trawling the blogosphere

I found these jetbike conversions.

http://w40ktenerife.blogspot.com/2010/12/motos-reaccion-del-adeptus-arbites.html

My spanish stretches to cerzeva and perhaps cuidad imperiale, so I can't tell you any more, but they certainly look the part.

And these bad boys make me want to buy even more Wraith Lords. You can have too many Wraith Lords, as it implies that all of your exarchs are dead. But a couple more, if they are posed like these, would be a fine addition:

http://w40ktenerife.blogspot.com/2010/12/senor-espectral.html

This is just brilliant:

http://dicerolla.blogspot.com/2010/08/drones-of-sector-7g-illustrated.html

As is this: Proof that investment in plasticard is worthwhile.

http://www.warseer.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4322387&postcount=172

And these ideas from Warpstoneflux are brilliant.

http://warpstoneflux.blogspot.com/2010/12/secondary-missions.html

Supreme Commander Imperial Forces on Devos IV, By appointment of the Lords Militant of the Obscura Sector.

General (1st Class) Zhukov is an old school Vostroyan military man. Blue blooded himself, Spireborn, his father purchased his first commission. He still passionately believes in the purchase system as a way of ensuring that the Imperial Guard is run by the right sort of officer. For him, being in the Imperial Guard, being one of the Firstborn, being Vostoryan even, is a privilege. His military career is unsullied with service with any other formation other than Vostroyans. He has followed a perfectly normal recognised route for a Vostroyan officer, buying each successive commission (partly financed by selling the old one) culminating in recent command of 388th Battle Group by way of a staff appointment (head of internal security) for Lord General Potemkin on Agripinna. These last two were appointments by Lord General Potemkin (and therefore, by extension, by the Lords Militant themselves). He did not have to pay for them, as they are Imperial Guard appointments, not ones within the Vostroyan regimental system.
Although he no longer needs it, he has retained his Colonel’s command of the 8th Vostroyan First Born Grenadier Regiment. All of the subordinate commissions therein and the shenanigans around them are his plaything. He can dispense or withhold his favour as he sees fit. This is his right as the commanding officer, someone who has played the Vostroyan promotions game and spent an awful lot of money. He has indirectly spent his entire career making those like Lord General Potemkin even more wealthy. If an officer of the 8th Vostroyan First Born Grenadiers falls in battle or otherwise dies on active service, his commission reverts to the Regiment (ie to Zhukov). The dead man’s next of kin do not get to sell on the commission, Zhukov does. And he has volunteered them for service in the hottest war zones available.
The command headquarters of 72nd Army Group revolves around the cult of personality. The General is the star about which his staff officers orbit, sometimes in favour, sometimes out. Fully aware of the effect that the coming of the Imperial Guard brings to a world, he allows (some would say encourages) his underlings to make the most of their privileged position. Lechery and Larceny are the order of the day for some of his staff officers. If court red handed (or if important locals complain) they might be reprimanded. But the general reminds his commissars’ that for the Imperial Guard to be sent to a world in the first place, that world requires corrective action and that therefore, to a certain extent, they are all fair game. Also, especially for the Vostroyans, campaigns such as this are an opportunity to acquire enough of a personal fortune to purchase one’s next promotion.
General (1st Class) Zhukov’s attitude to his own worth to the Departmento (ie his position in history) is easily discerned by his dealing with the Lady Inquistrix of the Ordo Hereticus. He referred her straight to General (2nd Class) Tolstoy, citing that man’s command of the only combat formation available as the reason she should deal with him directly. He will keep his subordinates waiting if he can; it reminds them who is in charge. He is also apt to forget that he has said or agreed to something. If it can be proved or is otherwise incontrovertible, he will explain that what was understood was not actually what he meant and the fault lies with the other party, not with him.
General (1st Class) Zhukov is not happy that he doesn’t have a dozen such battle groups to throw at the enemy. He wants to “crush with tanks, pound with artillery and bayonet with infantry” the enemies of the imperium. The paucity of forces available has left him content to sit and wait until he gets the forces that he thinks he needs to complete the task. He has learned very little about Devos IV since he arrived, spending hours each day pouring over the responses to his requisition orders. All for more fighting men to increase his chances of glory, rather than force multipliers that would be useful to 17 Battle Group.

Merry Christmas

(picture of sidebooms lowering 48" pipe into its trench. One of the better moments of the last three years)

Laid off.

Bah ! I didn't like working for them anyway....

On the plus side, more time for hobby stuff. On the minus side, a lot of the abundance of time will be spent looking for work. And also on the minus side, the absence of money will be a problem. On the plus side, I won't have to go anywhere on snowy icy roads at daft times of the morning. Unless I get an interview.

