The Eaters of the Dead

 Before the Blood Angels were reborn, redeemed and enlightened with the discovery of their Primarch Sanguinius, they were a ravenous hord of savagery that literally ate the flesh of their enemies. Over the decades since their legion rose like a phoenix to embody the nobility and wisdom of their great leader, the few unfortunate souls who could not purge their bloodlust were isolated into squads of shock troops and their armour painted black, branding them as unworthy of the glories of the legion. 

Commonly these degenerate "eaters of the dead" were led by a Blood Angels Chaplain into combat to focus their rage and bloodlust into a razor sharp tool of the Emperor's will. And in their dying moments on the battlefield, it was the Chaplain's duty to speak the sacred rights over them and then land the killing blow, relieving them of their cursed condition. 

Brother Chaplain Luchinus leads his latest "recruits" into battle

Brother Luchinus' shoulder pads identify him as a Blood Angels' Chaplain 

Flesh eaters advancing forward toward the enemy

Luchinus arms himself with a volkite combi weapon and his crozius arcanum

White Scars Brotherhood of the Wind

Brotherhood of the Wind, Vth Legion

Initial Thoughts on the New Rules: White Scars

I have looked through the new edition of rules and a few trends stand out to me so far (admittedly, my focus so far has been on units and rules that are relevant for my White Scars):

• Entering from Reserves, including outflanking and deep striking, has been made less effective.
• There is a significant reduction in AP2, with an increase in breaching/rending to partially compensate.
• There is an increase in models with 2 wounds to increase durability of terminators and others.
• Bikes and jetbikes have been toned down.

Here is a breakdown for some of the most impacted units and items:

Sons of Horus vs Blood Angels: Battle for Planetoid Provisa

 Background:

After their initial defeat (Battle for Provisa 1: Take and Hold), Praetor Ezman Vyke was forced to regroup his forces. He now knew the outer dwarf planet of the Xhorik System was defended by more than Planetary Defense Forces of the local Imperial Auxilia. Somehow, a mixed force of Loyalist Legions was present on the isolated hunk of rock at the distant edge of the system. With the primary planet of the system now under Traitor control and the majority of the local White Scars Legion forces defeated, he had expected the rest of the system to quickly succumb to their inevitable fate of slavery to the Traitor cause. Now it seems a force of the IXth Legion, supported by elements of the Vth and VIIth Legions, was defending this distant outpost of the system against the advance elements of Horus' fleet. This was very unexpected because all of their intelligence indicated the Blood Angels to be on a campaign in the Signus Cluster, far away in the Eastern Fringe, where Horus hoped to trap them in a hopeless struggle far from the primary theaters of the Heresy.

After orbital bombardments to destroy planetary defense systems, the Sons of Horus 12th company had made a successful landing with infantry forces and established a small zone of control to bring in heavier support. Praetor Vyke personally led these advance infantry forces in several small battles against the PDF to secure his flanks and buy time for his transports. In one of these routine excursions to take control of a communications relay, he unexpectedly encountered Loyalist Legion forces that inflicted a decisive defeat on his forces and drove him back to his landing zones. Even worse, he had been bested in a duel with the leader of the IXth Legion in the process. Now with heavier support elements being transported down to the surface, Vyke was prepared to launch a counterattack with the intent of eliminating the Loyalist Legion forces on Provisa, on his way to bringing this planetoid and the entire system under the control of the Warmaster. And just as importantly, he looked to get personal revenge on the arrogant and angelic Praetor Garo Arteo.

Scenario: Blood Feud

The objective is simple: destroy the enemy.

