Alpha Legion: Models 4 - Details

"Modeling" with regard to miniatures encompasses the building, modification, and detailing of miniatures, and it is a key part of building an army for me. Modeling is how I attempt to convey details (or mystery) about the forces I use and the character of those forces. Modeling is how you make your army stand out from others. 

An early source of modeling inspiration for me were two White Dwarf articles: one about Dave Taylor's Adeptus Mechanicus army (back in 3rd edition, before there was such a thing, or models for them) and one about his Adeptus Custodes army (also back in 3rd edition, before there was such a thing or models for them). The creativity that went into kitbashing each model to not only represent the unit it was actually using rules for but making the units look different and feel right for the rest of the army still inspires me. Pictures below, and a link to Dave's blog.

Adeptus Mechanicus tank (I believe this counted as a Leman Russ).

Custodes (I believe these counted as Grey Knights at the time).

Alpha Legion: Rules X.1 - Deathwatch

Special rules post! The Deathwatch (DW) now have their own codex, and as mentioned in previous posts, they do feel like the right embodiment of the specialists I am searching for. Their troops are veterans, and everyone gets special ammunition, which now applies to more (and better) weapons! I'll go through the parts of the rules that I have covered for Space Marines and Chaos Marines already so that by the next rules installment, the Deathwatch will be caught up and I can add them to the rotation. As a reminder, I am looking at these from the perspective of creating a gun line list, though the DW do have some decent melee potential as well.

Alpha Legion: Rules 4 - Warlord Trait

The idea of singling out one model as the leader of my band of ruthless infiltrators, saboteurs, and assassins makes me slightly uncomfortable. They are supposed to be faceless and nameless, acting as a single unit, with no ability to break the line of command. In 8th edition however, as in editions before it, one model must be nominated to be the warlord since there are objectives opponents can score for such things. Plus, they get extra abilities, so a warlord I will choose.

Alpha Legion: Background 4 - The Conceit of Trojha

Have you heard of the Bellus Trojhus? It is a conflict from a time of far off antiquity, but I believe we are the result of our sire’s inspiration upon hearing the tale of the Equus Trojhus that occurred during that time. The invading Greikans had laid siege against the walls of Trojha, the last fortified city in an otherwise conquered territory. The city was eventually taken when the Greikans found an outcast Trojhan willing to betray his people and told the Griekans how to bring about the fall of Trojha. A large wooden horse was left outside the gates of the city along with a willing Greikan sacrifice. The sacrifice told the Trojhans that he had in actuality escaped death as an offering, and the horse was left as a gift and concession of superiority. The Trojhans took the horse and sacrifice into the city to win favor with their gods, despite warnings from their priests that this sacrifice and the horse were a ruse. In the middle of the night, the Greikan soldiers that had hidden inside the hollow wooden statue killed the sentries and opened the gates of the city from the inside, allowing the rest of the Greikans to burn and pillage the city…

Alpha Legion: Models 3 - Magnets

Modeling can be a somewhat vague term when it comes to miniatures, but part of it for me is the consideration and implementation of practical miniature building techniques, especially when dealing with a game like Warhammer 40k. There are loads of weapons options and wargear options that even basic models can choose from. While at most tournaments the army list must remain static, of course, for casual games and for the sake of not having to buy new models each time I try using a different weapon or wargear option, I have magnetized nearly all of my Alpha Legion models so far. 

Alpha Legion: Painting 3 - Weapon Details

Due to an unfortunate miscalculation, the blend of blues, greens, and metallics I mixed for the base color of my models has dried out. Fortunately I think I have found a suitable replacement. In the meantime, though, I have been finishing up the models that were already painted, and starting on the Destroyers (Devastators) using the Necron Tesla carbines. So, on to weapons details.

Alpha Legion: Background 3 - We Are All One

+++ ACCESS: XX Legion Splinter Database
+++ //: CLEARANCE REQUIREMENT: STYX
+++ <CREDENTIALS ENTERED> - Welcome Alpharius...
+++ File: Harrow 553 // Report: Effrit Cell 1221-Rho-Gamma-Nu-Rho-Kappa
+++ Date: 071.M33
+++ XX Legion analyist [AO-957]
+++ Threat analysis report

Recent information gathered by XX Legion operatives has identified a threat that may lurk within our very own ranks: Effrit Cell 1221-Rho-Gamma-Nu-Rho-Kappa.