Once again struck by the awfulness of being made redundant juxtaposed against being free of 'not be best employer I have ever worked for'. And the desire to have some time to walk the dogs, paint little men, get my 10K time back down below 40 minutes and my climbing grade back up to HVS (maybe about 5.9 for those of you in the US). Against this is the desire to get back into work and actually further my career (hard to believe, but when I'm doing well or feel that I'm getting somewhere, I do actually enjoy my work, just don't tell anyone eh ?)

PS, Yes Admiral D, they are my DKK, my apologies for not repsonding earlier, only recently caught your question.

Ministorium Assistance.

Within the Ministorium there are many orders and disciples who value human life, believing it to be sacred to the immortal emperor of mankind. One such organization, the starfaring missionary cult known as the Tree of Man, preaches peace and an end to war. Those who die quietly in bed after helping a community avoiding conflicts that involve human deaths are escorted to the emperor’s Hall of Deliberation by beautiful beings on pegasusi.
The order’s militancy is reserved for xenos, with every member taking a holy vow to cleanse the galaxy of all foul xenos, using the emporer’s holy flame (and any other weapon that falls to hand). As can be imagined, this is a difficult goal and many holy men go to extremes to ensure their place in that heaven.
For example:
They go vegetarian and walk everywhere to avoid hurting animals.
Are exceedingly polite to avoid raising someone's ire.
Shout "Forgive!" as they strike another human in combat.
Develop Machiavellian strategies to keep communities politically and financially motivated to find a peaceful solution to their problems.

On Devos IV, Monk Sven Jharden had no other choice but to face Shatter Fang, chieftain of the Oolong, a large tribe of pastoralists, in a champions duel. The Oolong were a large Grox herding concern and had assimilated other Grox herding tribes in southern Benq. The predicted outcome was that Shatter Fang would eventually gain a strangle hold on the supply of protein into the planet’s only hive, San Cantor. He had a bad experience therein during his formative years and was known to have sworn a personal oath to bring the place down.
Monk Jharden, on the planet to defend the population from the indigenous Eldar population on Devos XII, found that the far greater threat to human life was the threatened conflict between the Grox herding majority of the population and the smaller but more organized and technologically advanced urbanites. So he set off, following local customs, to fight his way through the ranks of the Oolong until he faced Shatter Fang.
The monk had already spared many lives by forcing the chieftain into an honorable duel, but to seal the deal, he needed to win the combat. Knowing that he needed every skill he could muster, he doubted that he could hold back. He feared for his immortal soul for the amount of pain and perhaps death he might inflict. The night before, Jharden prayed to the emperor and petitioned the ancestor spirits in the Hall of Deliberation for a weapon that could subdue such a ferocious opponent.
Filled with faith, he went on towards victory on the dueling field and forged a lasting peace between two disparate cultures.
The Ministorium delegation accompanying 73rd Army Group has largely been drawn from the ‘Tree of Man’. The delegation is led by Bishop Popper. He has fourteen Brothers under holy orders and fifty two lay preachers with him. The fourteen Brothers are a mixture of administrators and combat teachers, allowing the Bishop to concentrate on helping the Generals to appreciate the Ministorium’s (and therefore the Emperor’s) policies on Devos IV. And to ensure that the lay preachers are ready to accompany the 73rd Army Group’s units into battle.
The Oolong were effectively cleansed as a tribe from the Benq population. Oolong has passed into the local dialect as a word for Rough Riders; in modern military parlance, Rough Rider formations within the PDF are referred to as Oolong units.
There is a shrine to St Jharden, but on the continent of Acer, rather than Benq. On Benq, revisionist historians have recently been portraying Jharden as an off world meddler in other people’s affairs. He is said to have slaughtered his way through to Shatter Fang, before butchering the old statesman, who was only trying to get a fair market price for Grox meat for all of the herding peoples of southern Benq.
The Ordo Hereticus has made sure that so far, Bishop Popper remains ignorant of the blasphemous sentiments popular on Benq.

Utterly delighted.

From my best effort (above) to this:

http://piratevikingpainting.blogspot.com/2010/11/death-korps-first-look.html
Pirate Viking Painting: Death Korps first look

Hurrah !

Phoney War

One of 50th Tactical Lift Wing's Valks in Southern Acre.

