Terminator Librarian Complete! Isaac Theodesius

Presenting Epistolary Prior Isaac Theodesius!

Only took twenty-five years.  The 1991 Citadel catalog lists him as "Librarian RTB/6".  My skills are finally worthy to give him a decent coat of paint.  Been really looking forward to finishing him -psyker powers, especially from Rogue Trader, were always really cool.

I paint in the old style, and also I wanted to have a combination of dramatic lighting effects and effects that made his armor look very ancient.  Thus, especially around the feet I didn't fill in all of the shades of color to leave things looking shadowy and also covered with sooty grime in the corners of the armor.  If you've ever visited old churches in Europe where they don't dust, I was going for the same thing.  The gothic style and veneration of battle artifacts would probably mean they also don't clean anything they don't have to.

As I had posted with an earlier preview while WIP, I took a heraldic quartering pattern that worked great.  I layered on the whites starting from a dark gray and slowly built up.  And like wise with the blue.

Layering on the gold and other bits was a lot of fun now that I've had a lot of experience from the prior tactical marines and lieutenant.

Oldhammer headhunter, shell-shocked, and MK III Marines

It has been a long time coming, but I finally finished some of my classics!  They will fill into my tactical marines and give me enough models to play around with configurations without being short.  Also they add a lot of character!  The Mk IIIs can also be used as veterans, since obviously their armor would definitely be relics from the Horus Heresy (and my hobby box)!

I have a catalog dated from 1991 that contains these:

Iron Armor (Space Marine Mark 3) 070270/10

Bolter 11 070106/10 (which I think should have been labeled as wounded 3 on page 8)

He also appears on my October 1992 White Dwarf back cover!

and Bolter and Face Mask 070106/11  (the Headhunter)

I couldn't find which book he was in, but I've seen this picture before.

Anyway, these models have been about half painted for at least 6 years and were a couple of the first faces that I've worked on.  Headhunter has 3 faces - the two dead ones were fun practice.  While they look weird up close, it works from tabeltop distance.  Also, my guess is that the heads would actually not look life like in that state, so it is probably somewhat accurate.  Its interesting that the example they went with a zombie blue face.

I'm happy with how 'shell-shocked' turned out.

Here's a few going through the final stages of highlights.  I wanted to keep them in the old style even though I felt I could have done some different things.

Regarding Chapter Approved 2019

Recently I analyzed some of the traffic visiting my blog and I realized that people are searching for the next edition of the Games Workshop rules update for Eighth Edition.  I apologize for the mix up, but I have no spoilers or information on the upcoming 2019 changes.

Here are some links to sites that might:
https://www.belloflostsouls.net/2019/02/40k-whats-next-for-the-grimdark-in-2019.html
https://spikeybits.com/2018/12/gws-2019-rumors-release-roadmap-latest.html
https://www.reddit.com/r/WarhammerCompetitive/

Regarding the name of the blog: I chose "Chapter Approved" because in the 40k fluff art from Rogue Trader it was stamped on everything to convey the approval of the chapter (presumably to the codex) and thus I wanted to make the connection to that and the work I am blogging about.

"Chapter Approved" also was a White Dwarf magazine column that in some ways did the same thing as my blog but at a bigger scope.  There they discussed a wide variety of 40k topics, including modeling, and originally it was fronted by the game "Overfiend" Andy Chambers.

According to the Lexicanum, they did publish a few editions of "Chapter Approved" rule book updates in the early 2000s (which I had not realized) way back for third edition.  When I came along they hadn't been doing this and so I went with my title.  Suddenly in Eighth they started up again, so again my apologies, but I'm not changing it.  Looking back, if I had used some sort of 'oldhammer' name I might have attracted the right audience, but at the same time, this blog is for me.

Hope you stay to look at some cool oldhammer Rogue Trader thru 3rd edition era stuff.

Astronomican.

Bulkheads for Kill Team

Totally admit I haven't been working on 40k much so far this year between all the other things.  But, I've been meaning to play some Kill Team and I was able to spend a few weekends to get some Prometheus Forge MDF painted up well enough that I would be happy with it.

