30k 10th Expeditionary Fleet, starting something crazy

[No Foes Remain]

The 10th Expeditionary Fleet can date its history back to the Unification Wars, during which the early Proto-Legiones Astartes were first bloodied against the horrors birthed by madmen. During this time the Emperor drew twenty Astartes from all twenty Proto-Legions, even those who were held back such as the VIth and the XIIIth, these warriors were divided into twenty squads made up with a warrior from each Proto-Legion. The reason behind this decision was never known to anyone outside the Emperor’s innermost circle, some suspected it was to see how the eventual Primarchs would respond with each others, other thought it was more likely to see how well the future Legions would work in unison with each other.

Each squad was made up of Astartes with a variety of experience to add a further level of testing known only to the Emperor. Regardless most were met with failure and all bar one met with limited success, only one squad proved to be more effective fighting together than apart. This was the birth of the Brotherhood of Terra.

During the Unification Wars the Brotherhood went from twenty Astartes to two hundred, as each of the original members were given a ten-strong squad of their own to command, and by the time the Sol System was reclaimed the Brotherhood of Terra had become the Legion of Terra with the original members going from squad leaders in their own right to company captains.

XIII^th Legion, War-born. Pic capture date unknown.

When the Horus Heresy books first came out I had a real problem deciding what Legion to collect, as I liked all of them in their pre-heresy forms. Then Forge World came along and made things even worse by releasing the Black Books which gave me an idea. An expensive idea. I would collect all loyalist elements from all the Legions for two reasons, first because as I said before I like all their pre-heresy forms (and in some cases, pre-primarch) and second because this way I avoid getting tired of painting the same scheme over and over again. This way if I get bored of one scheme I can stop and jump over to another Legion force. But then again what use is an Expeditionary Fleet without any Imperial Army elements, so thats where I got the idea for a Solar Auxilia army, and at least two Imperialis Auxilia forces.

But for now, I start with my XIII^th Legion detachment.

Now I'm still working something out of all the notes I have for these guys but the main idea is that Arcturus Sertorius, the XIII^th Legionnaire from the Brotherhood of Terra, was elected squad leader and became somewhat of a master strategist over a combat monster like some high ranking commanders. Eventually the Legion of Terra would be off elsewhere while the whole Osiris Rebellion happened and as such were untouched by it, which caused minor resentment from the rest of the Legion. Cut back to when Guilliman was found and he and Arcturus did not get on, in my mind Arcturus is the war version of Guilliman and not being interested in knowning about peacetime activities as he doesn't see that applying to him (playing on the Unity Wars Legionnaire aspect here) which eventually leads to him being all but exiled in a similar fashion to how Corax got rid of his Terrans. Arcturus took the Warborn under his command, those who were like minded and even some of the first red-marked and went back to the 10^th Expeditionary Fleet where he took command. After that he went looking for the other members of the Brotherhood of Terra to reform the Legion of Terra as part of the 10^th Fleet, his reasoning to show that, despite some Primarchs being at odds with eachother, the Legions can act as one entity and are far better together than they are apart.

And now we come of Loyalty and Treachery, this was a perfect chance for me to work my way through the mound of plastic sitting in a corner of my room. I'm not joking, I own two Betrayal at Calth and two Burning of Prospero. My plan is to start with a 1k army and build it up from there, but with this much plastic I may do some other starter armies for the other Legion elements of the 10^th Fleet.

