MBA++Blood Angels 5th Company - into the Leviathan's maw

[Xenith]

Really nice, excessive attention to detail on highlighting those rivets, fantastic work!

[Majkhel]

Thank you guys!
@DBH, the checker is a decal. I think it came with the Indomitus box (great decals there btw). Or maybe Knights?. Almost certain it's the Indomitus box. There are 2 long strips like that there - one yellow and one white.
@Xenith, yeah that was a drag   And I have a friend that would point those out to me if they are not bright enough. But it's worth it - they add a lot of 'pop' to any tank

Edited June 27, 2022 by Majkhel

[Majkhel]

Just finished another Eradicator. This time a Sergeant of 14th Squad, 9th Company.

 

Happy to be painting red boys again. Got 2 more of the Heavy and at least one more of the Assault variant.

Cheers! 

Edited June 27, 2022 by Majkhel

[Jukkiz]

oooh, so pretty, pretty, pretty~~ That blue banner is quite lovely touch on gravis armor.

[Paladin777]

Wow, that is gorgeous!

[Majkhel]

Thanks guys! Really happy you like it :D

Banner-ism I really enjoy ;) Following the path cleared by the Heavy Intercessor Sergeant I'm now appreciating the choices made then seeing as they come together with different colors. The original very simple idea of squad designation marking being in the center and surrounded by some text-like scribblings and BA iconography (could have been decals just as well) still works. It's most satisfying! And so much easier then designing a personal heraldry to fill an entire banner too.

I will continue with the trend and plan to add banners to all my Sergeants at some point. Well maybe except Infiltrators and Incursors - their backpacks tend to be already pretty cramped. 

[BloodyB]

Loving the well-used look on the melta barrel, it seems he has had some good hunting recently. The yellow on the back pack canister is really nice, an industrial yellow that isn't too bright is one of the hardest colours to pick, and you've chosen excellently. The

 

My favourite part of this model though, has to be the banner! That blue is just right, lighter than the helm, but not so much it looks off. The text in white stands out, but feels cohesive with the blood drop. Even the red bands that secure the banner look good. That skull on top is very different from how I do my own, I favour such bone-work to be slightly yellowed with age, but on Primaris, the bleached and polished look makes much more sense. Honestly, the paler tone contrasts much better than my own method, I think I will be trying such a colour soon.

 

Great work!

[Majkhel]

On 2/28/2022 at 11:54 AM, BloodyB said:

Loving the well-used look on the melta barrel, it seems he has had some good hunting recently. The yellow on the back pack canister is really nice, an industrial yellow that isn't too bright is one of the hardest colours to pick, and you've chosen excellently. The

 

My favourite part of this model though, has to be the banner! That blue is just right, lighter than the helm, but not so much it looks off. The text in white stands out, but feels cohesive with the blood drop. Even the red bands that secure the banner look good. That skull on top is very different from how I do my own, I favour such bone-work to be slightly yellowed with age, but on Primaris, the bleached and polished look makes much more sense. Honestly, the paler tone contrasts much better than my own method, I think I will be trying such a colour soon.

 

Great work!

Thank you kindly, that is a great feedback!

About the skull - whenever I paint such small skulls I'm always torn as to weather make them look actually bone-like or not. If I do... well lets say the implications are not pleasant to consider  I also often add some yellow tone and I agree it adds that extra aged feel. 

Edited June 27, 2022 by Majkhel

[Jolemai]

Thread added to BA Resources

[Majkhel]

I'm honored!!
 

Edited June 27, 2022 by Majkhel

[Majkhel]

Another ATV ready to join my 8th Company representatives:


 

 

 

Compared to my previous attempt at this model (undergoing paint-job upgrade at the moment) I removed side panels from the cockpit and I think it's a good change. It lets you see the many buttons inside and more of the marine driving the thing. I also think it (theoretically) allows the marine to enter/exit the cockpit more easily.
Another thing I did was rotating and moving a bit down mountings of the front wheels. It raised the front of the model that little bit more off the ground supplementing that "ATV" in it's name
As before rear wheel suspensors have been straightened to raise the rear higher. A tried and tested solution.

Dakka-version painted with hopes to throw some lead towards my frend's GSC next week. But I am painting the melta as well along the first ATV's paint-job upgrade.

 

 

Cheers!

Edited June 27, 2022 by Majkhel

[Paladin777]

"Drive me closer! I want to hit them with my sword!"

 

In all seriousness, it looks great! Excellent job on the weathering.

[Jolemai]

Also used that chainsword on a biker. It works so well on those models!

[Majkhel]

On 3/15/2022 at 8:04 PM, Paladin777 said:

"Drive me closer! I want to hit them with my sword!"

Well said!  

