Antarius' ETL III WiP thread. Also some fluff about the army

[Antarius]

Well, brothers and sisters of the legio. I bid you welcome to Antarius' strange and (hopefully wonderful) thread on his ETL III vows. There'll also be some fluff and fiction to go with the army, because I'm just that big a geek.

 

The army in question are primarily Imperial Fists from the fifth company (gotta love those black shoulder linings), although as you will see, the Tantibus Crusade is not exclusively about the Imperial Fists. As the story unfolds many of the Emperor's warriors will join up with our heroes.

 

Last year I managed to paint up 3.330ish points of Chaos and I hope to outdo myself this year. However, I'm always on the verge of a painter's block and even though last years ETL really helped motivate me, I've decided to go for five smaller vows this year. Hopefully, that'll also mean I get less line hypnosis, as I can vary my tasks a bit, even if it means sacrificing (theoretical) speed by not doing it quite so "line assembly" as last year.

 

So, stay tuned for epic tales of massive geekery, frustrations at the hideous travails of painting a nice yellow, tears and triumphs and hopefully more than 3.500 points of the Emperor's own Angels of Death.

[Antarius]

And, without further ado, my first vow:

I, Antarius, hereby swear to paint the following, for the honour of the Imperial Fists and all Sons of Dorn (a special thanks to the Black Templars for rightly reminding me that despair is nothing but an illusion of the mind and convincing me to throw my lot with the loyalists this year, despite the frustrations that painting yellow presents):

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h69/Bumkarl/2d2573abdf610bccbd6085994157afde_zps0bb97960.jpg

Aelfreth, Master of the Tantibus Crusade (counts as Captain Lysander)
Vorn Hagan, Chapter Master of the Imperial Fists (counts as Pedro Kantor)
Librarian (lvl 2) with The Bones of Osrak
Chaplain with the Angel of Sacrifice

Stormraven Gunship (I might put a few Imperial Fist icons on this along the way)

Whirlwind

5 Scouts, Veteran Sergeant, Heavy Bolter

5 Scouts, Veteran Sergeant, Sniper Rifles, Missile Launcher, Camo Cloaks

A Drop Pod

totalling 1.097 points.

I swear to fulfill this vow for the glory of the Primarch and Him on Terra. Should I fail, I will wear the mark of shame until the next ETL.
Furthermore, in my ignomy I will humbly debase myself before the local Tau player.
But fear not! For no such thing shall come to pass! I would see the galaxy burn before I suffer the alien to live, let alone
laugh at the sons of Dorn and the Emperor!

A close up of my potential "problem entries":
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h69/Bumkarl/8bd34e517fe11e5297beee25ef2fff60_zpsf3ec3216.jpg
Captain
Aelfreth, master of the Tantibus Crusade (my counts as Lysander). He's got a bit of a different look than Lysander, to fit with his story. My
reasoning is as follows: He's got a Thunder Hammer, Iron Halo and Storm Shield (check on the wysiwyg so far); but instead of Terminator
Armour he's got artificer armour and a bionic leg (he's equally hard to kill and the leg explains why he can't sweeping advance).
If that's a problem just let me know -but I seem to recall if I punch him in as a Chapter Master with the Shield Eternal, Artificer Armour and Thunder
Hammer he comes out costing the exact same, so I just went with Lysander for ease of reference/because that's how we play him in our current
campaign.

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h69/Bumkarl/e2646c54a80644e0adbe35a758816bb5_zpsc8d866ff.jpg
My Vorn Hagan (counts as Pedro Kantor). He is wysiwyg compliant, but apart from the yellow primer I've already slapped a little black base on him
and given his cheast aquila a basecoat of red. If that's a problem just let me know and I'll start over with him.

