+ inload: Neglected models and army themes +

+ inload: Neglected models September +

+ One of my [annual cycle resolutioncodes] was to get a bit more involved in events run across the community. For the past few months, Azazelx, of the excellent Node Azazel's Bitz Box [+noosphericinloadlink embedded+], has run monthly challenges to encourage readers to do something a bit different. I've been meaning to get involved for a while, and what better time than 'Neglected Models September'? +

+ The Steel Legion miniatures that I'm currently working on have been sat in a box for the best part of a decade (perhaps more), predating my orks, Iron Warriors, and many sub-projects. Many of the additional figures I'm using in the army – the Space Hulk genestealers, brood brothers and various characters – have also been gathering dust, waiting for their time. +

+ This pict-capture was taken when I started work on them, in a previous house! +

+ Now, of course I won't be able to paint them all for this group project, but I think it fits the principle behind Azazelx's idea – to encourage people to paint – very nicely (thanks for the boot up the ex-cycler, Azazel). I will, however, try to get a sub-section of the army all nicely finished for the monthly round-up. +

+++

+ Army themes and restrictions +

+ ...And that brings me neatly onto the next part of this inload, which is a look at the army list I'm taking to the Bristol Vanguard Spoils of War: Silence event [+noosphericinloadlink embedded+], which I'll be attending with the PCRC next month. It's a good example of how restrictions can help to theme an army. +

+ We've long discussed taking a themed group of armies to an event – primarily in order to hang out as a gang, but also to tie our armies together a little. (And also make sure we don't trek across the country and end up facing each other!) This year, we've finally managed it. The Silence event is exploring a sector of the the 40k galaxy in the face of an oncoming tyranid hivefleet, so we thought we'd get into the spirit of things and create a tyranid-themed battlegroup. Warmtamale, Lord Blood and Lucifer216 are taking their awesome 'nid armies; while Bob Hunk and Trojan Ninja are taking Genestealer Cult. While I would have loved to have taken a 'nid force, I couldn't really justify buying a whole new army when I had a load of Guard just begging to be painted. As a result, I'm taking a genestealer-infiltrated PDF force. +

+ With this idea in place, I then took it through a few drafts – the first I rejected because it was simply a Guard army – which wasn't really in the spirit of things. The next I rejected because it included tyranid vanguard organisms (like Lictors), and I didn't think that really fitted with my image of the 'early stages of corruption' feel. +

+ The current (and likely final) version is below. [If you're interested in army list composition etc., feel free to browse and offer any thoughts.] This is what I consider a fairly well-themed list, in that it has lots of the iconic units – such as basic Imperial guardsmen, and a mix of the genestealer generations – of the different factions represented; and few of the more specialised units. +

+ Of course there's nothing inherently wrong with cherry-picking bits from lists, but it's harder for other people to see the idea behind your army if the iconic units are missing, or are completely outnumbered by the more specialised stuff. As an example, I'd usually take a complete platoon of tanks in a Guard army, but in a back-water PDF, I felt that it's more thematic to have a few mismatched vehicles dragged into service rather than serried ranks of veterans. +

+ It's also worth thinking about the balance of your army in a combined list. The guard are famously not much cop in combat, while genestealers are not great at shooting. It'd be easy to optimise a list to cover both bases, but that wouldn't be much fun for the other player. As a result, I've pulled back on the guard's shootiness – few tanks, no heavy weapon squads – and made sure that for every combat monster in the genestealer section (purestrains, Patriarch, abominant), I've taken some more middle-of-the-road choices (hybrids). +

+ Because the guard are representing a dominated PDF company – effectively acting as hypnotised 'brood brothers' – for a relatively small cult, the genestealer choices are intended to represent that. The hybrids and purestrains represent the bulk of the cult itself. +

+++

Imperial Guard (Brood Brothers) Battalion Detachment [55PL]

• Imperial Guard Company Commander (HQ) – [3 PL]
• Lord Commissar (HQ) [4 PL]

• Imperial Guard Platoon Commander (Elites) – [2 PL]
• Imperial Guard Platoon Commander (Elites) – [2 PL]

• Astropath (Elites) – [1 PL]
• Wyrdvane Psykers (Elites) – three-strong [1PL]
• Techpriest Enginseer (Elites) – [3PL]
• Ogryn bodyguard (Elites) – [4PL]

• Guard platoon
• Imperial Guard infantry squad (Troops) – ten-strong infantry squads [3 PL]
• Imperial Guard infantry squad (Troops) – ten-strong infantry squads [3 PL]
• Imperial Guard infantry squad (Troops) – ten-strong infantry squads [3 PL]
• Imperial Guard infantry squad (Troops) – ten-strong infantry squads [3 PL]
• Imperial Guard infantry squad (Troops) – ten-strong infantry squads [3 PL]
• Imperial Guard infantry squad (Troops) – ten-strong infantry squads [3 PL]

• Leman Russ Battle Tank (Heavy Support) – [11PL]
• Chimera (Transport) – [6PL]

Genestealer Patrol Detachment [14PL]

• Primus (HQ) – [4PL]
• Acolyte hybrids (Troops) – five strong [5PL]
• Neophyte hybrids (Troops) – ten strong [5PL]

Genestealer Supreme Comand Detachment [23PL]

• Patriarch (HQ) – [7PL]
• Magus (HQ) – [4PL]
• Magus (HQ) – [4PL]
• Abominant (HQ) – [4PL]
• Purestrains (Elites) – eight strong [8PL]