902nd Inf Bde have conducted their shake out exercises – they are now earnestly training for war in southern Acer. The two infantry Battalions, the Kreig 77th and Kado 540th are practicing combined operations with the Armageddon armoured units and Divisional Artillery. The weather at sea will preclude any opening to the campaign for a few months.
The Cadian 144th LRRR and Devos IV 2nd Regt are on their own on the continent of Benq for the time being.
The Lady Inquisitrix has deployed her assets (including her storm troopers in the Navy’s 50th TLW) across Acer in an attempt to secure the continent for the emperor. Inquisition sleeper cells have been activated by Ordo Hereticus codewords. Satellite establishments from the covent on Benq are the focus of much public attention; the whys and wherefores of the Inquisitorial Intervention are the subject of media interest; The media on Devos IV is freer and a lot less ‘on message’ than it is on a lot of Imperial worlds. Local advice from their in system agents prevents the Ordo Hereticus storming the printers and pict-factors; the public outrage at a massacre of their free media would have more harm than their current solution of ‘guidance counsellors’.
All of the attention on the Inquisitorial mission has left the 17th Battle Group HQ and it’s one combat unit, the 902nd Inf Bde, free to exercise in the deep south. This keeps the local media away from the Imperial Guard and the Death Korps of Krieg away from Acer’s major population centres.
The Departmento Construction Corps despatched with the 73rd Army Group has begun the task of converting the Industrial and Commercial areas of Sandvik into a suitable garrison not only for 902 Bde but also for another possible two brigades to follow. The railroad to the coast (to embark to Benq to fight the enemy) and to the Starport (for supplies and reinforcements) already exists. Other parts of the Labour Corps are spending the winter converting a number of the giant plankton harvesters into vessels suitable for transporting the Imperial Guard across the sea.
In their HQ in the market town of Peltor, 17th Battle Group’s planning is focussed on the winter storms around the southern ocean. Properly timed, the wet fleet can embark 50th TLW from calm seas to drop Storm Troopers to seize the sea ports in anticipation for the landing.
In stately Hakisyke, the astropaths for the 73rd Army Group HQ have heard at last from the Departmento Munitorium. They are to receive reinforcements for another Inf Bde. The new units will form the 901st Inf Bde. They should arrive in system in six months, warp travel notwithstanding.

Winter Conditions

It is not really snowing here. In fact, when the sun is out, at midday, it is quite warm. But the clear skies are making for cold nights.

For the first time in about two months, I got into the garage yesterday. I was going to put more IG arms and Pif Iron heads on the greatcoat bodies. But the cold has got to the glue. I'm going to have to box up all the glues and paints and hide them indoors for the winter.

Knickers

OK.

We are told that grenadier units are split up amongst the more common-or-garden Iggies. But that they come from proper formed units etc.

So, I have a desire (and the figures) to field a grenadier platoon. Of Pl HQ and four squads.

So with an army list that already includes two common-or-garden platoons (of HQ and four squads), I could possibly fit in four Vet Squads to represent the four squads of the Grenadier Platoon (there is no codex entry for Grenadier Platoon HQs).

I want doctrines back.

114 Coy, 77 Sturm Bn, 28 Armd Regt DKK

I have bitten the bullt and outsourced the painting of my DKK. Like a government, me. But better able to manage a conspiracy.

The rhetoric of war

The following was broadcast from the Quinelle Palace in Xyphonica the morning after 17th Army Group successfully executed Operation Tranquility (seizing the Acer Starport) and before the 902nd Bde made planet fall.
“A dark fleet has settled into orbit around our world. We are under the black cloud of imminent war. Until this clear and present threat is removed, the sun will not shine on Devos IV. The Planetary Defense Force has been mobilized. The Frataris Millitia are to report for duty to their muster stations.
All citizens of Devos IV must clearly understand that whatever the issue may be, it could be resolved without off world interference. Your elected leaders exercised their legal prerogative and this has irked the uncaring imperium. The Imperium came to our rescue when were invaded by Waagh Burkatt centuries ago; A changed and uncaring Imperium now returns as invader and occupier in its own right.
Civil Defense measures will be taken, populations will be evacuated from potential target areas. No-one who does not want to will be made to fight – but all should realize that led by the Inquisition, the armies of the imperium are a merciless totalitarian killing machine with nothing in common with normal human beings. There is no guarantee of safety, no succor from their misplaced wrath.
We must defend Devos IV against invaders from outer space. Although our cities may be razed and our farms destroyed, in our hearts the people of Devos IV will always be free; We will face the coming conflict with clear consciences and resolute determination to keep what is ours free from interference of outsiders.”

