[WIP] 1905th Solar Auxilia: Rust Scorpions

[Audemus]

So, I enjoyed doing the last Propaganda poster and decided to do one from scratch.  I grabbed the red background because I liked the weathering but beyond that, I've turned pictures of my models into the half-tone style and I changed the parchment in the back to make sure I could control the coloring in the future.

 

I'm pretty happy with the end results. 

 

http://i.imgur.com/Ugnc2UK.png

[Legionary Pallas]

Beautiful work.

[Caillum]

That battle plan looks really good. Obviously requires some nicely placed buildings, but it's a good way to protecting the squishy Veletaris on the turn they disembark! :)

[Knight of the Raven]

These tanks look like they've just been shot from huge cannons at the enemy instead of rolling on some ground to me.

 

Forget thresher maws cannons, leman russes cannons are the future!

[Audemus]

Beautiful work.

 

Thank you very much!

 

That battle plan looks really good. Obviously requires some nicely placed buildings, but it's a good way to protecting the squishy Veletaris on the turn they disembark!

 

Even without the buildings, I think it provides them the best chance for making it out.  I came with the Leman Russ idea when I was looking at the Dracosan stats and how I would use them after the troops disembarked, beyond the obvious main weapon and pintle weapon.  The Dracosans are actually taller than Lemans...meaning a Leman Squadron can hide behind a wall of 13AV 5HP  Dracosans that form up and create a bizarre heavy weapon transport firing line.  Opening the path in the center doesn't really expose the side armor except at a very drastic angle, as the Solar Auxilia Leman Russ tanks do not have sponsons, which makes them sleek and easy to create a gap for. 

 

I've been looking at the Volkite Demi Culverin with a bit of bemusement, as the squadron gains +1 BS if they fire on the same target.  I don't want to list to many stats on here because I know it's frowned on but damn, couple the way CHOOM! firepower can add on to itself and that squadron of tanks firing comfortably behind overlapping Dracosans is going to really upset some people.  The best part is if the Lemans get in trouble, as they will draw fire, the Dracosans can move forward and form up to provide a moving wall of cover...all the while with a Malcador Annihilator just dying to get direct line of sight on the enemy so it can unleash a withering alpha strike of Lascannons...all the while the Annihilators are tagging rear armor and zipping about like expendable mad men.

 

If it's not obvious

 

These tanks look like they've just been shot from huge cannons at the enemy instead of rolling on some ground to me.

 

Forget thresher maws cannons, leman russes cannons are the future!

 

I couldn't help but write this after reading that response, I was laughing to hard. 

 

====

 

Prime: "Sir, why do those Leman Russ tanks have Parachutes on them?  I thought we gave up on that concept when Orks started getting to them before the men...?"

 

Legate Commander: *puts out cigar on his boot heel and adjusts his helmet*

 

"Son they have parachutes on them because one does not simply walk into Mord...the rebel Space Marine lines."

 

Prime: "I'm not sure I understand..."

 

Legate Commander: "Oh you will, don't you worry yourself one bit." 

 

*He nods toward the giant catapult/cannon contraption rolling around the nearby HQ building, built by the Adeptus Mechanicus back on their Forge World in secret.  With a slight grin he walks toward HQ to prepare the final troop movements for their upcoming assault on the Word Bearer's fortification.* 

 

"Flying fracking Leman Russ tanks, Ha!  I'm pretty sure their name sake would have something to say about them being used as manned ballistic missiles..."

 

"Then again..." he muttered under his breath, "...when a man finds himself in a universe filled with Adeptus Astartes he has no other choice but to think like a mad man at times to level the playing field."

 

The guards at the front of HQ looked at the Legate Commander with more than a little concern as he walked by them laughing to himself and suddenly shouting out,

 

"We should have put wings on the damn things, Primarch Sanguinius would have had no choice but to show up and take their blasted fortification just to save face!"

 

Guard 1: Turning to the other man on duty he asked, "What did he mean by putting wings on the damn things though?"

 

Guard 2: "Not sure, Prime do you know what he was on abou...?"  *He stopped when he saw the pale skin of the Prime and noticed he was shaking his head to halt any questions before they were asked.

 

Prime:  "You don't want to know but I will tell you this, after this evening "Air Cavalry" is going to have an entirely new meaning..."

 

*Hearing this behind him, the Legate Commander exploded into a healthy booming laughter that was the first happy sound to grace this particular HQ since they setup here weeks ago.  For the soldiers who knew the Legate Commander, it infused them a calm certainty infused them as that laughter filled their ears; they could do this.*

 

===

 

Oh and I wasn't totally happy with the last propaganda poster, so I revised my style to better match the original!

