Execution Force complete.

I've finished my Callidus Assassin in record time for me, taking under a week to complete! She was the easiest of the Assassins, due to mostly being one colour with some highlights.

Operative Kyrla Yann, 'Amaranthine Blade', Clade Assassin, Callidus Temple.

And this obviously means that I've painted all four Assassins! I never set out to complete all four, but after I painted my Culexus the bug bit and I couldn't not go for it. It's been a fun project, and it's nice to see something completed personally. I might even run them as an Execution Force in game one day, who knows?!

Anyways...

Execution Force 'Testament Unwritten'. Kill Ratio 2763:1. Lethality Vector Primus.

'The Arterial'

I've painted my third Assassin from the new kits, the Eversor. This means I've nearly completed an Execution Force, just needing to paint a Callidus, which I'll be picking up next week.

'The Arterial', Clade Assassin, Eversor Temple.

The Tenth Company

'The Ethnarch attacked our brothers. He attacked the Imperium and defied the laws of the Emperor. His greatest crime though was to strike at our existence. Every member of the Tenth Company was born on Kerishian. From there they were moulded into the future of the Shrikes. The children of this world have returned home, and they have come clad in wrath.'

Captain Thraam Yercik, X Company, Crimson Shrikes Adeptus Astartes.

Below can be seen pic-capture of Scout Squads Neestoi and Grusis of the Crimson Shrikes Chapter. These small units of Tenth Company recruits were added to the counter-attack forces of Captain Koridas at his request, allowing for infiltration and recon deep within enemy lines, and the creation of a location beacon matrix to guide in drop-podding and teleporting elements of the strike force.

The world of Kerishian Alpha-Seven, as well as being a prominent Shrine World within the sector, was also an the main recruitment world for the Crimson Shrikes. Feral gangs of youths, abandoned or orphaned in the bustling cathedral-metropolises of Kerishian were forced to survive via guile and stealth, and in some cases outright violence. This makes them ideal candidates for Astartes recruitment, exceptionally so in the case of the Raven Guard - descended Shrikes. The chosen would be taken to the home world of the Shrikes and put through the trials of Corax. Not all would survive these trials, and in some cases the entire crop would be lost to the mega-flora and fauna of the stalk-jungles. However, those that passed would be accepted into the Chapter, where their training would begin.

The Ethnarch bringing his campaign of ruin and horror to Kerishian left the Shrikes with the only option available to them, and led to their direct involvement with the Shrine War. After the death of their only other recruitment world in the Black Deep Atrocity, the Shrikes' future was under immediate threat. To the Tenth Company, sons all of Kerishian, the war was a just action, even with the faint memories of their life before the Chapter. The Sergeants of the Scout squads were required to not only lead, but to temper the rage of their charges in the battles that followed.

Master of the Laniidae

'Space Marines are not the noble heroes sung of in legend, as much as the Imperium wants them to be. They are murderers. Killers bred for one purpose, the extermination of life. The House has seen this time and time again. It was the murder-lust of your Corpse-Emperor's sons that led humanity back into the dark ages of now. And yet, Juriakon, scion of Corax, you are that rare creature. An Astartes that I find fascinating. I would piss on Inquisitor Isut's offer, but for your presence. My Knights will walk with you alone, Master of the Laniidae'

Knight-Baroness Oula Sammanta, Pilot of 'Omenstrider', Matriax of the House Erritian. Spoken at the Red Concord.

Master of the Laniidae. First of the Thorn Wreath. These titles belong to the Captain of the First Company of the Crimson Shrikes, a position currently occupied by Faaial Juriakon. A resolute warrior, Juriakon has led the First for fifty-two Terran years, and brought nought but victory to the Shrikes.

Juriakon deployed exclusively with the Laniidae during the Shrine War, using the teleport homers carried by the Scouts of the Tenth to bring instant and cataclysmic assaults upon rebel mortals and later Traitor legion elements. Yet Juriakon's greatest achievement is one that took place away from the battlefield. During the first meetings with the ancient Knight House of Erritian, Inquisitor Judia Isut, the leader of the Imperial battle group assigned to the Shine War found his efforts to recruit the House's allegiance were met with blunt refusals. In the last meeting, known as The Red Concord, Isut believed that a show of force was required to show the House that the power of the Imperium was not to be ignored. A request for a Crimson Shrike escort was granted, and the honour guard was led by Juriakon himself.

