RabidChild

Did you my e-mail ? It might have gone to junk (?)

I'd be very interested (and grateful, nautrally) if you could put up a picture or two of the Avatar helo next to a Valkyrie or other IG vehicle. The Mattel model you've used would seem to be exactly what I am looking for...

22nd Armegeddon Steel Legion - first tank

This is my attempt at an LRMBT with Vorpanzer (spaced armour) or Schürzen (bazooka plates). With the exception of the FW Executioner turret*, I intend on finishing all of the ASL's tanks like this. It might look a bit odd because I painted the outside of the turret and the inside of the armour with black before construction; I expect a lot of grey paint to end up in there, but didn't want to take the chance of having quasi translucent armour on my tanks !

Hopefully there will be enough flat open space to apply the transfers to so that the whole load of them look the same. I did not consider the painted and decal'd article when I put the earlier 13th Mech LRMBT together - all of the boring flat spaces were festooned with skulls and chains and eight pointed stars. Nice, but not good for a factory finish (ho hum).



This is the sort of effect I might be after. I'm not going to try to side skirts on the LRMBT as I think it will look odd, rather than kool. And whilst I'm damn sure that the ASL would rather be better armoured than look anything, it's only a game, dear.



*I'm with Col Corbane here, the FW executioner looks OK. The new plastic one is wank. And not in a good way. I can see what they were trying to do, but they did not try hard enough.

144 LRRR

Some of the more regular members of 2/144 and their almost catachan like comrades. (I hope; its just showing me html so it could be anything ?)



More of them. These brave men and women of Cadia are the only Iggies on Devos IV at the moment.



The Wolverine troop. This is (should be) them with their paint job and a few details. Ready for decals and weathering.

The Devos IV Campaign

The Terrain

Devos IV

Devos IV is an important Agri-world in the obscura sector. There was an important imperial shrine in the city of Xyphonica and a generally well regarded PDF of 80000 personnel. Devos IV has itself, within living memory, raised two IG regiments (one now defunct and one deployed in support of the Cadian Gate).

Seven hundred years ago the then capital city (San Cantor [pop 18.4M] was occupied by WAAAGH Burkhatt. San Cantor, the only hive complex in the system, was purged from orbit. This unprecedented (within this system) use of atomics within the Devos System is believed to have triggered the amount of Eldar traffic that was observed in system in the two centuries afterwards.

The Imperial response to the WAAAGH included a regiment of Adeptus Mechanicus Skittari from the Forge World of Ryza. The remnants of this force still exist on Devos IV and they and their equipment are an increasingly uncommon sight, but are still present in some numbers.

The planet was controlled by Governor Marcus Firth III (a former IG General) with the support of the Ecclesiasty. One of the Ecclesiastical agents was obviously seduced by the ruinous powers and has overthrown the planetary government and seized the capital.

The army of Chaux Na Mrr’see is in rebellion. The Imperium has despatched its nearest forces to crush the rebellion before the cultists begin to attract allies from outside of the system.

Benq

So far, the cultists have seized the continent of Benq. Benq is 80750 km2 There are two major cities, Xyphonica [pop 4.7M] the main city of Sommerlund and Slough [pop 2.2M] the main city of Magnamund. Xyphonica is a religious centre, this is where the Imperial Church has been cruelly overthrown and the cultists are basing themselves. Slough is a largely automated industrial mega complex on the edge of the 20400km2 ash wastes from the last WAAAGH to pass this way. The Ash Wastes themselves, locally known as the Gnaaglund, contain the ruins of San Cantor, once home to 18.4M imperial citizens.

Acer

The continent of Acer [120000km2) remains loyal. The starport is situated on the Allain peninsula to the west of the continent. The Allainlund region, generally taken to include the Allain Penninsula, includes mining and heavy industry stretching eastwards across Acer to the littoral boundary. There are three large cities: Riba [pop 7.4M] which is an industrial base only 400km from the starport. Dana [pop 2.2M] an important nexus for travel and commerce on the west coast, just across the straights from Benq. Charnport [pop 2.2M], where the starport is, on the Allain Penninsula, this city is the commercial hub of the entire system, as well as being the centre for both the mineral extraction and sea farming industries.

