long you spend thinking before building and painting a miniature. Great work!
Thank you. I wish I could claim a long involved process, but it is much more simple. With the names I got for my force that gave each of them a strong theme to get the right set of parts for. Then as I assemble and paint the minis I think about their backstory, and how it ties into the overall story. For Aldo his backstory was only really fleshed out as I started to type my last post. For Santo I had a rough framework before he was undercoated.
It only took me a ten year break to paint like that I recently came across some minis from my 2nd/3rd Edition Scythes of The Emperor army, so I might get some pictures of those before I strip them. I have plans for those that do not involve a lot of red paint.
In all honesty before I picked up a brush again I read a lot, and watched a lot of tutorial videos. Honestly the battle damage is a very simple, but hugely effective way of enhancing your minis, and it just takes a sponge, some Rhinox Hide, and a bit of courage to start. Then just using a detail brush to enhance the sponge weathering.
Plus I have hilariously unsteady hands when I start getting nervous. Which is all the time when I'm painting. I'll get there eventually, and hopefully begin naming all the little guys for my Ultramarine army
Plus I have hilariously unsteady hands when I start getting nervous. Which is all the time when I'm painting. I'll get there eventually, and hopefully begin naming all the little guys for my Ultramarine army
I bet your shake gets worse when you focus on it I have to plan out my caffeine intake before I do detail work. Take your time, get your confidence up and find an older mini to practice weathering on.
Thanks. The skin recipes have varied based on the mini, but the most recent recipe is;
- undercoat Abaddon Black
- basecoat Bugman's Flesh
- wash with Reikland Fleshshade
- paint Agrax Earthshade into the recesses
- layer Cadian Flesh
- 50/50 mix of Cadian Flesh and Palid Wych Flesh
- final highlight of Palid Wych flesh
- glaze around eyes prior to painting with Xerxes Purple diluted with Lamian Medium
For Silvo because he was always intended to be an older veteran I added some grey into the mix.
For Giorgio I wanted to actually carve some damage into his battle armor, I have no idea why I haven't tried it more until this late stage. Like the previous members of the squad he has a mix of MkIII and MkIV plate, with a helm from the Blood Angels sprue that looks like a MkIV helm but with a vox grill. He also has the reinforced shoulder pad as all others.
Brother Battista
For Battista he is a great example of my over thinking a concept and themes. My thinking behind Battista is that he was the last survivor of his veteran squad who was folded into Constantin's squad. To help with that I put more effort into my parts selection than with most others. For a start he is the only member of the squad to be fully in MkIV plate armor, does not have the reinforced shoulder pad, has no molecular bonding studs on his armor, and unlike all the other rank and file brothers his stance is leaning back while the others (except Constantin) have forward motion. You can also see the plasma gun re-purposed from Constantin, which leads us to...
Constantin's plasma gun
Just a plasma gun from the BA sprue, but it freed up his for Battista and it seems more likely that a higher ranking Legionnaire would get newer equipment.
Plus I have hilariously unsteady hands when I start getting nervous. Which is all the time when I'm painting. I'll get there eventually, and hopefully begin naming all the little guys for my Ultramarine army
I bet your shake gets worse when you focus on it I have to plan out my caffeine intake before I do detail work. Take your time, get your confidence up and find an older mini to practice weathering on.
For Giorgio I wanted to actually carve some damage into his battle armor, I have no idea why I haven't tried it more until this late stage. Like the previous members of the squad he has a mix of MkIII and MkIV plate, with a helm from the Blood Angels sprue that looks like a MkIV helm but with a vox grill. He also has the reinforced shoulder pad as all others.
I am extremely cautious when it comes to carving combat damage directly into the plastic. I overdid way too many of my old marines and it just looked not really natural. But I really enjoy your subtle scratches and damage. Great job!
[Archivist's Note; subject appears to be wearing a modified Mk4. helm with gills and vox grille. Possible experimental helm]
"Brother Giorgio was another long standing member of Constantin's squad. Like everyone else who served our Company in a Support Squad Giorgio was a master with his weapon, capable of felling a xenos beast or armored enemy with equal ease. I hate to speak ill of him, but he was largely unremarkable.
After Signus Prime he started to complain about being afflicted by bad luck. After that campaign his original helm, which was damaged by the Neverborn, vexed him. He would complain about the optics shorting out or hearing ghost voices on the comm at critical times. When we fought about the Night Lord vessel in the engagement that claimed Eco's life He claimed that Constantin's warning of an ambush did not register. Thankfully his helm was at least proof against the volkite fire that struck him, but the helm was left beyond repair. After Giobhnu fashioned him a new helm he complained about other systems being plagued by issues. Outside of combat we took some humor at his seeming misfortunes. Santo actively avoided him and would mumble something about malicious spirits if their paths should cross.
As we made our way back towards The Palace ill fate would strike Giorgio again as his plasma gun suffered overheats and malfunctions, forcing him to engage our pursuers with his blade after he threw his terminally malfunctioning weapon at a charging Terminator.
He was among our survivors as we regrouped prior to assaulting the Vengeful Spirit, but his injuries were too severe to allow him to join the boarding actions that were to follow" - Veteran Sergeant Alessio
Brother Battista - reassigned to Constantin's Squad
"As fate would have it in the same ambush that almost cost Giorgio his head it cost Battista his Brothers. It was Battista's squad who bore the brunt of the Night Lords's firepower in the ambush as we pressed towards their bridge, and only Battista survived. In his fury at the loss of his squad his return fire suppressed the Traitors long enough for us to mount an effective response. While Captain Eco was being prepared for his ironform Captain Ennius reassigned Battista to Constantin's now under manned Support Squad.
