Heralds of Devastation, now with WIP IA @ post 10

[Grotsmasha]

So I've come up with the following four colour schemes for my Heralds of Devastation.

Which of the four do you feel suits the Unforgiven, which is your favourite? As far as markings go, the whole left greave will bare the company and Tac/Ass/Dev symbol I also intend on using the mushroom cloud symbol which previously belonged o the Fire Hawks.

Cheers,

Jono

[Chaplain Lucifer]

Yellow with red arm is my favourite of the options shown.

[Brother Immolator]

Purple/majenda,not many marines with that colour around.

[The DIA!]

I'm gonna have to agree with immolator on this. And might I add I really like the one arm painted differently scheme

[JeffJedi]

The Purple might look best since it is as dark as the green of our chapter.

[Akatriel]

I like the purple too, as others have said, is a rarely seen color, and ties nicely with the rest of the Unforgiven. I love the name, too, it´s awesome.

[EPK]

Purple might be interesting, yes.... I wonder what the purple would look like with a DA green arm (or maybe black) for a reference to the parent chapter.

 

We'll I like the other color schemes, they all feel like they can be applied to other Chapters.

[Bryan Blaire]

Personally, I wouldn't do a blue in that hue because it says Ultramarines/Librarians to me, plus the yellow arm just doesn't seem to provide any connection to DA lineage. I wouldn't do the Yellow, simply because sullen/dark yellow looks like actual baby poo to me, and any brighter makes me think Imperial Fists.

 

I like the red, although I'd make it almost as dark as possible, possibly slipping even past the deep red of "Khorne Red" in the new paint line (I'd almost go with Khorne + Nuln Oil, line highlight with pure Khorne or 1:1 Khorne:Wazdakka, then Wazdakka Red as a partial line highlight and a Bloodletter glaze to enrich the red if it looks too oppressive (I am hoping to actually use this as one of the reds in my examples thread), and I'd consider a green arm instead of yellow. Red+yellow says too much BA, instead of DA, to me.

 

The deep purple looks good, I think, but could be a serious pain to paint. You could also do a more Crimson Fists midnight-ish blue, but I would definitely use the green arm then. For the purple, I'd consider a very deep red (as above) or even the DA green arm.

[Brother-Sergeant Bohemond]

I like the yellow. The colour has nothing, really, to do with geneseed imo and the yellow with red arm looks pretty nice to me. Its the best in terms of colour and eye catching as well. And the new paints will make yellow a breeze.

[Grotsmasha]

Cheers lads, Purple and red it is. So here is my very WIP IA for The Heralds of Devastation, please critique away, any help or suggestions would be appreciated

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***

HERALDS OF DEVASTATION

Origins

The Heralds of Devastation are officially counted among the Chapters of the 23rd Founding, or Sentinel Founding of the late 37th Millennium, a fact that has been contested several times by many Imperial historians. The debate stems from official Fire Hawk combat records listing the Heralds participation and engagements in the turmoil of the Age of Apostasy more than 1000 years prior, leading to several claims that the Heralds belong to the Cursed 21st Founding, their constant bad luck lends credence to these claims. When confronted by the Administratum for clarification, the Grand Master of the time replied, “It does not matter how long we have fought the enemies of mankind, it only matters that we still do”.

Homeworld

The Heralds of Devastation homeworld, Scrillax V, was once a death-world equal to Catachan, or Caliban of old. The Scrillax system, located beyond the Exodite worlds of the Eastern Fringe, contained just one gas giant world with six orbiting moons. Scrillax III the largest moon, matched ancient Terra for size. The Heralds made the uninhabited fifth moon of the system, a vicious death-world, their home and training ground.

In the year of 759.M38, the Scrillax system was besieged by a massive Ork Waaagh !!!, believed to have numbered in the billions, as it advanced from beyond known space. With all three of the chapters Battle Companies, two full Reserve Companies and more than half of the elite First and Second Companies deployed elsewhere in the galaxy, Grand Master Naarion sent out a desperate plea for aid to any and every Imperial force within astropathic range. The system fell quickly, the Heralds were insurmountably outnumbered, and commited to selling their lives dearly. The space battle was lost before it began, all of The Heralds potent and powerful warships were elsewhere in the galaxy. The remaining companies were split between their homeworld and the two other habited worlds of Scrillax II and III and prepared to sell their lives dearly. The massive Ork Waaagh!!!! steam rolled through the system, every man, woman and child was slaughtered, not a single soul survived.

Due to the fickle nature of the warp, the plea for aid did not reach the rest of the chapter for almost 200 years (912.M38). Calling on bonds of friendship and trust, earned in the Age of Apostasy, Master Baelthan of the Veteran 1st Company returned to the Scrillax and its surrounding systems with all remaining Heralds and three full companies from the Fire Hawks chapter. In a crusade lasting 89 years that reduced the Heralds of Devastation's numbers to less than 250 marines, the Orks were removed entirely from all surrounding systems, not a single spore remained. With their homeworld once again in their care, The Heralds of Devastation set about the arduous task of rebuilding the chapter under Grand Master Baelthan's command.