The southern extent of Acer, known as Helgedad, is largely agricultural and includes a vast heavily forested belt and the mountainous polar regions south of there.

The Sea

The oceans of Devos IV are arguably the most important part of its ecology. Certainly, the mostly calm seas are festooned with a vast number of floating algae farms that produce powdered and freeze dried foods for the rest of the Obscura Sector as well as the IG. The cleanliness of the oceans is important to all on Devos IV.

Devos VIII

Devos VIII is a gas giant. The Imperial Navy regularly stops in at the orbiting refineries to refuel. The presence of the easily maintained fuel stop here is vital for interstellar trade in this sector.

Devos XII

Devos XII is no larger than a small moon. It does have an atmosphere, but the terrain is too harsh and the weather too violent to allow the imperium to practice agriculture thereon. Plants do grow on Devos XII, but extremely thickly and only to height of 4 or 5 meters. It is known to have a population of feral Eldar. It’s orbit leaves it diametrically opposed to the main shipping lanes the run in and out of the system via the gas giant.

The Eldar name for this moon is Daziarn.

Devos XXIV

Devos XXIV is a cold barren moon. There are part buried ruins of previous civilisations thereon. There is an astropath station there to ensure that incoming traffic takes the correct route through the asteroid belts to reach the gas giant at Devos VIII and then Devos IV itself.

The sides:

The Rebels

The army of Chaux Na Mrr’see is growing in size. It remains popular and does not yet have the reputation for wanton destruction that follows most chaos cultist uprisings. Significantly, the PDF Headquarters was at Xyphonica. Most of the Devos PDF has now gone over to the rebellion. They are being supplied out of Slough.

Certain sections of scavvy society and mutants from the Ash Wastes are known to have joined the army of Chaux Na Mrr’see. Unconfirmed reports have been received of deamons accompanying rebel troops.

The Imperium

The Imperial Guard is able to land men and material without hindrance at the starport. However, there are problems with sabotage as imperial forces are perceived as invaders whereas the army of Chaux Na Mrr’see is largely comprised of local persons. This issue will have to wait, however, until after the army of Chaux Na Mrr’see has been defeated. Then the population of Devos IV will have to pay the price for their treachery. Restoration of Marcus Firth III, if viable, would provide a government of unity that was popular with the people and would also bring the planet back into the Emperor’s grace.

The enormous amount of effort is being expended to remove the army of Chaux Na Mrr’see with the minimum of collateral damage is due to Devos IV itself is an important agricultural world that feeds three nearby systems.

Small numbers of loyalist Devos IV PDF and the survivors of the first IG units thrown into action as a stop-gap have regrouped in the Buroklammern region to the NW of Dana. Problems are envisaged where PDF units on either side will be reluctant to engage each other with any true effectiveness.

The Feral Eldar

The dwindling population of Feral Eldar on Devos XII maintain a Webway node. They would like to be left in peace and as such allow both the Craftworld and Dark Eldar to transit the Webway and access the Gates on Devos IV. If pushed, they will join any fight against the forces of Chaos (the Great Enemy).

Craftworld Eldar

If alerted to the presence of the army of Chaux Na Mrr’see, the Craftworld Eldar will set out to ensure that the scions of the Great Enemy are destroyed.

The Feral Eldar (so called “Exodites”) have trading links to the xenophobic barbarians of the Bel Tain craftworld and the thrice damned witchery of the Ulthwë craftworld.

Dark Eldar

If alerted to conflict in the Devos system, the Cabal of the broken/venomous/bloodied claw/blade/tea spoon will come after slaves and plunder. They couldn’t give a stuff about the army of Chaux Na Mrr’see or anything other than their own profit.

Orcs

Any Orcs are survivors or descendants of WAAAGH Burkhatt. As far as they are concerned, the WAAAGH is still on. They could possibly be pursauded to act as mercenaries for one side or the other.

