Thursday, May 31, 2012

The Regiments assemble

With the great devourer coming, no single force could hope to stand... thus the full might of the Imperium must be brought forth- Lieutenant Denora, 1st platoon, 5th company, 15th Gallayan Rifles

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With the coming game, I was forced to talk to a few friends of mine.  One of them, Sean has a pretty substantial Space Wolves army (10,000+ points).  He also has some heavy vehicles I knew I would need for this game.  So in his kindness, he let me borrow some planes and super heavies... in exchange for pictures of the battle. 

I get by with a little help from my friends luckily.

This army list is split into 3 sections. 

  • First is the Patuxan Armoured Reserve, filled with some of Seans vehicles.  Since the Gallayan regiments have few real heavy armour, they often depend on outside regiments for support.
  • Next is the Holy Fleet contingent, supported from orbit by the Cruiser Sullian, which provides a small contingent of Stormtroopers for special operations.
  • Lastly are the bodies of the Gallayan infantry.  A full company takes the field, supported by a platoon of pathfinders.  In all... scoring units will not be in small supply.  This force uses the siege regiment rules... which makes them a little more dangerous in a hand to hand fight.

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37th Patuxan Armoured Reserve

Hellhound Squadrons X2             

Stormlord armored Transport: 540 Pts

Baneblade Heavy Tank (Commissariat Upgrade):

2 Lemon Russ Battle Tanks (Lascannon/H Bolters)



Sullian Aerial Support Strike Force

Stormtrooper Strike Force

                3 Vendetta Gunships

·         2 Heavy Bolter Sponsons             

                2 Valkyrie Assault Flyers                               

·         Multiple Rocket Pods

·         Heavy Bolter Sponsons
      Lascannon replaces Multi-laser

4 Stormtrooper Squads                                                

2 Thunderbolt Fighters with all upgrades              



Gallayan Regimental Infantry

3rd Pathfinders (1st Platoon:  The Blue Dogs)

                3 Veteran Infantry Squads w/ 3 Meltaguns

                2 Special Weapon Squads w/ 3 Meltaguns

15th Gallayan Rifle Regiment; 5th Rifle Company

Command Squad:

·         Regimental Standard

·         Captain with Powerfist

·         Imperial Artillery Officer

·         Grenade Launcher



1st Platoon (The Ladies Own)

·         Lieutenant with Powerfist and Plasma Pistol

·         4 Grenade Launchers

4 Squads with Plasma Rifles

·         2 blob squads of 20 men each

2nd Platoon (The Old Dogs)

·         Lieutenant with Power Sword and Bolt Pistol

·         3 Meltaguns



3 Squads with Plasma Rifles

·         1 Blob squad of 20 men, 1 stand alone squad

3rd Platoon (The Bayonet Brigade)         

3 Squads, Plasma Rifles

·         Blob squad of 20 men and 10 men stand alone.

·         2 Bolt Pistols

3 Lascannon Squads

Quartermaster Squad

4 Priests                              

2 Lord Commissars         

·         1 with 2 Power Fists       

·         1 With Power Sword      

2 Batteries field artillery 

·         1 Battery Thudd Guns

·         1 Battery H. Mortar

                                               



                                               

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

WIP Bits and Pieces

As I began this project, I had wanted to keep the units pretty uniform.  But resources did not always provide that opportunity,  So, after the first platoon, I found myself needing to scavange bits from other areas.


I am rather a stickler for having individuality in my officers.  Thus far I have been able to have each of my sergeants and lieutenants looking differant, with a little personality.  As the bits became more... scarce I looked through my tossed aside bretonnians.  Sergeant Roland here has my last Cadian officers body, and a Bretonnian knights head. 


I am still trying to get my camera to work with me... so pictures are all over the place.  My intent is to have Roland carrying a Welsh flag into battle, with a Power Fist.  This may take a little work.

