# Blood Raven's stirke force



## melsaphim (Jan 1, 2010)

A few weeks ago i started making an imperial fist painting log on here for a tournament/campaign i was going to join in sep/oct. These got put to one side however when i got sucked back into dowII chaos rising and realized how much i loved the blood ravens. The imperial fists haven't been forgotten however they are just on a back burner for now until i get a reason to paint them again.

So now i'm starting a new log for my blood ravens, the new guys I'm taking to the campaign/tournament. Now anyone who has read my thread on the general 40k section about named characters will know that i very nearly didn't make this army as the rules for the event are really odd/annoying and i didn't know whether to take a named character myself to combat my opponents meaning i'd have to play a different chapter or whether to stick with blood ravens and show i can win without named chars. Well i chose the later and am sticking to my ravens no matter how many named chars get thrown at me.

So without further wasting time rattling on i'll get to the pictures;

Captain Antaro Darius; 

Captain Darius (yeah same name near enough as my IF guy i know i know :biggrin was made using a pedro cantor figure i bought after painting the firs tone i got in IF colours, i used the same head as my IF version and filed all the fist symbols off as best i could, i also added a figure of a girl from hasslefree miniatures, removing her guns and bending her arms into a more sheltering position as i felt the model of pedro looked very much as if he was protecting someone with his PF.


































_Captain Darius reached the station of captain relatively early in his career, merely 15 years after service as a full battle brother. Darius was renowned for his tactical ability and his determination when holding a position to never retreat or give ground. Darius is also known for his overly caring nature towards the general populace of worlds he is given the duty of protecting, even going so far as to protect a young child with his own body during the siege of Caladran III where an ork waaagh assaulted the blood raven forces stationed there. Darius held vigil over the girl for three nights while he and his squad manouvered though enemy held territory to reach a comms relay and alert the rest of the company stationed in a nearby system. Many believe this need to save civilian lives stems from Darius confrontation with Gabriel Angelos over the Exterminatus of Cyrene, an action Darius believes could of been avoided in order to save untold lives._

Brother Sergeant Casius;


















_Sergeant Casius was assigned to the strike force under personal request from Captain Darius himself. Darius served with Casius within the 10th company and later within the 4th company before Darius was elevated to captain. The two still hold a firm bond with each other and Casius now leads a squad of battle brothers alongside Darius, even though Casius believes the captains frequent deviations from planned scenarios to save the lives of civilians to be an unnecessary risk, he follows his orders without hesitation understanding his captains need to save lives where he can following cyrene._

Battle Brother Davren;


















_Davren is readily considered the grenades and explosives expert within Casius' squad of battle brothers, however the vast amount of bionics on his head tell a different story. Davren received the injuries that led to his bionic enhancements during the actions on Caladran III where a grenade thrown by him at an oncoming orc mob was subsequently batted back at him by an over eager ork boy, Davren threw himself towards the returning grenade to save his fellow brothers and the resulting explosion left him severely injured. This however hasn't stopped Davren from using his grenades wherever his sergeant deems it necessary._

Battle Squad Arcadian;










_Squad Arcadian is led by sergeant Casius and personally follows captain Darius into battle._

Razorback Contego 'Shield';


























_The razorback Contego is the personal transport of Captain Darius and Squad Arcadian, the twin lascannons mounted atop it covering the advance of the stirke forces captain against enemy armor._

So there we have all the models i have painted so far, on the table to paint next is the rest of squad arcadian, a scout squad, a techmarine and an assault squad.

I hope the pictures have come out okay as i tried a new way of taking them using a black background and as much natural light as i could find in the house.

C&C is most welcome
Cheers
Melsaphim


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## Ultra111 (Jul 9, 2009)

I like it mate, as well as he background information. It's always good to get a little more involved with your mini's and to actually tell a story with them.


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## Mindlessness (Dec 22, 2009)

I'm loving it mate!
Have some well deserved rep:victory:


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## Ultra111 (Jul 9, 2009)

Oh, and the freehand on the Blook Raven symbol is very good.


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## Midge913 (Oct 21, 2010)

Love the marines man! The faces are really nice and the freehands are great. My only comment is that the paint on the razorback looks a bit thick and streaky on the top. But I love the hazard stripes and the highlighting on the red. Good work and I hope to see more.


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## melsaphim (Jan 1, 2010)

Midge913 said:


> Love the marines man! The faces are really nice and the freehands are great. My only comment is that the paint on the razorback looks a bit thick and streaky on the top. But I love the hazard stripes and the highlighting on the red. Good work and I hope to see more.


Thanks alot :biggrin: it helps keep me motivated hearing such good painters as yourself say my work looks good. The streaks on the razorback only really appeared when i put the washes on (i don't know if washing such flat areas was advisable but i simply copied what i did on the SM's) As for the hazard stripes i thought it added a little something to the hatches and seeing how well it came out i will probably continue it onto my other vehicles.

Thankyou for the kind words guys i'll hopefully have some more red goodies to show you soon ^^

Melsaphim


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## melsaphim (Jan 1, 2010)

Sorry for the double post guys but i just finished painting a librarian for my blood ravens and wanted to treat you all (if subjecting you to such horrors as my painting can be called treating :shok to a picture update before i go off for a week.

Brother Librarian Seraphis;

This was a really wonderful model to paint and i approached it in much the same way as i have my ravens, the painting is exactly the same in fact apart from using blue in place of red obviously. This model was also my first ever attempt at source lighting (i think thats the name) on the eyes to try and achieve a glowing effect, i looked at various tuts online but in the end i just put paint to brush and went for it. hope it looks okay in your eyes. The model is an old 1997 librarian i believe? with a more modern SM backpack and right arm from the Tac marine sprue.


























_Brother Librarian Seraphis, like all librarians after the fall of Kyras to the ruinous powers, undertook several weeks of severe examination by those above him within the echelons of the librarians. Seraphis was found clean of all taint and returned to duty with a renewed zeal, fueled by his hatred for all those who fell to chaos during the actions of Aurelia, and the smear they had placed on the Blood Raven's name. It is this zeal and fury that brought Seraphis to the attention of Captain Darius and thus resulted in his transfer to the strike force where he was given command of a small contingent of Battle Brothers. It is here that Seraphis focuses his fury against the enemies of the Blood Ravens whilst always watchful for the stench of taint within his own ranks._

C&C most welcome guys i hope you like the new goodie even though it's not red like i promised :grin:

Melsaphim


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## melsaphim (Jan 1, 2010)

Evening all, it has been a slow week here, was hoping to get loads of painting done but alas i got not a single model finished :suicide: i did however manage to build nearly everything i own now, which may not be a good thing as now i have a huge gang of angry looking unpainted models staring at me from across the desk.....

My newly built display shelf full of my entire fully painted sm force (all 4 models and a tank of it >.< )










A part painted chaplain i'm working on to go with my vanguard veterans, is simply the normal chaplain with plasma pistol with a jetpack stuck on, the head however was horrible to remove so it may not be perfect i know but as i'm doing the whole army near enough without helmets it was necessary.










The remainder of the unpainted, poor souls look so lost without paint on.










And my favourite new models, vanguard veterans built using the death company box for blood angels, a few trims here and there and they will look perfect for blood raven veterans (he hopes).










I'm sorry for the terrible pictures it's dark outside, dark inside and the camera just decided it didn't want to work tonight but i tried my best, hopefully i'll be able to motivate myself into doing some painting soon as the deadline of the campaign starting is less than a month away now and at this rate ill be fielding a very very small army :laugh:

Cheers
Melsaphim


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## forkmaster (Jan 2, 2010)

+ rep for this one! Beautifully done Blood Ravens and I enjoyed your fluff. Keep up the work.


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## Disciple_of_Ezekiel (May 23, 2010)

Nice looking Blood Ravens melsaphim, Im impressed and really like the free hand work that you have been adding to both your Marines and Vehicles. Keep up the good work and good luck with the rest of those minis!


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## melsaphim (Jan 1, 2010)

forkmaster said:


> + rep for this one! Beautifully done Blood Ravens and I enjoyed your fluff. Keep up the work.





Disciple_of_Ezekiel said:


> Nice looking Blood Ravens melsaphim, Im impressed and really like the free hand work that you have been adding to both your Marines and Vehicles. Keep up the good work and good luck with the rest of those minis!


Wow it has been a long time since i posted in this one, but fear not for i have been painting my blood ravens still and i shall give you pictures as soon as it is light out. What with all the medical problems i have had lately i haven't managed to get loads done with regards to the blood ravens if i'm honest but i have finished off most of the combat squad i was working on and have got myself some nice goodies to paint for the ravens. and with my epidural coming up next week i think i might have a perfect excuse to lay back and rest (and paint).

pictures will follow soon guys 
Mels


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