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[WIP] 1905th Solar Auxilia: Rust Scorpions

Audemus

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Audemus

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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?

 

It's crossed my mind, when looking at the list for way to long, that given the Lord Marshal's Independent Character status that if I thought an opponent was going to come at me with heavy air...well, something really bad might be possible.  If the Rapier Batteries are running Laser Destroyers Arrays (TL, 9STR AP1) and the Lord Marshal was equipped with a Metaphasic Reader and a Void Shield Harness, granting the entire battery a 12AV void shield and Interceptor...I'm pretty sure that means just about anything just falls out of the sky the moment they fly into LOS.  :ph34r.:

 

I'm also pretty sure that would severely upset some people, so it's more of a thought than an idea I plan on implementing anytime soon; though I will admit I might change my tune if aircraft are an issue this weekend.

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Audemus

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Apparently my post last night was quite prophetic!  Upon checking the Office this afternoon I found a happy little cardboard box from England waiting for me.

 

Can I complete a Leman Russ Annihilator, Leman Russ Incinerator, and a Malcador Annihilator...all before Saturday?!

 

Ladies and Gentlemen the game is afoot!

 

http://i.imgur.com/wA53arY.png

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Audemus

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Godspeed!

 

Thank you!

 

To keep myself motivated, I'm going to attempt to keep progress posted in pictures at the end of the day.

 

Progress Mark 1

=============

 

The second Leman Russ Incinerator is complete, sans the pintle gunner who I've started but will finish in the morning.

 

The second Leman Russ Annihilator turret is complete and I changed the color scheme some to bring it in line with the Incinerator.  I'll update my existing one as well when I get a chance.

 

The Malcador has been cleaned up and warped parts have been adjusted.  It is currently soaking in a giant Pyrex container for what will probably be 24 hours due to sheer amount of mold release on the model.  In an attempt to put this into words...sides of the Malcador felt like they had been dipped in maple syrup and left to dry over night.  My fingers were literally sticking to them when I was cleaning off the flash and mold residue. 

 

Below is the progress picture, with my first Leman Russ Incinerator included to provide a check for conformity to the previously painted color scheme.  I'm pretty damn happy with how close the two are.

 

http://i.imgur.com/8fbHKxP.png

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Audemus

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Okay so the Malcador became more complicated because I decided the damn thing cost to much not to make the additional guns modular...so I decided to magnetize everything except the main gun, I honestly don't think I need battle cannons with as many demolisher cannons my guys will be bringing and the better armor piercing, especially against 30k flare shields, over the BC gives the lascannon alpha strike a big thumbs up.

 

I stress this is a WIP, I am not done despite a good attempt at painting this thing in one day.  Yesterday I had to clean, scrub and re-soak the Malcador 3 times because the mold release would not come off...it was crazy.  Then I decided to make the tank magnet friendly, as mentioned above, and well it took some time since I've only ever magnetized my Dracosans...before that, I hadn't even attempted to do it and I took my time given the way Mr. Malcador slapped my wallet around!

 

Depending on how tomorrow goes, I may fall short a Leman Russ Annihilator for Saturday.  I might still pull off a turkey though and hit all three tanks in a week, fingers crossed.

 

Work In Progress - Preview Malcador Annihilator

 

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

 

 

Modular Weaponry - Malcador Annihilator

 

http://i.imgur.com/IR7GUNu.png

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Ulrik_Ironfist Venerable Brother

Ulrik_Ironfist

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Excellent work. I don't care for the Malchador's looks, with the semi fixed main turret, and the big gun being hull mounted WW1 style (I really hate my vindicators for the same reason, despite how useful they are, I can't wait to replace them with Leman Russ Demolishers, better looking engineer vehicle if you ask me...). Still maginificent work as always!

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Audemus

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Nice work so far, what weapons do you actually get with the Malcador Annihilator then? 

 

They give you an assortment of weapons for the sponsons (Lascannons, Autocannons, and Heavy Bolters) while the front hull mounted Demolisher Cannon is the only one provided there.  The actual HH4: Conquest states that I'm able to replace it with autocannons, a lascannon, and some others that I'm not recalling off the top of my head.  While the Demolisher Cannon will work fantastically for a lot of things, I can see it becoming a moot point once I get my next 2 Dracosans as they will be forming a moving wall of armour in front of Malcador with three of them sporting Demolisher cannons. 

