The PCRC presents: Rehab of 8 Addicts

[Bob Hunk]

Oh dear, I think I'm starting to fall behind a bit in my painting and modelling schedule.

Expect a new battle report from me and Lucifer216 by the end of the week. In the meantime, here's a shot from my painting bench.



Once these guys are done it'll just be the Daemon Princes to go then that's 2000 points complete.

[Bob Hunk]

Infestation
The Necron vassals of Anrakyr the Traveller attempt to purge the corrupted desert of the daemonic Cavalcade of Decay.

Mission: Purge the Alien
Deployment: Dawn of War

As the fighting across Shale intensified and the barren desert began to succumb to the corrupting influence of the Chaos, the Necron forces began to rely more heavily on their Cryptek Diviners to predict the appearance of warp rifts. It was hoped that the growing infestation could be culled - or at least contained - if the supply of Daemonic reinforcements was halted.





The Necrons deployed in a shattered Imperial ruin, waiting for the predicted warp breach to occur.





They did not have to wait long. In a nearby ruined chapel obscene whispers echoed from the shadows and a thick hoarfrost formed on the walls as the Keeper of Secrets Lewdfiend Slaanesh clawed her way into reality.



Steadily the Daemonic presence grows around the ruined chapel, the Daemons biding their time until they had enough forces to assault the entrenched Necrons.



Daemon Prince Skel'ator appears nearby but the Deathmarks were expecting him!



Confident in their growing numbers, and with the Lords of the Daemonic Host already present, the tide of madness rolls towards the Necrons.

[Bob Hunk]

Anrakyr rides out on his command barge to meet the threat, the Immortals and Triarch Praetorians advancing at his side.



Gatrog and Lewdfiend pounce on the unwary Praetorians, making short work of the elite Necrons.



Skel'ator glides towards the command barge on rotten wings and smashes Anrakyr to the ground before the Overlord has a chance to react...



...but the Daemon Prince's mirth is short lived as Anrakyr reanimates and swoops past the startled monster, inflicting two wounds with his warscythe. The Necron counter attack has begun!



The Deathmarks and Immortals pour blazing firepower in the wounded creature...



...and the Immortals finally bring him down with weight of numbers.

[Bob Hunk]

The Wraiths are dispatched to cleanse the Greater Daemons, drowning them in a tide of phased blade-limbs and writhing whip coils.



The Greater Daemons are wounded, but Lucifer216's notorious dice rolling (or perhaps the Chaos Gods?) intervenes to blunt their attack.



Anrakyr throws himself into the advancing tide of Plaguebearers, killing several...



...but there are plenty more where they came from!



The Daemonettes arrive to rescue the Keeper of Secrets...



...and the Nurglings try to reach the Great Unclean One.



The Necron Immortals continue to pour shot after shot into the advancing tide of filth, but the Nurgle Daemons prove too resilient.

[Bob Hunk]

Having destroyed the Wraiths attacking the Keeper of Secrets, the Daemonettes leave their Nurgle allies to their fate and advance in search of fresh victims...



...and find the advancing Immortals. The slow-moving Necrons are easily sliced into scrap metal. However the Daemonettes are left exposed to the full fury of the Necron fire base.



Lewdfiend steps up and puts Anrakyr down for a second and final time.



The Daemonettes are subjected to punishing fire power as they advance on the Deathmarks...



...but once again the Dice Gods intervene.



Meanwhile Gatrog and the much reduced Nurgling swarm struggle to finish off the last Wraith.



Lewdfiend badly damages the now riderless command barge, before she finally succumbs to Necron firepower...



...as do the Daemonettes, although not before they hack apart the Deathmarks.



Gatrog Nurgle vomits a stream of corruption at the command barge, finally destroying it. As the engagement draws to a close, the last few Immortals prepare to abandon their entrenched position as the forces of Nurgle close in from all sides.

Final VP Score
Daemons: 10
Necrons: 3

[Bob Hunk]

Skel'ator, Daemon Prince of Nurgle



Formally Festamus of the Deathguard, this Daemon Prince fell to Chaos with his Brother-Astartes during the Heresy. His devotion to Chaos was rewarded with Daemonhood - a gift from Grandfather Nurgle during the dark years of the Scouring. Although long since past mortal concerns, like all the fallen warriors of that epoch he is ever keen to strike a punishing blow against the false Imperium. He is believed to have sworn a dark pact to serve Gatrog Nurgle, although what price was agreed upon none can say...

This retro charm was a model I assembled and painted nearly a decade ago, and unfortunately it shows! As I hadn't finished the Daemon Prince I was sculpting in time for the game yesterday I pressed Skel'ator into service. He'll be getting a long overdue revamp very shortly, after which he'll become a permanent fixture in my Daemonic Horde.

[Tenngate]

The narrative, photos, miniatures and momentum of this thread never cease to amaze. Gripping stuff as ever!

I salute you all!

