Knights of Sycorax

KNIGHTS OF SYCORAX

summary

The knights of Sycorax are a un-forgiven chapter, whose gene seed is from the dark angels and the Lion. They are named from Sycorax whom is the mother of Caliban in Shakespeares' The Tempest.

I wish to apologize for the bad pictures in advance- my camera died and have yet to find a replacement so they are taken from a phone. A new camera has been located...better pictures are incoming!

Why I Started This Army

I started the army as a rough idea, originally i wanted a mechanized marine force, but with a twist. Having played and built rather a few marine forces, i knew what i wanted and what I didn't. I also like the idea of using forge world parts to make my army look different. I actually started by finding some spare marines in a box and then set about customizing them.

Army Themes

The main themes are that there honor bound knights,and that they had too both look good, fit with the background and be playable. The first problem was how to portray them as knights. This was solved by my mate (whom had started grey knights) decided that knights have swords. This led me to the first test miniatures with grey knights swords. I decided to use forge world umbra ferrox bolters as they look more beefy than the normal bolters and they have scopes. This also fitted in with the idea as they would have more elitist gear than the average marine ( a throw back to the knights of Caliban whom some became the original dark angels).

I coupled all of this with using the different marks of armor, and proving that some of them could be done in plastic (corvus, aquilius, gorget). This gave me a solid base from which to work.

Having now decided what i wanted for my troops I had to decide how they would work, so I went mechanized in razorbacks. this allowed me to still pack the firepower of a marine army but to be smaller and more elite. For HQ I wanted a librarian as they are some of the best Close combat fighters in the game and they can also do other cool stuff. For the models i decided on mark 4 plate as this is my favorite power armor and forge world do some amazing models.

Background and Fluff

organisation

chapter organisation

The Knights of Sycorax are organised into crusades and small strike forces. These allow the chapter to be engaged in several different wars at the same time and this maximy there effect. The actual chapter consists of a force of around 1200 battle brothers (of mixed ranks and skills), 150 to 200 recruits and 250 brothers spread over the chapters bastions and stations. though this is somewhat larger than a codex chapter they are able to maintain the extra manpower by being spread across a large number of crusade fleets, strike forces and bastions through the sector. It has only been recorded that the whole chapter has fought together on 5 occasions and the last of these was around M39. With this divergence from the codex and the long time the chapter has been apart, the chapter has 3 equivalents to the post of one chapter master. of these three, one is tasked with being attached to the primary crusade force (alpha strike), another is on a roaming mission around the other elements of the chapter and the third is based in the primary bastion and is in charge of the recruits and the flow of supplies to the fleets. The chapter is very fleet heavy with almost all of its brothers being mounted on a fleet ships.

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modelling the army

Primary Detachment

The primary detachment I am modelling if taken from falcon strike, a slightly smaller force of around 120 marines. it is a psyker heavy force as this has been my norm for the past few years, with all of my armies (psykers add unpredictability!). They are currently on a mechanized deployment with razorbacks, rhinos and transports.

HQ

The Librarians

I decided to model the librarians with grey knight weapons and holstered pistols as this allowed me to get creative with the arm poses. I decided to have one with a missile launchers flat palm hand and the other looking like hes casting force lightening (at the time failing to realize that I had cast one in the poses of using each dark angel librarian power).

Librarian 1 - Force Halberd

Librarian 2 - Force staff (WIP)

Troops

Mark 6 'Corvus' Armour' Tactical Squad

They are a five man unit with a plasmagun and a sergeant with a power sword. When I decided how I was going to arrange the squads, I decided that the first squad would be in the oldest 'plastic' armor (bar terminators, veterans and characters). The squad is built from lots of spares from plastic Gw kits and has the trademark beakies and studded shoulder pad. This is probably my favorite squad in the whole army. They have a razorback with a twin-linked heavy bolter as a transport vehicle.

Mark 8 'Gorget' Armour

This squad is built using the torso's from the space marine tactical upgrade frame. It is one of the newest marks and I use it to represent a replacement squad for casualties suffered in war and/or loss of armor. This squad is five man strong (don't have enough torsos to make it 10man yet) and has a plasmagun. The sergeant has a cape as I found one in my spare bits and a power sword. This squad has a razorback with twin linked lascannon as a transport vehicle.

