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In the Shadow of Mighty Wings: Blood Angels Heresy Era Force

lilloser

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http://i1296.photobucket.com/albums/ag4/lillegendstudio/10998819_1037909762905496_4012607427017059961_n_zpsnt9khpb1.jpg

 
 
Although I’ve known about the Heresy since I was a child it has all bee a little surreal watching Forge & Black Library World bring it to life. I’m obsessed with the Forge World books in particular. Delving into the minutiae of how the Imperial war machine fights, fleet disposition, the character of the Legions and how they go about prosecuting their expeditions has been refreshing break from the mysticism of the 41st millennium.
 
With Heresy events across the country springing up I’d like to to participate beyond hosting painting workshops for people. I need a force but one that will hold my imagination - this is an expensive endeavour, I don’t want to find a month down the line that I want to switch legion.
Which Legion?
 
I struck off any legions that overly make use of artillery or siege tactics. I have a romantic dint in me that stems from a Homeric understanding of war. Battle boiling down to individuals, wars being won on the edge of a single champion’s blade stroke. With the swelling crush of Trillions of fighting men in the Heresy this may be a naive view, but it is one shared by a few within the legions.
 
I needed a legion to engage with, something that sets off the nostalgic tuning fork in my gut.
 
1st Dark Angels. Although I own a 3rd edition Deathwing Force the whole monastic imagery never quite hit true. Although after reading the 4th Forge Word book; Conquest I had a serious wabble. Alan Bligh mentioned in the Alpha Legion section that the Dark Angels designation is the Angelis Tenebrarium - the Void Angels. But the Latin has overtones of the religious void, a place between creation, heaven and Hell. This makes them a thousand times cooler.
 
Emperor’s Children. Pre-Heresy Emperor’s Children are appealing. The devotion to perfection and the beauty of the models make for a satisfying collection. I’d struggle the farther into the Heresy as they turn from perfection to perversion.
 
White Scars. collecting and painting an all jet bike force would be a truly unique Heresy expereince, one that could not be duplicated in the 41st millenium. But I'm not inspired by the jetbike that forge world have produced. 
 
Considering this sharpened my views on what I want from this project. I want a time specific, themed force that could only function in the Heresy. I don’t want a collection that could be broken down and used as a regular 40K army. If the Jetbike resembled Sammael’s I would have plunged into the lighting warriors of the 5th.
 
World Eaters and Word Bearers - Betrayer may be my favourite book. Not just of the heresy, but of the entire literary cannon (I have a first English degrees I inonenhoe bold of a statement this is). Aaron Debski Bowden wrought a masterpiece from a base IP that can be little more than visceral action adventure. Angron, an embodiment to destruction, transcends what could so easily be a one dimensional lunatic, into a being of genuine pathos. I could fill this entire discussion with character analysis but it will suffice to say here that I’m hard for Angron. If the World Eaters did not have that horrid white and blue colour scheme then I would hammer the butcher’s nails into my brain right now.
 
Again, the Word Bearers hold a direct interest from the book Betrayer, and again they transcend the usual moustache twirling most 17th Legion characters suffer from. I understand their point of view. I empathise with them bearing the knowledge that there are gods in the univere and have an influence in the physical universe like gravity or time. Ritual and sacrifice are important, even though they are hellish in form. They did not want the underlying truth of the universe to be so, but they will not look away. I’ve completed several tester pieces for the force as well as fluff pieces written. 
 
Until the red thirst took me…
 
 
Paints used: Vallejo, Reaper Master Series, Games Workshop Washes, Com Art Medea Airbrush Paints
Paint Brushes: Rosemary & Co. Raphael 8040, Broken Toad Brushes
 
 
 
Myles
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Brother Dallo Venerable Brother

Brother Dallo

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Intriguing. What era of Blood Angels are you looking to portray? Pre Primarch? Battle of Terra? Do you plan to include subtle hints to successor chapters, or keep it pure BA? I'm genuinely interested to see where you go with this.

 

Looking forward to updates.

 

Dallo.

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  • 2 weeks later...
lilloser Veteran

lilloser

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Looking forward to,this myles. Also gutted to not be able to make it to your Friday workshops at scorched earth sad.png

Will be there gaming on the sat and Sunday so hopefully get a chance to pick your brains then

No problem, this class is the first run of what I hope to develop into a regular thing. I'm already booked to do painting demo's at Walton House for DC's Batman game. Keep an eye on the Facebook page for details. I dare say I'll be mooching around on the Saturday for a couple of hours. We'll talk Heresy then.

Intriguing. What era of Blood Angels are you looking to portray? Pre Primarch? Battle of Terra? Do you plan to include subtle hints to successor chapters, or keep it pure BA? I'm genuinely interested to see where you go with this.

Looking forward to updates.

Dallo.

My initial inspiration was to set this army firmly on the battle for terra. I've mixed marks of the armour to represent the legion scavenging equipment with a predominance of mark V. I'm also going to build squads with irregular numbers (18 tactical marines instead of 20). The basing scheme will help solidify this image (you're going to love it).

I like the idea of representing successor chapters (no one does this better than Dave Body, I love his Lamenter idea) but I haven't got anything concrete in mind. I've knocked up a Legion champion that could be used as the Flesh Tearer. For now I want a core of a force as a jumping off point and once more details are released through the Forgeworld books I can work up these details.

I for one still love your Deathwing army plog and reference it often. If you approach this in much the same way I'm all in following this!

Hahaha, thanks. I'm taking a different approach with this plog - I won't be contextualising the posts with quotes but I will be running through my inspirations and references.

Collecting a Heresy Blood Angel force proves a problem as the imagery we know of this Legion is deeply entrenched in the 41st millennium. Death Company, Sanguinary priests, Chaplains, Black and red Saltires - all hallmarks of post Heresy Blood Angels. We know very little on how the Legion was organised, how it deployed, fought or looked during the Great Crusade. ‘Fear to Tread’ offers few details to chapter disposition and legions markings. Do assault marines wear yellow helmets, or is that a condition of the reforms instituted by the index Astartes? Beyond Sanguinary Guard what formations existed in the Legion? What role did Sanguinary priests (were they called this) play in the Legion?
You can either see this as a problem - that the legion of your choice is unsupported and that any collection you build now will have to be rebuilt once they do get done - or you can see it as an opportunity. Crisiunity!
With the decision made to go with the Blood Angels it was time to look around for source material. Visions of Heresy is a fantastic resource for Pre-Heresy and Heresy era armies. Images of Blood Angels are rather sparse. The 2nd edition Angels of Death Codex is a constant source of inspiration as well as the gold mine that is the 2nd edition source book. Aaron Dembski Bowden has built a career from this thing and god bless him for doing so. Ah memories.
I've created a page of images here (I should really get a pintrest page going).
As a forerunner to the collection i’ve knocked together a couple of tester mini’s. I’m trying to hit the mark between Angels and Monsters - playing with angelic iconography and the savagery of the siege of terra.
Enjoy!
Myles
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lilloser Veteran

lilloser

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Dude...just dude....just....Wow....just awesome

 

Where is that evicerator chainsword from?????

 

You like so far? 

 

I'm not sure. It's been in my bit box for years and I finally had a project to use it on. I think it's Anvil industries or Kromlech? Any help guys? 

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jimbo13 Veteran

jimbo13

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Dude...just dude....just....Wow....just awesome

 

Where is that evicerator chainsword from?????

 

You like so far? 

 

I'm not sure. It's been in my bit box for years and I finally had a project to use it on. I think it's Anvil industries or Kromlech? Any help guys? 

 

It's a Kromlech item I believe

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Andvarr A Veteran

Andvarr A

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Dude...just dude....just....Wow....just awesome

 

Where is that evicerator chainsword from?????

You like so far?

 

I'm not sure. It's been in my bit box for years and I finally had a project to use it on. I think it's Anvil industries or Kromlech? Any help guys?

It's a Kromlech item I believe
It needs used!
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lionofjudah Venerable Brother

lionofjudah

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YES!!! I'm stoked to see you here man:)... Looking forward to see what you bring to the AOD.

Basing at the battle of terra, I'm intrigued as the siege is where my fists/Angels/scars and smattering of other legionnaires are fighting...

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Nomus Sardauk Venerable Brother

Nomus Sardauk

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Ho-Lee :cuss, that Eviserator is bat :cuss crazy, and it's owner looking suitably bonkers to be going into battle with such a weapon. Very nice indeed.

 

And that Sanguinary Terminator... :O

I'm stealing that, definitely, it's not even a concious choice, my body just physically needs it.