Primary Objective
Each infantry unit destroyed: 2 VP
Each other unit destroyed: 1 VP

Secondary Objectives
Slay the Warlord: 1 VP

Last Man Standing: 1 VP for the side with the most surviving units

Opposing Forces:

Blood Angels and White Scars: Pete

• Garo Arteo, Bloody Executioner of the Crimson Gate: Praetor w/ artificer armor, iron halo, digital lasers, jump pack, blade of perdition, bolt pistol
• Crimson Paladins with assault cannon
• The Sanguine Berzerkers:14 assault marines w/ jump packs, bolt pistols, 2 power axes, sergeant with power fist, plasma pistol, artificer armor
• The Golden Shields of Baal: 10 breacher marines, void-hardened armor, 8 bolters, 2 melta guns,
  breacher shields, sergeant with thunder hammer and artificer armor
• The Angel’s Judgement: Vindicator Tank w/ demolisher cannon, armored ceramite and twin-linked bolter
• White Scars Squadron Tsujen: 5 Outriders with twin-linked plasma guns, sergeant with power glaive

Sons of Horus: Phil

• Praetor Ezman Vyke with Cataphractii terminator armor, chain fist, combi-melta, digilasers
• Tactical Squad (6th Squad, 12th Company, the : 20 marines with additional close combat weapons, vexilla, artificer armor, power fist
• Terminator Squad Hammerfall: 5 marines with Cataphractii armor, 3 power fists, 2 chain fists, 5 combi-meltas
• Transport: Land Raider Phobos The Bladed Hand
• Veteran Tactical Squad Exomis ("The Remnants"): 10 marines with 2 power swords, 1 power axe, 1 power fist, vox, 2 meltaguns, 1 combi-melta, and artificer armor
• Transport: Rhino
• Contemptor Dreadnought Konax Silat with multi-melta and chainfist with inbuilt heavy flamer

Twin Tiny Tanks - Legion Sabre Strike Tanks

 I painted the two Legion Sabre Strike Tanks along with one main weapon and ammo pack and one secondary weapon each. I didn't have the energy to paint all the weapon and ammo pack options all at once, but they can at least get on the table now!

The twin tanks side by side. 

3 way batrep re-uploaded!!!

3-Way Heresy Battle Report Video

 https://youtu.be/35olUrgS38o

The Versatile Sabre Strike Tank

 It takes me a long time to paint anything, so I figure if I am only going to ever have a limited number of models, then I may as well make the most of what I have by making them as versatile and multi-purpose as possible. So I spent the last few days building and magnetizing these two Sabres with the full spectrum of three main guns (and associated ammo/energy packs on the hull) as well as the four secondary hull-mounted weapons and the optional Sabre missiles. I mounted 22 magnets so far (I don't really see a need to magnetize the ammo boxes since they sit in a nice slot and won't fall off unless tipped), and I only glued one magnet in upside down (requiring some knife work to dig it out and re-set it in the proper orientation). 

Sons of Horus Contemptor Dreadnought

I had so much fun building and painting this model. My first-ever dreadnought! And after getting stomped by Pete's Contemptors so many times, I am excited to have one of my own now. 

The loadout is a chainfist with in-built heavy flamer (permanently attached) and a magnetized multi-melta on the gun arm so I can swap it out once I get some other weapon options. 

Hunting enemies through the dark corridors of a boarded ship.

Grenade Launchers

 Before I start painting my dreadnought, I had to finish up these Steel Legion troopers with grenade launchers that I started back in February. 

This puts me at about 25 guys done out of the 60 metal models. 

Sons of Horus Contemptor Build

I built a nice base for my Sons of Horus Contemptor. I wanted it to be uneven with an opportunity to create a stepping pose to show off how dynamic the model is compared to the plastic kit. Of course, I also wanted it to match with my infantry bases so I made the main area out of the same "grating" material I've used for the rest of the army. The raised area is a piece of the vent cover from our old, dead Xbox 360 that I salvaged when we pitched it a few years ago. There are strips of wooden coffee stirrers under the Xbox piece to give it some height. Then I just added some random odds and ends from the bits box and a few pieces of picture-hanging wire.

Now on to building the excellent and very posable model after the break: