Index Astartes: Storm Sons

[Kelborn]

Ah, the Storm Sons.

 

Surely one of my fav manmade chapters!

Late to the party but I love that artwork. Very well done.

 

Looking to see more updates in the near future. :)

[Nineswords]

Ah, the Storm Sons.

 

Surely one of my fav manmade chapters!

Late to the party but I love that artwork. Very well done.

 

Looking to see more updates in the near future.

 

Cheers Kelborn. You maybe interested to learn I'm beginning to finally put together a lore supplement for them with updated background for the Era Indomitus!

 

[Deadass]

That's looking excellent! The Storm Sons were a huge incentive for me to write a homebrew of my own, so I'm pretty excited to read your revised lore.

 

From what I can tell from that first page, you're doing a good job at mystifying your established fluff. Also, good on you for straight-up destroying Nakaris and having the chapter make such fundamental changes in what is relatively recent history - that's a really cool touch.

 

I only have one really minor niggle, and that might just be personal preference. Calling the chapter command-/support cadre a 'Horde' might be a little confusing considering the other Hordes are battlefleets. A different term might be a good idea - perhaps they could be considered the Shah-Khan's Keshig?

 

Anyway, I'm stoked to hear news about these guys again! Can't wait for the supplement.

[Nineswords]

That’s a great suggestion, thank you! Yes Nakaris has been completely annihilated, I look forward to doing a ‘Warzone: Nakaris’ spread in the Codex at some point. Just dreaming up a great piece of artwork of the final Thunderhawk Gunships strafing the endless legions of demons infesting the entire continent as they evacuate for the last time....

[Kelborn]

Oh my Khan...:O

 

That looks amazing, Nineswords.

I'm always fascinated by your dedication and work and now you're coming around and teaseus with a future supplement?!

 

I truly admire your discipline. Would love to be so consistent as I'm jumping from idea to idea almost from day to day without getting something done.

 

The Storm Sons are a great example of what's possible if you just keep it on.

 

As always, more than eager to see more of yours. :D

[Nineswords]

Thanks Kelborn! It’s pretty fun beginning to tie everything together now. It will take a while to get the complete supplement done but it may be worth me posting up spreads as I do them. How about that?

[Nineswords]

So, I couldn't stop thinking about a cool bit of artwork to cover the Doom of Nakaris. I did the writeup a while ago, but put together the illustration and the spread today. I figured I may as well post the spreads and update them as suggestions come in. Thanks for pushing me guys!

 

[Deadass]

Oh man, that really sets the benchmark! The illustration turned out incredible, and the lore is solid, too. The white text color combined with the brighter spots in the artwork make for difficult reading in certain places, but I can't think of a nicer way to display it all - I thought about suggesting drop shadows, but that's silly imo.

 

Keep the spreads coming, dude - you're doing the Khagan's work!

Edited November 23, 2020 by AHorriblePerson

[Nineswords]

Oh man, that really sets the benchmark! The illustration turned out incredible, and the lore is solid, too. The white text color combined with the brighter spots in the artwork make for difficult reading in certain places, but I can't think of a nicer way to display it all - I thought about suggesting drop shadows, but that's silly imo.

 

Keep the spreads coming, dude - you're doing the Khagan's work!

Cheers! Yes I’ll figure out the best combo for maximum contrast in due course...

[Ryltar Thamior]

There are some logs on here that people will (quite rightly!) describe as being 'art'

then you take it literally.

well done! keep it up ; 

[Nineswords]

There are some logs on here that people will (quite rightly!) describe as being 'art'

 

then you take it literally.

 

well done! keep it up ;

Thank you! The writing has been fun and it’s really satisfying to bring it all together in a layout that takes the mew Codexes and do my own spin on it. I look forward to the day where I release the entire codex for free!

[Nineswords]

ODKHILT KHAN, 'STARSTRIKE', Commander, Brotherhood of the Morning Star, Vermillion Horde of the Storm Sons.

_

I've been working on my Chapter heraldry – presented here is one of the Khans of the Vermillion battle-fleets of the Storm Sons. As befitting his rank, Starstrike's iconography is rendered in bone-white rather than yellow with a polished faceplate, along with more ornate trappings than the standard battle-brother. Note the electro-plating over the armour is beginning to take on the verdigris of age, with a patina of oxidised bronze becoming more prominent on the ceramite.

