Snorri's Take on Sanguinary Guard

I saw this over on the Bolter and Chainsword. It's a good read:

Snorri's Sanguinary Guard Article

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Sanguinary Guard Project Part VI * Standard Bearer Fidelis

Initiate Fidelis
Brother Fidelis is the Chapter's Standard Bearer. Fidelis has the great honor of carrying the holy standard into battle and is a focal point for the entire army. The standard was woven back on Baal Secundus by a blind Saint using long strands of highly polished gold intertwined with raw platinum. The Chapter insignia is the symbol for infinity and hides a divine mystery dating back to ancient Terra, which is only learned when a privileged battle brother joins the rank of Sanguinary Guard and is raised to the rank of an Initiate. As long as the standard is held aloft by Brother Fidelis the Blood Saints will not break. The role of the standard bearer is very dangerous as the veteran must fight with only one free gauntlet and many have died serving in this function. Brother Fidelis' Angelus Bolter is mounted on his free wrist, he is so adept that he can both shoot and fight with his Glaive Encarmine using the same arm. Only the bravest veterans are selected as the Standard Bearer and upon death in battle another black candle is lit back on Baal Secundus byCommander Dante to pay homage to their great valor. Brother Fidelis seems to have an uncanny lucky streak, often surviving extreme misfortune by some odd twist of fate, and has served as the Standard Bearer longer than any other before him.

Sanguinary Guard Project Part V * Void Walker

Void Walker

The Void Walker is mystery to most of the Chapter as his true origins are unknown, even to other members of the Sanguinary Guard. The Void Walker's armor is fitted with an ancient and coveted power fist capable of leveling dreadnaughts with one mighty blow. Only the Blood Saint's Chapter Master knows of this Initiate's origin and it has been quietly rumored he is either a cloned son or dark doppelgänger from an alternate universe. It is the duty of the Void Walker to destroy enemies impervious to the Glaive Encarmine onceclose combat has begun. Often in battle he seems to remain unseen only showing himself at the precise moment to punch his armored fist through the exposed rear armor of enemy dreadnaughts. The Void Walker has even toppled mighty daemon princes, sending them back to the cold embrace of the warp. As his true name is unknown his title is seldom spoken and then only in a hushed whisper. The Void Walker is said to have an extremely violent temper, often not wanting to leave the battlefield only until the very last of the enemy have been purged by brutal death.

Sanguinary Guard Project Part IV * Neophyte

The Neophyte

Andromeda is the newest edition to the Blood Saint's Sanguinary Guard and is also currently the youngest. Andromeda served as a terminator first before being called to join this most elite cadre. Andromeda is haunted by dark visions of death and seems to have a touch of pre sight. Often either the Chapter Master or Bellum Aquila will confer with him on the eve of battle to learn if his latest vision might shed some useful insight. Great things are expected of Andromeda and it is thought by many that he will one day advance to the rank of Captain if he can survive long enough.

Sanguinary Guard Project Part III * Captain Mortalis

Captain Mortalis
Captain Mortalis leads the Blood Saints Second Company and is an expert in the art of extreme jump warfare. On a few seldom occasions the Chapter Master will call upon Mortalis to lead his Sanguinary Guard into battle for protracted durations operating behind the enemy lines. Captain Mortalis is an expert at guerrilla tactics launching lightning quick assaults into the rear of enemy formations to turn a battle or break the foes' will by destroying a key unit. Captain Mortalis is the only member of the Chapter to have served as long as the Chapter Master and as such wears an ancient venerated suit of artificer armor that was crafted back before the days of the dark heresy. His armor is fitted with a tiny golden chalice that holds one rare drop of blood from Sanguinius. As such his armor is impervious to attacks which would utterly render other suits and is sometimes whispered to grant eternal life.

Captain Mortalis was the first Initiate selected for his Chapter's Sanguinary Guard. During the Battle of Everlong only Mortalis and one other Initiate returned. The following saga was found carved into the trunk of the Eternal Tree some years later which was duly recorded and is believed to have been left behind by Captain Mortalis in tribute to the three who died...

King god of southern clime
Greatest creature so divine
Sends for watching land below
Ravens fly for him to know

Took off from a greater tree
Higher, higher flying free
Sounds of thunder in the sky
Up above three ravens fly

In our time, ravens three
Passing over you and me
Whisper to their only master
What to come before and after

Shadow casted snowy ground
Shape of ravens might be found
At his head ravens rest
Stranger silent as his guest

Words for ear of ancient god
Carried home by wings so proud
Stare at the sky as evening come
Sky is dark and ravens gone

Sanguinary Guard Project Part II * Bellum Aquila

Bellum Aquila
Bellum's name is an honor bestowed upon him by the Chapter Master and literally means War Hawk. Bellum had succumbed to the Black Rage, which is very rare for the Blood Saints. On the eve of battle while the Death Company Chaplain was preparing his lost brothers for war Bellum had a vision of a peaceful angel clad in glowing golden robes whom whispered muted prayers to him freeing the War Hawk from the dark curse. Bellum is gifted with an extremely high pitched piercing war cry that is amplified by his helmet and forces the enemy to cover their ears or suffer a momentary loss of hearing. Several times Bellum has been called upon to lead the Sanguinary Guard into battle when they are not serving as a retinue for the Chapter Master. All attacks lead by Bellum are swift and crushing. Under his command the Sanguinary Guard are often called upon to assassinate the enemy commander, which they will do by dropping in from a low flying thunderhawk. Bellum carries the squad's other ancient infernus pistol and is also a crack shot. Many unfortunate tanks have been breached by the War Hawk's fickle shot so that his squad can quickly come to grips with the enemy within and finish them.

Blood Saints Sanguinary Guard Project

I got the pictures back this afternoon. They look awesome. Cropped them in Photoshop and saved them to a folder on my Mac. Unfortunately it appears the external modem I use to connect to the Internet is fried. I was unable to connect unfortunately. I will be bringing my Mac with me while I'm away on a business trip this week and connect to the Internet in the hotel tomorrow evening so I can post the article. I've written some background material for each of the Initiates as well which I'll post with the pictures.

The photos came out great. I can't wait to get them up on the Internet and see what everyone has to say. Sorry for the delay... We are almost there now.

: )

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Using Sanguinary Guard as a troop choice

This is another tactical article about Blood Angels. The base assumption is you will use Dante as an HQ so that you can field the Sanguinary Guard as a troop choice. There are plenty of Blood Angels players running several units and they are having some success. The Vanus Temple is a great blog to read if you are interested on using Sanguinary Guard as a troop choice and there are some good article there on how to paint them using very simple techniques. The author of the Vanus Temple is given credit with originating the idea of a full Sanguinary Guard army and was the first known to build one. Here is a link to the Vanus Temple:

http://www.the-vanus-temple.com/

This article focuses on using one squad of Sanguinary Guard as a retinue for commander Dante.