Creating a Unified Theme - FtW Collaborative Post

Ron at FtW posed the question 'How do you create a unified theme for your army outside of using army composition?

My Relictor's are a cohesive looking bunch through 2 things (maybe 3). They follow the vanilla codex, so no gizmos there like Deathwing or Ravenwing, but the things making them look the part are:-

1. Painted Minis. They are all coloured similar with dashes of an accent colour to tie them in. Look at the following mini's. They are clearly all Relictors, but notice the slight accent bone colour on all three's weapons to tie them in, as well as the obvious Chapter Markings.

2. Based. They are all based and weathered the same. The basing article i wrote at the beginning of this blog is still the recipe i use today giving a consistent theme throughout. Here are some earlier mini's and the latest - different paint techniques and standards but bases the same.And vehicles, same Calthan Brown coloured stipple as the bases. And, often overlooked is the edging on the bases, mine echoes the actual earth colour but the whole army has the same edging.

3. I've just thought of a third theme... mine have Wargear or slight conversions throughout to unify - mine signify the dubious links with Relictors using Chaos for fighting Chaos, hence you will see Chaos bits throughout, spikes on Dred, Chaos Smoke Launchers and Chain Links on Tanks, Fallen Backpacks on Sternguard, ample skulls and whotnot...

Ultramarine WIP Vanguard Veterans and Land Raider Terminus

Hi one and all!!

Finally I've got my camera talking to my computer, so I can share some of my recent WIP's..

Firstly I've got my converted Vanguard Veterans. These bad boys are tooled up to the max for some hardcore close combat. After reviewing the rules, and wargear available I decided to go for an extra uber unit, designed to go either go after characters or elite units. After seeing how potent Assault Terminators armed with a combination of power weapons and thunder hammer/storm shields, I decided to combine both of these into one unit, thus a combat squad (to be increased to 10) of Vanguards armed with power weapons and storm shields with jump packs. Thus an extremely hard hitting unit, with a very high survivability factor- Add on top the great rules for deep striking and assaulting on the same turn, this unit becomes quiet a scary unit!
For these guys I decided to use the forgeworld Red Scorpions Assault troops for the bodies, as the torsos have more parifiala on them, in keeping with the 'veteran' look. I also went for the bear head look, for some reason I associate bear heads with veteranness (Is that a word??!) Thus I selected five heads, two from the command sprue- one with a bionic eye, the other with respirator, one from the tactical sprue with half a metal head, and the final two from the Space Wolves sprue. My favour head has to be the Space Wolve head with the long beard/bionic eye, this guy reminds me of my favour character from Flash Gordon, Prince Vultan the Hawkman- played by Brain Blessed. To make the squad stand out further I didn't clip the legs completely of the sprue on one foot, thus making the models appear to be in flight/landing. Power Weapons are taken from a number of sources, the bionic arm from the commander sprue is used, with a Power Sword from the Dark Angels sprue, a Power Axe from both the Assault sprue and Black Templar's sprue are both used. The Sergeants Thunder hammer is taken from the deamonhunter Corteaz. The Storm Shields are second gen terminators Shields, these are slightly smaller than the new Terminator shields, All marines have been given the shoulder pads with terminator honours, and the 'U' symbols bought from GW direct. I hope you like!