[Antarius]

First of all, a bit of fiction. I've posted this elsewhere too, but this is slightly revised. It is, broadly speaking, the beginning of the larger tale known as "The Chronicles of the Tantibus Crusade." I find that creating fluff like this helps to keep me inspired for my projects. Although they do sometimes cause me to start new armies on a whim, if I get an idea that I can't shake

I hope you'll like it. If not I did at least have fun writing it :)

Prologue: A Cry for Aid

+++Transmission originating from the Tantibus system; Gelus Cruor, Blood Angels Spaceport+++
++To all Imperial forces++

This is Brother-Sergeant Raphael Santos, in temporary command of the Spaceport Gelus Cruor, requesting immediate assistance from any and all Imperial forces.

The Tantibus system, ever at risk of invasion from the vile Tau has come under urgent and overwhelming threat from a series of seemingly unconnected events that would yet seem to speak of a greater conspiracy against the Imperium.

The abhuman species, known as "Squats" have thrown in their lot with the foul Tau Xenos and together they are moving against key locations in the system. Furthermore, there are widespread reports of madness and insurrection amongst the populations of many worlds in the sector. While these have mostly been quelled, they leave us woefully exposed to the
unholy Xenos alliance.

As if that was not enough, a massive fleet of Orks have appeared on the heels of a mysterious warp anomaly. They have already made planetfall on several worlds and they appear to be massing for a Waaagh on a scale incomparable to anything we have yet seen in these regions. Even the armies deployed by the Ork warlord Thraka in the Armageddon Wars may be dwarfed by the hosts now infesting this sector.

Indeed, the enormity of our calamity can hardly be overestimated and the sector is doomed to fall if we do not receive swift aid in our war for the Tantibus system.

My Lord Dante, master of the chapter, is on his way, along with any and all Blood Angels that can be spared but even our full might will not be stand for long against the forces amassed against us. Already many of my battle-brothers as well as brave planetary defence soldiers have fallen in a battle that must ultimately prove hopeless if we are not reinforced.

It is my hope that there are Imperial forces out there that will respond and stand with the Lord of the Angels against these tides darkness that seek to consume us.

For the Emperor and Sanguinius.
-Raphael Santos, brother sergeant of the Blood Angels' third company.

+++End Transmission+++


+++Response Transmission; Ultramarines battle barge "Guilliman's Honour", Flagship of the Lord of Macragge+++

Brothers, we heed your call.

This treachery must be avenged and the system must be brought under Imperial control and the production of its crucial Forge Worlds restored.

To this end, "Guilliman's Honour" is now bound for the Tantibus system. I shall personally aid you in casting down the Xenos and their foul ilk.

Courage and Honour, my brothers.

- Marneus Calgar, Lord of Macragge, Regent of Ultramar, Chapter Master of the Ultramarines.

+++End Transmission+++



+++Response Transmission; Imperial Fists strike cruiser "Blade of Terra", assigned to The Bharakian Crusade force+++

This is Chapter Master Vorn Hagan of the Imperial Fists, your transmission is received, brother Santos.

I am currently in the vicinity of the Tantibus system, in command of a strike force, fresh from the Bharakian Crusade. We are victorious, but battered and in dire need of resupply. Nevertheless we shall set course for the Tantibus system at once.
Never let it be said that the Imperial Fists shirk from their duty to the Imperium.

We shall stand with you against the Xenos tide. And we shall be most proud to fight alongside the Sons of Sanguinius and the Warrior-Kings of Ultramar.

Glory to the Primarch and to Him on Terra!

+++End Transmission+++

Chapter I.I - Here shall I die

The hololith flickered to life, uncertainly at first but with surprising ease and clarity, considering the state of the ship itself. A mighty ship it was, with an honoured history of valiant service to the Imperium reaching back through the milleniae to its construction on distant Terra. And yet the Shield of Mankind, as was the Cruiser's name, would likely have been all but unrecognizable to it's builders, marred as it was from the many travails of an Imperial crusading ship.
It would be good to have at least the temporary reprieve of docking, repair and resupply before throwing the ancient vessel into the fray once more -and not just for the ship itself, reflected Captain Aelfreth, glancing briefly down his own battered suit of armour. The golden yellow had chipped away in many places to reveal the ceramite below. Although his armour's battle scars seemed no less honourable to Aelfreth than even the most resplendent suit of parade armour, he still longed to stand again in the glorious livery of the Imperial Fists, it's bright yellow a visual scream of defiance against any who would oppose the might of the Imperium.

