Some GK interlude

Been a slight while since an update. Rather busy with work. But here are a few work in progress shots on some GK that are being completed.

The Grey Knights fascinate me as an old school gamer, they were never my ultimate style of unit, prefering more the SM type, but they are particularly useful for me putting together a Inq based force that can no longer be complemented by my Lamenters.

These are the older metal GK figures. Not the oldest I have in the pipeline but the metal ones popular from about 2003. I keep the bases the same throughout my armies for 40k so that they can be all applied for apoc missions.

They are certainly quite good figures compared to the new plastics in retrospect. I will be doing a full GK but more Inq style force over the following weeks to show you what is possible with them.

For now however, it appears my Lamenters will have to stand without their Inq allies.... unless I do some Apoc stuff. But it does allow me to create a themed army that can stand alone.

Inquisitor Taipan of the Ordo Hereticus

Name; Inquisitor Taipan. Ordo Hereticus Junior Legate.
Rank; Inquisitor Ordinate. Junior Legate formerly attached to Lord Inquisitor Falina


As the mystery of the Lamenters unfolded, one man led the investigations. Little did he know where it would lead him would be to his own death at the hands of a Hive Fleet.

Taipan left Segmentum Solar some time in late 899.M41 recently having completed his investigations of the Lamenters. He arrived at Malvolion carrying writs of investigation and orders to cleanse any taint he found. If required he knew that a few scant light years away the bulk of the Scythes of the Emperor Chapter would be able to assist in any overwhelming show of force required to ensure compliance with his orders.

He arrived in system in 999.M41 unknowing of the threat that was about to engulf Malvolion or both the Lamenters and the Scythes of the Emperor. He had been in the warp for over 2 months and communication had been impossible with the outside. The only clue that something was amiss was the sudden return to normal space as the Deep Space Vessel "Throne of Judgement" lurched into reality.

Inquisitor Taipan of the Ordo Heretics outside Command Bunker 23, Malvolion 999.M41. He is armed with a force weapon of typical Inquisition design. His body armor is supplemented with a refractor field to ward off attacks, while in his left hand is a master crafted bolter. His clothing,  like all agents of the Inquisition is eclectic and comes down to his own personal preference.

Within a few seconds the young Inquisitor was beset. He had been on the Command Bridge waiting to open a hail and demand compliance, instead what he saw drained all the color from his face. Three bio-ships many times larger than an Emperor Class Battleship were already descending upon the planet. Hundreds more biological strike craft were trailing behind them or protecting the larger ships from a small Imperial fleet that was standing off close to Malvolion. The comm chatter indicated the Lamenters had deployed to the surface in defense of several key installations and to support the Mordian Iron Guard Tank Regiments which were being steadily overrun.

Taipan was known for his use of Servo Skulls to record his actions and ensure that any signs of Heresy were captured on vid pict. From this angle it is also possible to see the extensive cybernetic implants that the young Inquisitor has been able to procure over his career.

Taipan immediately made a choice that would bury the secret of the Lamenters again... and lead to his own doom. Ordering the Navigator to set course for the Planet he was able to make planet fall and join up with his fellow Inquistior Draco of the Ordo Xenos. The meeting between the two was brief, Draco being the senior Inquisitor had little time to spare for what he thought was a travelling Hereticus Inquisitor who happened to stumble into the new war zone. He ordered Taipan to join the Malvolion PDF and Arbite Troops that were attempting to ensure an orderly evacuation of the Capital.

Interrogator Huan has served with Taipan for the last 5 years. The Interrogator's chosen weapon is the flamer which has been extensively modified in a typical Inquisitorial pattern. He is seen here chanting a psalm from the Book of Judgement.

The Capital was overrun several hours later, there was no trace of Inquisitor Taipan or his agents and no records are written to indicate he survived. As far as his own Order assume, Taipan was lost when the Throne of Judgement entered the Warp in 999.M41 in Segmentum Solar and has never reappeared.

Rear view of the Interrogator, showing the blessed promethium tanks that feed the flamer.

Adeptus Arbites Prefecture and Malvolion PDF

Native and Civilian Forces of Malvolion Circa 995.M41 to 998.M41
Commanding Officer; Adeptus Arbites Judge Executus 1st Class. Hugo Klavin

When the Lamenters reached Malvolion the world was already doomed. As the brethren started to descend in their drop pods to give support to the 50th Mordian and other Regiments and attempt to stem the tide of the invasion it was already too late to save the world. Malovion was a rich agricultural world with masses of bio-mass waiting to be consumed for a hungry Hive Fleet Kraken and the Lamenters had to attempt to deny it being able to feed. Inquisitor Draco leading the Ordo Xenos forces present and in overall command of the operation immediately took command of the civilian militia and seconded the Adeptus Arbites Contingent present on Malovion to his own forces.

Hugo Klavin Adeptus Arbites Judge Executus 1st Class. Segmentum Ultima, Planet Malvolion. Hugo wears his traditional black overcoat of an Arbite Judge, his Helmet, a relic itself of a bygone age is decorated with the Imperial Eagle looking straight ahead. The symbol of the Emperors all knowing judgement in those who the Arbite looks upon. The Clenched Fist symbol is a traditional Arbiter Symbol sometimes combined with Ivory Wings it represents the Arbites as greater members of the Ordo Forces. Hugo is also decorated with several awards on his lapels including a Bone Heart which is awarded after being wounded five times in service for enforcing Imperial Law.

The Adeptus Arbites upon Malovion were a recent addition to the world, having only arrived five years prior at the request of the senior Administratum Adept on the planet. An oversight in the Imperial bureaucracy had left the planet with only a moderate tithe of agricultural harvest and within the space of two decades, rich land barons that had been selling the excess harvest had begun to enforce their own frontier justice upon each other. The Administratum at first unconcerned with such things soon took an active role when an entire seasons worth of harvest was sabotaged and put to the flame only three days before the harvesting began. Disgruntled wealthy land owners were now indulging in their own private wars, hiring mercenaries and even bribing units of the PDF and Imperial Guard Garrison to fight on their payrolls.

Supression Squad Delta. Malovion Arbites City Plaza Precinct. 998.M41. The Carapace Armor of the Adeputs Arbites has not changed in over 10,000 years. The Armor design remains the same to give a sense of  dread and fear it has inspired over the thousands of years it has been in service.

Transportation for Deathwatch

I had decided to go with the deathwatch having a Rhino to zoom about in.

I have also decided to add some extra's to it. I found these from Scribor Mins. They are ok... but I am rather puzzled by the fact they dont sit perfectly in the centre of a rhino top hatch or why they made them too large to fit on the door panel of the rhino. If they had I would be reccomending them.

http://sciborminiatures.com/pow.php?absol=1&co=i/conversion_parts/big/angels_relief.jpg

I am thinking of doing one in bronze and adding it to the central top hatch of the Rhino. However it will have to sit flush over the door opening section. Although this is not a problem it may look a bit werid to begin with. The panel also is too large for the rear door to sit on nicely either... which I should have measured first... hmmmmm


The rhino is basic black, so I can use it for the Arbites, Stormtroopers or even transport for the Inq and his retinue to just give it more use on the field.  I used the word Lament just so that it has some tie in with the rest of the force.

Rhino "Lament". Formerly of the 9th Company Imperial Fists. This Rhino was tithed to the Ordo Xenos in 722.M41 upon orders of Captain Ithica of the Imperial Fists after being aided in a cleansing mission of the Space Hulk "Clarions Call" by elements of the Deathwatch and Inquisitor Draco Flintloque. Current whereabouts unknown.

Memories of Draco...

This figure is one of my favorites now... He was also one of the first models I collected... way back when.

When it came time to get him painted I was quite excited and impressed by how he came out. The entire thing though with this figure is as its an early sculpt it is nowhere near as perfect as I would like. Citadel was not known for its great sculpts in the late 80 and early 90 period. Its also one of the rare sculpts that uses bionics and has terminator armor.

Draco as I called him... was based off the Ian Watson novel of Inquistior.... the same figure appears on the front cover. However his armor is blood red. I wanted yellow to match the Lamenters scheme. The blend seems quite good actually and I am rather impressed with him. The skin is deliberately dark and grey... I wanted this to show that humanity is different... and as a psyker... its part of his mutation. It is also a silent nod to Grand Admiral Thrawn from Star Wars.

Ordo Xenos Inquisitor Draco in Terminator MKVI Armor. Note the slightly rounded Shoulders.

