I’ve dabbled with Protectorate of Menoth before, and while I like their play style more than any other faction, I never found a color scheme I liked at all. I tried the classic one once, I tried a blue-tone version, and I tried one in drab browns and reds with greyscale for metallics rather than proper metallic paints. I got deepest into the latter, but still the painting did not excite me. As is often the case, without the enthusiasm for the painting it’s difficult to make progress.
So with Mark III I was convinced that I’d be giving Cryx a return for the new edition with Skorne and Trollbloods in support. I’ve been really motivated with my Trolls, but the other two have languished somewhat–getting the new Battlegroup Box painted for Skorne was a struggle. And in the process, I realized that maybe it was time to take care and work out a color scheme that I truly liked for my Menoth–strip them and repaint it all. Thus, the Mark Three Menoth Project was born. I messed around for a long while with colors, and finally settled on something I liked: a red-dominant scheme with dulled metals and bone portions behind any Menofixes (the little cross-looking symbols) and on the steam caps. Finally, a scheme I liked and felt motivated to paint. I finished the new Battlegroup in a single week of painting.
Malekus, the Burning Truth. I love the model, as hefty models are fun and have a lot of persona. He’s no exception, and I really like the balance that the slight portions of white and dull gold provide in the scheme I’m working with.
Castigator. I resolved to have the bone color be very limited, so he doesn’t have any on his shoulders other than the small portions. Basically the theme is red everywhere, except behind a Menofix. The Crusader/Templar/Vanquisher chassis would have more prominent cream sections, but this chassis will be nearly pure red.
Close shot of one of the light warjacks (Repenter) for their look. I was worried the gold shoulders would be too much, but I really liked how they turned out.
The completed Protectorate of Menoth Battlegroup Box for Mark III.
I also got four games in with the group. Three as part of a Journeyman League we’re running at Drawbridge Games, and fourth just for fun with some expanded models to try a later level build idea for the league.
First game of the Journeyman was against Ryan’s Cryx Battlegroup. A critical central copse of trees and the Repulsor Shield on the Revenger helped me avoid the Reaper’s Reel-in-and-Kill long enough to get two models onto Agathia and finish her off.
Ryan and I played a second game, this one with more points than just the Battlegroup boxes (but of course, they’re the only things visible in the picture… /sigh). This time we played the scenario from the Prime rulebook with the five flags, each of which can be scored only once, with scenario victory at five points. It’s a pretty ludicrous scenario, but a lot of fun. Cryx’s mobility proved to be the main advantage, as I couldn’t keep them away and still score the flags myself. Finally, Malekus was assassinated by a rampaging Helljack as he was forced to try and turn the tide himself (and came up short).
Second Journeyman game was against Dan’s Circle Orboros and Tanith the Feral Song. This is the caster that worries me the most among the new Battlegroup Boxes, as she’s got some nasty abilities between her gun, Feat, and spells. Mercifully, Dan moved her too close to my Revenger and forgot about the Arc Node. A quick Scourge later and Admonition was not going to save her, which meant flames from Malekus and the Castigator to finish her off.
Third Journeyman game was against a brand-new player to our group, Steve. He started with Retribution, with I definitely feel is one of the stronger of the starter boxes. Being able to take hits and then under Feat act without any systems being crippled is huge. As it was a new player, a fair amount of the game was helping my opponent with the best ways to assassinate my caster and deal with my own jacks. While I won this one, I think he’s better equipped than other players for what Malekus can do and how to stop him. He got very close to finishing me off, but had just a few critical misses right at the end that kept my caster alive and I could finish his last Warjack.
A good week of gaming with the Protectorate, and I’m really excited about them and what they’ll bring in terms of painting progress as well as game fun.
500 Points Challenge Progress (2016):
244/500
Battles (Privateer Press):
Overall Totals 2016: 57 (Win/Loss: 33/24/0); 2015: 43 (Win/Loss: 29/14/0)
Protectorate of Menoth:
3 Wins (Agathia, Tanith, Helynna) / 1 Loss (Agathia)
Skorne:
14 Wins (Butcher x2, Deneghra, Shae, Sorscha2, Feora2, Severius, Skarre x2, Kreoss2, Borka, Kaya2, Stryker x2, Ragnor)/ 8 Losses (Rask, Xerxis, Butcher3, Thagrosh, Zerkova2, Stryker x2, Magnus2)
Trollbloods:
11 Wins (Karchev x2, Vayl2 x3, Lylyth x2, Kaya, Skarre, Thagrosh, Asphyxious3) / 11 Losses (Adeptis Rahn, Kromac, Caine2, Borka2, Kaya, Rhyas, Ashlynn x2, Twins Saeryn and Rhyas, Butcher3, Thagrosh, Vayl2)
Cryx:
4 Wins (Caine, Karchev, Skarre, Vlad) / 4 Losses (Asphyxious, Lylyth2, Goreshade3, Stryker)