The Greatest 40k Hobby Adventure Ever Told [Part 3]

The Pride of Praetoria. A thin red line stretching to the horizon, backed up by big guns. This is how I always imagined Praetorians going to war. 

(Part 1 here, and Part 2 here)

I had made it to Warhammer World! Before telling the rest of this story though, I'll pause to show you the army properly. The photos from the battles are mostly from a distance with the army spread out in whatever formation I thought was tactically best for the mission. These army shots on the other hand give the full effect, which is well worth a look. I took these photos at the end of the weekend before packing up to go home. This was my first opportunity to step back and appreciate the army that I had worked so hard to finish. 

Without further ado, I am pleased to present

The last few of The Blood Lion Crusade Army, 

Commanded by Major-General Margrave Chretzo Sigenandus,

Marching under the banner of the Praetorian 5th Brigade, 

The Pride of Praetoria.

The 'special' uniforms for the Dragoons and Sigenandus Household Command broke up the sea of red nicely on the board. It helped with unit identification too (both for me and my opponent). 

I'm pleased to say that the banner never fell in battle. 

Big guns and lots of men were the complete opposite of the 'meta' at the event.

Sharpe's 'beard and bayonet' platoon (identifiable by their green collars and cuffs), must be made up of some of the bravest men in the galaxy. When I remember the things that they charged it gives me shivers.

Here is the army on paper. 

In summary, it is 120 power, made up of -

8 HQs: 

5 Company Commanders, 

Colonel Straken, 

2 Primaris Psykers

11 Elites: 

3 Command Squads, 

2 Commissars, 

2 Priest, 

1 Astropath, 

2 Veteran Squad, 

1 Ratlings

10 Troops:

10 Infantry Squads

3 Fast Attack:

3 Sentinels

8 Heavy Support:

3 Heavy Weapon Squads

3 Earthshaker Carriages 

1 Medusa Carriage

1 Leman Russ Demolisher

As a full list it breaks down into three detachments:

Brigade Detachment 

(Regiment: Cadian) 3+9 Command Points

HQ

Company Commander (P2) Warlord

Major-General Margrave Chretzo Sigenandus

*Demoted to Colonel*

Power sword, Plasma pistol

Company Commander (P2)

Infantry Officer - Capt.Thomas, 12th Reg of Foot (The Old Dozen)

Power sword, Bolt pistol

Company Commander (P2)

Infantry Officer - Lt. Brodhead, 40th Reg of Foot (The Excellers)

Chainsword, Bolt pistol

Primaris Psyker (P2)

Primaris Griffith Mordecai

Force Stave

Troops 

Infantry Squad (P3)
12th Reg of Foot (The Old Dozen)

Plasma pistol,  Power sword

Infantry Squad (P3)
12th Reg of Foot (The Old Dozen)

Plasma pistol,  Power sword

Infantry Squad (P3)
12th Reg of Foot (The Old Dozen)

Plasma pistol,  Power sword

Infantry Squad (P3)
12th Reg of Foot (The Old Dozen)

Plasma pistol,  Power sword

Infantry Squad (P3)
40th Reg of Foot (The Excellers)

 Las pistol, Power sword, Grenade launcher

Infantry Squad (P3)

40th Reg of Foot (The Excellers)

 Las pistol, Power sword, Grenade launcher

Infantry Squad (P3)

40th Reg of Foot (The Excellers)

 Las pistol, Power sword, Grenade launcher

Elites 

Command Squad (P2) 

House Sigenandus 

Melta gun, Flamer x2, Medic pack

Command Squad (P2) 

12th Reg of Foot (The Old Dozen)

Chainsword x4, Medi pack, Vox-caster, Regimental standard

Command Squad (P2) 

40th Reg of Foot (The Excellers)

Grenade launcher x4

Commissar (P2)

Commissar Kershaw

Power First, Bolt Pistol

Priest (P2)

Missionary Baldwin

Chainsword, Autogun, Laspistol

Astropath (P1)