"Captain?" A deep and melodious voice inquired, shaking Aelfreth from his reverie. He gazed up at the hololith projection to see a giant of a man, clad in white robes. A single golden clasp wrought in the shape of the inverted omega denoted that this was indeed Marneus Augustus Calgar, Master of the Ultramarines and Lord of Macragge. Not that it mattered, for Aelfreth would have recognized him by his face alone; he had seen that stern visage depicted many times on Imperial monuments and in chronicles of the Chapter Master's legendary deeds. Here was the man -or at least the holographic projection of the man- who had led the Ultramarines to countless victories and who had, at one time, defeated a Daemon Avatar of the Eldar by punching his fist straight through it's chest and crushed the life from it's still beating heart.
Even when, as now, he was not clad for battle he was still an imposing figure whose great hands looked fully capable of ripping an Ork's head clean off. Even in his armour Aelfreth actually had to crane his neck slightly upwards in order to look him in the eye.

"I had hoped to speak to master Hagan, when I heard that an Imperial Fists vessel had entered the system. I assume he is not here, then?" Calgar asked, looking over the Imperial Fist with an inscrutable gaze. Aelfreth suddenly felt uncharacteristically self-conscious under the Lord of the Ultramarines' scrutiny. He fell to his knees and bowed his head, presenting the haft of his thunder hammer to the hololithic image, just as a knight of ancient Terra would have offered his sword to his liege. As he did so, he registered a twinge of pain from his bionic leg but paid it no heed.

"He is not here, Lord Calgar. Part of our fleet was delayed by strange currents in the warp. It would seem that my men and I are at present the only Imperial Fists in the system. I am Captain Aelfreth of the Fifth Company, my Lord."
Calgar motioned for Aelfreth to rise.

"Do not kneel to me, Captain." He exclaimed "I am not your master, nor would I have you humble yourself to me if I were. You must excuse my ignorance and enlighten me as to your own deeds, for I am not familiar with any Aelfreth of the Fifth. Were you recently promoted to this honoured position?"

"A field promotion, my Lord" Aelfreth said, as he rose to his feet. "My predecessor Captain Berik fell during the Bharakian Crusade, from which we have come directly to answer this new call, and Chapter Master Hagan felt that I was his natural successor." Aelfreth suddenly felt the weight of his ascension as a both heavy and undeserved burden.

"As I am certain that you are, Captain! Is there not a story of heroism already written upon your scroll, I wonder? Do not consider me rude, that I do not inquire further into your story, for time is of the essence. But it is plain to see that you are a man who holds the promise of great deeds."
"That is high praise from one such as yourself my Lord. Truth be told, I am honoured even to stand in your presence" Aelfreth said, almost blushing not only at Calgar's words but at the way in which he had seemed to look straight into him and see how he doubted his own readiness.

The merest suggestion of a smile played over Calgar's statuesque features. "I had not heard that the Imperial Fists was a chapter given to flattery, Captain."

"Not empty flattery, my Lord! Yet we believe in the just recognition of valorous deeds, such as your own." Aelfreth exclaimed, taking care not to show his ambivalence at the Chapter Masters words. On the one hand, they might be seen as a barb against Aelfreth and the Imperial Fists, but on the other they might be nothing more than humility and good humour on Calgar's part.

"Then will you not allow me the same?" Calgar asked "I know Chapter Master Hagan well enough to know that he does not promote unworthy men to positions of power."

