Showcase: Dark Angels Primaris Apothecary

Finished the last of my Primaris models, and pretty happy with how he came out. Very clean white.

Also a group shot of all my Primaris models.

Showcase: Hellblasters

While very impatiently waiting for something to happen in #orktober, I finished my Hellblasters.

working on the primaris apothecary next.

I might just get my Dark Angels finished before the codex after all...

Dark Angels update: hellblasters, ancient.

Can't believe it's been a month since I posted here. I mainly use twitter for updates but will try to post more.  For now, this is my completed Primaris Ancient. 

And the first set of Hellblasters.  Just 7 Dark Angels models left to paint now, 5 more of these, an apothecary and the Darktalon. 

But next I want to finish my Evil Sunz. 

Showcase: Sammael on Sableclaw; Casual Dark Angels list

Finally all done.  Pictured with the Talonmaster wingman.

These guys are the cornerstone of a decent Ravenwing detachment, with re-rolls and lots of shots per model. 

Next weekend I have a casual event, and I toned down my DA list a bit to be more balanced to play stuff I wouldn't normally play.

Battalion Detachment
HQ: Azrael  (180)
HQ: Primaris Lt (78)
HQ: Sammael on Sableclaw (216)

Troops: 5 Intercessors (90)
Troops: 5 Tactical, Missile Launcher (90)
Troops: 5 Tactical, plasmagun, combi-plasma (93)

Elite: 5 Deathwing Terminators, Assault cannon (212)

Heavy: 5 Devastators, 3x Lascannon (140)

Outrider Detachment
HQ: Talonmaster, Havenfall Blade (188)

Fast: 5 Assault Marines, 2x flamer (98)
Fast: 5 Black Knights  (230)
Fast: 5 Ravenwing Bikes, 2x plasmagun, chainswords (151)
Fast: Ravenwing Darkshroud (138)

Elite: Ravenwing Apothecary (92)

1996 pts, 10 command points, 109PL

Rerolls and 4++ for everyone!

This is going to be my final DA list for a while, until I get the Hellblasters and Apothecary done. When I do, I'll have to completely start from scratch.

Battalion Detachment
HQ: Azrael
HQ: Primaris Lieutenant, power sword
HQ: Sammael on Sableclaw

Troop: 5x Tacticals, Missile Launcher
Troop: 5x Tacticals, plasma, combi-plasma
Troop: 5x Intercessors

Heavy: 5x Devastators, 3x Lascannon
Heavy: 5x Devastators, 3x Lascannon

Outrider Detachment
HQ: Talonmaster, Havenfall blade

Fast: 5x Black Knights
Fast: 5x Black Knights
Fast: 4x Ravenwing Bikes, 2x plasma, chainswords
Fast: Ravenwing Darkshroud

Elite: Ravenwing Apothecary

1998pts, 109 PL, 10 Command points

Changing Sammy from Corvex to Sableclaw give me a serious increase in firepower but I can no longer heal him with the Apothecary. 

I really like this list a lot. It may not always win but my gosh it has some serious firepower. Plus Sammy and the Talonmaster both hit pretty hard in close combat in clean up action.

The conundrom of the Darkshroud

I had my first game with the Darkshround and it's everything I could have hoped for. Against Tau it was nice making her use markerlights just to hit on 4+ again.

The problem I have is with my list. I have 2 distinct parts. A firebase powered by Azrael, and a mobile Ravenwing force powered by Samael.

The conundrum comes at wanting to keep everything under the Darkshroud. It just isn't possible. I like to advance the Ravenwing so they get the Jink save, and then use Speed of the Raven to be fully effective. 

The worst option is to have 2 darkshrouds.  They are far too expensive for that.  The 2nd option is to forgo the firebase and make a more mobile in general.  I think pure Ravenwing won't work but having Azrael run with Hellblasters instead of static with lascannons.  But lascannons sure make up for being able to use Weapons from the Dark Age only once.

The last option is just to keep the Darkshroud where it is needed the most. Against heavy targets keeping the lascannons under protection and keeping it with the Ravenwing when needed - but avoiding trying to do both. 

Showcase: Ravenwing Darkshroud

Nice thing about painting Ravenwing is it's mostly black. Didn't take long to finish up the Darkshroud. I especially like the blue and gold window, really stands out in the overall Ravenwing pallet. I left the relic separate for transport, but I'm worried about how easy the heavy bolter will come off.  We'll see.

