Sigma Legionaire, on hold since 2004 now back on

[sisko11]

Ok, so, I used to be on this forum quite often back in the day, and was a DA collector. Towards the end of my last run, I had sold my DA army for a pretty good profit on Ebay and had begun a DIY chapter/legion I called the Sigma Legion. These guys were largely inspired by Chaplain Desmodus' Flesh Eaters, Madscuzzy's Rogues and many of Bushido's works. At the time, a lot of us were speculating that Sigmar from WFB was a lost Primarch, which has since more or less been debunked, at least in that he now officially didnt crash to earth in a pod and wasnt found but born.

 

The Sigma Legion is an exploration of my interpretation of that theory, they are Sigmars Legion, and the fluff I whipped up tries to explain why they are unknown, and what could have led to their disappearance. There is a little hook I couldn't resist linking them to another mysterious chapter in the present, again, just for fun as part of the 'what if'.

 

The What if Sigmar was a Primarch scenario fluff, SKIP TO NEXT POST FOR JUST THE MODEL! -

 

The Sigma geneseed was developed decades after the Dark Angels were already crusading to reconquer Terra with the Emperor. Consequently in the first generation, the oldest Sigmas were far younger than the DA veterans. This first generation received tutelage and knowledge from Dark Angel commanders, before they could in turn train the 2nd generation marines. As such, the original generation of Sigmas had great respect for the Dark Angels, and though there was little regular contact past the 1st gens, the Sigmas had learned their lessons well and were well on their way to becoming deadly warriors.

 

Compared to the Dark Angels the Sigma's were a very different Legion. Numerically they were only a tiny fraction of the Dark Angel's might, numbering only a few hundred marines. They were not sent out on missions in force, but were inserted in small teams to carry out assassination, sabotage and other secret missions. Very little time was spent on vehicle training, nor was their a focus on large equipment, such as devastator weaponry. The Sigma's originally had unadorned and unpainted armor, no ornamentation of any kind under by order of the Emperor. In these things they knew they were different from their Space Marine brethren, including the fledgling Emperor's children who were just beginning their muster at this point.

 

What made them interesting were the things the Sigmas did not realize about their legion, things which were kept from them through their military and scholastic isolation...Unlike the Dark Angels or Emperors Children, who vastly outnumbered them, the Sigmas had no distinct psychological or physical tendencies, they were essentially blank in terms of psychological or social tendencies beyond valuing things which any military officers would be expected to value, honor, loyalty and efficiency. The DA were tactically brilliant if strict and a touch dour, while the emperors children approached all endeavors with an unusually high degree of enthusiasm and tenacity. The differences were subtle, but their were definite personality trends in the other 2,while the sigmas had a more natural spread of attitudes and tempers. The most important difference however was something the Sigma's took for granted, and a secret their oh so carefully crafted isolation was designed to protect... They were all psykers.

 

The day eventually came when all the people of Earth owed fealty to the Lightning Bolt... soon after great ships took to the skies, bearing the 1st, 3rd,4th, 5th, 6th and 7th legions to the stars to retake all that had been lost. It was after the Sigmas stood in parade formation, saluting their brothers who were practically strangers as they mounted their ships that the Emperor summoned them for an audience.

 

They assumed they were to receive their deployment orders to join the crusade, but this was not to be. 1000 Sigmas stood at attention as a golden light filled the great hall and the master of mankind entered. He stood before them and began a tale.

 

***

'You mighty few who stand before me must wonder why you are kept apart. You few who stand before me must wonder why it is that you alone bear no mark to call your own. No symbol upon which you can invest your honor. You must wonder why your training and lives are so different from your brothers...

 

As you have been taught, all legions owe their existence to a Primarch... and all Primarchs owe their existence to me. You know they were lost to us... to me. What you do not know is that I can yet feel them. Some have already fallen back to this side of reality, some still float in the immaterium though I cannot divine where, but all are coming. I foresee that soon my family will be reunited, and the next step in human evolution will begin in earnest...

 

Yes... I can sense them... hints...images... sparks of emotion... what I feel your brother marines also feel in a much simpler way. They are... influenced... they are touched by their sire. The Dark Angels, so serious, so deadly, so hard to life most of the time.... This is not some social phenomena. This is not a group influence on the individual. For indeed at no time during the formation of my first legion were such traits especially encouraged or discouraged. No, not social... These psychological tendencies are direct echoes of their sire's presence in the warp, and in their blood. From what I can discern, they are resonating to their Primarch... as are all the other legions.