Draco is armed with a combi weapon, in this case I think orginally it was a combi las and bolter, however I use it as a combi melta or flamer. He has his force weapon strapped to his front in a blue scabard and his digital rings... show on his powerfist.

His retinue however require more work before they are completed fully.

Stern views on Xenos incursions...

As this project is fundamentally a blending of armies with a solid Lamenters base... it quickly became apparent with the new release of the Codex GK... that my Ordo Malleus allies would be relegated to Apoc games. The Inquisition however is not so easily silenced... even by GW.

I decided therefore to base my sternguard vets, on the deathwatch. For those of you unaware, the deathwatch are the space marine fighting arm of the Ordo Xenos. Their entire role is to eliminate Xenos threats to the Imperium under the watchful eyes of the Inquistion.

I speculated that the Ordo Xenos would have deployed forces to Malovlion. From a fluff perspective it makes sense for Crusading Fleet especially one so far out into uncharted space to contain at least a contingent of Ordo Xenos forces. (Plus keeping an eye on the potential heretical Lamenters to ensure they kept their pennance and continued on the crusade after the events of the Badab War)

A ten man squad made up of sternguard seemed to fit the bill nicely... filling an Elite Slot for the army and at the same time ensuring the flavor of the force was retained even if the IST and Inq themselves were banished to Apoc games.

I deliberately picked a diverse range of Chapters. Some known and some others quite obscure but they all share a common thread.

Sergeant. Is a Space Wolf... easily identifiable by his pack markings and wolf totems. I was inspired by the Ultramarines novel where Uriel Ventris joins a squad which has a Space Wolf Sergeant. Also as I am quite opposed to generally open helms the Space Wolf figures tend to lend themselves to open helms and faces.

Heavy Bolter. Heavy Weapon Marine... Lamenters Chapter. I did 3 of the 10 as Lamenters, 2 normal and one with the heavy weapon. It would seem pretty obvious after 80 years of constant crusade that the Lamenters would replace the losses of the squad first and foremost.

Dark Angels. Another haunted chapter, it fitted quite well in the Lamenters theme of loss and something darker sitting in the background.

Blood Angels. The progenitor chapter itself... had to be represented. Here he is the marine with the Sanguine Backpack.

Mortifactors. I had read the Badab war and how at one stage the Mortifactors had refused to fight alongside the Lamentors... it seemed appropiate that in their darkest hour that a single Mortifactor marine should be present. He is distinguished by his backpack made of skulls.

Emperors Swords. A little known chapter the only refernce too is that they were wiped out from within when their recruits and brothers turned on them due to the Alpha Legion's influence. I liked the idea of a final marine... definat yet flawed. Still serving with the Ordo Xenos. I used the Chapter Champion for the figure as it usually is armed with a sword... hence their is an echo of a sword theme.

Ultramarine. Obvious as anything... the roman pose, the cape, the almost arogance of the MKVIII armor amongst his colleagues. A leader amongst men... amongst marines, he serves as a squad leader when I divide the squad or as another Sergeant.

Last and again in the more recent MKVIII armor is a member of the Sycthes of the Emperor. Now lost wiped out to a man by Kraken... another crusading chapter laid low. He was done deliberately in this armor and pose to show how overbearing the Ultramarine was over his compatriots.

The bolters are forge world issue pattern. I picked them as they represent perfectly the Sternguard idea of multiple ammunition on a single bolter. I liked the idea of at least one heavy weapon though, hence the Heavy Bolter.

Click the pics to see a bigger image. I was quite happy with how they came up... the silver deathwatch symbol showing through on each of them. The Red Inq symbol being something slightly different from the typical yellow I had used before. But the bases still lead a cohesive unit to fit the army.

Lamenter, Dark Angel, Space Wolf, Ultramarine and Lamenter

Mortifactor, Scythes of the Emperor, Blood Angel, Emperors Swords, Lamenter

Inq Retinue Update

Well another week and another addition to the Inq retinue... Todds realy come a long way as a painter doing these forces. I am quite impressed with them so far.

However I have not been impressed with the efforts of the Marines... being done so far by another service, but alas I will wait till I have them to do more posts on that.

This almost completes the Inq forces and the retinues I will be using for the army.

Their is a terminator Inquisitor to add and 2 more retinue and 5 more arbites and then they are done! (Oh and maybe one more Chimera!).