Orders 4

Restricted
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M39.102243
Agrippina. 72nd Army Command
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Colonel LaStrade,

017. Please pass on my regards to Lord General Potemkin. I am now en route to Devos IV with my staff.

018. Due to the diligence and foresight of my staff and their ability to extract information from the Navy, I have been able to ascertain the composition of my command.

019. The 17th Battle Group consists of:

HQ Lt General Zhukov & Staff (Vostroya)
50th Tactical Lift Wing

902nd Inf Div


114th (Krieg [Pentarung]) Mech Coy Chimera Infantry
22nd (Armageddon) Steel Leigon Sentinals & LRMBT
540th (Valhalla) Kado Heavy Infrantry Infantry







903rd Inf Bde Maj Gen Marcus Firth III (Cadia/Devos IV)

2nd Devos IV PDF Infantry, hvy wpn squads
144th (Cadia) Long Range Recce Regt Infantry, weasels
1st Devos IV Armd Laser tank destroyers

020. The existence of the 903rd Inf Brigade remains, at this stage, hypothetical; depending as it does on their attrition before our arrival. If the 903rd is viable, then effectively I shall have one Division with no experience of operating with the other units therein. The outlook for swift victory is not favourable.

021. The Valhallans have no transport and are not up to full strength. In theory, they could be deployed by the 50th TLW. My concern is that at the first sign of a real fight the Navy will develop an urgent operational need for 50th TLW somewhere a long way from Devos IV.

021. Given that the rebellion is of the ‘popular’ type, meaning that the population will support the rebels and not Imperial rule of law, the forces arrayed are insufficient to both crush the rebellion and secure the planet.

022. I am perfectly happy to prosecute an attritional war. Please prepare to supply Battle Casualty Replacements.

VK Zhukov
General, Commanding
12th Battle Group

Orders 3

Restricted
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M39.102243
Agrippina. 72nd Army Command,
the office of the Lord General.
Departmento Munitorium
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Lady Josephine Helmwyrr,
Madam,
009. Lord General Potemkin sends his greets and regrets that he will be unable to meet you in person on Devos IV.
010. General Tolstoy, formerly of the 456th Vostroyan First Born has been given command of the Devos IV expeditionary force.
011. The Devos IV expeditionary force is brigade sized formation based on Battle Casualty Replacements for the 3rd Shock Army. These have been re-routed (astronomican permitting) as they were previously en route from Ryza to Armageddon. Given that the rebellion is based around two PDF units, the 72nd Army Group of the Imperial Guard should be enough to defeat them militarily.
012. The 72nd Army Command is well aware that the forces deployed are insufficient to hold the planet without assistance from the Arbities. The Arbities on any world do not answer to the Departmento Munitorium, so we humbly suggest that the Ordo Hereticus use its own tested methods to engage their support.

Piers LaStrade
Colonel General
For Lord General Potemkin

Orders 2

Confidential
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M39.102239
Agrippina. Mission of the Martyred Lady.
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Lord General Potemkin,

Sir,

006. I am leaving the Agrippina hub for the Obscura subsector this afternoon.

007. You are to land on Devos IV, subdue the rebellion and apprehend the leaders.

008. I have unconfirmed reports that elements of the Devos IV 2nd PDF Regt have remained loyal to the Emperor. They may or may not have custody of the incumbent planetary governor, Maj Gen Marcus Firth III. The governor is to be detained at the Emperor’s pleasure.

Josephine Helmwyrr
Lady Inquisitrix
Ordo Hereticus

Orders 1

Classified: Cyan
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M39.102237
Zulu DTG 09:1502APR 10
Devos IV. Cadian 144th Long Range Recce Regt.
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Lady Josephine Helmwyr, Ordo Hereticus,

Madam, In response to a request from Sister Angelica:

001. The Heretic Army of Chaux Na Mrr’see has seized Xyphonica. Her army is based around a Cadre of the Devos IV 99th Infantry (“The Bloodcoats”) Regt. It is widely supported by a rabble drawn from the workers and those who were inducted into her political movement before they broke into open rebellion.

002. They are being supported by further renegade elements of the Devos IV PDF formed around the core of the 13th (“The Tigers”) Regt.

