A Much Delayed Game: Epic Horus Heresy

Almost 4 years ago I decided to paint up a 6mm army for Epic Horus Heresy. My friend Iannick in Montreal had been working on a Epic army for some time and I remember looking at his army one day and thinking it would be sort of fun to paint up an army. I knew nothing about 40K wargaming and I have to say I had not a whole lot of interest in non-historical wargaming, but I decided to plunge in A Flight into Fantasy.

We both finally had build up armies: Iannick with the Emperors Children, a traitor faction in the Horus Heresy and myself with the Blood Angels, a loyalist faction about 2 years ago and planned to have our first game using the Epic NetAE rules on 2020-22-3. Of course as we all know that was about a week before the border between the US and Canada closed in Covid Year 1. Six months ago, the border reopened to casual travel so was finally able to re-establish myself in my native country.

Yesterday we finally got our first game in, I should note that neither of us had played the ruleset before (there numerous different variations) but the game actually played well. We both went with 2000 point armies and decided not to play with any aerial units. I do not have a copy of Iannick's OB but mine was exactly the same as I planned to use almost 2 years ago. 

I have to admit, no tactical considerations were made in putting together this army, I was just interested in putting some models on the table. I had made some terrain and had an old dessert mat so I transported this to Ahuntsic in a single shopping bag and we had a game.

We played for about 3 hours and the Blood Angels were soundly defeated by the Emperor's Children, but I have to say I think I only rolled 1's every time I tried to rally a unit. It was a lot of fun, and I will look forward to my next game.

A wintery view from my apartment in Mile End last night.

Some Terrain for Epic: AHPCX #8

Myself and Iannick are planning to have our first 30k Epic game in three weeks, I have never played before and I do not think that Iannick has played Epic Armageddon since he was a young lad.  We are planning to use 2000 +/- 100 point forces and are playing the NetEA rules with the Horus Heresy lists. I am playing the Blood Angels and Iannick the Emperor's Children. I believe the plan is to play on a 4x4 terrain with no spaceship's, but everything else goes. I have my list together but keeping it a secret in order to confound Iannick. as we had no terrain, I have been keeping the CR10S busy. I already have a desert mat and some hills (from Rommel) as well as some 6 mm roads and rivers which will do, I really can not imagine the 30k world being a lush, verdant one, but of course I really have no idea as I know nothing about this world! I am looking forward to getting my force on the table though and the rules themselves do not look too complicated.

A Warhound for scale, I am hoping it is right

Ruined buildings, some objective markers and game tokens, all done on the 3D printer.

Regimental HQ in bottom left. I will make an orbital blast marker later but only needed this one for our upcoming game.

Bit of a challenge to match colouring with mat but pretty good I believe.

Detail of markers and and objectives.

Wish us luck in our game.

The Blood Angels are Ready for Battle

Two years ago as a part of the AHPC VII, I presented the start of a Blood Angels Horus Heresy Epic Army with the hope that some day a Pan-Canadian Epic Challenge could take place. We have made a couple of attempts but as one knows Canada is a big country and to get three gamers (Curt, Greg and Byron) from Western Canada to meet up with 2 gamers (Iannick and myself) from Eastern Canada presents a challenge. An attempt was made last summer but quickly floundered due to scheduling difficulties.

Well at least I can say now that I am ready as my 4000+ point Epic army is completed. My painting of small figures has evolved and I have to say that painting the final 40 tiny Space Marines was not as bad as I thought it was going to be. As usual once photographed I can see some errors but overall I believe they will look good on the table.

Jet Bikes

Assault Squad

with a Chaplain

Glaive

Using a calculator, here is the make up of my Blood Angels force. I have designed the army to have 3 wings with infantry assault force, an armoured force and an airborne force. I have no idea how the rules work but I am hopeful that the force is balanced.

As you can see, I have one too many supports for my Terminator Squadron. Just could not decide between the Thunderhawk Gunship and the Storm Eagle. I think I also have one too many Lords of War units but maybe not as I believe the cut off is 33% of the total core force with supports.

