SM chapter "Dragon's sons"

[Targol]

Hi, all !!!

First of all, as it's my first post here, may I introduce myself ?

 

I'm a French (so forgive my poor English :) ) 37 year old daddy that discovered the W40K world 2 years Ago but has very few time to spend to it due to my 2 kids.

For the moment, I've started 2 armies : one little Ork band and, as you should guess, a little SM force.

 

As I like converting more than everything, I've chosen to give a theme to my 2 armies :

• The Orks received the insect theme and are called "Da Buggz boyz"
  
• I chose a medieval Japan theme for my SM
  

 

Some - very few - fluff

I decided to call my chapter "Dragon's sons" (I didn't find this name when searching the forum and I think this name sticks well to both Japanese and SM worlds)

The idea is to make match the blind samurai's devotion to its Shogun to these SM devotion to the emperor.

As special rules, I imagined a "Kamikaze" one that forces one of the member of any unit victim of a tank attack to try the "death or glory" rule.

To represent the fanaticism of these samurai that prefers death to the dishonor of defeat, a rule can be imagined also about retreat... But these are rough ideas for the moment that I need to work more on.

 

Now for the pics

Here is the "test unit" that I chose for my chapter : a Dread (click on the pictures to enlarge them) :

http://images4.hiboox.com/vignettes/3608/0385cafc943b08382771212dbba35ccd.jpg http://images4.hiboox.com/vignettes/3608/a39eb9d041fa77fb49aceb4f8a47b3ff.jpg http://images4.hiboox.com/vignettes/3608/1ebab84981e8568c80ea44392b272903.jpg

On the pennants on its back, I tried to paint real Japanese ideograms that claim the beliefs of the chapter :

• One is "Kooei" that means "honor / Glory"
  
• Other one is "chuujitsu" that means "fidelity", "rightness" and "loyalty"
  

I apologies in advance for any Japanese native language reader of this forum for the bad quality of these calligraphies as it was my first attempt to Japanese and to freehand also.

 

A closer view :

http://images4.hiboox.com/vignettes/3608/48b3420df98ccd556bab97e0b1899033.jpg

You can see on its right leg the chapter sign : an underneath view of a flying yellow dragon

 

An above view to have a better look on the base :

http://images4.hiboox.com/vignettes/3608/be3ea621b245540d4aed35f57100caad.jpg

 

And the base alone :

http://images4.hiboox.com/vignettes/3608/4b994f7414bb5e71ef80a49137ad7bff.jpg

Idea was to represent one of these warm volcanic springs that flow in the middle of the snow in japan (called "onsen")

Unfortunately, I made my GS bubbles much too big as I didn't think to the many PVA layers that I was about to put on them.

 

Little focus on the magnet system for the CC arm secondary weapon :

http://images4.hiboox.com/vignettes/3608/f8a0810015822b628b5d28b5a1496bfc.jpg

These magnets allow to change between the flamer:

http://images4.hiboox.com/vignettes/3608/1ebab84981e8568c80ea44392b272903.jpg

.. and the heavy bolter :

http://images4.hiboox.com/vignettes/3608/5f866caa1f5cb9e23a5d4b04fbc3b420.jpg

Both of them are just primed for the moment :confused:

 

And next...

To stick to the Japan theme, I had in mind to convert my Marines :

• Back pennants for everybody except HQ and assault.
  
• Armors modification to add plates on the neck (like samurai helmets) and plated shoulder pads.
  
• CC weapons modification to replace swords and chainswords by katanas (Japanese saber) and other ninja or samurai weapons.
  

 

And... That's all for the moment.

Feel free (and even encouraged) to criticize and comment.

 

Targol.

[Inquisitor_Lensoven]

i think the dread needs one big banner, or two more little banners.

 

its the imperium, the like to go way over the top :)

[barek]

Nice fluff, nice concept. Go on.

