Round Up of Updates

So first up this week is that my rule book for the Imperial Skies Kickstarter arrived.  Since my models for this Kickstarter are coming from the UK while they did a publishing run of the rule books in the US, it'll be another week or two before I see my airships.  After a fairly quick peruse through the book, I must say that I like it.  The rules are clearly explained and are similar to other ship based games.  There are plenty of graphics to demonstrate as well as a fairly extensive painting and modeling section.  I'm really looking forward to the models now to see about talking someone into trying this.

Next up while we're discussing book, is that a nice stack of BattleTech source books arrived.  I picked up this lot off a Facebook group.  A few of these are replacements for ones I no longer had and the rest are ones I've never had before.The Free Worlds League, Somerset Strikers, and the Solaris book were all interesting first time reads.

After that, the other things that came in the mail were what I needed to get to work on the 3rd Company of my Flock of Crows mercenaries.  There are 3 packs of GHQ Micro Armor M113s to use for the two mechanized infantry platoons.  There were also a Saladin pack and a Saracen pack.  These will make the quick reaction/scout lance of the 3rd Company.

 

 

I also got the 4 LAMs reprimed so they'll be ready to get painted sometime this week hopefully.

Then last of all, I THINK I've figured out the basing.  I got some autumn flocking and then did the base trim in a green.  Here's the test model and let's get some feedback from you all.  Tell me what you think because I'm on the fence with it and would love the input.

So it's been a pretty good hobby week here.  Still plenty to go in the pipeline though but I'm hoping to have all of the Flock of Crows painted over the next couple weeks.  That assumes that the basing has been worked out though.  Anyway, that's all for now and I'll see you all next time.

Progress on the Flock

So I've got some progress in on painting the Flock of Crows.  Using the first mech as a guide, I've finished the first Company.  It's a pretty simple scheme and it's definitely stands out.  I still haven't figured out how I'm going to base them, so suggestions and ideas are welcome.

 

Adding a bit to the fluff of this mercenary group, I've done some work into their tactics and strategies.  Using the First Company with it's light and medium mechs to scout and pursue, and then eventually lure enemy units into being ambushed by the Second Company's heavy and assault mechs.  For the Third Company, I'm leaning toward an mechanized infantry platoon (mainly the unit's security force), a jump infantry platoon (to assist with scouting), an armored lance (to assist with ambushes or as a mobile reaction force), and then the command lance I'm leaning toward something odd like the quartet of Wasp LAMs I never finished for the Eridani Light Horse.  That's the kind of lance that gives a lot of unsuspected versatility for a unit like the Flock of Crows.

    Command Lance
        Tai-i Taoka Nomuri, Assassin
        Analiese Singh, Firestarter
        Genji Yoshinaka, Ostroc
        Li Tomanaga, Thorn

    Alpha Lance
        Chu-i Hideshi Matsudaira, Wolverine
        Obai Nishiyama, Panther
        Miko Aoyama, Javelin
        Kasumi Fushida, Dervish

    Beta Lance
        Chu-i Tomo Daikichi, Shadowhawk
        Narita Meiji, Wasp
        Iruma Hachiojo, Wasp
        Maeda Nguyen, Stinger

    Charlie Lance
        Chu-i Kono Matsuda, Cicada
        Ororo Akasaki, Jenner
        Sato Ugaki, Hermes
        Chang Iriarte, Jenner


So that's where we stand with the Flock of Crows.  Still have 5 more lances primed that need painting and then need to get all the items for the last company as well.  If any of you see something that might be interesting to work into it, I'm open to suggestions, just comment below.  Also, feel free to suggest ideas for basing as well.  That one really has me stymied at the moment.  I'm leaning toward just basic green flock at the moment, but seems a bit dull against the simple color scheme of the mechs.  When I get it all done, I might have to see if I can borrow Cheef's cats' light box and get a really proper picture of them all.

Well, that's all for now and I'll see you all later.