 

http://i.imgur.com/RaBusxQ.png

Edited November 30, 2015 by Audemus

[Luna707]

This is one of my favorite armies on the site. If you pull off that scorpion formation please make a battle report!

[ThatOneMarshal]

As a huuuge history nerd I absolutely love those recruitment posters, you gotta have a " What did you do in the war" poster . I feel like that poster might be a little wordy but I still like it!

 

As a 30k player I ABSOLUTELY love those models. You sir have made me want to collect some Solar Auxilia for my army... Which doesnt help because they are probalaby the most expensive army in 30k to collect. 

Edited November 30, 2015 by ThatOneMarshal

[Audemus]

This is one of my favorite armies on the site. If you pull off that scorpion formation please make a battle report!

 

Oh a battle report will definitely be coming, albeit one that includes a scaled back force from my goal.  I have to finish these Power Axe Veletaris first, then a Leman Russ Incinerator & Annihilator.  After that I'll have one last Veletaris Storm Section, which I already have on hand, 2 Dracosans, and one Malcador Annihilator.

 

As far as purchasing the guys go, I need to purchase the following:

 

Leman Russ plastic box set (I have the Annihilator turret) (x1) - $46

Dracosan (x2) - £156

Malcador Annihilator (x1) - £88

 

So roughly $400 dollars, depending on how bad the UK tax hits me.  That still leaves me 1 Incinerator/Annihilator short but it should be functional at the very least.

 

So let me pose a question to you guys, as I have yet to even play a game with this army, what should my next move be?

 

Right now I see two possible paths:

 

1.  I get another Dracosan and use 3 (2 with Demolisher Cannons, 1 TL Lascannon) and create a modified scorpion formation with the Incinerators coming around the three jagged tooth Dracosans.  This option would be major delays on the Malcador seeing the field though as these things are just to expensive to buy them rapidly.

 

2.  I get the Malcador Annihilator and put 2 Veletaris Storm Sections in 1 Dracosan, Lord Marshal + Household Retinue in the other, and create a classic wedge formation next to a building with the Malcador behind it; this would allow the Lemans to come around the non-building side.  The second strategic options for this actually appeals to me greatly though, as it will take advantage of the Malcadors options to get 14AV on the front (along with Flareshield etc.)

 

http://i.imgur.com/E7dlPE4.png

 

This one requires less terrain to manage but I will have to maneuver close enough to the enemy that the Household Retinue can utilize the Incinerators as cover when they advance until they get into assault range, at which point the Incinerators would swing back to the right revealing the Lord Marshal and a bunch of very angry Power Axe wielding men. 

 

Charging the household retinue is akin to trying to get at ghosts as well, due to the LM havving a gravitational field generator that repulses all assaults by a dice roll (leaving details out to avoid breaking forum rules!) and their Shroud Bombs mean enemies have to pass LD checks to even be *allowed* to hit the gravitational field.  I can also give the LM a Void Shield that covers him and those in a short range around him but the damn thing can blow up which makes me hesitant to test it.

 

 

 

As a huuuge history nerd I absolutely love those recruitment posters, you gotta have a " What did you do in the war" poster . I feel like that poster might be a little wordy but I still like it!

 

As a 30k player I ABSOLUTELY love those models. You sir have made me want to collect some Solar Auxilia for my army... Which doesnt help because they are probalaby the most expensive army in 30k to collect. 

 

 

Thank you very much!  I was just bored one afternoon and thought some WW2 era posters would be fun which, when combined with a Helghast comment I've received, led me to that red backed template.  I've modified it pretty significantly at this point but this current poster was entirely made from the same picture of my Leman Russ Incinerator that I put up in the painted pictures post.  The wording is to much, I want it to say something about the CHOOM!/Volkite while still playing off of the entire "Where were you!?" theme, I have the entire poster in separate parts still to break the amount of words down when I get a chance.

 

I'm glad you've been enjoying my Solar Auxilia, there doesn't appear to be many posts regarding them and they are an amazing amount of fun.  The Lord Marshal alone is worth chuckling about, I've never seen a single character who has no limits on wargear or relic purchases and also has a huge variety of choices.  One of his wargear choices makes him vanish off the battlefield the moment he rolls a 1 for a save, leaving only a 2 able to wound him, then he pops back in on the nearest nuncio vox from reserves after 1 turn and goes back into battle.  I'll end up using it just to irritate someone at some point I'm sure. 