My second major project is my Land Raider Terminus Ultra- 'Invictus'. The original Terminus looks great, and fits perfectly within a Space Marine force, however I- along with many aren't keen on the way the sponsons sit. The major problem is that the GodHammer Lascannons can not point directly forward due to the signal sponson Lascannon. I had seen the image that Siph had uploaded of the Terminus with a triple barrelled GodHammer- I love the look, however I wanted some thing different. I toyed with various options until I found the answer in my draws- I had gone into the draw to find another model, and discovered starring straight back at me a landraider with an Mk 2 predator turret sat on top of the chassis! I quickly grabbed two predator annihilator turrets and the landy-and wow! the look I wanted for my Terminus!
The raised portion of the chassis was sanded down to one level, and then raised using 3 top hull doors off a couple of rhinos. These parts were either sliced in to thin strips, or had the connecting teeth cut off. All parts were sanded down once finished. Two predator turrets were also sliced down, with the vent part cut away. It was then a case of trail and error to find the perfect spot for the turrets to sit. Once the position was finalised I then added the doors from the interior of the Land Raider to just sit in between the turrets, thus covering up the sanded away details of the original chassis. The next area of interest was the sponsons- whether to have the annihilator turret and single lascannon sponson, or the GodHammer sponson, and a converted turret.. In my eyes there was only winner- the Land Raider without the famous GodHammer sponsons would be a sacrilege! Thus the Autocannon predator turret was chopped up and the cannon replaced with a lascannon. I really like the look of the single lascannon, as the weapon mount has a sensor inbuilt- perfect for the machine spirt! The other part to note is Chronos, whats better than 5 lascannons, 3 twin linked? easy-5 lascannons, 3 twin linked at BS5!!
Like the Vanguards, the Land Raider needs to be completed, with a view to be completed this weekend!

Relictors Landraider Redeemer 'Zeus'

Meet the latest addition to the ever expanding Relictors Battle Company. 'Zeus' the Landraider Redeemer. This will give me some well earned firepower against the bad dice rolls I usually have. Since I play Pornstarjedi's Ultramarines mostly, the Strength 6, AP3, Template weapon the Flamestorm cannons give is a must for up close and personal death to the loyal lapdogs. Of course he know's that too so the plan is still to build another two Landraiders, a Crusader for the immense transport capacity, and a Godhammer 'normal' Landraider - because I can.

I've painted the inside of this one, however on completion, the doors are fiddly and don't operate correctly, so I reckon the next two will not get painted inside - see previous post - but at least I know it's done.

All the Gemstones, lenses and scopes have been 'Ard Coated to simulate glass and the Multi-Melta was mounted on a carved up HK missile I wasn't using. I thought the spindle on the turret mounted MM was too flimsy and I didn't want anyone poking out the hatches on my first Landraider. Maybe the next. With the Machine Spirit, a MM is a must I reckon - well, that or the Assault Cannons... depends how many marines survive the Flamestorm...The real Zeus can be found here in the previous WIP post.I used the Forgeworld Red Scorpion doors for this Landraider Redeemer with a skull to match some of my Rhino's doors taken from the bright green wound markers in AOBR, I have a set of Terminator Honour FW doors for the Crusader and finally I might do a bog standard set of doors on the third. Oh.. there is always a Terminus for Apoc...

Hope you like, bigger pics in the Finished Relictors Web Album in the right hand bar>>>

Imperial Reaver and Warhound Titan - Legio Astorum

Here is a family shot of the two titans together. And some different angles for any titan WIP would-be builders. Hope you like. I do. They have been painted by the Slayer Sword Winner 2014 - Richard GrayThese have been updated since after the Reaver had a fall and was slightly re-posed without the leaning gait, and another Warhound was added - See the Titan Family here! Now a full Apocalypse formation indeed!!

Reaver Titan Honorum - Warp Runners - more pics

Because I can and to show Pornstarjedi more pics, here are a few more angles and dangles, firstly the Carapace Servitor hard wired in the deckhead...
Next the crew of Honorum and their shiny new titan. Got to love those lenses.And the securing arrangements for the interchangable Titan Power Fist or Gatling Blaster. Each arm has a magnet embedded and a pin. The hoses simply slot into the rear of the main titan body assembly and a magnet in the arm socket does the rest.And lastly the interior. I also have the techpriest which i'll affix into the body here.
The next post will be with his 'lil brother Canis Bellum the Warhound. Oh yeah...

Imperial Reaver Titan - Honorum - Legio Astorum

So I can't wait any longer. I've spoke to*Slayer Sword Winner 2014 Richard Gray and will be collecting 'Honorum' tomorrow on my journey down to the South of England. So, without further ado titan lovers, may I present 'Honorum'.

The scroll work includes the latin motto's of various ships on which I have served (with a cheeky 'Emperor' thrown in to 40K them! 'Spes Imperator Aspera Levat' Hope (in the Emperor) Lightens Difficulty, 'Marte Et Arte' By Initiative and Skill, and 'Fortitudine Vincimus' By Endurance, We Conquer.

