Hobby: Knights of Decay Test Mini

Quite a long time ago now I started this blog to act as the record for my Chaos armies, namely my Secessionist themed Imperial Guard Army the Pilgrims of Rust, and the Nurgle-Khrone Chaos Space Marine warbands of the Knights of Decay. For years these respective forces fought across the battlefields of the 41st Millenium, killing and dying across a breadth of worlds and against every type of foe that one might think to imagine. Life moved on, and interest in the Grim Darkness wained, those veterans amongst us will remember (and current Games Workshop will admit) this period when the hobby or rather the company which purveyed these addictive plastic miniatures seemed to be at odds with its own fanbase. For myself, and a lot of others locally, we moved to greener pastures, for me it was 15mm Sci-Fi, which allowed a degree of versatility and creativity that I felt I had been having difficulty attaining in Warhammer 40,000.  

With the launch of 8th Edition, and the immense renaissance of enthusiasm in the Games Workshop brand of the hobby. I, with a lot of others, have found myself leading armies once more across shattered cathedrals and across trench scarred battlescapes. The Jornath narrative campaign and a host of new models, seen in recent months across these hallowed "pages" might attest to that revival. With the lovely new Death Guard Easy-Builds, available I thought I would use this new found energy to remake the armies which gave this Blog its name.

On this test miniature, I thought to follow the traditional Death Guard Legionary color scheme. and use a mixture of pallid flesh tones and yellowish shading to add visual interest.

I think the scheme may need to go up a few shades whiter and then be hit with the rust streaks and yellow shade to more successfully separate the dark green edging from the rest of the armor, making the whole thing stand out more on the tabletop. 

Thanks for Reading

-Your Favorite Madman-

Jornath: Recapturing Data-Tether Ignatius

.14 Months Since the Fall of Usmilplatz.

The Mechanicus launches its main thrust towards Usmilplatz from the south, with a diversionary task force striking from the west earlier in the same week to divert Ork warriors away from the main body's axis of advance. Reconnaissance units still present in the wilderness areas around the AO redouble their efforts and attack xenos artillery positions and communications outposts to confound the Ork's (already less than stellar) command and control capabilities. 

The Easternmost column of the main body's advance will be the first to hit a major population center, the town of Korsnokrat. While local partisan and militia forces moved house-to-house clearing out the xenos, and liberating slave encampments, the Skitarii maniples would be moving to one of their first primary objectives of the campaign, a data-tethering compound, in Korsnokrat which houses huge amounts of backup information and ancillary servers for Prima Jama.  

The battle concluded quickly, massed fusillades of high-powered weaponry proved the better of the data-tether's occupiers. The Orks, as is typical of their race gave a hearty effort, but lacking effective armor or transport could not approach the sons of mars to bring their savage strength to bear, and thus before nights end, the street outside the compound was piled with the charred corpses of Ork bully-boys, and the crude sheet metal glyphs and heretical alien technology which had been rammed haphazardly into the priceless equipment within.  A day on and a small army of newly freed lay-adepts and noncombatant mechanicus personnel had brought data-tether Ignatius back into the operational fold of Prima Jama.

The Liberation of Usmilplatz was having good success thus far, but could it be sustained?

-Your Favorite Madman-

Hobby: STC Ruins

I recently picked up the STC Ruins set of terrain from the local GW store, and was very impressed by the results. The set provides quite a bit of table coverage, has good detail on all the wall sections and can be utilized in conjunction with the "classic" cities of death kits to make a very interesting bit of terrain.

For mine, I went with a pretty simple scheme of a weathered and rusted out grey color, which meant that the whole set could be painted in the space of a single afternoon. Resulting in a sizeable amount of (painted) table coverage in a handful of hours for a few dollars. Not half bad.

Thanks for Reading!

-Your Favorite Madman-

Jornath: Assault on Gate S-2 (Evening)

This is the concluding stage of the Assault on Gate S-2, to see the first part click Here

After only a handful of hours after Bazbrag's initial assault on the walls, his Warband renewed its attack. This time the Orks had decided to withhold their heaviest equipment, their knight-titan equivalencies and dreadnaught walkers took severe losses from the Sons of Medusa's counter-assault. While the greenskins are often thought to be without number, not even the Ork can afford to waste that much heavy equipment on a consistent basis. However, where there once were machines there now were hundreds of alien warriors.  Bazbrag had ordered forward the Ded Burnin' Troop,  a division of his Warband, under the direction of a firey Ork Psyker (referred to as Weirdboyz in the tongue of the Xenos) The Ded Burnin' Troop numbered around 500 primarily foot mobile infantry as it launched its attack on the Walls around Gate S-2 at 9:30pm.

