#retribution fleet ouroboros

[pictor-occidens]

The δεκαπυγνης, or the Ten Fists in standard Gothic, were an unusual formation in the organization of the loyalist Alpha Legion led by Serax Omnessar during the Horus Heresy. Though armed with invaluable Cataphractii plate, the Terminators of the δεκαπυγνης were typically deployed in line roles usually reserved for tactical units in the Principia Belicosa. Indeed, with veteran roles in the XX Legion frequently filled by Headhunters and the elite corps of the Lerneans, the ranks of line Terminators became the home of many Inductii-class recruits as the years of the Heresy advanced and the situation of Retribution Fleet Ouroroboros became more desperate.

Remembrances of the Ouroboros, M32.

[bedlamsbard]

What were the keystone scenes for the parts of Ouroboros and Backbone?

For Wake it was the opening scene -- Anakin waking up in Vader’s star destroyer, and then the scene a little bit later in the chapter while he’s crawling through the air vents with Obi-Wan’s ghost muttering in his ear.

Gambit -- if I remember correctly, Gambit’s was the scene in Chapter 20 (”A Madness of Angels”) where Palpatine slaughters Sabe and the Naboo Royal Advisory Council. Except in the original keystone scene, it was actually Amidala, not Sabe, and it coincided with that universe’s Order 66/Command Word Retribution (in some alternate form), and the story would have ended with a hologram from Amidala playing over the bodies in the Naboo Palace, Jedi Temple, Senate Building, etc.  Obviously that changed because it’s too goddamn depressing, but the murder scene stayed.

Backbone had a couple, which I think really helped me because there were multiples and they were spread out through the story, rather than just one or two at the beginning or middle.  As some people may recall, if we can think back to the distant days of summer 2015, Backbone started out as the “evil is sexy” story and IMMEDIATELY morphed into the “evil makes your parents very disappointed” story.  I did a lot of concept writing for Backbone, some of which made it into the final story and some of it didn’t; let me see if I can pick out the actual keystone scenes from that.

The first chapter scene of Ahsoka telling Cham about Hera was there very early on, though in its original form was different.  There’s a very, very early version of Cham finding out about Hera here -- this was written before Siege of Lothal premiered and long before he showed up in Rebels, so it has the Rebel Alliance fleet more or less as it appears in the OT, Cham as a ranking member of the Alliance, etc., as well as having a more typically “Imperial/Dark Side” Kanan and Hera.

Cham and Alecto trying to kill Kanan with a sniper shot in order to get to Hera.  Early version here; some parts of it remained almost identical in the final version, though the setting changed from the Imperial Complex to a deserted city street.  I struggled early on with how ~dark to make Kanan and Hera, and you can see a little of that in their opening conversation here.

Kanan on the bridge at Mustafar, tossing away the Inquisitor’s lightsaber and igniting his blue Jedi lightsaber.  (Though “Ezra hadn’t known they came in colors,” which is probably the most loved line from this story, came much later.)  This was the original dramatic cinematic scene for this story, and I knew that Kanan would have both lightsabers later on in the fight.  While the original plan for this scene preceded Shroud of Darkness by a long shot, it gets compared to Kanan’s vision duel in Shroud sometimes because of the two lightsabers.  (The chapter dropped afterwards -- after Twilight of the Apprentice too, actually, which is why you can see a couple of hints about Maul in it.)  I had to rewrite this scene a couple of times because I knew I wanted it to be powerful, but still be a compelling fight scene.

The reunion with Hera’s parents, with Hera walking off the Ghost to come face to face with them.  This was a scene that was always going to be in the story; I don’t think I have any earlier versions of it written.  Kanan’s semi-kidnapping by Ahsoka was a very late development -- there was some life stuff going on while I was writing these chapters, and I went back and forth a lot on how to play the reunion, with it loosely originally planned as Hera reaching out to her parents, or a meeting at a neutral location, or a big group arrival on what would later become the Forlorn Hope -- some of what was originally considered for that scene stayed in Kanan’s strip search by Cham and Doriah.  At one point I considered having the Ghost crew bopping around for considerably longer before joining up with Free Ryloth.