Assembly was ok, just PVA glue and some sanding down.  Seems like the connectors can be a bit weak though.  And also the bee's wax or candle wax is really important.  Most difficult part was putting together the stairwells.  Rubber-bands held em together while the glue dried.

I followed the "Luke Aps" video for basic spray painting technique with a base of flat black, a zenithal lighting gray, and a under-side spray of rust.

You can see the light gray on the deck here, and then the box (or inverted bunker) you can see the rust color along the edges.

For a color scheme I went with the Sector Mechanicus scheme shown in the basic Sonic Sledgehammer Studio video.  Dry brushing worked really well for the starter ruins I have from the moon base kit and seen in the background in one of the pictures below, but not so well for the flat panels in the MDF.  So, I improvised and came up with some cool rust effects pulling down the paint to create effects that look like either water running down the side, or wind blowing water across the decking plates.

For the hazard stripes, I used the hairspray & salt paint chipping effect which turned out alright.  The paint I was using at my folks house is cheap because they live out away from good hobby stores and we had it for just making terrain, so even layering yellow over orange was difficult since it was so thin.  It had a yellow-orange-green look which in the end actually worked out because it looks badly weathered by acid rain or something.

Finally, with the salt I discovered it looked really good on the decking, like salt was applied to keep people from slipping (you know workers comp must still be a thing in the 41st millennium) and gave that final touch to make the thing look really weathered and worn.  It either looks like broken glass or salt.  I have to admit in the pictures now its a bit much, but I brushed off all the big crystals before putting it all away and since the dust stayed on it looked a lot less ridiculous and more realistic.  If I ever get tired of it it washes right off so no problem there.  It was funny how salt finished off the scenery just like food - voila!

New Year, Old Fight

New Year rematch against my Chaos Daemon loving friend Jack!

My Forces:

++ Battalion Detachment +5CP (Imperium - Space Marines) ++

**Chapter Selection**: Ultramarines

+ HQ +

• Primus Leo Exevio Faustus - Captain in Terminator Armor: Adept of the Codex, Power fist, Storm bolter, The Sanctic Halo, Warlord, Wrist-mounted Grenade Launcher
• Lieutenant Aurelius - Lieutenant: Power fist, Storm bolter

+ Troops +

• Cornelius -  10 man Tactical Squad - Plasma pistol, Power fist, Flamer, Lascannon
• Nero - 10 man Tactical Squad - Plasma pistol, Power sword, Meltagun, Missile Launcher
• Vitus - 10 man Tactical Squad - Bolt pistol, Chainsword, Plasma Gun, Plasma Cannon

+ Elites +

• Terminator Squad - 5 man - Power sword, Assault Cannon, 2x Chainfists

+ Fast Attack +

• Land Speeders 2x: 2x Multi-melta, 2x Multi-melta

 Jack's Forces:

+ + Battalion Detachment +5CP (Chaos - Daemons) ++

**Chaos Allegiance**: Chaos Undivided

**Legion**: Renegade Chapters

+ HQ +

• Chaos Lord in Terminator Armour: Combi-bolter, No Chaos Mark, Power sword
•  Keeper of Secrets
• Keeper of Secrets
• The Masque of Slaanesh

+ Troops +

• Chaos Space Marines 8x Marine w/ Boltgun, Marine w/ Heavy or Special Weapon, No Chaos Mark. Aspiring Champion: Bolt pistol, Boltgun
• Daemonettes : Alluress, 19x Daemonette, Daemonic Icon, Instrument of Chaos
• Daemonettes : Alluress, 19x Daemonette, Daemonic Icon, Instrument of Chaos
• Daemonettes : Alluress, 10x Daemonette, Daemonic Icon

I did much better this game.  We wanted to keep the match shorter since we’re still slow with the rules.  I put my formatted list on my ipad with Battlescribe and it worked a lot better.  I think Jack appreciated that I was also rolling a bit faster and was a bit more organized.

The dice gave us Open War Domination again and Jack decided to give me first turn.  One improvement from last game was to give Faustus The Sanctic Halo relic which was a bit more useful.

T1 – I moved up towards the central objective and concentrated firepower from the heavies onto the Warlord Keeper for 4 wounds.  I used 1 command point for a re-roll and earned 2 VPs.