003. Loyalist elements of the Devos IV 2nd Regt are falling back in a westerly direction towards our insertion zone. It has been reported that the planetary governor, Maj Gen Marcus Firth III is under the protection of a company sized detachment of the 2nd.

004. Other loyalist units, largely from the Cadian 144th LRR have been in contact with the Army of Chaux Na Mrr’see. The 144th have been left in place to delay the advance of the enemy towards our point of entry onto the eastern continent. It might be over enthusiastic to imagine that the 2nd and 144th will be intact as formations by the time that the rest of the Army has landed and mustered. No word has been received from the Preatorians on the fifth moon.

005. It has also been reported that various xenos of the Eldar sub-types have been seen in conflict with the Heretic and Renegade forces. These have been confirmed as originating from the Bel Tain Craftworld, renowned for their aggressive stance towards humanity.

Ave Imperator,
Impega Budget
Major, commanding
Cadian 144th LRRR

114 Mech Coy.

114th (“Pentürug”) Company of the 77th Sturm Battalion/Krieg 28th Armoured Regiment

The 114th were originally raised as a rough rider (‘Waffenritter’) Regiment of five battalions of five companies. They conducted cavalry operations on a number of campaigns, being reinforced from Krieg with depressing regularity as casualties mounted.

They were despatched as part of an Imperial Army deployed to counter Abbadon’s Black Crusade, where they won their share of the glory as the shock troops of the Imperial Armies on many occasions. This gained them a reputation for holding onto territories and objectives gained by their famous blitzkrieg tactics.

Although hugely successful (in terms of the Krieg military idiom), the cavalry actions during the Black Crusade left the 114th Rough Rider Regiment hors de combat by the end of the campaign they were down to just under eight companies. They had also lost the majority of their cybernetically enhanced steeds. The remaining personnel were formed into an infantry company and for a long time it was almost certain that the company would be assigned as one battalion (complete) to one of the regiments of the 88th Siege Army. And the remaining three companies would be split out as platoons of Battle Casualty Replacements. It seemed as if the remains of the 114th Waffenritter Regiment were destined for the meat grinding hell of the Trenches of whichever place the DKK were laying siege to.

However fate intervened and the 114th were re-roled as Mechanised Infantry and sent to join the 28th Armoured Regiment as an over strength reinforced battalion. As a component of the 28th Armoured Regiment, the 114th (Pentürug) battalion fought on Armageddon. The Battalion’s first commanding officer was a Kolonel Pentürug and it is from him that the unit took its name. From Armageddon the 28th Armoured Regiment was moved to Radnar along with many other Krieg based units. Here the Armoured formations of the 28th were committed as heavy support in bitter city fighting and suffered heavy losses. At the conclusion of the ‘Cleansing of Radnar’ campaign, along with other barely viable armoured fist battalions, it was reorganised as a company.

Today it remains a part of the 28th Armoured Regiment’s order of battle. The 28th Armoured Regiment is currently commanded by Generalleutnant
(“Gruppenführer” to his regiment) Fothar Shur. The Regiment consists of various armoured and mechanised formations, formed into basic building blocks of company size. These are tank hunter, fast armoured Artillery, panzerkampfwagen and mechanised infantry (“armoured fist”). These are formed into ‘storm’ (assault) battalions. The 114th became a company of the 77th Sturmbattalion; an ad hoc formation from within 28th, based around one or more armoured fist companies.

The 114th company, along with the other Armoured Fist comapnies (see DKK 19 Armd Regt, IA 1), comes under the command of Kolonel Urbam Pentürug, a descendant of the General who led the 114th from Armageddon to face the forces of Chaos undivided. The current Kolonel Urbam Pentürug never served in the 114th himself but is suspected to be quietly pleased that the formation that bears his family name is a part of the formation he commands.

The ninth company now the senior company in the formation. When a company is rendered hors de combat, its colours, if retrievable, are laid up in the Korps’ Imperial shrine. Subsequently raised companies are issued designations following on from the most recently issued.

