Forgesisters

Boom! Mantic-trilogiamme kolmas osa on viimein valmis! Kolmannen teema-armeijan ideana oli lähestyä vähemmän pelipöydillä näkynyttä Sisters of Battle-codexia Manticin Forgefatherien näkökulmasta. Propsit alkuperäisinspiraatiosta kuuluvat oikeastaan ETC- ja turnausaktiivi Jouni Haavistolle, joka hankki taannoin Pelikaupalta boksin Manticin Forgefather Steel Warrioreita vahvistuksiksi perinteisiin Sister-linjoihinsa. Aloin miettiä hauskaa ideaa ja konseptihan on oikeastaan aika nerokas, Forgefatherit ovat vähän liian pieniä ollakseen Marineita, mutta power armorit ja bolterit löytyy, joten kuvaavuus Battle sisterien kannalta on just osuva. Aloimmekin Ollin kanssa raksata nappeja mun armeijalistakonseptin pohjalta käyttäen runkona aiemmin maalaamiamme Forgefathereita. Alla englanniksi kuvaukset ja fiilistelyt armeijaprojektista!

Squat Spaceport Security Platoon "Colt" (SSSPC)

After putting together Zombie and Ratmen armies we headed off to paint some armor. The idea of using Forgefather models as Battle sisters was inspiring from the beginning, as they're not big enough to portray Marines but have the necessary power armor and bolter equipment! We started by planning a loose army list structure to build some characters and special weapons on, knowing we could always tweak the list if need be. Just as before these themed forces were not built for competitive play and this reflects to the army list as well, notable from the absence of Saint Celestine, Uriah Jacobus, Battle Conclave and so on. Instead we tried to include many different unit types, build descriptive wargear items and to invent different conversion capabilities in the Mantic Warpath and Kings of War kits!

 Centurion Commander Colt (Canoness) 115

- Bolt pistol

- Heat hammer (Eviscerator)

- Skryleegh Mantle (Rosarius)

Centurion Command Unit (Sororitas Command squad) 135

- Field medic (Chirurgeon)

- Color sergeant radist (Dialogus)

- CQB Rocket launcher (Multi-melta)

- 2 Ray guns (Meltaguns)

Field provost Kramer (Ecclesiarchy Priest) 80

- Plasma blaster (Combi-plasma)

- Heat hammer (Eviscerator)

10 Squat Grunts (Sisters of battle) 150

- CQB Rocket launcher (Multi-melta)

- Ray gun (Meltagun)

- Sergeant with Heat charges (Meltabombs)

10 Squat Grunts (Sisters of battle) 140

- Hailstorm gun (Heavy bolter)

- Flamer

- Sergeant with Heat charges (Meltabombs)

5 Squat Reconnaissance Commandos (Dominions) 95

- Ray gun (Meltagun)

- Sergeant with a Ray gun attachment (Combi-melta)

- and Heat charges (Melta bombs)

5 Squat Skyforgers (Seraphim) 135

- Ray pistols (Inferno pistols)

- Sergeant with Heat hammer (Eviscerator)

Armadillo Missile Platform (Exorcist) 146

- War Head Battery (Exorcist launcher)

- Hunter-killer Missile

- Smoke launchers and Searchlights

998

+ Bonus

5 Squat AA-Supporteers (Retributors) 105

- 4 Ray blasters (Multi-melta)

Centurion Command Squad stands ready to inspect the Forgestar defences. To match both the Forgestar table we created and the basing environment of our two former Mantichammer-armies we decided to go with dry desert-like bases.

Medical officer, geared up to cure some casualties and cause new ones! This model uses parts of Mantic Warpath Forgefather Steel Warriors and Drakkarim team.

The model has a metal body with cool details all over. The medi pack was made out of plasticard and Steel warrior sprue greeblie.

Colour Sergeant directs the battle and conveyes the Centurion's commands to the ordinary troopers. The base model is of Forge father Stormrage Veteran kit. Hands were swapped with those of the ordinary Steel warriors. The beacon equipment was made out of Orx Marauder shoulder gun and the antenna is a piece of wire.