It will be on the table this week for sure. I dropped the razorback - which I was already planning on doing - and a regular bike to make room for it in the list. Overall it didn't change much. 

Next project up: Darkshroud

Now that I've finished my bunkers, and am at a very good spot with my Tau, time to do some Dark Angels.

I was able to pick up a Darkshroud after being out of stock for months. I should note it was in stock for exactly 6 days before it's no longer available again.

There are a lot of things I need to decide on how to paint, but I plan on getting this done shortly and give it a try on the table.  Can't wait!!

Dark Angels projects complete (for now) - Intercessors, Vets

I have now finished all my current Dark Angels models with the completion of the Intercessors and my magnetized vets.

I should get some robed guys, but these will do for now.

I still need a unit of hellblasters and a Darkshroud.  But after that I'm not sure.

My first Dark Angels list

Since the Dark Angels codex was released I've been working on what I had.  I had 20 infantry built from before 8th when I was making a Lion's Blade.  10 tacticals, 5 assault and 5 devs with a grav cannon.

Well I changed things around, making the devs 2x lascannon instead and the Assault marines became plasma vets.

I also ended up with a couple of the easy to build intercessors, and after a DA upgrade and carving off the shoulder pads, they were built.

Lastly I got a land speeder and combined with bits from the Ravenwing Command box ended up with a talonmaster.

So now I have enough models to field a list I want to try. I do plan on adding a Darkshroud as soon as I can afford it, as well as maybe some Hellblasters.


Battalion Detachment
HQ: Azrael
HQ: Primaris Lieutenant, power sword
HQ: Sammael on Corvex

Troop: 5x Tacticals, Missile Launcher
Troop: 5x Tacticals, plasma, combi-plasma, Razorback
Troop: 5x Intercessors

Heavy: 5x Devastators, 3x Lascannon
Heavy: 5x Devastators, 3x Lascannon

Outrider Detachment
HQ: Talonmaster, Havenfall blade

Fast: 5x Black Knights
Fast: 5x Black Knights
Fast: 6x Ravenwing Bikes, 2x plasma, chainswords

Elite: Ravenwing Apothecary

1997pts, 107PL, 8 Command points

So it's pretty simple. Azrael and the Lt sits back with the devs and missile launcher, giving everyone a 4++ and re-rolls, while the ravenwing exploit speed of the raven and weapons from the dark age to kill just about anything.

I haven't won yet, but I've had a lot of fun with extreme amount of plasma damage.  I just have to be careful about where the black knights are so they aren't charged too easily.

Ravenwing Talonmaster conversion.

One of the new units in the DA codex is the Ravenwing Talonmaster.

It gives re-rolls of 1 to wound to ravenwing units, has a power sword (and thus can get the relic) and has a ton of shooting. Not a bad unit.

I had the twin weapons from a ravenwing sprue and the rest is from the Ravenwing command box. Very easy yet rewarding conversion!

Still working on DA, will get to the Kommandos soon.

More Dark Angels for now

Continuing to work on my DA a bit, starting with a Master. 

Magnetized for a chainsword and power axe.  The axe is pretty cheap so I'll probably use that more often than not.  The idea is to have a master, lieutenant and 8 vets with plasma in a drop pod...for when something just has to die.

I have 5 vets mostly done, but I lost my decals - a giant bag of them - so I can't quite finish them and it's very annoying. I don't want to have to spend money on replacement decal sheets!!!

I'm still not gung-ho about starting the kommandos but soon. I just want to finish all the DA stuff I have first.  I have the vets done except for one decal and varnish, and a unit of Devastators with 2 Lascannons are well on their way.

Ramping the hobby back up: Gauntlet Tactical Squad, Primaris Lieutenant.

Finally starting to get back into the hobby groove.  Finished a full unit of Dark Angels tactical marines, the unit that has the upgrade sprue shoulder pads from the Gauntlet Tactical squad box.

I also worked on a Primaris Lieutenant.  It's one of the easy to build models that come in the 3 model box with the arm and head from DA Primaris upgrade sprue.