For those interested heres the list:

++ Crusade (Legiones Astartes: Age of Darkness Army List) [1,000pts] ++

+ HQ +

Warmonger [130pts]: Artificer Armour, Bolt Pistol, On Foot
Categories: Legiones Astartes, Character, Independent Character, Centurion, HQ, Infantry
Combi-weapon: Combi-weapon: Volkite Charger
Consul
Warmonger
Categories: Consul, Compulsory HQ
Power Weapon: Power Axe

Siege Breaker [115pts]: Artificer Armour, Bolt Pistol, On Foot
Categories: Legiones Astartes, Character, Independent Character, Centurion, HQ, Infantry
Chainsword or Combat Blade: Chainswords/Combat Blades
Combi-weapon: Combi-weapon: Volkite Charger
Consul: Siege Breaker
Categories: Compulsory HQ, Consul

+ Elites +

Contemptor-Mortis Dreadnought [180pts]: Kheres Pattern Assault Cannon x 2
Categories: Elites, Vehicle, Walker

+ Troops +

Tactical Squad, Legion , Compulsory [145pts]: Bolters, 9x Tactical Space Marines, Legion
Categories: Infantry, Legiones Astartes, Compulsory Troops, Troops
Additional Wargear: Additional Chainswords/Combat Blades
Tactical Sergeant, Legion: Bolter
Categories: Character
Chainsword or Combat Blade: Chainswords/Combat Blades

Tactical Squad, Legion , Compulsory [145pts]: Bolters, 9x Tactical Space Marines, Legion
Categories: Infantry, Legiones Astartes, Compulsory Troops, Troops
Additional Wargear: Additional Chainswords/Combat Blades
Tactical Sergeant, Legion: Bolter
Categories: Character
Chainsword or Combat Blade: Chainswords/Combat Blades

Tactical Support Squad, Legion Volkite Caliver [120pts]: 4x Space Marines, Legion, Support Squad, Volkite Caliver
Categories: Legiones Astartes, Troops, Infantry
Sergeant, Legion: Bolt Pistol
Categories: Character

+ Heavy Support +

Heavy Support Squad, Legion Missile Launcher [165pts]: Missile Launcher, Space Marines, Legion, Space Marines, Legion, Space Marines, Legion, Space Marines, Legion
Categories: Heavy Support, Legiones Astartes
Sergeant, Legion: Augury Scanner
Legion and Allegiance: XIII: Ultramarines, Loyalist

But background and lists aside heres some models:

Heres the first tactical squad, the heavy support squad and the plastic Contemptor Dread. I quite enjoyed doing a bit of mix-matching with that tactical squad, though I wish I mixed up the arm sets as well (one mk3 and the other being mk4) but I'll just have to do that with the second tactical squad.

Base coat of leadbelcher on the dread is done and the tac squad is primed. Also pictured is my quick attempt at a light box which, judging by the naff quality of this picture in comparison to the previous one, didn't do its job that well so I'll have to try and fix it or remake it.

Thats it for now, thanks for looking and please any and all advice/comments about the list/background/painting would be helpful.

Edited January 17, 2020 by No Foes Remain

[Captain_Krash]

What eventually happened to the XIIIth  Brotherhood of Terra? 

 

Krash

Edited January 17, 2020 by Captain_Krash

[No Foes Remain]

What eventually happened to the XIIIth  Brotherhood of Terra? 

 

Krash

Current idea/plan is that the Brotherhood become company/chapter masters in their own legions and as Arcturus goes to get them he brings them into the Fleet's command structure. So the Brotherhood become the Legion leaders in the 10^th and the Legion of Terra becomes the nickname of the 10^th Fleet.

[Captain_Krash]

Sounds great! Have any names so far. Or at least the leader of the assembled above?

 

Krash

[No Foes Remain]

Got some names, as mentioned in FP Arcturus Sertorius is from the 13^th and currently the Praetor-Commander of the 10^th Fleet, going to have Wilhelm Claxton be from the 10^th Legion (name based of William Claxton my Great-Great Grandfather who fought in WW1) and Eric Nelsson from the 14^th Legion (name based on my late Grandfather). Not sure on the others as of yet but going to have to do some digging into culture and legion names.

[No Foes Remain]

Progress has been made!

