Warpgates and Astramalleus History

I spent a bit of last night putting a basecoat on the warpgates. It's somewhat time consuming because you can't spray paint foamcore. Well, you CAN spray paint it but you better make sure that you seal up any exposed foam because, as I'm sure many of you have figures out, something in the spray paint (I assume it's in the propellant) eats styrofoam. To combat this, I went out and bought some craft paints of several colors I use often (gray for stone, tan for earth/adobe, black, white, and a few others) and I just paint on the base color myself. I prefer Delta Ceramcoat because it goes on well and is cheap. It has one minor annoyance to it, namely that dry Ceramcoat sometimes tries to stick to other dry Ceramcoat, but if that's the worst problem it has, then I'm cool with it. Later today I'm going to hit Hobby Lobby with the gift card I got for Father's Day and look for gems for them. A little dry brushing with bleached bone and a little white and the gems and I think you can call this project done.

I may need to take a couple of days before I go to the next thing, though. You've noticed my little paint station here? Well, this is actually on the coffee table in my living room. I have an actually designated place to paint, but it's covered with containers and bits and Drednoughts and other such. I may take a little while to try to organize and clear it before I start something new. Of course, I may still try to work on the coffee table while I do that clearing...

The Astramalleus or "Star Hammers" are an Ultramarine descended Chapter chartered during the 23rd founding in the fallout of the Age of Apostasy. Because of a change in the fundamental rites and doctrines of a Marine Chapter, a young Captain, aided by many veteran troops, managed to defect. After wandering for years, they managed to find a planet where they could live safely but gave it up to successfully defend a world in the throes of an Ork invasion. They were successful in their efforts but were found by their Chapter and tried by the Chapter Master of the Ultramarines. The verdict was that the survivors would found a Chapter of their own and then begin a crusade until the original defectors were all dead.

Once the messengers from Ultramar had delivered their message, the Deathmarch Crusade began. Walach and the remaining original renegades made preparations and the Chapter gave them aid and support. It was decided by Walach that if the original renegades must die, then they should make the best gains for the Astramalleus and the Imperium that they could muster. Walach and his Marines would lead Astramalleus troops in battle and hurl themselves into the thickest and hardest parts thereof. When the renegades fell, the new troops would take advantage of their efforts and finish the job.

The first engagement was the only unplanned attack of the Crusade. En route to the the first planetary target, Walach and his men ran across the space hulk Precept Of Martian Quality, an Adeptus Mechanicus mass hauler that had been reported lost 1500 years before. After clearing the vessel of an infestation of chaos mutated vermin, Walach and his men were awed by the contents of the ship's stores. It had been moving replacement equipment and armor to a Marine Chapter somewhere and was filled with replacement armor, weapons, Predator sponsons and parts and other equipment but the prize was the ten suits of Terminator armor in the main vaults. Such serendipity surely must have been a blessing from the Emperor! The hulk was towed back to Besradine. After determining that the Terminator suits were not tainted in any way, they were consecrated to the Chapter and devoted to the First Squad of the First Company. All ten were armed with thunder hammers (Walach's preferred weapon) and storm shields and the squad was named the Starhammers.

Over the course of six years, Walach and his original Marines traveled from planet to planet destroying demons, eradicating xenos threats and fighting Chaos Marines wherever they were to be found. Each time a few more Marines were lost until only Walach and his guard remained. At first, the worlds surrounding Besradine were targeted and cleared. After the local area had been cleansed, farther threats were chosen for assault until Walach and his Guard were far from the Chapter monastery. When the end seemed nigh, Walach called together the 14 members of the Gerusia to name a successor. What he did not know was that the Gerusia had already met in secret with Walach's guard and made a decision of their own without the Chapter Master's consent. Walach was deemed too important to be thrown away in this fashion...

Walach and his Guard, leading the Scouring of Hessin 6, came face to face with a powerful Demon of Slaanesh. Walach fought with all his might but, wounding the demon badly, was felled himself. His Guard managed to defeat and kill the wounded demon and then sprang into action. Walach was badly wounded but not yet dead. Under the confusion of battle, they spirited his still living body back to his vessel and a secret Drednought sarcophagus under the care of the chief Techmarine. His Guard announced his death at the hands of the demon while the entombing process was carried out. The new Chapter Master knew that if anyone outside of the Chapter ever learned that Walach was still alive, the Astramalleus would be eradicated from the galaxy. Therefore he swore the sitting members of the Gerusia never reveal what had been decided, not even to future members of the Gerusia. The Guard and the members of the First Gerusia would eventually die either in battle or from old age. Only the Chapter Master, Head Chaplain, Head Librarian and Head Techmarine would ever remember the truth of this special Drednought...