While Battista was a capable specialist with his weapon his new squad's role was different to the manner in which he was deployed before. I could always tell his shots; where the rest of Constantin's squad could act in near unison, especially The Twins, Battista's shot always came a fraction of a second later, but no less on target.
During the retreat he would rejoin his fallen Brothers" - Veteran Sergeant Alessio
For Giorgio I wanted to actually carve some damage into his battle armor, I have no idea why I haven't tried it more until this late stage. Like the previous members of the squad he has a mix of MkIII and MkIV plate, with a helm from the Blood Angels sprue that looks like a MkIV helm but with a vox grill. He also has the reinforced shoulder pad as all others.
I am extremely cautious when it comes to carving combat damage directly into the plastic. I overdid way too many of my old marines and it just looked not really natural. But I really enjoy your subtle scratches and damage. Great job!
Thank you. I found that the carved battle damage added little to the mini above the painted battle damage, but it was a good thing to find out, even at so late a stage.
More unremarkable in the sense that when it came time to write his back story I had no inspiration for him. Then again even if you are unremarkable among the Astartes you're still pretty impressive.
Two more Legionnaires for Laertes's Veteran Squad. These will be part of the 5 man maneuver element with Laertes. I have the last two of the fire element assembled, but no undercoat yet as I've found it easier to pair my Blood Angels in pairs.
These two as yet un-named Legionnaires have had their red armor and battle damage completed, and the non-gold metallics base coated and washed. These are the first two minis that I have painted using a wet palette too, and I have to say that it really helps manage the consistency of the paint, especially when working with multiple layers of red, or keeping the paint thin enough to apply battle damage.
I second what War Kitten has said. The damage looks cool. I picture these two guys, having just returned from the defence of the palace, walking into a sanctum where some White Scars and Fists are resting, skulking past in a commanding silence. I like it!
Thank you all. I'm happy that others can see some of the character that I'm trying to build into each Legionnaire.
For the MKiV helmet the battle damage to the right eye was just how the sponge worked, I just expanded it after. With the left shoulder pad it'll look like a round detonated just before it hit his helmet. I'm playing with the idea that the right eye will be painted darker as if it was damaged and it lost power.
The last two members of Laertes's maneuver element, Brothers Nikus and Deo, are now complete. First the pre-assemble shots to better show the battle damage;
Brother Nikus, Veteran Sergeant Laertes's Squad
"Brother Nikus was the last of the Terran Born members of Laertes's squad, and much like Silvio had served in our Legion before Leartes took command of that band of noble brothers. Like all veterans of the 83rd he was a storied warrior. The ornate crest on his right pauldron had been commissioned for him earlier in the Crusade by Laertes himself when he still served as Company Champion. It was a mark of honor and gratitude between them. In that campaign the enemy had compromised our vox communications, and Nikus had acted as a runner between his squad and our supporting artillery. Laertes was leading an assault element in close proximity to the enemy, and thanks to the swiftness of our Brother the shells did not fall on friendly heads." - Veteran Sergeant Alessio
Brother Deo, Laertes's Squad
"Brother Deo was imbued with similar humors as Captain Ennius, but with a distinct bent towards the dour. A quiet, taciturn brother almost the foil of Drago in temperament. He was rarely rattled by any event on the battlefield, his broad shoulders and thick armor proof against whatever could be thrown at him. Early during the Siege when the Rebels first launched their assault a bolt shell clipped the gold wings on his left shoulder armour and detonated in his face. The resulting explosion was enough to ruin the occular connection between his suit and his black carapace. When Tobias attempted to offer aid Deo shrugged and remarked that "Next time the bastards better shoot straighter than I do".
In the dark days that would become known as The Scouring I happened upon him when my humors were melancholic. As I tried to start making sense of the madness I asked him if he thought we'd done enough for our Lord. As gruff as ever he just bluntly stated "Our Legion is still alive. As long as our Father's blood remains we win" " - Veteran Sergeant Alessio
Could it be? A month with two painting updates? Why yes it could.
The final members of Laertes's squad. Legionnaires Cino and Arturis, as well as the freshly assembled former Sergeant of the squad, Salvi.
Brother Cino - Laerte's Squad
"While Laertes and I both had different philosophies in how to best lead our squads we each learned from the other. Brother Cino's role with the fire support element was proof of that. Recognizing the value of having a Brother who could provide pinpoint fire on priority targets Laertes asked that Cino train under Bertrando to better learn the art of being a marksman. With little specialist sniper weapons available to our Chapter as we journeyed to Terra our Techmarine was able to make Cino's weapon more accurate.
As we fought the Traitors on the wall the additional range and accuracy of Cino's weapon allowed him to assist in disrupting enemy command and communication efforts. When the wall was breached his precise shots caused more than one Traitor hesitate, and bought time for our Brothers to fall back" - Veteran Sergeant Alessio
[I don't know quite how I managed it, but Cino's pose reminds me a little of the infamous 2nd Edition "tea tray" bolter pose]
Brother Arturis - Laertes's Squad
"The last member of Laertes's squad, Arturis, was solid and dependable. Almost boring so as his Brothers would jest with him. Unlike many of our Brothers who were natives of Baal Arturis was not given to much ornamentation. Truth be told the most decorated piece of his armor was salvaged from a fallen Brother, his only real indulgence in his appearance was painting the face of his helm back after Signus Prime.. He was much more minded to utility and function, his time between missions not given to any artistic pursuits or spent with Remebrancers. Instead he found comfort in the arming chambers, working diligently on his wargear.