The 114th Company is currently commanded by Sturmbannführer
Erwin Boelcke. Unlike most other Kreig infantry battalions, Sturmbattalions normally deployed without preliminary artillery bombardment (the broken ground, whilst providing cover for infantry, also provides cover for the enemy and more importantly, slows the advance of the armoured vehicles) but with a dedicated troop (or troops) of Leman Russ panzers from the 12th company.

The ninth, eleventh, fourteenth and one hundred and fourteenth are normally sent forth in a diamond pattern with a squadron of the 12th company’s Leman Russ in the centre of each formation for maximum flexibility. The 12th company’s heavy section and their attached field artillery travel in the centre of the diamond formed by the four armoured fist companies. This diamond formation Sturm Battalion is expected to smash its way through any opposition. Typically they are used for ‘take and hold’ land grabs and would expect to be relieved in place by dismounted infantry and artillery formations.

(At the time that this was written, the 28 Armd Regt had the same TO&E as the DKK 19 Armd Regt (Imperial Armour Vol 1) hence the presence of Mech Inf within an Armd Regt)

22nd Armegeddon Steel Legion Armd Regt

In their penultimate incarnation, the 22nd Armd Regt formed part of the right flank at the battle of Hades Hive. During that battle the regiment, which had fought all the way through the Second War for Armageddon, finally ran out of staying power or luck and was rendered Hors de Combat.

Due to the massive population of Armageddon, Imperial Guard regiments can easily be raised through volunteer efforts, drafts, and even from street gangs. In addition to this, Armageddon is one of the prime manufacturers of the Chimera transport tank for the fighting forces of the Imperium. This means the Imperial Guard forces stationed upon the planet are able to field a large number of these sturdy transport vehicles. These Armageddon Steel Legions make use of air filtration masks as well as the airtight Chimeras to effectively fight in and traverse across the vast ash wastes that surround the hives of Armageddon.

The current 22nd Armd Regt is a new formation built around a cadre of Armageddon tank veterans. The 22nd are arranged into eight squadrons of four troops. Each Squadron also has a formation of armoured sentinels for recce and screening operations.

Despite their home planet’s ability to produce armoured vehicles, the 22nd were dispatched with only 2/3rds of their slated Leman Russ. The shortfall in combat power is being made up by detachments from 699th (Armageddon) Steel Legion; The 699th were a Mechanised Infantry regiment but they have been reduced down to reinforced company strength. To fulfill their new role they have been reorganised into Troops of three Chimera. The 699th would have been used as a cadre to rebuild the regiment, however, they have lost all of their senior officers and their commissar; hence their deployment in support of the tanks of the 22nd.

Departmento Munitorium regulations prohibit mixed teeth arm formations; therefore despite the 699th elements being taken into the 22nd’s chain of command, they remain separately numbered in order to comply with the regulations.

72nd Army Group. (there will be a test at the end)

Lord General Potemkin is the commander in chief of Imperial Guard forces assigned to Driftward Command in the Obscura Sector. His task basically revolves around the raising and assigning of IG regiments. By arrangement, regiments raised in one of the four ‘directional commands' are deployed elsewhere in the sector, if not further afield. Regiments raised by Driftward Command are offered over to other commands and other Lords Militants in other sectors. Careful count is kept to ensure that men out is balanced by men in, that for every elite or armoured unit that leaves, another is received from outside of the Driftward Strategic Area of Responsibility.

The Lords Militant of the Obscura Sector divide their bailiwick into four; Spinward, Driftwards, Coreward and Trailing. Each of these ‘Commands’ within the Sector has a nominal four armies with which to prosecute the emperor’s wars. Of course these are only administrative ‘armies’ for accounting purposes. Each will tend to have a flavor; a slant towards the origins of the Generals assigned to lead it on campaign. Lord General Potemkin favours Vostroyan and Valhallan Generals in the 15th Army.

Driftward Command has four 'armies' at it's disposal. These are actually the logistic tails that enable campaigns to be prosecuted. In theory an 'army command' can fight multiple campaigns simultaneously, this actually depends on the logicistic Main Supply Route being linier enough for this to be feasible enough to allow this to happen. The 15th Army contains a number (up to 700) of Corps. It is these administrative groups that attach and detach regiments to form formations that are then deployed. It is these Corps that are the umbrella organisations for the formations that actually do the fighting.

