In the Shadow of Mighty Wings: Excelcio Belesarius 1:14, Seraph Sanguinary of the Fifth Host

"Angels are agents of wrath, or revelation."

Unknown. 

Khalu Varrchio, Excelcio Belesarius 1:14, 

Seraph Sanguinary of the Fifth Host. 

"The Encarmine Blade".

"Charting the histories of the legions after the Fall of the Arch Traitor is a problematic endeavour. In an era rife with misinformation, falsifications, mass purging of data repositories and the reformation of Adiministratum, clear, concise scholarship concerning this era is a messy affair. However is it the burden of this humble servant...[text goes into a lengthy essay about the role of the scholar - edited for brevity]

Excelcio Belesarius, named the Encarmine Blade, served aboard the Starfall [Lunar Class Cruiser] scouting the Perditia Veil in the latter part of the Great Crusade, assigned to the protection of Delegates Marcellus Varne. His role of honour includes fighting amongst the First Host at Ullanor, the scouring of Mandax, and is commended by his superior [Praetor Anchious Obirex] for decimation actions against Third and Fourteenth Legion insurgency. 

Belesarius is recorded at the Siege of Terra, but in what capacity and whether he survived is unknown. It is also unknown whether Belesarius in side reel pic captures [attached] is the same as those in our records. Due to the obscurity of Baalite naming rituals [broken down: Birthname, Suggenia {tribe, brotherhood, kinship}, Frater Name, Atrocican name {does not translate, analogous; choir, ring}, Codifier, Legion Title, Company designation. So, he is Khalu of the Varrchio tribe, now of the Excelcio named Belesarius, first of that name of the 14th Choir, Sanguinary Guard Leader, Fifth Host].

From here we only have scraps of legends, the most prominent concerning a Chapter relic [cross reference the Encarmine Blade, Sword of Belesarius] was gifted to the Serpah Sanguinary by Primarch Sanguinius himself. It is unclear whether the blade was given to Belesarius before the Siege or during the assaults against the walls. It is also unclear whether the blade was named or whether it later adopted the epithet in honour of the Legion hero. 

  Further references to Belesarius are scattered throughout the annals of second founding mythology (one cannot call such reorganisation anything other than a mythos). Several documents note  Belesarius as the first Chapter Master of the Blood Angels, contradicting the documented history of Raldoron ascending to this position. If this Praetor survived he would have been one of the Legion's highest ranking and most experienced military assets, eligible for reassignment as Chapter Master of a second founding chapter."

- Myths of the Second Founding; Chapter IXX - The Hosts of Baal, Children with Earthly feet. 

By Adept Historomancer Belquin Levi

I was privileged enough to have been in the hobby when Warhammer Monthly started. As a child I devoured the stories and spent the proceeding month contemplating the story. The episodic nature of the stories made the tales feel epic. Waiting month to month to find out if Leonatos was successful in his quest has left an impression on me. From the very first comic strip printed in White Dwarf I was intrigued as to who Belarius was. All we know of him was that he was a mighty hero of the Legion who was gifted a sword by Sanguinius himself and went on to become the first Chapter Master. 

I knew from the very outset that I didn't want the Praetor's feet to touch the ground, and that his countenance should be angelic. I have a theory that while the gene therapy of other Astartes makes them look bulbous and overly muscled, for the Blood Angels their inhumanity take the shape of otherworldly beauty. I also wanted a larger scenic base for him to stand on, akin to other personalities in Forgeworld's Character series. 

The base is made from the Abaddon and Loken diorama, cut up and repositioned. It is also fully magnetised.  The central fallen cathedral nave made the perfect base to attach Astorath's jump pack to. The model is them converted from Sanguinary Guard parts and the Sanguinor. Because this is a Heresy era piece I didn't feel non metallic metal to be appropriate (it has a slightly cartoony feel, at least when I do it, that is at odds with hyper realistic dirt and weathering look of the Heresy). The metals I used are a combination or Forgeworld's excellent gold paints and Vallejo's airbrush metallic paints. I shaded the metallics with inks for tonal variation and oil paints for the very deepest recesses. 

This is the second rendition of this character. I have refined the lights on the armour, sharpening some details and giving the paint job an overall polish. The naming schemata of his title was lifted wholesale from the Apologist's wonderful blog entry: 

https://apologentsia.blogspot.co.uk/2016/06/inload-suddenly-blood-angels.html?showComment=1467372718026#c5546566827755356851

Go check it out, enjoy and subscribe. 

Paints used: Vallejo, Reaper Master Series, Games Workshop Washes, Com Art Medea Airbrush Airbrush: Iwata Hi-Line HP-CH Airbrush Paint Brushes: Rosemary & Co. Raphael 8040, Broken Toad Brushes, Windsor and Newton Series 7

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In the Shadow of Mighty Wings; 2015 in the rear view.

What can be said of 2015? I think when I look back it will bring a smile. It's been a positive year. The painting studio has grown from the year before and looks to grow again in 2016. But writing up a finical report of the year would be a little dry, so how can I sum this year up personally? 

2015 is the year I became embroiled in the Heresy. After Forgeworld's weekender I knew I had to collect a legion force, and that could only be the IXth. If you are attending this year's Weekender let me know and we'll grab a beer or a game (hopefully both). The army has come together slowly but I feel it will be in a playable state come February. The command squad (pictured in this artivle) are around 75% complete and I have some major reinforcements in the form of a sicaran, contempt or and assault marines inbound. 

Professionally I've managed to do some things I aspired to when I first became a commission painter. I've worked on a brand new line of miniatures (maelstroms edge), created box art for MDP, held painting classes for the basic use of air bushes and painting as well as produced a video tutorial. So what's next for 2016? More of the same. I want to flesh out the tutorial section of this blog site, create even more armies to showcase here and keep offering the same level of customer service. I also ant to work on a few pieces that will be for competitions  although I'm not a come prion painter, it's always fun to enter something when you attend shows. 

I feel that I will be painting a lot more marble next year. I'm getting quite good at it now thanks to all the practice. These models are a kit bash from scibor, forgeworld and the sanguinary guard kit. I used vallejo's air gold paints shaded with inks. 

To every one of my readers, and to those who have supported me this past year with comments, buying models or commissioning me I want to give a heartfelt thank you. Cheers! 

Paints used: Vallejo, Reaper Master Series, Games Workshop Washes, Com Art Medea Airbrush Airbrush: Iwata Hi-Line HP-CH Airbrush Paint Brushes: Rosemary & Co. Raphael 8040, Broken Toad Brushes, Windsor and Newton Series 7

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In the Shadow of Mighty Wings: Kit bashing Angels

I was fortunate to be a part of the hobby when Warhammer Monthly was launched. This wonderful comic book introduced Dan Abnett to the Warhammer universe, brought us the devious adventures of Malus Darkblade and of course gave us the doomed quest for a lost sword; Blood Quest. It's a simple enough plot - A Blood Angel Captain is sent to protect an imperial outpost and loses a priceless Chapter artefact; the Blade Encarmine. This fact stayed with me all my life. It's strange what silly things you remember. I don't remember much about algebra and I couldn't tell you the difference between an igneous or metamorphic rock, but I can tell you that the Blade Encarmine was gifted to Belarius by Sanguinius at the close of the Horus Heresy. 

So when designing a 30K Heresy force who else would I create but Belarius? 

We can't escape the visual imagery of the Angel when it comes to the ninth. I like to imagine that when an Astartes is fully grown he looks out of proportion, overly muscled, thick necked with wide faces - this is a part of their inhumanity. However when a Blood Angel ascends their inhumanity expresses itself in painful beauty. A beauty so flawless that it looks unnatural. The base of the model provides that. 

I want Belarius to have an extended scenic base like the other characters produced by Forge World. Working as a commission artist has a few perks, and having a bits pile from previous jobs is one of them. I cut up Abbaddon vs. Loken's base and repositioned them. My intent it to have Belarius to be 'floating' above the ruins in the centre. 

I knocked up this tester for my Sanguinary Guard. I don't like the wings they come with so it's only natural that I'd want to add more right? I've divided the feathers to make them look a little more natural. In my mind I can see something similar to Gundamn Wing Zero where the wings can full encompass the marine in a protective shield. However there just aren't any suitable wings out there, either through third party manufacturers or proxy. Forge World save me by releasing an upgrade kit for them!

Lastly we have the heads for my Sanguinary priest (where they called this in the Heresy?) I have been inspired by a piece of artwork from the classic Angels of Darkness book to create a rather grizzled battle damaged face. 

Paints used: Vallejo, Reaper Master Series, Games Workshop Washes, Com Art Medea Airbrush Airbrush: Iwata Hi-Line HP-CH Airbrush Paint Brushes: Rosemary & Co. Raphael 8040, Broken Toad Brushes, Windsor and Newton Series 7

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