[Audemus]

This week has well and truly kicked my ass, so I apologize for the delay in getting the Household Retinue completed.  I got all 10 of them to the based and washed point and was burning myself out due to the complexity of the models.  They just have to much going on to assembly line 10 at a time without going crazy.  So in order to retain my sanity I broke away five of them to finish so that I could confirm the color scheme in my head was going to work and to restore visible progress to my painting. 

 

I enjoy painting vehicles because I can always see progress occurring but when I'm doing huge assembly lines it just feels futile sometimes and that's a rut I don't want to get stuck in.  Speaking of vehicles, Incinerator #2 has arrived in the mail and will be my next project once these guys are finished.

 

With that being said, here is the completed half of the squad with new bases (same overall theme but there's more going on for these), hope you like them!

 

 

Solar Auxilia - Household Retinue (Power Axes)

 

http://i.imgur.com/RVBLGQQ.png

[Sol_Invictus]

They look amazing as usual! 

 

I completely understand your feelings on painting infantry. Hopefully breaking them up alleviated some of that.

[Knight of the Raven]

Ah, the firefighters retinue. Rushing into burning buildings to make sure no baby eldar survives.

 

As much as I love the veleratis stormtroopers, I probably will never buy any because I dread painting them, even without any highlight. The Dark Vengeance chosens already killed me with all their details, the stormtroopers look worse than them in that regard.

[Slips]

You can always do what I do when faced with too much detail: DRYBRUSH LIKE THERES NO TOMORROW

[Audemus]

They look amazing as usual! 

 

I completely understand your feelings on painting infantry. Hopefully breaking them up alleviated some of that.

 

Thanks for the compliment!

 

Yeah, I'm almost done with infantry for the foreseeable future thankfully!  I just have to power through one more Veletaris squad and finish the command squad once my Volkite Chargers arrive in the mail! 

 

Ah, the firefighters retinue. Rushing into burning buildings to make sure no baby eldar survives.

 

As much as I love the veleratis stormtroopers, I probably will never buy any because I dread painting them, even without any highlight. The Dark Vengeance chosens already killed me with all their details, the stormtroopers look worse than them in that regard.

 

Baby Eldar must die because Harlequins scare me. 

 

Yeah the level of detail on the models was murder for the first squad.  I at least have them down to a set pattern of painting now, which makes things easier, but at the same time makes things borderline mind numbing as I'm just repeating the same steps over and over.

 

You can always do what I do when faced with too much detail: DRYBRUSH LIKE THERES NO TOMORROW

 

I'm way to much of a control freak to do that, all of my guys have to be consistent across the board or else i'm not happy with them.

 

For instance, the gray void armor uses these steps:

 

Base: Skavenblight Dinge

Wash: Nuln Oil

Dry Brush: Stormvermin Fur

Dry Brush: Dawnstone

 

Steel Components:

 

Base: Warlock Bronze

Wash: Agrax Earthshade

Dry Brush: Leadbelcher

 

Brass/Bronze

 

Base: Warlock Bronze

Wash: Agrax Earthshade

Dry Brush: Balthasar Gold

Dry Brush: Runelord Brass

 

So yeah, doing all the detailed work with that many layers can drive a man mad! 

 

Thankfully, I'm okay with that, which is why you will find below the completed Household Retinue for my Lord Marshal.

 

Also, I've received Incinerator #2 and I bit the bullet on the Malcador Annihilator, though it has not been shipped yet.  At least I'll be painting vehicles for a bit.

 

Hope you enjoy them! 

 

http://i.imgur.com/t03jXha.png

[Kriegriss]

you just do such amazingly consistent and precise work this thread is an insperation man rock on.

[Arac]

Awesome.

[Audemus]

you just do such amazingly consistent and precise work this thread is an insperation man rock on.

 

Thank you very much!  I was told once that consistency was the key to making an army look right on a table top and I've tried to always keep that in mind when coming up with paint schemes.  It's certainly nice to know that the tactic for painting is working out!

 

Awesome.

 

Thanks!

 

===

 

So, as has probably been apparent, I have been very slowly knocking down members of the Auxilia Tactical Command Section because each model is practically a character in their own right.  The models for these guys are absolutely spectacular and I couldn't get behind the standard assembly line painting when it came to them.  I really wanted to hold off on posting more of them because the banner just needs a decal to look right, given the sheer size of the damn thing, but as I'm not sure when I'll be able to either have them made or buy a printer that can make them...I figured I would  post a picture showing my progress as of last night/this morning.