"He does not, my Lord. Yet necessity and ill fortune may still put the unworthy man forward" Aelfreth said with no false humility, for this was his exact feelings on the matter, as much as he wished it was otherwise.

"Just as his new duty and responsibility might raise him to worthiness." Calgar said with an air of finality.
"Let us speak no more of this. You are the ranking Imperial Fist in this sector and now we must hold our war council, for the situation is even more dire than the Blood Angels' call for aid suggested.
Quite apart from the Xenos threat, the populations on most planets in the system are restless and worried; some even in open revolt. The cause is not yet known but I suspect some sort of Xenos witchery is at the heart of the matter. These disturbances could not have come at a worse time; many of our resources are spent trying to restore order and maintain our supply lines, when we should be fighting the Xenos instead. Already our forces are spread too thin and stretched to the breaking point.

Much as I would've liked to give you and your men a personal welcome and the time to rest after the vagaries of warp travel, I need you to make for Tantibus IV where a command bastion have recently fallen silent. We know little of the situation, except that the bastion is of vital importance to our ability to operate effectively in this system. We also know that the abhuman species known as the Squats are massing in the area. It is highly probable that they are responsible for the lack of communication and that they are moving on the bastion itself..."

Calgar sighed heavily before continuing. "These Squats are both the greatest mystery and misfortune of this war. I am afraid that they are also my personal mistake, although it pains me to say so."
"I'm afraid I don't understand, my Lord?"
"At the last council concerning Imperial policy in these regions of space, I actually spoke against their annihilation as Xenos" Calgar said with a pained expression "our diplomatic relations were amicable and although their genes were not purely human they seemed fiercely honourable and loyal; traits I recognized in my own chapter and have always valued highly in my allies. And so, I advocated that we keep to our trade agreements with the Squat and allow them to retain their abhuman status. There is nothing I regret more today than my leniency towards these Xenos traitors, although it is still a mystery to me how the Tau have managed to turn them against us. It is a cautionary tale that we cannot and must not believe the alien akin to ourselves. I only hope that my mistaken trust will not prove to be our undoing."

Aelfreth was not quite certain how to take this new information. On the one hand it was strangely comforting to know that even the Master of the Ultramarines were not infallible in his judgement. On the other, it put him in an extremely unfavourable situation.
"We are never to blame for the treachery of others, my Lord." He said after some deliberation "yet I have grave doubts as to the ability of my men to withstand a determined assault by these Xenos. Until Chapter Master Hagan arrives with the rest of the fleet the Imperial Fists forces in this system are numbered in few dozens and many of those sorely wounded."
"Those are bad news indeed." Calgar mused "How many men would you say you have, all told?"

"I have maybe twenty Astartes fit for battle -thirty at the very most, my Lord" Aelfreth replied after the merest pause. "Although I regret to say many of those have only the ammunition they carry in their bolters. The Bharakian Crusade was a hard-fought victory and we have had no resupply whatsoever."
"I see..." Calgar's voice seemed directed at no one in particular. A frown creasing his brow as he pondered the situation. "My own personal command ship is en route to Tantibus V to purge the Orks from that region, or I would have gone to aid you in person. As matters stand, it seems the mission I would give you is beyond hope of succes."
"It would indeed seem so, my Lord. Yet you were the first chapter master to reach the sector after the call for aid was issued. As such, by our traditions you are master of the crusade and your word is our law."
"The Ultramarines have not dubbed this war a crusade, Captain. Not yet, at least" Calgar said, almost as if he was seeking a reason not to give the order for a mission he knew was hopeless, but whose necessity was beyond doubt.
"It would be a coward's excuse to refuse service on such grounds, my Lord." Aelfreth exclaimed somewhat hotly, fixing Calgar's eye with his own before continuing "I had not heard that the Lord of the Ultramarines was loath to accept authority. History is filled with stories of the Sons of Rogal Dorn throwing their lives away in hopeless battles and it stings me deeply that we must now write another such tale. Yet I would hold my honour cheap, if I were to refuse your authority on a mere technicality. And while it might save the lives of my men today, they would never be able to look their brothers in the eye again and I would not doom them to dishonorable lives by my own weakness! Come what may, I would not have history say of the Imperial Fists' fifth company that they refused justly given commands simply because they meant death for the men in question."