[Apologist]

Great report, cats – I particularly like Lewdfiend's arrival! The Daemonic horde certainly looks a lot more of a horde at 2000pts; and I think the Canoptek stuff theme of the Necrons is awesome.
Lord Blood; that's a really imaginative reuse of the old grotesques and Mandrakes – cool way to make the older models look good!

WIP
A couple of paint-in-progress Lamb's World troopers. These are Dresden's Command Squad veterans, so they're a slightly different build: I used the Forgeworld Hostile Environment torsos with Space Marine Scout legs. This makes them slightly bulkier and tougher looking, which fits in nicely with their slightly better stats and marks them out as having carapace armour.

Medic:


Grizzled Sergeant:


Vox-trooper:


Company Colour Bearer:


Aside from the bases, I still need to paint the sergeant's neckerchief, the banner itself and a few odds and sods. I'm leaning towards a rich blue for the banner, but any thoughts are welcome.

[glenning]

Looking great! yes, blue or maybe even a bright green would work for the banner!

[Bob Hunk]

From the Workbench



Here's a WIP shot of the revamped Skel'ator. I've re-sculpted his hood slightly, sculpted a Nurgle rune on his shoulder and added some tortured faces to his daemonic scythe, but otherwise he remains largely unchanged. I've also given him a couple of Nurgling lantern bearers on his base. The LED used has a flame effect, so it flickers randomly like a burning fire. It gives quite a creepy under lighting effect - as long as the room isn't too well lit.

[Elyrioth]

Wow inspirational stuff guys

[Apologist]

Cavalcade Ascendant
Mission: The Emperor's Will
Deployment: Dawn of War
Points: 1500

The three bastions, visible since morning in the clean polar air, had revealed themselves as badly weathered and dilapidated. 'Steady, boys,' murmured Ap Yrriksen to the rest of the troopers. He looked around warily, squinting into the harsh, dead wind.
It was just the clear air making the atmosphere off-putting, wasn't it?

+++
Deployment:

The 117th advanced down the Antique Valley to the Gate, spread in a broad line. Two mysterious skull-shaped points were designated as the primary objectives.


With no enemy to fight, Dresden ordered his men into a picket line – nothing would come out of the Antique Valley until they'd secured it.


With a peal of rotten bells, Nurgle daemons began to coalesce from the very air, popping into being with flatulent burps.


More and more arrived on the western flank, led by the dread Gatrog himself, accompanied by a cackling Prince of Daemons clad in baroque power armour.


Dresden orders his men to rush the Gate, hoping to claim the vital objective before more daemons arrive.


Withering firepower splatters the Nurglings and does serious damage to Gatrog himself, but the Plaguebearers are unmoved.

[Apologist]

More daemons arrive in turn 2 – only Lewdfiend remains aloof. Gatrog burps a wave of filth across the troopers cowering in the craters, and even the strange green-glow of the objective doesn't save them.


The Rough Riders charge across the battlefield, but are overcome by Gatrog to no avail.


Battle is joined on the right flank in turn 3, with the Plaguebearers charging a squad of the 117th, who hold.


The skull-faced robotic statue turns out to be a grav-generator, which repels the charge of the Plaguebearers on the west. They shuffle forward, their voices a low drone.


Dresden and the ogryns counter-charge the plaguebearers near the valley entrance and win. Unable to get close to the enemy, Dresden moves on towards the objective, leaving his men to finish off the Plaguebearers.


After three turns of fighting, Skeletor finally breaks the infantry squad which he charged in the second turn...


Lewdfiend arrives, and directs the depleted daemonettes to butcher the ogryns and hapless guardsmen in the mighty multiple combat.


The remaining defenders of the grav-generator objective finally give up the ghost, having been bombarded by their own mortar teams (causing the Guard to give First Blood to the daemons!), pelted with writhing warp maggots and surrounded for five turns. The Plaguebearers administer the coup de grace, accompanied only by a murmured increase of the tally...


By the valley entrance, after a long drawn-out fight and much bombardment, the final plaguebearer falls into a dusty mass of maggots and filth, still clutching his icon.

ENDGAME:


+++
Daemon victory, 5VPs to 4VPs!

A guttural pealing began to toll over the battlefield, as unearthly as it was unlovely. Despite the polar cold, Ap Yrriksen broke into a sweat. His vision swam as the very air seemed to twist. He saw gleaming points of sickly light to the west, and swallowed heavily as the slumped shape began to swell. With a burbling laugh, the monster reached down to the robotic skull and wrapped his hands around it. The glow around the skull statue seemed to be drawn into the pestilent beast, and it dimmed. As the light of the statue winked out, the monster tore it from the earth.

Ap Yrriksen's mind broke at the same instant as the air twisted.
+++

As he ordered the retreat, Dresden realised something had gone irrevocably wrong...

[Bob Hunk]

Thanks for doing a great write-up Apologist.

The Rough Riders charge across the battlefield, but are overcome by Gatrog to no avail.

This has to be my favourite picture from the campaign so far!