The Dark Mechanicus of Devos IV

Over two thousand miles from Xyphonica, under the ruins of San Cantor there are ‘The Forges’. After the atomic purging of the San Cantor Hive over seven hundred years ago, this is where the Adeptus Mechanicus brethren came looking for salvage and secrets. Whatever they found kept them here, amongst the millions of tonnes of reclaimable scrap.
The years passed and those who remained, in order to continue their work, became more machine than man. Eventually machines were repairing and replacing machines. The Omnissiah would be pleased. Their contact with the outside world, when she was appointed, was a high ranking official from the planetary government. She stayed in ‘The Forges’ as well. Eventually the position became a hereditary position for the daughter of the previous incumbent. Contact with the local government was eventually lost, but ‘the speaker’ remained, and over the years, the holders of the title have developed psychic powers.
On the speakers authority, Skitarri took what they needed from passing trade caravans. Seven hundred years later, the inheritors of the Adeptus Mechanicus mission to Devos IV are almost a folk memory for most of the population. All of their leaders are long gone, preserved as data slugs, venerated by their successors, but never committed to a processor. Oh no. It would not do to awaken the old ones. The speakers have been telling them that for hundreds of years.
What remains today is a society of servitors, ruled by a mad woman, making things in the dark. On the edge of many things. On the edge of the ash wastes, the edge of the known world. On the edge of reality, the edge of the ‘other’ as the speaker calls it.
Under the ruins of the Hive it is hot and dark. There is constant noise and fume. Everywhere the walls drip with leachates from the ruins and condensation from the remaining population. Slaves are kept in chains. They keep some of the processes running. And provide valuable genetic material to keep the mission going. The darkness is lit by bright burning fires, the forges, ducts and channels of molten metal. The lords are the Sorcerer-Engineers, Arcanists, some possessed, some mad. Some feed off of the slaves. They used to be aided by minions, all identical, grown in vats in the image of one supreme soldier of millennia past. These minions are still the overseers of the processes, tormentors of the slaves. But the knowledge of their making and remaking is lost now. Many are lobotomised, slaved to a single task, identical to other servitors throughout the Imperium. But they are wearing out.
The Elder Speaker is a tall strong woman who's ferocity is only matched by her deep mystery. Through sadistic rituals and dangerous story telling traditions she and her acolytes balance the twisted nature of ‘the mission’ and can manipulate the "other" through somewhat unique quasi religious techniques.

Veils worn by the devotees represent a past shrouded in guilt and secrets. The White Speaker cult is forbidding, rituals of blood and delirious narration keep most of Sorcerer Engineers clear. The number of White Speakers remains constant, as one dies another is initiated; too few and they would disappear and too many might create a blood frenzy that the Elder Speaker fears she could not control.

White speakers power is rooted in the names and tales of things. The Elder Speaker shares stories with young listeners bound in chains. The secrets and lore she chants drive them into violent twisted seizures as they try to absorb the words of power. Speakers learn in layers and riddles to protect their mind from dismantling under the weight of what they know.
And all of this happens in secret.

The head of the PLA's political branch

Baroness Apocrypha Quintelle, leader of the Coven of Thecula V, threw her home world into chaos (almost literally), rebelling against the Imperium. Her insurrection was put down by Inquisitor Vincorum of the Ordo Hereticus. She was freed by her confederates and nearly succeeded in slaying him during the escape. He chased her from system to system, eventually catching her in the city of Xyphonica, spiritual centre of life on Benq and possibly the whole of Devos IV. She was incarcerated, pending being shipped to the shrine world of Salem Proctor for trial.
Unluckily for Inquisitor Vincorum, this was as Chaux Na Mrr’see’s coup was unfolding. Baroness Quintelle’s crime was to have been born psychic and remained undetected until she began to suffer from an unfortunate case of episodic possession. On Devos IV, under sceptical, dismissive and hostile media focus, the Ordo Hereticus was put on trial, in the person of Inquisitor Vincorum. The charge was failing to protect the vulnerable Apocryhpa. Leading to an unfortunate chain of events and the unnecessary deaths of many innocent Imperial citizens on Thecula V and other places.
The Inquisition was found to be guilty and Inquisitor Vincorum was ceremoniously incarcerated in his own Incarcerator. Baroness Quintelle herself was allowed to flick the switch to begin the rite of purgation. On the continent of Benq, making the sign of the Aqilla in public is swiftly moving from a quaint idiosyncrasy, through public derision to cause for arrest.
Baroness Apocrypha Quintelle is now the Chief Political Officer for the Peoples Libertine Army. She sent Inquisitor Vincorum’s ashes to the Hospitallers convent. It was this threat that provoked the Mother Superior to call for aid.
As far as the New Republic are concerned, the cause of the arrival of the Cadian 144th LRRR can be directly traced to the Ordo Hereticus’ failure to guard Baroness Quintelle against deamonic possession. The PLA is only defending Devos IV against the warmongering Sisterhood and their lickspittle lackies from Cadia.