So damn as near got the dreadnought finished, just need to apply some typhus corrosion to its feet then give it a coat of stormshield then the mud and eyes a coat of 'ardcoat and it will be done. Pretty happy with it so far, I may have done too thick of a coat of basilicanum grey but I will know for future. Besides on the table it will look fine... I hope.

Sorry about the lighting in this photo, been using a powerful lamp to help me paint but it is a bit too bright when taking photos. I'll try and get some better ones tomorrow when its daylight and when the dread is finished.

And I haven't been slacking off with the rest of my first vow as the heavy support squad and the tactical squad are both base coated, I will need to do another coat on some of them but its the hard part done really.

Thanks for looking, and again any comments/advice would be great.

[No Foes Remain]

Calun Torbek was a remembrancer. He was not one of those posers who make up a little song or some useless poetry, what use were they when documenting the Great Crusade. No, Calun Torbek was a historian and a proud one too. He made sure that he got the facts and nothing else, he interviewed whoever he could gathered information on compliance actions and put them all together into one cohesive document.

As such, he stayed away from combat operations and, as often the case was, only visited a planet after all military actions had ceased. But there were times where military actions weren’t needed, where planets welcomed the Imperium and its Truth with open arms. The planet of Tecol was one of the latter ones, until the uprisings that is. Initially they had welcomed the Imperial diplomats and they had even offered to host members of the remembrancer order, allowing his fellows to mingle and to record this momentous occasion where a planet willingly embraced the Imperial Truth.

Then they were attacked, some remembrancers were mobbed in the street and beaten or stabbed to death, others were set on fire and some just disappeared. The Fleet Command were not fools though, they had dispatched units to guard the remembrancers consisting of members of the Solar Auxilia, the Geno One-Four-One and the elite Spartii regiments but even they found themselves hard pressed.

Calun Torbek was currently sat on the floor with his legs brought up to his chest holding his beloved notepad like a child holding their soft toy to ward off monsters that lurked under the bed. The wall behind him was being peppered with bullet rounds while the Auxilia troopers that he had found returned fire.

‘Where is our support?!’ Bellowed one trooper as he reloaded, that same trooper had earlier been thankful that the enemy had basic stub guns but now he was annoyed at how many came after them.

‘They are coming, the Commander is despatching the entire Legion elements.’ Responded Lieutenant Trayla, she was the officer who had welcomed Calun’s group of remembrancers into the fleet and over time they had become friends.

At that moment a massive metal pyramid landed in the centre of the market plaza, the enemy stopped firing at the troopers and began moving away. Some of the Auxilias started chuckling.

The Dreadnought Drop Pod opened and out stepped Brother Melanor.

‘You chose poorly’ Melanor’s voice boomed across the market plaza as his assault cannons started to warm up.

The enemy forces opened fire again, directing all their shots at Melanor which was the equivalent of trying to knock down a wall by blowing on it. The Dreadnought returned fire, shells tore through the soldiers arrayed against them. A score dead in the first seconds and Melanor did not let up, he marched forward mowing down anyone who was stupid enough to stand against him.

Well hes done, my first model painted in about 6 years. I still need to put his name on his scroll but with my shakey hands thats making that impossible with a brush so I'm going to try and find one of those arty pen things to do the job for me. The final coat of stormshield and ardcoat really did what I wanted it to and I am quiet happy with him, sure there are a few problems but when hes gunning down anyone who stands against him I won't really care.

And some side and rear shots of him:

I still need to sort out a new lightbox as the one I used previously kinda broke as I was trying to make it better. Ooops.

[No Foes Remain]

And thats my first vow done, work kept me from taking decent photos due to rubbish lighting but they are all done now:

The Heavy Support Squad with MkI Proteus pattern missile launchers:

Then the first tactical squad:

And finally the group photo:

I know I need to put some transfers on them but the last time I attempted that on the dread I just ripped the transfer apart while trying to apply it, so thats a problem for another day. Next, however, I plan on vowing the rest of my 1k starter list so that just means I need to actually build it now that the resin parts have finished soaking.