The House was not moved by this overt display of force. A lesser opponent may have been coerced by the terror of the war-plated transhumans in their court, but the Matriax of House Erritian was not moved. The House was brutal and merciless in combat, and their warriors were nobles in name only. Matriax Sammanta met the Shrikes with only a deep cackle of disgust. The Shrikes bristled at this insult, and for a few tense moments it seemed that the room would be filled with slaughter and the sound of bolters. However, Juriakon was not only famed for his leadership of the Thorn Wreath, but for his abilities as a wordsmith. He had written treatises and lectures that had spread around not only his Chapter, but amongst the whole of the Astartes brotherhood. He requested that the Matriax engage with him, crone to Marine. Sammanta consented to this, and they retreated to her private quarters for one day and one night. No record of their talks are kept, but after they returned to the court the Matriax pledged her support to Inquisitor Isut, with a special note exclaiming her respect of Juriakon and the Shrikes.

Seen here wearing his Terminator war-plate, and carrying the relic blade 'Termination Shock', Juriakon placed himself and the Laniidae under the command of Ryylo Koridas, providing the anvil to Koridas's hammer-blow of rapid strikes from his company. Although the Knights of House Erritian were in essence an independent force within the Imperial battle lines, the respect shown to Juriakon meant that he and the Laniidae were nearly always supported by at least one Knight, the sound of merciless laughter broadcast on loudhailers as the Knights began their attacks.

Addendum - After the House of Erritian was destroyed on orders from Inquisitor Isut, Juriakon was reported to have spent ninety-nine days in mourning and etched the House symbol into his left greive. It appears that the respect given by House Erritian was mutual.

Warender

'My rifle speaks softly. Yet the words are heard throughout history.'

Operative Tolin Undelis 'Warender', Clade Assassin, Vindicare Temple.

This guy isn't part of the Shrine War story as such, but I didn't really want to open a new log for him. Fun model to paint, and came together pretty quick. My favourite part surprisingly was painting the pillar behind him, which had a variety of techniques applied and all worked very nicely.

Ryylo Koridas and Vanguard Sqaud Ithcal

'The Black Legion returned Lasker to us with whatever they consider honour, as if the word had any meaning from those that betrayed Humanity in the name of their foul gods. We honoured them in return with the subtle knife in the night.'

- Captain Ryylo Koridas, III Company, Crimson Shrike Adeptus Astartes

After the death of Chapter Master Lasker and the realisation that the Shrine War, at least for the Shrikes, would be mainly Astartes vs Astartes combat, the newly promoted Captain of the Third Company Ryylo Koridas requested the remainder of the Chapter involved in combat operations in the sector divert their attention to Kerishian Alpha-Seven in order to reinforce the battered Third, and formulate new tactics aimed at de-stabilising the Traitor Marines' grip on the city of Ikartian.

Koridas had been promoted from with the Chapter's First Company, informally designated as the 'Thorn Wreath'. Turning back to his former brothers, Koridas requested that a number of Vanguard squads within the First be placed under his direct command to assist in counter-Astartes actions, and equipped accordingly. Along with the Third being resupplied with Marines from reserve companies and Scouts from the Tenth, this allowed Koridas to change the methodology previously employed by the Third. Whereas the Company had previously only used guerrilla warfare as a fall-back when squads were below strength or cut-off, now this became the standard tactic used to ensnare Traitor Marines into ambushes and asymmetrical warfare. Indeed, many PDF troopers still involved within the conflict on Kershian noted that although before they had seen the Shrikes engaged in many actions, they almost disappeared from mortal eyes, with only the remains of annihilated Traitor Marines being occasionally found by forces as the Imperial battle-line slowly crept forward.

Koridas can be seen here alongside Vanguard Sqaud Ithcal. Squad Ithcal acted as Koridas's retinue for the majority of the campaign on Kerishian, and were armed specifically for destruction of power armoured foes up close. As can be seen, the weapon of choice in the unit was the lightning claw, a weapon that required an archaic fighting style, but proved utterly deadly in the hands of Ithcal.

Koridas himself is armed with an ancient blade drawn from the relics of the Shrikes, known as the 'Unkindness'. This massive blade would be enough to kill even a fully armoured Astartes without power, and can cut through even Tactical Dreadnought Armour when turned on. Koridas also uses a plasma-based jump pack, providing more height and boost to any leaps made and also allowing a devastating arrival into close-combat.

Legion Building, and finally a test Ultramarine!

'Arcology XIX cannot fall! Let the last thing these bastard sons of Lorgar see be fury coloured in cobalt and gold!'

Attributed to Sergeant Isidoros, Third Battle of Omega Chamber.

Devastator Squad Orestes

'The thrice-accursed Tyrant of Badab once said that big guns never tire. However, he forgot one thing. It is not the size of the gun that is fired, but where the gun is fired from. That is what your enemy should truly fear.'

Sergeant Velo Orestes, III Company, Crimson Shrikes Adeptus Astartes.

