Dark Angels 30k
The Dark Angels were the first of the Emperors legions, both to be created and to see action. Before many legions had even been developed the 1st were veterans of dozens of battles of the Unification Wars. Throughout the early stages of the Great Crusade they were the largest, most experienced, and most innovative of all of the Emperor’s Space Marines. They developed many of the tactics that the other legions would adopt as their signatures, and even after their fellows had caught up in numbers (thanks to some brutal losses the Dark Angels suffered during the crusade) and expertise, there remained none who could rival their flexibility. Nor, after they were reunited with their Primarch, their nobility of spirit and honourable natures
Just some pics of my Horus Heresy era Dark Angels. 30k has never been a game that interested me to be honest, although I loved the lore and the nostalgia attached to Mk6 Marines and the Land Raider Proteus and Demios Pattern Rhinos proved too hard to resist in the end. Reminded me of the happy times of my youth discovering my love for the hobby in 1987! Mk6 Space Marines was the first wargaming models I built thanks to the RTB01 box set for first edition!
3000 points bang on the nose of Heresy era Dark Angels. Clad in their original legion colours of black.
Amongst the ranks of the Ist Legion stood the formidable warriors of the Knights Cenobium. Only the most dedicated warrior-adepts of the Legion could attain the rank of cenobite and were granted the right to bear the cipher of one of the six orders of the Dark Angels' Hexagrammaton.
Clad in the finest Cataphractii Pattern Terminator Armour they were covered in the symbols and heraldry of the 1st Legion. The cenobites of the Lion's Inner Circle could easily weather the storm of shrapnel and flame produced by the terrible weapons of the Great Crusade with limited risk.
Armed with the best weapons and wargear that the Legion could provide, they brought the fury of their assault into the heart of enemy fortifications.
A Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought is an ancient Imperial cybernetic combat walker used by the Space Marine Legions in the days of the Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy, 10,000 Terran years before the present setting of the 40th Millennium.
Like the current patterns of Dreadnought, the Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought served as a cybernetic sarcophagus for an Astartes who had been so badly wounded in battle that his only chance for continued service to the Emperor lay in being interred within the cybernetic sarcophagus of a Dreadnought.
The Contemptor Pattern was once a key part of the earliest Space Marine Legion forces raised on Terra in the late 30th Millennium to initiate the Great Crusade.
The Leviathan Pattern Siege Dreadnought or more simply, the Leviathan Dreadnought, created in limited numbers in the latter days of the Great Crusade of the late 30th Millennium, was developed in secret on Terra, away from the pervasive oculars of the ancient Mechanicum.
The Leviathan's oversized Atomantic Reactor allows it to bear weapons more powerful than other classes of Dreadnought, and also powers reinforced energy fields that surpass those developed for the Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought.
Power has its cost though, and the systems of the Leviathan place a lethal level of strain on the minds of its occupants Space Marines who find themselves interred within a Leviathan, and they pay a heavy toll; either with their life, or their reason. The tormented and ravaged minds of those Astartes interred within are driven to the edge of madness by the little-understood mechanisms unique to the Leviathan and soon suffer a final dissolution owing to the terrible strain the Leviathan inflicts on those who would dare to master it. The occupants are frequently replaced as their minds finally fail.
Forge World Dark Angels Legion Specific Leviathan Dreadnought. Armed with Storm Cannon Array. I used Rogal Dorna modified base, to make use of the Dead Night Lords Marine at his feet.
Leading my force, my HQ, Marduk Sedras beautiful sculpt from Forge World, also loved the helmet from a deceased Night Lord on his base too!
A veteran of the earliest battles of the Unification Wars and had seen battle on countless worlds alongside Primarchs and the Emperor himself. His experience served to inspire and educate new recruits. He originally belonged to the Host of Stone but later entered the ranks of the Dreadwing. Rather than join the Council of Masters on Gramarye Sedras opted to accept a lesser rank of Master so that he could remain in the field. At the start of the Heresy, Sedras was one of the oldest living Space Marines, having faithfully served the Emperor for more than 250 years. There was very little that he had not seen, so Sedras could impart his wisdom to nearby Dark Angels and inspiring them to even greater deeds. During the Thramas Crusade, Sedras commanded the Dreadwing in several battles and during the last stage of the Crusade launched a Phosphex purge of Thramas to prevent it from falling into the hands of the Night Lords. After landing on the planet Sedras slew the surviving Night Lords commander Nakrid Thole.
Plastic Cataphractii Terminator squad.
Cataphractii Pattern Terminator Armour was originally a prototype for the later patterns of Terminator Armour first used by the Space Marine Legions and the warriors of the Legio Custodes throughout the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy eras.
Whilst similar in many respects to the later Indomitus Pattern Terminator Armour, it was set apart by a number of features such as the large, layered pauldrons, the pteruges protecting the elbow and thigh joints, and a helmet that resembled that used by the Mark III Iron Pattern suit of power armour.
Mark VI armour was first issued during the later stages of the Great Crusade, and it was in wide service by the time of the Horus Heresy. And while it may be most associated with sneaky forces such as the Raven Guard or the Alpha Legion, every Legion was issued with this mobile, relatively lightweight armour mark.