Cham’s attempted assassination.  This was not an early, early keystone scene, but it was a light bulb moment in the planning stages.  I knew I was going to write to that moment, I wasn’t entirely sure how I was going to get there, but I did know I had to make it completely believable on the part of everyone involved.  I am pretty sure that it was always going to be Mishaan, since I can’t find any earlier versions of the scene where it was someone else, and it pretty much had to be either her or a family member.  It was originally going to take place during a Synedrion meeting, a day or so after Mishaan had originally been removed from command -- I think at one point in the planning stages I referred to it as going “the full Julius Caesar.”  (I was probably doing a BSG rewatch at the time, because I’m almost positive I had that light bulb moment during the scene at the end of the S1 finale where Boomer shoots Adama.)

[pictor-occidens]

Had my Alpha Legion out for a game today, a casual 3500 point game of Primarch v. Primarch garagehammer. Lost pretty significantly due to some key tactical errors, but still a fun time.

[pictor-occidens]

Better pictures to come later, but I finished a Horus Heresy unit for the first time in months

Retribution Fleet Ouroboros is hitting the table this weekend and they need reinforcements

[pictor-occidens]

I got one of those little spin tables for miniature photography. May make it part of my process for posting future projects.

[pictor-occidens]

Retribution Fleet Ouroboros also saw its first few engagements a couple weeks ago, fielding its forces against the traitor forces of the Death Guard, fellow XX Legion, and Iron Warriors in a defeat, draw, and victory respectively.

[pictor-occidens]

Hobby progress for an upcoming event has been a little slow, so I wanted to post some WIP pictures of my two dreadnought additions to my Alpha Legion force. They're both around 90% there, but I won't be able to have all the detail work I'd like finished by next weekend, so this is pretty much where they'll be at for a while.

Fuck I love conversion beamers.

[pictor-occidens]

Big Warhammer Rundown

The Adanac Reach Crusade - Black Templars Space Marines

A crusade of the Black Templars, waging war in the far reaches of the eastern fringe beyond the Cicatrix Maledictum. Insular, belligerent, and led by the paranoid Grand Marshal Artorius, the Crusade finds itself increasingly at odds with the ever-distant rule of Terra. [tagged: adanac reach crusade]

Hive Fleet Keres - Tyranids

A fell and terrible arm of the encroaching Tyranid Hive Fleets. Specialized for the brutal confines of urban assault, this strain of Xenos exhibits a higher-than-average concentration of Synaptic and Warp-capable bioforms [tagged: hive fleet keres]

The Golgothan 245th - Traitor World Eaters Legion

Robigus Krask leads his company of World Eaters legionaries in revolt against the Imperium of Man with a cold, ruthless efficiency - traits uncharacteristic of the ill-disciplined rage of his legion. Enjoying close ties to the Redjak Mechanicum of Sarum, the company is well-equipped with heavy armour and war materiel of the Dark Mechanicum’s forge-fanes. [tagged: golgothan 245th]

Retribution Fleet Ouroboros - Renegade Alpha Legion

Led by the vain and glory-hungry Commander Serax Omnessar, this arm of the Alpha Legion found itself operating nearly autonomously at the time of the Dropsite Massacre. Isolated from legion command, the task force command echelon of the fleet decided to hold true to the dying ideals of the Imperium. Serax, however, saw the outbreak of internecine combat as a chance to test his skills against the most worthy of foes; fellow commanders of the Alpha Legion. [tagged: retribution fleet ouroboros]

[pictor-occidens]

Serax Omnessar, Lernean Praetor and Commander of Retribution Fleet Ouroboros.

[pictor-occidens]

Alpha Legion Headhunter Cadre - field designation Ω-αλυσιδετος.

Last weekend's reveals kind of lit a fire under me to get my Alpha Legion up and running by the end of the summer. Messed around with some oil washes for these too, it really adds a bit of depth to the metallic teal.

[pictor-occidens]

Delta Cadre - Flexible Assault Operatives of the Alpha Legion

[pictor-occidens]

Feeling like I'm getting my hobby groove back, and finished up a contemptor dread that I've been sitting on for a while. Haven't decided on a name or fluff for my Alpha Legion boys yet, but I guess their charm is that they kind of don't need any.

[pictor-occidens]

Lernean Terminator cadre Charybdis, of the XX Legion.

[pictor-occidens]

I finally finished up my first Alpha Legion model: a Lernean Terminator. He’s just a proof of concept for my airbrushing technique, and there’s definitely bits where I can improve, but I’m looking forward to finally getting my second Legio done up.

[pictor-occidens]

Gamme Cadre - Tactical Reconnaissance Operatives of the Alpha Legion