+ Invaders Chapter +

[Radiation]

+ INVADERS Space Marine Chapter +



With the new Marine codex about to drop, and seeing the new kits, I've decided to rebuild the Invaders Chapter. After a quick trip to the FLGS I glued and painted up this Marine as a sort of proof of concept.

The Invaders were reduced to a dozen Marines in 913.M41. Rumors of the Chapter's continued activity are on record.

Their world destroyed, they became a space fleet with what little remained until the last three companies were lost. Logistically it has been less then a hundred years since the Chapters destruction, and I doubt they had anything left, other then the original dozen. There were some Inquisition forces around at the time of their destruction (GREY KNIGHTS) and the dozen appear to have been mind-wiped. Now, less than a hundred years later, rumors have the Invaders as active members of the Deathwatch as well as taking part in more than one campaign. A Marine Chapter on the rise out of the obscurity of annihilation. I started to think they may have fallen in with the Inquisition or some shadowy power within the Imperium (like everyone's favorite psycho-marines, the Minotaurs.) Some one could be helping them rebuild. I figured this would be a good place to start with my own ideas for the chapter.

I've decided to update the Chapters scheme. The current scheme is bright green with gold trim. Their badge is a skull superimposed over a white 5 point star. I thought it was a good start, but after reading about what Forgeworld did with the Minotaurs and the Badab War, I wanted to MILITARIZE my Invaders Chapter, just a little bit. The foundations for my idea were already there with the color green, and the white star. Why not just go a little bit more in your face with it.

The first thing was to reduce the original paint scheme kind of like how the Chapter was reduced to near destruction. So I went and bought some paint, I grabbed the Vallejo Gunmetal Grey (which is actually a blue silver, kind of like the Executioners) and I tried to find the WW2 US Army green, got the wrong one, but was able to salvage it by mixing some other colors (brown and devlan mud) with it. I figured these guys wouldn't really be interested in rolling around decked out in gold and bright green anymore (I wasn't interested in painting it). Maybe there was a sudden change in the traditions of the Chapter because all the old traditions were lost. Maybe there weren't any traditions left to follow, other than to wage war. The only things left to the new brothers were the color green, the five-point star and the name INVADERS.





There is only War.

[jeremy1391]

From a background stand point you don't have to fully change the scheme, this could be their night operations urban operations paint scheme.... I like the concept though.

[deathspectersgt7]

 I would keep the old icon .But like  how you see them.

[Inquisitor Eisenhorn]

I like everything about this scheme.

[Quixus]

The color scheme is nice. I would use green or a third color for the aquila/other chestplate ornament though.

[Firepower]

I'm not sure where I stand on this guy.  I do like seeing that shade of green for a change.  Dull colors are generally eschewed in favor of the football-team-bright color schemes.  However I think going wit the simple star symbol is a bit much, and would consider using the traditional emblem instead.  

 

I can't say I'm liking the metal, or the division of color.  I don't care much for that particular tint of metal, but more than anything it's just the way that some color is just perched atop this otherwise 'blank' model.  If you want to keep the metal as a dominant color, I would still recommend spreading that green to some other parts of the model, and would strongly recommend that things like the aquila and other details be painted something contrasting to the metal tone.

 

On a fluff note, being reduced to a dozen marines at the very very very ass end of the 41st millennium, they're just dead.  Period.  It takes a loooooooong time to make new Marines.  ;)

[Spinsanity]

A few points of note that I think you might want to keep in mind when working on the Invaders...

First of, they are featured in the new free iBook "How to paint tactical space marines" as an Imperial Fist successor, so hopefully being tagged with that geneline was already expected...

That said, I suspect they will be mentionned in the upcoming C:SM; their previous scheme remains and their colors are as was previously displayed : green armour, gold trims.

Hopefully the fluff on them will be limited in the new 'dex and won't contradict what you've come up with; otherwise you might want to look into using a different name?

Btw, I like the color scheme, although adding a bit more depth to the metallics (and maybe dulling it down a tone or two?) would help a bit. I've always been a fan of the Flesh Tearers split, so this was a given

[Heru]

Apparently they also appear in the Eldar Iyanden Supplement.

 

From Lexicanum:

In 999.M41, they battled both Eldar of Iyanden and Tyranids during campaigns against Hive Fleet Leviathan.

[Radiation]

Thanks for the comments guys.

 

So, a couple of words about the scheme choices. I painted that guy up yesterday, sort of a speed paint, to see if the concept would work visually. He was the test. The next step is to get the proper color army greens as well as develop the gunmetal silver. Once I have figured out how to paint those two colors things can get moving. As far as this being a special ops camo, it doesn't really matter at this point in the chapters history. Everyone is dead. Since all the marines I paint are wearing these colors and there are no other marines left (except the dozen) as soon as I paint a squad or two it will be the new current scheme for the chapter. 

