Blood Angel Captains (Heroic and Corrupted)

Hi All,

In addition to the prisoner, I've been working on a couple of blood angels captains - one heroic guy (as sort of counts as Dante - because blood angel captains not having artificer armour as an option is rubbish!).

I was playing around with a few spare bits and came up with a corrupted equivalent (After reading the Dornian Heresy materials - the idea of chaos blood angels has interested me). Anyway here are the very WIP photos (I've gone a lot further on the Imperial guy since these pics).

I plan on trying a Zenithal lighting effect (I do have an aribrush - but I want to do this one by hand).

The Corrupted





The Imperial Hero Nathaniel Malachi

I'm going for a top down highlight... The first two pics only show a basecoat- they gave me a rough lighting reference...





The power armour highlighted (I've since done the wings, base and head)











Sorry about the pics poor quality!

Laney:D

looking good! cant wait to see more, keep up the good work

Here he is with a bit more done...





I've started on Huron of the Astral Claws (He's going to join the Blood Angels)... I hate white undercoat to paint over!



I've been working on some sanguinary priests that I built a while ago... One on a bike, one with a jump pack and a Corbulo kitbash.

Cheers Laney:D

Looks good. I like the highlighting you have done on the first captain. Looks really nice.

Thanks - next time I try this I will use my airbrush (still in its box from the Summer!).

I find the biggest trouble with painting blood angels is that there are so many amazing paintjobs out there already! However, the blood angels kits (especially the death company) are probably my favourite of all the marines - superbly ornate!

The posing on the first captain is difficult to photograph - he is sweeping down on an unsuspecting enemy (or at least that's the point!)

Cheers Laney:D

Another ace project! I have been gawking at the pics... trying to absorb the techniques and learning how the big boys do this. AMAZING! The poses for all the models are incredible and the paint job... well, it's a Laney^*!


* Yes, just like saying it's a Van Gogh, a Da Vinci or a DeafNala.

Looking very cool! Are you going to finish the Angels first before you start on the Corrupted? Very curious how he'll look!

No plan as such - the corrupted might get finished next week or languish on my workbench for a year (just like poor old Huron has - he was a Christmas 2010 present - I've not painted the tau battlesuit from then either!). My resolution for this year is to not buy any new armies (so blood angels, nurgle, grey knights and IG are ok) and only buy when specific bits are needed (I do want another IG squad/inquisitorial henchman squad) - this should be the year of paint instead!

Cheers Laney:D

I made a similar resolution, but iI bought lord of the rings miniatures today! :p I am going to paint all that I have before I buy more!!

I've had a thought about the corrupted - he might make a cool Mephiston (with appropriate weapon changes). I may have the bits in my bits box to make a second.

Descent of Angels Army

Well I worked around my resolution, by purchasing a whole new army for Blood Angels. I wanted to build an army with all the cool bits available at the same time. So I shelled out for a 1500point (all plastic - plus some bits box metal) descent of angels army. I bought...

1 space marine command squad (in retrospect and tactical squad would been a better buy)

2 sanguinary guard squad

1 regular assault squad (to mix and match/add variety - creating some plainer paint surfaces)

3 death company squads (so many cool bits!)

Plus a couple of already built sanguinary priests, a vanguard vet model (that needs a new SG jump pack) and a few other bits and bobs..

Modelling suggestions so far: Sergeants, SG and independent characters with all have SG jump packs, the bases will all be regular sized 25mm to make it tournament legal and the bases will all use slate pieces to create interesting platforms for the jump pack models (I too often don't have a coherent look to the bases).

1500 point Descent of Angels Army List (This is a comparitvely economic list - equivalent(ish) in cost to Draigowing or similar)...

HQ Dante 225 (Making the SG troops is great)

TROOPS

Assault Squad Alpha (10) Meltagun (2), Sergeant: Power Weapon, Meltabombs 230

Assault Squad (10) Flamer (2), Sergeant: Power Weapon, Hand Flamer 225

ELITES

Troops Sanguinary Guard (5) Infernus Pistol (2), Chapter Banner 250

Sanguinary Priest Jump Pack, Power Weapon 90

Sanguinary Priest Jump Pack, Power Weapon 90

FAST ATTACK

Vanguard Veterans (7) Lightning Claws (3), Storm Shield (3), Power Weapon, Infernus Pistol, Sergeant: Power Fist, Storm Shield 390

Total 1500 Points Exactly

Any thoughts on the army? I intend to use the obvious aggressive style of play with these guys.