 

Edited November 26, 2020 by Nineswords

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Beautiful work on the model.

[Sete]

Ah just saw it on Instagram.

I knew the name!

[Nineswords]

Beautiful work on the model.

Sadly only a mock-up in photoshop but it took me nearly an entire day to think up the (digital) conversion and come up with the colour scheme. I’m using it to show an illustrator what I want for a commissioned illustration!

[StratoKhan]

How have I missed this? I'm going to read through everything in due time. You had me at the Doom of Nakaris spread. Beautiful, and well-written..

[Ryltar Thamior]

I was like "Ok, so it turns out the guy can paint physically *as well as* via the photoshop - I'm amazed at somebody being that dual-competent"

Although I was a bit puzzled by the way the topknot didn't *quite* look like it was part of the same picture. Must be a trick of the light, I thought.  

and then I read further, and it turned out that this was 'just' an image :P 

Well, I'm *still* seriously impressed by what you've achieved there, putting those parts together digitally is in some ways even more of an ordeal and an effort than doing so physically! 

it's a great selection of components, and some great colouration you've produced - although as it's digital, that means I won't be needing to ask you what paints you used to do the brassy bronze on the trim, I guess. [i also just noticed that the main ceramite is also a darker bronze rather than what I'd initially prsumed, which was an olive/khaki sort of deal - means there's a subtle, understated power to the scheme] 

Seriously, some of that is just *inspired* [i mean, it's *all* inspired! especially together! but some parts particularly] ; the White Scar sword held that way completely changes the pose and the 'feel' of the miniature somehow, in comparison to the usual 'pointy' captain [the raven black feathers are a good accent, as well]. The I presume Chaos Space Marine backpack  (and shoulderpad) is also a great touch, adds and emphasizes the hints of 'barbarity' without being too overpowering. And the topknot is a nice divergence from the standard plume whilst still accomplishing a similar impact and signifer value .. with added subtle barbarity . ; and the brassy faceplate with the green lense for a standout but also particularly the gold conventional lense, is .. yeah, excellent work.

Keep it up. In whatever medium! 

 

[Nineswords]

How have I missed this? I'm going to read through everything in due time. You had me at the Doom of Nakaris spread. Beautiful, and well-written..

Thank you — high time I put all this stuff together. I’m working on a 60-page Codex lore supplement with the best artwork I can commission (or do myself in a pinch...) with up to date background information. I’m pleased with the Doom of Nakaris spread — I just couldn’t get the idea out of my head of a Thunderhawk escaping from the manifestation of the Greater Daemons before virus bombing the planet!

[Nineswords]

I was like "Ok, so it turns out the guy can paint physically *as well as* via the photoshop - I'm amazed at somebody being that dual-competent"

 

Although I was a bit puzzled by the way the topknot didn't *quite* look like it was part of the same picture. Must be a trick of the light, I thought.

 

and then I read further, and it turned out that this was 'just' an image :P

 

Well, I'm *still* seriously impressed by what you've achieved there, putting those parts together digitally is in some ways even more of an ordeal and an effort than doing so physically!

 

it's a great selection of components, and some great colouration you've produced - although as it's digital, that means I won't be needing to ask you what paints you used to do the brassy bronze on the trim, I guess. [i also just noticed that the main ceramite is also a darker bronze rather than what I'd initially prsumed, which was an olive/khaki sort of deal - means there's a subtle, understated power to the scheme]

 

Seriously, some of that is just *inspired* [i mean, it's *all* inspired! especially together! but some parts particularly] ; the White Scar sword held that way completely changes the pose and the 'feel' of the miniature somehow, in comparison to the usual 'pointy' captain [the raven black feathers are a good accent, as well]. The I presume Chaos Space Marine backpack (and shoulderpad) is also a great touch, adds and emphasizes the hints of 'barbarity' without being too overpowering. And the topknot is a nice divergence from the standard plume whilst still accomplishing a similar impact and signifer value .. with added subtle barbarity . ; and the brassy faceplate with the green lense for a standout but also particularly the gold conventional lense, is .. yeah, excellent work.

 

Keep it up. In whatever medium!