During our mission on Terra his coldest fury was directed not at Horus's offspring, but be made sure they felt his ire, but those of the Iron Warriors. On more than one occasion I could tell that his shots were meant to debilitate and cripple an enemy rather than end their wretched lives. He clearly felt that those who would tear down the walls of The Palace itself deserved a special response." - Veteran Sergeant Alessio
Here is the fire support element all together
And here is their former Sergeant, Salvi, in case the 83rd actually make it to the table top and I feel the need to have Laertes be Company Champion;
Just the addition of a BA chainsword and shoulder pad, otherwise everything else is from B@C
To follow up on last week's update the bases for the third Legion Veteran squad have been completed;
As with the previous minis the bases are the same, white marble with assorted rubble and battlefield debris. The challenge here was that it has been 15 months since the first bases were completed, and I did not write down the recipe. So using only eyeballs and guestimates I got them pretty close to the first batch.
With the bases completed I finished assembling the squad that will be mounted on them;
I don't know how well it came out in the pictures but all the Legionnaires with bolters have had their default mags replaced with drum mags. My initial thoughts for the fluff of this squad is that on the eve of the wall being breached all the squad leaders meet and acknowledge that one squad will face the initial brunt of the Traitors to buy time for the rest of the Company. Veteran Sergeant Ortiz volunteers his squad for this duty, earning them the honorific The Martyrs. Each Brother is equipped with the higher capacity magazines to make the most of their firepower before they are inevitably overwhelmed.
That this Squad should have an honorific similar to the Terminators has me thinking that I may need to add similar names to the rest of the squads. For Laertes's squad they might adopt the moniker of their leader and become known as The Champions, Vizioso's squad are also candidates for this title, but given their history and loss of Captain Eco I'm thinking that they may be known as The Vengeful, Constantin's squad will be called The Guardians as they hunt the biggest threats to the 83rd, and Alessio's squad will be known as The Knights, taking their name from one of Alessio's personal honorifics.
Quick update to show that some progress has been made;
Veteran Sergeant Salvi, former Sergeant of Laertes's Squad. He has a very basic load out, with extra ornamentation and chain coming from the Chaplain Cassius mini.
Veteran Sergeant Ortiz. You can see that I have added some more embellishments to his armor. Part of his back story will be that he is the last surviving member of his Breacher Squad (hence the thunder hammer), and that after The Martyr's lost their Sergeant he was placed in command, taking up his predecessor's combi flamer. I used a small shield from the B@C kit and added it to his right shoulder pad, and I have a scroll affixed to it which will have the names of his fallen brothers. With the gold detail on his chest and helm I'm planning on keeping the face plate black.
Not shown are the heavy flamer veteran who has had some amateur greenstuff work done to his helm to mark him as previously being a member of a Destroyer Squad, and also after getting a box of Reivers I have my Warden conversion almost completed.
"My Brother Salvi had lead his squad with honor and distinction for many long years during our Great Crusade to reunite Humanity under The Emperor's banner. Some years my senior in length of service he was always willing to share his hard fought experience with me. While his service and record with the 83rd would have entitled him to his choice of weapons from our armory his only concession to the benefits of rank was his plasma pistol. The chainsword he carried was the same one Captain Eco presented to him when he was chosen to lead his squad after their previous Sergeant fell to Greenskins. He told me that he preferred to wield it to remind him of the honor bestowed upon him.
Salvi met his end, like many of our brothers, on the world of Signus Prime. When all order broke down as we fought the Neverborn he and Laertes fought shoulder to shoulder against the unrelenting, maddening tide. It was his dying wish that Laertes stand beside his men as their Brother as he had stood with him. It was a request Laertes could not refuse"
Veteran Sergeant Ortiz, Breacher Sergeant, Leader of The Martyrs
[Pict Cap 0617EI0; honor scroll listing names of Ortiz's fallen brothers from his Breacher Squad. Archivist's note; the shield device was not present on this subject's armor until after the attack on the Night Lords where Captain Eco fell]
"Ortiz had, since he joined our Legion, served as a Breacher. Like Constantin he favored the heavier MKIII war plate which, in combination with his shield, offered significant protection is the extreme close quarters combat he would be engaged in.
During the ill-fated boarding action against a force of Night Lords Ortiz would lose his squad as they ground through the Traitor's defenses. As we re-organized on the journey to Terra Captain Ennius asked him to take leadership of a 3rd Squad, who had lost their Sergeant in the same action. So it was that the Sergeant with a squad, and the squad without a Sergeant were made whole again. In order to bring 3rd Squad up to strength survivors from other units were drafted in, including the last surviving Destroyer in our Company.
At the wall on the eve of what we all knew would be the wall being breached I met with the other Sergeants. None of us would voice our thoughts and fears to those we would lead into battle, but peer to peer we each knew the truth; for us to succeed in our sworn duty one squad would have to stand their ground and sell their lives to give the remains of the Company time to fall back in good order. There was no hesitation from Ortiz. His squad was optimized for close quarters, and their specialist weapons would be more of a liability in the fighting retreat. Each squad turned over their drum magazines to Ortiz's men so they could greet the Rebels with a second wall, of bolt, blade and flame.
Thus The Martyrs were born, and their flame would burn briefly but bright. Were it not for their sacrifice a great many of us would not have survived to exact our revenge on the enemy."
My hobby time today has been spent doing prep work on the rest of The Martyrs (exciting things like drilling the feet and attaching paperclips for painting and basing), undercoating the squad's two specialists, and undercoating the Warden of the 83rd. For him I think I'll follow the GW tutorial on painting black armor;
Until I have more to show here is a blast from the past; some Scythes of the Emperor from late 2nd/early 3rd Edition (if the bases were not clue enough)
These were some of the last Space Marines I painted before I took an extended hobby break, and I'm glad my painting has improved a little bit since then
I ended up making more progress with these two than I thought, as well as starting to work on my Warden.
