Bike mounted Dark Angels Librarian - Slow progress

What's up!

Basically, I'm putting off painting the drop pod for my devastators because I know how much line highlighting is involved and the taping and painting of the hazard stripes on the doors takes bloody forever and is a pain in the arse!

So last nights project was doing another model I've been putting off because is fiddly and that was my final librarian for my dark angels librarius conclave that is mounted on a bike for extra jinky shenanigans.

But I managed to finish his basecoating and give him a quick wash in nuln oil before I start layering all the paints up:

I'm not entirely convinced with him to be honest, but I shall see how he looks with some more paint on, I can always strip him if need be.

Peace out,

Rob

Ezekiel - Dark Angels Master Librarian - Completed

So say we all,

Here we are with my finished Ezekiel from HiTech miniatures. I am considering some freehand for the large open areas on his back and possibly atop his psychic hood cathedral head, but I need to do a lot of practice on some spare bits of plastic before I so much as touch those bits with a brush. Otherwise I'd just ruin the damn model with some ugly squiggly lines!

Overall I'm happy with how he turned out and I'm particularly pleased with the OSL on the ground and bushed which feels like it gives it a lot more depth. Now that Ezekiel is complete, I can actually field my Librarius Conclave should I wish!! But I only have the Bike Mounted Librarian to complete and then all 5 of them are done and they can really rock out as both a power house in a Dark Angels Army but also as an allied formation to my blood angels. 

Thoughts are, as always, welcome :)

Peace out,

Rob

Third Dark Angels Librarian finished

Hi all,

Here is my third Librarian for my Dark Angels Librarius Project. This guy has a jump pack to keep up with the assault marine squad and making manoeuvring him into position to take advantage of the shared powers casting on a 3+ that bit easier. The storm shield is modelled on because it looks cool (I think) but its not in his wargear (don't think he can take it actually) and that arm is magnetised so I can model something else on if I so wish.

He still needs his left shoulder pad adding because I still haven't received them!

Thoughts?

Peace out,

Rob

Dark Angel Librarius Progress

Hi Readers,

Just a quick update today with some progress on painting my Librarians for my Librarius Conclave, three out of 5 ain't bad but I'm looking forward to getting my hands on my stand in Ezekiel and being able to purchase a bike mounted Scibor Knight to make up as the Fifth and final Librarian. But till then here are some pictures to mull over of the Librarian that will accompany the drop pod embarked tactical squad and the jump pack Librarian that will be with the assault squad.

I'm quite pleased with this guy, though I feel the OSL could have been a little sharper, but I do have the option of going back to it in the future. Thoughts?

And here is the blue base coated librarian.

I'm enjoying painting these guys but do wish that Wayland games would hurry up and ship me my order so that I could start attaching shoulder pads to things.  

That's all for today folks!

Peace out,

Rob

Demi-Company and Librarius Conclave - Rough Tactical Ideas

Hi Readers,

Tactics day! As I've previously said I'm not master stratego but I like to at least think out my tactics and its good to get feedback from these as I often have to theory these a lot more than practice them due to generally not getting that many games in, but also an extreme reluctance to play with unpainted miniatures. Though with the Dark Angels being given more thought to being an army for tournaments I may be relaxing that rule but we shall see. Today I will chat about how I plan to combine the Battle Demi-Company and the Dark Angel's Librarius Conclave.

Battle Demi-Company

So the Demi-Company is fairly restrictive in what you can take, but fortunately there are no bad choices here. The required squads are 3 tactical squads, a devastator squad, an assault squad and a Company Master or a Chaplain. These should really be designed as shooty for the most part, with the grim resolve special rule being boosted to BS3 for overwatch in this formation, so overwatch will be hitting on a 4+ putting any charge as a real question to your opponent. In games where objectives need to be claimed and given that Dark Angels are stubborn and objective secured (all units in this formation) will make them tough to shift.

Because I am not taking any flyers in this army I want it to be mobile where possible to let me out manoeuvre flying arcs where I can or spread my threats around the table so that they have to really pick their target priority. 

Below are the unit set up I've settled on, with wiggle room for a few alterations as discussed below.

Company Master - artificer armour, storm shield, relic blade, Lion's Roar (Review)

Company Veterans - Apothecary, 4 x meltaguns, Drop pod 

Assault Squad -10 Assault Marines, Sergeant with Power Maul, 2 x flamers, Jump Packs

Devastator Squad - 5 Devastators, Veteran Sergeant, 4 x Grav guns with Grav Amps, Drop Pod

Tactical Squad - 10 Marines with Sergeant, 1 x plasma cannon, 1 x plasma gun

Tactical Squad - 5 Marines with Sergeant with plasma pistol, 1 x plasma gun, drop pod

Tactical Squad - 5 Marines with Sergeant, plasma cannon

Now when I originally designed this force I had veteran sergeants in  all the squads when only the devastators really needed it, as they won't be accompanied by an independent character as I will discuss below. This has freed up a few points to spend on something so I need to have a bit of think on that.