Jack moved up as well and tried to smite, but the Halo denied it (so it paid for itself in that first round).  On the east flank the Land Speeders took 3 damage from the second Keeper.  In the center, an entire squad of marines were eliminated.  Jack only scored 1 VP as he had  not left any troops on the northern objective in his deployment zone.

T2 – Jack had dangerously advanced his Warlord Keeper into close combat with Faustus and was only able to injure him.  Without any more support, the Warlord fell after Faustus fell back and everyone unloaded on him with the fury of the Emperor.  Again, having more experience helped, and I was able to make use of the Ultramarine Chapter Tactic and fallback and shoot.  I would use this tactic throughout the game which made a huge difference from the last game I think.  I moved the Terminators up to secure the northwestern objective.  I scored 2 VPs.  

Jack was able to smite one of the Land Speeders down.  On the western front, a host of Daemonettes and the Traitor Terminator leader charged the Terminators.  This unit will be forever remembered.  While 4 of his brethren fell, the heavy flamer stood and held back the tide. The Daemonettes lead by the Masque in the center of the field charged deep into Lt. Aurelius’ position and inflicted more damage.  Jack claimed 2 VPs  (While capturing the northwestern objective and reclaiming the north objective, I think he had moved off the central objective). 

T3 – Again the Ultramarines fell back from the Daemonette charge in the southern central position and eliminated the Masque while the remaining land speeder snuck in to claim the central.  While it might have been better to keep the Terminator Sgt for extra attacks, the heavy flamer (who will now be named “Blaze” as in “blaze of glory”) withstood another onslaught of close combat attacks (because Jack’s tricky chaos models always strike first..) and slayed the Traitor Terminator.  Punched him in the face with a big termie boxing glove. 

Meanwhile, the surviving Land Speeder jumped over and took the central objective (as it was wide open) allowing me to score 2 VPs.  Jack’s Chaos Marines who had fallen back to sit on the northern objective could do nothing against the Land Speeder forcing him to move the Keeper that way (and he had to walk the long way over the hill)

T4 – Again falling back and shooting, further thinning out the central Daemonette cluster.  2 VPs. 

Jack wasn’t able to make all his charges but was able to claim 3 VPs this turn after “Blaze” was finally… extinguished.  Also, the Keeper finally caught the 2nd Land Speeder.  They had a good run.  Oh yeah and my (nearly) all 1 rolls don’t help.

T5 – Captain Faustus was able to personally crush the remainder of the Daemonettes on the northwest flank with a final charge to re-claim the objective.  2 VPs.  Jack's, now crippled, remainders relentlessly charged at the southwestern objective.  Fortunately for the Imperium, they were unable to get close enough to score and so he also claimed 2 VPs.

The final tally was basically a tie 10-10.  Going on remaining army strength I had a very minor victory, although, since I had an extra ~50 points in my list to start, maybe that is dubious.  Nevertheless, we both felt I played a lot better this time and so I felt like I had the win.  Win or lose though, it’s a lot of fun with a good friend.  We plan on trying a Kill Team match next.

Happy New Year, hope it brings you good health!

++++Transmission: Adeptus Astartes Ultra++++

Battle Report from Primus Leo Exevio Faustus

Date: 6037019.M42

Location: Agro World Horrdeum

Sub Sector: Sigmatus

After engaging the xenos on Rust Planetiod 492, a warp storm erupted engulfing the entire sub sector.  Chaos daemons poured out onto the Agro World of Horrdeum.  An entire battalion of Ultramarines lead by Primus Leo Exevio Faustus stood against the traitors and daemons.  Faustus himself along with his staff were gravely wounded.  Transmissions from this battle were blocked by warp storms.

Despite their wounds, and the loss of many battle brothers, Faustus regrouped the remaining smaller forces and mounted a counter attack only days later.  

NONE CAN MATCH THEIR FURY.  

While it was victory for the Imperium, it has only slowed the daemonic assault.  The traitors must be purged.  Horredum and the entire sub sector Sigmatus remain in peril.  A kill team has been dispatched to ensure the sub sector does not fall…

REF: 7Y2/36859-87153-318404119001

THOUGHT: The only necessary reaction to treachery is vengeance. BBB 8TH ED 187

 ++++Transmission End++++