 

But you my Sigmas... look to your armor. It reflects your own inner selves. Unadorned... uninfluenced. Plain and effective. The reason for this is, of all my children, I could never sense your sire, other than a fleeting surety that he yet lived. I have taken advantage of his absence in your psychology to give you training and knowledge your brother legions could not fully absorb with their pre-existing opinions and feelings. Of all legions, you have come closest to truly grasping my vision of a society founded on science and rationality. Just as you alone, with your unusually consistent psychic gifts, were capable of being taught of the warp as a group. If only there were more of you... I sometimes think that without your Primarchs psychic influence, your creation was far more difficult than your fellow legions. Without his psychic influence, the Sigma Legion will always be a small one... without his influence, your identity will be a blank template... no weaknesses... but no strengths either... such was your fate.

 

Until now.'

 

The Emperor paused a moment, waiting for the words to sink in. The Sigmas stared in rapt attention each wondering what came next.

 

The Emperor turned to his Custodes, and with a curt nod, the back gates of the chamber burst open, with 4 golden armored Custodes bringing forth a sheet covered object between them. They placed it before the legion and stepped back as the Emperor approached. With a gesture, the Lord of Mankind set the covering alight in a pyrokinetic blaze, and with a blinding flash the object stood revealed. A set of armor, Black, red and white, with a gleaming twin-tailed jewel on it's right shoulder, and the ancient mark of Sigma in white beside it. The armor was still unadorned with the devices typical of Space Marines... oaths of moment, skulls and other gothic imagery. It bore only the strange round twin tailed jewel and the imperial eagle in crimson across it's breast. Other modifications were evident, with a compact power pack and a unique helmet style... the armor was undoubtedly built for speed, stealth and power.

 

After allowing them a moment to take in the details, the Emperor spoke once more.

 

"Behold! Behold your icon! Behold your image! Behold a glimpse of your true selves! For the first time in 100's of years, I felt your primarch 3 days ago. He lives... he fights... little was revealed to me, save that he stands before the forces of the warp on the world he calls home, and that his followers march under the banner of a twin tailed comet. Other than these 2 images, I can only sense where he is, and more, that he is trapped there through means even I cannot fathom. You wonder why you were not released to the crusade as the others were? You wonder what your purpose will be? Your brother legions will find their sires out there in the void soon enough, but you, you my Sigmas, you must not find him, you must free him and bring him before me. He has fought the great enemy long before any of my other forces will, and his experience will be invaluable if I am to conquer the Web of Ancients.

 

Report to the Armories Sigmas. Gird yourselves in your true colors for the first time. Stretch your minds and feel your father. Prepare yourselves and gather what you would of supplies and equipment. Soon, you will board a ship built at my request by the Mechanicum, a star dreadnought capable of traversing the vast distance to your father. It was to be my flagship, but I can think of no better purpose for it than to return my noble son to my side. Members of the Mechanicum will accompany you and continue to research and upgrade your armor and defenses en-route, and provide their aid in freeing your father...

 

Before you depart, I would ask for 100 volunteers. Those who remain behind will be given a base on Titan, and continue using the armor, training and equipment you have used til now. I would not be without your unique talents all together. Be ready to break your ties you who step forward! I myself will perform psycho serjury on each of you, breaking your connection to your Primarch. You will never wear the true colors or the Sigma Legion, for you already wear your true colors. To knowledge and purity you will devote yourselves, you will remain my unblemished, uninfluenced warriors, neither black nor white... my few, my Grey Knights.

 

Go now 2nd legion! Do not delay, great works wait for you and your father upon your return!'

 

***

 

After many long years at warp, the Sigma's finally arrived at their Primarchs planet. When they arrived, alarms on their massive Star Dreadnought, Malleus Rex, immediately began screaming, the cogitaors reporting massive psionic turbulence and static. The Mechanicum crew advised that sending probes towards the planet and remaining at the system outskirts was the most prudent course, and the legion commanders reluctantly agreed, so close to their goal, yet so frustratingly far.