And now to a name... I want them to be a blood angel successor chapter of my own devising rather than the standard chapters. I thought about the blood drinkers for a little while, but the yellow trim on bright red is a little old school for my tastes. The ideas I have for a name are as follows (no particular order)...

1. Angels Incruentatus (meaning Bloodless)
   
2. Furious Angels
   
3. Avenging Angels
   
4. Angels Repentant/Penitent
   
5. Sons of Lucifer
   
6. Shadow Angels
   

Modelling...

I have built the 7 Vanguard Veterans (I'll post pics once my camera has recharged). The lightning claws are power fists with lightning claw blades added to the fingers, because the terminator claws seemed too bulky and I dislike the design. The storm shields are a mix of designs (I wanted all the Vets to look individual). I also have two sanguinary priests (the one based on an old metal body is unbalanced - I need to weigh down the base). I've also built a spare librarian and started the second assault squad.

Pics to follow soon!

Laney:D

Here are some WIP pics of the Sanguinary Priests...





Jump Pack Librarian (wings not attached yet!) - He's not part of my first list - but might add to the 2000 point list.



7 Jump Pack Vanguard Veterans (up to 10 in 2000 point armies)...













The start of the second Assault Squad WIP...



Cheers Laney:D

Great looking squads so far!
I like their dynamic poses!

Thanks Gatlag - I'm trying for an anti-cookie cutter army - every marine will have his own name (and mini back story). Each model will be as individual as I can manage. The sergeant and special characters will get wings - the rest get regular jump packs. This is a veteran heavy army (at least in how they look).

Laney:D

How did you make the claws on the guys with the shields? They look awesome!

The claws (because I hate lightning claws how they usually look!) are easy.

Take a power fist (normal or termie) and a termie lightning claw.

Cut the claws off the lightning claw.

Cut the fingers off the power fist, up to the first joint.

Carefully glue the claws onto the now flat finger positions (leaving the thumb clear - but this could have a claw too).

Job Done! (Cue a shout from Mord for a tutorial with pics! )

Cheers Laney:D

That is the difference with Laney and me. The 'excuse':

"Sorry, I could not do anything for my Prisoner as I got a little distracted."

What happened to me: I had to wash laundry.
What happened to Laney: He converted TEN awesome Marines.


I want to be like Laney when I grow up.

Mordheimer wrote:

I want to be like Laney if I grow up.

There, I fixed it...

HEY!!! I tell you... no respect!

I absolutely love the Vanguard Veteran conversions! All of it looks great, but those guys are going to steal the show!

I like the list too, BA are one of the only effective assault dex's out there.

The only thing I see lacking is your ability to deal with a Mech opponent. You need more can openers. From what I can tell is your ability to crack tanks is limited to two or three units with varying effectiveness from each source of the FREEEEEEMM!! you'll need to reliably crack a tank.

Melee is a terrible way to beat on tanks because you're not locked in combat and your list doesn't have the numbers to survive a torrent of fire. You want to be in melee, or if not, be charging into melee at all times. Cracking tanks to get to the chewy insides is what you want so you can follow up into assault. Secondly your chance to hit a tank is based on it's velocity which is going to allow xenos Dark Eldar to use your not-quite-dead-yet Blood Angels for inter-webway cosmetic's advertisements.

Are you certain about the flamers? Yes, they will help you in some bad matchups, Tyranids or orks for instance, but they are still going to be bad matchups and your opponent will likely take casualties out in a manner to make it difficult for that squad to get into melee. I think I would go with the melta combo in the second assault squad as well. Otherwise they could land and really have nothing they can actually shoot for effect.

Also, How did you paint that power sword? That is vey much a look I would like to use on my GK. Please lemme know!

Thanks for the list advice - I may modify once the base army is complete (I like to build the options rather than magnetise - gives me more modelling fun!). To put it simply - I need more shooty ways of popping tanks (I had considered a second melta squad - but I do occasionally meet tyranids - not that I've played at all for a year or so).

There is a power sword tutorial around somewhere I did a while back, here's the link...

http://www.deathsquadsgame.com/t918-power-sword-tutorial-with-more-to-follow

Cheers Laney

The modelling on the army is now completed (sorry no pics - quite busy this weekend). My next step is to finish the bases and check for mouldlines before undercoating.

The Colour Scheme for these guys will be a mix of dark red (more clotted than fresh blood), with silver/grey secondary colour (silver for veterans and grey for regular).

I have modified the army list slightly (taking into account JD3s advice)...

