Angels Sorrowful WIP (01/04/17 update: Sanguinor WIP)

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

Having acquired a Blood Angels Codex and done a bunch more reading, I think I am getting a bit closer to settling on the fluff for my army. Fortunately with your help here on the B&C I think I've got my first purchases and the tabletop tactics of the chapter sorted out. I'd appreciate your thoughts on my other ideas ...

Here is the colour scheme I am thinking of. It seems a bit monochromatic, but looks okay. I tried out a Bleached Bone chest eagle everything isn't just white and purple:



I'm thinking for teminators, this:



If anyone has ideas on how to spice-up the colour scheme, or if you think it's good, let me know. Whenever there are extra stuff like capes or helmet crests, they will probably be Red Gore or equivalent (for example, sergeants will have helmet crests and shoulder capes, as I will use these models: http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/New_Stuff/SPAC...OMMAND_SET.html).

As mentioned here, my "working name" for them is Angels Sorrowful. And unless I hear a better idea, I will probably stick with that. I also considered Angels of Lamentation, or Mourners. What do my brethren of the Blood Angels forum think sounds better?

Chapter symbol will go on left shoulder pad in white on the purple background. I will either go with a single blood drop, or a chalice with a drop of blood above it if my freehand skills are equal to the task (probably not, so I may just order the GW metal shoulder pads). On the right shoulder they'll have codex astartes markings. Right knee will bear squad marking. Not sure what colour to make bolt pistols ... black?

Since discovering that successor chapters can have their own successors, I am considering making my chapter successors of the Lamenters (hence the sorrowful/lamentation in the name) because I do want to give them a similar "take" on the Blood Angels pathos, although they can be plenty bloodthirsty in combat. The Angels Sorrowful attempt to keep the Red Thirst in check by focusing on emotions of sorrow over Sanguinius' sacrifice rather than anger. They are also prone to depression as their parent chapter is. How did it come to pass that the Lamenter's got a successor chapter? Well, the powers that be, thinking that they'd kicked the geneseed flaw with the Lamenters, decided to give it another go. However, the intended results did not occur. While the Angels Sorrowful tend to be very melancholy, they actually find that MORE of their battle brothers succumb to the Black Rage on the eve of battle and as such the Chapter has been fighting for its survival from the very beginning as a disproportionate number of their number go to honourable deaths in the Death Company.

Therefore, for this fluff reason, I will have a self-imposed requirement to have at least one death company unit in my army always.

Let me know what you guys think. Thanks.

[Pavement Artist]

That's a rather good idea sir. As a lamenter head myself, id like it if your guy's take on things was rather than bearing out their grief stoically like the lamenters do, they give it full expression in battle. Hence your death company.

 

Anger is one of the stages of grief after all

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

Thanks, Witchunter Kraine, I really like your idea. I will incorporate it into my fluff.

 

What do you think of the potential names I listed?

[Pavement Artist]

Angels of lamentation is good though quite close to lamenters. Maybe work in other funerary terms like dirge?

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

Quite close to Lamenters is fine with me, since they are a successor chapter of the Lamenters. But I'll brainstorm some other options also.

 

By the by, is there a fair bit of fluff on the Lamenters in Imperial Armour 9, and would you recommend picking it up for developing my background, or is there not much more than what's on Lexicanum?

[Pavement Artist]

There's about four pages of detailed fluff on them as well as the same number of illustrations for them. It's roughly the same as a chapter approved. What you get in Lexicanum is the bare bones really. I'd recommend the book purely because the Badab war fluff itself is quite nice as well as the fun scenarios. Also you get the rules for Malakim Phoros the lamenters chapter master, who might be someone you wish to use as a counts as chapter master for your folks.

[Chaplain Hiltraud]

Hey Nicodemus Dolorosus, cool idea.

 

To be honest, I'm not crazy about the purple colour scheme - it's close to Hawk Lords and pre-heresy Emperors Children - but I still like it. When I think of marines full of woe and sorrow, I think of deep dark colours; I don't know where you are headed with the scheme but I'd keep it dark. That's just my opinion though and, at the end of the day, you're the one who needs to be happy with your marines ;)

 

Name wise I did a really quick thesaurus search for sorrowful/woeful and the best I came up with was:

 

Angels Epiphoric?

