Fire Hawks OWAC Roundup

The full breakdown and roundup for my completed Rogue Trader Fire Hawks army as part of the 2022 Old World Army Challenge

Old world Army Challenge

 

Fire Hawks. OWAC March

The Hammer had fallen, Dreadnought drop pods smashing into the beleaguered Mantis Warrior defences. 

The Munitions depot had been a strong point and the defenders had dug in well, but  it was not enough and as the pods burst open with a falling panels and hails of twin-linked Bolter fire the air was filled still further with the screams of incoming jump packs.

Within the command complex the Mantis Warriors prepared for the their last stand as casualty reports  and sector losses poured in. Captain Azteem and his surviving command squad faced the blast door in grim preparation for the end, their fingers set against the triggers they would never press.

Light filled the room and from it stepped Squad Kempler, the teleporter light fading to be replaced by the Fire Hawks bright armour and fire of storm bolter and heavy flamer. 

Captain Azteem was the last to fall, small comfort as his cold weapon fell from his hand and hit the floor moments before the blast doors gave way before them. 

Chapter Vs Legion. Anonymous memoirs of the Badab War

March saw some planned changes on what I was painting, partly due to losing time to other painting projects (mainly Doctor Who!) and also ill-health but made it in time and also took the plunge and settled on adding the Chapter badge freehand

Two more Dreadnoughts and tech-support

Fire Hawks Terminators in relic Exo-Armour/ Mk1 Terminator / Saturnine Pattern 

Completed March elements 

Fire Hawks so far...

The full breakdown of February on the OWAC blog is here

Old World Army Challenge

Fire Hawks. OWAC January

  The Fire Hawks took pride in their savage reputation, but even within their own,  the 8th Company was known for its bloodthirsty choler and eagerness for battle. On more than one occasion elements had been been censured for their habit of interpreting or ignoring orders to allow them to engage or pursue the foe and in one particular admonition they had been reminded that they were not World Eaters.  Captain Agni had responded;

'Only Worlds?! We are Eaters of Fire!'

- 'The Burning Chronicles, 8th Company Remembrances'

2022 has started well for my hobby, the OWAC has been a big driver and helped focus my energy as well as looking towards the finishing line and finally owning a whole Rogue Trader army!

I started the project with my Assault Squad and ended up with quite a few extras

Completed Assault Squad

Medic and Chaplains

Chaplain and Rhino in Field Police livery

Five more Field Police

Full January and the five Field Police I completed in December

The full breakdown of January on the OWAC blog is here

Old World Army Challenge 

Fire Hawks. Astartes Field Police

 

The Badab War saw a visible resurgence In the Astartes Discipline Corps and their Field Police Units. Supporting Chaplains and active in recently liberated battle zones, the increased presence of the Field Police had been in response to concerns around facing fellow Astartes but also to try and halt the increasing numbers of civilian casualties.

Complying with the directive, the Fire Hawks saw little need to Police their own, and the capture of the Red Harbringer had quelled any hesitancy at holding back from the Separatists 

The Chapters august history was replete with proof that they would do their duty and punish those that strayed from the Emperors Light and those within the Badab Zone would be treated no differently.

Accounts from Iblis Suppression during the early campaign against Mantis Warrior holdings indicate that the Fire Hawks Field Police were utilised in repression strikes against PDF and high profile civilian targets 

- Notes on the Astartes. Badab War. Inquisitior Iranq Da Veryt

From the pages of Rogue Trader emerged a single image of the Space Marine Field Police. The Lore of the Astartes was still being formed and drawing inspiration here from existing military organisations. 

Later in one of the Forgeworld releases they are mentioned again.

Awaiting the new year and the start proper of my Fire Hawks Chapter force I have put together a little Field Police Unit. As with the wider project, this is pushing me out of my comfort zone with the free hand work on the helmet and the Unit badge. I would not consider freehand detail one of my skills and hopefully the project will start to help and provide the practice to improve!

Some additional inspiration found online

I will eventually plan on making this a full 10 man squad with a Rhino which can act as a tactical unit to support one of the Chaplains and also be used in more narrative games or even as part of a Judicial force with some Adeptus Arbities I have (also awaiting a coat of paint.