 

I just finished off the Proclaimator and Vexliarius  and the banner alone took a fairly larger amount of time putting together.  Clearly there is an enormous blank space for the Rust Scorpion logo to be overlaid and, while a bit hard to read at this angle, I free handed 1905th on the banner scroll.  The laurels I did using Warplock Bronze > Screaming Bell > Agrax Earthshade > Hashut Copper.  I wanted them to stand out from the Solar circle and it turned out much better than I thought it was initially. 

 

The banner itself was so big I almost magnetized it but I couldn't get the magnets to stay on the end of the slender flag pole, so in the end I settled with carving the end down to allow for it to actually socket in properly.  I really have no idea how I'm going to transport him but such is life when working with resin models.

 

In other news the Incincerator resin components are currently soaking in their soapy water filled Pyrex Glass container and the plastic components are built.  I just need to finish the two bodyguards for the Auxilia Tactical Command Section to complete it, I really don't like their weapons and I've got some Volkite Chargers ordered to replace them.  I'm just honestly not sure I can get the existing weapons separated cleanly to try it.  The Malcador Annihilator should ship soon and at that point I think I'll feel comfortable fielding the force on a table, though I'll probably end up doing it before then.

 

Anyways, here are the leaders of the Rust Scorpion so far!

 

 

1905^th Solar Auxilia Cohort - Auxilia Tactical Command Section:  Rust Scorpions

 

http://i.imgur.com/wHLtmDk.png

[Audemus]

Well, I ended up powering through the two bodyguards last night and then decided a group shot was called for (primarily because I wanted to visually see how big the army has become).  I'm going to start working on the second Incinerator tonight and the Malcador Annihilator has shipped...which is odd since I didn't get a notification email...but I'm not arguing!

 

Don't mind the weirdness in the backdrop on the left, I quickly pulled it over the white spot on my tent that was showing in the picture to maintain uniformity in the shot.

 

Hope everyone enjoys the pics!

 

1905^th Solar Auxilia Cohort, the 'Rust Scorpions' - Current Combat Ready Forces (1755 Points)

 

http://i.imgur.com/bzpTqdL.png

 

 

 

Auxilia Tactical Command Section

 

http://i.imgur.com/eyoCO6i.png

[Calas Typhon]

Glorious.

[Ulrik_Ironfist]

Audemus, your army looks fantastic. The 30k stuff and the 40k stuff, I've got to say I'm a bit jealous. Maybe I need to search around eBay for some veleterii.

[Iron Bars]

Wow, great looking army, it may be a bit muted in colour but somehow it does fit the SA perfectly. The spots of red in it make it pop al the more.

[exsanguis]

Probably my favourite army on B&C now. Awesome stuff!

 

How has it gone on the tabletop (if you've managed to get a game in)? Have you considered using them as IG in 40k as well?

[Audemus]

Glorious.

 

Thank you!

 

Audemus, your army looks fantastic. The 30k stuff and the 40k stuff, I've got to say I'm a bit jealous. Maybe I need to search around eBay for some veleterii.

 

Thank you very much!  I have only managed to snag one good deal on ebay that had legitimate FW models, all the rest either seem to be pre-painted and highly overpriced models or Russian/Chinese knock off models.  I patrol ebay like a hawk though, that's for sure! :D

 

Probably my favourite army on B&C now. Awesome stuff!

 

How has it gone on the tabletop (if you've managed to get a game in)? Have you considered using them as IG in 40k as well?

 

Wow that's quite the compliment, thank you!  Their first tour of duty on a table will hopefully be this weekend.  I just finished off the twin-linked lascannons  for both the Dracosans a few minutes ago to ensure everyone will be able to travel comfortably encased in thick armor, I will need to get two more of them to really utilize the demolisher cannons like I have plotted out.  I've got everything packed up except my Incinerator, which I'm using for a reference point on the current Incinerator I'm working on, and I bought the plastic Leman Russ to socket my FW Annihilator turret onto today. 

 

In an ideal world I will knock both tanks out before next weekend and head in Saturday morning to play a few games.  I'll be bringing my camera with me, so expect battle reports!

 

Wow, great looking army, it may be a bit muted in colour but somehow it does fit the SA perfectly. The spots of red in it make it pop al the more.

 

Thank you!  Yeah, bright colors never made much sense on a force designed originally for combat in the Void.  The last thing you want is to be standing out against the black back drop of space and straight black stands out just as bad as it creates a shadow/silhouette effect, so their armor is designed to blend into the hull of the ship they are fighting on and rocks on low oxygen planets. 

 

I've been really happy with how the color scheme has evolved and I'm looking forward to ordering some of the medics, whenever they release them, to go into my Lord Marshal's entourage of power axe wielding lunatics.  They should be fun to paint and their models are so detailed, I'm going to have to get creative on them that's for sure!

