Eagle knight elites

Just a quick one today. In my last battle I came up against some of the new Blade guard, who were very strong and resilient. Now the proper models are either from the Indomitus crusade box or the new multipart kit, both of which are very expensive for what they are really. Yes, they are very nice models and the multipart kit has a lot of options, but they were still very expensive. In my last match, the Blade guard I faced were actually AoS Stormcast Liberators with hammers. While these did look very cool, I just didn't feel that they fitted the role properly, I think that they need some sort of bladed weapon rather than an impact weapon like a hammer. You can get the kit with swords as well but the kit is still very expensive and you'd still need to get things like helmets and packs for them. After a quick browse around the internet I found something I was happy with, easy build sequitors.

These look pretty good and they have a proper blade type weapon, one that looks sufficiently heavy to do 2 damage. The only issue is that they come in packs of three, only two of which have shields, the third having a double handles weapon.

First two built, shields scrapped clean as well.

I managed to get two sets on eBay for lass than a tenner and planned on putting together a unit of 4 and then using the other two for characters, probably a Chaplain and Judicar. However, while I was looking I came across something else, a sprue from one of the Stormcast boxsets, the Thunderstrike Brotherhood I think. 

Anyway, this lot cost me about 20 pounds in total and with that's here I reckon I can build 5 Blade Guard, Chaplain, Judicar, Blade Guard Ancient and maybe some other characters. I would love to use the bloke with wings, so I may have a look at creating a Librarian, with Wings of Sanguinius obviously. I maybe able to build more but I will have to see. 

Fluff updates and changes

 Right, there have been quite a few picture heavy posts recently and there are some more to come, this however is going to be very wordy, so put the kettle on, this one's going to take the long and winding road to nowhere.

Fluff is a major part of my enjoyment within the game of 40k. All my armies have their own lore, with home world's and noteworthy events. They all have named characters too, from the lowly guard commanders right up to the Space Marine Chapter masters and various characters in-between. The thing is that all this fluff has developed slowly over a period of time, many many years, from when I got back in to gaming, before I even started this blog. 

Granted, the fluff has changed in that time. My main army, my Imperial Guard Hjaltland Light Infantry Regiment were once called the Segedunum Legionnaires, after a Roman fort near to where we use to live, then changed to the current Hjaltland Light Infantry, with a period of namelessness in the middle. Characters have changed, either in name or disappeared entirely without reason. My Inquisitors have been through this, changing not only in name but also in gender. 

So what is the point of this post? Well, primaries marines. Now, it's not a other rant against the abomination that is the primaries lore or the model range, which is actually quite good. No, this is more of a pondering questioning of my own lore, the problems and issues that it has created and how I might go about solving them.

The main issue surrounding my lore is the time setting. As I said, i started all this a while back and firmed up the timeline when I put the information down on these pages. This was back in 2014, some six and a half years ago, some two and a half years before primaris marines we officially announced by GW. My timeline originally put the occurrences of the Hamnavoe system towards the middle of the Sabbat World's Crusade, sometime around 760-770.M41, with the trouble being caused by refugees escaping the violence and bloodshed of the crusade but bringing with them the taint of chaos. This did lead to a few problems with the setting but they were easily dealt with by making the timings more vague and moving the general timeline to the end of the crusade. Well I say end, there doesn't seem to be an exact end, some sources seem to put the end at 780 or 790, some just leave it as on going but as of the latter dates the imperium is pretty much cleaning up and is in control of vast swaths of the sector. Either way, it is highly unlikely that it will have lasted until 999.M41 and the beginning of the Indomitus crusade. There will no doubt be some trouble with the Great rift now splitting the galaxy in two, however, the system of Hamnavoe is on the very westward edge of the galaxy, far away from the Great rift and well within the Imperium Sanctus.

All this doesn't really help with the main question though, how to deal with the Primaris marines. I have moved my armies from first born to Primaris and so I do need to fix this problem but I really don't want to rewrite all the lore. I really don't want to come up with some funky plot twists to reason why my Inquisitors from around 780 are still alive and kicking in 999 and beyond. Yes, I know that rejuvenation treatments are a thing and people can live to over 200, and so it technically is possible, I'm just not sure about using that twist. Besides, from 790, towards the end of the Sabbat crusade, to 999 is 209 years, meaning that my inquisitor would have to be at least 230, although more realistically 250 years old. This is really the very upper limit of what is plausible, even in the 41st millennium, but it is technically possible. However, my Primaris marines wouldn't be in the Hamnavoe system around 999.m40 but more likely 200.m41 or even later, as, especially for the Eagle Knights, these are all first born who have crossed the Rubicon. If this happened sometime during the second century M41, then it would not be until early in the third century that they might be in the region of the Hamnavoe system at the request of an inquisitor who is now nearly 500 years old! 

In many respect I will have to come up with some sort of plot device to transfer the Inquisitors across from one era to the next but i suppose that in reality the marines are probably going to be easier. 

