Death Blades Land Speeder

An Imperial Land Speeder assigned to the 9th Necromundan "Death Blades" for recon duties. The land speeders of the Imperial Guard, although rare, are most often used for scouting and reconnaissance where their superior mobility can be utilised effectively. The 9th Necromundan use a variety of different units for gathering intel, including sentinels, specialist infantry, abhumans such as ratlings, light cavalry and land speeders like the one shown here.

As they are few in number, land speeders are most commonly assigned to other mobile formations like assault platoons, rough riders and sentinels where their rapidly deploying heavy weapons act as a valuable force multiplier.

The speeder shown below is attached to F company green platoon, where it provides close heavy support for the grav-chute deploying infantry platoon. This speeder is armed with a multi melta for anti tank duties, and an underslung heavy flamer for anti infantry support. The varied loadout indicates that green platoon were most likely being rapidly deployed into a zone defended by a mixed force.

Note the small arms being used by the crew, indicating that the speeder is about to engage or be engaged at close quarters. Due to the nature of green platoon's rapid deployments all assets are expected to assist with forming a beachhead or breakthrough at close quarters during the stages immediately after a drop. For the former gangers of Necromunda who excel at combat in close confinement, missions such as this are undertaken with a reasonable likelihood of success, albeit at a high rate of attrition.

The Noxious Blightbringer

A noxious blightbringer from the Death Guard forces sighted on the prison colony world of Neu-Diemenslandt.

As typical of Death Guard legionnaires from the Blighted Path, this individual has retained the pre heresy colouration of the Death Guard legion. The armour itself has been highly modified as is typical of plague marines, being in a severe state of decay, and displaying numerous unsanctioned modifications.

The hoses fitted to the helmet are typical, however the mutation displayed on the armour's backpack indicates that this individual is well advanced down the path of damnation.

Other superficial additions to the armour have been added, notably chain mail, heretic iconography and miscellaneous wargear attached to the belt, as well as trophy's and iconography on the pauldrons.

The individual is armed with an archaic plasma pistol that is likely to be a relic of the age of darkness and appears to have maintained its functionality, indicating that the individual has continued to maintain their wargear despite the generally dilapidated appearance, or that the pistol was of a superior design, or both.  The icon carried by the former legionnaire is of unknown origin, and appears to be archaic in function.

Image hosting blues...

So, I'm an optimist at heart. I've been avoiding this message for a while, hoping it would go away...

Unfortunately it hasn't.

Herald of the Blighted Path

A rare pict capture of the captain of the plagueship Harbringer of Woe; the Death Guard Lord Borshak is known by many names; Borshak the Blightlord, Scourge of Exodus, Borshak the Blade, The Ruinmaker. However the most fitting title, and that which is most topical to Imperial forces in the Neu Diemensland system, is the Herald of the Blighted Path. Borshak's path to dark glory is currently in ascendancy, as he cuts a swathe of despair through the Imperium at the head of a army of heresy. Followed by Death Guard legionnaires, heretics, traitors and mutants, his followers numbers swell and their fanaticism grows as the Path progresses.

Hellblade unleashed...

Hellblades are capable air superiority fighters if deployed in high enough numbers. The Death Guard capitol ship Harbringer of Woe carries large numbers of fighters such as these, and they were active in the skies of Neu-Diemensland prior to the deployment of ground troops.

This pict capture was taken during the late stages of the air war, prior to the mass landing of ground forces from the Death Guard.

Gigas The Samarithan

Pict capture of XIVth Legion Apothecary Gigas "The Samarithan" at some stage during the age of darkness. A native of Barbarus, The Samarithan rose quickly through the ranks of the Death Guard, eventually becoming a Primis Medicae in the Legion prior to it's fall. Here he is armoured in a suit of MKIV plate, complete with fully functioning narthecium. Note the extensive battle damage on the armour of The Samarithan, typical of the legionnaires of the XIVth.

