As I mentioned in this post, I clamored together $120 worth of online purchases so that I could get the Limited Edition Web Exclusive Space Marine Captain as a free bonus.
I didn’t want to make an Ultramarine Captain, I wanted to make a Imperial Fists Captain! He would fill a needed HQ slot for my Imperial Fists army.
I started by painting his parts in the sprue.
I like that he came with a storm bolter. It’s a versatile weapon and still allows him to charge the same turn as firing. The power fist is good, but I wanted something more iconic. For the game Warhammer 40,000, I thought it was fitting that the Space Marine Captain carry a Warhammer! Fortunately, a Stormtrooper model I bought on eBay had been modified to carry a Thunder Hammer. That model can’t carry it in-game, so I removed it and gave it to the Captain.
I also switched out the head it came with for a space marine sergeant head. I figured he should be yelling and not so stoic.
I’m really happy with how he turned out, especially the cape.
I made use of the power fist that came with the sprue and gave it to the veteran sergeant of my tactical squad.
I’m looking forward to having the Captain lead an allied detachment of Space Marines, or as an independent army!
I went to my local Games Workshop on the afternoon of July 13 planning to play a beginner league game. The person I was planning to play was already engaged in a game, but someone recommended I play Andrew’s Blood Angles at 1000 points. I was there and ready to go, so I accepted. I hastily added models to my army to make 1000 points. I should have examined what he was fielding…
This was actually my first battle of 7th Edition Warhammer 40,000. A good learning experience since I expect I’ll be facing a lot of Space Marines in the future.
My army consisted of the following:
Two Company Command Squads, one with a lascannon
Three veteran squads
Chimera
6 Stormtroopers in a Taurox Prime
9 Ratlings
5 Rough Riders
Techpriest Engiseer
2 Psykers (ML2)
Andrew fielded a very daunting Blood Angels Death Company Force
Reclusiam Chaplain
Librarian
8 Death Company Space Marines
Dreadnought in Drop Pod
Land Raider
Vindicator
I wrote the following little bit of fluff for the Narritive League giving a more dramatic review of the battle.
Orders were orders. The Munitorum had ordered the Commander’s detachment to hold the square and eliminate any forces that tried to cross it. The square was the only clear path through what was left of the sprawling settlement, so it had been a strategic choke point against the enemy.
The square was now far back of the front lines, but the Commander’s Imperial Guard troops continued to follow orders. From well-entrenched positions, they attacked anyone who tried to cross it: Enemies, allies, and Imperial Citizens. The square was now logistically vital for getting supplies to the new front lines, but the guardsmen continued to follow orders.
This could have all been avoided if the Munitorum had rescinded or clarified their orders. But, the Imperium being what it was, the Guardsmen continued firing on anyone trying to cross the square.
The inglorious task of unseating these loyal yet foolish guardsmen fell to a detachment from the Blood Angel’s Death Company. Approaching quickly with a Land Raider and Vindicator, they seized the opportunity to attack.
An entire squad of loitering guardsmen were obliterated by the opening blast from the Vindicator’s Demolisher Cannon. These tanks were more like mobile fortresses and quickly eliminated the weapons that posed the greatest threat to them.
A dreadnought deployed by drop-pod caused havoc and confusion in the guardsmen’s lines. But it was brought down with by a torrent of disciplined fire.
The guardsmen had little time to lick their wounds or repair their damaged vehicles as the Land Raider deployed its deadly cargo of Death Company Space Marines. They brutally tore through a squad of guardsmen. The marines shrugged off dozens of lasgun blasts and surged forward, scaling a ruin to cleanse it of the troops entrenched within.
Meanwhile, the Vindicator and seemingly invincible Land Raider continued to harry entrenched Ratlings and guardsmen. The Astra Militarum troops had the advantage of cover, but without a means to penetrate the heavy armour, it was only a matter of time before attrition took them all.
Finally on the roof of the ruin, the Chaplain leading the Space Marines challenged the Commander to single combat.
