Loyalists of the XIV: The tyrant's ruin and rival's fall

[Barabbas Sogalon]

Reinforcements

Now I can finally start painting the Boruzian soldier.

Edited March 25, 2014 by Barabbas Sogalon

[Flint13]

Let me know how those Vallejo paints work out for you. I've been hearing great things from every quarter lately, and I'm debating making the switch myself.

[deathspectersgt7]

Good paints I have those colors,would like to have all of their paints.

[Barabbas Sogalon]

@Flint13: Will do!

 

@deathspectersgt7: So they are good stuff? I can't think of any better colours to paint soldiers that are a cross between late 19th century Prussians and WW1/WW2 German army.

[deathspectersgt7]

Oh yeah I painted alot of wwII Germans and French and Polish Napoleonics .Vallejo paints are great.

[recon0321]

Can't wait to see em brother!

[Barabbas Sogalon]

THE BORUZIAN GRENADIERS

The Blood-Sworn Grenadiers of the Most Glorious Boruzia, more commonly known as the Boruzian Grenadiers, is a decorated regiment of the Imperial Army highly respected for the steely discipline of its soldiers and feared for their systemized brutality. Though regarded as one of the most successful regiments among the Old Hundred, specializing in a combination of swift armoured warfare and massed infantry assaults with a heavy focus on superior firepower, the Grenadiers’ way of war and fanatical loyalty to Terra have made others wary and given them a reputation as soulless executioners.

The origins of the Grenadiers lie in the Age of Strife and the war-nation of Boruzia, where society had descended to a twisted parallel of the Jermani Empire of M2. Having the largest army on the ravaged continent of Europa, the Boruzians held waves of techno-barbarians at bay in a seemingly never-ending trench war near the borders. At the dawn of the Unification Wars the High King launched a surprise invasion into the neighbouring Jermani, his war machines and ranks of superiorly trained infantry crushing all resistance made by the locals throughout the already war torn state. The soldiers started a bloody purge of anyone opposing Boruzian rule so thorough that the Jermani society ceased to exist, at the same time claiming every scrap of ancient technology in the name of their liege. After expanding their kingdom, the Boruzians waited while the warlord later known as the Emperor waged his war; it is believed that the High King wanted the other nations to wear each other down and ease the way for a Boruzian conquest. The trench war was still fought at the borders, but no major offensives were made. A central part of the Boruzian character was a strict devotion to the “rule of the strongest”, only following those that had proven themselves both ruthless and honourable in battle, so when the Emperor turned his gaze towards Boruzia it did not come as a surprise that the High King pledged the Royal armies to the mysterious warlord’s cause. Not long after were Unification’s newest agents thrown into the war and sent to “illuminate” those of Europa still resisting the grand vision, fighting across the continent for decades. In the north had the Nordmen created their own little empire and refused to bow before any other than their Jarl, so the Boruzian armies were tasked with the pacification. It all turned into a slaughter as the High King’s veterans marched in and burned everything before them, making it a repetition of their invasion of Jermani only this time with heightened brutality. The stubborn Nordmen, refusing to let go of their tainted gods, were completely wiped out after three years of bloodshed that ended with the execution of Jarl Harald. The Headless King became a known battle song among the later Grenadiers. By this time the Emperor realized, some would say too late, that the Boruzian armies never were a force of liberation or enlightenment, but extermination. He then sent them to fight against the Panpacific Empire alongside the early XIV Legion. When the Unification Wars ended, Boruzia was still standing and her soldiers were reorganized into one of the first Imperial Army regiments before taking to the stars.

The most honoured and feared group of Grenadiers are those belonging to Battlegroup Leibnitz, the heart of the 90th Expedition. They are led by Knight-Marshal Symon Leibnitz, a grim nobleman descending from the first High Kings, who is said to personify the extreme ruthlessness and steely heart of the Boruzians. For years he has presided over both the Grenadiers’ greatest victories and atrocities, his brilliance as a commander often overshadowed by excessive use of mass executions. Rumours say that the Killing of Hibanita was retaliation after a local priest spat at the Knight-Marshal’s feet, the holyman decapitated by Leibnitz himself. Following a harsh code of honour from the old days, his loyalty to the Fatherland is unrelenting to point that he refuses to place the Grenadiers under the command of those not of Terran blood or let his ranks of veterans be reduced to mere meat shields. When Commander Sogalon’s 8th Battalion joined the 90th Expedition, Leibnitz was given an opportunity to fulfil the oaths made by his forbears during Unification to the very same Astartes. The Battlegroup has fought alongside the 8th throughout their entire exile, the brutality of the Grenadiers making them perfect allies to the uncompromising XIV Legionaries, and only parting ways when the latter is ordered to Istvaan III.

Special formations of Battlegroup Leibnitz:

The Storm Grenadiers are the successors of the Boruzian Royal Guard, recruited among the sons of nobility and trained in the art of killing from an early age. Resourceful, well equipped and utterly remorseless, they are the most elite Boruzia has to offer and always found at the frontlines where the bloodiest fighting takes place. As their name implies they excel in storming objectives, either on foot or aboard armoured vehicles, and quickly annihilating the enemy before moving on to the next. The Storm Grenadiers are characterized by the skull shaped masks hiding their faces, a leftover from the days guarding the High King.