Inq and Retinue with Arbites

Well the Ordo Xenos components are starting to take shape now of the force. I should note that although I planned the army and theme, I am greatful to Todd from Nocturnal Studios for 90% of the painting here. I do bits and parts and also do all the terrain, when I get around to posting it up, but I do enjoy doing that more than painting figures themselves.

So here we go...

This is my psker division of the Ordo Xenos. Its really for the Inq as a retinue, as Mystic/Sanctioned Psyker/Warp Seer. They have turned out really well and they continue to give me further ideas on how to do more with the army.





This is my Arbite squad, part of the remenants of the cities PDF and also can double as Inq Storm Troops with Shotguns.

I love the Judge figure, I always have since I started 40k during RT. Its my favorite figure of all time.

Inquisitorial Forces as allies.... some thoughts and ideas

When I first decided to use an Ordo Xenos component of my army of Lamenters, I studied the rules very carefully and asked for some advice online about what you should take or not take.

The first thing which struck me, was how interesting the entire Demonhunters Codex was comparitively to the Witch hunters. It was almost as if somebody had slapped the WH codex together with a few bits and parts and some sisters stuff. I was rather taken however with the grey knights and their special rules and also the Inq forces in general.

A lot of people whine that the Inq have crap.... but I question that. Most people point at the humble Inq storm trooper and tell us he is hopeless. I am not so sure after some review. Lets compare vs other things that are just as viable.


Imperial Guard Vets

The humble Inq stormtrooper has a stat line which reads as like the Imperial Guard Vetran but a point less where? . They are both almost identical apart from yep... LD and Armor Save. Cool. The Inq stormtrooper BEGINS with a 4+ save, something that the guardsmen does not have. He also has a targeter allowing you to pre-measure the distance before shooting. This is all built into his 10 points. Not a bad effort when you consider that for a vetran squad similiarily equiped your paying 100 points and thats not with the ability to pre-measure a shot.

The Vetran comes with a lasgun. All fine. The Inq stormie comes with a hellgun. Same range and ability but with the 5+ AP. Although not a fantastic weapon, its still superior slightly to the IG vetran.

So after 100 points spent on a squad you have a vetran squad with a 4+ armor save and you have a sgt with leadership 8. With the Inq you have 4+ armor save and on top of that all your troops have a leadership of 8, not just a character.

Admitedly to get the Inq vetran sgt, your paying an extra but you gain access to the linq board for items... so what could you then do? Its an interesting idea.

Where this all falls down however, is as soon as you start looking at special weapons? Not always? Maybe... well for less points I can give the Inq stormies plasma guns, its more expensive to do it for the vetrans. But the vetrans can have 1 more weapon. But go back one step, and look at the Inq war gear for the same points.... I can give him a combi weapon and even the firepower here. I could give my Inq squad leader a melta bomb too... and retain my 4+ save. Something the guardsmen cant do ever.

I can already hear the cry of... but as soon as you put them in a Chimera..... and your right. Its the Chimera that will stop you every time. Thats what stops you, the inability to think Vetrans could be ok outside of their pill box. It stops me. BUT.... what if we look at this in a different fashion. The Inq stormies are scoring units... so are the vetrans, but who said that you need to take Vetrans always in a Chimera? Well it does make sense. But not always...

4 Chimeras are going to set you back 200 odd points for a Guard Vetran army.... I can get 4 more squads of scoring Stormtroopers for that.... are they as effective? Against a lot of opponents the answer is going to be yes, no matter what, unless your playing strict KP missions. 40 hell guns is a hell of a lot of firepower to bring down vs 4 multilasers with no AP and Heavy Bolter option or HF option. We have gotten into the habit of seeing the entire vetran squad as protectable, not what really matters which are the special weapons, thats what does the killing for the vets in 9 out of 10 firefights. Not the lasguns. So... if we think I can sustain 3 or 4 shots here from other infantry then all of a sudden you start to think that another 4 squads of strom troopers for 400 points vs 4 Chimeras for 420 is not such a bad investment, as your literally swamping your opponent with troops. Great for Objective missions.


What if we actually learnt to use terrain and cover as its meant to be instead of hiding in Chimera's perhaps the guard would be more inclined to field infantry type armies?

I am not debating how a Vetran squad is accepted practice or wisdom, but I do find it silly that a heap of people dis the poor Stormtrooper for what ammounts too..... not a bad little guy vs his IG counterparts in the Vetran area.