[Frostmourne]

These are so good. So good.

[Audemus]

These are so good. So good.

 

 

Thank you!  In preparation for putting these guys on the table for the first, I pulled a serious painting session today and took my 2nd Leman Russ Incinerator from primed to 80% done, just highlighting in a few places left and the turret gunner, as well as my FW Annihilator Turret...to be put on the plastic Leman Russ hull I got on Saturday from my store.  I really do love the resin hull but I'm not going to pay $100'ish just to have it when they're selling the turret separate.

 

This means I could *potentially* receive my Malcador Annihilator early in the week and have it painted for Saturday.  I'm not going to hang my hat on that quite yet since I've never done a Malcador but that's the ideal situation.  If I'm able to pull that off, I'll be able to field 2500 Points of Solar Auxilia.  The list is not ideal, I want more Dracosans to feel safe on the approach, but it will be amusing to play and the tanks are so kitted out that they will certainly give my 40k opponent armies a pause.

 

I had fun with my Lord Marshal, since they can pick their Warlord Trait and Combat Augment Array gives me a guaranteed 6 roll...but I have to roll a toughness check for each wound he has left or take one.  So I'm thinking if it comes down to it and he's nose to nose with some Billy McBadass and looks like he's going down...it can't possibly hurt to give him a chance to land the guaranteed 6 roll on his Paragon Blade neutralizing the guy if he fails to off him.

 

Not that offing Lord Marshal Marcalius Audacter will be anything short of a miracle.  Eternal Warrior, Artificer Armor (For when Displacing isn't wanted & I'm not getting popped by something that needs an invuln), combined with a Displacer Matrix (3+ Invuln...if you roll a 1 he blinks off the board and then deep strikes in from reserve onto one of his happy Nuncio Vox carrying squads)...I've never felt so confident in a non-GW designed characters ability to be a straight thorn in my opponents side.

 

With that being said, Malcador assumed, here is the first deployment list of the Rust Scorpions:

 

==========

 

1905th Solar Auxilia - Rust Scorpions (2500 Points)

 

HQ (335 Points)

 

Auxilia Tactical Command Section - Charnabal sabre, Grenade Launcher, Meltagun, Needle Pistol – 100 Points

 

Lord Marshal - Archaeotech pistol, Artificer Armour, Combat Augment Array, Cyber-familiar, Digital Lasers, Displacer Matrix, Grav-wave generator, Master-crafted weapon, Paragon Blade, Psi-jammer – 235 Points

 

Troops (540 Points)

 

Auxilia Infantry Tercio – 370 Points

• Dracosan Armoured Transport - Armoured Ceramite, Auxiliary Drive, Extra Armour, Flare Shield, Pintle-mounted Multi-laser
• Veletaris Storm Section Nuncio-vox, Shroud Bombs
• Prime - Needle Pistol, Power Fist

Auxilia Infantry Tercio – 170 Points

• Veletaris Storm Section - Nuncio-vox, Shroud Bombs
• Prime - Needle Pistol, Power Fist

Elites (395 Points)

 

Household Retinue Squad - Nuncio-vox, Power Axes, Shroud Bombs – 395 Points

• Dracosan Armoured Transport - Armoured Ceramite, Auxiliary Drive, Extra Armour, Flare Shield, Pintle-mounted Multi-laser
• Prime Melta Bombs, Power Axe

Fast Attack (420pts)

 

Auxilia Leman Russ Strike Squadron – 420 Points

• Auxilia Leman Russ Annihilator - Armoured Ceramite, Extra armour, Lascannon
• Auxilia Leman Russ Annihilator -Armoured Ceramite, Extra armour, Lascannon

Heavy Support (810pts)

 

Auxilia Leman Russ Assault Squadron - 470pts

• Auxilia Leman Russ Incinerator - Armoured Ceramite, Extra armour, Lascannon, Pintle-mounted multi-laser
• Auxilia Leman Russ Incinerator - Armoured Ceramite, Extra armour, Lascannon, Pintle-mounted multi-laser

Auxilia Malcador Heavy Tank - Armoured Ceramite, Auxiliary Drive, Flare Shield, Lascannon, Lascannons, Pintle-mounted Multi-laser, Siege armour, Twin-linked Lascannon – 340 Points

 

 

[Frostmourne]

Solid looking list mate, love your Lord Marshal! thats pretty much how i would kit him.

 

nice variety of infantry and tanks

 

spare any points for rapier batteries in future?