The Jaegers are infiltrators and assault troops operating ahead of the main force in small groups of no more than six. The battalions started out as trench raiders during the Unification Wars and have since then perfected the task of weakening the enemy before the Grenadiers’ armoured hammer blow hits home. Some Jaegers are trained as sharpshooters and have a reputation of being among the Imperial Army’s best shots.

The Battlegroup’s greatest pride is the Knight König Wilhelm. The mighty war machine was given to the High King by the Emperor as a reward for the Boruzians’ loyalty and contributions during Unification, cutting its ties to the Mechanicum and placing it under the command of the newly formed Grenadiers. At the Bleeding Twins König Wilhelm was the first Grenadier inside the walls of Fortress 47.

The Jermani Auxilia is made up of people from the Jermani Hives forced into service by the Boruzians, who regard them as nothing more than savages. Neither given the superior training nor equipment of the Grenadiers, the Auxilia is used as cannon fodder by Boruzian officers to avoid wasting the lives of their veteran soldiers. A Hauptmann of Battlegroup Leibnitz once said “Who would ever miss one of the Jermani? The only ones I can think of are in the next wave.”

Feldwebel S. Jakobowitz, Storm Grenadier of Battlegroup Leibnitz; Fortress 44, the Bleeding Twins

[deathspectersgt7]

Nice Fluff I like these Guys. The Storm Grenadier looks Smashing !!!

[recon0321]

Looks great good fluff

[Argent aquila]

Good stuff, can't wait to see a platoon marching to war!

 

And, excellent story to boot!, Keep it up brother!

[Pyromancer]

Nice! Those models work perfectly for the timeline.

[Hyaenidae]

Badass. That DKoK model is one of my favorites, and you knocked it out of the park, man.

 

Keep it up, brother!

[Flint13]

Agreed!

 

Your Dkok is very grounded and realistic without looking drab or boring. Can't wait to see a whole platoon of these guys!

[Barabbas Sogalon]

Many thanks to you all, you keep me motivated!

 

The coming week I'll be ordering some more resin, including what will become Leibnitz himself. The Grenadiers are growing slowly.

 

In the meantime I have ten regular Destroyers to assemble and a Master of Signal that needs paint before Easter. And I also need to think on how to build the III and VIII commanders from the Bleeding Twins.

[recon0321]

What color did you paint his coat? It's great

[Barabbas Sogalon]

It's the German beige camo from Vallejo given a wash of Agrax Earthshade.

[recon0321]

Looks excellent...don't mean to be off topic but is there a equivalent to Chardon granite from vallejo

[Barabbas Sogalon]

The colour range is massive, so I'm sure there is. Someone more familiar with Vallejo might know.

[Barabbas Sogalon]

Just a few of the regular Destroyers assembled

Purge-Sergeant Kullasten

It's something about creating the Destroyer Company that is really refreshing for the imagination. Now I have plans for the Moritat's personal guard (the Cremators) that will be a mix of mkIII armour, the Death Guard helmets/torsos/shoulder pads and the Pyroclast flamers with some close combat weaponry. And of cource phosphex, gas and rad grenades, no Destroyer with respect for himself leaves home without it.

[Barabbas Sogalon]

Bad news first. It seems like Knight-Marshal Leibnitz won't see light for some time. I made an order earlier today and when I got to the DKoK HQ command squad it greeted me with the words OUT OF STOCK, a damn pity since the officer is perfect for the part as Leibnitz. Grabbed a few Engineers that will be repurposed into Jaegers instead.

 

I think about giving the Jaegers helmets with foliage, so does anyone have advice on how to make small leaves?

 

Then it is the issue of rad missile launchers, as I need four or five of them for the Eradicators and the ones from the Destroyers are out of the question. I have thought about just using the 40k missile launchers, but they doesn't feel right. Any ideas?

[deathspectersgt7]

http://www.secretweaponminiatures.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=13&products_id=381&zenid=9d1132639fe5ae62efe3b65dd246a98a

[Argent aquila]

 

Then it is the issue of rad missile launchers, as I need four or five of them for the Eradicators and the ones from the Destroyers are out of the question. I have thought about just using the 40k missile launchers, but they doesn't feel right. Any ideas?

Sounds like it's time for a conversion! Maybe something like the real multi missile launchers, but smaller, and stuck to a heavy bolter/ heavy flamer body? Maybe have a bunch of reloads attached to a backpack or belt too? Edited April 9, 2014 by Argent aquila

[Barabbas Sogalon]

@ deathspectersgt7: Those are perfect for what I had in mind, thanks!

 

@ Argent aquila: I hadn't thought of that. I'm a little low on heavy bolter parts right now, but I might find something when I go home for Easter. If not, perhaps the FW legion heavy bolters (with some modifications) could do the trick?

[Barabbas Sogalon]

I haven't found any spare heavy bolters, so I got this idea for the rad missile launchers. Behold the awesomeness of my paint skills

It's the best I can come up with. What do you think?

[recon0321]

I like it but wow I would hate for you to have to chop up FW bitz