 

 

Thank you! That was pretty much what I had in my head putting together the conversion ‘digitally’. I had two goals here: firstly, get the colour scheme right, because I need to send it to the illustrator for reference on my next commissioned piece (I can’t do *all* the art...) — I had toyed with a number of schemes in my head and honestly just mocking it up in Photoshop allows me to make all the changes on the fly. Turns out that silver helmets look terrible in this scheme, so I had to try something else. I also wanted to try the colours with a different company from a different armada — this time, the Vermillion Horde — and it sort of made sense that veteran characters have a different colour for their iconography than the line troopers. I’m taking a leaf out from the Blood Angels then making it my own. I’ll be posting the heraldry after I’ve illustrated it.

 

As for the CSM bits — absolutely. I wanted something that looked a bit more barbaric without falling into Chaos altogether— the Storm Sons are distant cousins of the White Scars, and also a dark inversion of them in some sense too, never achieving the same glory as their more famous brethren and employing *very* different tactics on the battle field. I’ve got a couple of really cool short story ideas I need to flesh out to show you what I mean.

 

The result is it allows me to also know what bits I need for conversion work too which is super handy.

Edited November 26, 2020 by Nineswords

[Nineswords]

COMMANDER 'GREYSIGHT', Commander, Brotherhood of the Serpent, Azure Horde of the Storm Sons.

_

Saraluzekh-Khan, known to the Imperium as Greysight, is one of the few Storm Sons Firstborn to survive the destruction of Nakaris and undertake the Rubicon Primaris. Greysight is considered to be one of the Chapter's most experienced warriors. Amongst other distinctions, his name is celebrated in the halls of Watch-Station Azurea after serving in the ranks of the Deathwatch as a battle-brother. In the Era Indomitus, his elevation to Khan at the Grand Kurultai has cemented his reputation amongst his peers. A hunter of repute, Greysight takes to the field with his cadre of infiltrators, utilising the Bolt sniper rifle to eliminate high priority-targets.

_

I write about Greysight extensively in Commissar Molotov's Deathwatch RPG in the Roleplaying forums.

http://i.imgur.com/HcWQ59xl.jpg

Edited November 28, 2020 by Nineswords

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Excellent work on Greysight's model and backstory. Is he a Scout-turned-Eliminator officer? Edited November 28, 2020 by Bjorn Firewalker

[Nineswords]

Excellent work on Greysight's model and backstory. Is he a Scout-turned-Eliminator officer?

 

Thanks! I'll do a proper write-up for him in the Lore Supplement, but essentially he was the last of his squad who were massacred by Orks. Following this, he served in the Deathwatch which is currently being played through / written up in Commissar Molotov's Deathwatch PBP Game. Following his return to Nakaris he served as a battle-brother and survived the destruction of the homeworld.

 

Being one of a few Firstborn who underwent the Rubicon Primaris, he was unexpectedly (and reluctantly) elected to Khan along with the Firstborn Yesonir the Nineblades. Now he leads as an infiltration officer given his considerable experience away from his own Chapter.

 

His company, the Brotherhood of the Serpent, specialise in infiltration and 'asymmetric warfare' (I'm thinking Reivers, Infiltrators, Incursors and Eliminators). I'm not entirely sure how he would work rules wise but I think the Captain in Phobos armour seems like the best fit, but I've decided to give him the Eliminator's Bolt sniper rifle which not only looks absolutely awesome, but it is the weapon of choice I think he'd go for (based on the short story below). That and his combat knife!

 

Edited November 28, 2020 by Nineswords

[Bjorn Firewalker]

The accompanying story, of Greysight killing Tyranids, is well-written.

[Nineswords]

Thank you! That one was lifted straight out of the RPG game we are still running.

[Nineswords]

I'm very fortunate to have some great friends in my small hobby group. For my birthday this year, they clubbed together to commission me a custom illustration for the Codex, and the hugely talented Ruslan Korovkin brought Commander Greysight to life for me. To say I'm pleased is an understatement, and I hope my writeup does justice to this brilliant piece – he even nailed the Deathwatch shoulder guard!

 

I've tried to keep to the style of writing I've read in the new Space Wolves Codex, and I figured Greysight really would be one of my 'special characters' per se.

 

Enjoy!

 

Edited December 6, 2020 by Nineswords