The Crimson Shrikes' famed guerrilla techniques throughout the Shrine War were not just limited to the more adaptable units such as Tactical and Sternguard squads, but were taken on board by all Chapter brothers engaged in the conflict, even spreading to the heavy weapon specialists of the Devastator squads. With the Shrine Worlds being sprawling urban megastructures encompassing millions of inhabitants, long range weaponry such as the lascannon and missile launcher were less effective due to rate of fire and limited short-range armour penetration. This led to Squad Orestes utilising a mix of multi-meltas and grav-cannons. Notoriously short ranged, the weapons could be brought to full effect due to the infiltration of Squad Orestes into the various shattered buildings and facilities found during battle. Indeed, the only sign of any imminent attack for rebel forces was the sight of the squad's armorium cherub, a fact that led to the construct being known as the 'Child of Vengeance'.

Equipped with targeting devices and extra armour plating, heavy-weapon carrying Marines are capable of delivering accurate and withering amounts of firepower to a localised area, suppressing enemy movement and breaking apart armoured columns. In the case of Squad Orestes, various members can be seen with extra-sensory equipment such as pic-cams and auspexes to enable total superiority over an area.

Squad Orestes's most notable achievement during the War was to hunt down the Daemon Engines known as 'The Scarlet Octennial'. Believed to be eight ++Redacted++ of the War God, Khorne, the Octennial tore through civilian centres on Kerishian Alpha-Seven, their rampages killing and maiming hundreds at a time. Squad Orestes were deployed into a vast urban maw wherein the Octennial and the Shrikes were involved in a Terran-month long hunt for each other. The Octennial were finally destroyed, but at great cost to the Shrikes, as seven brothers were killed during the action, including Orestes himself.

'Sibilant In Jade'

'The death of mortal flesh is not enough in these times of celestial horror. The only assured victory is the annihilation of the soul'

Biblio of the Culex, Chapter XX, Verse CVII.

'Knives in the night are one thing. But to deploy this monster, this aberration of Humanity, is not a step even I would have considered. This is the work of the Culexus, and that which it hunts will die screaming as the darkness reaches out with cold, dread hands.'

Inquisitor Judia Isut.

Subject Theta-Theta-Kappa, 'Sibilant in Jade', as seen in the hive city of Doonwrech.
Deployment order ++Classified, level Alpha-Epsilon++
Targets ++Unknown++
Notable kills ++Black Legion Traitor Psyker - Code Name 'Vermillion Hexatude'++
Current status ++MIA, believed curren....

++WARNING - WARNING - WARNING++
++UNKNOWN INTRUSION++
++AUTO-SERVITORS DEPLOYED, DO NOT ATTEMPT TO FLEE++

Legio XIII

'The theoreticals always spoke of overwhelming Legio superiority, of war fought glorious, bright and gleaming under the swords of the righteous. The practicals of Calth have taught us that war against a brother can only be won by blood, bare hands and loss. The Legio will survive this. Must survive this. But the Thirteenth will be forever changed.

 Praetor Tyron Auxentios, LCVII Company, XV Chapter, XIII Legio 'Ultramarines'

A Chaplain and his Flock

'There is only one way to see that a war is truly won, and it has ever been thus since the first time Man picked up weapon against Man. It is the brutality of close-combat, of sword against sword, that confirms the kill.

The Asymmetrical - Julion Griess, M30.

'The noise those jump-packs make, well, it goes through you like wind on a cold Hel-Winter night. Course it does, it's got to get an Astartes into the sky. The first few times, you could hear the platoon collectively shudder. They started shuddering to different sounds soon enough though. The sound of sorrowful chants and chainblades. The lads were scared, because they knew they'd yet again witness what the Shrikes had done to the rebels...

There are some things that you don't ever leave behind'

Platoon Commander Yeter Kysadrix, Itenyrs IV PDF, post Shrine-War.

Above and below can be seen pic-capture of Assault Squad Veun of the Crimson Shrikes III Company, led by Sergeant Oris Veun.

Even within the role of the Adeptus Astartes as shock troops, Assault Squads have a reputation as line-breakers beyond compare. That close-combat is still the most effective way to cripple enemy morale in an age of planet-killers would be shocking if one had not witnessed the ferocity of transhuman melee. Jump-packs are routinely used to speed the Astartes into close-quarters engagement, and also to provide attack vectors that would ordinarily prove impossible without prior planning and execution. Most Chapters use chainswords, although some of the more ferocious (cross-ref Flesh Tearers) will use the heavier, less-common chainaxe. Regardless, the effect is the same - weapons ,that when used by mortals, are notorious for lethality become terrifying in gene-enhanced hands.

