On The Painting Table: Adeptus Mechanicus Aphid

Allow me to introduce my new retooled Aphid, a fast attack choice for my new Adeptus Mechanicus/Squat army.

The original version I made for this was purely using Robogear parts and looked pretty rough as you can see.

Realising how dodgy it looked I ripped the cockpit off, tore off the guns and replaced them with missile pods from a Valkyrie. It's now a more delicate spidery robot, rather than a piloted armoured thing.

I'm going to redo the rules for this tinker, making it open topped. It's going to be a glass cannon - easy to destroy but putting out a lot of damage.

And it perfectly suits the look I'm going for with my Mechanicus force - esoteric technology gone wild!

On the Painting Table: Squats!

The Squats are here!

I had no intention of buying these little guys at first but they niggled away at me and I subconsciously started trying to come up with reasons to fit them into my campaign.

Then it hit me.

These little dudes are going to be the militant arm of my Adeptus Mechanicus force!

More on that in future but for now, let's look at the models.

Obviously these aren't Squats from Games Workshop (sigh). They're Mantic Forge Fathers!

I love Mantic Chaos Dwarfs as you may know and I've also grown to love these little blighters.

The poses and options are a little bit limited but they are cool and they're nicely sized compared to a "normal" 40k human.

The weapon options are a tad limited for me because I bought a lot of the earlier sets that didn't have the tactical upgrades. As a result I have loads of basic troopers and only a few upgrades. I may have to get very sneaky when it comes to that... in time.

For now I'm happy. I'm liking the colour scheme I deliberated over for weeks and I'm building towards my first small game battling over my soon-to-be fully furnished Zone Mortalis.

I'll reveal more as I paint them but we haven't seen the back of the Squats.

Heh heh.

See what I did there?

Zone Mortalis Doors!

(Evil laughter)

My Forge World Zone Mortalis is really starting to come together now that I have bought and painted two sets of doors!

I went for subdued greens and a dull bronze for the eagle to match the dark and brooding look I am aiming for and they really add a lot to it.

Suddenly rooms start developing and you can see how much doors blocking egress will add to play.

I still really need at least one more set of the Zone before I can have a proper game and another set or more of doors but I'm thinking of having a little mini game once I've done my furniture and painted up some of my Mantic Squats.

I've been buying up mini scenery pieces to put inside the Zone at war game conventions (most recently at the Colours event in Newbury) and my next project is to complete all the furniture I've got to create much more realistic interiors. The zone is great on its own but needs some interior detail really. I just wish Forge World would release some stuff to go in it (though there's no sign of any on the way).

Here are the first two pieces of furnishings - a pair of cryopods. They're lovely but they're just the tip of the iceberg. Stay tuned for more additions over the coming days.

The Doom Spheres: Part Three - Destruction Incarnate

Doom Spheres vs Imperium | Tim v Gill | Gothic | 63 | 118.997.M41

Battlefleet Valorax was on full alert. 

Intel had been gathered; reports analysed and decisions made. The Doom Spheres had to be stopped at all costs. With such destructive might at their command their was no telling what destruction they might wreck on Valorax Prime when they reached it. One Doom Sphere had been bad enough. Two was a force that could not be ignored.

A new Battlegroup was formed with tremendous firepower, incredible levels of potential destruction that couldn't fail to bring down the approaching spheres: A Retribution class battleship, two Mars battlecruisers, a pair of Gothics and two Dominators as well as a squadron of flitting Cobra Destroyers.

 They drifted through the void, scanning for contact against the static feedback of the irradiated asteroid fields.

Of greatest fortune was the lack of Ork contacts. The invasion fleet had obviously splintered and fled but the chance that they were still lurking in-system, using the distraction of the Doom Sphere approach to sneak past the cordons couldn't be entirely ignored. 

The ships pinged out their long range scanners and when they were starting to doubt the Doom Spheres existed, they flicked into view.

Admiral Phantos on the bridge of the Battleship paled as the image focused on his screen. There weren't two Doom Spheres anymore.

There were three.

And the newest one was over twice as bigger as either one they had seen before.

It wasn't just a Doom Sphere. It was a Battle Planet.

The Retribution let fly with its torpedoes and continued to close, charging up its lance batteries, but before it was even in range the Battle Planet pounded it from the fore with its violet lightning, crushing its shields and ripping into its bulkheads.

The torpedoes impacted harmlessly against its armour and Admiral Phantos fully realised what was happening, how utterly they had underestimated this foe, even while classing them as an omega level threat. He shouted to turn about so that he could bring his weapon batteries to bear but the Battle Planet fired again and his ship was atomised beneath his feet.

The asteroids were blocking nova cannon fire so the ships were forced to weave through, coming painfully close to the Doom Spheres. The Gothics rocketed in close to one of the smaller spheres but even locked on, their lances failed to break down the enemy shields and they took tremendous damage on the return volley.

There was only one gambit that might give them a chance of success.

All three nova-armed ships remaining turned toward the asteroid field between them and the Doom Spheres and, ignoring all proximity alarms forged straight through it. Gigantic rocks impacted the ships but they emerged on the other side and let fire with all their nova cannons, bringing down the shields on one of the smaller spheres and damaging it finally. 

But it was useless.

They were now far too close for a second volley and the Doom Spheres were at their ideal firing range. There was nothing to do but disengage again.

The Doom Spheres could not be defeated.

The Cobra Destroyers put themselves between the Spheres and the capital ships and were blown apart for their sacrifice. But their sacrifice paid off. The capital ships were able to disengage, pulling away from the Doom Spheres and powering out of their limited range.

The third battle had been lost and now little stood between the Doom Spheres and Valorax Prime.

Their only chance was for a final stand to be made there with every ship they could possibly muster.

If not, there was little doubt that Valorax was doomed!

The Doom Spheres: Part Two - Things Get Worse

Imperium vs Orks | Gill v Tim | Gothic | 62 | 115.997.M41

Close to Valorax IX, at Chilltaste Station, an orbital space dock, once used as a docking point and relay point for mining shipments but now lying derelict, the remains of Battlegroup Myrmidon regrouped. 

The Gothic cruisers were joined by three more capital ships from Battlefleet Carrion, a Mars and two Dominators. Their message for reinforcements had been heard and a yet larger force, far more than would be required to crush any attackers, was on its way.

But they did not have unlimited time. Already the Ork fleet had consolidated its strength and was closing on their position, newly determined to break through to Valorax VIII and land their forces. This time the Imperial ships did not have the luxury of clear field of fire and long range. The Orks ships were almost upon them by the time they managed to bring their ships about.

This time there were two Kill Kroozers and a Terror Ship backed up by yet more flitting escorts. Almost before they had chance to react the Ork ships blasted into close rang, coming too close to be targeted by the nova cannons, but they were still taking tremendous damage from the lances and weapons batteries of their enemies.

Then the Onslaught  Attack Ships powered close to Chilltaste Station and locked on, unleashing all the power of their weapons as Savage Gunships closed in behind letting fly their torpedoes. The impacts struck the space station and ripped it apart, blowing it to smithereens so that all the Imperial ships could do was avenge it.

Then not one, but two Doom Spheres came into range of the battle, drifting in from the flank, and Captain Lane of one of the original Gothics realised that their time had run out.

The other ships continued harassing the Orks, ignoring the pleas of Captain Lane to ignore them and turn their attention to the spheres, then the dark black ships unleashed their payload of violet energy.

The shields on both Gothics fell and all but one of the Ork escorts approaching them was wiped out in a string of fiery explosions.

"Turn about!" bellowed Lane. "Now! Ignore the Orks! You have to target the Doom Spheres!"

A split second later, first his ship, then the other Gothic, were obliterated in fiery death, utterly eradicated under the impossibly powerful lance fire of the Doom Spheres who moved inexorably toward the rest of the battlegroup. 

The Ork ships were already breaking off, running silent. They knew the power of these approaching weapons of total destruction and the remaining Imperial ships had no choice but to follow them, to flee before this slowly approaching enemy.

The Imperial ships broke off and fled and the Doom Spheres moved every closer to Valorax Prime. 

Special Character: Damien Gord of the Crimson Blades

The man who would one day become the Captain of the Second Battle Company of the Crimson Blades was born on the poisoned world of Penal-Col-2139B#0653Z, a prison planet where the worst scum of Segmentun Tempestus were sent to wait. If they didn't die within this most harsh and deadly place where the air was unbreathable and the gravity was crushingly dense, then they would be collected and shipped to warzones throughout the segmentum to be thrown casually and carelessly into the worst meat-grinder conflicts imaginable.


Damien Gord's parents were savage killers both, who met on the penal colony, shared little affection and rutted only to express their carnal appetites. Both were natives of Carpelia, as were many of the colony inhabitants, and as such their sun inherited their abhuman physique: overdeveloped musculature and enormous size.

In the cauldron of hostility that existed on Penal-Col-2139B#0653Z, Gord quickly mastered the skills he needed for survival; the strength of arm and will enough to fight off all attackers and establish himself, even as a young teenager as a powerful force of influence among the inmates.

He detested the first generation importees for their criminal ways and meted out his own part of their punishment. Before he was even ten years old he had already beaten his own father to death to prevent him harming a child and he continued to mete out retribution for any wrongs he saw.

By the age of fourteen he had forged a little empire, organising the offspring of the original criminal colonists into an elite police force, imposing order where otherwise there would have been chaos. It was a brutal world with them all trapped in their barely safe air-sealed city and civility and order were luxuries that Damien could neither afford nor wanted. If the thugs did not behave themselves they were beaten or killed.