Former-Destroyer Ludovico 'The Vulture', Veteran Sergeant Ortiz's Squad - The Martyrs
"Destroyers are a rare breed in any Legion; doubly so for our Legion given our radiation soaked homeworld. It takes a certain temperament, even among those bred for war, to turn such devastating weapons on your foes. Our Company had but one squad of Destroyers, The Vultures, and of those Ludovico was the only Baal native to volunteer to join their ranks. His service as a Destroyer had marred his body. The radiation and alchemical weapons had left him rotten with cancers that defied even Astartes enhanced physiology, and distorted his voice when he spoke.
The last survivor of his squad he took their shared moniker as his own, and he was folded into 3rd Squad to fill the role of heavy weapon specialist. With the ammunition for baleful weapons he bore as a Destroyer no longer available to him he gladly replaced his prosphex and rad missle launcher with a heavy flamer. His damaged war plate was replaced with pieces scavenged from our dead, with only his left greave, right shoulder pad, and helm serviceable.
I did not see his passing, but I heard from others who had. Like all The Martyrs he knew his duty. Separated from the rest of his squad, and the tank in his weapon dry he did not have time to reload his weapon. Instead he took the only option he had left. He detonated his reserve tank - bathing the Traitors who encircled him in burning promethium." - Veteran Sergeant Alessio
Brother Lazzero, Veteran Sergeant Ortiz's Squad - The Martyrs
"Brother Lazzero was one of the more recent members of our Company. He was elevated to Battle Brother following the Amaranthe Campaign. Where Draigo's humors burned hot and he could be given to rash actions Lazzero by contrast burned cold. I confess that I wish I knew more of my lost Brother, but as we made preparations for travel to Terra opportunities for social encounters were limited.
Lanzo did have opportunity to spend some time with him in the arming cages, and did see potential in the young warrior. It was a shame that his promise was to be squandered because of the Warmaster's folly.
As the wall fell and his weapon ran dry Lazzero walked to the fore of the Martyr's formation. Arms outstretched he sacrificed himself to the Traitor's opening volleys so that the rest of his squad could sell their lives dearly, so that we in turn may avenge them. They kept their word, and we kept ours" - Veteran Sergeant Alessio
"Warden Vespucci was a giant of a man long before he ever served in our Legion. Clad in his warplate and armed with his unshakable faith in the Imperial Truth his presence on the battlefield was incredible, leading from the front he galvanized the Brothers of our Legion on to glory with his deeds. A living avatar of the Emperor's will he carried weapons that he felt best suited his role; his crozius arcanum was his badge of office, and his inferno pistol was his judgement writ large.
While devout in his adherence to the Emperor he was not a firebrand as others were wont to be. His calm nature meant that when he spoke his thoughts were well considered, and his judgement sound. He spent much time with the Remembrancers we had on our vessels, as well as having lengthy discussions with Brother Santo. When Captain Eco was being prepared for his ironform and Ennius took command of our Company he would often spend time in consultation with our midnight clad Warden.
His stoic nature was well received during his time spent fighting alongside our cousins in the VII Legion. It was from those warriors that he adopted the practice of chaining his crozius to his arm as he fought. On Signus Prime one of the Neverborn attempted to wrest his weapon from his hand, snapping the bindings. It was with this broken chain that he throttled the existence from its unnatural form. After the baleful events of that campaign, and the extent of Horus's treachery became apparent, we each felt its touch in a unique way. For Warden Vespucci his calm demeanor masked a cold fury that he was all too content to unleash on the Traitors. On Terra itself his cold fury left scores of rebels marking our path to The Palace.
In the maddening days following the decimation of our Company, the loss of our Father, and the death of The Emperor it was Warden Vespucci's sound judgement that carried us through" - Veteran Sergeant Alessio, 1st Squad, 83rd Company
For Warden Vespucci this was a fairly simple conversion, with the main body being the Cassius mini from the 'Kill Team' game. After removing the obvious Ultramarine and Ordo Xenos details I replaced those with Blood Angel specific parts. After using the center of a banner ornament for the parchment on his chest the wings were added to the lower leg armor to try to break up the silhouette. The head of the crozius was re-purposed from Veteran Sergeant Alessio, and a new honorific added in its place. Other parts were added along the way including the backpack with the scroll, chosen to echo Santo's. For the head I finally settled on one of the easy to assemble Reiver heads. To wrap it up an inferno pistol was added as a definitively Blood Angels weapon.
Painting wise this was different for me as he was painted outside in, meaning that I painted all his details first, starting with the gold, and then worked my way back to painting his black armor. For that I was more selective in my highlights and used the GW method for painting The Fallen (Abaddon Black base, highlight Dark Reaper, selective highlight Fenrisian Grey). For the eyes I cheated and used a micropen.
Thank you so much. The Cassius mini was a better base for the conversion than I thought, and the Ultramarine decorations were easy to remove. I had considered using a Night Lord helm, or the full Reiver skull helm but when I tried that piece during dry fitting it just worked.
It was definitely a very rewarding model to paint, but some of the gold trim was not well defined from the main armor panels. Thankfully the black hid a lot of that.
EmberlordofFire8 wrote: That chaplain conversion is excellent! I'll add him to my "conversation ideas I totally didn't steal" list.
Please steal away. I'd love someone to take what I started and take it to the next level. The good news is that the Ultramarine specific iconography is easy to remove being primarily the backpack, shoulder pad, and purity seal rose. Some Blood Angel specific iconography changed the mini pretty well.