I guess I will effectively be playing two time zones, when (and if I ever do) play with first born again I will right as part of the first uprising, which I will write in to the system history as having been dealt with around 790 to 800.m40 and the Primaris marines will form part of the second uprising, sometime around 250.m41.  The second uprising will take the form of a continuation the first, not having been quite as quashed as it was thought. The inquisition will request the help of those who fought first time around plus some others and the fighting will be renewed. However, this then leads to issues with the guard, as these are all formed around the remnants of forces that fought in the first uprising, so would be long dead by the time the second uprising occurred. The forces would also have been rebuilt in the 300 plus years in-between the two events, which doesn't compute with what I have built. 

So, ultimately I think a rewrite will be in order, but not a complete one, the forces will be molded into new formations from old ones but will remain the same though plot devices and things that could only make sense in the 41st millennium. I will really have to think hard on how to do it but I think I can achieve it. 

A new army?

A Xenos army in my collection? The sheer heresy of it! Luckily, it's not mine, so the commissar doesn't need to worry himself. This is actually my son's army and is the total from the two 9th edition starter sets. 

The complete force

At the moment the force is only a patrol sized force as there are only enough warriors for two squads.

The HQ's, Royal Warden and Overlord

Warriors with Gauss Reapers

Warriors with Gauss Flayers

Two squads of Scarabs.

Skorpekh Destroyers and Canoptek Plasmacyte

A close up of the Plasmacyte, as I'm quite proud of this one. I think the rubble underneath looks and contrasts nicely with the model itself. 

A couple more pictures of the HQ's, showing their extra bling. These guys got some gold treatment to make them stand out a bit more from the bill of the models.

The force is only very basically painted, with a black prime, with a heavy dry brush of Leadbelcher, followed by a lighter dry brush of Runefang Steel. The blue is a Revell gloss blue. The blue isn't actually as noticeable on the actual models, it's a lot darker in colour, which is a shame as it looks really good on the pictures, more how I would have liked it. There will have to be a couple more purchases to really get it up to a good 1000 point list. There needs an additional troops choice, most likely Immortals, some proper fast, hopefully Tomb Blades and a good heavy, probably some Destroyers or maybe a heavy destroyer. Either way,this lot should give him a decent list that can challenge any of my 1000 point lists and any that the guys down the club can bring too. 

Sisters of the Golden Orb

 While my sisters are not painted yet, they are primed and ready to paint and, as you'll see from the paint scheme below, they shouldn't take to much painting up. 

The Order of the Golden Orb

Orders founding Convent -	Convent Sanctorum (Ophelia VII)
Orders Originator -	Order of the Valorous Heart
Orders Founded purpose -	Crusade
Orders Founding -	c. M37 during the Age of Redemption
Orders flaw -	We stand alone
Orders Demeanour -	Relic Keepers
Figure of Legend -	Battle Sister Meshea
Deed of Legend -	Slayer of the Nurgle Daemon Prince Buboe the Plaguebringer
Orders Homeword -	Deathworld of Galara IV
Homeworld terrain -	Contaminated Desert
Homeworld Influence -	Minor Influence
Orders Oragnisation -	Slight Variation
Orders Doctrine -	Orbital Insertion
Orders Divergence -	Modified Vehicles
Method of Worship -	Honour Those Gone before
Order size -	Ranks complete
Alliances -	Various Space Marine Chapters, including Emperors Disciples and Brazen Hawks
Enemies -	Chaos Space Marines and the Mutants\Abominations of the Morthern Wastes
Notable Relics -	Globus Cruciger of Sister Meshea

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The order of the Golden Orb is a minor order of the Adepta Sororitas, based on the death world of Galara IV in the outer edge of the Segmentum Pacificus. The order is relatively large for a minor order although it contains only a small number of full trained battle sisters. 

The order was formed during the period known as the Age of Redemption, when the forces of the Sororitas spread amongst the stars, bringing with it the word of the Emperor. On Galara IV, a force of sisters from the Order of the Valorous Heart came across a neat of Nurgle cultists who had spread there vile beliefs across the planet. During the cleansing of the planet, the cultists brought forth a great plague of daemons, including a Daemon Prince of Nurgle, known as Buboe the Plaguebringer. The Daemon cut great swathes through the Imperial lines in an unstoppable rampage, trailing lesser daemons in his wake. All hope seemed lost as the cultists and daemons surged back across the surface of the planet. The forces of the imperium tried their hardest to protect the population, evacuating them from the approaching hordes. It was during this process that the miracle of the great gate happened. As the horde approached one of the final sanctuaries, one of the few ports on the planet and the only one still able to accommodate the ships used to evacuate the loyal population, all efforts when in to holding the walls. This effort proved lacking and the Great Gate was breached. At the news, a squad of Sisters rushed to plug the gap. Charging headlong into battle they ran straight in to the Plaguebringer, at the head of a mighty column of daemons. The sisters fought valiantly but could not hold back the tied, falling one by one, until only two stood. It was at this point that Sister Meshea, on her first mission as a fully fledged Sister stepped forward, brandishing the sister superior's power sword, and shouted a challenge to the Daemon Prince, stating that he would not pass until all were safe. The Daemon laughed and charged, swinging his great sword wildly as he did. What happened next has passed into legend, for Sister Meshea fought the Daemon, sword to sword, standing her ground against all the he could throw at her. She fought on long past the time that any mortal woman should have been able to, she was still standing, blooded and battered, when a voice, deep and resonant spoke behind her, stating simply that her duty was done and she may rest. As she dropped to her knees, a squad of Astartes, from the Brazen Hawks, stepped past and sent the foul beast back to the warp from where it came. Sister Meshea was recovered by her fellow sisters, every plate of armour buckled, every bone in her body broken and her skin broken, blistered and bloody. While many witnessed the dual, one account stood out more than most, that of the only surviving sister from the squad, Sister Chastity. Her account was the only full account of the dual, from start to finish and is backed up by the testimony of numerous other witnesses. When she watched the battle, she talked of a bright pure light emanating from Sister Meshea, of how she moved with a grace and speed that was beautiful to behold and how every blow she struck, no matter how slight, cause the beast to recoil as if struck by a battle cannon. It was not these facts that made her retelling of the event remarkable, it was the fact she survived, as she had been pulled from the melee by Sister Meshea before the dual had begun but because she had been blinded, eyes burned from their sockets by the Daemon Prince. 