The scribes of the Lords Militant keep the numbers and the lists of what unit is a part of which formation. Everything about what is sent to support that regiment or formation in the field is recorded. Thus it looks like every IG regiment is well supported and gets all the material it could wish for. Of course, occasionally, data on the amount of material that the regiments actually received comes back to the Lords Militant’s offices. The disjoin here is that it normally goes into the Departmento Ante Bellum, into the records. The Departmento Ultra Bellum, who deal with planning and future wars, rarely refer to the records to inform their planning, it’s a different office within the Departmento Munitorium.

Still based on Agripinna, The Klestor Sub Sector war office deals with far more than the Klestor Sub Sector. There was once a conflict there that spanned five systems and involved the Inquisition, Imperial Navy and Adeptus Astartes. The expertise gained has not been completely eroded by time. So the Klestor Sub Sector war office is pre-eminent within Driftward Command. It is here that wars are planned, at least as far as which assets are to be assigned.

The 72nd Army Corps was the number of the Skitari and Astartes supported Army Corps that deployed to Devos IV hundreds of years ago. This number was reassigned to the Devos IV expeditionary force by the Departmento’s bureaucrats, possibly at the behest of a Staff Officer who is also a student of military history. Most of the Devos IV PDF regiments trace their origins back to elements of the 72nd Army Corps of antiquity.


The Vostroyan doctrine for campaigning is for Brigades of 1 to 4 battalions as the normal unit of maneuver. 1 to 5 Bdes form what the Vostroyan's refer to as a 'Battle Group'. General Tolstoy's staff has for the last seven years referred to itself as the 17th Battle Group. This number stretches back to a brief and successful campaign putting down a rebellion based around promethium manufacture on the Ice world of Stegen. The Departmento has not changed the number yet.


The 15th Army has assigned numbers 900 to 904 for the 72nd Army Corps' brigades. The 17th Battle Group believe this to be optimistic in the extreme. The available assets, from Armageddon, Krieg and Valhalla, amount to one Division. The Vostroyans do not use 'Brigade' in their vocabulary and therefore the Brigades are Divisions. They have nominally assigned another Division for any remnants of loyalist PDF units. This includes the Cadian 144th Long Range Recce Regt, sent to secure the Priory of the Silver Chalice when the insurrection began and a detachment of the Praetorian 5th, who were guarding the system defences on Devos XII.


In the unlikely event that the IG force on Devos IV eventually exceeds five brigade/divisions, another 'Battle Group' would be needed. This new Battle Group would still be a part of the 72nd Army Corps.

Another Vostroyan, General 1st class Zhukov, has seniority over General 2nd class Tolstoy. General Zhukov has Lord General Potemkin’s confidence. Gen Tolstoy has commanded 17th Battle Group for the last three years, having been a Regimental CO within 17BG prior to that. Gen Tolstoy will only get "his" command back if either General Zhukov is killed or the camapign goes on for so long (or goes so badly) that 72AG gains another Battle Group; elevating Zhukov back out of his way.

So, therefore; Imperial Guard forces both en route to Devos IV and those already present all fall under the umberella of the 72nd Army Group. (Although those already present won’t know this until the main body arrive).

The HQ of the 72nd Army Group continues to refer to itself as 17th Battle Group, because the Departmento Munitorum has not officially renumbered it yet. The chances of a second ‘Battle Group’ within the 72AG coming into existence are thought to be remote, but the possibility remains.

The fighting formations of the 72AG are:

900 Inf Bde
901 Inf Bde
902 Inf Bde
903 Inf Bde
904 Inf Bde

Although their HQ, 17BG refers to these formation as “Divisions” because they (the staff officers) are Vostroyan.

902 Inf Bde is comprised of the existing assets that Gen Tolstoy knows are en route; ASL, DKK and Valhallans. It is mostly Armd (the ASL) and Mech (the DKK). If the Navy’s 50th Tactical Lift Wing can be persuaded to ‘hop’ the Valhallans in theatre, then so much the better.

