Legions Imperialis Whirlwind and Support Marines

A few more bits for Legions Imperialis!

Summer is winding down, and it's time to finally organize a few blog posts showing some of the stuff I have painted. Here are few more bits for Legions Imperialis (aka "Epic 30k") - some more Whirlwind multiple rocket launchers and another group of tactical support marines. The painting is divided between the XV Legion Astartes (the Thousand Sons) and the Warmaster's own XVI Legion Astartes (the Sons of Horus). These are all plastic kits/figures from GW. 

A more classic-looking "pepperbox" style launcher on these vehicles.

View of rear details and decals on the hatches.

For an old Horus Heresy grognard like me it is great to have the Whirlwinds joining the collection. After all, in the original "Space Marine" game the Whirlwind was one of the core vehicle selections for your forces, and in general it has been a classic support weapon for the Space Marines over the years. These Horus Heresy Whirlwinds are built on the "Deimos" pattern Rhino APC hull, which is itself an homage to the classic original Rhino models. So these are just great all around.

More firepower for the Warmaster!

The Whirlwinds come eight models to a box, and you have options for two different types of launchers - one meant to fire ordnance that targets vehicles (the "Scorpius" variant), and the other holding ordnance that is more "anti-personnel" in nature (the more classic-looking pepperbox launcher). It's great that you get both - in fact, you get eight versions of each variant, so you if the variability matters to you, well, you're all set!

Little less flash on the rear doors here...couldn't spare the decals!

I painted the first four vehicles from the pack back during the most recent edition of Curt's Painting Challenge - so here we see at last the remaining four models from the box. I'll want to paint more of these vehicles for the Loyalist side of the ledger, but that will come later...somehow the poor Loyalists always have to wait :) 

Little chaps with snappy energy weapons.

You can see some of the detail on the back...maybe...?

The infantry are "tactical support" Marines - i.e. guys with shorter-ranged, heavy/special weapons. Two more bases hardly moves the needle in this collection, but it does at least help to bulk-up the available infantry detachment for my Thousand Sons forces in this scale.

So not a whole lot to share in this post, but there will be more to share shortly, as I try and get back into the blogging routine! Thanks for reading.   

Plains Warriors Progress

Really on a roll now with another group of dismounted Plains warriors completed. I feel like I'm well on the way towards completing the Little Bighorn project at this point. 

I had planned a trip down to Montana in September to visit the battlefield again as a reward for finishing all of the painting, but that is a bit up in the air now, for a couple of reasons. One, while my original plan was to head down during the week of Labour Day, that's hit a snag as my parents have to stay with me that week as my father has a medical appointment in the city. Two, we are now "at war" (trade war that is) with the United States and I increasingly consider it questionable form to visit and spend money there. So as for the second point anyway, we shall see if relations thaw in the next couple weeks. While we are not political on this blog, I will nevertheless say that I find the current American federal administration's position towards trade with Canada both baffling and frustrating in the extreme. Imposing tariffs that your own importers and consumers pay is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. But Canada will now impose counter-tariffs. I hope we are not entering into an escalating suicide pact. 

ANYWAY... here are eleven more Plains warriors for the project. Above are Walks Alone, Crow in Rain, and Swift White Raven from the Foundry "Young Bloods 2" pack.

Running Rabbit, Wolf Looks Back, Goes Walking. The first two are from the Young Bloods 1 pack and the last from Young Bloods 2.

Fish Arrow, Bear Licks with Tongue, Lazy Boy from Young Bloods 1.

Strikes Like Bear (from Young Bloods 2) and Holds Fire (from Young Bloods 1).

A bit of a show-off of a couple of the shields. I always have a bit of a challenge coming up with ideas for the designs but I think these are OK.

The models were painted in my usual Plains style - flesh done with Doombull Brown under Ratskin Flesh and warpaint applied over top. Basic painting but I think they look OK. With these models done I think I'll have painted one of every dismounted Foundry Plains warrior. I do have another couple packs though and next up is another Dog Soldiers pack. I will do at least one more pack of Young Bloods too. It'll be easy enough to vary the paint jobs.

Until then... hoka hey! 

Star Wars Campaign Game 23 – Kashyyk Endgame

Wookies on a balloon!

