Happy New Solar Auxilia Year

Well, we survived 2024 it appears. Although I have managed to pick up a bit of a temperature after the New Year festivities. I'll take that as nothing more than a small blessing from Nurgle. Firstly Happy New Year to the handful of you that follow my erratic painting exploits. I hope you managed to get some hobby, or even better gaming in over the festive break?

I'm kicking off the next solar orbit with some loyalist Auxilia. This lot have been on and off the painting station more times than I care to admit over December. I just could not settle on a palette and theme I liked.

The original plan was I was going to do them as traitor auxilia to ally with the Emperor's Children and legios Mortis and Fureans. I tested out a gold and purple scheme that worked ok with the Emperor's Children. It was a bit fiddly, but worked ok. Thing is I just wasn't feeling it. Then the Mechanicum and Dark Mechanicum units were revealed, at which point I pivoted.

Dark Mechanicum will make a better traitor addition for the third legion, the Solar Auxilia will revert back to loyalist forces that I can use for 'Terran 1st Armoured' or other formations. A continuation of the 'Siege of Terra' theme I've been building to. Feels like I have a plan I can work with again.

The Auxilia needs to work as a standalone faction, but also not look jarring on the tabletop alongside Imperial Fists, Blood Angels, White Scars or Solaria allies. The other factions in my loyalist forces. A predominantly neutral palette would work best. In essence the classic studio or 'Lord Marshall's Own' scheme of metallic armour and green helmets.

Lasrifle Tertio

The palette for the infantry is super simple. I need it to be as there are a LOT of infantry to paint!

Paint scheme:

• Steel base with simple chrome highlights.
• GW Drakenhof Nightshade wash
• GW Contrast Warp Lightning helmets
• GW Garaghak's Sewer on boots, gloves etc
• GW Dark Reaper cables
• Scale 75 Victorian Brass weapon trim, backpacks, vox units

The purple and gold lasrifle squads were the testers I did for the traitors. I'll just include them in the Tertio as veteran or specialist units of some ilk. Not going to waste perfectly good models just because I changed the scheme.

I used the same process on the Ogryns, with the addition of Nazdreg Yellow for their environment suits. Between the ochre fatigues and the green helmets, the Ogryns hilariously look like epic scale Ork Nobz. I literally cannot unsee this now (and neither can you!). Always one to make something out of life's lemons, I've mentally decided this is deliberate. The regiments history during the Great Crusade fighting against the green skins during various campaigns.

I've also painted numerous Veletaris Storm sections (not shown), but they need some work to finish the weapons. Overall, enough for a decent sized rifle section I think.

Tanks!

Let's be honest, this is the bit I've been looking forward to. Huge formations of armour, artillery and super-heavy companies. This is what the Solar Auxilia is all about. I've made a modest start with the contents of the starter box. I know, it's been over a year in the waiting as I focused my Legions attention in 2024 on three loyalist factions, multiple war engines, flyers and something like 10,000 points of Legions painted to date.

There are more Legiones Astartes to come, but this year will have a far bigger focus on the other factions. The Solar Auxilia, Mechanicum and Traitors in general. I've grand plans!

Tank markings

I want the markings on the Auxilia units to represent battlefield role, not just which formation or company they belong to. I'll talk a bit more about the company idents later on. 

In essence I came up with some simple principle markings for the tanks to provide both visual interest and meaning. 

Chain of command

• Commander - Full colour turret & side bar on side armour.
• 2IC - Half colour turret 
• Troop - Plain turret

Battlefield role

• Infantry support/multi-role - Marking to front of side skirts
• Anti-armour role - Marking to rear of side skirts

So, for example, the Vanquishers all have a green section on the rear quarter to denote their anti-armour role. The standard Russ a panel at the front so they can be instantly identified as infantry support. The commander has the solid green turret and prominent block marking down the centre of the side skirts. The second-in-command just the half turret marking.

Tanks can also sport individual 'ace' or honour marking as well, such as along barrels or turret sides.

Company ident

The final marking is the company/tank 'ident', which is displayed on the turret. For the tank commander this is the company ident, in the case of the Russ squadron above, this signifies 6th Company 'Rogal' Platoon. The remaining tanks in the platoon only carry a vehicle ident. For the 2iC this is always numeral 2, with the remaining troops numerals 3-10 depending on squadron size. 

The Vanquishers are part of 6th Company's 'Kestros' Platoon, with the Baneblade displaying the markings of a Super-Heavy command tank. Most likely company level.

The other 'completely made up' identifier I introduced is the colour; Green for standard regimental tactics and red for 'specialist weapon or tactics' (Yes, I know that spells SWAT, I need to come up with a better definition) Anyway, that's why the Malcador Valdors sport a red panel in lieu of the green the rest of the company has. Also, rule of cool always applies.

I still have some details that need doing on the Valdors, but they are good enough for gaming.

Recon

The last unit I painted was a detachment of Aethon Heavy Sentinels to act as the forward deployment eyes-and-ears for the lasrifle tertio and armoured companies.

Again, I carried forward the same idea into the Sentinels, with the Commander having the solid green cockpit and veteran laurels, 2iC the half cockpit marking and troops three and four the plain sentinels. Note: Trooper in sentinel four displays a significant kill marking on the front. Probably from taking out a traitor commander or other high value target.

Addendum: Yes, I really did come up with a completely alternative and entirely impractical 'heresy' era equivalent of the NATO phonetic alphabet specifically for the Solar Auxilia tank platoons. Also, just to be clear, 'A' is for 'Aquila' not 'Alpharius'. 

Other than the tanks and tiny Auxilia, I did manage to get the second Metalica Reaver built and primed. That's probably going to be the first thing on my painting table this year I think. Just as soon as I get over Nurgle's gift that is.

Until next time, happy hobbying.