Radio equipment ready. We decided to continue the weathered desert theme in the armor.

Special Weapons! Sadly the Sisters of battle don't have an option to take any missile launchers, but the Drakkarim Rocket launcher was just too cool to ignore. We decided to use it as a Close Quarters Anti-tank Rocket to counts as Multi-melta. Smaller 'Ray guns' are simply Meltaguns and are easily distinguished from the ordinary Forge Father rifles.

Field Provost Kramer is one of the spiritual heroes of our Squat Platoon. We went for a darker armor to make him stand out and a golden headgear to symbolize his status. The model body is the Stormrage Veteran leader with Drakkarim arms and weapon additions.

Heat hammers work as Eviscerators in our army. I think the hammers are available with both the Kings of War Dwarf and Warpath Forge Father kits.

Lieutenant Kupak salutes his superior and reports his platoon in for duty.

We use standard Steel warriors as the basic Battle sisters. Cloaks, weapons and headpieces are cool and although the kits come with traditional bearded Dwarf-heads too we chose to leave them aside this time.

Flamer special weapon from the Drakkarim boxed set. Rodents and undead beware...

We figured this guy might sometimes be equipped with Heavy flamer so we made an appropriate canister to carry the fuel around in.

Heavy bolter and Meltagun special weapon conversions. Hailstorm gun operator consults the leadership through a field phone during a training exercise.

The gun was made out of Kings of War Dwarf cannon kit and some bits we had laying around on our workbench. The gun model itself doesn't have any game technical meaning but marks the operator as the Heavy bolter-guy.

Ray gunners scout the high ground.

Another sergeant model with a headgear and equipment from Warpath Orx Marauders sprues.

Grunts pulling a guard shift on a Forgestar highway.

For the Retributor equivalents we made simple, generic special weapon conversions out of Marauder shoulder cannons. Basically these could be either the Multi-meltas or Heavy bolters, as long as you make the choice clear to your opponent.

Team leader has a cool, metal gun part from the Drakkarim box. These could also be used as Storm bolters if need be.

Recon Commandos infiltrating mountain slopes. I wanted to do a couple of Sniper conversions to support the Scout special rule the Dominions have even though they don't actually have an access to sniper rifles. The guns and arms were taken out of Kings of War Dwarf Ironwatch regiment, with a hammer handle added as a a silencer. The scopes were made out of plasticard tube and some paper.

The rest of the team, including the mandatory Ray gun specialist and the sergeant with Heat charge Melta bomb.

Epic Skyforger Seraphim enter the fray! After writing down the army list the greatest conversion challenge was to make Dwarves fly. We used many different bodies from all over the Forge Father range to form a squad of Squat Jump Infantry.

Dwarfs take to the skies. For the flying Skyforgers we used the Hailstorm Cannon driver as the pose was naturally perfect. Some wire was added to the helmet front as a part of rebreather equipment.

Jetpacks were once again made out of Orx Marauder shoulder cannon parts. What a great bit!

Commander Colt has a Kings of War Dwarf body, hammer and accessories in addition to Steel warrior head and green stuff-sculpted cloak.

Squat grunts brace themselves to counter the incoming Airborne Veer-myn onslaught!

Field Provost Kramer inspires his men in the eve of battle.

Weathered and chipped armour of the space-dwarfs.

Raptor-1 and Sweeper-2-1 are airborne! Death from above!

Field provost Kramer adding his firepower to that of Hailstorm gun's.

To add a vehicle in our "Forgesister" army, we scratch-built a gunwagon to count as an Exorcist. We used Jotunn Hailstorm Cannon weapons and tracks along with some armor plates. The smoke grenade launchers are out of Marauder Raptor kit. Shields in the front add a bit more heraldry to the tank and originate from Kings of War Dwarf sets.

The rest of the body was made out of cardboard and some plasticard strips. For the round hull shape in the back we bent the cardboard paper over some round Warpath bases and glued the ends between the roof and the floor of the tank. Bases were also used as the cannon mounts.

The Squat Spaceport Security Platoon ready to man and maintain the Forgestar positions. Semper Fi!