It was in the year of 749.M41, that disaster befell the Scrillax system, again. This time there would be no reclaiming their home world, or system. Both were wiped from existence by a new threat to the galaxy, the Tyranid Hive Fleet later designated Behemoth. The Heralds of Devastation were almost wiped from history for a second time, struggling to fight an unknown enemy. Making an unpopular decision, Grand Master Decius, the third Grand Master in as many weeks, commanded the remaining 147 marines to cut and run for Macragge and warn the Imperium at large. Again, betrayed by the warp, The Heralds of Devastation did not arrive until the Ultramarines had already won Macragge and defeated Behemoth.

Since the second loss of their homeworld The Heralds of Devastation have become a fleet-based Chapter. They constantly patrol the Imperium's border along the Eastern Fringe, in their experience it is where they are needed most. They are in almost constant warfare with the Tau, ranging from small skirmishes to all out conflicts.

Training and Recruitment

The methods of recruitment and training used by The Heralds of Devastation are a closely guarded secret, known to none besides Supreme Grand Master Azrael, Lord of the Unforgiven Chapters, and perhaps Ezekial, Keeper of Secrets. The practice of Replicae is a hidden and disliked technology most of the Imperium would like forgotten. Rather than clone the complexity of a fully mature space marine, The Heralds of Devastation clone human male children. The Heralds have several facilities located on or near Imperial Death Worlds along the Eastern Fringe where clones are vat-grown to a comparable age of 5yrs old. From the moment they are 'born' they are trained to be space marines, by space marines in the most arduous of conditions, on the most terrifying worlds The Heralds can find. They are psycho-indoctrinated into the Chapters history and beliefs, they are trained to fight in both armed and unarmed combat. They endure 5yrs of arduous and life ending training and chapter education before they are ready for the implantation process to begin. Although clones of even beginnings, many fail and as little as 10% proceed to the implantation stage. All clones are known by a number designation until graduation from the Scout Company, when they gain the right to wear Power Armour, they given the right to choose for themselves a name from the chapters book of heros.

Stemming from this unique training and recruitment practice, is two significant deviances from the organisation and beliefs of their parent chapter, The Dark Angels. The first concerns when a marine first learns of The Unforgiven's shame. Due to the early age, and much stronger indoctrination, it is at the rank of Sergeant (excluding unsanctioned field promotions) that a marine first learns about the Legions legacy and his role in restoring it's honour. The second is due to the necessity of keeping their recruitment process secret, none may show their face to any outside the chapter, only the Grand Master bares that right. To this end all marines wear full-face balaclava's beneath their helms at all times should combat necessitate the removal of their helm.

Combat Doctrine

The Heralds of Devastation make use of both the Deathwing and Ravenwing formations, but not as two companies but one, The XXXXXwing. This tradition started after the reclaimation of their original homeworld, when Grand Master Baelthan chose his successors to the 1st and 2nd companies. In a situation that has yet to repeat itself, the cloning process, once, one time, created twins, two clones within the one vat. Why the Apothecarion allowed this anomaly to continue is unknown, but had they been terminated, two of the chapters greatest warriors would never have existed. The two brothers couldn't have been more different, which made them unique in an army of clones. The first, larger than most, Brother Vespire was very deliberate in his movements and decisions, when his course of action was decided, none could stand in his path. His brother, Thorin, quick to decide, quick to act, had a natural ability to choose the best options to maximise success, with what seemed like little thought. It was during the crusade to reclaim their home system that Master Baelthan had the opportunity to witness Vespire of the 1st and Thorin of the 2nd working their squads together in several joint missions. There was total cohesion, it seemed as each knew the others thoughts and would react to each others developing situations, typically resulting in victories where defeat was almost certain. When Grand Master Baelthan named them both his successors, and reformed the two companies into the XXXXXwing, the second company was reclassified as a forth Battle Company.

Combat Doctrine

- Armor Heavy? Very mobile

- Specializations?

- Intolerances?

Organization

- Inner Circle

- Color schemes

Present Activities

- Notable Characters

- Notable Battles

- Narrative about the Chapter at the dawn of the 41st Millennium

- Are they hunters of the Fallen? Do they even know about the Fallen?

Beliefs

Battlecry

"Poke 'em in the eye!"

"Repent! For tomorrow you die!"

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***

Ok, so this is my intended colour scheme,

with the ex-Fire Hawk chapter badge,

Thanks for reading, and let me know what you think.

Cheers,

Jono

[TheDarkAngelLion]

Hi grotsmasha, have you stopped completely With your dornian heresy DA? For colour, i would go with the purple scheme because of how dark it_is (stupid phone keyboard,wont acceptans space on my New rom sometimes)

[Grotsmasha]

Nope, not stopped more like, on hold. For this years LPC I painted a bunch of stuff for them. The problem is my 1yr old boy is at the 'I want everything you have' stage so I have little time to get everything out and complete the necessary GS ing for True Scaling. Seeing Angels_Blade's thread with the Chapter House kits may have persuaded me to try that route, as it's alot less labour intensive to get a squad ready.

 

Cheers,

Jono