So after kicking around the idea of Warden Vespucci's retinue with some wonderful people on another site I have placed my first ForgeWorld order, and given that I am a huge Blood Angel fan, and my force is a Company of 30K era Blood Angels I did the obvious thing and bought Imperial Fist parts;
My plans is that the retinue will be Legionnaires from across the Legion who have been selected for further training under Vespucci with a view to becoming Wardens. As part of their apprenticeship they have sworn to assist the Warden in upholding the Edict of Nikaea (because as fully fledged Wardens they may be responsible for ending those who have fallen to the Red Thirst). While I had considered the Tartarus weapons pack with axes the Warder pack would give me 5 suitable power axes, a vox and banner I could use (with minor conversion) in my Company, a series of torsos that I could use (with minor conversion) - including one with an Imperial Raptor, some suitable grim helms that are characterful for this squad, and the axe shoulder pads which I could use as this squad's emblem. The current idea is that two will have axes and shields, two will have axes and either plasma/melta pistols or combi weapons, and the Sergeant will have an axe and a plasma/melta pistol.
Not being Wardens these Legionnaires will retain their red armor, but will have their helms painted black, which when combined with their squad specific shoulder pad and weapons will present a unified force, and one which should not stick out from the main force.
As I looked back at some of the minis I have already painted for my force I found that one of the Honor Guard mirrored what I was planning for Vespucci's retinue, so what could be more GW than a retcon?
"Edigio was the first of the Oath Sworn; Brothers whom our Warden had selected for further training. Their role was unique in our Company, the enforcement of the Edict of Nikkea. They were tasked with passing the Emperor's judgement on all those of our Legion who would break his command on psychic powers. Following his bravery in combat alongside Captain Eco our lord sought out Warden Vespucci and requested that the warrior be allowed to set aside his oath and join his retinue. Vespucci refused to let any Brother of our Legion be known as an oath-breaker, instead allowing Edigio to accompany our Captain to fulfill his oath and protect him against any enemy who would use unnatural powers.
Edigio had taken Eco's death on the enemy cruiser hard. All of us who were a part of that boarding action knew he could not have fought harder. His war plate had been extensively damaged as he fought with reckless abandon to get to Eco's side and protect Tobias as he ministered to our Captain. The damaged pieces of his armor were replaced with experimental components that had not yet been field tested. While it resembled the armor he would later wear the materials were not as efficient and the servos required additional power which exposed cables provided. In those dark days necessity trumped many other concerns.
I found him when the dust settled kneeling over Gilberto's remains, his fingers gently closing the eyes of our fallen brother. He spoke to me of his sorrow at not being able to save him from the sorcerous energies wielded by one of our fallen cousins, arriving only in time to end the wretched existence of the Traitor. Together we bore Gilberto's body back to the Palace on Egidio's shield. Over time as we took stock of our losses he carved the names of our dead to the inside of his shield, swearing an oath to avenge each of them." - Veteran Sergeant Alessio
I already have plans for the raptor torso once the VII emblem has been removed. It will be used for the Sergeant of the Oath Sworn, Anellius 'Witch Bane'. A Terran Born veteran, and member of the Legion before they were reunited with their Primarch, he tends to be more fanatical than Vespucci but keeps that restrained to the best of his ability. Coming from outside the 83rd (originally hailing from the 103rd Company) he is the second ever to join the Oath Sworn, and he has a fractious relationship with Edigio, who he sees as having broken his oath.
IGtR= wrote: Such characterful minis! Really like the painting and the effort into the fluff is impressive, and really adds to the drama of each model.
Thank you so much. The fluff certainly helps me keep invested in the project, otherwise it would be "Blood Angel 43. Blood Angel 44". So many other hobbyists have done amazing blogs with fluff and characterful conversions that I wanted to follow that path when making this force.
Of course my Blood Angels have grown a little bit from what I had originally planned, and I still feel that I have a long way still to go with them. Especially as FW have not yet released minis for this Legion.
With this having been peak season for my primary job, and working a second job over summer, progress has been slow - but I do have progress to share. Three more members of The Martyrs; Legionnaires Jacopo, Tonni, and Fulvio.
[Yes, the one with a helm resembling Iron Man is Tonni]
These minis are about 90% done, with some touch ups needed pre-assembly, and their right arms finished up. For Jacopo I tried a new technique for weathering his black armor; sponge on Leadbelcher and then sponge on Rhinox Hide over it. I have to say that I am pleased with the results and I may go back and add it to some previously completed minis.
Brother Tonni, Veteran Sergeant Ortiz's Squad - The Martyrs
"Brother Tonni was one of a trio of Legionnaires among The Martyrs who were known as The Artists. Each one of them, even above the others of our Company, were truly gifted in their own art. Tonni's craft was in the repair and maintenance of his armor. He learned his warplate and weapons inside and our, tuning them the same way that a musician would tune their instrument. Our Techmarines had considered him as a candidate for further training on Mars, however some of the Mechanicus delegation were not as kindly disposed to his modifications, as subtle as they were.
I had the honor of handing Tonni the specialist magazine that he would use to hold the line against the Traitors. I have no doubt that he spent his last night making sure that magazine would sing a song of death for our foes" - Veteran Sergeant Alessio
Brother Fulvio, Veteran Sergeant Ortiz's Squad - The Martyrs
"Fulvio was another soul who, in simpler times, would have created art and wonder to entertain and enthrall. He spent endless hours among our Remembrancers, especially those who were to immortalize our Great Crusade in song, stanza, and epic plays. He told me that he wanted to explore the soul that our Father had given him when he joined our Legion, and also that he wanted to honor his clan on Baal. He not only wanted to bridge the distance between his old life and his new life as an Astartes, but as the last surviving member of his clan he wanted to bridge the distance between life and death itself by properly honoring their customs.
