My Flesh Tearers, 4th Company

What is there to say about the 4th Company?





Being that they are one of my older armies, the pics I have aren't the greatest, but they'll do for now.

I had these as my 4th edition all jumppack beat-stick army, and I haven't really addressed the changes inherant in 5th edition with them. I'm really holding out for the rumored new codex to come out next year. I'd hate to make a ton of changes only to have to change them again.

The problem is is that they were built to be a high-risk, high reward army, but lately, they've been having trouble getting the job done. They have no real anti-tank other than attack bikes or landspeeders.

I'm adding more stuff to them to make them more mechanized and less jump pack based, and I'm probably taking the cheese engine out of the the equation. Yes, I used both Dante (Chapter Master Seth) and Corbulo (didn't think of a name) in a 2500 and 1850 army.

Instead of two Assault squads, and one Tac (for a screening rhino), I'll likely reverse that ratio. I have assualt terminators waiting for the day they get that 3+ invulnerable save, and my Crusader is mostly painted as well. There's all that great detail. Man do I love that kit.

If you haven't got one yet, I highly recommend it.

Valhallans

My Valhallans are going through a change, as I noted before. A newer (cheaper) commander was promoted to Captain, with the Colonel moving up in the ranks through field promotions. Penal Legion are being added, as are a Psyker battle squad and a new commissar.

Captain Sorin rested his aching back against the interior of Katya’s hull. His overcoat hung open, and his view out Katya’s open ramp was painted in shades of grey. The weak light of Quentin III’s sun struggled manfully to break the cloud cover, but it was wasted effort. Not even the mud on this sump hole has color. Sorin fumbled for his lho sticks, finding them stowed in his dry inner pocket. He began to pull them out, unthinking. Light discipline! I can’t smoke these. He shoved them back, disgusted.

“Pardon me saying so, Captain, but you’re better off quitting those things.” The voice was only a mild rebuke, but it startled the newly minted Captain just the same. He turned to face the company’s Commissar, who was rounding the bend, an easy smile on a face framed by a crisp salute.

A relieved smile lit up Sorin’s eyes, glad for the distraction. He stepped out of his chimera’s hull, his hand brushing the worn aquilla just inside Katya’s entrance.“Actually, Commissar Price, I was reaching for my pistol to shoot you myself. I thought it a mercy to relieve you from this tropical nightmare that we’ve landed ourselves in. It must be at least ten degrees above freezing. Walk with me, I’d like to hear your morale report.”

Price nodded, his smile still in place. “I’d hardly call ten degrees above freezing ‘tropical’, Captain.” Price fell in with Sorin, and they toured the company’s section of the line, noting the men’s dug-in defenses. “The men are ready for the Eldar’s next push. Casualties were light, mostly from sniper fire. They have been at prayer, and they seem in good spirits.”

“I wish I shared their optimism. These Eldar have been like ghosts. I keep feeling like we’ve got them, and then they melt away like salted snow. It’s been two months of hunting on this hell pit, and we’re still no closer to pinning them down. At least winter is coming. I might actually have to buckle my coat.”

Price could see the strain on Sorin’s face. “The men are up to the task, Captain. I begin to wonder if the Captain is ready for it.” Sorin turned as if he had been slapped. “What the ipac are you talking about, Commissar?”

“My lapels, Sorin. You’re wrinkling them.” Sorin looked down; his hands had grasped the Commissar’s own greatcoat unbidden. Sorin released the other man swiftly, as if he was a scalding pipe. The men who had turned to watch them found sudden interest in their prayers and cleansing rituals for their lasguns.

Price seemed unflustered despite his wrinkled clothing. “Let me repeat, Captain. If there is a problem with this regiment, it is you. The men respect you, General Zedowsky certainly had faith in you.” Price stepped in close, closer than was comfortable for Sorin. “You’re afraid of losing a single one of them, Captain. And for that, you might lose all of them. It’s the peril of raising one from inside the ranks. You’re too connected to the idea of the 42nd as they were under the General’s command. Losses will occur, Sorin. There’s nothing fair about it, and it will come to rest unquietly on your shoulders. But rest assured that High Command, and thus the Commissariat, is unconcerned with your mental health.”

“I can’t just send them into the meat grinder again and again. To do so is a waste of the Emperor’s resources”

“And yet you must. If it means victory, you must be ready to sacrifice them to the man. Not heedlessly, certainly, but blood shed in His Name is the ink that writes the accounts of our victory. But don’t worry, Sorin. I did secure something for the company that might help you overcome your problem.”

Only then did Sorin note the truck pulling up. Full of men in filthy orange jump fatigues, it could mean one thing.

“Penal legions?”

“Yes, Captain. Think of them as training wheels…”

Plans for my next army.

I'm building a chaos marine army, and the basic idea is thus:

Two forces are lured onto Hope's Demise by the machinations of the Chaos Gods. A band of Death Guard, and a band of World Eaters are caught in the subtle net of Nurgle’s humor.

In a prank of horrific proportions, Nurgle gives both a disease that affects not the body; instead it affects the mind and the memory in particular. Their minds are wiped, and they believe themselves back in the time of the Heresy. And they believe themselves to be heroes. They hallucinate, so that they believe that they are without mutation, their loyalist foes are horrendous mutants, and their defilers and daemon allies are dreadnoughts and loyal militia respectively. Which explains why they are in their original Legion Colors….

Chaos Daemons on Parade

I liked my librarian picture so much, I decided to take pictures of my Chaos Daemons outside as well. See more pictures here.

There's a new Tyranid On-line Painter in town.

The Valhallan conundrum

I'm having trouble finding a compelling hook for the back story of my Valhallans.

There was once a time that I had the Valhallan 42nd Mountaineers, a regiment mostly of foot troops, led by the zealous Colonel Zedowsky. Over time, my regiment changed in its nature. Elements of support came from the 135th Krieg and some Irregulars that the regiment adopted from their time on Utica IV, a desert planet that had some of the most vicious mountain warfare.

Now, it is lead by a different model, one Captain Sorin (as Colonel Z had some wargear that was costly for a model unlikely to survive actual combat...). Captain Sorin doesn't believe in front line fighting, and is much more likely to be poring over a data-slate and directing his men from his Chimera Katya than being on the front line.

The nature of the regiment changed even more. The 135th didn't make as many appearances. The Irregular's veteran duties fell back on the 42nd, who enjoyed their new Valkyrie. The Mordant 57th Penal Legion was attached to them for mine clearing duty, and the received the support of an Astropath and of a Squad of Psykers. Medusas and Leman Russ Demolishers started making more appearances. The question I have for myself is if they are still the Valhallan 42nd any more? Do I see it as the same regiment with changes, or as an entirely new body?

Maybe that's why I'm having a hard time writing for them, unlike my other armies. Of course, I haven't written anything for my Flesh Tearers. Stelek (of YTTH infamy) first suggested my army list to me, and I feel like they're kind of soulless. I haven't played them as much for that reason.

Valhallan Flamer with Cinematic effects

I like the cinematic effects that Armorcast has, but I'm a bit broke right about now. So I decided to cook up one of my own. This here is just green stuff and a paperclip. I drilled a hole deep into the flamer, and glued it into place. On the clip itself, I left the curve at the end to provide support for the rising flames. I did an unequal mix (about 60% blue) to provide a firmer set at the end of it. I think it came out nicely.