 

The "simple star" is staying. That just isn't an option. It's the reason I picked this chapter. The chapter was destroyed. I don't see a problem with making this change. The interesting thing about the "fluff" is that these guys should be dead. They shouldn't be capable of an overnight rebuild. At least not through the proper Imperial channels and procedures. Yet there are reports of them still serving. So the question becomes, who are these guys? They don't look like the old Invaders. Their Chapter Badge isn't even the same. Where did they come from? That is part of the fluff I want to explore. To say, "...they're just dead. Period." is wrong because they're not. Someone with a lot of power has made sure they are still active.

 

Imperial Fist rumors are fine. That was the old Invaders. They are all dead. I don't know where these new ones got their geneseed. I'm looking forward to the new codex. If they change the fluff in some crazy way we will know very soon. 

[The Yak]

Chapter being rebuilt from the brink of destruction?

Nobody knows who or where these guys are from?

Muted greens and gunmetal?

 

I'm In for the ride brother!

 

Id suggest a white aquila to match the star.

 

Good luck with this.

[Veteran Sergeant]

I'm not sure where I stand on this guy. I do like seeing that shade of green for a change. Dull colors are generally eschewed in favor of the football-team-bright color schemes. However I think going wit the simple star symbol is a bit much, and would consider using the traditional emblem instead.

I can't say I'm liking the metal, or the division of color. I don't care much for that particular tint of metal, but more than anything it's just the way that some color is just perched atop this otherwise 'blank' model. If you want to keep the metal as a dominant color, I would still recommend spreading that green to some other parts of the model, and would strongly recommend that things like the aquila and other details be painted something contrasting to the metal tone.

On a fluff note, being reduced to a dozen marines at the very very very ass end of the 41st millennium, they're just dead. Period. It takes a loooooooong time to make new Marines.

Eh, some of the fluff suggests they stand up new Chapters in less than 100. It's 999. They've had 86 years, heh.

The fluff on them is fairly inconsistent, to be honest. Were the three companies that got decimated all three of their companies, or just three of them? Surely they should have rebuilt at least some of their strength. The Ultramarines only took 100 years to replace a Veteran company. The Firehawks were back and kicking in less than 100 too. Because the Iyanden book has them back in action against Iyanden in 999 with no mention of them being nearly extinct.

I think the idea of the "dying" chapter is a plot device, rather than a reality.

[Radiation]

Chapter being rebuilt from the brink of destruction?

Nobody knows who or where these guys are from?

Muted greens and gunmetal?

 

I'm In for the ride brother!

 

Id suggest a white aquila to match the star.

 

Good luck with this.

 

Thanks Yak, you got the main points. Your Raptors are great. What is their highlight color?

 

Veteran, from what little I've read, the Invaders homeworld was destroyed and they were reduced to three companies and being a space fleet. Then three more companies were destroyed in an all out assault less than 20 years later. This left a dozen marines that were mind-wiped by the Inquisition and left having no memory of the event (this is the point where my Invaders Chapter begins).

 

Now 85 years later in 999.M41 there are still reports of Invader activity. Who these new Invaders are, if they came about from the original dozen or by some other means, is fine with me. I found a place to have an independent group that fits within the current fluff. Mine happen to be less bright green and gold. 

[The Yak]

GW Elysian Green mate. Best paint of the new range (IMO). Water it down and you can do as you please with it.

 

So we know what's in the pipe line fluff wise but what are you planning miniature wise? What can we expect to see next?

[NemFX]

I made a splinter variant of the Invaders, where they were the bright green colour, but instead of the star and skull, it was one of the classic space invader 8bit monsters.

 

Cause they are the Space Invaders.

 

Its amusing that we had similar concepts and just went in opposite directions.

[Radiation]

Yak: I'm going to get the new troop kits on Friday if they don't sell out. I want to mix the three kits together along with an old tac kit I have and make a couple of Tactical squads to start. The main thing I am working on now is working on how to paint green and silver! I'm getting the green and hopefully will have a good formula tonight. Your Raptors thread is really helpful. I'm gonna run out and get some of that Elysian Green after the traffic dies down. Then on to the gunmetal and figuring out a way to make that work which I could see taking the weekend. Basically just try to get a playable army as soon as possible. I have a StormRaven  thats primed black and not put together yet and a few tanks on the sprues.

 

NemFX: Yeah, there is actually a lot of things going on with this chapter. Little green men  from outerspace called Invaders, with WW2 iconography. I just had to put mine in silver spacesuits and buff the WW2.

[Octavulg]

You can take a Chapter to full strength in 40 years, assuming sufficient geneseed reserves and available recruits.

[Firepower]

You can take a Chapter to full strength in 40 years, assuming sufficient geneseed reserves and available recruits.

 

Wow, seriously?  

 

Huh.  Major misunderstanding on my part.  Though there is the question of the average total gene-seed supply per chapter....