- The 5 man unit (minus weapons)

- The squad sergeant with cape

- mk8 Power armour marine (no weapon)

Mark 7 'Aquila/Eagle' Armour

This is a full ten man squad with a lascannon and a meltagun. This is assembled straight from the plastic box and is probably the least converted squad. This is the first unit I built in the army.

- Lascannon marine

Mixed mark 'hooded' power armour

This squad is to allow my opponants to identify what codex I use and to allow me to paint something different from just power armor. It is a 5 man unit (at the moment) with a meltagun.

- Hooded squad

- Hooded sergeant

Elites

Techmarine

This is an elites that do not count towards the force organisation chart. He allows me to take an extra razorback and provides my army with the repair ability for vehicles and dreadnaughts. he is the fine cast resin direct sales model and is straight from the blister. have tried to do the sliver/steel as non metallic and the gold/bronze as metallic to get a contrast.

- Still WIP (Skin)

Forge world terminators

- currently WIP

These are being used to represent my deathwing. They have been informally dubbed MK4 terminators or baby contemptors by my friends. the squad is equipped with a sergeant with a power sword, 2 chainfists, a thunder hammer and stormshield terminator with a cyclone missile launcher (FAQ'd to be 2 shot now) and a pair of lightening claws. These terminators are a great kit and are really really fun to build. this squad is mounted in a Land Raider crusader and regularly is accompanied by my 3rd Sanguinary priest (from secondary detachment). They are the biggest points sink in the army.

Mortis dreadnaught

The mortis dreadnaught is a conversion using the forge world heavy bolter arms and the mortis heavy bolter arms. For the body I used an old metal venerable dreadnaught (released for medusa 5 (2006)). The only problems with this conversion is the weight and the stability so I had to support the rear with a flying spike.

Venerable dreadnaught

This is really the most finished model in the army to date, and is probably the best painting I have done in a long time. It is the standard GW plastic kit and hasnt been converted at all. It is the only true straight from box model in the whole army and it is one of the few with no resin on it (bar the base). Its arms are interchangeable and it can take either an assault cannon or a plasmacannon (the plasma cannon is a free upgrade for the basic dreadnaught assault cannon on a dark angels dreadnaught).

Venreable Dreadnaught with plasmacannon

Heavy Support

Land Raider Crusader

This is the old metal model which I found in a local model shop. I am a great fan of both the old and the new kits but there are some parts on the old one which should have been on the new one. It serves as the transport for my terminators. This model was my first major attempt at freehand painting. Below are a selection of pictures (side sponsons awaiting finishing and attachment). This model is still work in progress.

left hand side with weathering, writing and hand sculpted door

front hull with modified hunter killer missile and driving viewport

right hand side hull with writing and weathering

right hand side hull with weathering and writing rear hull with extra plates and the winch.

top hull with freehand sword

Contemptor Mortis Dreadnaught

This is one of those models I saw and just wanted in the army (it was an impulse). It is armed with 2 Khearas assault cannons, each Heavy 6, which coupled with its BS 5 makes it very deadly in games. There was a little posing with this model but however after a bus journey home, had to be reposed for stability (it looked like it was falling backwards).

Scratch Built Whirlwind

the turret is built using a baneblade wheel, the typhoon missile launchers from teh ravenwing sprue and the deathwing launcher from a drop pod. It has yet to be fully finished and I am awaiting inspiration on how to finish it, In my opinion whirlwinds are underused and underrated in marine armies, they are lost in favor of more tank killy tanks and devastators. A whirlwind is the only true ordinance weapon available to marines and when loaded with DA castellon missiles (s4, ap5 large blast ignores cover) they tend to kill most guardsmen and 'nids'.

Fast Attack

ravenwing detachment

This was a change from my original thoughts as i decided to have my first ever bike mounted units (i always shunned them in favor of assault squads). In games it seems to work well and provide me with a fluid hole plugging units (or units). It consists of a 6 man bike unit with sergeant with power weapon, an attack bike with heavy bolter and a land speeder tornado.

Storm Eagle Gunship

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Secondary Detachment 1

The first secondary detachment will be chosen from the blood angels codex. It will be a representation of orbital reinforcements form the 8th company.

Captain

This is the primary HQ for my secondary detachment. It is a converted emperors champion model with a power ax (halbard). I had the model spare from a brotherhood champion conversion (which i used only the sword for) when i was thinking of doing grey knights. This is the captain of the 8th company who will arrive by stormraven.