Scenario

During the previous ground action, the Imperials managed to keep the shield generator in action long enough to allow the cloning materials to be evacuated out-system. 

Shin Hati occupies a Command Post, coordinating the retreat of the last Imperial Remnants off planet. Wookies lead the Rebel Assault on Shin's position. How long can she hold out?

Set Up

The table is 3’ x 3’, on Kashyyk. The Imperials set up first, with Shin and at least the Scout Sniper inside the Command Post, and the rest within the semi-circle marked off the western table edge. The Rebels set up second, within 6” of the eastern table edge. The Wookie balloon is at Low Altitude.

Special Rules

Reinforcements:

·       Baylan Skoll starts in reserve. Starting at the beginning of the 2^nd turn, the Imperial side rolls a D6; on a 4+ he comes on at the centre of then western table edge.

·       If Baylan does not appear, add 1 to the die roll each subsequent turn. At the beginning of Turn 5, if not already in play, Baylan automatically appears.

Capture:

·       Instead of rolling To Wound an opponent in Close Combat, you may Capture instead. 

Victory Conditions 

The Imperials receive 1 Renown point for every full turn they occupy the Command Post.

                  Baylan Skoll receives 5 Renown points for rescuing Shin Hati.

The Rebel Alliance receives 1 Renown point for every Imperial Stormtrooper or Scout Trooper OOA.

Rebels gain 3 Renown points for capturing the mercenary Shin Hati.

Ending the Game

The game ends when Shin Hati exits the western table edge, or at any rate by the end of Turn 6

###

Last Thursday we played the latest game of the ongoing Star Wars Galactic Rebellion Campaign, using Wiley Games' Galactic Heroes 2nd Ed. I confess that I have been lax updating the blog regarding these campaign games. I plan to "fill in the gaps" for those earlier games over the next few weeks.

The Rebels had two squads of Wookies (one riding in a hot air balloon controlled by an astromech droid), a squad of Veteran Troopers (including a flamethrower), a captured AT-PT walker, and leadership provided by Sabine Wren and Ahsoka Tano.

The Imperials were represented by a wounded Shin Hati leading a squad of Scout Troopers, a squad of Stormtroopers with a rocket launcher, with mercenary Force user Baylan Skoll in reserve, coming on to try and rescue his apprentice.

The Command Post was coordinating the final evacuation of Imperial forces off of Kashyyk, the Wookie homeworld. Below, some views of the table looking towards the west.

As seen in the scenario description above, the scenario was asymmetric, with differing goals for the two sides. The Rebels realized early on that though one of their goals was to capture Shin, if she was put Out of Action those Renown Points would be denied the Imperials. Conversely, the Imperials had a bit of a dilemma: they could try to exfiltrate the wounded Shin early, but she provided protection and stiffening for the defence of the Command Post.

Rebel setup, north to south: Wookies and Sabine in a balloon, more Wookies, Veterans, Ahsoka, and the walker. 

The Imperials had Shin and a Scout Sniper in the CP, with the remainder of the troopers set up behind scatter terrain.

The game started fast and furious. There was a general advance by the Rebels across their entire line. The Sniper, who reigned supreme in the previous ground action, managed to go Out of Ammo with his first action. A missile hit the Wookies in the balloon, putting OOA or wounding a couple. For his trouble, the Imperial missile went OOA after taking fire from the survivors in the balloon.  The walker ran deep, into the southwest corner, setting up future action. Sabine jump packed onto a large tree in the northwest, threading the Imperial northern flank. With only two models inside the CP, a couple of Scouts ran toward it, to help ensure the CP remained in action. 

For his trouble, the Imperial missile went OOA after taking fire from the survivors in the balloon.  Sabine leaped down amongst the Imperials, into close combat, putting an Imperial Stormtrooper Officer OOA. Baylan rolled well and came on from reserve, jumping and running into close combat with Sabine. Baylan, armed with a Deadly lightsaber, rolled a natural "10"; Sabine in turn only rolled a "9", resulting in Sabine going OOA, thrown down into the forest floor. Baylan then put up a Shield. The Walker started its southern flank attack by flaming a couple of Stormtroopers. The Wookies on the ground started to hit the Imperial line, putting another Scout OOA. A Rebel with a Flamer managed to get a stream of fire into the CP, Wounding our putting OOA some of the Scouts inside, and Shocking Shin, who in turn Pushed the Rebel away from cover. 

