The dirty half dozen

(Long) before the new codex came out, i started working on a new five man assault squad. They were intended to ride in a Razorback with las/plas loadout. Sadly, with the new codex you can't give 'backs to assault squads as dedicated transports anymore. Luckily, i haven't bought the actual kit yet... I don't know what i will do with them now, they are fun to paint though so i guess i'll get along. The fluff is these guys are really a bunch of misfits even amongst the Blood Angels. Crazy, psychopaths, murderous killers, they love to kill the enemy close and personal with combat blade and fire, lot of fire. The first i completed is Brother Cullarius, a known arsonist who loves his flamethrower more than his brethren. Modelling wise i made them out of spare bits i had on my sprues, so they don't have conventional chainswords and bolt pistols, rather they go with knives and hand flamers, grenades and improvised hand weapons. The sergeant is double wielding a bolt pistol and a hand flamer. Now, with the new codex, it's possible to equip a AS sergeant with double inferno pistol, so i guess i will remake him to gunsling a pair of these. I still have to decide how transport 'em into the thick of the fray though...

The Angelic Host

To celebrate the new Blood Angels Codex release i'm posting a family picture of my very small BA army. There's even the Rhino, on the sprue, back there, you see it... So, finally it's in my hands, a brand new copy of the brand new codex. I intend to post soon my impressions about it, not as a general review (everyone and his mom is already doing it) but to consider how is it going to impact on my little beloved strike force. So i hope more will follow soon, after i read it at least twice. In the meantime, enjoy more red plastic men.

Veteran Sergeant WIP

I didn't plan to post WIP pics on this blog when i started it, but since i'm a veeeeeeeeery slow painter i think i'll have to if i want to post anything at all from time to time. Plus, i'm quite happy with the way that mini is turning out. I loved that miniature from the first time i saw it. I think it's really "bloodangelesque". So i had my wife gift me one two xmas ago... from the state it's now you can see how slow i am with painting. The highlighting seems ok to me though (please, if you think it's shit feel free to comment, i need sincere advices more than hollow praises :P). Now i'm quite afraid to work the details out 'cause it's such a beautiful and well done mini i really fear to screw something in the process... On the "conversion" side, you can see i changed the "bare" head that the original sarge was provided with, with a Death Co. helmet and swapped the hand with the hand flamer with a bolt pistol one. The first change was because usually i prefer helmetted marines, i think it's quite stupid to go around in a apocalyptic battlefield like the ones from the 40th century bare headed if you can wear a power armour helm; the second change is just to save some points 'cause Vets already cost a small fortune ;P And this is all. See you soon folks.

Land Speeder Berathiel

Berathiel is my strike force fast attack choice. Usually land speeders are employed in reconnaissance role, but since Strike Force Hammer of Haefestus is mainly infantry based and lacks heavier vehicles, Berathiel is rather used as a heavy artillery platform, equipped with a multi-melta and a typhoon missile launcher, striking from reserve to (hopefully) vanish again before any enemy unit is able to retaliate.

From a modelling point of view, Berathiel was my first (and, at the moment, only) land speeder, so i was quite worried about the final result. Also, i had to paint it quite fast (i'm a very slow painter...) 'cause i needed it ready in time to attend a Battle Brothers tournament and i thought it would make a great centerpiece for my army.

All considered, i'm quite happy with the result. I hope some day i will have the time and money to buy and paint a new one, maybe two, to have a full land speeder squadron. Also, i'm looking forward to the new BA codex release to get a hefty point reduction for this beauty, since at the moment Blood Angels land speeders are the most expensive land speeders out there.

Blood Angels Assault Squad Cherubim

Assault squad Cherubim forms the core around which the strike force is built. Lightly armed and swift, it's main purpose is not engaging in hand to hand combat, but rather tank hunting.

A pair of melta guns and a specialist sergeant armed with inferno pistol and melta bombs ensures that the fast insertion ability of this squad is well used against heavy armored targets, like traitor Landraiders or the like.

Following, some more pics from the squad taken during the Nova Pavonis campaign against a strong Tau force.

Combat squad Alpha and Combat squad Beta (on the background), supported by heavy infantry and a dreadnought from the Dark Angels 4th Company, advances on Tau held primary objective. They are ready to charge.

Last stand. After a heroic charge that wiped an entire Tau firewarrior cadre from the objective, Brother Calantus stands alone against the onrushing Tau counterattack.