“I’m only following orders!” bellowed the commander.
“So am I,” the Chaplain coolly replied. With a mighty blow from his Crozius Arcanum, the Chaplain felled not only the Commander, but also his entire Command Squad.
From atop the ruin, the Chaplain had a clear view of the square. The remaining Imperial Guard forces were either fleeing or slain. The Chaplin’s thrill and satisfaction from the kill momentarily faded to melancholy. What madness must haunt the Universe for loyal Imperial forces to slay each other over an administrative error?
Looking over the ruins, the Chaplain quietly whispered: “You are relieved, Commander.”
The less fluffy version of the story? Bad news:
The Vindicator destroyed 9 of 10 models in a squad with one shot! Woah! (I’m getting one for my Imperial Fists Army…)
The Space Marines tore through my guardsman in close combat like tissue paper!
The Land Raiders AV14 armour seems almost impenetrable. Strength 3 lasguns don’t stand for much.
Space Marine power armour can take an obscene amount of punishment
My plasma weapons caused more damage to me than my opponent
Psychic phase is very random. I don’t think the ML2 psykers casting Precedence was worth the points, especially since veterans hit on 3+ anyways. I also rolled for the Misfortune power which causes Rending, but even that doesn’t add much.
The Tempestus Scions (stormtroopers) were almost useless. AP3 is nice, but it’s only Strength 3, and the Death Company had Feel No Pain anyways, so it was like they still had an armour save.
Good Lessons Learned
Because of their stealth, Ratlings in ruin get 3+ cover save. Very nice! And as infiltrators they can camp and harass infantry throughout the game.
The Rough Riders were surprisingly effective at close combat. I regret holding them in reserve.
Orders worked quite well. The Vox-casters came in handy.
My vehicles were surprisingly sturdy. I should have let my troops hide in there much longer in hopes of avoiding death by CC!
Techpriest was handy: Power of the Machine Spirit was nice for restoring full BS to an extra vehicle weapon. And he did constant repairs to the Chimera.
If I were fighting such an armour heavy army again, I’d equip a squad or two with the Demolitions doctrine so that they could use Melta Bombs against tanks. The Rough Riders could have caused a mess with Melta Bombs too.
At one point I had a squad set off a torrent of 21 twin-linked lasgun shots (7 lasguns, rapid fire, rank fire order, precedence). Regrettably, that caused only 1 wound! Rather disappointing. Perhaps a less tough infantry-based army would suffer more from the onslaught…
I recently finished my set of Astra Militarum Infantry models. I’m really proud of how they came out. These Cadian models turned out really well with my custom colour palette. It looks like an imposing force. In a battle, I expect they’ll be slaughtered, but they look really cool as a mob right now!
At the moment, it’s a fully fieldable army with an HQ and two Troops selections. This army consists of a command squad and two infantry squads. I went rather heavy on the special weapons, so there are only a couple of different ways I can field them:
Current Arrangement:
Company Command Squad (96 points) -Officer carries a boltgun -Vox-Caster -Regimental Standard -Medi-Pack
Veteran Squad 2 (76 points)
-Sergeant with laspistol and close combat weapon
-Vox-Caster
-2 Flamers
I like this arrangement. Veterans have a higher Ballistic Skill which can come in really handy. I imagine Veteran Squad 2 would go in first because of their flamers, and the the other two squads would support from behind. I have a Chimera and I’m finishing a Taurox, so I hope these can help me move the move the squads around quickly. With the transports, this works out to only 373 points!
I parts to make 15 more Cadian infantry models from an eBay purchase so I’m thinking about how to add them to this army. I was considering making a close combat oriented command squad, but I think I’ll save those chainswords for my Inquisitorial henchmen. There are two directions I could go: Add another veteran squad, or re-arrange into an infantry platoon.
