Bats All Folks

I don't care if they're in-game effective... they're bat-marines with wolverine-claws!

Let's take to the skies!

I've already got enough Raptors and HQs - but what about their poor jump-pack cousins? The ones with daemonic possessions and no guns?

Step forward Warp Talons!

These guys with the bat-wings are an eBay rescue - the backpack wings come from the Possessed kit (you know, those Possessed that are incapable of flight) and they go for a pretty penny as bitz - so buying enough to kit out a squad of Warp Talons seemed prohibitive. And then I find someone who'd done all the hard work for me!

They all had to be moved onto bigger bases (I'm guessing this was a kitbash from the 25mm era) and I also swapped the head of the champion for a Bloodletter, so he looks properly daemonic.

Of course, before this happened, I'd already started on a squad of Warp Talons for myself. So now I have twice as many!

These guys are a little more conventional - having actual jump-packs, albeit with those spiky flight vanes on the side (but mixing them up is no problem - every possession goes at its own pace). They all come with very dynamic poses, especially with their claws out.

Speaking of claws, that was the only different in painting between these and the Raptors - and it was a breeze to do, considering how well it came out.

• Gold armour: Retributor Armour base, Agrax Earthshade wash
• Black armour: Chaos Black base, Mechanicus Standard Grey layer,
• Pipes: Ironbreaker base, Nuln Oil wash
• Wings: Chaos Black base, Skvenblight Dinge drybrush, Mechanicus Standard Grey drybrush, Russ Grey drybrush
• Eyes and claws: Ulthuan Grey base, Hexwraith Flame wash
• Followed by a very light drybrush with Terminatus Stone

Tactically, they don't seem to be in a great place. Their best ability (not to be overwatched on the turn they arrive from deepstrike) means they still have to negotiate a 9" charge. At the moment, the only way to make them viable is to pay 1CP to make them Host Raptorial, and then give them a character with the Tip of the Spear Warlord trait that adds 2" to charge.

(either that, or make them Night Lords, who may have finally gotten good at jump assaults)

The pair of Lightning Claws is a decent enough weapon (especially with Hateful Assault, or when Veterans of the Long War is played, or they're benefiting from the rerolls of a Lord/Haarken Worldclaimer), although they are very expensive (doubling the cost of the model). The invulnerable save doesn't really benefit that much more than power armour.

I think I'll experiment with starting them on the board - it means they have to suffer Overwatch, but at least they can get Warptimed around the board and stuck in right away.

And with that, the Host Raptorial is done!