 

The probes returned strange telemetry from the planet... Their seemed to be a network of artificial constructs in orbit around the world, readings were all over the place as to their nature... They read as organic, crystal and metal all at once, with several huge crystals focusing what seemed to be a containment field with stasis like isolative qualities. Beneath the shield... a contradiction. Most of the world was earth-like, lush forests in a southern continent, deserts to the south of the largest continent, forests and prairie... But the poles... the poles were bleeding raw warp space! Their were readings of destroyed structures made of similar materials to the orbiting satellites at both poles... the areas surrounding them were corrupt beyond anything previously seen with warp energies... even manifesting immaterial entities on this side of reality, as well as corrupting what appeared to be human, eldar, ork and squats, amongst others sentient species. The planet was unprecedented... a half normal, half warp-world, inexplicably populated by a variety of seemingly unrelated aliens and humans... Not much more information was gathered before the probe ceased transmitting.

 

Many attempts were made to reach the planet and breach the shields to find the Primarch... many deaths, many near successes, many complete failures. A decade later, the legion had no choice but to concede that with their current means there was no way to reach their Primarch. With heavy hearts and vows to return, the Malleus Rex translated through the turbulent warptides in the region and began the long journey home.

 

Little did they know that translating to warp from that system's unique psionic environment would bend time far more than normal on their return journey. Little did they know when they emerged back in Imperial space, 30 years would have passed for them since leaving Terra, but 10000 years had passed in the Imperium.

 

Little did the Imperium know how displeased the Sigma Legion would be with what they found.

 

***********

 

 

K wasn't expecting to belt that out lol, but there you go, the concept.

 

Now the dude -

[sisko11]

Ok, so here we go, the goods -

The first couple of pics are the original w.i.p -

Flash forward, I have a massive Space Hulk project I am working on, and had ordered a ton of conversion bits, plastirod, plasticard and all kinds of other toys I never had to play with before, and as a testbed I figured it best if I test out scratch building something. Then I figured, hey, if this dude is supposed to be a Sigmar Marine... where's the hammer at!? So here we go -

The idea is that I didn't want any Gothic on these guys whatsoever, and I wanted them looking higher tech than the average post heresy marine... so, smoother lines, smaller power pack, streamlined helmet. It was also my first attempt at NMM, which will be refined. I am considering adding some OSL to the plasma pistol, and possibly some of the jewels, but I have rarely seen red so a few experiments first will be in order. The right shoulder with be red on top, black with the white stripe below the extra armored top as with the other side. Backpack top red as per my avatar, hammer tbd. Basically I am trying to keep the entire marine tri-chromatic... nothing but crimson, ivory and black. Only exception will be the blue plasma coils, and perhaps a green crystal on the laser sight. Weathering and chips will include some browns and greys.

Im prepping additional materials for the base and it's GS rocks, including some home made long grass tufts, made from an old straw colored paint brush. Plan to add some sand of course, a few clumps of regular static grass, and drill some bullet holes with carbon scoring into the rock. Do you guys think I should keep it a uniform desert beige color for all the rocks, or should I try mixing in some greys?

This dude is still pretty wip, so I would love any input to apply before I go too much farther... Thanks!

[savis]

Hate the fluff. Love the model, very unique and with a great paint scheme. Is the jewel on the shoulder sculpted on or is it "cut-and-pasted" from some other model?

[Asrech]

Overall I like the figg, the color and shape of the helmet to me gives too much of a "sport" feel, like it belongs to a future athlete in tights, not the ultimate killing machine. Mabe without the stripe that feeling will go away, since the shape in itself looks good.

The rest of the painting looks solid my friend :whistling:

 

Now the fluff... To each their own, and it's to each person to make up their chapter and it's rules. Throne knows I'm not a normal chapter since I have 8 companies, orders within them etc etc. But one of the things I think you should be carefull of ( you meaning everyone ) and that is ruffing up canon stuff to much.

 

Doing some artistic interpretation of major battles, saying that you had a company fighting XXX hive fleet alongside XXX or Waagh ZZZZ is fine, but the BIG stuff should IMHO be left alone. And you're going for the foundation of the GK, one of the missing primarchs and the emperor himself. That brother is not going big, that's humongous :P

 

Not wanting to beat you down here, just saying that a story like that probably wont win many over, as it's like saying that "my chapter were the ones that recaptured macragge after the 1st comp ultras had been slaughtered, THEN Calgar came down, and stole the glory." It's just reaching after too much.

