From JamesM: Battlefleet Gothic Storm Wardens Strike Group (60 points)

Hi folks,

Having enjoyed painting some Battlefleet Gothic models for last years challenge, I promptly put everything back in a box and didn't look at any of it again till this year. 

However, I had reviewed my collection at some point, and decided upon a small Space Marine fleet. I had obtained a metal GW strike cruiser and some escorts at some point and added to this a couple of ships from Scourge Scenics with some conversion work, as well as an interesting conversion given to me by a friend a long time ago. 

The results are a slightly eclectic mix of vessels, as befitting a Space Marine chapter out on the verges of Imperial Space. 

For those not familiar with this particular Space Marine chapter, they featured in Fantasy Flight Games 40k RPG setting, being the Space Marine chapter associated with the Calixis Sector (mainly detailed in the Deathwatch RPG books, but mentioned in the other games set in the same region). They are a highly insular chapter that avoids where possible public acclaim. The chapter's lineage is unknown, due to an unfortunate incident with an enslaver psychic virus resulting in their entire 1st Company and all chapter records being placed in stasis 5,000 years ago. 

In keeping with my focus on the Koronus Expanse, I decided to build a fleet for them probably reflective of their efforts outside of known Imperial Space. 

First up, the 'Battlebarge' stand in for this fleet. Some of the Space Marine fleet lists allow you to use an Imperial Battleship, Battlecruiser or Grand Cruiser for an additional points cost, reflecting older vessels in the chapters service. This is a short term fix for this fleet, as I am likely to get a Battlebarge at some point, whereby this vessel will become a 'Venerable Strike Cruiser' using the BFGXR rules. 

In this case, I went for a conversion gifted to me some time ago by a friend, and repainted in appropriate chapter colours. This plastic GW cruiser hull had a metal broadside battery put in place, I believe from one of the early Grand Cruiser models. As such, it's pretty different from the rest of my Imperial Cruisers. I added an array of sensor towers under the hull, as well as some dorsally mounted turrets, and this ship became a Paragon class Battlecruiser 'Lamented Warrior'.

These ships, unusually, have bombardment cannons as broadside weapons - leading to them being yoinked from Imperial Navy service and promises made never to build more. How this vessel came to serve with the Storm Wardens is therefore unknown. 

Escorting this ship are Hunter class Destroyers of Ban'nokbrn Squadron.

Then we have two of the more unusual strike cruisers in my small fleet - likely unrecognisable by BFG aficionados:

'Pipers Glory', on the left, is my attempt at a Hoplon class Strike Cruiser with an unusual early Imperial prow. My head canon is that this prow is possibly a replacement due to battle damage in the ancient past, or possible an upgrade using a space hulk recovered STC component. I'd probably run this ship in my own games as having a prow mounted Lance weapon as per the Dauntless Light Cruiser rather than launch bays and torps. 

The other vessel (on the right), named 'Stir'ling Bridge' is my attempt at a Vanguard class Cruiser. These ships first appeared in the BFG computer games, and are long range independent cruisers designed less for planetary assault and more for ship to ship combat. My conversion of this vessel involved taking a Dauntless Light Cruiser from Scourge Scenics along with a Space Marine Strike Cruiser from the same place, and butchering both to swap prows. This gave a more 'stretched' and sleek look than the brawler looking Strike Cruiser hull. 

In the end, I gave the butchered Strike Cruiser a spare resin prow I had instead of using the smaller Dauntless one, giving me the Hoplon class. This led to the two ships featured here. 

Lastly, the Fal'kirk' Strike Cruiser and the Gladius class Frigates of 'DunBar' Squadron. 

These models are 'official' GW metal products, having been in my collection for quite some time. As such, they are fairly 'standard' additions to the fleet. 

Colours wise, I think I've gone a bit too blue - various shades have been used (which show up poorly on the camera), but I struggled to implement the paint scheme of this chapter without any visual clues as to what their ships would look like - the only ship based artwork is a poor angle with poor light. The artwork for marines shows dark and light blue, plus silver. The description is blue and light grey. I could possibly have used light grey on the ships more, however I was trying to avoid an 'Ultramarine' style paint scheme. 

I do have a few more bits to add to this fleet, to bring it up to the 1500-2000pt mark for games. To be added will be some 'regular' Imperial escorts and a few more capital class ships. 

Points wise, I checked last years entries and scored these the same:

4 cruisers (15mm vehicle sized) = 32 points

7 escorts (15mm gun sized) = 28 points

Total = 60 points

Minion Miles: I've never played Battlefleet Gothic but have always loved the look of the minis and you've done a marvelous job with these.  Im not sure I should cry out WAUGGGHHH!!!! or "FOR THE EMPEROR!" with these minis - it's all so confusing.  Perhaps just a very heartfelt "job well done".