 

Having 3 Lascannons and 1 Twin-Linked Lascannon to alpha strike enemy armor could be extremely beneficial and it will allow for the Malcador to sit back out of range as opposed to the 24" range on the Demo cannon.  Not only that but the Malcador will be under the influence of my Strategos during the battle, which will provide it a +1 BS as long as he is 6 inches from it, giving those Lascannons the necessary BS to hit targets reliably.

 

Superb!

 

When's the Stormhammer? :wink:

 

Man, you have no idea how much I am hating myself for painting up my Stormlord for my Lions of Leander VI Imperial Guard/Militarum Tempestus force just weeks before I tackled the Solar Auxilia.  I'm really that vain and putting a tank under a different color scheme on the table would bother me to no end.  :ohmy.:

 

I might have to buy another one before I dig into a Stormhammer if only for the open top rule for assaulting and boarding that it has.  I could load that thing up with Power Axe wielding Veletaris and Volkite CHOOM! Deathdealing Storm Sections and plow it with all 4 lascannons, heavy bolters, and chaingun ablaze into the enemy.  That fast dismount with the short range of the Volkite Chargers would make all the difference and would allow for me to use the Dracosans as moving walls of cover with heavy weaponry to box in groups.  The Dracosans could also serve as staggered bunkers around the Stormlord for troops to load into should things get shady.  It's another tactical idea I've been working on but I'm pretty sure it's going to need testing to get it right.

 

The Stormhammer is also odd in that, if you load it with Lascannons and options, it is insanely expensive given the Age of Darkness percentage rules for deploying super heavies.  I think it comes in north of 700 points and does not have flare shields available to it.  Not to mention it is $277 dollars with standard shipping, which is a price point I have been avoiding since the Marauder Destroyer.  That model was a world of hard work with no real pay out/reward (I painted it for a contest and they just called a draw on the contest, not giving anyone a prize).  I wouldn't be doing that with the Stormhammer but at the same time a model I cannot actively deploy without playing 2500-3k point games makes me nervous when it's all said and done. 

 

That being said, I'll buy one eventually, but it's just not going to swallow up funds that could go to completing my primary force.  :biggrin.:

 

You, sir, are a beast! I wish I could paint half as fast as you. :laugh.:

 

Thank you!  The longest part has consistently been the gold trim on the tank, as I have my camo scheme down to a mindless drone-like science at this point, though between the Incinerator and the Malcador I'm about to lose another freshly bought dry brush.  Thankfully I bought two for this challenge!  The gold is Warplock Bronze > Agrax Earthshade > Light Dry brush Balthasar Gold > Light Dry Brush Runelord Brass > Watered Down Nuln Oil. 

 

Doing that many layers on those fine lines without getting it on the rest of the tank is a total pain in the ass but I guess it's my fault for doing it in the first place, now I'm inclined to continue the stylistic pattern!

 

 

Excellent work. I don't care for the Malchador's looks, with the semi fixed main turret, and the big gun being hull mounted WW1 style (I really hate my vindicators for the same reason, despite how useful they are, I can't wait to replace them with Leman Russ Demolishers, better looking engineer vehicle if you ask me...). Still maginificent work as always!

 

Well the thing about the Malcador, as I mentioned above, is it allows me to effectively use my Strategos' special power once a turn to buff a vehicle with +1 BS.  This creates an interesting situation on a tank like the Malcador with large hard hitting weaponry and my Leman Russ Incinerators get +1 BS as long as they fire on the same target, meaning 3 of my tanks will be at 4 BS without any additional assistance.  Now if I knew I was going into a fight with Titans or Super Heavies, I would most likely see about getting a Shadowsword with targeters I would be putting the Strategos on it, 5 BS on that D-Weapon main gun would just be to good to pass up.

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Audemus Veteran

Audemus

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All day at work, while i go through my choice of army again and again trying to settle on one, i always manage to clear Solar Auxilia off of the Mind White Board, but about Lunch.