 

I'd say stick with the basics, that they were from one of the missing primarchs, and that they were a bit different from the others, heck you can keep the psyker idea! But I'd scratch the emperor singleing them out, and the trip through time/space ( If you aren't hinting at Warhammer FB sigmar, then ignore this statement cause I must have missunderstood >.< ). Keep the "special ops" with the extra trim weapons, and even the time-flux of them being gone for 30/10.000 years, such things happen. But skip the part that your chapter is the founding fathers of the grey knights.

 

In the end of things, it's your chapter, you are the author of their fate, so all my oppinions are just that, my oppinions. So you can chose to head them or just say "Bah humbug!" and keep going. :D

I am looking forward to more models though!

 

Cheers!

[ephrael]

I'll weigh in here as well. I love the model, the colors, the tech, the helmet, the hammer, cables, etc. I was actually looking at your avatar in another topic and wondering after your chapter. I am usually not a fan of non-cannon missing primarch stories or armies but I find yours interesting. Some will like it others will hate it. The important thing to remember is that this is the PCA section so most people should just focus on the models anyway. Post up some more marines if you would, I would like to see some other helmet variations if you have any in mind.

[Fire Lord Captain]

Very nice model and well written fluff! The helmet looks ace!

 

I'm one of these people that don't mind what fluff you produce for your chapter, each to their own I say, but be warned their are fluff nazis among us :)

[Drudge Dreadnought]

A very striking colorscheme. I like it very much. Fluff is interesting. I like it but can also understand why others might not.

 

I'm one of these people that don't mind what fluff you produce for your chapter, each to their own I say, but be warned their are fluff nazis among us

 

You know, you don't have to label everyone who may think certain bits of the lore are best left untouched as "fluff nazis".

[Fire Lord Captain]

A very striking colorscheme. I like it very much. Fluff is interesting. I like it but can also understand why others might not.

 

I'm one of these people that don't mind what fluff you produce for your chapter, each to their own I say, but be warned their are fluff nazis among us

 

You know, you don't have to label everyone who may think certain bits of the lore are best left untouched as "fluff nazis".

 

Apologies if I offended you it was not my intention. Just a joke hence my little ninja smiley which you left off my quote.

[Drudge Dreadnought]

Ah, my mistake. No harm done.

 

The smiley wasn't in my quote because i directly copied yours instead of using the quote function.

[Lord Commander Vulkus Dorn]

Be that as it may, I find nothing wrong with his fluff. As someone who's seen it change a lot (RT-5th) I find this interesting. He makes no variations of anything established, only builds on already known facts. The GK reference could possibly have occurred. The fact that we know nothing of Legions 2 and 11 have been an unsolved mystery since it was established in 2nd ed. And the nod to WHFB's Sigmar as a missing Primarch was a runaway idea for some folks for a time. So you should all relax on his interpretation of how he views things. We all have different points of view, and as such our perceptions are different.

 

 

Now, the model looks cool. Continue on as you were and show off some more of your work

[sisko11]

Lol thanks guys! Totally understand about the fluff lol, it got much the same mixed reaction back in 04, although that post is long gone so I had to wing it re-writing it last night. As mentioned by LCV, at the time, there was a lot of speculation about a link between 40k and fantasy, and tbh I thought it was quite an entertaining concept. This is what led to the Sigma Legion, as I was thinking, ok, if Sigmar was a Primarch, what would his legion look like, and why did they disappear? In fact, I'm gonna edit the first post to say it's just a 'what if Sigmar was a Primarch concept'. Ironically, since 04 it has become pretty clear Sigs wasn't a Primarch that crashed down to earth in a pod or from space, seems he just had an awesome hammer and was a cool guy lol for the most part. *wh legends book... To be fair though, the HH books don't describe the Primarchs as having any particular special powers for the most part... bigger, stronger yes, but as far as I can remember, no one but Magnus has so far shown any powers of any kind yet, so maybe the door is still open? :)

 

Not planning on starting an army of these guys, I am way too invested in my giant Space Hulk Complete project to turn back now lol, but I thought he deserved to be finished after all this time. He started as a testbed model of sorts, with the nmm, re-posing and GS rocks, and he will finish out like he started, testing OSL, the scratch built hammer and modified pack, and long grass tufts.