Long  had Penal-Col-2139B#0653Z been a source of recruits for the Adeptus Astartes chapter of the Men of Stone - not from the criminal colonists but from their children. When the Black Scabbard fell into orbit and sent down its Thunderhawks to seek out fresh neophytes, Damien Gord was quickly singled out.

Reluctant to leave the rabble to fall back into sin it took persuasion from Chapter Mistress Alarice Klein herself to persuade him to go but he quickly warmed to the training and indoctrination of the Space Marines.

With his gigantic, lean and strong body and perfectly controlled mind, Gord excelled in every arena of training and then battle. He joined the second company; working his way through the ranks until he became first a veteran sergeant and then a first company Vanguard Veteran.

It was in the first company that he really proved his worth, leading his squad of men through the harshest battlefield conditions, always risking his own life to save others and always keeping an eye to the mission. When the Men of Stone fought alongside the Ultramarines at Damnos against the Necrons, Gord won accolades that Marneus Calgar himself never forgot.

When the Captain of the Second Company was killed in action against the Orks of Incanda, Alarice Klein called on Damien Gord to take his place. He did this with pride and honour. Never once had he given in to fear. Never once had he lost at war.

A gigantic suit of terminator armour was crafted for his monstrous frame on the shrine world of Antilochus, further enhancing his strength and size until he towered above his fellow marines almost twice their height, a man in girth and stature almost the equal of a primarch. The armour was built to protect him but also to strike out at his enemies with twin power gauntlets and storm bolters attached to each wrist armed with stable plasma charges capable of penetrating plasteel.

It was a design so perfect for battle that Mareneus Calgar had a suit of his own made to fit his own smaller size in honour of this great warrior and friend.

When the calamity came that split the Men of Stone with treachery, Damien Gord and the second company were with the survivors who escaped the carnage on the Black Scabbard.

He made it his own personal mission to hunt down his Chapter Mistress and took leadership of the remaining forces. For one hundred years, he and the remains of the chapter searched for their compatriots, rebuilding their strength, never surrendering, never giving up hope.

Now, as Captain of the Second Company of the Crimson Blades, Damien Gord fights on for honour, glory and victory, one of the mightiest Adeptus Astartes alive today and perhaps the greatest warrior of his Chapter.

Damien Gord uses the rules for Marneus Calgar. 

I have big plans for him in my campaign and though the model is preposterously big compared to normal marines it really is beautiful. As long as I have him functioning alone he looks fine.

Hopefully this story goes some way to justify his monstrous size and establishes him as a special character that is here to stay. 

On the Painting Table: Crimson Blades & their Drop Pods!

You've gotta love Drop Pods.

They're the quintessential Space Marine transport and my favourite by far.

I like to have themed birthdays and Christmases. On the year I got these it was all about Drop Pods from every family I could coerce into it. As a result I have quite a few of them - getting on for a Battle Company's worth.

Obviously it took me a year or three to get round to building any of them.

Now if you compare this one:

 With this one:

 You'll notice a critical difference.

The one above is the original five man Forge World Drop Pod.

And don't I feel stupid now for buying that when if I'd waited a few years I'd have got two or more for the same price.

The Forge World one is actually a tad smaller than the newer GW one but they still look fine together.

 The Drop Pods now match my more subdued Crimson Blade colour scheme (although my vehicles have always been black with red bits).

I'm loving how the force is starting to come together and it should take too long to grow - especially as my next campaign trilogy is going to be about these guys coming to the aid of the Valorax Guard against the evil Imperium. 

Stay tuned!

The Doom Spheres: Part One - Two Kinds of Impending Doom

Imperium vs Orks | Gill v Tim | Gothic | 61 | 113.997.M41

In deep space, at the outer reaches of the Valorax system, Battlegroup Myrmidon glided silently through the void, vast craft containing hundreds and hundreds of menials and technicians, many of whom had never set foot on any planet.

The Battlegroup was tasked with reconnaissance duty, skirting the outer reaches of the system close to Valorax X, one of two freezing mining worlds that had once been pivotal in the systems manufacturing capability.

Valorax Prime was already under attack from numerous extraterrestrial antagonists. It was this small battlefleet’s task to remain vigilant for further incursions; new threats: to engage and destroy if possible and signal for greater help if necessary. The Battlefleet was composed of three capital ships: a Dominator as the flagships, weapons batteries running down its flanks, and two Gothic class cruisers, heavily armed with lance turrets.

 

They had seen no recent fleet action but long range scanners were picking up ship movement at the edge of the system, sunside of the Vandberg Channels from the direction of approach a fleet would take if coming from the Hellslip Passage.