Hakisyke & Danny Bloodcoat

Post landing the 73rd Army Group needed a Headquarters Location. Margrav Hakisyke, a leading light of the Loyalists in Acer, offered up his ancestral home to General Zhukov. The Margrav’s son was duly commissioned into the PDF in short order, despite being untrained and (just) under aged.
The 17th Battle Group HQ are lodged a few kilometres away at the market town of Peltor. 902 Inf Bde (currently the only one they have) is encamped around the commercial city of Sandvik, some 48km to the East. Unlike the stately but remote Hakisyke, or the prosperous but provincial Peltor, Sandvik has good communication links and plenty of hardstanding and warehousing. Any protests from local business regarding the sequestering of their assets are being channelled through the local government (to Margrav Hakisyke’s town office).
Daniel Horpan
Daniel Horpan joined the Devos IV PDF as an officer cadet seventeen years ago. He spent eight years within the 99th (“the Bloodcoats”) Regiment before becoming company commander. From there he moved to Maj Gen Firth’s staff as a planning officer. Firth, recognising his talent, despatched him to Agripinna to serve in the Imperial Guard for a few years. Six years later Colonel Horpan returned to command the 99th.
In the last three years, Horpan has been courted personally by Chaux Na Mrr’see herself. She obviously thought that she might need an able military commander on her side. Horpan is staunchly loyal to his birthworld. Colonel-Commandant Welbhann, the commander of the 902 Inf Bde knew Horpan on Agripinna. Despite being from quite different backgrounds (Welbhann is from Armageddon), Welbhann believes that Horpan has somehow deluded himself that his following the creed of Chaux Na Mrr’see is in line with his loyalties as former officer of the IG and senior figure in the Devos IV PDF.
The 99th Regt were delighted to find themselves commanded by Horpan. “Danny Bloodcoat” he is known as. They are encouraged by his elevation to (as they see it) strategic commander of the PDF. The creed of Chaux Na Mrr’see has become all the more popular thereby. Such is his reputation that the 13th Mech and other formations within the PDF, as well as the militia, have ‘bought in’ to his campaign. Having held posts in Agripinna for so long, he knows what is coming. Col Cmdt Welbhann knows that 902 Bde is not enough to take the planet. He knows from Gen Tolstoy that Gen Zhukov’s plan is to get 902 Bde so badly mauled that Driftward Command either flesh out the rest of 17 BG or (better yet) send a proper sized army to Devos IV.

The cabal of the Broken Tea Spoon

I'm quite excited about the new DE figures. I havn't been able to get shredders, so GW actually making them again will be nice. Hopefully I'll pursuade someone to get me some for Christmas or something.



Cyrxian Harrower Helljack Thingamyjig o' Doom.

My DE army is bascially an apoc splinter riad force with a few other bits and peices. It is fast, but the new figures will look better than the existing. Plastic warp beasts will be good, but not as good as a plastic Talos. (the Privateer Press Harrower makes a really good Talos - If PP do this in plastic then any new GW Talos will have to be beat it)

This DE army has now gone to Kent, to terrorise the wabbit, probably.

Theory Question (breaking 40K)

OK. I've said on here before that one of the strengths of fortykay is that you can play kill team and apoc with the same little men and the same rules set (tweaked, but I hope you see what I mean). Another strength is that you can take your legal army to another part of the world and language not withstanding, play a game (it might be a struggle, but you could do it).



So what follows is an abstract argeument; I'm not suggesting for one moment that I would ever advocate this with anyone other than someone who I played with on a regular basis and it was just to see what happened etc:

This is a list from another games system (GZG, I think) it is itself extrapolated from an existing military formation from sometime in the last twenty years. I have 40kificated it a bit, just to bring it into context.

It does not follow FOC (duh !) rules and is certainly not optimised or even vaguely likely to last long on a 5th Ed battlefield (without some AFV back up). In the game system it is from, these guys are mounted in (GMC 4x6) soft top trucks.

Motorised Infantry Company:

Total Strength: 6 Officers, 117 Other Ranks (123 total troops).
Company Headquarters (2 Officers, 1 Other Rank)
The company headquarters comprises 3 personnel - the Company Commander, the Executive Officer (carrying the vox caster), and the Company Sergeant (carrying the company standard).
Mortar Platoon (1 Officer, 11 Other Ranks)
HQ Squad (1 Officer, 1 OR)
The HQ of the Support Platoon consists of just two men - the Platoon Commander and Platoon Sergeant (carrying a vox caster).
3 x Mortar Squad (3 ORs each)
Three three man mortar teams operating mortars. Each team has a gunner, loader, and ammo carrier equipped with a standard Las gun in addition to their mortar.
Forward Observer (1 OR)
Independent figure armed with standard Las gun, carrying an auspex and vox caster.
3 x Rifle Platoons (1 Officer, 35 Other Ranks each)
HQ Squad (1 Officer, 1 OR)
A two-man team, including the Platoon Commander and Platoon Sergeant. The Sergeant is armed with a bolter.
Rifle Squad (9 ORs)
Squad Leader, 2 x Hvy Stubber (Gunner + Loader), and three riflemen and one marksman with a sniper rifle. The squad members, except for the marksman, will have standard las guns.
Rifle Squad (9 ORs)
Squad Leader, 2 x Hvy Stubber (Gunner + Loader), and four riflemen. The squad members will have standard las guns.
Rifle Squad (9 ORs)
Squad Leader, 2 x Hvy Stubber (Gunner + Loader), and three riflemen and one flamer operator with a flamer. The squad members, except for the flamer operator, will have standard las guns.
Weapons Squad (7 ORs)
Squad Leader and two 3-man Hvy Bolter teams. Squad members are armed with the standard las gun and each team has a tripod-mounted Hvy Bolter.

Sometimes the Motorized Rifle Company will also have an attached reconnaissance platoon, or other Battalion level assets. Possibilities are not limited to the following examples but they are fairly representative.