 

To answer a specific question from savis, the Chapter symbol on the right shoulder was sculpted in GS in a not very efficient or smart manner and not nicked off anything else (After having seen a few tutorials on GS, there were definitely easier ways to sculpt it lol). I designed it to be a clean and graphic version of the twin tailed comet.

 

Since no one has thrown up in their mouths at the hammer and wires, I will continue painting him lol! Thanks guys, hope that clears up about the fluff for those whom it bothered! Just thought the background theories that inspired him would lend a bit of understanding to the model design.

[War Angel]

the fluff is Great! and im normaly against stuff like that?!?

 

It's a possilbe explination for the lost chapter that ive never seen before. youre only problem being that in the HH books, supposedly all 20 where found (but i dont like thoes books any how)

 

only thing i would say about it is i would think he would send the 900 on there way then announce to the 100 that there now grey knights. Aside from that i doubt they could ever tell any one that their the lost legion. we know what you said because were on the inside, but to the outside, no one would know any thing about this strange chapter. (cause there only chapter strenght)

 

i think its actualy a very good attempt at a lost legion chapter. But no one eles should try it, Cause there can only be two...

 

 

as for the model, its a pitty you dont make an army of these guys... that is a sick design, only thing i dont like about it is the cables... it would be so easy to get cought on in the heat of combat. but man, that is epic right there

 

 

PS, whats with the 3? shouldnt it be a 2?

 

and i remember reading something about each primarc was supposed to have a power reflecting one of the emperors 20 powers. so if HH books arnt doing that, then they need to be shot. I hate how much cannon changes, I think sigmar should be youre primarch dude.

[sisko11]

Lol the cables are a bit OTT for sure lol... I think the pack automatically retracts them based on arm position ;)

 

I read the HH books, and none of them describe the primarchs as having any powers whatsoever, besides being a bit bigger and stronger than a marine. No fireballs, lightning bolts, telepathy or anything of that nature... I was pretty dissapointed too... after all that, they really aren't that big a deal. I miss when 40k used to be a bit more sci-fi at its core as opposed to just the appearance...

[Solamus]

Nice job. ;)

 

I'm not entirely convinced by the clipping of the vents off the backpack (I think it would look better with them on or maybe smaller ones al la early RT backpacks), but other than that it looks great. Sort of the Space Marine evolution that didn't go so (tiredly so IMO ;) ) Gothic.

 

Is the helmet GSd? Or shaved down? It's hard to see from the pic.

[Feytor]

This helmet... IT'S A SUPERBOWL MARINE!!

[War Angel]

explination on the M?

[sisko11]

Hey guys , to answer a few questions -

 

That isn't a 3 or a sideways M, its the math symbol for Sigma - Σ

 

The helmet is gs'd, I wanted a macross'ish peak, inspired by some of Madscuzzy's sketches. Wanted to ditch the mo-hawk vent but not make the head smaller.

[sisko11]

Alright, bit of an update -

Pretty much finished the base, 8-9 layers and about 3 washes on the rocks though it may not seem like it in the pic lol. Home made long grass tufts, pretty happy with the bottom overall. Will leave the rim til last.

On the Sigma himeself, drilled the plasma pistol, base coated everything, and finished the red on the pack, shoulder and pistol tip. There will be soot marks, chipping and weathering added at the end though... Still deciding exactly how to handle the hammer, will especially have to research upright cylindrical NMM before I have a proper go... In any case, coming along!

Comments welcome, thanks for all posts so far!

[Denrik Greymane]

Your model is great, however I think there is too much red. Just my opinion, don't know what you could do to lessen the red, but other than that, your painting is really quite good =]

[Draeden]

Great model. Though I'd agree with Denrik on the red. Might I suggest varying the colour of the power cables and adding a design to the left shoulder? It'd help break up the red...

[Fire Lord Captain]

I don't think there's too much red, I mean its not as bad as a blood angel. I love the model and the idea behind it all. 40k evolution!

[Dejay]

I think the red is fine too, he looks cool. He's going to spear you first then smash you with his hammer :(

[War Angel]

reds fine, model is amazing

[FreakForge]

Really nice work on the helmet !. have a very speedy design.

 

The work on the wires and hammer is also very well executed.

 

And the colour scheme, well... you will gonna lose your mind painting a entire force with such complicated design ;) .

 

 

I hope to see more of this more often.

 

Regards

[sisko11]

Finally finished him -

http://coolminiornot.com/pics/pics14/img4b837c03e954c.jpg