More Bretonnian than Empire

With a ton of Men at Arms bodies lying around, I started to use them in my units.  The look is a bit differant, but it works.  The visual I have been getting in my mind these days is a regiment that is gathered from all over the world of Gallaya.  They bring their own customs and ideas... and the uniforms represent this in a way.

This trooper comes from the northern continents of Gallaya, which forces thicker layers upon the population.  When the Emperor called him, he brought his culture with him into the regiment.


Many squads in the regiment are working toward mixing the differant cultural groups, to make the regiment work more efficiently. 

Many heads and bodies

There are many heads out there, and to give a little more individuality to some units I started using them.
Side by side the differances are not too bad.  In a firing line I think the troopers will work well in appearance.  The finished products have gotten some good praise from several guys at the gaming store.


As regiments that constantly battle in endless wars of attrition, sometimes troopers are not able to get the medical care quickly before the next fight.  Many soldiers in the regiment have injuries like the trooper on the left.  A head from the Bretonnian Archers sprue

Two troopers made completely from Bretonnians... all that remains is to give the boys some arms.  As I have run out of Cadian legs, I have decided that some quartermaster resources just... ran out. 


More tomorrow.  Including the army list for the Apoc Game.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

The Shadow in the Warp (Apoc Game incoming)

The great devourer is coming... and death and damnation follow in its' footsteps.  A friend of mine has challenged me to an Apoc game of 7500 points.

I shudder to think of the forces he will be bringing, because I already know he has two gargantuan beasts.  To combat this I have organized a small air force of 2 Thunderbolts, and 5 Vendetta gunships.  On these Vendetta are the finest specialists I could muster... a platoon of Stormtroopers armed and ready.

I will be posting pictures, and hopefully a little more information as this battle comes closer.  The thing that annoys me is that not everything on the table will be painted, but I can live with it this once.

The casualties among my boys will not be pretty I fear.  Never been one to like being eaten by genestealers or worse.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Heavy Weapons and Field Artillary

Heavy Weapons and Field Artillary

As a primarily infantry based army, the regiments of Gallaya rely heavily on heavy hitting small artillary pieces.  In most battles these will be found resting behind the lines, protected by the infantry forces held in reserve.  For the most part these heavy weapons and field pieces fit standard patterns of Imperial design. 

Lascannon

The standard pattern lascannon is one of the most common infantry handled heavy weapons.  The sound of the cannons being primed and the light energy snap of the gun firing is a welcome comfort to nearby infantry formations.  For them, it is a sign that something big of the enemies has been taken care of. 

Like platoon specialists, heavy weapon crews are entitled to wear the white armoured collar.  In spite of this, some weapon crews forgo this entitlement for personal reasons. 


Vickers Pattern Heavy Bolter

A bulkier version of the standard heavy bolter, more akin in appearance to assault cannons used by the Astartes.  The mechanisms to fire this heavy weapon tend to jam from time to time, leading to several companies to phase this out for more standard patterns. As it is a home-built design, it is likely to still be in service for many generations to come.


Imperial Quad Launcher Batteries

Heavily fielded by Gallayan regiments to assist in infantry suppression and elimination of large groups.  While the "Thudd" guns have been in service for many years, they are slowly being replaced by the more accurate Heavy Mortars.  It is not unusual to see multiple batteries of both types of field pieces working in tandem though.



Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Special Weapons of the Regiments

It is easy to tell the ranking specialists in a Gallayan regiment.  Each one of them wears a white armor collar, which sets them apart from the standard rank and file.  Among the Gallayan army they are the closest thing to an upper rank of grunt, and they are awarded well for their service. 

To hold even a lowly grenade launcher is considered a high honor.  Not only will you be depended upon to deal with the things your brothers cannot, but your victories will be like a standard for those who aspire to rise above the mud and blood of the trench.