As the wall came tumbling down and our enemies poured in his voice carried aloud from his helmet grill, singing the lament of his clan as he prepared to meet them for eternity" - Veteran Sergeant Alessio
Brother Jacopo, Veteran Sergeant Ortiz's Squad - The Martyrs
"Brother Jacopo was the third member of The Artists. His gift lay in ornamentation, and many of the decorations and honorifics that the Legionnaires of the 83rd bore in celebration of their feats were crafted by him. To many it was surprising that his was amongst the least decorated warplate of our Company, he preferred to keep his own armor clean so he could spend his time in service to recognizing the mighty deeds of others. His left shoulder pad had been retrieved from a fallen Brother and brought back into service against those whose perfidious nature had destroyed so much, his left greave painted black as a sign of mourning on the eve of our last stand.
I miss his witty barbs and jests with those who would disturb him as he worked on his latest piece" - Veteran Sergeant Alessio
After travelling for a little while with work I came home to my modest FW order, and I have started to work on The Warden's retinue.
The parts in the middle will become Anellius, a Terran born member of the 103rd Company, and the second of the Oathsworn. Where The Warden is described as being calm and well considered Anellius is the opposite of his mentor and closer to a full blooded fanatic. To help reinforce this I see his pose as being close to Vespucci, but mirrored (power axe in right hand, pistol in left hand) to reinforce their contrasting temperaments. The other torsos will be for the two Legionnaires not bearing shields, with the Imperial Fists iconography replaced with Blood Angel specific iconography.
Looking at the parts i have to hand I am short on arms not cradling bolters, so to rectify that I have a Death Company box set ordered and the spare parts from those will form the first half of an Assault Squad, with the other half coming later with the pending purchase of a Blood Angels Assault Squad box set.
So with a lack of painting here is some fluff instead.
"So be clear with me Brother, what is it that you are asking of me?"
Warden Vespucci stood before Captain Eco in the Captain's audience room. The vast chamber filled with frescoes depicting the glories of the IX Legion, and filled with trophies and battle honors that the 83rd Company had earned since setting off on the Great Crusade. Eco was clad in a simple white robe with silver filigree. His ever faithful second in command, Ennius, was clad, as ever, in his heavy Cataphractii warplate and stood arms folded off to the side, observing proceedings. Vespucci could not have imagined an image which would provide a better contrast between the temperament of the two storied warriors who stood before him. Eco poured wine into two ornate crystal goblets before offering one to Vespucci. Taking the offered vessel with a respectful nod of his head The Warden spoke the words he had rehearsed since before he had requested this audience.
"My Lord, I ask your permission to form a specialized unit within our Company. A small unit of veteran warriors selected for elevation into the ranks of The Wardens, whom I would train to prepare them for this sacred task."
Eco paused and considered The Warden's words,
"This is not a controversial request, however the timing of it is intriguing, coming as it does after The Emperor's most recent edict."
The glimmer in the Eco's eyes let Vespucci know that the purpose of his request was already known to the Captain.
"You are correct. Following The Emperor's Edict on the use of psychic powers among the Legions I believe that we must be proactive in how we respond to it, and not to be seen wanting in His eyes or our Father's. Those under my tutelage would be responsible for helping me enforce The Emperor's will upon those who would transgress."
It was Ennius's turn to speak.
"So you would ask our Company's master for his indulgence in creating a squad of executioners among their Brothers?"
As cold and as efficient as ever Ennius had cut straight to the core of the argument. The mild smirk that Eco attempted to conceal with his goblet gave The Warden pause that the Captain may have more than pre-empted his request.
"My Brother I would balk at such a crude description. As you are no doubt aware The Wardens have sworn oaths to oversee the morale and discipline of our brother Legionnaires, up to and including the ultimate sanction against those displaying egregious behaviors. This proposed force would be sworn to me so that I may prepare them for the burden of this responsibility should they rise to join The Wardens."
The stony faced warrior continued,
"And what of our Cousins among the other seventeen Legions? Will your apprentices be responsible for their conduct also?"
Vespucci offered no hesitation in his response,
"Absolutely not. My oath is to our Father. How those among the other Legions choose to conduct themselves is their own responsibility"
Setting down his glass Eco spoke once more,
"Do you have sufficient candidates for this venture of yours Vespucci?"
"My Lord from among our Company Legionnaire Edigio has already been nominated as a candidate to don the sable of The Wardens. I have also had a request from the 103rd Company to take a brother of theirs under my wing, Sergeant Anellius. From amongst the breadth of our Legion we will have more than ample qualified candidates for this task."
"You are aware of what you are asking my old friend. That these warriors will be sworn to you, and that their failings and transgressions will fall to you to answer."
"Lord Captain Eco, to that which much is given much is asked. I would expect no less an arrangement given my unprecedented petition."
The Captain rose from where he sat, crossing to the great window of his quarters, looking out into the vast inky darkness between the stars as they moved onto the worlds they were tasked to bring into compliance the master of the 83rd Company of the IX Legion reached his verdict.
"Warden Vespucci, I will grant your request. In service to The Emperor, Sanguinius, IX Legion, and your oath as a Warden you are hereby permitted to take no more than five Brothers of our Legion as your apprentices. For this sable brotherhood you are to select such candidates and equipment as you see fit to meet your obligations."
Nodding his gratitude Vespucci left the Captain's chambers and began his work.
This weekend I have been chipping away at the last members of The Martyrs, and against my expectations I managed to complete the 7th and 8th Legionnaires; Educci and Vermili
Brother Educci, Veteran Sergeant Ortiz's Squad - The Martyrs
"Brother Educci was like many of our Father's sons; resolute in the face of the enemy, and always eager to meet our enemies face to face. Defending our section of the wall was a struggle for our Brother and he could often be seen pacing like a caged animal in a fighting arena, waiting his opportunity to spill blood. When Veteran Sergeant Ortiz informed his squad that they would be first to face the enemy I could see the relief in Educci's face.