Option 1: More Veterans Pros:
-Keep up to 3 special weapons per squad
-Keeps Ballistic skill of 4
-Options for special doctrines (grenadiers, forward sentries, demolitions)
Cons: -Slightly more points
-No additional officer
-Limited to 6 in force organization chart (FOC)
-Unable to combine squads
-More of the same
Company Command Squad (96 points), Veteran Squad 1 (81 points), and Veteran Squad 2 (76 points), Chimera (70 points) and Taurox (50 points) remain the same.
Veteran Squad 3 (81 points) -Sergeant carries a boltgun -Vox-Caster -3 Special Weapons
New total: 449 points, 35 models
Option 2: Infantry platoon Pros: -Additional command squad that can issue orders
-Flexibility to create heavy weapon, special weapon, and conscript squads
Cons: -Ballistic skill reduced to 3 because infantry squads are no longer veterans
-Limited to 1 special weapon per squad
Company Command Squad (96 points), Chimera (70 points), and Taurox (50 points) remain the same.
Platoon Command Squad (66 points) -Officer carries a bolt pistol and power sword -Vox-Caster –3 grenade launchers
Infantry Squad 2 (60points) -Sergeant with laspistol and close combat weapon -Vox-Caster
-Flamer
Infantry Squad 3 (61 points) -Sergeant with bolt pistol and close combat weapon
-Vox-Caster
-Flamer
New total: 464 points, 40 models
So, for 15 additional points, I get 5 more models, but the group isn’t quite as strong. In fact, I see those 15 points are the same as the power sword on the platoon commander. Hmmm..
I could combine a couple of these squads into a Combined Squad for serious fun. If I got a couple more lasguns I could separate the flamers into their own special weapon squad too.
I guess one of the nice things is that I can easily switch between the two arrangements by leaving out a couple lasguns.
I was looking at my Inquisitor and Space Marine Captain Models beside each other and this piece of fluff kind of wrote itself.
Forces of the Imperium were hastily responding to an urgent call for help. Small units were mustering in the ruins of a manufactorum for the coming battle.
An Imperial Guard commander talked quietly with his senior advisors. Not far away, an Inquisitor stood silently while his golden robes fluttered in the breeze.
The quiet was broken as a dozen Space Marines stomped into the manufactorum. The Commander recognized the bright yellow power armour of the famous Imperial Fists Chapter. It was a blessing from the Emperor that a unit of Adeptus Astartes were able to respond to the call for help so quickly.
The Commander spied who appeared to be the leader of the group: Based on his ornate armour, Iron Halo, and flowing crimson cape, the Commander assumed it was a Space Marine Captain. The Captain’s eyes quickly set upon the Inquisitor and the Captain stomped purposefully towards him.
In the haste to assemble this mission, the Commander realized it had not been decided who would lead this ragtag group of soldiers. Should it be himself, because he commanded the most forces? Should it be the Inquisitor, who called all of them here? Or should they defer to the hardened battle experience of the newly arrived Imperial Fists Captain? The Commander assumed the Space Marine Captain was going to discuss that with the Inquisitor. Based on his brisk pace, the Commander worried the discussion may become heated.
The Inquisitor noticed the Captain and turned to examine him. A moment later, the two men stood a pace apart, quietly looking each other over. The camp became very quiet and tense.
A young sergeant near the Commander reflexively drew his laspistol. The Commander shot him a derisive look. Did the sergeant intend to interfere in a fight between a superhuman warrior in power armour and a powerful psychic Inquisitor?
The Inquisitor’s Gold cloak and Captain’s crimson cape fluttered in unison. Their standoff had the undivided attention of the entire camp.
Finally, the Inquisitor broke the silence: “You have a lovely cape, Captain.”
A small but pleasant smile crept across the Captain’s face as he replied: “You have a fine cape as well, Inquisitor.”
The Inquisitor’s retinue exploded with laughter. The camp immediately relaxed, except for the young sergeant near the Commander. The sergeant was fuming inside about the tension surrounding this “fashion show.”
The commander paused and made a mental note: If he survived this battle, he would requisition for a fine cape for himself too.