I am also going to build up a unit of vets with plasma for with the "weapons of the dark ages" stratagem and a drop pod, converting them from assault marines I built for the old Lion's Blade I was building.     Lastly, I'm got a 5 man Dev squad with a single grav cannon. I will swap this out for either lascannons or missiles. Not sure yet.

After that I need to save up for a speeder to build a talonmaster and a Darkshroud.

The Inner Circle GOLD!!!

That's right, my Dark Angels on Mustafar won gold here at the Portland store.  So very excited, after months and months of non-stop painting it was all worth it!

So now it's the waiting game to see if I won a grand prize. Looking at the other entries my hopes are not that high but still very happy and honored to be considered.

Well that's enough DA for a while, time to get back to Ork stuff. Maybe painting the Stormsurge...

The Inner Circle - Dark Angels complete!

All 18 units are now done for my Inner Circle entry, with 2 weeks to finish the display board.  And that is coming along nicely! Shouldn't be a problem.

Next Saturday the store is holding the last event, a game where you bring what you have done. Sure it's only a week before the final contest, but whatever.   There is also a 40k GT at the same time!  But I need the precious, precious points..and can also save the money from the entry fee.  Anyway here is a list of the stuff in game terms:

Combined Arms - Dark Angels
HQ: Librarian, level 2
HQ: Company Master, Power Sword, Combi-Plasma

Troops: 5x Tacticals, melta, combi-melta, drop pod
Troops: 5x Tactical, missile launcher, razorback
Troops: 10x Tactical, grav cannon, grav gun, combi-grav, power sword, Vet Sgt, Rhino

Fast: Assault Squad x6, power fist, vet sgt, 2x flamer.

Elites: Deathwing Terminators, chainfist, assault cannon

Heavy: Devastators: 4x Lascannon

Ravenwing Strike Force
HQ: Samael
HQ: Interrogator Chaplain, bike

Black Knights x5
Black Knights x5
Ravenwing command squad, apothocary
Ravenwing bikes x3, power sword, vet sgt
Ravenwing bikes x3, 3x grav gun

That's 2417pts.  I leave off one of the assault guys for exactly 2400.

The Inner Circle - Deathwing Terminators

I hated painting these and now I'm darn happy they are done. Never again.

Next up: Rhino #2, tactical marines.

The Inner Circle - Company Master

Chugging along quite nicely now.  Still basically following the GW painting videos, except I hate screamer pink and went Xerxes purple instead.  Added a touch of pink in the final highlight of the cloak.

Now I'm working on the Deathwing. The Tacticals have been airbrushed Caliban green and should go pretty fast once I get started on them, along with a Rhino.

The Inner Circle - Ravenwing Bikes

 The march continues with another completed unit, my converted Ravenwing bikes. 

The subtle conversion came out great, very happy. Not much else to say, on to the next unit!

The Inner Circle - Dark Angels Librarian

Next model done and (literally) in the bag!  The DV librarian.

Didn't take very long at all either, no more then about 5 hours. Can't complain at all!  Gave him a glowing yellow eye and did some blending on the cloak which I'm pretty darn happy with. 

Plus everything else is primed and ready to go!

Time to break out the airbrush and get base colors on everything, especially the Terminators.  For some reason Ushabti bone sprays way better then it brushes, whatever. Probably do the Ravenwing next.

The contest is actually going off on May 13th, so I plan on stop painting around April 13th and work on the display board. If I get it done I'll pick up on another unit.

So that's it! More painting!!

The Inner Circle - Dark Angels

Finished the 2nd half of the first Dark Angels tactical squad tonight.  The extra DV sergeant is there so I can run two units of 5 if I wish.

Did some different paint on the lava for these guys, and probably won't do it again. 

I also finished the conversion of my DV Ravenwing bikes

The first thing was just like before adding a magnetized weapon option instead of just the plamsa. I have plasma, melta, and grav for it.  I then cut the arm off the sergeant and moved it, then added magnetized power sword/chainsword.  I also gave him the hooded head from the Dark Angels upgrade sprue.  Finally cut off the bolt pistol from the 3rd guy and gave him a standard biker arm.  Really like how that came out. Subtle conversions are the best conversions!

I also built a Ghostkeel while my son was playing Pokemon.

Next up is finishing a scale model, then deciding what to paint next. Probably the DV characters.