Like all the aptly named Martyrs he fell so others could live. As we gathered our fallen I was the first to encounter his remains. His armor was rent apart by bolt and blade. The he clearly earned the Traitors's ire given the unspeakable defilement visited upon his flesh. Such was the scale of the horrors we endured at the time we added it to the long list that the enemy would have to answer for. And answer for it they did." - Veteran Sergeant Alessio
Brother Vermili, Veteran Sergeant Ortiz's Squad - The Martyrs
"Vermili was one given to much introspection all the time that I knew him. His opinions were never offered freely, but always very carefully considered and deliberated. The amount of caveats he would give when speaking rivaled the tally of rounds Arturo would expend in any given engagement. Like his nature his actions were always deliberate. Outside of our marksmen Vermili would expend the fewest rounds, but he was no less an effective warrior than the rest of the Company.
I can recall but one act of spontaneity from him, and that was after Ortiz was assigned to lead the squad. As a mark of kinship with his new commander he painted the crimson for his helm's face black.
I know that he would have given good account of himself before he fell" - Veteran Sergeant Alessio
No progress to report yet on The Warden's retinue, mainly because I want to keep disciplined and finish The Martyrs before I start a new squad. I remember the long lost days of 2nd Edition when I would paint my characters and cool stuff like vehicles, while the troop choices were lucky to see an undercoat. Honestly this has also been one of the hardest squads for me to paint. The Martyrs started out as I found I had more parts than I thought and that was their genesis. Unlike every squad before their fluff came after, and as I decided early on that this entire squad perished I have had to be careful not to fall into the trap of more and more elaborate tales of individual heroics. In terms of painting I did have to cut this batch from four to two, simply because batch painting four felt more like work than a hobby, and I am in no hurry to complete this project. My overthinking aside I've always wanted a Horus Heresy force of Blood Angels since the early 90's so, in a way, this is my dream army and some days I can't believe that I have the opportunity to make this a reality.
The final two members of The Martyrs have been completed, and I present to you Legionnaires Dalibor and Aldalberto.
Brother Dalibor, Veteran Sergeant Ortiz's Squad - The Martyrs
"Dalibor was one of the youngest members of our Company, and that he never had a chance to reach his potential in forging a new age of Humanity grieves me. He and The Boy were inducted into our ranks at the same time, but that was about all that they had in common. While Andino was headstrong, brash, and always at the forefront of the action Dalibor was quiet and excelled in the second line supporting his Brothers.
I must confess that during our time in Imperium Secondus he began spending more time with Santo, and I suspected them both of being involved in the Lectito Divintatus. As with Santo I kept my thoughts my own. Whatever the scroll was that he bore into battle during his last days clearly enraged the Traitors." - Veteran Sergeant Alessio
Brother Aldalberto, Veteran Sergeant Ortiz's Squad - The Martyrs
"Aldalberto had been the loyal right hand to Sergeant Angolo throughout their service together. As we made our way to rally with other loyal forces in the Macragge system Captain Eco recognized this squad for their valor in facing the Neverborn and apologized for the delay in granting them the right to bear a vexilla. In turn Angolo recognized Aldalberto, and gave him the honor of bearing the squad's standard. In hindsight it is ironic that the squad who would ultimately volunteer to sacrifice themselves had chosen funeral colors for their banner, but in those days we had much to mourn and little to celebrate.
Angolo's decision to place his trust in Aldalberto was not misplaced. In both life and death he refused to let the banner of his squad touch the dirt beneath their feet." - Veteran Sergeant Alessio
The Martyrs, IX Legion, 83rd Company, The Siege of Terra
Brother Fidelio, 73rd Company - Warden Vespucci's Sable Brotherhood
"Brother Fidelio was nominated to serve under Vespucci by the 73rd Company's Warden. While the other members of the Sable Brotherhood were sent to the 83rd as a sort of ambassador for their Company I cannot said with firm heart that was the case with Fidelio. I had heard rumors that while he was devoted to the Emperor's vision of reuniting humanity that he had an often fractious relationship with some of his Company, and that he was dispatched to the 83rd so his commanders could alleviate tensions. If this were true I saw no evidence of that in how he interacted with the Brothers of our Company. While he was distant in many ways to most of us I did not take that as unusual given the role he played as Vespucci's student.
Fidelio was present with us during the Signus Campaign. In truth his shuttle joined us just before we departed to rejoin the rest of our Legion to make way to Signus. It was Fidelio who struck the Neverborn of the Warden when the abomination tore his helm from his head, and gave Vespucci the opportunity to recover from the attack" - Veteran Sergeant Alessio
Brother Callisto, 73rd Company - Warden Vespucci's Sable Brotherhood
"While the rumor was that Fidelio was sent to us due to issues with members of his Company the same could not be said of Callisto. As new members of the Legion he and I had shared a field of battle, and back then it was clear that he was marked for greatness. I witnessed his Assault Squad close in with Greenskins and his ability to read the flow of battle and frustrate the enemy was uncanny. In the never ending melee he never seemed to tire, and every time the xenos would attempt a counter attack he would rally his squad and lead them back into the thick of it.
While we did spend little time with the 29th after that campaign I followed his progress as he rose through the ranks, and when he requested to take up Vespucci's offer I understand that it was granted reluctantly, but that his Captain acquiesced and provided him with some of the best weapons and armor to help him in his new role. I must confess that I was surprised that he would seek to don the black, as many had assumed that he would eventually take the mantle of leading the 29th.
In the dark days following the betrayal his vigor and leadership under fire were most welcome to all in our Company" - Veteran Sergeant Alessio
So after some computer issues I was finally able to share my progress with Warden Vespucci's retinue. I'm pretty pleased with how these two turned out as this was my first time working with any real sort of resin, even on a small scale.