903 Inf Bde comprises of the remnants of the Preatorian 5th who were the garrison for the system defences on the Moon of Devos XII, the Cadian 144th LRRR, who were sent to bolster the Loyalists and any remaining Devos IV PDF who remain within the emperor’s light.

Valkyrie Alternative 3

Hopefully these are pictures of the Republic Gunship in it's sample camo scheme. (I've just got the html code ?) I'm not too sure about the red surround for the canopy, but as I don't want to paint the plexi glass over, I'm reluctant to try to cover it. I've left the wing tips the accent colour as well. I'm thinking that GW dark flesh or Tamiya red brown would be better....

Wolverine Armoured Car WIP 2

Do you remember these ? (Am I turning my blog into a memory test ? I get lost sometimes - my WIP accumulating space being the size of a single garage, I have to look on here to find out what I should be looking at) With mud guards and a bit of stowage they look much better.

Still undecided about fixing a bumper to the front of each. Ideally, It'd be the sort of quarter-fender each side with a winch in the middle arrangement seen on a lot of WW2 kits. But all I actually have is a load of ol' sprue. I can do a plain bumper ok, but would it look right, I wonder ?

Anyway, this is with a coat of camo black green (again, Vallejo air). These will be plain green with unit numbers and Cadian Gate badges. Really they should be black ones as these are supposed to be the sneaky 144th LRRR, but hey, they wouldn't show up as well.

And another view, just for variety. I'll be following the paint scheme for a russian tank from one of the modelling glossies, so wish me luck.

Valkyrie Alternative 2

Here it is next to the real Valk. I have sprayed most of it with grey primer prior to putting it together (there is grey primer on the wing facing you, just not very much). The tiddly little gun things have been replaced with a LRMBT LC and a bit of plastic tubing. Which I suppose must be the HB. You can see it sizes up quite well. It has an opening rear ramp and working side doors.

And a stern chaser/LZ clearing HB to the rear as well. There is a mini missile rack on the top, but that would have be ignored for 'counts as' purposes. It could easily be plasticarded over.

The kit went togther ok, in a fraction of the time a Valkyrie does. It has less than 50 parts and is 'snap together'. Since these photos have been taken it has gained a coat of khaki, except for the undersides, which remain light grey. Er, dunno where I'm going with the colour scheme, but I'll think of something.

And it even has a flying stand ! Although I might swap that carbuncle for a GW one.

Valkyrie Alternative.

Ok then, do you remember me showing you the two kits side by side ? I did promise a better comparison and here it begins. The main issue (problem, if you're a glass half empty person) is one of scale. This pic shows the original pilot on what's left of his seat. He and another like him go into the cockpit assembly to the right of the picture. Between is my elephant solution; two Cadian torsos with Valk crew heads. The dark bit at the back of each is the other bit of the pilot's chair(s).

Et voila; I was expecting to have to shave a little off of the bottom of each to be able to fit the canopy, but they've turned out OK. The canopy itself has more obscuring paint on it and so our armless aircrew don't really look too bad.

Sorry about the lack of focus here, but I'm hoping you get the picture, as it were. Next; on with the (snap fit) build.

13th Mech

Loyal Imperial agents have died to bring us these pictures.... As you can see, the 13 Mech's Baneblade and LRMBTs (and LR Eradicator) have had a little more detailing done, including their formation flash on the front of each tank.

Apologies for the dodgy pictures but I was unsure just how stark the contrast would actually be (between the bit in the afternoon sun and the bit in the shade). The picture at the top of this post is the best, I suppose. These tankettos all need numbers and their army badge - Which for the Army of Chaux Na M'rr'see will be the battle axe.

This bottom picture nicely shows the slightly crazy sea green splinter pattern on the Sentinals; the same as on the infantry. The tanks, meanwhile are in 'good ol' GW vanillia Cadian colours, which I'm hoping increases their utility in the future somewhat. I really do like the renegade LRMBTs on JTS, but these were my learning to airbrush (and then reproduce the result multiple times) tanks. So I'm happy. If I change my mind, I can always respray them later.