 

[epiphoric - 'epi-for-ick']

adj. - pertaining to a torrent of tears

 

Chapter symbol could be a skull (I think there's a transfer in the tac squad box?) with a blood drop under one eye?

 

Hopefully, some of that helps :)

 

Yours in Honour, Faith and Blood,

Chaplain Hiltraud

[Killax]

Personally I think it's a bit to far away from the colours I like :D.

 

Nontheless, pruple marines look cool, so go for it.

I wouldn't personally mix red and purple however, can't really say why.

 

Yours in Honour, Faith and Blood, Blood for the Bloodgod.

 

Killax

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

Thanks for the comments, Chaplain Hiltraud and Killax. I know that purple marines as a BA successor chapter (i.e. non-red marines) isn't going to be popular with everyone, but I personally really like the look of it. The shade of purple may prove to be the problem; I like your idea, Chaplain Hiltraud, to keep the colours dark. In the Citadel Paint line there isn't a whole lot of variety in the purple field, and they discontinued Imperial Purple (a very dark purple that I liked) long before the new line came out. I'm not a big fan of mixing paints because it is time consuming (and I have little enough time to paint as it is) but more importantly because of the potential for inconsistency from model-to-model.

Looking at their painting guide, if I want to stick to Citadel Paints in purple, my only real option is a Naggaroth Night base, then Xereus Purple, and a Genestealer Purpler highlight. They have this combo listed as how to do Dark Elves, which I guess is the purple you see here: http://www.games-workshop.com/MEDIA_Custom...ain_873x627.jpg

Unless someone has a suggestion for non-Citadel paints that could be used?

I'm satisfied that my Chapter colours will be sufficiently different from the Hawk Lords and Emperor's Children since they used a yellow/gold and purple combination, whereas mine will have white/silver.

The name Angels Epiphoric is an interesting option. I'll definitely give it careful consideration. I like your idea for a chapter symbol. I will have to look at a marine transfer sheet to see if there's a skull there. A tear/blood drop should be easy enough to freehand.

 

EDIT: I deleted the picture of someone else's purple terminators with red helmets because more than one person has mistakenly thought they were my minis.

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

As promised in the Call to Chaos thread, I went out and bought my first miniatures to start building my army. I decided to go with what is currently inspiring me and started building Chapter Master Nicodemus Dolorosus (counts-as Dante) and his Honour Guard. Here are some "quick-and-dirty" WIP photos I took on my iPhone this evening to let you see how it's going so far. Comments and criticism welcome.

 

Obviously, I've got a fair bit of knife and green stuff work to go yet, need to cover up or otherwise obliterate all of those Ultramarines icons! Barrels need to be drilled, etc. But I am happy with how it is going so far. First up, Nicodemus Dolorosus minus his axe (waiting for my local gaming store to get in some Sanguinary Guard on Thursday):

 

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2012/11/13/430664_md-Nicodemus%20Dolorosus%20WIP.JPG

 

I had considered doing some major surgery on him to give a more dynamic pose with running legs and outstretched infernus pistol, but opted to keep the model's natural posture (a) because it's WAY less work, (;) I'm not very good with green stuff and this would require lots of GSing, © I was definitely not prepared to put that kind of work into the whole Honour Guard and they are all in standing positions, and (d) the pensive stance, cooly surveying the battlefield, fits my mental image of Nicodemus Dolorosus (right before he flies into a homicidal rage, of course).

 

Next up, the Company Standard (Sang. Guard will get the Chapter Standard) and Blood Champion. The Blood Champion is the closest to being complete, just need to fill-in the inverted omegas on the leather straps. The standard bearer of course needs a right arm; I am planning on sticking the Assault Marine Sergeant pointing power fist there. GS strap for the meltagun will of course be added in due course:

 

http://images.dakkadakka.com/s/i/gallery/img/2012/11/13/430667_md.JPG

 

Finally, two "generic" Honour Guard with meltaguns. I am also waiting for their storm shields to arrive in the mail. I went with the Hitechminatures angel shields (http://hitechminiatures.com/_shop/userFile...ds_gray_jpg.jpg). I plan on using the top two.