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lilloser Veteran

lilloser

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Dude...just dude....just....Wow....just awesome

Where is that evicerator chainsword from?????

Kromlech I think.

Dude...just dude....just....Wow....just awesome

Where is that evicerator chainsword from?????

You like so far?

I'm not sure. It's been in my bit box for years and I finally had a project to use it on. I think it's Anvil industries or Kromlech? Any help guys?

It's a Kromlech item I believe

Cool, Kromlech it is.

Dude...just dude....just....Wow....just awesome

Where is that evicerator chainsword from?????

You like so far?

I'm not sure. It's been in my bit box for years and I finally had a project to use it on. I think it's Anvil industries or Kromlech? Any help guys?

It's a Kromlech item I believe
It needs used!

Kromlech it is.

YES!!! I'm stoked to see you here man:)... Looking forward to see what you bring to the AOD.

Basing at the battle of terra, I'm intrigued as the siege is where my fists/Angels/scars and smattering of other legionnaires are fighting...

Cheers, glad to be here. I think you'll really dig what I have planned.

Ho-Lee censored.gif, that Eviserator is bat censored.gif crazy, and it's owner looking suitably bonkers to be going into battle with such a weapon. Very nice indeed.

And that Sanguinary Terminator... ohmy.png

I'm stealing that, definitely, it's not even a concious choice, my body just physically needs it.

Steal away. The heart wants what the heart wants.

I love the Sanguinary Terminator. Fantastic. tongue.png Looking forward to seeing more of this!

Thank you. I wish I had more time to do the same to every legion. One day when I'm a rich billionaire.

http://i1296.photobucket.com/albums/ag4/lillegendstudio/Sanguinius_zpsc4eaytdd.jpg

Scrolling through the Forgeworld website and adding stuff to the cart is one of my internet sins (although not the worst if you talk to my web browser…).

I’ll just add a Sicaran to the order, and a contemptor - every legion needs a contemptor and I must order a few arms for him so I can magentise them and swap them around game to game…and maybe a legion praetor to treat myself. Oh, if I add a set of shoulder pads I qualify for free shipping. Again.
It’s no secret that Forgeworld goods are a luxury niche item. You can make the argument that scuba diving is a much more expensive hobby, or that golf course fees alone would cover the cost of several legions, but it doesn’t hurt any less when click that buy button. Where to start is a big question that many people stumble over when they first consider taking the plunge into a Heresy collection. You don’t want to spend several hundred pounds on miniatures that you would only feasibly use in apocalypse games, or be sequestered to the draw once your legion finally gets its upgrade packs and rules. There are a few simple guidelines you can follow to help you over this hump and make your first purchase.
1) Analyse your intentions.
What is the primary reason for buying this force? There are probably multiple but it helps sharpen your reason if you just choose the one. Are you buying this force to play with? Do you have an active gaming club in your area that you would like to introduce to Heresy? If so write a list (around 2k points that can scale down to 1500 ideally) and start buying toward that. Do you wish to recreate a specific moment in the Heresy? The mass assault of the Empreror’s children on the Laern home world, or the spear tip of the Luna wolves make excellent themes. Thankfully the rules have been written to make such ‘historical’ list competitive in play so you will not feel like you have sold stymied your chances of winning in game. Do you just like the models and want some cool frigging miniatures? Then go buy that super model - if you save up during the month even a minimum wage income will be sufficient to buy these.
2) Plan a budget and save.
The Age of Darkness podcast have an excellent episode where they budget out a 2,500 point force and whatever advise I give here would be a reiteration of that. It’s episode 5 - go check it out.
And there's always pride of the Legion. A couple of Terminators squads, a Land Raider and a Primarch will give you a cheap force that will get you gaming quickly.
3) If my legion hasn’t been released, keep it simple.
One of the major barriers to entry is that your preferred legion has not been released yet. How disparaging would it be to paint up 20 tactical marines only for Forgeworld to release an awesome shoulder pad with legion iconography? Well every legion runs tactical squads. Every Legion has multiple heavy support options (even those with limited amounts of super heavies will have at least some. So, keep it simple. Buy yourself a tactical squad in a rhino with a commander to lead the force. Buy a land raider and some terminators. These units are ubiquitous and will be used in some capacity in your collection even if their role becomes limited later on.
Thankfully Forgeworld are releasing rules of the remaining legions (save space wolves and Thousand sons) by the end of the year so you will have a clearer idea of what you would like to include in your force.
4) Don’t be afraid of what Forgeworld may release in the future.
Across the legions there are a myriad of different fighting formations and warrior clans. If you have a cool idea for a conversion in your head - do it. For example I have the idea that Sanguinary guard operate in a very different way in the Heresy. In my minds eye I imagine them to be mobile breachers, using shields to get in close to lacerate their foes with short encarmine blades. If the rules do not reflect this once the rules set is released - no big deal. I’ll adapt them and use them as something else.
So with the best of intentions I start buying. As a Blood Angel player I can expect the list to reflect the IX love of swift assaults on enemy positions. But I wish to theme the force as if it were fighting on the ramparts of terra. So my first purchase is a good trusty unit of 20 Tactical Space Marines armed with bolters. I mix the armour marks to represent that supply lines to loyalist forces have been cut a long time ago, and older marks of armour as well as the infamous mark V, have been pressed into front line service. I have also assembled the marines to have mixed armour to show that they have had to scavenge the battlefield for working copies of battle damages plates.
Knowing that these marines will be on Terra I make the decision to model the bases with fallen masonry, statues and destroyed architecture. The phrase “The final battle of mankind is fought across the million, million statues of Empire” has stuck with me, and I’d like to go about representing it.
My second purchase is a Legion Champion, which handily comes with a master of Signals. These purchases with form the corner stone of any legion force and will let me play small engagements, or Zone Mortalis.