Cadian 144th LRRR

These fine fellows are from the Cadian 144th Long Range Recce Regt. Which you may recall is the 'holding force' present on Devos IV, stemming the tide of heresy until the 72 or 73 Army Group turn up to 'restore order'. So these are the men that the =I= agents are trying to contact. Obviously these guys are uncontactable until they have been based and given at least three colours, but this dodgy pict should keep the =I= keen for the time being.

Just a reminder.

These guys are the fun and interesting bit of the Cadian 144th LRRR. Old pictures, but they got me my first comment, so here they are again. The Cadian 144th LRRR were on their way somewhere else when they, as the closest (suitable)military asset, were diverted to Devos IV to support the local Sisters Hospitalar convent who reported being under attack from heretically inspired govt forces. So they are now on the planet, reportedly becoming less and less combat effective as time passes. For instance one of their Coy Commanders is now OC, as he (and the rest of battalion HQ are missing). But they, the 144th, are still there. Just.

Most of the squads are CESTFAW Infantry, with snipers and so on, rather than heavier weapons. I might dig them all out at some point for a group shot, before the Bloodcoats finally run them all to ground.

first Valkyrie.

This shows the two grey&grey colour schemes off quite well. The =I=FV has a hard edged four colour scheme and the Valkyrie has a two tone mottled pattern on the top and sides, the underside is another shade lighter again. The =I=FV is mostly in Tamiya acrylics and the Valk in Vallejo Airbrush goodness. The air crew. All of the aircrew of the 50th Tactical Lift Wing will have different coloured helmets. Just like the cast of "Top Gun". They are Pig Iron heads.

The Valk paint scheme needs metal and burns on the engine outlets and vapour trails therefrom. Then the lenses and a tail number. Also a bit of colour on the ML and HB. And I should have filled in those two little dents in the nose. Oh well. This was my first Valkyrie and took me more or less most of Friday to get from opening the box to here. I'm going to look at the Star Wars Republic Gunship next.

The 50th TLW do not see themselves as close air support. They see themselves as a movement asset; inserting and extracting. They may well shy away from Hot LZ.

The Inquisitorial IFV

You can make out the devotional Eagle on the starboard rear door. And also make out some of the camoflague pattern. This shot shows the disruptive pattern off even better. You can make out the little blue =I= symbol above the front wheel. Only a little more weathering and detail needed; the light above the main armourment and a soot streak where the exhaust is. It's hard to make out here but there is some detailing (Hatches and the main armourment mantlet) in the same blue as details a lot of the Lady Inquisitrix's followers. I'm not sure if it really looks ok or not. You'll get a better look at it tomorrow.

On the continent of Benq

Imperial agents clandestinely visit Devos IV. The IFV is from the household troops of Lady Inquisitrix Josephine Hellmwyr of the Ordo Hereticus. The Valkyrie is from the Imperial Navy's 50th Tactical Lift Wing.

Doubtless they are looking for remnants of the Cadian 144th LRRR.

Link

What about these guys ? How do they size up to GW Iggies, I wonder ?

http://www.warlordgames.co.uk/?p=6427

And the wargames factory greatcoated stormtroopers that I ordered and paid for in April are still not here. I bought mine through Wayland Games. You'd have thought that they might have put something up on the website instead of just 'awaiting stock' for a three month delay.

England's Shame

No. Not the world cup. Analytically, we did far better against the DKK than Argentina did, so we shouldn't feel too bad. After all, even if we'd pulled back to a draw, it would have gone to a penalty shoot out.

But I digress. We've been to the SE corner of France for a bit. Which involved driving quite a long way (if you're American and reading this, it was a long way for us).

The French are better motorway drivers than we are.

There, I've said it. Hard to countenance, difficult to swallow, but true. A lot of it could be down to mostly having two lane motorways, instead of three. But generally, the French motorway user will pull out to overtake (yes, beginning from lane 1 [!]), overtake and then pull in again. Unlike the large population of middle lane driving cretins who are sadly allowed to make our motorways more stressful, frustrating and ultimately, dangerous places by staying in lane 2 for their entire journey.