Sister Meshea was laid to rest and her armour laid out in a small chapel near the Great Gate. In the years that followed many thousands of worshipers came to the chapel, which grew and grew, until it formed the largest building on Galara IV. During this time there were numerous "miracles" claimed by the various citizens that passed through, although none were ever authenticated by the Ecclesiarchy. The Chapel, now more a cathedral, also attracted a substantial population of its own, with various Imperial cults springing up, with priests, preachers, nuns and monks taking up residence within the building and surrounding area.

When the Sister went to leave, several requested permission to stay and guard the Chapel, claiming that they had had visions that required them to stay. With this, the sisters present petitioned the Canoness of the the Order of the Valorous Heart to form a new order, which was granted and so the Order of the Golden Orb was created. 

The Golden Orb, after which the order was named is a Globus Cruciger, which belonged to Sister Meshea and is the Orders most holy relic. It was also the only item on her that was untouched by the dual with the Daemon Prince. 

The Order still resides in the Chapel, which now takes over the whole of the Great Gate and the surrounding star port. It is the biggest single building and forms the biggest concentration of people on the whole planet by a considerable amount. The order itself is a minor order, with Galara IV and the Chapel being the only location that the order resides. It recruits from the surrounding systems, although the vast majority of recruits find their own way to the Chapel. The Order is large for a minor order, but is formed of only a few hundred fully trained battle sisters with over a thousand trainee's split between numerous ranks, with hopeful members moving through several stages from aspirant to initiate to novitiate to neophyte before graduating to battle sister. This is a process that takes longer than most other orders as many of those who come to the Chapel to join the ranks are afflicted with the various ailments and minor plagues that lurk within the system, even though millennia have passed since the Nurgle cultists spread their vile plagues across the lands. Healing these new aspirants can take time, and yet more time is needed for them to gain the health and strength they lack growing up in such an inhospitable environment. This not only means that there as a substantial number of aspirants but also a high number of losses or failures within those who try to become sisters. Many of these failures go on to become useful members of the wider order, joining the ranks of the orders Hospitaller and Dialogus, as well as a few joining the ranks of the Families, Primaris, Madriga, Fenetrus and Vespila orders. 

Galara IV itself is classed as a death world, for ever since the Nurgle cultists released there plagues across the world, the planet has gone from being a desert back water planet to a death world, with endless deserts broken only by disease ridden swamps, dank malformed forests or ground hugging fogs of plague ridden water. The locals have adapted and learnt to avoid these and many other dangers but the air and ground is unclean, despite the best efforts of the imperium. There are similar occurrences on many of the world's in nearby systems, and it is believed that there is still Nurgle cultists at work. As such the sisters of the order often set off on minor crusades to purge world or systems of any taint that can be found. 

The order does not rule the planet of Galara IV, but merely watches over it and advises the main nomadic tribe leaders, ensuring that the interests of the order are protected.  Canoness Regina leads the order ahead of her Palatines. As the order only contains a small number of battle sisters, there are only 5 Palatines, in charge of the five missionary forces, each up to 50 sisters strong, that the order can deploy. Usually 3 of these missionary forces will be active at one time, crusading around the surrounding region, chasing the enemies of the imperium. Of the other two, one will be tasked with protecting the Chapel and one will be recovering and rearming, ready to embark on a new crusade. 

One of the tasks that the sisters have to perform is the routine cleansing of the northern wastes. This is an area of dense mountainous terrain, criss-crossed with paths, tunnels, passes and valleys, and is known for its high levels of contamination. The sisters sweep the area on a yearly basis, destroying as many of the mutants and abominations that reside there. This is also where those in their latter stages of selection, the novitiate's and neophyte's, are trained and tested. There have been many attempts to cleanse the area completely, it has always proved impossible due to the labyrinthine nature of the region. These yearly purges however keep the numbers at a level where they cannot pose a threat to the wider populous. 

Colours of the Order