The Betrayal at Calth, and onwards..

This has been a long time coming. I'm the last one of our group to dive into 30k, and I'm starting with the Betrayal at Calth set (where else?). If twelve year old me knew that many years later he'd be playing Ultramarines, he'd be pretty confused - but the Horus Heresy Ultramarines books have completely changed my opinion of the XIII Legion. I'll be working towards the following list:

++ Legiones Astartes: Crusade Army List (Age of Darkness) ++

HQ

Legion Centurion [Power Armour, Refractor Field]

··Consul [Master of Signal]

Legion Praetor [Digital Lasers, Iron Halo, Melta Bombs, Paragon Blade]

··Artificer Armour [Mantle of Ultramar]

··Invictarus Suzerain Squad [5x Invictarus Suzerains]

····Land Raider Phobos [Armoured Ceramite]

Troops

Legion Tactical Squad [Rhino, 9x Legion Tactical Space Marines, Legion Vexilla]

··Legion Tactical Sergeant [Artificer Armour, Melta Bombs, Power Fist]

Legion Tactical Squad [Rhino, 9x Legion Tactical Space Marines, Legion Vexilla]

··Legion Tactical Sergeant [Artificer Armour, Melta Bombs, Power Fist]

Elites

Contemptor Dreadnought Talon

··Legion Contemptor Dreadnought [Kheres Pattern Assault Cannon x2]

Heavy Support

Fulmentarus Terminator Squad [Cyclone Missile Launcher, 4x Fulmentarus Terminator, 4x Power Fist]

Legion Heavy Support Squad [Flak Missiles, 6x Legion Space Marines, Missile Launchers]

··Legion Sergeant [Augury Scanner]

Sicaran Venator Tank Destroyer

++ Solar Auxilia (Allied Detachment) ++

HQ

Auxilia Tank Commander

Troops

Auxilia Infantry Tercio

··Dracosan Armoured Transport [Demolisher Cannon, Extra Armour, Flare Shield]

··Veletaris Storm Section

····Prime [Melta Bombs, Power Fist]

Fast Attack

Auxilia Leman Russ Strike Squadron [Auxilia Leman Russ Battle Tank x2]

So far, I'm only five tactical marines in. However, airbrushing the blue makes for very quick power armour, the monotony of which has always been my downfall with Space Marines. Here's the first few:

A bit bland, but they are tactical marines! I'm happy with the speed at which I can churn these out and the uniformity of the unit. Most of all, I'm impressed with the Vallejo White Pumice I used for the basing.

Next up I have an order to do, more Marines to paint and an eBay purchase to decide on a scheme for: