Cryxian Helljacks.

 

Blackstrike ducked as a hail of bullets scuttered in from the shore. The raiding party had landed upon the beach but we're now pinned down behind what hasty cover they could find.

The Cygnar defence was proving too formidable for her light force, already she saw that two of her Satyxis sisters lay dead.

Mayam the Sly, cursed witch muttered an incantation under her breathe. Sickly green runes appeared and circled her hand briefly, before launching away towards the enemy.

A flash of green mist heralded the choking cries of a few Trenchers as they were caught in the sorcerous mist, but it wouldn't be enough. There were still too many soldiers to mount an organised defence and Blackstrike cursed viciously in all the dark languages she knew. 

Screams erupted from the right. The stench of melting, steaming flesh accompanying, told her that the forces Bonejacks had finally come ashore. The Defiler spewing gouts of acid into the packed trench, lending the Bonerippers a chance to launch themselves into the fray.

A muffled growl drew her attention back to the sheeted form on the landing boats.

"Quartermaster, ye be releasing the payload" she shouted.

The Quartermaster grunted and nodded in acknowledgement and hauled the tarpaulin back revealing the straining black iron form of the Slayer. Deft, dead fingers drew a cutlass and slashed the magical blade across the alchemically treated chains holding the raging Helljack down.

The Slayer surged forwards, slicing a few unfortunate pirates in half with its claws as it hurled itself towards the enemy. The pirates it had eviscerated pulled themselves back together as the dark magic animating them reknit flesh and bone under the Quartermasters steely one-eyed gaze.

In seconds the Slayer had waded through the torrent of fire from the Cygnaran's and entered melee. Body parts were thrown as children's toys might be, and the volume of firepower slackened enough for Blackstrike to raise her head.

The carnage was impressive and she idly wondered what a heavier chassis Helljack was capable of. She regained her composure and shouted to her Satyxis.

"Into the breech girls, follow the Slayer, Kill any ye find still breathin'".

*****

Later on as they took stock of the plunder from the raid Blackstrike was visited by a ghostly floating highwayman. The Pistolwraith, bowed it's macabre head in her presence.

"Ye be bein' busy mistress" it said, it's voice a mere whisper but seemed to be loud enough to hear.

"Aye, Ashor" she replied, using the wraith's true-name and it slumped further, "did ye find what Mistress Ravenmane seeks? Can I get her to the prize before one of the other bitch captains?"

Eyes glowing with balefire, Ashor lifted his skull head to look directly at Blackstrike.

"Yes, mistress!"

*****

As before, when I finished the Satyxis off, I was intending to get these 'Jacks finished during June. But then July passed in a blur as I think I only had three or four days off from work for the entire month!

I finally got these models finished earlier this week, following the same colours and washes in the order I applied them to the Satyxis.

Just with less Gold for these to make them more sinister, as the Warjacks here have some large panels which if painted gold could upset the dark, brooding look of the force.

A Slayer, the big guy at the back.

Two Bonerippers, the smaller guys with the tusks.

And a Defiler, closest the to camera.

I'm happy with the consistent look to these models and am hopeful that it is easily replicated in the future as I hope to find some more of these.

With these complete I decided to photograph the entire force, including the Pistolwraith whom I painted several months ago but never got round to posting on here:

I even included Gorman Di Wolfe at the back simply because he was painted as part of this batch, but isn't attached to the force permanently.

Hobby bingo time, and this ticks off one of the Vehicle/Monster boxes I need to fill out giving me ten points.

More importantly, it fills out THREE lines giving me another One-Hundred and Fifty points ontop for a net gain this time of One-Hundred and Sixty points.

Pushing me ever closer to closing the gap with Chris and completing the first grid:

Up next for Warmachine will be some more Mercenaries in the force of the Devil Dogs, and possibly a start to me Trollkin force.

Until next time...

A Knight-Questor's Tale - part 2.

 (Continued from Part 1)

The champion loomed large, I am not ashamed to say that I must have screamed in terror.

Here I was, just a boy, playing at being a man and confronted by a nightmare vision of death.

I raised my pitiful sword and made to strike.