Now, all I need to make this a Lion's Blade Formation is to add a squad of scouts. I haven't designed the base army to be like that, as I know that some tournaments I attend have restricted the use of "formation of formation" like the Decurion for example. They will still allow three separate formations together, but not when that grants them even more benefits for being together. Whether that's right or wrong is up to you to decide but it means I do have to factor that in to my army design.

If I do take the Lions Blade I will probably make up the points by using the veteran sergeant points that will probably be spent on upgrades plus dropping marines from the 10 man tactical squad to pay for the scouts. The scouts will be given sniper rifles and camo cloaks to camp in cover or on an objective (hopefully both) and ping at things from long range. 

Librarius Conclave

These guys are going to play a key part in how this armies gels on the tabletop and I have yet to completely decide on the optimal table to roll for my powers on so input in to that would be very useful.

Ezekiel - Review

Librarian - Level 2, bike, conversion field, Shroud of Heroes force sword

Librarian - Level 2, jump pack, conversion field, force stave

Librarian - Level 2, conversion field, force stave

Librarian Level 2, conversion field, force sword

So here we have two mobile librarians, these can get up field and make best use if their offensive powers and all of these guys will be tough to shift because of their 4++ from the conversion fields, plus the librarian on a bike is toughness 5. Ezekiel brings mega mastery levels and +1 attacks to anyone within 6 inches of him (models not units) which is great if the enemy does assault you and survives your epic overwatch, but not something you want to rely on. His warlord trait is pretty useless granting fearless to units within 12 inches. Not something stubborn space marines desperately need. The company master is going to be the Warlord most likely, with ablative wounds from the company command squad and a 2+/3++ behind it making him much more survivable.

Running the Company and Conclave together

So the key here is the buffing powers of the Librarians and the mobility of the force. Working these together should make this a fairly formidable if fairly elite force to be reckoned with. 

The mobility aspect comes in with assault marines and the drop pods. 2 pods will be coming down turn 1 and these will be the devastator unit and the company command squad. The company command squads melta guns should be able to deal with any armour that they come across, the Company Master will come with them to tank wounds and provide melee support as well as fire off his assault plasma cannon if needed. Matching him with AP1 high strength weaponry means his cannon will be able to hurt what they should be shooting at. 

The devastators with their grav amps will  be targeting whatever gribbly high save unit the enemy has out, or it also has the option of glancing some vehicles to death on 6's. These guys will be targeted early and need to make themselves count when they arrive. If I take the scouts in the Lion's Blade formation I may give them a locator beacon to make landing easier for the devs or vets. Because of my foray into magnets I am also keeping it open that the command squad can have grav guns and have a  sacred standard instead, this would give them relentless and allow them to fire their grav guns at full effect the turn they arrive. This would require points saved elsewhere however to pay for the additional 5 points a weapon. 

The drop pods for these guys are objective secured remember, so something your opponent must deal with if you can land them on objectives!

The Librarian on bike has the shroud of heroes which gives him a 2+ cover save when jinking as well as having T5 and a 4++ invulnerable, making him a tough customer. His mobility should let him be in prim position to fire off other librarians powers or his own. This guy runs solo as the shrouding doesn't work if he is in a unit.

The jump pack librarian will run with the assault marines giving them support with his leadership and using them as a shield while keeping pace with the bike librarian to swap powers as needs be. Again a 4++ makes him that bit harder to shift. The assault marines will score so that makes them a threat to be dealt with in an objectives game.

The other 2 librarians will run with each of the tactical squads, Ezekiel will camp with the 10 man squad and the librarians will sit themselves with the other 2 squads. One squad will come drop podding in from turn 2+ giving some tactical flexibility depending on how the games evolves. But dropping in to enemy lines will also make it easier for the jump pack and bike librarians to get within 12 and share powers. 

Power choices

I'm definitely going to give the bike librarian interromancy so that he can get good angles to fire the now 24 inch range power Mind Worm at the opponents armies nastiest model. This is the primaris so he is guaranteed to get it. 

I'm thinking I will roll on Telepathy with Ezekiel and the librarian that sits in the stationary 5 man squad. Hopefully this should give me shrouding and/or invisibility that can be cast on the units to maximise their survival chances and have psychic shriek as an offensive back up from primaris. 

That leaves the jump pack and drop podding librarians to roll. I am thinking on rolling on divination and pyromancy for each of them. Thus giving me up in your face offensive and defensive powers that can be dished out by either of them if within 12 inches of other librarians. I would really appreciate anyone's thoughts on that.

Well there are my thoughts and tactics so far on this particular force. Please do comment, I always get back to people!

Peace out,

Rob

Company Master Dragutin - fully painted + Librarians galore!

Hi Readers,

So in complete deviation from my to-do list (I promise - mostly to myself I will get back on it again soon!) I have painted Dragutin, the leader of the Black Hands of Caliban. I was far to pleased with myself after finishing his conversion that I had to start slapping some paint on him. His armour is a very grey black, I'm hoping this (along with stature) will really make him pop on the battle field as he leads the Black Hands. I have several sections of fluff noted out for Dragutin and other aspects of the Black Hands of Caliban so hope to share them with you soon.

The basecoat layers before a wash in nuln oil.

And here he is with his magnetised column on! Just so I can take it off and admire his paint work :P

Librarian Conclave

I have in the past always avoided psychic powers, I just wanted to get really up on game mechanics when I got back into the hobby so I avoided the psychic area of the rules to cut out some work and get back into the swing of things. Since then this has stuck, especially with collecting the Black Templars as my first army after I'd really got back into the hobby (With Dark Eldar being my first first army), so no psykers at all there!

After painting up the Tamriel the Librarian the other day just because it was a cool model, I looked in to including him, in my army and then came across the Dark Angels Librarian conclave. I know the space marine codex has a slightly better version but that's a discussion for another day!

For those who don't know this formation is Ezekiel and 2-4 additional Librarians. At the beginning of the psychic phase a librarian can be nominated, this librarian can use the powers of any other librarian within 12 inches of him. Those librarians cannot cast any powers in that psychic phase. The powers cast by the nominated librarian will manifest on 3+ instead of 4+ for each warp charge. And in this formation the primaris power from the Dark Angels interromancy is doubled to 24 inches if taken. 

Interromancy's primaris power is Mind Worm, this is a focussed witchfire power that is Strength 6, AP2, Ignores cover, Assault 1 and Sap Will. Sap will means that if any model takes an unsaved wound from Mind Worm, its weapon skill, ballistic skill, initiative and leadership are reduced by 3 for the rest of the game. Wraithknight with ballistic skill 1 and striking after my marines? Don't mind if I do! Dreadknight can get in there as well!

So with this jumping around my brain I began searching through my large bag of mystery model from job lot bits buys and lo and behold I had a librarian with a broken staff but otherwise complete, and another librarian just missing a backpack and left arm. So here are two additional ones to add to Tamriel. I have ordered a Scibor lion knight to make into an Ezekiel (not a huge fan of the static pose of the GW one) and I will be purchasing one of their biker knights to convert into another librarian.

F*&^ing magnets! (how do they work - if you get this reference you're as bad a human being as I am)

This guy still needs a left shoulder pad but I'll paint and glue it on separately. 

The idea is that the jump pack and the biker librarians can move fast and share offensive powers with Mind Worm being the doozy. The biker will have the shroud of heroes for a 2+ jink and a 4++ from his conversion field.  The jump pack marine will have a squad of 10 assault marines as bodyguard plus a conversion shield. This will make them nice and durable. Ezekiel and the other 2 librarians can sit with the gun line squads and share defensive powers to provide things like invulnerable saves, shrouding and even the dirty invisibility.

If you hadn't already guessed, these guys will be with my Demi-company formation that is taking form both in a physical sense and in a tactical sense. I'm rounding out my thinking of how I want to play them, it will have a weakness of no flyers, but I'm used to that and think it should do OK. I will have a post up at some point detailing my intended use of them along with how I will ally some Ravenwing into my Death Company lists. 

Taking Pictures

So I don't hide that I'm not a terrible good photographer. Or rather I don't put in enough effort to my photos as I should, I think we can all take pretty decent photos if we try. I'm not putting in as much effort as I should but I am trying bit by bit to make them decent for your consumption! So taking advice from Greg (you all know who I mean!) I've got the based version of Tamriel below with a different lighting set up. Thoughts on the basing scheme I've chosen plus the quality of the photos themselves would be appreciated :). (obviously the photos above are taken with the same set up, but I wanted to show this guy off again).

I have decided to ask my family to bunch together and get me a foldio 2 for my birthday present as I don't feel I can justify the spend at the moment but I really would like to give you guys better pictures with which to help my painting improve! So watch this space.

Thats all for today, see you soon for some more of my incoherent rambles and poor quality photos!

Peace out,

Rob