 

I remember an old White Dwarf in which was a picture of a heavily converted samurai space marine army. I''ll try to find it.

 

Suggestions: add plates to the thighs of the marines. I personally think the humble banner is good as it is.

[- Human]

The dark elf Cold One Knights box has a great looking standard that would fit very well with your theme, they have that taut back-banner look to them, moreso than the regular marine backpack flags. I'm sure you could pick up a few off ebay.

[nurglespuss]

I've seen an ork army called 'Da Bugz Boys' looked really good, and there is a Mega Armoured Nob at warhammer world, converted using Biovore parts/mega armoured parts which looks truly original.

 

I like the look of your marines!!

[Brother Coruscus]

Wow. I love the Samurai era, and I love this idea. Great job!

 

Also, love the colour scheme

[Targol]

Thanks for the feedback, guys. B)

I remember an old White Dwarf in which was a picture of a heavily converted samurai space marine army. I''ll try to find it.

Suggestions: add plates to the thighs of the marines. I personally think the humble banner is good as it is.

Don't search too long, I found myself yesterday night after your message and found.

For the thighs, this should surely be cool, but I don't know if I'll have the time and the skills to do it. I should give a try on my first test Marine.

 

The dark elf Cold One Knights box has a great looking standard that would fit very well with your theme, they have that taut back-banner look to them, moreso than the regular marine backpack flags. I'm sure you could pick up a few off ebay.

Well, thanks for the tip. Yet, I think I'll scratchbuild all the back standard by myself like I did Dred ones.

This is not very complicated to do : the pole is made from a square wire netting from which I cut 2 squares and the banner itselt is made with PVA covered real fabric which gives it this rough look that I find cool.

 

I've seen an ork army called 'Da Bugz Boys' looked really good, and there is a Mega Armoured Nob at warhammer world, converted using Biovore parts/mega armoured parts which looks truly original.

I don't know if it's my boss you saw. I presented him on Da Waaaagh on this post but my boss is made from the Gazkul mini with srcatch, no Tyranids part.

 

 

A little explain about the chapter symbol :

The yellow dragon represents the Golden Emperor itself.

The red line represent the wounding that should have killed him if he wasn't the immortal emperor and, see, he's not dead, he's still flying high !!!

[Targol]

Wip of a Samurai-like converted clip marine here

[g-relk]

great minnies so far targol, and your englich is better than a lot of people i know (and they are australian!), so dont be so hard on yourself about it :jaw:

[kinggiraffe]

Nice fluff, nice concept. Go on.

 

I remember an old White Dwarf in which was a picture of a heavily converted samurai space marine army. I''ll try to find it.

 

Suggestions: add plates to the thighs of the marines. I personally think the humble banner is good as it is.

 

I first thought of that SM army in the White Dwarf too. I haven't been into the hobby for about six years, and the issue was recent when I saw it, so you might have to dig through a fair stack of issues!

 

The colours and banner blend nicely. Good job.

[Targol]

Well, I searched a bit on the net before starting my chapter and found noting about samurai themed chapter.

Now that I started and posted to present my work, I discover that many people had this idea before me.

That's cool, we can enrich each other this way.

[XKhalilX]

Targol I love the theme and the colors. Not too many brown marines out there, its a really great color. I envision red shoulder pads or blue ones with them. If you get the GW "How To Paint Space Marines" book in the back one of the GW staff, she painted up a Samurai theme in there. It may give you some ideas.

[nurglespuss]

now this one is a GW one made of spliced parts from biovore/mega armour, really works, as the biovore is 'based' on an ork.

[Targol]

now this one is a GW one made of spliced parts from biovore/mega armour, really works, as the biovore is 'based' on an ork.

Uhhh ???? :o

Subject mistake ?

[arbogast1]

looks good so far man. keep it up

[Guerilla Commando]

a very good and original idea and perfect combo of SM (Mankinds best) and samurai (Honourable warriors)

[Targol]

Thanks for the kind words.