 

Then i see these and my brain says "Hey...Heyyyyy.... do these"

 

That's awesome!  Solar Auxilia seem fairly under played, outside as allies to Legion forces, so if I can manage to convince someone to give them a shot without resorting to salesman tactics that's a win in my book.

 

====================

 

Alright, Mr. Malcador is a beast of many surprises and despite digging into the model earlier today it took most the afternoon to touch up and glue on the last few pieces.  If you're scrutinizing it, you'll notice I left the spotlight off...but that's primarily because there is a running light literally right next to where the spotlight goes and it just seemed redundant since it does not have a mounting point.  You just kinda stick it onto the hull and it looks ugly, so no sir, I will plea Infravisor and rest my case if it becomes an issue!

 

Also, I was racing my camera battery because I fail at the whole turning off a device plugged into USB process and as such it ate up its batteries all day.  The result is my first shot I didn't line up the magnets exactly the same on the left/right so they look a little off.  I'm not dying over it, I just want to make sure no one thinks I got all googly eyed and attached them at differing angles.  :biggrin.:

 

Disclaimers out of the way, I present...

 

1905th Solar Auxilia Cohort - Rust Scorpions - Malcador Annihilator

 

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

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Audemus

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Okay, I'm 100% exhausted and just hoping I'm able to drag my sleep deprived self into the store tomorrow to put together a battle report for you guys but...sans magnetized equipment because it's already packed...here is the Assault Squadron, Strike Squadron, and Malcador Annihilator in a flying V of pain.

 

Turkey Accomplished: 1 Incinerator, 1 Annihilator, and 1 Malcador finished this week.

 

...and I'm going to go collapse now, I promise to reply to the earlier posts tomorrow night if I'm not dead on my feet.  :biggrin.:

 

http://i.imgur.com/Zh1denn.png

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Ceadus Battle-Brother

Ceadus

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They look so awesome. Your SA are the best I´ve seen yet. For me it´s the same, everytime I´m trying to decide which legion to do as my second force, I´m coming back to these guys and think: hmm, SA you say... :D

 

As for getting rid of mold release stuff, use brake cleaner. This stuff is awesome. Just spray the pieces in a bowl, let it sit for a while, whipe it clean et voila, no more residue. No bathing, no scrubing nedded. If there´s still a little more release agent, spray this part again and whipe it clean with some paper towel.

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Audemus

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That's a Beauty.

Thank you!

How'd you paint these? They look amazing :jawdrop:

By accident! No, really, total accident. I figured out the technique I used on my Solar Auxilia tanks and my Militarum Tempestus Valkyries/vehicles in what I thought was a disastrous mistake that was going to leave me repainting the wing of the first Valkyrie I did and making the paint to thick...but instead I decided to just run with it and see what happened. I've been adapting the technique ever since but I don't know that I've ever been able to properly convey the method, despite writing out 5-6 paragraphs worth of steps at times to try to explain it. It's not complicated, I think the issue is the amount of pressure applied to the brush, it's very specific and while easy for me at this point...pressure is a bit difficult to explain. I can go find a guide I've written previously though if you'd like it, just let me know!

Beautifully painted and with great speed.

He's clearly a witch! Let's burn him, burn the witch!!!!

Excellent work!

He's clearly a witch! Let's burn him, burn the witch!!!!

http://i.imgur.com/kAe01Vn.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/lGZiGu7.png

Even 28,000 years later, witch burning festivities are still celebrated.

Actually they might be more fun due to the presence of volkite weaponry. Mmmmh witch hunts...

Nothing says community like a good ole` fashion burning of an ostracized citizen! Woo! :ph34r.:

gallery_70393_9750_19232.jpg

Lovely malcador. :tongue.:

Now this is an interesting comic because I can't help but have the mental image of a Veletaris firing squad opening up on a witch with a crowd of onlookers getting deflagarated by the numerous inflicted wounds exploding into additional hits because umm...citizens of the Imperium are all considered part of the same unit...right?! RIGHT?!

CHOOOOOOOM!