Here we have the whole force, it is funny how little space they take. The beauty of 6mm, I suppose. 

AHPCVIII Eleventh Submission: Epic Air Support

I received these models a couple of weeks ago and they really are first class and a lot of fun to paint. I have now completed my purchases for my 4000 point Horus Heresy Epic army. Still some painting to do, but should be ok to go for that planned but not yet scheduled Canadian East versus West Epic battle. The Blood Angels will be ready!

I have a tendency to overpaint these small models, but time was limited and I think I have them just right. I did learn an important painting tip this time around. I had been priming the models red and then using a wash to bring out the details. This time I primed them black and then used an airbrush to spray the red. Much better effect for shadowing but leaves the high points bright.

The descriptions of the airships are from the Warhammer 40k Fandom.

Kharybdis Assault Claw

The Kharybdis Assault Claw is a type of Drop Pod used by the Legiones Astartes during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy. The Kharybdis is a monstrous drop pod capable of carrying large assault forces through the void and mounting significant firepower to blast a path through defending small craft. As a fully operational dropship, these craft serve as orbit-to-surface transports, a role that allows them to use the firepower of their storm launchers and melta cutters to scour clean their chosen landing zone before disembarking their deadly cargo. 

Storm Eagle

The Storm Eagle is a heavy assault gunship used by the Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes as a heavy tactical air support unit. Storm Eagle gunships will follow a Space Marine Chapter's Thunderhawk gunships and Drop Pods into battle, where it can lend its weapons to a devastating aerial assault. The Storm Eagle mounts an impressive amount of firepower for an aircraft of its size and is also capable of transporting twenty Space Marines directly into the thick of a ground assault.

Xiphon Interceptors

The Xiphon Pattern Interceptor is a void and atmospheric flight-capable fighter craft once used by the Space Marine Legions of old. The Xiphon Interceptor was widely used by the Legiones Astartes during the early days of the Great Crusade, before falling out of regular service and seeing a resurgence in general use during the Horus Heresy due to shortages of available combat aircraft.

AHPCVIII: Fourth Submission-Epic Armageddon

It has been a year since I added any figures to my Epic Armageddon Blood Angels force. I thought to celebrate the dawn of 2018 that it would be nice to paint some. In AHPCVII, I had painted my way to just over 2000 points of a planned 3000 point force. Time to add some, methinks.

I had these 5 vehicles left over from the prize I won in last year's challenge, so they were pulled out yesterday from the lead pile and I rushed to get them done before the New Year. They are certainly much more complicated to do than WWII 6 mm armour. I still do not have it right, but they look a little better than last year's efforts.

Falchion Superheavy Tank Destroyer

A Company of Predator Destructors

Legio Pallidus Mor: The Pale Rider

I have had this model on my painting desk for quite some time, but finally got it finished yesterday. This Warhound Scout Titan represents the first Allied Lords of War weapon that I have added to my Epic Blood Angels force. At 275 points it was not too costly. Again from the 40k Fan Site.

The Warhound-class Titan belongs to the smallest class of Imperial Titan, and is used as a scout or as the flanking element of a Titan Legion in conjunction with others of its kind. The Warhound-class Titan is thus the most common form of what is classified as a Scout Titan by the Collegia Titanica.

The Epic 30-40k World is quite complex to the uninitiated but I am slowly starting to understand it. As noted above the Titans serve different Forge Worlds and at the break up of the empire during the Horus Heresy like the Legion Astartes, the Collegia Titanica also split into Traitor and Loyalist factions.

My next decision was what loyalist Titan legion I should pick, as I was running through the lists I came upon the name Legio Pallidus Mor. I had made my decision. More from the 40K Wiki.