By the time of the Siege of Terra, the Loyalist Legions defending the Imperial Palace had whole Chapters equipped with Mark VI armour.
Mk6 Space Marines with Demios Pattern Rhino. I chose full Rogue Trader era yellow lenses and red helmet stripes, for nostalgic reasons!
My 4 squads of Mk6 Line infantry with their dedicated transports. Demios Pattern Rhino armoured personnel carriers.
On the table top....
I joined my friend Joe over a friendly game of Heresy, taking my Dark Angels against his spectacular Alpha Legion.
Although I painted this army soley for gaming purposes over an intended display army, I was sure proud of how they looked on the table top. Striking to say the least! My Rhinos are deployed..
Rhino and Land Raider Proteus carrying mk6 Marines and Inner Knights Cenobium respectively.
The dusty desert gaming table we were gaming on really fit my Dark Angels well. A nice contrast.
Contemptor Dreadnought making its way through ruins.
Joe's squadron of Alpha Legion jet bikes
Joe's other Contemptor racing forwards.
Great looking battlefield in my opinion. Months of work getting showcased.
Joe's Legion had a much bigger box of toys! Was great to see some of the models I'd never seen upclose before.
Alpha Legion want to claim this objective, will my bog standard Mk6 marines hold the line!
There's a mosh pit in the middle of the table!
This skirmish is starting to erupt across this battlefield with mini engagements across the sector.
Objective 6 is looking scary! The Alpha Legion clearly see its importance putting lots of powerful assets on it!
Jet bikes of the Alpha Legion race towards their targets!
Slow and cumbersome, the McChonky Leviathan Dreadnought unloads its duel wielding Storm Cannon Array at those Traitors!
The Fire Raptor gunship roars onto the battle grid as the reserves start making their presence felt, slowing to a hover and unloading all apocalyptic hell into my Dark Angels infantry that have no answer for it!
Such a big fan of the Fire Raptor! I will have to get one, one day!!!
Hero's of the Imperium, the brave space marines of the Dark Angels hold their ground. Definietly still not hiding behind Rhinos!!!!!
I'm not sure you'll ever see a prettier army than Joe's Alpha Legion and although he won't take credit for the paint work, he's adding new units to this incredible army that will look every bit as glorious.
The Alpha Legion rocking chameleon paint from Green Stuff World. Hard to photograph as they colour shift from different angles from blue to purple. Even better to see in the flesh! Those that know me know the importance of a blue/purple flip paint, and why it will be forever dear to me!!
Dark Angels claimed a victory on objectives, but suffered devasting losses, the Horus Heresy is BRUTAL. We deploy for the again for a new game, different mission. Joe fields a new list! Still Alpha Legion but new units!
Alpha Legion looking deadly.
I tried to make my Rhino APCs all different with individual unit markings so no two are the same. Adds a bit of flavour to a predominantly black army. I didn't think the 1st Legion would look very eye catching on the table being predominantly black, but they do!
Mk6 Tactical Marines spot targets of opportunity heading right for them!!
The Alpha Legion throw so much resources at stealing the objective the Dark Angels WAS controlling, lessons learned from the first game, they aren't loosing on objectives this time!! They will bully their way to victory!
Really do love Joe's Alpha Legion. He collects a few different Legions and they are all beautifully painted!
Las Vindicators roll onto the battlegrid!
Inner Knights Cenobium suffered loses disembarking from the dead Land Raider but are still a threat! They can insta kill most things in the game with their murderous strikes! You can't allow them to get to where they want to be, ignoring them proves to be fatal!
Alpha Legion shenanigans gets a Contemptor behind my Leviathan!
My objectives are all getting overpowered, the 1st Legion won't have Glory this day!
Few units left the Alpha Legion will cut the head from this snake as it eyes up my Command Retinue.
With a Teleport flash Marduk Is gone from this battle and his Cataphractii unit wiped out! He will heal his wounds and fight again another day!
It was an interesting introduction to the Horus Heresy. I'd love to be able to say I learned things but I'm still none the wiser as to what's going on with the game yet haha. I'm more of a collector and painter than a gamer, and slightly more familiar with modern 40k now. That said I'm sure Joe will be back in future, we had planned on unleashing Titans in the 30k setting which would be an even more memorable experience!!!
Thanks for coming Joe (and that burger lunch was awesome!!!) The Outpost in Sheffield hosted this one and the staff was very welcoming and the store was very healthily stocked up. I'd not hesitate to return. I'm very lucky to be smack bang in the middle between Hobby Workshop in Barnsley and The Outpost in Sheffield and it means we have a really healthy hobby community in sunny South Yorkshire. It can only be a good thing for local hobbyists to have these amazing venues to support.
The day was shared with one Victory each, ideally the best outcome for me, we both turned up, shared some laughs and had fun!
The Dark Angels will be back! I'm sure of it!! Modifications to the list will pack a harder punch! I don't want a filthy dirty meta list, but I do want to turn up and inflict some pain when they get the chance and give my opponent something to think about! We aren't going to make it easy for those traitors!!!
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