• HQ
  
• Dante
  
• Troops
  
• Assault Squad Alpha: Meltagun (2), Power Weapon, Melta Bombs (1)
  
• Assaut Squad Beta: Meltagun (2), Power Weapon
  
• Elites
  (Troops) Sanguinary Guard: Infernus Pistol (2), Chapter Banner
  
• Sanguinary Priests (2): Power Weapon (2), Jump Pack (2)
  
• Fast Attack
  
• Vanguard Veterans (7): Power Fist, Storm Shield (4), Lightning Claw (4), Infernus Pistol (1), Power Weapon (1)
  

I was wondering if the Vanguard Veteran build is right - should I instead go for a squad of 10 (which I can then combat squad if needed), with 3 infernus pistols for tank killing and 3 power weapons for squad killing - They are my 'assassins' with heroic intervention.

Also any value in dreadnought drop pods and blood talons at higher points values (or even this one)?

Cheers Laney

Although those sanguinary guard are as normal an Elite slot, because of Dante they ARE troops choices, which means they fill a Troop FOC slot instead of Elite

The problem with your vanguard is that for them to do heroic intervention is to place the squad in reserve and then rely entirely on reserve rolls to get them into the game. Which, is a SIGNIFICANT chunk of your army sitting off the table doing nothing. Really, in my mind. and at such a low points totaly, you need all the power on the field that you can muster, otherwise your army will be picked apart on the way in. You have no reserve manipulation to get them in earlier either, which hurts you even worse. Heroic Intervention is a good strategy, however, you have to look at what can go wrong. To be able to assault after deep striking is a powerful ability. BUT..... to do so means your squad will need to be within 6". This leaves you open to many things: let me illistrate for you.

So you want to be within that 6", however you want to minimize getting a deep strike mishap, or ending up out of assault range. Which means your initial thought is to place them slightly closer than 6". Like so:



Which puts you in a more ideal situation, however greatly raising the probability of mishapping into the squad you want to charge (the scatter dice in this case is where the squad would end up, in which your mishap you have either they don't come in, your opponent can place them ANYWHERE on the table, or the entire unit is destroyed).


On average with your BA DoA jump packs you will get a roll of 3.5, which is really a 4 on your scatter. Which means you should plan accordingly. So really you should place at 6". This gives you more of a chance to be out of range, but it greatly decreases your mishap chances.






That last one puts you out of assault range. HOWEVER, this is something that a LOT of people forget, is that you can RUN after you deep strike instead of shooting. This could allow you to jump into terrain, or even back behind BLOS terrain to prevent your squad from being shot at, or even to spread them out to minimize the impact of template or blast type weapons on the squad. Now just remember that DoA doesn't give you a realiable Deep Strike, just a slightly less risky deep strike than normal. Don't be overconfident with it, because that will result in a loss of the squad, but don't be overly cautious either. This is something I've learned in the 4+ years playing my Deathwing army. The moment you go balls to the wall with the squad and throw them way forward than the rest of your army is the moment that that squad is lost. Your initial instinct is going to be to through them at the biggest nastiest grubly you can find, however do NOT do this unless the rest of your army is in range to support that unit. Really this thought process also expands into the Drop Podding Furioso that you want to do as well. That drop pod comes in turn one, always, so be prepared to either drop it empty, or to move everything forward as fast as possible to support that dreadnought.

Thanks for the tactical info DoZer - made for a really interesting read.

The idea with the Vanguard is to cause (potentially) the opponent to worry about the potential havoc that can be wrought on ranged forces of my opponent. I can always choose (dependent on the opponent) to not heroically intervene or deep strike if the opponent doesn't offer me a decent opening.

Would a squad with 3 infernus pistols and 3 power swords be more flexible? I know the durability of it is hugely reduced - plus I love the lightning claw/storm shield models.

The only thing that doesn't work (and this makes the vanguard even riskier) is that they can't run if I've called a heroic intervention.

Another question though - can a ten man squad, combat squad if they deep strike in this way? (In other words split at deployment and melta a tank with one combat squad, while heroically slicing up a heavy weapon squad with the other). The FAQ doesn't seem to prevent this.

Cheers Laney:D

MAN!!! II got lost even with the pretty pictures! I guess I'm still too traumatized... Just remembered... Dreadnought with HEAVY FLAMERS. Ouch... my Gaunts! 19 out of 20... roasted!

Seriously... Dozer is a great strategist. Not only he can crunch the numbers, but he LOVES to play fluffy. The end result is a fluffy army that maximizes the rules.... so close to , yet non of the stench!