"When you earn the right to wear the collar of a specialist you become more than just a soldier... you become a true bringer of death to the blasphemous creatures of the galaxy.  Never forget that."  -Sergeant Galway; 3rd Rifle Company, B Squad


Gallayan Breech Loaded Grenade Launcher

A design which has seen use for centuries within the regiments of Gallaya, and several worlds throughout the sector.  The simple design allows for easier field repairs much like the ease of use of the standard issue Lasgun of the standard trooper.

The limitations on anti-armor and anti-heavy infantry has been noted in field tests and combat situations.  It has been found by certain units though, that in concentrated fire, these launchers are more than capable of bringing down even the heaviest enemy soldiers.  In the right situations, and at the right angle, they are even able to bring down enemy armor vehicles.



How it was made

-Snip off the body of a Cadian Grenade Launcher
-Snip off the head and hose of a Cadian Flamer
-Glue together and cut down any extra rough bits
-Paint as desired.


Ryza-Pattern Plasma Rifle

A newer addition to the armories of the regiment.  While only a few dozen have entered the stocks, they have begun to have a great impact on both the training and effectiveness of the standard trooper.  Current malfunction/casualty figures have been lowered to 15% during high combat situations.  Not all of these casualties have resulted in death, but severe medical aid has been required on several occasions.  Fortunately, cybernetic replacement surgery has become more readily available thanks to trade agreements.



Infantry Meltagun

There are precious few of these destructive weapons in the Gallayan arsenal.  Holdovers from the days when the system had a higher concentration of heavy industry and technical resources during the 38th millennium.  Those that remain are coveted by officers and specialists alike and have been painstakingly maintained.  Few weapons held by a lone infantryman can crack a tank like this. 

Monday, May 14, 2012

Gallayan Finest: Brollands Squad

Gallayan Finest

One of the few times I am as good as my word... I have managed to upload some pictures.  The pictures are rough, since I have not done too much of this before.



 First up on my list of units I have completed was Sergeant Brollands squad... First Platoon; Squad A. The commander of that unit stands before you.  With his smashing moustache no less.


Using a head from an Empire Militia sprue, a sheathed blade from... I believe a orc sprue.  Plasma Pistol from forgeworld upgrades kit, and the body of an Empire Archer.  Truly this man was a kit bash.  The dirty look was provided by a Devlin Mud wash... applied liberally.


Here is the Sergeant with his boys at the ready.  While not my prettiest work, I still loved the look of them on the battlefield.  I believe a bit of touch up may make them look a little better... but that will come with time.

Weapons of the squad

For the most part the Gallayan infantry regiments focus on mobile ground pounders... there is a long way to a trench, and you do not want to wait for your infantry handled artillery to slow you down.  During the first battles of a campaign for the forests of Argola... the infantry met with Necron forces.  Flamers and Grenade launchers were not able to pack enough punch to bring down the metal beasts. 

With this in mind, the command staff made arrangements to supply the regiment with plasma weaponry.  This has taken time, but thus far one company of the regiment has been fully kitted out with the new... dangerous weapons.  Several of the NCOs have also been provided plasma weaponry, which has met with some unfortunate incidents in battle when personnel unaccustomed to the temperamental weapons have... melted.

Without exception, all heavy infantry mobile weapons are maintained in separate batteries.  These weapons are meant to support advances, and target priority enemy units.  These include lascannons, Vickers Pattern heavy bolters, and other more dedicated field pieces like Heavy Mortars and Thudd Guns.


Thursday, May 10, 2012

Slow going

Thanks to the lack of a camera that really can take half-way decent pictures I have been unable to really post up my work lately.  Hence the lack of real updates.

I have been rather hard at work on these boys though.  I have done a combination of using the Empire Archer bodies and having some of the lads made from the Bretonnian men at arms bodies.  I have seen enough of those gents to know that they work well for this look.

I intend to have a new camera that should work well sometime this weekend.  Once I do I will put up some progress shots of a few of my boys.  And a pic or two of my own conversion work on creating weapons.

My favorite was my attempt at a Vickers Heavy Bolter and my Grenade Launchers.

Update next week.