Calgar sighed deeply "And what will history say of the Lord of Macragge, i wonder? That his soft heart led him to value the lives of Xenos over those of his brothers? That he would not even send his own men to correct his mistakes but instead threw the valiant men of the fifth company into the jaws of death?"

"I would not have it so, my Lord." Aelfreth said "rather let it say that a young captain of the Imperial Fists succumbed to the stubbornness that was ever the mark of the sons of Dorn and that he perished with his men in a futile last stand, hoping to gain glory for his chapter and for the Emperor of mankind. It will be the truth, after a fashion, and it will not sully the legend of the Master of the Ultramarines. A legend that brings sorely needed hope to every man, woman and child in the galaxy.
Yet I hope history will also tell of how the vengeance and retribution of the Lord of Macragge was unfailing and of how utterly he crushed those that would defy the Imperium of man and slay his brothers of the Imperial Fists."

"I swear to you, on whatever honour I may have in your eyes, that it will be so Captain." Calgar said, his hands clenching and unclenching as he spoke "yet I would still hope for a less grim ending to the tale of Aelfreth of the fifth. For I cannot help but feel that if you fall under my command, I will have robbed the Imperial Fists of a hero whose star would have risen to rival that of your First Captain Lysander. And yet it would seem that I must give the order; you will go to Tantibus IV and you will engage the Xenos there and hold them off, until such a time as we can reinforce you. I have drawn up the coordinates for several locations where the Squat army may be engaged, including the bastion itself, should you wish to make for that and fortify it against the Xenos. It is a well-known fact that a fortress held by the Imperial Fists will stand against any foe. But the choice is yours, Captain." Calgar gestured to a holo-map that was simultaneously projected into Aelfreth's control chamber.

"Since the bastion has already fallen silent, I fear that we would find it's doors locked and it's guns arrayed against us, my Lord." He mused, looking over the map briefly, before pointing to a set of coordinates. "Here, my Lord, is where we shall make our stand. In this valley we might at least presume to challenge the Xenos and draw them into open battle, despite our inferior numbers. Hopefully the mining outpost located there is not so battered that we cannot use it to our advantage. Here, in all probability, I shall die but Emperor willing we may delay the Squat army and allow you to retake the bastion before they reach it."

"A well-reasoned strategy" Calgar nodded approvingly "So be it, then." He looked briefly at Aelfreth with an inscrutable expression before going on to pose an unexpected question "what are your feelings on this matter, Captain?"
"My feelings?" Aelfreth asked, somewhat taken aback "Sorrow and regret, my Lord."
Calgar's expression stiffened visibly at this answer, as he perhaps felt a sting of reproach in the words of the man he had likely doomed by his words. Or perhaps it was remorse at the order he had given.
He was still pondering an answer when Aelfreth continued "Sorrow and regret that my men and I have only the one life to lay down for the glory of the Primarch and Him on Terra, my Lord."

[Ace Debonair]

If the rest of your yellow turns out like Hagan's, I don't think you have much to fear from it, brother.

Captain Aelfreth looks tough as old boots, too - despite lacking Terminator armour he looks every bit as sturdy as Lysander.

[Antarius]

Thanks :)

 

I do hope you are right about the yellow; I always seem to mess up the yellow somewhere between the priming and the highlights. I'm especially bad at doing touch ups, which I guess is one of the really hard things with yellow for everyone. This time around I've decided to just weather my way out of it if there are slight mistakes. That an chanting "any paintjob looks better than no paintjob" over and over while I work will hopefully keep my perfectionism in check.

 

Anyways, I've started work on the vow, doing a bit of "assembly line" work on the Scouts, a bit of preshading on the Whirlwind and starting out on the Librarian:

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h69/Bumkarl/62a059501bdbac24403e73d4c70f1911_zps3d50325b.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h69/Bumkarl/0ee17b19ea1c967880eb26cc85c8d453_zps54a2f42b.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h69/Bumkarl/72097e03a4761207aae7d2ae92c40808_zpsc763c24c.jpg

[Son of Carnelian]

Looking good so far! I like the pose for the librarian. 

[Antarius]

Thanks Marshall :)

 

At the risk of sounding overly pretentious, I use quite a bit of time on posing my little space dudes and I generally find that it pays off.

 

In other news, this is actually the second time this guy gets painted up as an Imperial Fist Librarian.

[Antarius]

Well then. I've "wasted" the weekend being all cuddly with my girlfriend but! Before you turn the flamer on me, observe my feeble attempts at redeeming myself:

 

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h69/Bumkarl/4f6b18fe63a8f37fbd6efbb8a28533f0_zpscd519904.jpg

 

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h69/Bumkarl/f99b49bb0af088169636dd841b2a981a_zpsaedb0c2b.jpg

 

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h69/Bumkarl/3922782682b303fe5b07f814d46b10a9_zps94c7f2f1.jpg

The Scouts are all but done.

 

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h69/Bumkarl/c71d86ccb93e8e67d01b611cdcef98e4_zps67dd7cf4.jpg

Their mugs need a bit of detail work (eyes mostly). I've promised myself not to do too many touch-ups, because

1) it takes too much time and my inner perfectionist never gets quite satisfied anyway, as well as

2) with yellow it just ends up being messy and smeary the longer you fiddle with it anyway

 

Also, there's some progress on the characters:

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h69/Bumkarl/4ebd2cede4b36c0f876abd68a7fcd722_zps4da990a8.jpg

Mr. Vorn Hagan

 

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h69/Bumkarl/4ebd2cede4b36c0f876abd68a7fcd722_zps4da990a8.jpg

Mr. Chaplain Who Still Hasn't Got A Name But Boy He's Itching To Purge Xenos For The Emperor

 

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h69/Bumkarl/3153f68967b2763f96ad2493cb2f4f0a_zps0dd23b8c.jpg

And Brother-Librarian Jack Whatsisface

[Dolchiate Remembrancer]

These are more than worthy! well done Brother!

[Combat_Vet]

The scouts look fantastic and the yellow work is really amazing. I am always impressed by you guys that can work with yellow.  I go into fits just doing hair for my Space Wolves, I can't imagine doing whole suits of armor.

[Antarius]

Thanks guys :)

 

Quite honestly, I'm not that far away from going into fits of impotent rage when doing yellow. It's so easy to mess up and hard to effectivel touch up it's not even funny.

 

Hopefully I'll finish the Scouts and characters later today and get started on the vehicles tomorrow. They're already primed white and hopefully I'll be able to give them a nice yellow basecoat using my airbrush. It seems like the Vallejo air color and the GW yellow should match up reasonably well.

[Darth Mustard]

First, respect for daring the yellow

Second, I love the scout with the helmets on

 

If I'm not mistaken I think that Brother Ludovic did a tutorial on the yellows.

I haven't painted in years but I think you can prime them with a yellow with shaded by some orange or red.

And then ad your layers of regular yellow and highlights

But the results you are showing are great so do whatever work for you

It works for me :)

[Antarius]

Poor Captain Aelfreth has had his head removed for painting:

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h69/Bumkarl/01d4f0c3f6d376ba97681fd4a10cf6cd_zps9b50817a.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h69/Bumkarl/586d5f0c173fe153a980ebd01eac3990_zps72bd6b3e.jpg

 

A bit of progress on the other characters:

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h69/Bumkarl/e2db3e2471046c1a3f3e22532eaf7804_zpsfb5424f8.jpg

 

And the scouts are done:

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h69/Bumkarl/f1f578d723ef44afd468f9e7d8f9cf27_zpse7d028a4.jpg

 

Right now, I'm about to fire up the old faithful airbrush and give my Stormraven, Whirlwind and Drop Pod a basecoat. With a bit of luck, I should be done with vow #1 in a week at the latest.