And you can't get too serious with THAT design  It looked too much like a chariot not to try it. I was honestly tempted to make scythed wheels as well... Maybe next time  

 

I agree Jole. That particular arm is kinda awkward on running DC marines. But it does have it's uses  

 

Edited June 27, 2022 by Majkhel

[Rhavien]

Dat paint job! Love it!

[BloodyB]

I love the paintwork on the tyres, really weathered and rugged, they even look a little sun-bleached to me! Removing the side plates works really well to add some more detail, and besides, their power armour probably provides more protection than that thin steel!

 

The Chapter device on the front plate adds a surprising amount of character, more so with that gem-like grey blood drop, reminding me of a large diamond. It adds to the prestige and artisanship that is present in every piece of Blood Angel's wargear. Nice job!

[Majkhel]

Thank you BloodyB! I'm really happy you like the tyres   - I admit I put some effort to them: no less than 4 layers of drybrush. I want to get some pigments at one point but for now I'm looking for ways to recreate the the effect they provide with other techniques.


On the painting front, I upgraded paintjob on my first ATV:

 

that's how it looked before


Basically only one level oh highlights so barely visible. And only very beginnings of battle-damage)

 

And here they are together:

 

Edited June 27, 2022 by Majkhel

[Leonaides]

Do you prefer the brrrrrt-cannon over the microwave then for them, or have you magnetised?

[Majkhel]

I magnetized - hands holding handles have pins filed down a bit and are not glued to the gun which simply sits between them.
But I want to try out the miniguns on my friend's GSC next Wednesday so those will stay for a moment.

Edited March 21, 2022 by Majkhel

[BloodyB]

I prefer the yellow-orange barrel for the minigun myself, space marines with a single dominant colour can risk being too flat in terms of colour scheme in my opinion, adding that yellow draws the eye to the business end of that model. Are the wing devices from DA Ravenwing? They remind me of the Dark Vengeance bikers from 6th.

 

I love the slight differences in suspension extension they seem to have, making both look like the same model, but without actually being the same model, if that makes sense. It's those little things that make a model improve a display or army nicely.

[Majkhel]

Thanks BB!
I think I prefer the red one in this case. Perhaps because it's faster (I know - obvious ). Indeed yellow requires more layers build-up color saturation. But definitely yellow barrels' tips have that sweet retro vibe and I fully intend to continue that trend on some guns

Yes, the wings are from Ravenwing upgrade sprue. I filed them a little bit to get more rounded shape more common among BA. DA wings often have sharper edges. 

I believe the newer suspension adjustment is better. More all-terrain capable. Although you made me look at the first one with a fresh eye and I feel it conveys a feel of speed with the way it leans more forward and more enclosed driver's compartment. The second one doesn't have that. And I appreciate the variances between them now. Thanks!

Edited March 23, 2022 by Majkhel

[Majkhel]

Got back to playing a bit :)
Go-carts got their first taste of battle and were okaeyish. I took them in a single squad with 1 MM and 1 gatling, but I think 2 MMs are the way for me. I'll give them some more chances, but thinking if Eradicators aren't better still...

Also playing with ideas around Narrative Play more than Matched Play

A friend of mine with whom I play most often (used to play Crimson Fists, but got lured by the new GSC) was recently complaining on the lack of variety in the Matched Play missions we usually did so we switched towards Narrative. Not exactly Crusade, as I'm not really taken by the Black Rage mechanic and also we are not yet sure if we want to follow units' progress etc. But Crusade missions seem more fun and we want to explore and build around their concept some more.
We are definitely looking for missions with more interesting tasks than holding more objectives and secondaries which tend to always be the same.
A campaign-like progress of missions would be welcome too.

I proposed a small initiation-of-hostilities type of game and slightly less points than we usually play (1200pts instead of 1500). I also prepared a set of missions to choose from depending on which faction would be the initiator/attacker from the fluff perspective. My friend wanted to defend in the first game and dice have chosen an Assassination mission. A fitting choice.

"Blood Angels have identified a Genestealer Cult infestation upon a planet and believing it be be small yet, dispatched strike teams to a supposed locations of the Cult's nest in the hopes of ripping the heart out of the enemy. If the Patriarch was to be eliminated, the Cult's advance would crumble. This was not the case however as the beast was not present at the site. Apparently it's location was hidden too well for Blood Angels' strike cruiser's scrying augurs and logis engines to pinpoint. Forces under Chaplain Torvallo were not to return empty-handed though as Primus and Magus were found. To the Chaplain's veteran senses it immediately becomes clear that the Cult's strength and hold on the planet is vastly greater then it was initially anticipated. Seeing a chance to at least slow down the Cult's development by removing it's most senior members, Torvallo voxes for the strike cruiser to heat up it's Teleportarium and orders advance of his present forces."

 

With Assassination mission being the first in a potential campaign, my friend has decided he will not use his Patriarch. After all there is only one such beast on the entire planet and potentially loosing it at the very first battle seemed not right from the fluff's perspective. I agreed with the sentiment and also opted for my force HQ choices to not use Chapter Command upgrades so early in the game and to not use Sanguinary Guard - Blood Angels being in the opening stages of the campaign would still be probing the enemy and their greatest heroes would not be called upon on a whim.

I have chosen my force to reflect the mission as much as possible: fast, and mobile core to establish a beach-head and clear a path for limited Elite muscle to do the job.
I had:
- Primaris Chaplain on bike as my Warlord (Gift of Foresight, Soulwarden, Armour Indomitus)
- Sanguinary Priest bare-bones
- 5xIntercessors ABR, 5xInfiltrators, 5xIncursors
- 2xATV (MM+gatling)
- 5xInceptors
- 3xEliminators
- 6xTerminators (TH/SS on the Sarge, rest with Claws)
I chose Successors with Whirlwind of Rage and Tactical Withdrawal

My friend had:
- Primus (option to negate a single attack), Magus, Locus, Reductus Saboteur, Kelermorph
- 2xAchilles (Mining Laser)
- 5xJackals+Wolfquad (HFlamer)
- 8xGenestealers
- at least 4 units of various kinds of hybrids (many mining charges, lascanon-equivalents and some drill/cutters)

His plan was to use Locus to screen the Primus and all other units to tarpit and whittle my forces
My plan was to advance and clear as much chaff as possible with bolter fire using the Chaplain as a guided missile and a focal point of a Terminator charge.

First 2 turns went back and forth with both of us killing stuff and then I positioned my Chaplain on T2 in the middle of the board with a nice spot for Termies to teleport in and have range to the unit directly screening the Primus,.... and then I forgot to place them and went straight to Shooting phase  
This meant I had to charge my Chaplain alone and ultimately lost him to too numerous attacks even for him to handle. it has to be said he did killed the Magus. By that point however my midfield units were being tarpitted by genestealers (I cleared the jackals), lost both ATVs and Kelermorph one-shot my Sanguinary Priest (!). That sneaky bastard is too under-costed for what he does... Generally it looked grim as apart from Inceptors, I lost all my mobile units and most ranged firepower.

As a last-ditch resort I called upon the veterans of the Archangels and in a stunning display of luck skill, they made their 9" charge to the unit that killed the Chaplain just moments before and cut them all to very small pieces. This drastically changed the odds in my favor as Primus was suddenly within range of next turn's charge. Both Achilleses tried to block the path of the Terminators, but to no avail and in the next turn I managed to perform a multi-charge which first saw the Locus immobilized (she would be able to heroically intervene and force me to fight her instead of the Primus) and then my Terminators reaching (12" rolled for the charge!) their prey. Needless to say the Primus was cut down although with a smaller margin of safety then I'd like. Locus died as she intercepted a TH attack meant for the Primus. Serious satisfaction was also caused by the fact that the lone surviving Incursor Sergeant and Infiltrator brought down that pesky Kelermoph. 
As the game was about assassinating the Warlord we called the game at that point. Also because there wasn't really much left of the GSC forces by that time - only 2 Achilleses. I still had all my Terminators, Intercessor Sergeant, Incursor Sergeant and Infiltrator. 

The game was an epic bloodbath that proves BAs are stubbornly terrifying once Assault Doctrine kicks-in.
It also showed me painfully clearly how my Terminators look next to Primaris both in terms of sculpts and the advancement of my brushwork... I feel I really need to do them more justice after what they pulled in this game.

 

[Majkhel]

My thoughts about making Terminators (visually) great again are now in full spin, but I need some more time to settle on anything. I definitely don't want to use Gravis-based ideas - to my eyes they are too different aesthetically. I do have some unpainted termies to try some things out, so we'll see.

In the meantime I started to work on a true-scale Vanguard Veterans based on Assault Intercessors. We'll see how this goes

 

Edited June 27, 2022 by Majkhel

[Majkhel]

Apparently I have a Stormcast part of the AoS Dominion box and this happend:

Much better and more interesting shield shape. I think I'll go this route.

And Vindictors that lost their shields seem like a really nice base for true-scale SG.... Their poses are a bit static, bot stil.... Possibilities :D

Edited June 27, 2022 by Majkhel

[Rhavien]

Looking good as always Majkhel. The AoS shields are adding a nice touch. They really look blood angely. I started my own Vanguard kitbash a while ago. Only the Sergeant is painted yet though. Rest of the squad carries lightning claws and stormshields. But I just used the ones that come in the box.