Astropath Zapf

Telepathica stave

Fast Attack

Sentinel (P3)

Autocannon

Sentinel (P3)

Autocannon

Sentinel (P3)

Autocannon

Heavy Support

Heavy Weapon Squad (P3)
122nd Artillery Reg

Lascannon x3

Heavy Weapon Squad (P3) 

122nd Artillery Reg

Lascannon x3

Heavy Weapon Squad (P3)
122nd Artillery Reg

Lascannon x3

Spearhead Detachment 

(Regiment: Cadian) +1 Command Points

HQ

Company Commander (P2)

Artillery Officer - Major Hughes, 122nd Artillery Reg

Chainsword, Laspistol

Company Commander (P2)

Artillery Officer - Lt. Wright, 122nd Artillery Reg

Power sword, Laspistol

Elites

Veteran Squad (P5) 

105th Dragons

Chainsword, Auto pistol, Melta gun x3

Veteran Squad (P5) 

105th Dragons

Chainsword, Auto pistol, Melta gun x3

Heavy Support

Earthshaker Carriage (P4)

Gun 10, 122nd Artillery Reg

Earthshaker Carriage (P4)

Gun 11, 122nd Artillery Reg

Earthshaker Carriage (P4)

Gun 12, 122nd Artillery Reg

Medusa Carriage (P4)

Gun 30, 122nd Artillery Reg

Battalion Detachment 

(Regiment: Catachan) +3 Command Points

HQ 

Colonel Straken (P4)

Major Richard Sharpe

Primaris Psyker (P2)

Primaris Phoenix Mordecai

Force Stave

Troops

Infantry Squad (P3) 

Praetorian 24th Pioneers (The Old Beards)

Chainsword, Auto pistol, Flamer, Vox

Infantry Squad (P3) 

Praetorian 24th Pioneers (The Old beards)

Chainsword, Auto pistol, Flamer, Vox

Infantry Squad (P3) 

Praetorian 24th Pioneers (The Old beards)

Chainsword, Auto pistol, Flamer, Vox

Elites

Priest (P2)

Preacher O'Rourke

Chainsword, Laspistol

Commissar (P2)

Commissar Templeton

Power First, Plasma Pistol

Ratlings (P3)

"Sharpe's Sharp-shooting Chefs" 

Heavy Support 1(0-3)

Leman Russ Demolisher (P10)

Commassar Calaway

Demolisher cannon, Heavy Bolter

Major-General Margrave Chretzo Sigenandus

Major Richard Sharpe leading 'The Old Beards' of the 24th Pioneers

Capt.Thomas standing in front of men from the 105th Dragoons

Missionary Baldwin (front) and Major Hughes of the 122nd Artillery Regiment (back) 

Commissar Templeton with Sharpe's Sharp-shooting Chefs in the background

Commissar Kershaw - not a man to mess with.

Commassar Calaway, commanding from the gun turret of tank 221 'Bumblebee', a Leman Russ Demolisher.

Primaris Griffith Mordecai (one of the infamous 'pyker twins')

Primaris Phoenix Mordecai (the other infamous pyker twin)

Astropath Zapf 

Gun 11 and 12 flank the command squad

The battle line is a formidable sight. Note the collars and cuffs; Green for the 24th and Blue for the 12th. 

A sentinel piloted by a guardsman from the 12th Reg of Foot.

On the other side of the gun line are the 40th of Foot with their buff collars and cuffs. 

This guardman from the 12th Reg of Foot was wounded in the leg and the head. Between battles he was hastily patched up but was unable to walk, thus volunteered for sentinel duty.

Without armored support it was up to the battery of nine Lascannons to target enemy armor, beasts and daemons. They maintained an impressive accuracy of  between 83% and 86% - far surpassing your average Imperial Guard weapons team of 50%. [Thanks of course to careful use of orders, doctrine and stratagems.]

Check back next time for some truly epic battles. These guys. Yeah, these guys can hold their own.
Thanks for having a look. 

To be continued...

Tally ho,

Col. Ackland.