I picked up a copy of the 8th edition Imperial Guard codex and made various alterations to my rather neglected in-progress 8th Army-inspired "Cadian 287th Heavy Armoured" force.
It's been in-progress for rather a long time - I'd previously designed it as legitimate back in 5th or 6th edition - so some changes were needed to fit with the new 8th edition organization (in order that the force be battle-forged).
This was always intended as an armoured force so infantry had been kept to a minimum and the first change was scratching together a second infantry squad, now that veterans are Elite.
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| Core infantry plus Officer and Command Squad |
Fortunately a couple of lads came free (officers no longer have bodyguards), and adding these to a spare heavy weapons team and a box of five easy-build Cadians it wasn't too hard to get the basics: one officer, one command squad, and two infantry squads.
The heavy weapon teams have GW weapons and crew, but the gun carriages are from elsewhere, part of a Kickstarter I backed several years ago for steampunk SF artillery. The guns didn't fit well with the Cadians (though they'd probably look great with Praetorians).
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| Magnetized heavy weapons |
The autocannons are magnetized so I can swap to a different weapon, but for now these seem a good fit. The crew are fixed to small round "Perry" bases, also magnetized to the Workshop 60mm team base. As the gunners don't fit comfortably at the rear of the carriage I modified their grips into something like a game controller, suggesting that they can fire the guns remotely.
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| Officer and Command Squad |
A Captain for the necessary command slot, and the reduced 4-man Command Squad, with vox-caster, standard bearer, and two grenade launchers as an Elite choice.
The banner isn't exactly Imperial Guard standard, as it was originally intended for Forge World's "Red Scorpion" Marines. I thought however that the red and white scorpion emblem and decals were an excellent fit for this army - reminiscent of the 8th Army's red and white "desert rat" insignia, and nick-named the 287th the "Sand Scorpions".
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| Veteran and Taurox |
A squad of disreputable looking Veterans with a modified Taurox form the second Elite unit: Veteran Sgt. with plasma pistol, vox-caster, heavy flamer, 3 melta-guns, and veterans with shotguns.
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| Command and Squad Chimeras |
The Command Squad gets a Chimera, as does one of the two infantry squads. I may get a Chimera for the second squad as well, though there will be a Valkyrie available, so no-one will have to walk. (The Valkyrie itself is still in lost of pieces - so that the inside can be painted - and doesn't have a photo.)
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| Sentinels and Manticore |
Three scout sentinels give the force some fast moving units, and the Manticore provides long-range indirect fire. The launcher on the model is magnetized to allow either the Storm Eagle rockets or for the vehicle to mount a single Deathstrike missile.
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| Tank Commander |
A second command slot is filled by a Tank Commander - something that wasn't an option back when I first began preparing this force - a selection that fits very well with the type of armoured force I wanted. He could potentially end up as "Knight Commander Pask".
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| Leman Russ squadron |
Three Leman Russ should provide a solid core of firepower - all have magnetized turret, hull, and sponson weapons, and two have detachable sponsons as well. The crew are also attached with magnets.
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| Drive me closer! I want to hit them with my sword! |
Most of the crew are sensibly posed, one hand on the cupola, the other gesturing (to whom exactly?) but I couldn't resist re-creating one 40K meme.
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| Hydra flak-tanks |
Two Hydras round out the Heavy Support selections and should provide air cover (and some extra ground level firepower if required).
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| Shadowsword Vox Dei |
Finally, a Lord of War - the mighty Shadowsword tank "Vox Dei" (Voice of God). The tank commander is a Forge World commissar (though he has no special abilities in this army list). It was just a notion that appealed to me, a commissar taking over the tank when the previous commander suffered a, err.... crisis of faith... and had to be relieved of command.
I've no doubt that knowing the commissar is in the Shadowsword steels the nerves of the Leman Russ crews.
So, that's the army - less the Valkyrie in bits - now to get on and actually paint it.