Next Turn, the Walker finished off a couple of Stormtroopers, stomping them into the ground. Shin Jumped out of the Command post and ran to the relative safety of a large tree. Baylan moved in front of Shin to cover his apprentice, daring anyone to attack him. A surviving Stormtrooper also moved, to cover the north side of the same large tree. Another Wookie was shot out from the balloon's basket. Concentrated Rebel fire left only one Scout Trooper on their feet inside the CP, enough to score another Renown point. Meanwhile, due to horrible Jump rolls, Ahsoka managed to make it to mid-table.

In the fourth turn, a Wookie managed to close with and put OOA the last Stormtrooper. The Imperials then drew the next highest card and Shin made her way off the western table edge, ending the game.

The Imperials scored 3 Renown for holding the Command Post for 3 full Turns, and an additional 5 Renown for Shin's rescue, for a total of 8 Renown. The Rebels scored 8 Renown for putting OOA 8 Imperial Troopers. It was a tie!

This was a very close, tense game, whose outcome was far from certain until the last played card. With neither side having an advantage, the stage is set for the Fourth Season Finale Episode.

Thanks again to Elliot, Michal, Hugh, Dallas, and Rob for joining me for fellowship, beer, and Twinkies.

A Few More Black Riders

I painted these models a few weeks ago as a wee break from the Little Bighorn project. I figured they'd take next to no time at all and I was right. They are resin models from a "third party supplier" that I threw in with an order for some other models. The mounted and dismounted models at left are "the Tainted" and the ones at right are "Dwimmerlaik." They were originally retailed together as the metal "Ringwraiths of Angmar."

 

They're certainly decent models but did need some repair as some of the swords were a bit warped and flimsy. But that was pretty easily done with some thin plasticard cut to shape.

Honestly I'd been wanting to bring my contingent of Nazgul up to full strength for awhile now as I was sitting at six dismounted and two mounted models. So this puts me over the top, albeit technically needing one more dismounted model to make the full Nine on foot. However I think I have a metal one left in a blister pack somewhere.

Not a lot of painting required on these models as Dark Rubber and a light touch with Mechanicus Standard Grey do most of the work for you.

They're really well-sculpted models typical of the pieces from Games Workshop Warhammer and it's good to have them in the cabinet. We just need to get Conscript Frederick's excellent Weathertop terrain out for a game!

Moar! Seventh Cavalry Dismounted Troopers and Personalities

The last tranche of dismounted Seventh Cavalry troopers is now finished and the Little Bighorn project continues to steam along. I'm happy with the progress!

Having painted "Autie" earlier I tackled the rest of the models in the Foundry "Personalities" pack. Here we see the General's younger brother Captain Tom Custer (winner of TWO Medals of Honor in the Civil War!), the hapless Major Marcus Reno, and Captain Frederick Benteen. Reno of course was a pretty useless tit in the battle and while Benteen showed moderately more initiative, neither were what you would call "combat effective."

Here are Lt. William W. Cooke, Lt. Charles (Carlo) DeRudio, and "Lonesome" Charley Reynolds. Cooke was Custer's adjutant and buddy. Born in Hamilton, Ontario he served with the Union army in the Civil War under Major-General Ambrose Burnside and fittingly, cultivated immense sideburns. He was the author of the infamous last note sent by Custer back to Benteen urging the latter to "be quick, bring packs." He died with Custer and was scalped twice... the second time losing one of his enormous dundrearies. DeRudio was an Italian serving with Custer and the only man in the Seventh Cavalry to carry a saber in the battle. Charley Reynolds was the chief scout with the Seventh Cavalry who had a bad feeling about this.

Here's a trooper carrying Custer's personal "standard", a bugler (there were many present at the battle) and another trooper.

With these troopers and characters I'm finished painting the dismounted Seventh Cavalry contingent for the battle. I used the standard colours - uniform coats Kantor Blue highlighted Ultramarines Blue, trousers Sky Blue highlighted Wolf Grey, and everything black highlighted Dark Rubber. The initial drybrush of DR helps a lot!

So on to some more Plains warriors now - hoka hey!