Sanguinary Priests

These will be converted from spare bits and mark 3 power armor. They will be designed to look butcher and battlefield surgeon like, and will all have power weapons.

Assault Squad 1

This squad has no jump packs and numbers 5 men (may expand to 10 men later). The Squad has no chainsaws as being knights and having a code of honour, they shun the use of chainsaws as they do not give clean kills. the weapons are converted from grey knight falcions. This squad was the most annoying to put together as they all required wristless arms (alot of cutting and slicing and positioning with bluetack). I have tried to make them look like they are in the thick of the action and have geared poses to that act.

Assault Squad 2

Vanguard veteran squad

This squad will represent the assault veterans on the 8th company. They are an 8 man unit (the 8th company sustains casualties at a higher rate from being in the thick of the action) with 2 thunder hammers and stormshield, 3 power axes and storm shields and 3 power swords and bolt pistols (they help keep the unit cost down). they will also be mounted in the stormraven.

Storm Raven Gunship

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Secondary Detachment 2

This detachment uses the standard space marine codex. It really came about because i liked the new stormtalon model and i wanted one in my dark angels force (this happens to be the only way to get one atm). It also gave me the options to have a second contemptor (i love the model that much i am plotting how to get another 2 into my army now) and a librarian. It has yet to be fully finished.

Librarian

The librarian is made from a spare set of mk 3 armor from forge world (3 suits were used on the sanguinary priests). I decided that he should be different from the others and decided to give him Cortez's eagle. This conversion required re-positioning the entire arm of the librarian (which is still a mark 3 arm). i went for the hooded head as this ties him into teh rest of the army but also keeps him separate from it. the force sword is so that i have one of each type of force weapon in the army.

10 Man squad

Contemptor

this contemptor is the relic pattern with two powerfists (dubbed cuddly). the pose is still no finalized but i wanted him to be more dynamic (and better built) than my mortis contemptor.

Storm talon

This model is assembled straight from the box and i am awaiting to decide the freehand i want to put on it.

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Ideas and development

I Intend to use this section to describe what i am working on at the moment and where the army is going to go now.

Work in progress

Painting

The main aim at the moment is to pain the first 1000 points, this has been recently neglected due to the recent new rule book (and the best way to learn is by playing). I aim by the end of July to have at least completed this. I also aim to get at least my 2000 points undercoated so work can start on the rest of them.

Modelling/conversions

I am currently working on the ten man assault squad with jump packs. This squad as listed above is heavily converted and it is very time consuming.

Development

In development at the moment is the second half of the Mark 6 power armored squad with a missile launcher. This should be completed bu august 2012. i am also working on a chaplain, as this will allow me to follow more down the lines of the un-forgiven background.

in the pipeline

With the recent release of 6th edition and the changes to the force organisation chart, the army is to become a primary detachment. I am looking at building some terrain for them (mainly a bastion) and a secondary detachment. the secondary detachment will be used to represent elements from the assault company and higher command of the knights of sycorax. I am planning on using the Blood angels Codex for this as this allows me to take assault squads as a troop choice. It will be an orbital mounted force rather than a transport mounted (drop pods and a storm raven rather than transports). this should compliment my existing force and allow me more conversion opportunities.

Another thing in the pipeline is the addition of two large vehicles to the army, being a stormeagle and a land raider crusader. The crusader is being built using the old metal sponsons.

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6th Edition Changes

Primary detachment

The primary detachment will remain as the dark angels force, which is described above and listed below. The main canges brought about by 6th edition are the changes to power weapons and force weapons (i relied on these to kill most things) and the new psychic powers.

secondry detachment

the new secondary detachment will be taken form the Blood Angels Codex. This will be used to represent elements of the 8th assault company dropping in from orbit to reinforce the deployed company on the ground. The rough working are of a stormraven carrying in a vanguard vet squad, a librarian dreadnaught and a captain into battle with 2 drop pod mounted assault squads.

fortification

this will be a bastion with an interceptor lascannon.

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Full Army Photo

- the painted elements (so far)

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- dreadnaughts....