This down time has got me thinking of next steps and potential new projects. I am considering adding a Legion Praevian to the 83rd based on the Iron Hands mini from Deathwatch, but I have also been eyeing up the AoS Stormcast as the basis for a small force of techno barbarians/gene forged troops that the 83rd interacted with earlier in this history. I was thinking that by looking back I could add some more units without breaking the fluff (like Librarians, or Captain Eco before he was interned in his ironform). But in saying that I still have three members of the Sable Brotherhood to paint, a Legion Support Squad to assemble and paint, and a Legion Assault Squad to assemble and paint (and I'm looking at yet more parts for that so I have a 15+ man squad).
I have also made some progress on our narrator, Veteran Sergeant Alessio, The Crimson Knight, and I may be sharing that with the community soon.
Affiliation; Legionnes Astartes, IX Legion, Blood Angels, 83rd Company Crimson Thorns
Honorifics; The Crimson Knight
[Archivist's Note: Initial investigation shows that this Subject was equipped with Mk.IV power armor. This pict capture from the Siege of Terra shows components from a number of armor marks - Mk. III left arm and power plant, Mk. IV right arm, pauldron and legs, Mk.V torso, Mk. VI helm]
"My Lords, your humble servant greatly thanks you for this opportunity to serve you in so menial a task as to document a warrior of the Imperium who served during the Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy.
This task was not without its perils as plumbing the archives on Holy Terra took several expeditions, the loss of several servitors and two full scouting parties. It took quite some time, and many supplemental appeals, before our petition to the Blood Angels Chapter was granted, and even then our invitation was cut short when the Great Devourer invaded the Baal System.
In spite of these many frustrations I hereby present to you my findings.
Veteran Sergeant Erasmus Alessio was inducted into the IX Legion after the Primarch was reunited with the Legion. A competent, not initially remarkable warrior, he served in the 4th Squad of the 83rd Company until he rose to prominence during a the compliance of The Gael System. Initially the Imperial forces were well received by the ruling clans and peaceable compliance was agreed upon to incorporate the Gaels into the Imperium of Man, however the political machinations of some rival clans resulted in a civil war on the planet following an attempted assassination attempt on the Gael's Spear Queen. As an act of good faith Captain Eco had assigned 4th Squad to The Spear Queen as an honor guard, and with the other squad members patrolling the fortress Alessio was the only member present to thwart the attempt on her life. At the request of The Spear Queen he would accompany her as her bodyguard during the remainder of the conflict, during which the Gael's clan warriors gave him the honorific of The Crimson Knight, which was subsequently adopted by the Legionnaires of the 83rd Company.
Following the passing of 4th Squad's Sergeant, Eltinio, fighting Aeldari corsairs Alessio was selected to lead the squad above the more experienced Aldo. His first real test of leadership came during the Amaranthine Campaign. Initially the negotiations had gone well, with the planet agreeing without condition to joining the Imperium, however compliance broke down when it was revealed that the planet's inhabitants were synthetics who had been created by the human who colonized the planet before it was found that radiation from the nearest star has degraded their genetic material over centuries until they were unable to procreate. With the Imperial Army forced to disengage from the conflict for fear of infiltration the 83rd Company lead a drop pod assault to purge the planet. Alessio's squad were dropped severely off course during planet fall and ended up isolated, and behind hostile lines. Under his leadership the 4th Squad were able to disrupt a large counter attack poised to strike a vulnerable flank of Legion armor, and contest a major bridge crossing until a larger force could relieve them.
In the wake of the Amaranthine Campaign the 4th Squad were designated as veterans of the Legion, and Captain Eco had mentioned their role in the campaign in his dispatches to the Primarch. Further recognizing the role that 4th Squad played during the assault Eco recognized them as a specialist unit, and equipped them to fight in a long range patrol capacity so that they could operate semi-independently behind enemy lines.
Despite operating away from the bulk of the Legion during The Great Crusade the 83rd were present during the events of the Signus Campaign and Imperium Secundus. Records, such as they are from The Siege of Terra, show that during the fighting in the Sol System the 83rd were chosen to relieve a detachment of Imperial Fists on a section of wall in the lower hab zones where the worker's quarters were located. Casualty rates were noted as being high for the 83rd during The Siege, and that members of this Company were either present on the Arch Traitor's barge during the boarding action or shortly thereafter.
In a number of sources (attached to this report) from the period known as The Scouring a Legionnaire can be seen in armor that matches some details of the armor worn by Erasmus Alessio. However we cannot identify this individual as the Subject with anything approaching certainty. It is possible that the Subject's armor may have been salvaged by another Legionnaire, or that the Subject's armor was extensively repaired following battle damage. Alessio is noted in the archives of the Blood Angels as being a member of the Chapter following the implementation of the Codex Astartes, however the records that were available to us did not mark a date when he passed into The Emperor's Grace, and the ultimate fate of Alessio remains unknown to us at this time.
Without your guiding hand in setting the boundaries of my investigation, or an indication of the desired conclusion being sought, I hope that my meager offerings will be acceptable to you.
Some more progress to share on the 83rd Company, this time a Legion Assault Squad
A mix of bits from a variety of bits (Death Company, Assault Squad, B@P MKIII Marines, and B@C Marines) and green stuff additions. The squad does not yet have a sergeant, I'm planning on converting one from the Overkill Blood Angel. I ran out of Heresy era bolt pistols for this squad, so I chopped down some bolt guns to make pistols, and I kept some of the longer magazines to look like one of the older Chaos Marine pistols;
I recently came across some minis from my 2nd/3rd Edition Scythes of The Emperor army, so I might get some pictures of those before I strip them. I have plans for those that do not involve a lot of red paint.