[Bob Hunk]

> SHALE
>> Vermillion level authorisation required
>> Inquisition eyes only
>>> Current Disposition of Campaign Forces

Attached projection shows relative areas of Shale claimed by the respective factions. Projection is based on decisive land and aerospace victories weighted against total number of recorded engagements.



1. The Coven of Perfected Flesh are currently raiding and enslaving Imperial citizens at will in outlying settlements and the lower levels of First Dig. A curfew is in place and all but the most heavily patrolled areas are virtual no-go zones after dark. Despite these precautions more and more deserted hab-blocks are being discovered each morning.

2. The Cavalcade of Decay now control large swathes of the desert and the dust seas, including the last known location of Dust Giga-Rig 02, the northern polar bastions and several former Mechanicum Explorator dig sites. Orbital augury indicates an alarming build-up of warp energy in these areas and sentinel scout teams have recorded sightings of twisted structures bursting from the landscape. Orbital bombardment is advised.

3. After successfully seizing the ‘Fingerbones’ Xenos artefact site, the Thousand Sons have since fallen silent. We have no doubt that they are plotting something of great magnitude and the ‘Fingerbones’ are key to their plans. This area should be considered Perdita.

4. The Lamb’s World 117th continues to be the backbone of the Imperial defence, only their stalwart efforts are preventing a collapse on all fronts. Thanks to their actions we still hold the majority of key military installations and the upper reaches of First Dig. Their officers are recommended for the highest honours (posthumously where appropriate).

5. The Tau of Cadre Shas’ka Nan continue to pose a wide ranging aerospace threat but have yet to make significant gains in territory. As they are an equal threat to other Xenos factions as they are to the Imperium it is not recommended that any forces are allocated to finding and eliminating their hidden air bases at this stage.

6. The involvement of the Space Wolves is still conjecture. There have been zero confirmed sightings so far in the campaign.

7. The soulless Necrons have claimed a very large area of Shale centred around the southern catacombs, which are now believed to be the entrance to a tomb complex. Their threat index would be considerably higher if the two apparent factions were not engaged in an internecine conflict. It seems the indigenous Necrons do not take kindly to their interloping cousins. We fear the ancient weapons they may unleash in their bid to reclaim Shale as their own.

8. All conflicts in this sub-sector attract the attention of the Orks in time, but so far their involvement in their Shale conflict has been limited to a single speculative air raid on an isolated outpost. We will monitor for any increase in greenskin activity.

>>> Report Ends

[Noserenda]

That idea Pie Chart is awesome has to be said Superb models and reports as ever chaps!

[Apologist]

Sigma-Agrian Sharpshooter Auxiliaries
A detachment of Sigma-Agrian Sharpshooters were disseminated amongst the third army during early actions against the Tau of the Brightsword Confederate.

The Hekate-pattern sniper rifle is an excellent weapon, well capable of consistently placing shots within tight groupings. Its physical tolerances make it a reliable weapon, well-suited to the naturally gifted marksmen of Sigma Agria.


This particular Ratling has an all-encompassing camouflage cape. Their small size and short limbs, while a drawback in terms of general soldiering, make them well able to take advantage of recesses, cubbyholes and other safe places, allowing them to pursue their main objective of reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering.


As well as a visual scope, this rifle has been upgraded with a Tiger's Eye targeting suite, providing access to additional visual spectra and atmospheric data. Some sharpshooters eschew the use of technological assistance, but this individual is clearly comfortable with the assistanc.


Despite their abilities as sharpshooters, Ratlings have many drawbacks as soldiers. A prediliction for theft and gambling is an unfortunately common attribute; and this individual seems to have a looted xeno artefact, perhaps taken from a defeated Eldar opponent.

+++
In other news, I managed to get another fifteen troopers nearly completed over the weekend. Woot – just about on target.

+++
EDIT
Just realised that with 500pts in January, and 250pts every following month, we should have 2250pt armies completed by the end of August! Not sure if I'm on target for that...

[Apologist]

More grist to the mill
Another fifteen or so troopers are on the painting desk. Here are a few that just need a little tidying up and basing.



+++



Casting their gaze about warily.



Reloading on the move.



A Rip-sergeant consults his vox-trooper.



Orders being passed down the line.



Weapon specialists pick their targets.


There are a few bits and pieces that need fixing – the chap on the left of the penultimate picture needs his face completing, for example, but I was in a bit of a rush before work!


+++
Rapiers
I can't decide whether these should be treated as infantry (i.e. camouflaged), weaponry (i.e. green) or like small vehicles (i.e. plain sand coloured). Any thoughts?

[Lord Blood the Hungry]

new squad is very nice. you are very good at posing the figures to look realistic and purposeful.

[rapiers]
I'd do them like small vehicles (because they are small vehicles). you already have loads of infantry, so a different scheme would make them stand out, and give you break from the infantry scheme.

[the_great_gonzo]

Great log guys, too many good pics to mention them all but the Great Unclean One with the Jellybean green eyes wins hands down!

I'd love to have a gaming group as dedicated as yours, it might even help me paint an army to completion instead of half-arseed then eBayed!