[Dolchiate Remembrancer]

Well done mate! Dorn would be proud!

[Brother Dallo]

:o Consorting with a female instead of painting your little plastic men?! Brother, you bring shame to us all! ;)

 

The posing on your characters is great. I agree with the others, the librarian is pretty cool.

 

Don't forget the bases on your scouts. 

 

Good luck with your vow, May you bring honour to your Primarch.

[Antarius]

Good luck with your vow, May you bring honour to your Primarch.

May I be damned a thousand times, if I do not!

 

Anyways, tomorrow evening should see a big update, perhaps (dare I say it?) completion. I'll have a goodly bunch of hours to paint and most of my stuff has had a coat of yellow now (regrettably, my Whirlwind got a bit too thick a coat, but it's gonna have to be that way for now).

 

Next up will be a bunch of Centurions and probably a command squad. Then it's time to think of adding some stuff from the other chapters to my crusading force. I have two ideas lined up: a bunch of Black Templars, to honour their zealous achievements in this years ETL or a squad of Iron Hands, to make sure that the sons of Medusa are not left out of the ETL entirely.

I might do both, but what should I start with?

[deathspectersgt7]

late to the scene, but looking good.

[Ace Debonair]

I have two ideas lined up: a bunch of Black Templars, to honour their zealous achievements in this years ETL or a squad of Iron Hands, to make sure that the sons of Medusa are not left out of the ETL entirely.

I might do both, but what should I start with?

I'd lean towards Iron Hands, myself, if only because there's not so many around these days. Also, the more I look at him the more I like the bionic leg on Aelfreth.

Templars are a fine choice too, though, plenty of fun modelling opportunities there!

[Antarius]

I have completed my first vow!

 

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h69/Bumkarl/1d3cb46a580250237f264081068ee702_zpsa5f289db.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h69/Bumkarl/e5b0f79182dcdc9387a43e82d5cd968f_zpsd96abc55.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h69/Bumkarl/ab3a86e380b2b064e1d6d15a5e317377_zps148c945b.jpg

 

I hope everything is visible; otherwise I'll have to snap some more pics tomorrow.

[Antarius]

Let's get going straight away with vow #2.

I, Antarius of the Imperial Fists hereby answr the call of the ETL and swear to paint the following, for the Glory of the Primarch and Him on Terra. Should I fail, I will bear the mark of shame until the next ETL. Should this happen, I also swear to humbly debase myself before my local Tau player.

Furthermore, to tie this in with my current campaign, if I manage this vow before the end of the month, my crusade will be joined by a recovered artifact of war -an Imperial Knight. if not, it will instead fall into the hands of our archfoes, the hated Iron Warriors.

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h69/Bumkarl/4dc8ea134a233527bdce13261da624ad_zpsf63dae19.jpg
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h69/Bumkarl/403e5bba4449ce9827119273d99a6ee0_zps223f7563.jpg
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h69/Bumkarl/9da0ebcd0ca74aa5d0ef39cf8438851d_zps7da93a0f.jpg
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h69/Bumkarl/158e53f1f82f2804f42422c2207c67d9_zps6fc9b6e6.jpg

The tally, by my reckoning, is:
5 Terminators; Assault Cannon, 1 Chainfist -225 pts.
5 Assault Terminators; Thunder Hammers & Storm Shields (the shields are in the mail) -225 pts.
3 Devastator Centurions; Grav Cannons & Grav Amps - 250 pts.
1 Ironclad Dreadnought; - 135 pts.
1 Stormtalon Gunship; Typhoon Missile Launcher -145 pts.
1 Predator; Twin-linked Lascannon, Lascannon sponsons -140 pts.
1 Vindicator; Siege Shield -135 pts.

