As you surely know by now, the incredible new battlebox, Warhammer 40,000: Shadowspear, is on its way.
This article was originally published on the Warhammer-community site.
Yesterday, we revealed more about Nemendghast – once the industrial jewel in the crown of the Vigilus System – and introduced the villainous mastermind behind its corruption. Today, it’s the turn of the story’s heroic protagonist and commander of Strike Force Shadowspear.
To better understand what it means to command such an elite force, one must first learn of the Vanguard themselves…
Vanguard Forces
Vanguard Space Marines are elite reconnaissance troops, trained to operate without support across the deadliest frontiers of the galaxy. Clad in lightweight power armour and equipped with weapons perfectly optimised for covert warfare, Vanguard warriors fight as the tip of the Adeptus Astartes spear.
Ranging far ahead of their battle-brothers, they drop behind enemy lines, deep into hostile territory. Once in position, they launch a campaign of total devastation against the enemy. Every component of the opposing war machine is taken apart piece by piece – communications are severed, key commanders assassinated, supply caches demolished and morale drained away by unrelenting terror-strikes. When the enemy are all but beaten, the Vanguard Space Marines emerge from the shadows to deliver the killing strike.
First of the Vanguard
The Vanguard Space Marines of Strike Force Shadowspear hail from the Ultramarines 2nd Company and fought with distinguished honour alongside Roboute Guilliman himself at the forefront of the Indomitus Crusade. Captain Acheran – a cunning and decisive leader whose actions have earned him numerous battle honours – was handpicked by Marneus Calgar to lead the covert investigation of Nemendghast.
A modest and taciturn commander, Captain Acheran has found the clandestine operations of the Vanguard Space Marines perfectly suited to his skills. Rather than rely on zealous oratory, Acheran prefers to let his actions and astonishing marksmanship do the talking. Even while the fiercest battles rage about him, Acheran remains a picture of serene calmness, delivering curt orders to his warriors while blasting enemy commanders from their feet with dead-eye shots from his master-crafted bolt carbine. It’s with good reason that the Marksman’s Honour hangs from the forestock of the Captain’s firearm.
The War for Nemendghast
Upon Strike Force Shadowspear’s clandestine descent to the surface of Nemendghast, it immediately became apparent that the world had fallen. The Black Legion had conquered Nemendghast and transformed it into a production line for the creation of corrupted war machines the likes of which even a veteran of Acheran’s experience had never seen. Entire districts had been given over to the industrialisation of ritual sacrifice, and he could taste the unmistakable taint of the warp on the polluted air. Worst of all, Acheran knew beyond any doubt that Nemendghast was beyond saving. But it could be avenged…
Having gathered his elite Vanguard forces to him, Acheran formulated a detailed battleplan to secure the destruction of the Black Legion’s stronghold – the Forge Infernus. He will not stop in his efforts, fully aware of the danger posed to Vigilus and the entire Nachmund Gauntlet should the Black Legion’s presence there be allowed to grow unchallenged.
Acheran is represented by a Captain in Phobos Armour, which is usable by many Space Marines Chapters along with the other Vanguard units in the set. We’ll have more details on Phobos armour along with loads of other information about Warhammer 40,000: Shadowspear over the coming days and weeks, so be sure to keep your auto-lenses or daemonically enhanced vision focused right here. Which is your favourite Shadowspear miniature so far – Captain Acheran, Vorash Soulflayer, or maybe even the Greater Possessed? Let us know on the Warhammer 40,000 Facebook page.
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