Helbound

Yep, my first Heldrake is done and dusted. I'm ready to try it out on the table tomorrow. This has been one of the most trying models I have put together in a very long time. First of all, the assembly is a nightmare. The wing arms don't go together well, they're a ball and socket joint that you have to hold in place as it dries. Worst of all is the neck. Once again a ball and socket joint, but this time only the top half of the socket is there to join to. I had to sort of blend model cement and superglue in order to get the neck into place. After I Zip Kicked the neck into place, the model cement did its thing creating a strong bond between the two parts.

Painting, as mentioned before, was an experience I don't care to repeat, but I'll have to in order to finish Heldrake #2.

...But it's break time from bronze, at least for the most part. I've finished assembling my Bloodletters and as soon as the glue holding the ballast to their bases dries they'll be getting the ol' primer treatment. Just like everything else I'll be working up from black to a pale fleshtone. Horns will be black, hilts and crossguards for their Hellblades will be bronze, and the blades of their weapons will be the same yellow green as the Chaos Lord's and Daemon Prince's weapons.

It'll be nice to have so much more of my army done. I can really see things beginning to take shape.

My army list has morphed again. This time from 1,500 points up to 1,750. What's in it you ask? well, that's a secret for tomorrow. Get ready Demitra, there's a whole new look for my servants of the Blood God headed your way!

What The Hel?

My second Heldrake just got finished up. Since I can't find my other camera you'll have to live with this shot. Sorry about the iPhone resolution.

Now I just need to finish painting them.

A Chaos Marine List Just For Demitra

Last Tuesday Demitra and I played our second game of 6th edition 40k. While he deleted most of my army easily, one model gave him fits. You guessed it, that guy. --->

Now, I like the Heldrake. I really like it. I've almost finished painting up my first one, and I've got a second one sitting in a box under my modelling table. But is it the end-all be-all of 40k? Not really. It's a bit of a glass cannon that, granted, is hard to engage without Skyfire, but that doesn't mean it's a game-breaker. It's AV 10 across the back, so as it swoops by you all it takes are a cluster of Bolter shots to let it know you're there. A squad of Devastators with Prescience and Krak Missiles will open the thing up pretty easily too (barring horriffic die rolls). Or just go with the simple solution- Aegis Defense Line. It's 100 points of Heldrake killin' goodness, and these days it's pretty much an auto-include in any army any way. Not just for the quad-gun either. Those pieces of cover you can set up wherever you want are pretty spiffy too.

That having been said, it is a very effective infantry killer. That Baleflamer (I've decided against taking a Hades Autocannon) just shreds stuff. Strength 6 is why. Yes, AP 3 is amazing, but at its Strength value it even reliably lights up Terminators, and they can't all save forever. I even managed to off one with a Vector Strike last game.

...But it can be hard to get it where you want it. As long as it's Zooming it has to move 18". That means it usually only gets a single good go at any given target. Sure it can Hover, but doing that allows enemies to shoot at you with their normal Ballistic Skill instead of Snap Shots, and that equals one VERY DEAD Heldrake.

Enough rambling about my Heldrake love however. This is the real reason for the post today:

HQ
Chaos Lord (Warlord) w/ Melta Bombs, Sigil of Corruption, The Murder Sword, Veterans of the Long War- 135 pts.

ELITE
Helbrute w/ Reaper Autocannon- 105 pts.
Helbrute w/ Reaper Autocannon- 105 pts.

TROOPS
9x Chaos Cultists w/ Flamer; Cultist Champion- 55 pts.
9x Chaos Cultists w/ Flamer; Cultist Champion- 55 pts.
9x Chaos Cultists w/ 8x Autoguns, Heavy Stubber; Cultist Champion w/ Shotgun- 65 pts.
9x Chaos Space Marines w/ 2x Plasmaguns, Veterans of the Long War; Aspiring Champion w/ Plasma Pistol, Power Fist- 220 pts.
9x Chaos Space Marines w/ 2x Flamers, 7x Close Combat Weapons, 2x Additional Close Combat Weapons, Veterans of the Long War; Aspiring Champion w/ Power Axe- 179 pts.

FAST ATTACK
Heldrake w/ Baleflamer- 170 pts.
Heldrake w/ Baleflamer- 170 pts.

ALLIED HQ
Herald of Khorne w/ Minor Reward, Greater Locus of Fury- 85 pts.

ALLIED TROOPS
14x Bloodletters; Bloodreaper- 155 pts.

TOTAL
1,499 pts.

Lots of scoring units, and enough armor to keep those anti-tank weapons busy. Those Bloodletters may be dropped down to 13 strong and given the Banner of Blood instead, but with all those Toughness 3 dudes deep striking or running across the board I'm thinking that more bodies is the way to go lest they simply get shot dead. The Daemon Prince is gone, as all he's accomplished to this point is being shot dead and wasting 255 points. Yeah he's a nightmare if he gets his hands on you, but that's a big, huge "if". It is indeed the Heldrake Flying Circus (well not totally, I'm not going to buy a third one).

Hopefully my next post will be a picture of my first Heldrake all painted up and pretty.