Monday 10 April 2017

The Horus Heresy: Betrayal.

As I paint my way through the Snakeman horde, I have got distracted towards a project I have always wanted to do: a Horus Heresy era army using the current miniatures and based on the series of books.

Recently, with the release of GW's 'Burning of Prospero', they have released plastic Mark III Space Marines, at a much lower cost than the Forgeworld ones (even cheaper if you shop around on e-bay, as I did!). Some years ago I bought the 'Betrayal at Calth' box set for the Mark IV Marines, Terminators and the Dreadnought, and so could'nt resist picking up some more plastics now whilst they are still around quite relatively cheap post release. To give it all a framework, I bought (on e-bay cheaper again!) The Horus Heresy Book One: Betrayal.

The book is gorgeous. Really high quality and full of lovely artwork. It, to be frank, also contains the Crusade era army list, which was a prime motivator for purchase. However, that is not to decry the book, which very pretty :)  .

On the subjet of pretty, my idea is to gradually assemble an Emperor's Children army. I have always liked this Legion, and liked them in the books. I also liked them in the older art book from GW/The Black Library, 'The Horus Heresy Collected visions'. When building the army, I have that books look of the Emperor's Children, with the current army list and miniatures to fulfil that ideal. With that in mind have I painted three test miniatures, a Mark III; a Mark IV; and a Mark VI. I also re-based my 'Classical' scenery to give it a more battlefield look, and to act as a backdrop for photography.

All this is something I am doing in the background, I am still painting the Snakeman army, but they will be finished very soon. I have an allied contingent of ten half painted on my table as I type.

Enjoy :)
 The Horus Heresy Book One: Betrayal.
 Emperor's Children.
I am going for a 'pinker' look to mine, as per earlier artwork. I will also have a few more Mark III armoured Marines than it consider, as I like them, and the Legion did use them, just not as much as others.
 The Horus Heresy: Collected Visions. 
A large book packed full of Horus Heresy inspired artwork used in the eponymous Collectable Card Game.
 Emperor's Children.
I am aiming for roughly this look.
Plastic Emperor's Children. 
I have not as of yet painted any numbers or iconography on the shoulder pads. These are really little more than test models to refine the armour colour.
 Mark III.
I have added 1cm square plastic card on the bases to suggest wrecked marble flagstones.
 Mark IV with Missile Launcher. 
I plan to use a Heavy Support choice for on a squad of these, and equip them with Flakk Missiles. 
The bulk of the armour in the army will be Mark IV.
 Mark VI Marine. 
I thought that a squad of Mark VI's would be fun to have and very Horus Heresy rather than just the usual Marks II, III, IV, and sometimes V.
 Ruins.  
A lot of the ruined cities in the 'Collected Visions' book look Neo-Classical, and so I thought this scenery, and the Marines bases, would suit.
 Front view.
 More ruins.
 The larger one is a converted fish tank ruin, as are the ruined statues.
 Legion Tactical Support Squad in Mark III armour.
Making more flagstones! 


Next week, Snakemen!

9 comments:

  1. I do love the EC's, have myself a Loyalist force of them myself made with all the new shiny toys. Looking forward to seeing your progress.

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    1. They are a lovely Legion, and the artwork for them really captures the feel of the Great Crusade. I don't think I have ever seen your Emperor's Children?
      Glad you like them. I have the Snakemen to finish first, and so whilst I am finsihing them off, I am collecting the Emperor's Children ready for later. I am thinking June maybe? The new miniatures are really nice. :)

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    2. The Ec's are posted on the Blog (http://oldhammeronabudget.blogspot.co.uk/2016/06/horus-heresy-emperors-children-project.html) really should finish them off at some point.

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    3. They look great Chico :)
      I like how you have painted the darker version of Emperor's Children armour. Also, nice to see the old Rogue Trader tanks being used alongside them.

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  2. I am looking forward to watching your progress on this army. Since first reading about the fight between the Emperor and Horus in Realm of Chaos about 20 years ago I've always had a bit of a thing for the Horus Heresy.

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    1. Thank you.
      As I mentioned to Chico I still have the Snakemen to finish off but I will be starting the Emperor's Children properly about May or June.

      I have always loved the Horus Heresy. I really liked it from the Slaves to Darkness book and the Rogue Trader Renegade miniatures, but that is another project I will have to attend to at some poijnt, but which will be a lot bigger to tackle.

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  3. Looking great, and good to see you exploring the Horus Heresy setting. I'm looking forward to seeing how you build the Emperor's Children. Do you mind if I ask how you made the big temple in the ninth and tenth pictures?

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  4. Thank you Apologist, I am looking forward to starting the Emperor's Children army. I've always liked the Horus Heresy, and like the 'new' approach that forgeworld and GW have taken.

    I am planning to have a core of Tactical squads, with a couple of Heavy Weapon Squads; the 'sunkillers' with Las Cannons; and a Missile Launcher squad with Flakk missiles. In addition I want to buy some Jetbikes and Rhinos to keep things mobile as per their background.
    I would like a Land Raider too as it would'nt be the Horus Heresy without one!

    The temple is an old Scottia Grendel resin one, with some added plasti-card flagstones. I bought it back in the 1990's, but you can still buy it here:

    http://www.scotiagrendel.com/Products/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=227_40&products_id=2660

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    1. Ta very much – looking forward to seeing where you go with the IIIrd Legion :)

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