Reconnaissance Platoon (1 Officer, 25 Other Ranks)
HQ Squad (1 Officer, 1 OR)
A two-member team, including the Platoon Commander and Platoon Sergeant. Both will be armed with las pistol and CCW.
3 x Recce Squads (8 ORs each)
Assault Squads include a Squad Leader, Hvy Stubber (Gunner + Loader), RPG [counts as ML] (Gunner + Loader), and three riflemen armed with standard las guns.
Other Attachments
Anti-Air Team (3 OR)
A three-member team, armed with a shoulder launched anti-air missile launcher (counts as a ML on an AA mount). They may have standard las guns or auto guns.
Anti-Armour Team (2 OR)
A two-member team, armed with an ATGW (counts as Hunter Killer Missile). They also have standard las guns.
Grenadier Team (7 OR)
Squad Leader, 4 riflemen, 2 grenadiers. They have standard las guns and the two grenadiers have GLs.
Casualty Aid Team (3 OR)
A two-member team, medic and assistant medic. They may have las pistols or be unarmed.

How do think this would play ? I was thinking that it would make for an interesting Opposing Force for an IG army. It would give the OpFor a distinct flavour, making them an interesting opponent (in terms of doctine/tactics as well as appearance), rather than just IG with the aqilla filed off.

I'd like to hear the nays as well as the ayes, if you have the time.

Bloggin'

It's a tool for communication, isn't it ? You could restrict the audience to a few individuals who you wanted to share some ideas/data with. Certainly this was my first intention - my audience were the original four apoc generals. No idea if they're still interested or not.



I see some other peoples FTW blogs and they seem to be so much more focused than my dribble. I waffle. I'm sure that I come across as a whinging, ineffectual person in my writing. There's relatively little "progress" these days. Oh well.

So on to communicating: My appologies to Courtney at the Cadian 127th for waffling about my Valkyre on his blog.

And for JL; The three I read were Hans Von Luck, Erhard Raus and Hienz Guderain. All good stuff. The Osprey book about the WWII Soviet Rifleman is also worth a look - quite IG flavoured, as it happens.

Not 40K

I spent in week in June with Mrs Zzzzzz and our friends Steve and Kath. Steve and I have climbed together in the Alps and New Zealand. The ladies let us out to play, so we went up and had a nosey around the Hellbrunner and a closer look at the Dent De Giant.

The scenery is all quite impressive. If was at all dilignet, knowing where these pictures were taken from, I could look at a map and work out which mountains these are. Basically, if you're climbing in this part of the world, keeping an eye on the weather to the south, you can see the weather building from the south, so occasionally there is a mad race to get back to the safety of the valley before the thunder storm reaches where you are.

This is me on the way back. My nose looks white because my face is plastered in sunblock. Still slightly sunny here.


It is quite a wonderful thing for me, being in the mountains. It's one of those things that can be retrospectively pleasurable - ie at the time it can be bloody knackering. This is less than ten minutes later, further down the same arrete; see the weather change.

This last picture is from the cable car that runs between Italy and France. If ever you are in Courmayour or Chamonix with a day to spare and the sky is clear; popping across to the other place on the telepherique is a nice way to spend the day; The views are magnificent and an' all that. And sunny again, you'll note.

Castrol (Nine) GTX

I bought myself a prezzie for my birthday (which is on Wednesday). But took it to France to read. I now want orks. And Elysians. I'm back at work now and the feeling of "I need killa kanz" is subsiding.

The book lacks a little of the depth of the Vraks Trilogy (well, it would, wouldn't it ? A question of scale, rather than a lack of ambition/material. I'd love to see what they culled to fit the page count. Oh well. Volume Nine at Christmas...

Work gets in the way.

This is a picture of the Combined Heat and Power station that Eon are biulding on the Isle of Grain. Quite handy as I was able to visit John (of JTS fame) Lamshead.

That was about two or three months ago. I'm currently on COMAH (control of major accidents and hazards [big gas sites, oil rigs, Buncefield - places like that]) site just north of Crewe. So no mobile phones on site, which is a hinderance when trying to find a different job. And long hours and all week away from home. Unlike last time, I'm being moved from hotel to hotel on a weekly basis, so there's no regular two hours a night for 40K and also this time, no bonus payment either.

Not a happy bunny.

But the wargames factory greatcoated storm troopers finally arrived. I've made two squads (with cadian arms, Pig Iron kolony militia heads and DKK backpacks) and used the auto gun arms for the remainder of the Bloodcoats. The shotgun arms are going on the Devos IV 1st (SF) Regt squads quite nicely, although I'm having trouble getting the Meltaguns to fit nicely.

And I've broken my airbrush. I'm getting my hobby fix vicariously through all the other blogs at the moment. But I have the dubious pleasure of yet another birthday soon, so for the fourth year running, I've treated myself to a FW tome. Looking forward to getting that.