Behras Garrison Cohort II Company after its earlier losses was diminished down to a paltry 56 men, including all officers. However it was now freshly bolstered by reserve elements from the Garrisons internal QRF, returning assets from the 11KCC, and a few hundred conscripted civilians armed with anything the defensive force could find to hand. With Commander Souza slain in the initial attack on the Gate, overall command of the defensive sector fell to his immediate subordinate Confrater Galton. Normally Galton was involved in working with the Ecclesiarchy and the administrative sections of the Behras Vineyards Bottling Corporation, to provide alms of wine, grape by-product, and recycled industrial waste to needy areas of society. Which is to say that he essentially has little to no military experience beyond his essential training with the Cohort. Despite this, he does have a particular penchant for oratory, in the style of the Minstorum. 

Taking advice from the 11KCC detachment commander, Galton ordered II company and the reinforcing elements back off the wall, and created a secondary killzone just behind the wall, on the opposite side of the arterial causeway that ran behind the curtain wall.

The defense would be a simple plan, the QRF would hold the gate for as long as possible to force the greenskin's to take the much more exposed approach over the wall. Where the tankers would blast the aliens to pieces with massed firepower.  Should the gate fall, or the orks get over the wall a massed fusillade of rifle fire from the conscripted workers will act as the last line of resistance. 

Commander Galton set up his field command in the cemetery at the intersection of the arterial causeways. The location was wrapped in a large wrought iron fence, and the rows of mausoleums provided good cover from the ground. It was for the poetry of the place that Galton chose it as his CP for the battle however, he liked to imagine that the Imperium's honored dead might aid him in some way. 

As the bootfalls of hundreds of aliens descended on the wall, and the thud of localized mortars disturbed the relative quiet of the night air. The guards and conscripts of II company sat in formation, clutching prayer books, cleaning kit, or taking swigs of wine from the cellars, a thousand little comforts to ease the nerves. Between the lines, walked the robed figures of the Ministroum holding aloft swinging orange lanterns and loudly singing joyous hymnals. The priests and other members of the ordos had been withdrawn to the heart of the defense early in the Siege, to protect what High Command referred to as "vital spiritual and medical assets". Galton called in some old favors though, feeling that a fair bit of spirituality might do the company good. 

The call to arms came suddenly as the first trip-flare shot up into the skies from outside the wall. Officers and NCO's shouted loudly to gather equipment. The tank engines roared into life and begin to advance toward the wall with guns leading. 

As forces advanced something strange happened, a cloud of glowing green smoke drifted over the wall. Men began clamoring for their respirators, fearing a gas attack. As the smoke drifted above the causeway a deafening throaty drone blanketed the area and the cloud began to arc with electricity. The drone broke immediately, only to be followed hastily by that familiar Ork battle cry 

"WAAAAGGGHHHH!!!"

From the cloud over two dozen Orks charged the nearest KCC vehicle, firing wildly with oversized automatic weapons and waving crude axes. Stick Grenades detonated against the hull, blowing open hatches and crumpling the armor. The greenskins began to climb across the beleaguered Leman Russ, attempting to find a way to the crew within.

The initial surprise wore off soon enough, as every nearby unit unloaded a torrent of fire into the aliens, wiping out the greenskins before they could eliminate the vehicle. A mound of goreslick dead rested next to the vehicle. 

Outside the wall a harassing element from the 20th Chonn Firebrands, a Feral worlder regiment of rough riders, responsible for counter-assault and recon. Plunged headlong into the body of the Ork advance searing the aliens commander with superheated melta fire. Only to be dragged down on their attempted escape by the weight of numbers.

The Orks finally made it to the gate, pouring through and firing large caliber pistols at the men of the QRF. A frenetic short-range firefight took place as the mechanized infantry charged back.

With the gate heavily engaged Confrater Galton and the priests marshaled the conscripted workers towards their firing positions. 

The Gate was awash with combat now, as hundreds of Orks and men hacked at one another with bayonets, axes or digging tools. Automatic weapons fire from short range digging into the mass of bodies, killing scores with indiscriminate fire. 

The majority of the Orks had broken in, but a third of the QRF's infantry was able to successfully withdraw to the lines of vehicles and conscripts. The whole of the defense force formed a vee on the gate Killzone, and poured volleys of rifle fire into the onrushing Orks. 

The majority of the aliens were scythed down before they could get into contact. 

Outside the walls, the rest of the Ded Burnin' Troop started to question entering into the gate. In the face of stiff resistance, and with the force's leadership slain by the Chonn Firebrands. The remainder of the Ork forces withdrew back to their staging positions. 

After the Assault on Gate S-2, Bazbrag pulled back his warband to midtown in Saine Yeltsville, rejoining the rest of the encircling alien forces. The Walls of Fort Behras had held for another day, but as was the situation all across the fortress, men and material were desperately low. By the time of Bazbrag's assault, Tactica Command Jornath estimated that Behras would only be able to hold for another 7 months if combat levels were to maintain at their current ebb. A relief effort had been in the works for the majority of the year, to hopefully break the siege of the fortress, but reports like the attack on S-2 began to paint an ever-worsening picture of the situation, instigating a massive increase to the timetable of the counter-attack.

Named Operation Gray Jewel, the breakthrough attempt would see some of the heaviest fighting of the entire war up to this point with the deployment of new and terrifying weapons.The Battle for Jornath moved into its 3rd and potentially bloodiest year.

Thanks for reading! If you've been enjoying the Jornath setting then be sure to stay tuned. For a full list of all posts pertaining to the setting from all bloggers you can click the "Jornath [40k]" tab in the bar at the top of the page. 

-Your Favorite Madman-

Jornath: The Decent of Corporis

The sleek black and gray armatures of the Sons of Medusa Strike Cruiser "Concise Absolution" slid by the decimated Suetonius Station. Its pulsing proximity lights, and the twinkling glow from the interior viewing portals matching the fires raging across the stations' breadth. The display of both placed into dramatic relief as the planet of Jornath slid once more into view. The fires and even large explosions ripping across the war zone could be seen now raging across the majority of the western hemispheres' largest continent.  There, their brother Astartes were earning glory, and favor in the service of the God-Emperor and of the Omnissiah.

Aboard this mighty vessel was a full company from the War Clan Mageara, now with many of its members enhanced with Belsarius Cawl's Primaris Gene Manipulations. The Sons of Medusa are known for their linkage with the Omnissiah's followers, and indeed it is this pact which has drawn the emerald-clad marines to the planet. With Chaos threats highly active in the Eastern Fringe, and amongst the southern sectors in the Segmentum Tempestus it has become vital that those worlds capable of being secured and used as bases for resupplying the defense of the Emperor's domain are brought into favorable conditions to support industry.

The company was expected to join the vicious fighting around Fort Behras or perhaps reinforce Skitarii and militia units at Usamiljen Heights.  It surprised everyone within the Admiralty and Tactica Command Jornath, when Brother-Captain Calces Corporis announced a deployment of his Marines into the Rok landing sites outside of Kula Hive. These sites had seen diminished xenos activity since the launching of the Ork's summer offensive last year.  Captain Corporis' reasoning was carefully calculated as is typical for a son of Ferrus Manus, the Orks had largely been concentrated into a handful of major conflict zones, but were still being supplied in their efforts from Mek factories in the captured city of Bolasku, and from inside the Rok landing area. The Mek's were a particularly favored target for the Sons of Medusa, any alien that pollutes the Imperium with blasphemous technologies should be purged first, thereby denying its ilk use of the equipment and sparing the spirits of untold thousands of machines from torment at the hands of the Ork techno-torturers.

So it was that battle was joined with the Ork warleader known as Kill-Mek Oilymaw and his Kult of Speed, several kilometers behind the xenos' frontlines. The mission was simple...

"Purge the Weak!" snarled Captain Corporis, as he leaped from the low flying Thunderhawk. The sound of xenos heavy weapons fire shrieking through the air. 

The thunder of roaring engines and stomping walkers echoed around the slum city.  "Squad Pugno, regroup with the strike force after you've finished preparing the containers for demolition, Squad Rubro and Aerea prepare for motorized contacts from six-zero." A chime of silent affirmations quickly came from the Strike Force Vox-Net

"Charges Set Brother Sergeant" spoke Auternus. "Good, prepare to detonate the charges on my signal! Squad bounding cover back to the main landing zone. Move!" shouted Sergeant Pugno, as the hydraulic hiss-slap of a Killa-Kan's legs grew louder. 

"Brothers, adjust ranging to within 75 meters, remember to aim for the axle and engine block." said Sergeant Aerea calmly to his squad. A gretchin wearing a plastic bag and wielding some type of slug throwing rifle appeared from behind the Mek Workshops' perimeter wall. A stalker bolter round from his squad turned the runt into a cloud of black mist. "Round telemetry reports exact distance at 68 meters brother Sergeant" spoke Brother Neglev.  "Adjust" stated Aerea

Pugno sprinted across the marshy ground to the hilltop where the strike force, stood awaiting the arrival of his Marines. Heavy slugs from an Ork Buggy further in the compound chewed up the ground around them as they ran. Just as he was about to order the squad to return fire, a bulky ramshackle Ork Trukk smashed through the scrap metal perimeter walls blocking the vehicles' fire. 

"Engage!" Yelled Captain Corporis, as the Trukk barrelled straight at their lines. The hail of Hellblaster plasma and bolter fire sending all manner of metal shards flying off the machine in an incandescent flare of white-hot explosions. The resultant husk grinding into the soft ground, a steaming pile of liquidated scrap, the occupants still attempting to disentangle themselves from the wreckage, as the rest of the greenskin force reached the wall. 

"Squad, turn and engage the enemy!" Pugno screamed into his vox-link, as the trukk was torn asunder by the rest of the strike force. Heavy weapons fire from the main ork body answered the Astartes, and the battle was joined in earnest.  Turning back to inspect the container storage and main gate, he saw the shape of the killa kan already firing away with a hull mounted stubber.

Looking past the haze of smoke from the wreckage through the optic on his Bolt Rifle, Sergeant Aerea eyed a massive shape amidst the throng of other Orks. "Priority Target located Brother-Captain".     "Affirmative neutralize the Warriors first and then we shall slay the warboss"

"The weak approach! Prepare for close contact" snarled Sergeant Rubro, venting heat build up in his hellblaster, as the Orks pulled themselves from the wrecked vehicle and began charging their position.

"Task force! Prepare to receive a charge. DENY THE ALIEN" said Captain Corporis, striding forward and thumbing the activation rune on his power sword. The bulk of the greenskin infantry had arrived now dozens of alien warriors scurried around the wall and began their advance at the Astartes lines. 

"Fire at the Kan!" ordered Pugno, triggering the detonation charges. The massive explosion stumbling the walker, shrapnel sheering off the massive hydraulic claw from the machine. Bolter fire laced across the gap, blowing great steaming holes into the body. Fire quickly licked up out of the crew cab, a handful of snotlings scrambling out from a side hatch. Such diminutive creatures were hardly worth the ammo spent, but Pugno was in no mood and the greenskin runts were soon turned to a pile of black gore from the squads bolter fire. 

Aerea parried the thick cleaver with a flick of his wrist, sending the Ork wide to his left. The impulsivity of the greenskins made their attacks predictable and easy to counter but their weight of numbers and the raw power of the beasts made them deadly. Aerea knew to respect the foe, to understand its capabilites, and then to kill it. He smiled as the hilt of his blade slammed into the ribcage of the now exposed Ork boy, a fountain of black ichor spraying out. 

The majority of the lesser aliens dead or dying on the field Captain Corporis leveled his sword at the Ork Warboss, and turned on his external vox hailer "Time to die beast!".    Big Mek Oilymaw, only bellowed a thunderous warcry and ran headlong at the Captain.  The mighty axe of the alien, smashing against the broad edge of Corporis' blade with such force that a shower of blazing sparks rained down. "Youz gunna pay fer what u done to me Boyz!" screamed Oilymaw, pushing back and preparing for another blow. Corporis charged forward, hoping to get inside the Ork's guard and was met with a heavy green fist to the breastplate for his troubles. 

"Die you filth!" shouted Rubro, stamping onto the Nob's broken face, until the skull finally gave way. Barely taking a moment to breathe, he looked up at the encroaching Ork machinery.  "Keep those abominations away from the Captain at any cost!"  flipping the venting valve closed on his Hellblaster, he fired a superheated charge of plasma towards the perimeter wall.

Pugno looked to the location of the Ork buggy that had engaged them earlier, as he and his squad moved forward to survey the damage to the Kan and shipping containers. Squad Aes was already ontop of the warmachine, the greenskin on the mounted gun frantically firing at the Interceptors as their used their jump packs to find an advantage on the foe.  

leaping to his feet Captain Corporis barely parried Oilymaw's axe blow. The impact sending him scrabbling to the side. As he caught himself he dove forward, his blade just missing the ork's gut, and leaving a fuming cut on the Mek's left flank. It screamed in pain but did not recoil, instead throwing his axe the side and using both hands to lift Corporis into the air. Oilymaw slammed his head into the Captains face visor and threw him to the ground.  Corporis' vision swam, he could barely see through the broken vision lenses.  The hulking shape of the warboss approaching him, having just recovered its axe was broken and distorted.  Hatred filled Corporis, he gripped a frag grenade and rolled it at the space between them.  

"Recover the Captain!" shouted Aerea over the strike force vox frequency.  As a frag grenade detonated in front of the warboss.  It let out a furious bellow of anger and pain, just as Aerea and Rubro moved to block its path from the wounded Corporis.   

"Dat was a propah good fight dat wuz" breathed Oilymaw heavily. 

"Next time iz gunna ave loadz more gubbinz and boyz fer you lot tah tangle wiv"

"There won't be a next time alien" spoke Aerea, leveling his bolt pistol at the beast.

"Dats where yah wrong youz beakie git. Iz an ork. an Orksies can always come back fer annuver go!!"

A cataclysmic explosion ripped through the Mek workshop behind them. The concussive shockwave was almost enough to knock the Astartes to the ground with its raw power. Aerea shielded his visor on instinct from the furious onslaught of grit, razor sharp bits of metal and falling debris. He lowered his hand, and Oilmaw had gone, disappeared into the fog of smoke and ash...

Imperial Victory.