A deep basso rumbled in my ears and I realised that the champion hadn't bothered to block my strike and was laughing instead.

Outraged I swung again and again, eventually breaking my sword against the thick hellforged armour, I raged against the unfairness of everything.

"I admire your spirit boy! I am Kharnan Kraguul, seek me out when you are a man so we can settle this, one warrior to another" he roared with a voice that sounded as if a volcano was erupting.

Then everything was black.

I woke up three days later, pulling myself clear of the mass grave where the bodies had been piled and sought out the few survivors who were making ready to leave.

I was told that after I had broken my sword, the champion had backhanded me with such force that I flew clear over the ranks of the soldiers behind me and was thought to be dead.

It was deemed a miracle that I lived still...

 Alryne was abandoned, but I never forgot the champions challenge to me. Wherever we ended up I strove to defend to my utmost, even my last breathe I declared.

My home and family had been destroyed and that opened a burning fierceness in me to never let that happen again.

Over and over through the years I defended villages and towns against the insane horde of chaos worshippers. 

Eventually, Lord Sigmar blessed me with transformation upon the Anvil of Apotheosis and I became a Knight-Questor of the Hallowed Knights Stormhost.

I perform my duties with due diligence for Lord Sigmar, however I still search for Kharnan Kraguul.

I still search for the reckoning we are fated.

I still search for vengeance for Alryne...

*****

Whilst I finished the Khornate Knights for the last post (linked at the beginning), I was struggling to come up with a decent story for them, other then being just "Haha Blood Knights" (which are a vampire thing incidentally).

During the course of just cleaning up some Stormcast parts which I originally planned on converting into a Lord-Celestant on foot I began playing the Silver Tower mobile game, where your starting hero is a Knight-Questor.

Coupled with talking to Fraser about my lack of story ideas he suggested the old Khorne theme of honour, battle and challenge.

These two things led to Knight-Questor Calain Drakesword and his loyal Gryph-hound Silver.

Though I never mentioned his name in the background, I always like to name my models (or at least the unit leaders), makes them feel more like my dudes.

So why Hallowed Knights?

I was searching for cool Stormcast colour schemes, as a method of doing something different and found a great Silver washed with Purple shade scheme, but with Red robes.

Chris suggested Green, but I wasn't sure about the Purple and Green together.

Then I remembered the awesome stories in the first set of AoS novels about Gardus Steelsoul, who now has his own AWESOME Mini. 

So Blue it was for the robes and details.

He is built from a starter set push fit Liberator Prime body, a Liberator sword, Paladin backpack and Vandus Hammerhand's Head with majestic mohawk included!

Silver came about because I love Gryph-hounds and I had a spare waiting to be built. I don't believe that a Knight-Questor can take a Gryph-hound in AoS, but rule of cool!!!

So this models definitely falls under the category of a "Kitbashed model" so he claims that second kitbash square on my hobby bingo grid. Also netting me the line across the top as well, making a gain of sixty points at the start of the month.

Unfortunately I forgot to take a photo of the grid before I'd made more additions to it, so that updated grid will be in the next post.

Until next time...

Hobby Bingo - July Recap.

 

Here we go again with another Hobby Bingo update.

July has been an excessively slow month for all of us, with little to no painting done at all.

I've been busy at work, we're so short staffed I've only had the minimum days off required by driving hour laws to cover work (more money for miniatures though...I wish).

Chris has been packing up for a house move and just pottering about with bits and bobs he's shown me over messages...I am surprised he hasn't claimed the first box on his second grid yet (more on that in a second).

Dave meanwhile is lost in the warp somewhere I think...

Points earned in July are:

I earned 10 points with some Khornate Knights

Chris earned a massive 720 points with his Whisperer's, completing the entire first grid (I had to point out that you claim the diagonal lines as well).

Dave, has been silent for the fourth month now, hopefully when the summer calms down he'll begin to hobby again.

So, the scoreboard is as follows:

Chris: 1500

Lewis: 340.

Dave: 80.

Congratulations to Chris for being in the led for the second month now and for completing his first grid.

I have a few projects which, if I get the time to hobby, I could begin to catch him up with, hopefully this house moving business will slow him down some!

Until next time...