“Per sanguinem angelus"
Myles
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  • 4 weeks later...
lilloser Veteran

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http://i1296.photobucket.com/albums/ag4/lillegendstudio/IMG_2956_zpswsy7b9mw.jpg

 
This post will be light on the philosophy and is more of a catch up of where we are. Painting is in full swing. 18 marines have had the airbrush layers put on and will be pushed into the brush stage. 
I've completed the squad Sgt. as a tester for the rest and I'm very pleased with the result. 
 
 
 
I've added a decal of the Legion symbol but I won't be adding any more as I'm not sure if Forge World will change it to a more nostalgic version. I won't be adding much in the way of detail to the models either - again waiting for Forge World to release a few colour plates so I have a feel of the secondary colours used and the patterns.
 
Dynameis - Literally translates as Powers but has connotations of Strength, miracles, but more strongly expressed as exceptional miracles (Renweal Theology: Systematic Theology from a Charismatic Perspective pg 156). Strange that miracles have a hierarchy - what would a mundane miracle be? 
 
The Dynameis are my terminator unit. The first creation was a terminator with parts from the Sanguinary Guard, Phoenix Terminators and the Cataphractii kit. In battle I imagine these guys are dropped like an anchor from which the Blood Angel support elements can build or face from. These guys are the back bone of a dynamic assault. Like all Blood Angels their armour is individually decorated and crafted with an eye to aesthetic beauty - an echo from Baalite culture.  
 
 
The second unit had to be 20 Tactical Legionnaires. Unlike their 40K descendants, Tactical marines could be taken in swathes. The silhouette of a 40K marine army is different to a 30K one, the Sicarans, Contemptors, Primarchs and Superheavies all make a distinct impression on the field. 
 
 
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lilloser Veteran

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Yes buddy!cracking start!

 

Thank you.

 

Nice red...how did you do it??

 

Check out the blog - there's a step by step with instructions in the tutorial section. 

 

Absolutely beautiful 

 

Thank you.

 

I like the use of the EC Pheonix terminator parts, they make nice Bangles. you've gotta be psyched about the new Bangle upgrade parts too.

 

Oh my lord yes. Yes I am. I'm fast approaching completing my tacticals but I need a big blog of assault marines in MKV. However I hate the assault marine legs. I hope this rumoured plastic heresy set will provide a good basis for some dynamic conversions.

 

 

 
 
Paints used: Vallejo, Reaper Master Series, Games Workshop Washes, Com Art Medea Airbrush Airbrush: Iwata Hi-Line HP-CH Airbrush Paint Brushes: Rosemary & Co. Raphael 8040, Broken Toad Brushes, Windsor and Newton Series 7 
 
All the talking is done. All the prep...prepared. Now comes the hard slog of getting those infantry painted. My plan of attack is to paint in bulk while my enthusiasm for the project is still a raging wild fire. This will help me practice my technique, colour blends and spot highlights that can be used with greater clarity on rare units. I won't be adding any legion decals to the shoulder pads yet as I want to wait and see what Forge World produce. I'm slowly completing a model at a time and I have a Land raider and 10 terminators airbrushed. The above models are completed examples.
 