For a total of 1255 points.

My last vow was heavy on HQ choices; this time it's the Heavy Support and Elites who rule the day. In any case, a sizable army of Imperial Fists is taking shape. Next time I make a vow (Emperor willing) our brother chapters will flock to the Tantibus Crusade.
Untill then, stay tuned for more yellowy goodness!

[Antarius]

I've been cuddling it up with my girlfriend again, which is obviously a dangerous pastime. It may easily lead to idleness on the painting front which in turn leads to heresy. Which will lead to playing Tau-dar somewhere down the road (which again will lead to shame-induced ritual suicide at some point).

 

So, to counteract this potentially life-shattering turn of events, I sat down to do a bit of painting today. First off, I tried priming my soon-to-be-yellow dudes with a light grey. Whether this will work out well or not remains to be seen. I suspect they'll have to have a light smattering of white on top of the grey and then yellow to finish off with. Judge for yourself:

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h69/Bumkarl/c2ead1e05556e8767958d7c9da3f2285_zps0cbbac18.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h69/Bumkarl/7d5280a0d917ad491f2a7a2184338388_zpsc82cd140.jpg

 

I've no idea if it'll work out as I pretty much just did it on a whim. In any case, I'll still be doing most of the shading and highlighting by hand as I feel most comfortable with that and the end result is more to my liking than airbrush shading, which I find to look a bit "cheap" for lack of a better word. Although I can certainly see how it's a good tool for achieving gradient effects (I'm not that good at it myself, but I've seen people do some amazing stuff with airbrushes).

 

Secondly, I got going on the vehicles I'd already basecoated with yellow:

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h69/Bumkarl/9157788b94edf174025e4e7417898de4_zpsd8f8949e.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h69/Bumkarl/315cee6517bfba0e30f17ae91d7a2643_zpsc954050f.jpg

The Predator still needs a bit of work on the yellow (the Stormtalon does too, but not quite as much) but I like doing the metal and the black bits on a couple of vehicles at once. Saves a bit of time and makes you feel like you're getting a lot done, even on a relatively slow day like today.

Hopefully, I'll get some basecoating done on the primed stuff and the Stormtalon and Predator finished during the coming week.

 

And finally here's the prize for which we're fighting, still buried within it's ancient archeotech vault/pristine cardboard box:

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h69/Bumkarl/61e6f452f808372c4a49bf2e1281cb89_zpsdba7417d.jpg

(I'm talking about the Imperial Knight here, not the cookies. Although they are delicious)

Who will claim it? The righteous Imperial Fists or the vile heretic traitors? Only time will tell!

[Dolchiate Remembrancer]

I love the showing that Dorn's men are getting in this ETL!

[Antarius]

So do I. For me it's partly a question of needing external motivation if I'm to paint an actual army of yellow guys :)

But my heart beats for the Imperial Fists, so with a bit of luck I'll manage it.

[Dolchiate Remembrancer]

Same here, it's why I'm using this ETL to really get the repainting of my army done!

[Antarius]

Well, I got a bit more done. Although I need to resupply before I can get more airbrushing done.

 

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h69/Bumkarl/db5ad255b6c675ca07054d418b5fc657_zps8c2bf47c.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h69/Bumkarl/e70e1f4ca5e87a07e48c402b5d153b98_zpsb9246632.jpg

I decided to try my hand at a bit of "pre-shading" although I haven't had any succes with it whatsoever before and it's led to quite a bit of paint-stripping in the past.

So, I sprayed my little dudes (who were already primed light grey) with white from above and then with Vallejo air "ochre" from below. I'll try giving them VA "golden yellow" when I get around to it and see where that takes me. I'll still do some shading/highlighting by hand though, to make'em fit with the brushwork on the scouts and characters.