 

Oh well, this isn't a fluff subforum, so I'll just sit down and be quiet til you paint/model something I can nitpick instead :D

[Radiation]

Picked up some green paint and worked on getting a solid dirty combo. I've used Vallejo and GW paints and washes. I also got some of the brighter/light greens to do highlights/battle damage eventually, but I think this is a good tabletop standard to start with. It has a good weathered grungy look to it. Now, on to figuring out how to paint a decent gunmetal silver for the rest of the armor.

[Inquisitor Eisenhorn]

I'd like to add that I hope you keep the chapter badge just a star and skip the skull.  For some reason I think that really works.

[Octavulg]

Wow, seriously?

 

Huh. Major misunderstanding on my part. Though there is the question of the average total gene-seed supply per chapter....

See here, in the spoiler text. But yeah, forty should work OK.

 

And I have just noticed that the board seems to have totally eaten my awesome analysis of Space Marine casualty rates. How upsetting.

[Radiation]

Inquisitor Eisenhorn: Yes, the new badge will remain as just the star. The skull is cool, but its kinda cheesy. 

 

Octavulg: Cool analysis you got there of the growth rate of a chapter from basic scratch. I'm not sure if it would really work that way outside of statistics but it is interesting. For one thing, you have a chapter where all 1000 recruits are under the age of 60. I would imagine most established chapters have a few hundred marines in the 200-400 years range. That type of tactical experience would be unavailable to a chapter that was only forty years old. Its interesting to think of a fully operational chapter not having that asset. 

 

Part of what drew me to the Invaders was the 80 year timeline (its pretty close to your 40 year estimate). No one in the chapter (excluding the mysterious dozen) would be over 100 years old. So your looking at a group of relatively young superhuman soldiers with little to no chapter tradition to guide them. Everything the chapter had was lost. Its possible there were remnants of their fleet left in orbit after the final assault, but considering the Invaders had been fighting days for their survival before the Grey Knights showed up at the dozens last stand it seems unlikely. The arc of the Invader story, what little information there is, shows the Invaders most notable action to be the destruction of an eldar craftworld, followed by a swift one two punch leading to the chapters destruction. Not just the rank and file, but their homeworld, relics, ships, even the memories of the final days of the chapter.

 

I don't see the new marines as really caring anything about the old Invaders. I can even see many of them holding the old chapter in contempt. Would the dozen even have a place with them, within the leadership? My personal view is that the dozen have left to the deathwatch for good and that the new chapter is being controlled by someone within the shadows of the Inquisition or the Administratum. I like the idea of the Administratum the best. Or maybe both locked in a secret political battle for control of the chapter. 

[Octavulg]

Octavulg: Cool analysis you got there of the growth rate of a chapter from basic scratch. I'm not sure if it would really work that way outside of statistics but it is interesting. For one thing, you have a chapter where all 1000 recruits are under the age of 60. I would imagine most established chapters have a few hundred marines in the 200-400 years range. That type of tactical experience would be unavailable to a chapter that was only forty years old. Its interesting to think of a fully operational chapter not having that asset.

Actually, my math probably underestimates it. I forgot to account for the bit where the time in the Scout Company is more like one year, rather than five. So eight years. If you're in a REAL rush, and don't mind your Captains having that little experience. Five years probably is more realistic, though. You wouldn't want to rush this one.

[Radiation]

Octavulg: Thanks for contributing to my thread. I normally think of something like building or in this case rebuilding a chapter, as like all things done by the Imperium, as taking long spans of time. But you make some good points about how the numbers can play out. It looks like there is a window of at least 4 years, between the age of 12 and 16 for a couple of the stages to take place. I don't think it is a matter of just training as I'm not sure you could get all the organs into the initiate within one year. 

 http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/mediawiki/images/thumb/c/c8/SMCreation.jpg/285px-SMCreation.jpg

 

In the case of the Invaders, I think time would be an important factor. In an ideal situation whoever was behind the rebuild would want to have the best quality marines as soon as possible. It's impossible to tell for sure just how long a time this would take. There are obviously going to be be other unforeseen factors involved that will slow the process down. From the Invader fluff available to work with, there appears to be a a gap of 80 years from the chapter's destruction to new reports of Invader activity. Its still unclear how large these operations are so there is room to play within this 80 year time-frame. I haven't read the new codex yet, so it will be interesting to see if there are any other clues. 

[Octavulg]

Initiates join the Scout Company after the progenoids are implanted, and get the Black Carapace when they "graduate". So the Scout Company basically runs through a hundred guys every year or so.

[Radiation]

Yeah, so abstractly looking at it there would be an initial 4 to 8 year period to get the program underway and then another 10 years to fill out the chapter. So without taking into account casualties, that's 15 to 20 years  minimum for 1000 marines if I get what your saying. Of course, that's if everything was taking place in a bubble. Still, its interesting to look at it in isolation as it gives a clear idea of the mechanics that are at work within a chapter.