The Unit icons I painted are not the best so may go back over them at some point later in the project but overall happy with the unit and they will make a nice contrast and addition to the Army. 

 

Epic. Forgeworld Metalica 5

 

As part of the switch over to Legio Metalica I have also repainted my Epic knights.

These were from the original Titan Legions box.

I have a soft spot for Knights and remember having a group of the first edition knights and playing them with my brother at the local GW store against much older players fielding titans. They were initially quite dismissive but once we had taken down a couple with group attacks they earned their respect. The look on their faces still gives me a smile!

As much as i like the new Knight designs I do wish they would redo/resize some of the originals

To support Legio Metalica I have gone for their  main support, House Raven.

This also takes the decision making out of what to paint my 40k Knight as well.

(I bought a 40k Knight when they came out and it still lies in bits and I was torn between using it to make an Imperator to support a planned Ad Mech force!)

The knights were painted part of House Col'Khak

Original Livery and new House Raven.

The small shields are all hand made from plasticard and help to 'modernise' the figures as well as adding another surface to decorate. The House Raven logos are freehand like the chevrons. I have ordered some  Tamiya masking tape ready for the Warhounds and Warlords 

I also plan on adding some Kill Banners as well at some point)

Missile pods are from Vanguard Miniatures, part of their Skitter Tanks sets 

Two more Knights to repaint and a Warhound Titan to complete, my table with then be free to start on my AT box and a Warlord Titan!

Epic. Forgeworld Metalica 3.

 The first of my Epic Forgeworld Metalica forces are complete.

These will form the start of my Epic Adeptus Mechanicus force and auxillary for my Titan Battlegroup.

First of my Onager Dune Crawlers

(Vanguard Miniatures Cybershadow Skitter Tanks)

i magnetised the tanks so the cabins are moveable and I can swap out all the weapon options.

Skitarii Vanguard with Termite Transport and Dune Crawler support led by Magos detachment

Four more Termites to finish off

Epic. Forgeworld Metalica 2.

 

Transport plans for my Epic Skitarii, the range of underground drills was alway one of my favourites, from the smallest - Termite, middle sized Mole and largest Hellbore (which looked like something out of Thunderbirds!)

More recently Forgeworld has released a Termite and Hellboreish with the Mechanicum Ordinatus Aktaeus 

The Termite or at least a proxy will be on my list for my 28mm Skitarii

The Ordinatus range from Forgeworld are all stunning pieces but more like expensive scenery on all but the largest of games I would imagine!

Spotting one of these I have put together an alternative Termite model

Cut in two, a fair job as they have a solid metal middle

35mm round bases and cork

Plasticard to represent the closed hatches.

I plan on getting some more and having some ramp down

Finished first set of Termites with Skitarii unit

Epic. Forgeworld Metalica 1

For my birthday I was lucky enough to receive a load of Vanguard Miniatures Cybershadows which make excellent epic Adeptus Mechanicus.

This has timed perfectly as I was listening to the audiobook for Imperator by Gav Thorpe.

An essential Adeptus Mechanicus featuring the Legio Metalica Imperator Titan Cassus Belli

Reading this has swung me over to switching my Titan Legio to Metalica which also gives me a nice scheme for my Skitarii support forces.

(I will also use this for my 40k Skitarii force as well.)

I have used Flames of War sized bases, I have seen these done with a couple of Epic forces and really like the look and extra space. The majority are on small bases with the Dunecrawlers on medium bases I have cut and squared off

At the back is a unit of Terminators ( Vanguard Novan Elites – Affray Heavy Armour) which I will be painting up in Ultramarine livery. I had done a test as Steel Confessors but will change so I can use them in 30K and 40K

Skitarii Vanguard and two Magos stands 

(Cybershadow Precursors and Master of Interactions) 

Skitarii Kataphorons

( Cybershadow Vanguard combat Drones)

Dunecrawlers. fully magnetised

(Cybershadow Skitter Tanks) 

in addition to this I have four Lucius Pattern Warhounds, one in Legio Atarus livery to paint/repaint and a Vanguard Cybershadow Leviathan as an alt Reaver

Vanguard Miniatures