Flock of Crows

So I sat down the other night to paint some more Eridani Light Horse mechs .... and nothing.  I just couldn't get going on them.  After finishing the Ghost Bear force, I wanted to get more of my ELH done but I discovered that I was just sick of painting green mechs.  After a regiment and a half of them, just couldn't stand painting any more green mechs.  So only one thing to do, a new force.

 

A quick peruse through the old Camo Specs guide as well as the other CBT books I have yielded no units with a color scheme that interested me.  Thus there was only one solution, a new unique force.  A small mercenary force was the obvious answer.  I stripped a number of mechs out of the ELH queue and got them organized and whipped up a plausible start for the group and a brief background overview.  And then last night, I took one of the mechs and completed a test color scheme model.  I'm pretty happy with how it came out but am still contemplating a black wash on the white portion.  Anyone have any suggestions on how to get that wash layer over white without turning it a gray color instead of white?

So with that, I give you the mercenary band Flock of Crows.

Flock of Crows
This small mercenary command was founded at the end of the First Succession War in 2799.  The force started out as a company from the 4th Galedon Regulars.  When news of the Kentares IV massacre reached the regiment, they were as appalled as everyone else.  One company of the 3rd Battalion decided they could not honorably follow the Jinjiro Kurita's orders after such an act.  They took their mechs and some other like minded mechwarriors and support personnel and fled in an Overlord-class Dropship.

Fleeing to the Outworlds Alliance, the force organized themselves into a mercenary unit to sustain themselves.  Originally calling themselves The Ronin, they soon found themselves referred to as Crows by the locals on many Outworlds Alliance worlds due to their odd luck of arriving on a planet shortly before pirate raids.  Embracing the name, the Flock of Crows were born, thriving as pirate hunters.

As the unit grew to a full mech battalion with a support battalion of armor and infantry, they began to worry about the DCMS discovering them and seeking retribution and began seeking contracts farther away from the Draconis Combine.  By the end of the Second Succession War the Crows were in the Magistracy of Canopus under contract for pirate hunting and the occasional raid into the Free Worlds League.  Losses have currently attritioned the unit down to a combined arms battalion.

Aerospace Assets
Crow's Nest, Overlord-class Dropship, Dai-i Tsing Ashigara
    Raven Flight (4 Aerospace Fighters)

Command Lance
    Chu-sa Aioki Yoshido, Cyclops
    Cho-sa Raizo Itagake, Battlemaster
    Seiji Nagumo, Katana
    Ichiro Chang, Orion

First Company (Storm Crows)
    Command Lance
        Tai-i Taoka Nomuri, Assassin
        Analiese Singh, Firestarter
        Genji Yoshinaka, Ostroc
        Li Tomanaga, Thorn
    Alpha Lance
        Chu-i Hideshi Matsudaira, Wolverine
        Obai Nishiyama, Panther
        Miko Aoyama, Javelin
        Kasumi Fushida, Dervish
    Beta Lance
        Chu-i Tomo Daikichi, Shadowhawk
        Narita Meiji, Wasp
        Iruma Hachiojo, Wasp
        Maeda Nguyen, Stinger
    Charlie Lance
        Chu-i Kono Matsuda, Cicada
        Ororo Akasaki, Jenner
        Sato Ugaki, Hermes
        Chang Iriarte, Jenner

Second Company (Dark Crows)
    Command Lance
        Tai-i Narami Amagiro, Atlas
        Hiroshi Mizoguchi, Black Knight
        Tsiao Nichigama, Awesome
        Osami Mikawa, Thunderbolt
    Alpha Lance
        Chu-i Ito Shiazawa, Dragon
        Misu Tatsuo, Stalker
        Tojo Inoue, Thug
        Isoroku Misodeki, Dragon
    Beta Lance
        Chu-i Yonai Mitsumasa, Archer
        Saito Takeji, Longbow
        Raizo Koto, Crusader
        Tokichi Arima, Catapult
    Charlie Lance
        Chu-i Keiko Nakatomi, Griffin
        Rioko Iagachi, Hatchman
        Taoka Fuchiawa, Grasshopper
        Niama Oshika, Quickdraw


I still need to get some APCs, tanks, infantry, and aerospace fighters to finish off the unit as well as work on getting the mechs painted, but this seems like a nice fun unit to get organized and will get a number of mechs out of the paint queue and into the finished list.  The fighters will be attached outside the unit as a support role and then the rest of the nonmechs will be organized as a combined arms company to round out the battalion.  I'm thinking a mixed lance for the command lance, 2 infantry platoons (mechanized or jump I'm thinking), and then a tank lance.

Comments, questions, and suggestions as welcomed as always and I'll see you all next time.

Chapter Leadership

So this go around we're going to cover the leadership of the Lions of Harlech that are outside the normal companies.

First up is the Chapter Master Annwn Piet Moriarty, the Lord Harlech, Dominus Cymru, Knight Commander of Tyr, Lord Defender of the Eastern Fringes, Keeper of the Seal of Cymru.  Next to him is the Chapter Champion Maeglin Celedyr.  I got the idea for the titles of the Chapter Master from the way Calgar was listed in the Ultramarine fluff in the various Space Marine codexes.

Then we've got Chaplain Tobyn Pyke, Master of Sanctity, Lord of the Eisteddfod.  With him are (from left to right in the picture) Chaplain Ceothelin, Chaplain Einsanaar, Chaplain Praetius, Chaplain Kilvaen, and Chaplain Daeldrydd.  I've always been a fan of a Chaplain with a jump pack leading an assault squad, hence half the chaplains having said jump packs.  Though a terminator chaplain leading a squad of Thunderhammers has it's merits as well.  The Chapter fluff lists 19 chaplains under Pike but only 5 are modeled currently.

Next is the Librarians.  We have Vahanian, Chief Librarian and the Epistolary Ilianius.  I've never been a huge fan of librarians on the table top, so while there are a number in the chapter fluff, they remain under represented in the models.  The fluff lists the Librarium as consisting of the Chief Librarian, 3 Epistolaries, 5 Codiciers, 8 Lexicaniums, and 6 Acolytum.  The Ilianius I acquired a number of years back as someone's idea of a Vulkan conversion.  I think it makes a pretty good librarian though.

The Order of Harlech's Grellon
    This is a special order within the Chapter consisting of a dozen veterans not within the normal command rank who act as both guardians for the Chapter Master and special advisors for him.  These veterans are picked by an assembly of the chapter's company commanders, the Chapter Master, and other select leaders of the chapter.

Harlech's Grellon

    Ancient Dreadnought Patrocles

    Veteran Sergeant Malfoy Cadwgan
    Veteran Sergeant Wesly Karrde
    Veteran Sergeant Maerhis

    Veteran  Pelleaon
    Veteran Aeonid
    Veteran Cirith Imladhris

    Sternguard Veteran  Tobin
    Sternguard Veteran Helevorn
    Sternguard Veteran Corvis

    Vanguard Veteran Julius Dorja
    Vanguard Veteran Dairlan

So let's talk about my "Eddie" Dreadnought.  He's a recent eBay purchase.  I managed to get him for about $20 so I'm happy with that.  Since he's so much smaller than even regular Dreadnoughts, I'm putting him as an Ancient and outside the normal command structure.  He's not one to be put into danger and is awakened only for major advisory needs.

Ancient Dreadnought Patrocles was found aboard a space hulk during the crusader phase of the chapter long before they came to the Cymru system.  When the techmarines managed to awaken him, he could remember nothing of his past though his military knowledge remained inexplicably intact.  His body was battered and burnt without a single chapter marking remaining thus shrouding his history even more.  All that they could use to identity him was a small remnant of a purity seal with the name Patrocles on it.  This was taken to be his name and has been his identity ever since.  Patrocles has embraced the Lions as his own and strives to impart his wisdom and advice whenever he can.

So that's what we've got this time and I've hope you've enjoyed it.  I'll see you all next time.