 

No more finished piece to show by now (still some WIP here for those that didn't see) but a little rule point.

 

I reworked the Kamikaze rule talked in first message following an advice on another forum.

The fact is that Kamikaze attack is not really like "Death or glory", it's rather "Death and glory"

 

To illustrate that, I imagined another rule (points in red are those for which I still have doubts) :

 

Kamikaze special rule: Any fast attack unit in the army may choose Kamikaze special rule for Xpoints.

 

Kamikaze attack: A unit that chose Kamikaze rule can, if not engaged, chose one figurine per turn that'll try a Kamikaze attack .

In this case, target is designated and then distance is measured to verify the target is in sprint range of the kamikaze.

If target is out of range, kamikaze misses its target and explodes before reaching the target. it's removed from the table and considered as a loss.

If target is in range : defender rolls a 6 dice.

• If result is 5+, defenders shot kamaikaze down before it reaches it targets. No damage is made to defender.
  
• Else, Kamikaze manages to reach its target and hit it with an attack equivalent to a fusion bomb. if target is a vehicle, lowest armor value is chosen.
  

In both cases, Kamikaze leave the table as a loss after its attack.

The idea is to make this rule so uncertain that it's only used in desperate cases. A Space Marine is an elite trooper that is not sacrificed as easily as a single GI.

 

What do you think of this rule ?

Which price should it cost ? Could it be free as the price is given by the loss of a fast attack figurine ?

What about the defenders dice roll ? is 5+ OK or should it be 4+ or 6+ ?

[Nicili]

Most of the time its best to stay away from Home-Grown Rules and the like. If its for casual games where custom rules are permitted than keep it. But honestly, using a bit of the DIY stickied thread at the top of this page, special rules don't necessarily give an army character, and I do think you have a lot of potential with a samurai themed army! I want to see a bit more on the basis of origins, operations and the like.

[Magnus Thane]

As a historian-to-be with a love for feudal Japan, i can't but be thrilled by your idea.

I once saw that WD with such an army myself, regretfully i don't have it. If anyone could post a piccie of that mini in it (i think it was red) i'd appreciate it.

In any case when you've finished a full warband please put up a groupshot of them.

 

Fluff-wise you could say that your Chapter comes from one of the feudal worlds with a strong martial tradition.

Martial arts, swordmastery and the likes being inherent parts of the warrior caste there. And that duty/loyalty and discipline are core elements there.

The world could have a society with Clans, each ruled by a Daimyo who traditionally elected a Shogun.

On the other hand, perhaps the leader of your Chapter could have the title Shogun and his captains could be Daimyo's.

The Chapter could recruit it's members from the most worthy members of the warriorcaste, with the society constantly engaging in interclan skirmishes to hone their skills. (skirmishes out of which future Astartes are chosen?)

On the other hand it might also be fun to say they have a few minor worlds who follow a feudal pattern. With a Chapter Daimyo per world.

 

I'd say your Chapter would probably have a preference for melee orientated units to go with the swordmastery bit and the use of speed/elegance.

Powerswords, mastercrafted blades etc seem a must to add to it.

Homemade rules really aren't necessary, just by picking the right type of units and equipments you could already give it a certain feel.

[Ripper.McGuirl]

Idea is great. I'd say use Black Templars rules.

Color scheme is nice and simple, too. I'll be interested to see how the marines come out. Many have tried, few have succeeded.

[Targol]

Thanks for the comments, Guys.

 

For the home made rules, I just wanted to play it home or with friends, but even at home, I must find the right tuning in term of cost and success chances to make it playable.

@Magnus Thane => Thanks for the fluff ideas and army close combat orientation. I had quite the same ideas without ever writing them.

My idea was a planet founded by lost settlers in the "suburbs" of the galaxy that lived, forgotten by the empire, ruled by a warrior cast.