He is armed here with a modified bolt pistol, complete with extended barrel (most likely for increased accuracy, with a high probability of a slight decrease in rate of fire) and some form of chemical augmentation, possibly to increase the lethality of fragmenting bold rounds. He also carries an archaic chainsword, ironically dubbed the Emperors Grace. The Samarithan was a brutal battlefield medic, with one of the highest euthanising rates within his legion. Weather this is due to the inhospitable nature of the war zones that the legion often fought in, or simply the fact that Gigas used it as a motivational tool for his troops is unknown. Gigas was also a vocal proponent for conducting unsanctioned gene-seed research, so it is probable that he overzealously harvested his fallen brothers gene seed for his own gene seed experiments within his legion. Irrespective, a "visit by the Samarithan" became a byword for battlefield euthanasia within some chapters of the XIVth.

The Samarithan also continues to display the prime helix symbol on his tabard and right shoulder pauldron awarded to him prior to the events of Istvaan. The left pauldron has been significantly modified, complete with additional reinforcing and some form of arcane technology, possibly for defensive purposes. 

Also of note is the decapitated head hung from the armour. While displaying trophy kills are a rare but utilised practice amongst some legions, this skull has been positively identified as that of a fellow traitor Death Guard legionnaire, further legitimising the claims that the Samarithan used battlefield euthinasia as a tool for reinforcing the morale of those fighting under his command.

Epic Warehouses

An eldar guardian formation moves through an industrial sector on Neu- Diemenslandt.

Foot Farseer and Friends

An eldar farseer from the Saim-Hann craftworld with guardian support.

Hyper Vyper Biker Snipers.

Eldar Vyper jet bikes from the Saim-Hann craftworld.

Guardian formation is go!

A mixed formation of guardians, wraithguard and their wave serpent transports.

Epic Eldar Rangers

Xenos eldar scouts from the Saim-Hann Craftworld sighted on Neu-Diemenslandt. The scouts of the eldar forces on Neu-Diemensland are believed to have been present for some time, prior to their discovery. The eldar often use scouts such as these as forward observers prior to full scale invasions.

Hawks and Spears and Vypers, oh my!

So I have had often wondered how many epic bases I can bash out in one beer and podcast fuelled painting frenzy. It turns out the answer is 21!

Jetbikes, flagpoles and bread clips

I have been procrastinating for a while now over how to represent shining spear jetbikes in my epic games.
After a few drafts I am starting to settle on something like the following...

Galatea Pax

A consul of the Death Guard Legion during the Great Crusade, Galatea Pax showed a proficiency in brutal close assaults and firefights. Like other members of his legion, he was able to perform any role on the battlefield, but excelled as a destroyer. He often took on the role of Moritat, choosing his own mission objectives as he saw fit. Nimis Zog, his commander, typically allowed Pax to operate with a large degree of freedom, knowing that his abilities were being put to good use wherever Pax chose to apply them.

Here Pax can be seen equipped for a Moritat role, armed with short ranged weaponry and equipped with a jump pack for rapidly re-deploying to engage his target. Pax has chosen to eschew the use of a second plasma pistol in this case, deciding instead to carry the more reliable legion bolt pistol instead. Note the complex custom targeting scope fitted to the plasma pistol, and unusual design, indicating that it is likely to be a relic of the legion. 

Also of note is the lack of unit and honour markings, with superficial damage present on the armour, which the Death Guard legionnaires often chose to allow to accumulate over time. 

Nimis Zog

Pict capture of Traitor Death Guard officer, Nimis Zog, believed to be taken early in the Age of Darkness. Like all Death Guard legionnaires, Zog was skilled in many aspects of warfare. He proved to be a highly skilled consul, excelling at siege breaker and moritat roles during the great crusade. He later went on to be a capable, if unorthodox, field commander. Zog is armed here with a Power Fist and Lightning Claw, a combination that he used to great effect after the events of Istvaan III. It is believed that the relic terran power fist he is armed with was taken from a defeated loyalist Death Guard who had relinquished his legion and re-imaged his armour in the early crusade Dusk Raiders colours that were in use prior to the rediscovery of their Primarch. Zog is said to have beaten the terran to death on Istvaan III with his own fist after first disabling him with a lethal duel plasma pistol salvo that also wounded Zog himself. Zog retained the fist as a trophy, and used it to great effect against the loyalists he later encountered. Zog's armour appears to be a mix of different patterns, typical of "MKV" armour, complete with molecular bonding studs on the shoulder and leg greaves. 

Hanging from his belt can be seen a pendant from the priests of Davin that provided him with additional protection. It was believed that this pendant contained some form of archeotech field generator due to the significant protection that it provided to it's bearer.

Another item of particular note is the retention of an oath of moment on Zog's belt, indicating that he has retained some of the martial traditions of the legions after declaring his loyalty to the warmaster.

Wild Rider Farseer

An Eldar Farseer from the Saim-Hann craftworld rides to war with a wild rider. 

The Bloody Handed God

An avatar of The Bloody Handed God, Kaela Mensha Khaine, is summoned by Eldar Seers.

Falcons

Eldar falcon grav tanks secure an imperial building.

Eldar Tempests

An Eldar Xenos superheavy class grav tank sighted on the Imperial Prison Colony world of Neu Diemenslandt. While no engagements have taken place with the Eldar to date, the presence of superheavy vehicles indicates that there is a high probability of a significant battle soon.

Shadowswords!

Imperial Shadowswords of the 9th Necromundan Superheavy (Black) company traverse the ash wastes of Neu Diemensland. These tanks show several signs that they have been deployed as a part of the Necromundan regiment for some time, including gang markings painted on the armoured panels, engine kill markings predominantly displayed adjacent to the main gun, and various other honour markings on the tank's flanks. The tank on the far right has reinforced side armour in place of sponson secondary weapons, with the crew painting a stylised red Death Blades kill banner on the armoured panels.

The command tank, with yellow command symbol painted on it's flank, is equipped with sponson heavy bolters and a cupola mounted storm bolter as secondary weapons. While the third tank is equipped with sponson heavy bolters only. Often lascannon secondary weapons are fitted to shadowsword sponsons, but both of these tanks have exchanged the lascannons for improved rangefinding and targeting equipment, to allow them to be more accurate with the volcano cannon main armament.

In most deployments it is rare for shadowswords to be fielded as a single formation, with commanders preferring to distribute individual shadowswords throughout their forces. Formations such as this are normally only deployed against a formidable enemy force, when the situation calls for massed war engine killing armament.

The Revenants Walk

Pict capture of a xenos war engine recently sighted on the Imperial Prison Colony world of Neu Diemenslandt. Until recently there has been no documented xenos activity in the war zone, however the sighting of the war engine indicates that a significant force is likely to be present in system. When or how they arrived remains unknown, as does their force disposition and objectives.

This engine is one of the smaller titan class engines utilised by the Eldar, and is often associated with heavily armed, rapidly moving strike forces that are able to play havoc with slower moving imperial forces. This particular titan is armed with twin pulse lasers, representing a significant threat to superheavy class vehicles and titans. As no contact has been made by the Eldar it is unknown what their objectives are in this war zone, however it is highly probable that they will be a high level threat to both Imperial and traitor forces.

The Pledge for 2017

What I said I'd do, what I did and what I say I will do.

In 2016 I pledged that I would do the following:

1. Paint up the 28mm Death Blades models that I currently own. Purchase what bits I need to do this.
2. Paint up the 6mm Death Guard Models that I own. Including the supporting Titan Legion.
3. Purchase and paint some heavy vehicles for the 6mm Death Blades.
4. Paint up some Dark Future models, including purchasing some models on foot.
5. Finish rolling up and modelling my Nurgle Warbands for Realms of Chaos.
6. Find a like minded gaming group and play some games.
7. Keep going with the Old Lead Undead. Hopefully at a faster rate than 1 model per year.

And here is how I went...