And looking forward to getting some more scenery done by mid October as well.

Real Artillery

This is the iggy Basilisk. It is quite often seen in hand to hand combat with everyone the IG fights. It has a scale range of, well, not very far.

Jessica Alba, if you ask me.



This is FH 70. For those unfamiliar with arty systems, the barrel has been reversed over the trails (legs). It would be other way 'round when brought into action (made ready for to fire). It would normally be towed, the little engine is just to get it into final position and power the hydraulics. (interesting anecdote - The Indians bought them without the engine and have 55 person crews to man handle them into position.)

FH70 has a planning range of 17km. ie an FH 70 battery would be placed 17km behind the front line; it has enough give and take in it's range and capabilities to cope with the front line moving a few km in either direction.

On a 6' x 4' board, the FH 70 would still be a football pitch or two away. I'll quite happily pay the points for the bombardment. No way am I putting a Basilisk on the tabletop.

79th Cavalry

The left over bits from the building of the 22nd ASL were enough to make this. Devos IV PDF's 79th Cav gets another tank !

I've seen other peoples plasticard LRMBT and Chimera sides, with all of the detail faithfully reproduced. I really cannot maintain concentration for that long - or even begin to start measuring it up. I might cover it in Zimmereit later. Perhaps.

22nd Armegeddon Steel Legion Armd Regt

Coy HQ. The OC and 2iC's Panzers. Not quite sure who will get the executioner. Probably the 2iC.



1 Troop. The anhillator is nice - the guns fitted straight into the 'old' LRMBT turret, no trouble. The first bits of vorpanzer were spaced out from the turret on spare GW single track links. But I might need my stock of those as I work my way through the Chimerasaurs, so the later ones are all spaced on the thinner sections of tank wheel sprue.



There is another troop to add to this little bundle of tankie goodness, but I have yet to receive the models. Also, I have stuck another ten gasmask/beret heads on cadian bodies, pending some arms. These will be detachments from the Devos IV 1st (Special Forces) Regiment. I'm imagining dark grey fatigues, black flak and red berets. Sort of like guardian angels (from the 1980s) with melta guns.

Tranquility

The Imperial Guard Command Suite on the 1505th Imperial Navy transport vessel Optime II
"General Tolstoy Sir ?"
"Yes, what is it ?"
"Vox from the Starport, General; it has Kaptain Ilich's cypher, but it was sent in clear gothic."
Silence.
"Well ?"
"It is just one word, General: 'Tranquility'."
"Good. Assemble the General Staff and the Divisional Commanders immediately in the briefing room. Ask the Navy to pict link us to Lord General Zhukov as well, if they would. It's time to return the light of the Emperor to the darker corners of Devos IV."