Their religion, may be inherited from the past ages where they came from Terra, raises their emperor as a god.

Just like Japanese emperors, no-one on the planet can see the emperor.

When the Imperium discovers back this forgotten planet, they decide to annex it to the Imperium to collect the many resources offered by its volcanic lands.

As the detected technological level of the planet was very low and its population very few, it has been decided that Space marines would be overpowered and that a 10.000Men Valhalla force (chosen due to cold climate) should be sufficient to conquer that feodal world.

Yet, no one never heard again about the GI.

Puzzled by this disappearance without any Xenos activity sign, Inquisitor, rather than razing the whole planet, send a merchant disguised spy to study what happened.

The spy made its work and discovered that the unbelievable martial skills of the natives, coupled with a fanatic will to serve their emperor to the death brought GI defeat.

Rather than tempting a new assault on the planet, the spy proposed to use their fanaticisms to their emperor rather than fighting against it.

The holy inquisition, then, sent an assassin to kill the emperor and ordered the spy to replace him.

This way, Imperium gained, without further loss a world of great warriors that, without knowing it, have just changed the emperor they served.

 

New emperor, then, decided to send the most valuable of its men to a Space marines camp in order to "re-work" a bit their genetic background and to learn them how to complete their knives skills with 40th millennium technology.

That's roughly how I intended to explain the "Dragon's sons" birth.

@Void_Dragon=> I never read Black Templars rules. I'll try to have a look at them. Is it a close combat oriented chapter ?

For the evolution of the marines, I'm still on them. Check the links to the WIP above.

Although I haven't many feedbacks on the WIP, I keep posting news regularly...

[nurglespuss]

hmmmm or thinking about it, and your Kamikazee rule:

 

Use blood angels, the death company could represent those marines, who through suffering some kind of martial dishoner, shame etc. could have taken a 'kamikazee' oath to die in close combat against the nastiest/biggest enemy he/they can (a bit like the story behind 'troll slayers' in the Warhammer fantasy setting).

[Targol]

Do Blood angel have special CC rules ?

 

I was wondering if there was an alternate SM codex based on :

• Close combat to represent samurai martial arts skills
  
• flamers to represent "dragon breath"
  
• a sort of Kamikaze rule
  

I'm gonna have a look at BT and BA codices... if they are freely downloadable...

[Magnus Thane]

Black Templars might be quite good in fact.

They're basically Teutonic Knights. And have some inspiring models. Their code/oaths etc are intrigueing and offer much options. The same with their squad compositions.

Blood Angels i suppose have potential too being a bit like Berserkers. Deathwing might indeed be useful to represent a 'special' group among them of Elite Samurai or dishonored Ronin so to speak.

I'm not very knowledgeable about the Space Wolves but they might be of some use too rulewise due to their primitive edge.

 

- CC can be found strongly in Black Templars, Blood Angels and Space Wolves. Or regular Space Marines with the right 'options' taken.

- Flamers are overall possible i think, just finetune some squad and give them one or more flamers.

- Kamikaze is more difficult. The Black Templars have a rule that can move units if one is attacked that might reflect their desire to rush 'onwards'.

 

Strange as it may seem you could even use the Chaos Space Marines codex. Things like the Icons, Khorne Berserkers etc would suit your force nicely too.

 

Also ever consider using Inquisitorial Assassins as 'ninja'. I believe you can take them as 'allies' and they'd be great fun to reflect Ninja/Shinobi characters.

 

Also by mixing with the Daemonhunters/Imperial Guard you might be able to even further simulate the theme.

Your Space Marines are the Chapter itself, having the Shogun/Daimyo's and Samurai. The Inquisition however can allow you to field assassins to represent Shinobi and some Guardsmen/Stormtroopers to represent the planet's 'Ashigaru', the warriors of the planet, armed and trained by your Dragon's Sons.

[nurglespuss]

yep BA codex free to download as PDF on GW site (not sure where on french site).