Squad Veun was joined throughout the conflict by III Company's Chaplain, Ptesr Beserides. The honour of being accompanied by such an esteemed figure within the Company, along with the hypno-suggestive, almost mournful chants of Beserides resulted in Squad Veun becoming almost unstoppable within their assigned role. Mortal enemy combatants would either retreat, or be slaughtered under the blades of Veun. The squad had the highest kill ratio of all Shrike units until the insertion of Traitor Legion elements into the War, after which they dropped into guerrilla warfare methodology, using rapid Stormraven deployment to decimate supply chains and sow confusion within enemy lines.

Squad Veun, Chaplain Beserides

Time for some quick WIP's

Meet Squad Veun and Chaplain Beserides

I found my old metal jump pack Chaplain and decided he needed to go into the army as it's such a lovely, evocative model. I also threw in some mark IV jump packs from the Sanguinary Guard kit as they look great, but didn't want to go overboard. The new Assault Marine kit is really nice, and really had a blast putting these guys together.

The Knight twins are getting there too. The shoulder plating is much further on than when this was taken, but I've put them aside for a little while so I don't burnout. They're very straightforward to paint, but they just take ages get nice flat coats of colour.

And finally, I do actually get some games in with the Shrikes. This was back in May against my friend's very red Tzeentch daemons. Was a cracking game, and he had me on the back foot for most of it. The Shrikes fought hard, but fate was not to be on their side this day (I lost by 2 vp's!). Always fun to have a close game though. I really must get the Rhinos and Drop Pods painted as well!

House Erritian Progress

Time for a small update on my two Knights I'm currently painting. Cerulean Invective's carapace is comeplete, while I'm chopping through Celestial Indigo's at the moment. The painting's been stress free, which is always surprising for a model of this size. I've shaded the metal on the carapace of Celestial with Nuln Oil, but Cerulean has been shaded with both Nuln Oil and a subtle point wash of Typhus Corrosion, for reasons that will become clear...

Cerulean Invective. I really enjoyed painting the window port and it's the best gem effect I've ever cranked out so pretty chuffed with it!

Celestial Indigo. I liked the idea of a diagonal stripe running across the top, and hopefully the effect's not come out too bad. It's a little ropey in places, but nothing that distracts the eye so I'm tempted to leave as is instead of constant neatening and potential for mistakes.

These guys should really be painted by the end of next week or the start of the one after. Then all I'll need to do is transfers and weathering with powders.

Jackylwalker

A little preview of what is coming next.

'A hunter creates the conditions for the kill. But a killer will only concern himself with the slaughter. We do not hunt. We prey.'

Knight-Gallant Yudzen Korbas, Midnight Hurricane, The Great Attractor, Jackylwalker. Pilot of 'Cerulean Invective'.

Chief Librarian Brern Wehial

'A buttrflight flaps its wings in Neu-Tukyo and a hurricane devastates L'Angelos'

- Ancient Terran saying, based on the teachings of the Mathematica Chao, M2

The Crimson Shrikes Librarius is known for its ability to affect battle and war through the psychic influence of information, using their powers to disrupt enemy deployments and supply lines into a state of chaos before a single bullet is fired.  However, among this powerful cabal the head of the Librarius and Chief Librarian of the Crimson Shrikes Brern Wehial is famed for his ability to directly attack the enemy though information alone.

All wars create a local infosphere of orders and commands, movements and reports known to the Adeptus Mechanicus as a noosphere. The method of the Librarius is to insert information into this noosphere, mimicking original orders and commands with subtle differences, whereby it will be picked up by enemy forces and misinterpreted. Uniquely, Wehial's powers allow him to pull information from the noosphere and directly change it. Kill-code and hypnotic controls are weaved in and placed back as a Trojan Horse, working its way through the higher echelons of the sphere until it reaches an intended target. When the time is right, Wehial will trigger the info-bomb, causing untold damage to the local enemy noospshere and anything wired in.

The most famous of these events during the Shrine War is the death of the enemy Reaver Titan 'Severius Gamus' and its slaved Warhound pack. Wehial plucked a small piece of scrap-code from the noosphere whilst in orbit above the planet of Urexes VII, changing only two letters within the code and returning it to the sphere. The code hunted for seven days until finally meshing itself within the info-spine of 'Severius Gamus'. During the battle for the capital of Urexes VII, Wehial triggered the hidden code, immediately off-lining all of Severius Gamus's systems and Warhound slaves. This opportunity was not passed up, and Knights 'Cerulean Invective' and 'Martyr Blue' of the house Erritian made their first Titan kills of the campaign.

Wehial can be seen above. A towering Astartes, even for someone clad in Terminator Armour, he wears a a 'Crusader' type helm and wields his force staff 'Star-Render'. His armour is the colour of the Shrikes' Librarius as per Codex tradition. However, unlike his brother Librarians, both of Wehial's arm are coloured black in instead of the standard left, an honour only afforded to the Chief Librarian due to his place and importance within the Chapter.