 
The Sgt. was an experiment in how to create power fields that surround power weapons. I wanted a crackling, ripping energy effect like the lightning in a tesla ball.
 
 
Instead of painting the bases with the models I've also done them en masse. Ford would be proud.
 
 
 
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Kane Sideram Novitiate

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The air brush shading is beautiful...

 

It might sound fussy but the brush work on the feathered shoulder doesn't hold up against the quality of the rest of the model. If only because the rest of the model looks so good.

 

Again, although I can't fault the skill involved in the painting of the power weapon (the painting looks fantastic), I would say that it doesn't quite look like energy.. I honestly thought it was a mural of some mountains at first glance, which still looks cool, but might not be what you're aiming for. Might just be me though, or the cam angle.

 

The only other thing is the left foot on that tactical looks abit strange, kinda like he has a foot, but no ankle.

 

The bases are fantastic, and the airbrushing gorgeous. I'm a big fan of that red palette. Really awesome work!

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lilloser Veteran

lilloser

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The air brush shading is beautiful...

 

It might sound fussy but the brush work on the feathered shoulder doesn't hold up against the quality of the rest of the model. If only because the rest of the model looks so good.

 

Again, although I can't fault the skill involved in the painting of the power weapon (the painting looks fantastic), I would say that it doesn't quite look like energy.. I honestly thought it was a mural of some mountains at first glance, which still looks cool, but might not be what you're aiming for. Might just be me though, or the cam angle.

 

The only other thing is the left foot on that tactical looks abit strange, kinda like he has a foot, but no ankle.

 

The bases are fantastic, and the airbrushing gorgeous. I'm a big fan of that red palette. Really awesome work!

 

 

Thank you. 

 

Holy monkey balls. This is going to be amazing.

 

 

Really like that Sanguinius btw, any more shots of him, or are you saving him for later?

 

Have a gander below.

 

this is making me happy I chose the IXth. so much win.

 

What other choice is there? the IX are the best! 

 

As usual, wonderful stuff. Consider this followed.

 

Wicked. 

 

 

Great work on the shading and tones of the colours.

 
Thank you. 
 
 
 
I was fortunate to be a part of the hobby when Warhammer Monthly was launched. This wonderful comic book introduced Dan Abnett to the Warhammer universe, brought us the devious adventures of Malus Darkblade and of course gave us the doomed quest for a lost sword; Blood Quest. It's a simple enough plot - A Blood Angel Captain is sent to protect an imperial outpost and loses a priceless Chapter artefact; the Blade Encarmine. This fact stayed with me all my life. It's strange what silly things you remember. I don't remember much about algebra and I couldn't tell you the difference between an igneous or metamorphic rock, but I can tell you that the Blade Encarmine was gifted to Belarius by Sanguinius at the close of the Horus Heresy. 
 
 
 
So when designing a 30K Heresy force who else would I create but Belarius? 
 
We can't escape the visual imagery of the Angel when it comes to the ninth. I like to imagine that when an Astartes is fully grown he looks out of proportion, overly muscled, thick necked with wide faces - this is a part of their inhumanity. However when a Blood Angel ascends their inhumanity expresses itself in painful beauty. A beauty so flawless that it looks unnatural. The base of the model provides that. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
I want Belarius to have an extended scenic base like the other characters produced by Forge World. Working as a commission artist has a few perks, and having a bits pile from previous jobs is one of them. I cut up Abbaddon vs. Loken's base and repositioned them. My intent it to have Belarius to be 'floating' above the ruins in the centre. 
 
 
 
 
I knocked up this tester for my Sanguinary Guard. I don't like the wings they come with so it's only natural that I'd want to add more right? I've divided the feathers to make them look a little more natural. In my mind I can see something similar to Gundamn Wing Zero where the wings can full encompass the marine in a protective shield. However there just aren't any suitable wings out there, either through third party manufacturers or proxy. Forge World save me by releasing an upgrade kit for them!
 
 
 
 
Lastly we have the heads for my Sanguinary priest (where they called this in the Heresy?) I have been inspired by a piece of artwork from the classic Angels of Darkness book to create a rather grizzled battle damaged face. 
 
 

 

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