The Legio Pallidus Mor is one of the most ancient Titan Legions of the Collegia Titanica and has always been a fervent supporter of the Emperor of Mankind. The Legioparticipated in some of the most gruesome fighting of the Great Crusade, often fighting side-by-side with the grim Astartes of the IV Legion, the Iron Warriors. Within the Pale Riders this is a source of both great pride and great shame: pride for the bloody battles and protracted sieges that eventually led the Iron Warriors to rebel but only deepened the Legio 's resolve and devotion to the Emperor, and shame because they did not call out the change that overcame their allies. It was this shame that led the Pallidus Mor to sequester almost all of its historical data, though they valiantly fought in defence of the Imperium during the Horus Heresy.

Since the great betrayal by their closest allies, the Legio Pallidus Mor's credo has been one of self-reliance, dogged tenacity and grim fatalism. As a Legion, the Pale Riders have never cringed to pay the butcher's bill, and accounts of detachments emerging decimated but victorious from a battle are the very epitome of this mentality. A Princeps of the Pallidus Mor will always march expecting the worst possible outcome. He will not allow himself to be misguided by the vain trappings of honour and fame. He will sacrifice anything, including his life, that of his crew and most important of all, that of his God-engine, if it means securing victory. Perhaps unusually for a Titan Legion, none of the Princeps of the Pallidus Mor are interred in an ammiotic tank but choose to remain close to their human form while commanding their Titan. Additionally, this Legion's Titan crews keep themselves in peak physical condition and undergo regular training and fire-drills to allow them to defend themselves in hand-to-hand combat. As a consequence, each crew-member always carries a side-arm should circumstances dictate the need to fight outside their God-engines or survive alone in the wilds.

Their colours are midnight black and ivory which also attracted me. I just could not get the ivory right so I decided to try a yellow glaze and lo and behold, I got yellow. Not initially what I planned but attractive enough and definitely different the my red coloured Blood Angels. First time I used a glaze, I was quite impressed, I will have to experiment some more with them.

It is armed with a Plasma Blastgun on the right and a Vulcan Mega Bolter on the left. I hope I have it right.

I used the vallejo alcohol based metals a great product.

I left the armour on the leg simple with the hope that I could find an appropriate  decal.

I left the main body simple

I got the idea to add a couple of troopers from Iannick. They really add the dimension of scale

Need to take down the side view ports (eyes), a little maybe.

Finally Some Painting: Javelin Attack Speeders

I have been very slow to get some painting done over the last 4 months, I suppose this is normal after the Painting Challenge but I also unexpectedly became quite ill and for 6 weeks in April and May, I had 3 hospital admissions and emergency surgery....it was not fun. I am all recovered now, so time to get back to the paint table.

I had started these figures in early April, they were almost done aside from some finish work. On the table with them was a Warhound, hopefully I will get this finished soon.

These are metal figures painted in the livery of the Blood Angels for my Epic Armageddon force for the 30k Horus Heresy. They are lovely little models and it was fun painting them although I did find it a little difficult to pick up after 3 months, so they may be a little rushed.

They represent a Legion Javelin Attack Speeder Squadron, this is made up of 5 vehicles. It is worth 250 points towards my planned 4000 force. I am not sure which core detachment they will support as I am reorganizing my army. Here is the blurb from the 40k Wiki.

The Javelin is a fast attack anti-gravitic skimmer used by the Adeptus Astartes in a role similar to that of the more common Land Speeder. However, unlike the Land Speeder, the Javelin mounts heavy anti-armour weaponry that it uses to engage enemy armoured vehicles and heavy infantry. The Javelin is armed with either a set of twin-linked Cyclone Missile Launchers or Lascannons as its main weapons. These weapons are located on the vehicle's flanks. The Javelin is also armed with a pintle-mounted Heavy Bolter that is used for close-range protection from enemy infantry. The pintle-mounted Heavy Bolter can be replaced with either a Heavy Flamer or a Multi-Melta. The Javelin can also be outfitted with a searchlight and up to two Hunter-Killer Missile Launchers for added firepower.

Three Lascannons and 2 Missile Launchers

photos updated 7-18-17