They look so awesome. Your SA are the best I

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Audemus

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Soon as I read that the guy tailored his list to beat you with his Tau I cringed inside. Shame really :sad.:

 

Yeah, I always thought from reading things that they were squishy and used mass fire volleys...I had no idea (and still don't really) how marker lights work or how his 4 man squad could run and shoot (Warlord trait I think) then magically pop my Malcador in almost one attack.  It's 14AV front with Flare Shield, 13AV sides and 6 HP.   Then when I returned fire his little army of probes also with the commander started taking the wounds for him, which was frustrating because there were so many of them that they were able to absorb the volkite demi culverins, lascannons, and multilasers from the assault squadron. 

 

I think I spooked him on the first Incinerator shot as he elected to take those on his commander to use his better save but the deflagarate was strong and the CHOOM! was with me...finding his commander knocked to two wounds is what brought on the probe body shield tactic. lol

 

I'm sorry to hear that your first game with them was against an :censored: hole. 

 

On a positive note, they look absolutely brilliant on that board. :biggrin.:

 

He wasn't an :cuss at all about things it was just demoralizing as hell to watch something as strong as the Dracosan is get cored through like a rotten apple in a single round.  I think the army list thing is a general issue with playing in stores without planning in advance, I mean I can't hide that i'm walking in with two boxes full of tanks so if they haven't made a list ahead of time it's kind of a foregone conclusion that they will tailor their list against you if they have the models.  He's actually selling his Tau as he's shipping to basic training soon and he was bored with them, they were just what he had on hand at the store.

 

I just don't know how to deal with that in the future, I guess I could go with Artillery squadrons and stack Medusa's in the backfield lobbing death all over people or I could try equipping my existing tanks with hunter killer missiles and just pray I get lucky shots in.  I mean the way this battle was going, I could have put a Stormhammer out there and it would have crumpled before having a chance to return fire.

 

I'm really against breaking my armies entire core philosophy of Veletaris by bringing in lasrifle sections, since the financial implications are disturbing, but I may have to buy a second Stormlord and paint it up in Rust Scorpion colors to allow for a fast dismount by the Household Retinue.  I guess I could be enormously cheesy and load the Stormlord with Rapier Destroyers, since they do not count as having moved when it does, and fire them out of the firing ports.  You have a railgun?  Okay, well I have 4 lascannons, mega-vulcan, 5 twin-linked heavy bolters, stubbers, oh and 6 rapier destroyer laser shots (or perhaps graviton pulse for haywire hilarity?) all tucked into a happy little super heavy that just need to get in the 30-40 inch range to make your life a living hell.

 

I did notice something that made me sad though, I didn't realize the Cognis Signum from the Strategos couldn't be applied to the Malcador until I checked the book and saw that it has an addendum (except for Independent characters and Super Heavies) tagged to it.  The Strategos was also going to try and wipe his commander squad with a precision bombardment due to the sheer nastiness of that once a game skill but I did not expect my Malcador to go nova before he could move over 6 inches from his starting point.  Ah well, live and learn. 

 

If you guys can think of a strategy I could run (Stormlord, Medusas, whatever) that might give me some variable options, I'm all ears though.  There's so little information on the Solar Auxilia in regards to actual battle reports that I feel like half the time I'm working entirely with my HH4 book and pure theory, which ends up costing $500 in new units and demoralizing the hell out of me when it fails to perform.  I'm looking at you Marauder Destroyer.  That damn model was supposed to be my fluff super heavy that fit my force without me having to explain the presence of a gigantic super heavy tank being used by a fully air cav fast response special forces group...and while it can kill one vehicle with glee (8 hunter killers in an Alpha Strike = boom) it then spends the rest of the game flying off the board (to big to turn around) plinking away with 3 twin-linked autocannons and sometimes getting shots in with its tail assault cannons...otherwise it's on the board for 2 turns, off the board for 1, and delivering zero effective killing power against Space Marines.

 

If you're curious I have a battle report where I strategically outmaneuvered my opponent and unleashed a furious barrage of 60+ dice in the first turn against one squad...and only killed a space wolf priest.  It was...depressing and it was also the last game I played until yesterday.  Yeah, I built and painted an entirely new army just to avoid that feeling again...only to have it chase me down.  I'm jinxed damn it!  :biggrin.:

 

 Battle Report - Lions of Leander VI vs. Space Wolves

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