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Army Lists

The below army lists are accurate for 5th edition, I have yet to rewrite up the lists for 6th edition

500 points

Librarian with force ax and a bolt pistol	120
4 tactical marines with a meltagun	190	(Sergeant with Power sword	(33)	Razorback with lascannon/ twin linked plasmagun,	(75))
4 tactical marines with a Plasmagun	170	(Sergeant with Power sword	(33)	Razorback with Twin Linked heavy bolters,	(50))

1000 Points

Librarian with force ax and bolt pistol	120
Librarian with force stave and Bolt Pistol	120
Venerable Dreadnaught with Plasmacannon & EA	160
4 Tactical Marines with meltagun	190	(Sergeant with power sword	(33)	Razorback with Lascannon/twin linked plasmagun	(75))
4 Tactical Marines with Plasmagun	170	(Sergeant with power sword	(33)	Razorback withTwin Linked Heavy Bolter	(50))
4 Tactical Marines with Plasmagun	170	(Sergeant with power sword	(33)	Razorback with Twin-Linked Lascannon	(80))

1500

Librarian with force ax and bolt pistol	120
Librarian with force stave and Bolt Pistol	120
Venerable Dreadnaught with Plasmacannon & EA	160
9 Tactical Marines with meltagun and missile launcher	275	(Sergeant with power sword	(33)	Razorback with Lascannon/twin linked plasmagun	(75))
4 Tactical Marines with Plasmagun	170	(Sergeant with power sword	(33)	Razorback with Twin-Linked Heavy Bolter	(50))
9 Tactical Marines with Plasmagun and lascannon	265	(Sergeant with power sword	(33)	Razorback with Twin-Linked Heavy Bolter	(50))
4 Tactical Marines with meltagun	165	(Sergeant with power sword	(33)	Razorback with Twin-Linked Lascannon	(80))
Contemptor Mortis Dreadnaught with 2 khearas assault cannons, EA	195

2000

Librarian with force ax and bolt pistol	120
Librarian with force stave and Bolt Pistol	120
Mortis Dreadnaught with 2 twin linked heavy bolters and EA	130
Venerable Dreadnaught with Plasmacannon & EA	160
9 Tactical Marines with meltagun and missile launcher	275	(Sergeant with power sword	(33)	Razorback with Lascannon/twin linked plasmagun	(75))
4 Tactical Marines with Plasmagun	170	(Sergeant with power sword	(33)	Razorback withTwin Linked Heavy Bolter	(50))
9 Tactical Marines with Plasmagun and lascannon	265	(Sergeant with power sword	(33)	Razorback with Twin-Linked Heavy Bolter	(50))
4 Tactical Marines with meltagun	165	(Sergeant with power sword	(33)	Razorback with Twin-Linked Lascannon	(80))
9 assault marines with jump packs and 2 plasma pistols	280	( sergeant with power sword	(40))
Contemptor Mortis Dreadnaught with 2 khearas assault cannons, EA	195
whirlwind with dozer blade	90

2500

Librarian with force ax and bolt pistol	120
Librarian with force stave and Bolt Pistol	120
Mortis Dreadnaught with 2 twin linked heavy bolters and EA	130
Venerable Dreadnaught with Plasmacannon & EA	160
TechMarine with Servo Harness	140	(razorback with Twin Linked Multimelta	(40))
9 Tactical Marines with meltagun and missile launcher	275	(Sergeant with power sword	(33)	Razorback with Lascannon/twin linked plasmagun	(75))
4 Tactical Marines with Plasmagun	170	(Sergeant with power sword	(33)	Razorback with Twin-Linked Heavy Bolter	(50))
9 Tactical Marines with Plasmagun and lascannon	265	(Sergeant with power sword	(33)	Razorback with Twin-Linked Heavy Bolter	(50))
4 Tactical Marines with meltagun	165	(Sergeant with power sword	(33)	Razorback with Twin-Linked Lascannon	(80))
4 Tactical Marines with meltagun	165	(Sergeant with power sword	(33)	Razorback with twin linked assault cannon	(75))
9 assault marines with jump packs and 2 plasma pistols	280	( sergeant with power sword	(40))
4 assault marines with 1 plasma pistol, No jump packs	155	( sergeant with power sword	(40))
Contemptor Mortis Dreadnaught with 2 khearas assault cannons, EA	195
whirlwind with dozer blade	90

3000

Categories: Dark Angels Army Profile