The history and origin of Cell 1221 consists , unsurprisingly, as a collection of conflicting reports, accounts, and apocrypha. Some records place the origin of Cell 1221 as early as 830.M30, others as late as 981.M30. Legend within the XX Legion itself posits the latest founding date, 015.M31, claiming Cell 1221 to be a collection of the Primarchs' little-known bodyguards oathed to vengeance upon Guilliman and the XIII Legion after the events on Eskrador. One rumor, told as a source of humor among XX Legionnaires, is that the leader of Cell 1221 is a third, completely unknown triplet of the Twins, or in another variation really, truly is Alpharius. Thanks to the XX Legion talent for deception and misdirection, members of the Inquisition who investigate these rumors, dropped casually by XX Legionnaires to human operatives, often become terminally insane attempting to determine if there is any truth to these rumors and if that truth is even worth knowing.

Alpha Legion: Rules 3 - Relics

Back to rules again, this time looking at Relics. Every army gets one for free and every faction has a few options. Relics need to be assigned to a character, though not necessarily to the warlord, which gives them a little more versatility.

While the Alpha Legion, and my "Mobius Cadre", value anonymity as a means of obfuscating their command structure, some legionaries inevitably stand out. And in game terms, I am still using Infantry Character HQ choices (though I've toyed with the idea of taking a Rhino Primaris) since they are effective force multipliers. So, relics will go to these characters, though since the relic need not go to the warlord, the uniqueness can be spread out a little, which I feel is more in line with Alpha Legion ideology. And the Alpha Legion certainly did have unique items like the Pale Spear.

Alpharius wielding Sarrisanata, the Pale Spear, against Rogal Dorn.

Alpha Legion: Models 2 - Devastators/Havocs

I've written a lot about Headhunters since they are the inspiration for my Alpha Legion army. However, much as I would like it not to be true, in 40k an army of only "Headhunters", in the form of Sternguard, Noise Marines, and/or Chosen, will not do well. However, there were other units used by the Alpha Legion as infiltrators, saboteurs and assassins. Units tasked with such activities were all referred to as "Effrit", though this term most often referred to Headhunters. The term effrit comes from a kind of jinn, an ifrit, in Middle Eastern stories known for being intelligent, cunning, and ruthless.

Example depiction of an ifrit, or "effrit" in 40k (source).

One example of a unit specifically called out as Effrit in book 3 of the Forge World Horus Heresy are Destroyers. Destroyers were equipped with weaponry that only they and certain Mechanicum factions were allowed to use, forbidden to all others. This included radiological, biological, and alchemical weapons, such as rad missiles and phosphex bombs. Destroyers typically suffered the effects of the weapons they wielded, including cancers, pale skin, and lesions. They were often seen as dishonorable and disgraceful but a sometimes necessary evil in many legions. In the Alpha Legion, however, Destroyers were not shunned or looked down upon given the philosophy of the 20th that the ends justify the means. Since Destroyers are not a unit in the Space Marine or Chaos Space Marine books, they will be represented by Devastators or Havocs, or perhaps Deathwatch with suspensor-equipped heavy weapons when they get a real codex.

Alpha Legion: Painting 2 - Highlighting

In the past, the final stage of painting a model has been highlighting. It is a step that has necessarily come after all other layers are done. In the past, I have gotten out my finest detail brush and slowly put thin lines on the edges of my minis. It has worked with varying degrees of success.

Sometimes my highlighting has been good, like the stormraven (which I didn't actually finish highlighting) with nice thin lines. It helps that the model has lots of edges. The Deathwatch Space Wolf I consider decent, where the lines are clean, but thick, which doesn't really have the same enhancing effect I see with professional highlights but rather stands out on its own. Sometimes the lines are so thick that on the Kastelan I didn't even highlight all the edges as otherwise the highlight color would almost completely obscure the true color layer underneath.

With the Alpha Legion, I am trying something different.

Alpha Legion: Background 2 - Rumors, Lies, and Deception

+++ ACCESS: Heretic Astartes Legions
+++ //: CLEARANCE REQUIREMENT: VERMILLION
+++ <CREDENTIALS ENTERED> - Welcome Inquisitor...
+++ File: XX_Legion // Report: Covert Cell XX-71-HYDRA
+++ Author: Inquisitor Joruus Malkin
+++ Date: 997.M41

+++ FOR THE EYES OF LORD INQUISITOR ALLEUS VINKOR, IXANIAD SECTOR HIGH INQUISITOR, ORDO HERETICUS, ONLY +++

Imperial Alias designation: The Mobius Cadre
> Other aliases: The Abyssal Set, The Mandelbrot Host, The Omega Iteration

Operational area: Ultima Segmentum - 45% sightings
> When percent sightings adjusted against number of systems per segmentum, distribution is nearly uniform across the Imperium. Random attacks? Misdirection? More disturbing implications if this is just one group: multiple sub-cells with distributed bases of operation? Ultra-stable, ultra-reliable Warp travel?