More photos will follow once this boy is home. If you want any particular close ups for your own project ideas, leave a comment and I'll accommodate. Again, big shout out to Richard Gray from Richard Gray Creations, the artist who did a better job than I dared attempt, and sort of apologies to Inner Geek for not attempting it myself...
Now Imperial Warhound Canis Bellum, Legio Astorum has a big brother...

###UPDATE### 2019 AFTER ACTION PICT CAPTUR ###

Battle Missions Batrep - Ultramarines vs Relictors

Well I returned home for Easter and Pornstarjedi came to visit and we got a cheeky battle in between drinking heavily. We thought we might try out one of the Battle Missions, all round defence. The Ultramarines would defend a statue whilst the Relictor's attacked from all sides.
The Ultramarine Vindicator saw movement in the surounding building and open fired with its main weapon, levelling a floor but somehow, the Relictors went unscathed, Pornstar throwing some typical Siph-like '1s' for a change. The Ultramarine Chaplain lead the charge from the fortified sanctuary ruins into the approaching Relictor assault troops and their own Chaplain - after some softening up from the Thunderfire in the ruins above, it was an equal match.

The tightly packed defenders where a prime target for large blast weapons, however the Relictor strike force lacked that sort of firepower, preferring up close and personal assault Termies and Troops and a drop pod of Sternguard yet to arrive. (I hadn't painted the Whirlwind and forgot my Vindies! Doh! - Siph)

The Chaplians and their accompanying Assault troops fought on to the last man, only the Rosarius saving the Relictor priest. Seeing the Relictor Chaplain being struck, the Relictor Captain leap to the sky in his defence and struck the Ultramarine Chaplain down with his Relic Blade. Both heroes then advanced on the fortified ruins, death or glory! Amongst the ruins elsewhere, the Relictors closed the noose, assault cannon Razorback keeping the Ultramarine heads down.

Seeing the mighty Heroes advancing and striking down a squad of defenders, the Ultramarine Terminators and Venerable Dreadnought defending the statue advanced toward the Relictor scum. This would be a tough fight for the wounded Capt and Priest - lightning claws and TH/SS were not easy prey. Elsewhere, a lucky strike from a krak missile opened up the Ultra Predator Annihilator. The Termies and Dred killed the Chaplain and Captain but not without loss of the dred CCW to a strike of the Relic Blade.

Turn 3 saw the arrival of the Sternguard in a drop pod and the TH/SS Relictor Termies entering the field from the table edge (to avoid the inevitable Deep Strike Mishap in such a busy centre - must invest in some teleport homers). The Termies marched toward the Ultra Terimes and a 'clash of the titans' was on the cards (don't bother to see the re-make film - it's gash).

The Relictor Sternguard walked into a hail of fire from the Ultramarine defenders who poured out from the doorway and the Vindicator reversed and spotted an opening, firing it's mighty shell through the doorway flattening the Relictor counter strike dead - not even a cover save could help 5 of the Sternguard! The Relictor attack was now floundering, the Termies were battling on, cutting the last Ultra down and advancing further to the statue but with only 2 of their number left. These were then charged by a combat squad to slow the advance and maybe hold out for the end of the turn - in true Siph fashion, he failed a save and a Termie was cut down by a Tactical Marine with a combat knife!

This left plenty of Relictors out side the Sanctuary but with little hope of advancing to the statue within the remaining turn limits. The defenders had held to the last 7 men. The vindicator finally blowing up after presenting the rear armour to a Krak missile when it attacked the Sternguard. The Relictors still had a Pred Destructor, Razorback Assault cannons and a few squads in ruins but the main assault force of Assault Troops, Characters, Termies and Sternguard had all fallen except the Terminator Sergeant (my avatar pic- Siph).

Result - Ultramarine Victory, barely. But that's all that counts. Better luck next time for the Attackers, more template weapons would be a must. Siph had a Thunderfire and 3 Vindicators painted which could have made a big dent in the tightly packed ruins. Each battle is a learning curve...