 

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2012/11/13/430665_md-Honour%20Guard%20WIP.JPG

 

Thoughts on how to hide the smurf icons appreciated.I'm going to try GSing most of the into skulls, and cover some others up with purity seals. I'm debating adding the iron halo from the DC backpack onto Nicodemus' jump pack, but don't want him looking too cluttered. As noted above, the main army will be purple, but I am going to paint Nicodemus in a white/gold colour scheme, having been inspired by this old-school pic:

 

http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120408013744/warhammer40k/images/a/a0/Space_Crusade_box_front.jpg

 

I'm going to do his honour-guard up in white also. They'll all have purple capes to tie them into the rest of the army. I am thinking of giving the HG red helmets, though, per the paint scheme above with terminators/veterans having red helmets (all my veteran sergeants will have red helmets, too).

 

So what do you think so far?

[Sokhar]

I never really paid attention to the banner that Calgar's Honor Guard carries, otherwise I'd have been excited about how easily that would look to fit as a BA banner. Might need to see about acquiring that figure now. Marines look great! Your commander does look a wee bit busy, though it kinda stands out more because he's got a jump pack. On foot his wardrobe and bling is understandable, but the thought of all that stuff whipping through the air at high speeds might be a bit off. Though its 40k, so logic need not apply.

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

Nicodemus Doloroso, Lord of Tears, Keeper of the Silent Watch, Master of the Angels Sorrowful, is almost complete. C&C welcome before I base and varnish him:

 

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2012/11/23/434164_md-Nicodemus%20Doloroso.jpg

[Axira]

Now that is one beautiful conversion and paintjob you got one that mini!

Even thou I am not to sure on the White armor (mabey that's just the captain or honour guards sheme).

 

Also how did you do the purple? And I demand a picture of his back, so the full cape is shown!

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

Thanks, Axira!

 

The purple cape was actually quite straightforward, and I shall use the same recipe on my regular marines (the white is only for the Chapter Master and his Honour Guard): Naggaroth Night base coat --> Xereus Purple layer --> Genestealer Purple highlight --> Lucius Lilac light highligh; then washed the whole thing with Druchii Violet to tone-down the Genestealer and Lucius a little and darken the recesses of the cape.

 

And here are some further pictures, as per your request (now with basing done, so I consider this model pretty much complete):

 

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bQkXeZDzGnQ/ULBBsSt3SBI/AAAAAAAAAzQ/rGhWTKewOLw/s1600/Nicodemus%201.jpg

 

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q-Mzgx3RqCk/ULBBytpzGEI/AAAAAAAAAzY/3nO1O_CW_3A/s1600/Nicodemus%202.JPG

 

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oW7E6pJpxpA/ULBB4r69rPI/AAAAAAAAAzg/WBAbT_JZcMA/s1600/Nicodemus%203.JPG

[The_Excubitors]

Awesome work! I have a command squad that is converted from those same models. You did a great job with hand positioning and the final paint job for Nicodemus Dolorosus, can't wait to see the rest!

[Arkangilos]

Very nice!

 

The only problem I have has to do with the fluff. They wouldn't really be a successor to the Lamentors because the 21st founding was considered a cursed founding. All of the chapters of that founding had some sort of problem that went with it, and so they wouldn't really reuse the geneseed from those chapters.

 

However, they don't have to be Lamentor Successors simply because of the their style or their name. I mean, the Lamentors were Blood Angel Successors, and did not share the style or name, the Flesh Terrors as well.

 

Do you know what I mean?

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

Thanks, Telanicus.

 

Thanks especially for the comments on the fluff. It's definitely a good point, but as bad of an idea as the 21st Founding was in the first place (tinkering with gene seed), humans are prone to repeating stupid things so it doesn't seem inconceivable that someone might have tried again, especially since, as I read the fluff, the Lamenters (aside from bad luck) were seen as being a success even to the point of being free from the Black Rage. On the other hand, I see that most of the 21st founding chapters were being purged within the same millenium of their creation so your point is well-taken.