Tranquility

The fleet reorganised in system. The Redemption class battle cruiser The Light of Heaven assumed High Guard beyond the gas giant Devos X. Imperial Fury class near space ion drive fighters shadowed all commercial traffic in and out of the system. The rogue trader Corinthian Summer arrived with an Ordo Hereticus Lady Inquisitrix arrived and the interdiction tightened. Frigates that had been flanking the moving fleet were released to board and inspect all of the passing trade.
The 1505th Imperial Transport Fleet moved into position. Since the Vindare Hersey, the Imperial Guard had been organised into blocks of roughly three thousand men, the size of the Navy’s normal troopship. The Optime II was the 1505th Transport Fleet. A gaggle of atmospheric transports – drop ships capable of carrying a few hundred men and their vehicles followed the Optime II through the warp like ducklings following their mother, although these ‘ducklings’ were sheltering within the geller field of the larger carrier.
The Lady Inquisitrix had some strong ideas about the conduct of the campaign. General Zhukov was not overly enamoured of Ordo Hereticus interference in his campaign. However, she had drop capable storm troopers in her household. And none of his staff expected the 50th Tactical Lift Wing to hang around once the shooting started. Planetstrike would be made without jeopardising any of the 73rd army groups’ limited assets.
General Zhukov waited on The Light of Heaven. It would send a clear message to the Witch Hunteress; that she was dealing with his subordinate, Gen Tolstoy. Tolstoy and the rest of 17th Battle Group HQ transferred to the Optime II.
The drop ship Diggavic swung into its low orbit. On board, Kaptian Ilich, Gen Tolstoy’s ‘eyes on the ground’ felt his pulse quicken as the sixty soldiers moved from their temporary billets, by squad in two ranks, through the corridors of the drop ship. The carapace armoured storm troopers moved without speaking, following their embarkation drills precisely. Codex grey armour marched past, quickly and without any fuss or mishap. Sergeants at the head of each squad, every man marked by the inquisitorial badge. Grav chutes in their jump packs, a few precious Elysian pattern weapons here and there amongst the Kantrel pattern ones. Demolition charges, grenades and spare ammunition and batteries adorning every spare space. Ilich felt a queasy mixture of pride, agitation and apprehension as the Inquisition and Navy kicked off the Imperial Guard’s Devos IV Campaign.
Service crews made the last checks as the crew masters, plugged into exterior vox ports, guided aircrews through their start up procedure. Low whining filled the cavernous hold of the Diggavic as each of the six Valkyrie started first one and then the other of their engines. Loadmasters ushered the storm troopers aboard.
Kaptain Ilich had been at the aircrew briefing. This was a one way mission, the Valkyries would use up not far off half of their fuel load holding the craft up for long enough not to be damaged entering the atmosphere. The 50th TLW would then swoop down on the starport to establish the bridgehead for the 73rd Army Group. If the starport wasn’t taken swiftly, the Valkyrie squadron would have to break for mainland Acer and hide until they could be secured.
The last of the storm troopers mag-clamped his melta gun to the roof of the rear Valkyrie. From his doorway, Kaptain Ilich stood to attention and saluted. The only person to notice was one of the load masters. As ground crew armed missile pods and hurried to clear the other trappings of a Valkyrie lift away, he stood at the rear of his bus and casually (as a navy man) returned Ilich’s salute as the tail ramp closed.
Claxons sounded and lights strobed as blast doors descended and the cargo bay opened to the upper atmosphere. Ilich could not see, but he knew, if everything were going to plan, every 23 seconds, one of the Valkyries left the hold of the Diggavic.
There was the hum and thump of compressors working as the hold re-pressurised and the lights and claxons ceased. The storm troopers descent would take 43 minutes. They would deploy, by grav chute, to secure the astropaths, orbital traffic control centre, the main and subsidiary gates and other vital systems. The Valkyries would remain on station for another 58 minutes, flying a loop around the star port, ready to respond to the storm troopers calls for assistance. After that they would have to start landing. At the starport.
Kaptian Ilich was already acting. He made his announcement over the tannoy and the next wave of soldiery was on the move. Behind where the Valkyries had been were the hunched forms of the 22nd Armageddon Steel Legion’s Sentinels. Even now the crews were unshackling the war walkers from their confines and climbing into their cockpits. Kaptain Ilich strapped himself into his drop couch.
The Sentinel screen for 4 Coy was chosen as the close support for the Inquisitorial Storm Troopers. Basically at random, they were the first unit he came to when Kaptian Ilich was instructed to find Sentinel support for the landing. It had been observed that they were not scout sentinels. The pilots did not have an open view, nor did they have close target recognisance training. They were armoured cabs with laser and plasma cannons, hunter killers; Stompa Hunters. Ilich noted that the Inquisitorial Storm Troopers were more heavily armed and armoured than most guardsmen. Nothing more was said.
The air filled with diesel fumes as the ten Sentinels of 4 Coy powered up. Air and hydraulic oil pushed the odd machines to their feet. This was the second wave. The Sentinels would be ok on their feet, between their own auto balancers and the Diggavic’s internal compensators, they should all still be ok by the time they reached the ground. Kaptain Ilich of course, knew otherwise. If the Diggavic was shot at and took evasive action, they would all fall over. And their chance of remaining upright depended on the smoothness of the landing. If the two lead Sentinels fell over, then the others would be stuck in the hold until they could be hauled out of the way. There were lots of things to go wrong.
Barely twelve minutes had passed since the last of the Valkyries had left the Diggavic. His stomach lurched as the Diggavic broke through the atmosphere and began its descent. The whole operation was proceeding exactly to time. ‘Planning is everything, plans are nothing.’ thought Kaptain ilich to himself as the drop ship began its journey to the planet’s surface.

Chimerasuarus

The first of the Chimerasaurs for the 13th Mech. It's a Revel 1/35th BMP2. The four of them were knocked down to £9 each so I 'ad 'em. It is an old model - the moulds were obviously worn as there was a fair amount of flashing and awful die marks. Much worse than any other Revel kit I've looked at recently. I suspect this one is now is OOP and trying to find a Revell 1/35th BMP2 will either draw a blank or get you a new (well moulded, joy to build etc)one.



It's got a hull mounted flamer. An ugly carbuncle, I know, but the WYSIWYG fiend in me won out over the other me. A sentinal ML for the turret, GW tracks and two chimera las guns - being a BMP it has moulded in firing ports in front of where the las guns are.



I've done a bit more work on the org and disposition of the Devos IV PDF as well. So all of those cadian coloured LRMBT are actually the 79th Cavalry Regiment, not actually part of the 13th Mech. So you can expect these Chimerasaurs to be in the Tigers green and yellow stripy pattern. I can't wait to start masking them up (rolls eyes).

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
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX The information in this briefing is RESTRICTED and is not to be communicated to anyone without the express permission of the Departmento Munitorium. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
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
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX The information in this briefing is RESTRICTED and is not to be communicated to anyone without the express permission of the Departmento Munitorium. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
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.