There were no records of planned approaches and no astropathic communication indicating friendly forces. This was reason enough to charge batteries and load weapons systems in readiness.

And then they came into direct scanning range and what had been indiscernible blips on-screen solidified into palpable and imminent danger.

It was Orks! A Kill Kroozer and a veritable swarm of attack ships! If the other blips closing on scanner were to be believed, these were the point ships of what was likely to be a massive invasion force. The Orks on Valorax already, laying siege to Mechlok Base with devastating brutality were only the beginning. This swarm of assault ships was the herald of a far larger force – a force that could devastate the planet and bring all opposition down before it. 

The Ork ships were still a long way off and this area of space was clear of celestial phenomena. This was the perfect opportunity to inflict as much damage as possible as quickly as possible. Admiral Yorvik put the order through to the other ships via subspace transmission to turn about and face the system intruders. Then he calmly ordered a message to be sent to his astropath that a message be sent immediately to the closest fleet relay base that more support was required from Battlefleet Carrion.

His first mate gave a nod. The Dominator’s nova cannon was primed and ready. The Ork ships had powerful but short ranged weaponry. At this range, the entire advantage lay in the ships of Battlegroup Myrmidon. Yorvik gave the command and the first nova cannon shot was unleashed, an immensely powerful missile capable of crippling a ship with a single direct hit.

The first shot fell short. The second exploded with nuclear force beyond its target. Admiral Yorvik quietly ordered his men to adjust their targeting and fire again, each ranging shot bringing their accuracy closer to target. 

The Orks were blasting all ahead full but they were still so far away, far too far for them to be able to fire – when the first nova cannon shell connected with the Kill Kroozer, ripping a massive gouge in its flank as gasses, air and hundreds of screaming Orks were sucked out into space.

The next nova cannon blast struck it in the prow, crippling the engine room and disarming its starboard weapons batteries. Still undeterred, the escorts and the listing but determined Kill Kroozer, kept coming, closing the gap.

Admiral Yorvik put the command through to the Gothic class capital ships to prepare a precisely calculated turn to expose the enemy to their broadside lances.

Then from the darkness from which the Ork fleet had come, a huge black sphere glided into sensor range. It was vast and unlike anything Admiral Yorvik had seen before and in those first instants he had two thoughts: the first that this was some kind of super weapon built by the Orks to rain greater destruction on the Imperium, despite it apparent elegance; the second that perhaps the Orks weren’t gunning their engines in attack. Perhaps instead they were rocketing through space away from this thing. Perhaps they were fleeing from it.

And then the Orks reach the outer range of their weapons and Yorvik had no more time for contemplation.

They let fly with their gunz at his ships as the Gothic returned fire with their lances. The Dominator lost the ability to use the nova cannon as the Ork ships dropped too close and it started to turn to level instead its weapon batteries.

Suddenly the void was filled with light and fire as the Ork and Imperial ships let fly with every weapon at their disposal.

And still beyond them, the dark sphere continued its slow approach.

The lances of the Gothics took out a slew of Ork attack ships, the shields of the escort craft insufficient to protect them. The Imperial ships took damage but the Orks had lost all initiative by taking losses early on. There were too many unharmed and powerful Imperial ships compared to their already beleaguered fleet.

They continued doing damage but it was too little and suddenly the Ork warlord gave the order for full withdrawal. Making rapid turns and dropping all external power, the Ork ships went dark, slipping away into the void, leaving only smoke trails, debris and floating squirming corpses.

But still the black sphere came.

Bringing his ship about, Admiral Yorvik put out a hail that remained unanswered. The black sphere kept coming but it remained transmission-silent.

Yorvik was a calm man but he was also a cautious one. He tried one final hail then ordered the nova cannon be readied once more.

It was a big and ponderous target. Accuracy was not a problem. The nova cannon missile streaked through the darkness and made a direct hit in the centre of the sphere – exploding harmlessly against its shields.

The missile should have done immense damage. Instead it did nothing.

Admiral Yorvik and his command staff stood gaping, motionless as the dark sphere moved ever closer.

Then its weapons activated and in less than a split second his ship was torn apart and scattered to the void.

The captains of the Gothic cruisers panicked. Weapons of that power were unheard of. There was no ship they had encountered that withstand and unleash combat potential like that. And now the Dominator was gone, along with their commander.

They came about as the weapons of the Sphere turned their way, raking the flank of the ship closest to it as it struggled to break off in its attack run.

Massive explosions tore out sections of the cruiser’s hull. There was nothing else for it. Their only option was to enact a full disengagement as the Orks had done.

Both remaining ships cut power and drifted, desperately hoping to break off the engagement.

The powerful object drifted on as though it had not even cared about their presence.

It drifted on in its path in-system. It’s path toward Valorax Prime.

The Doom Sphere had come.