 

I thought it interesting to note that in Imperial Armour 9/10, several of the chapters have a flat "NONE" listed for successors, including the Minotaurs, Sons of Medusa, and Marines Errant. Whereas the Lamenters and Firehawks (also 21st Founding) have listed "NONE CLAIMED OR ACKNOWLEDGED" which seems to leave the possibility of successors open in my mind. It occurs to me that I could take GW's lead and have the progenitors of my chapter ambiguous. The Angels Sorrowful tend towards a dark melancholia and their chapter symbol includes a black-and-white chequy pattern, so many suspect that they are Lamenters successors. However, the Lamenters do not acknowledge them. Perhaps the Angels Sorrowful to not press a claim of kinship with the Lamenters, either, because of the black reputation of the 21st Founding. Therefore their true progenitor is left in mystery, although they are clearly Blood Angel Successors of some sort even to outsiders given their maintenance of a Sanguinary Priesthood, Sanguinary Guard and other distinctly Blood Angel ritual and organization. Plus, as noted, they have an abnormally large Death Company (although outsiders wouldn't know this). What do you think of that?

[Arkangilos]

Sounds good to me. Are you going to write it up like an IA?

[Morticon]

cannot believe I havent seen this until now. LOVE IT!

 

Absolutely love it.

 

The scheme is so much of kick ass its unreal. Those terms are gorgeously done!

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

Mort -- I cannot take credit for the terminators, as they are someone else's minis. Just something I took inspiration from.

 

So far, the only painted mini on this thread that's mine is Nicodemus Doloroso.

 

I've made decent progress on my first Sanguinary Guard squad and I think I'm going to do a tactical squad next.

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

Finished my first Sanguinary Guard squad (part of my LPC vow). Here it is:

 

http://images.dakkadakka.com/s/i/gallery/img/2013/2/25/467462_md.JPG

 

Closeup view of the power fist Sanguinary Guard:

 

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2013/2/25/467466_md-.JPG

[Aqui]

Having seen more than a few Blood Angel (and successors such as the Lamenters) recently, I'm sorely, sorely, sorely tempted to revisit the idea of making a DIY Blood Angel successor myself.  Either that actually starting Lamenters.  Love your Nicodemus Doloroso Character and Sanguinary Guard.  The white and purple are gorgeous as is the shade of gold ^_^  I was rather sceptical of the use of Ultra Marine parts, but I have to admit you've done well in making them look other than for what they were intended.

 

Can't wait to see more ^_^

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

Good gravy, I can't believe it's been almost two years since I posted to this thread or made much progress ... I did get sidetracked by my Death Korps, but still.

Anyway, I've been having a major hankering to get back to work on these guys but have been holding back a bit to see what happens with the new codex that's rumoured to be soon. However, I had the bitz and figure that Sanguinary Priests aren't going anywhere so here's my first one:

I got my inspiration from the Sanguinary Priest pictured in the White Dwarf from about 15 years ago with the Index Astartes article on the Blood Angels. I'll paint him up white like the SP in that article as well. I really ought to start doing some regular purple marines so you can actually see my scheme. I have enough bitz to build 5 tactical marines. I figure I should have at least SOME tacticals in my army although I will mostly do an aggressive jump-pack army as long as its legal in the future.

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

As mentioned, it's a self-imposed fluff-based rule for the Angels Sorrowful that they always have a Death Company to represent the rapid deterioration of the Chapter vis-a-vis the Flaw. Here's my first Death Company squad, which I built with hopes that the jump packs will be more reasonably priced under the new codex. I'm thinking that to keep myself occupied while waiting for the new codex before making purchases, is to kit-bash a Lemartes.

I'm in the process of painting the Sanguinary Priest. Once he's done I think I'll paint up one of the many unused old-school Grey Knights I have in blue to make him a Librarian. I'll just convert the halberd into an axe methinks.

EDIT: On the topic of a Librarian, can anyone share a recipe for Librarian Blue using the new Citadel paints?

[JamesI]

Really love your work so far!

 

 

To show the flaw overtaking a chapter, I used to run my a counts as Astorath the Grim as my chapter master (making it likely most of my models fell to the red thirst and allowing lots of Death Company).