XI Legion : Forging the Lost

[Memento Of Prospero]

This thread will be dedicated to yet another project log for the creation of a lost legion. Many over the years have created great lore for their lost legions, some with great researched dept, such as the primus inter pares, Athrawes and his Lightning Bearers.

Primarch Inspirations

Many of you know of the Tarrot and it's ties to Primarchs. (Reference: http://menducia.atspace.com/primarchs/II.html) As such, the XI legion would be associated with the Wheel of Fortune, Fortune for short in the above mentioned piece.

Here is the extract :

Expansive, generous, fun-loving and maybe a little boisterous. While he can seem very straightforward, he is a much deeper thinker than most recognise and can occasionally startle people with a calm, deeply reasoned insight. One of the most understanding of people's need for faith.

An optimist, with great faith in those around him and humanity as a whole. Might be a little overly trusting in people's good nature, and overconfident not only in himself but in those around him.

Does not appreciate being restricted, any may have a relaxed attitude to formal rules and regulations. However, will have a keen sense of right and wrong. He understands that true order cannot be achieved through stasis and must allow some flexibility.

Like the Empress, Fortune will value personal relationships and attempt to draw his brothers together so they can understand their greater purpose.

At best, warm, generous, welcoming, good humoured, encouraging and inexplicably lucky.

At worst, over-confindent, too trusting, out of touch with people's real thoughts and out of control of events.

Legions tend to tie in with historical military powers, sometimes from multiple influences from the same era. To me, there is a great wealth of untapped potential in renaissance European military. Thinking about the implied character traits, either at his best or at his worst and the effect they will have on his faith, I find myself drawn to Napoleon Bonaparte and his french empire. A military might that would take europe by storm, the Empire he forge seemed to be the result a few strokes of luck and well timed actions. He was quite the character himself, and his over-confidence would undo him in the end. Philosophically, Napoleon is a symbole of rebellion against the feudal system. This would be an interesting feature for our primarch, who's world view would inevitably come to collide with those of the Imperium. Egalité, Fraternité et Liberté...

Initial legion design

As for the legion, the french napoleonic army had a very effecting warfare strategy, drawing through maneuvering or ruse it's opponents into massive artillery firepower with a strong flank or rear attacks to crush the opposition. They could take on and defeat armies of much larger sizes this way. Also famous in french military history, are the french musketeers. Their renown as great duelists and best amongst the elite troops, they had a unique and very recognizable look, armour and choice of weapons. These would make great design base for legion armour and specialist units.

As for legion colours, this is where I have quite a pickle. If I try to replicated napolionic 3 colours scheme, the link will be very obvious I feel. If I try any combinations of 2 of the 3 colours, it will end up looking like an existing Legion. Ultramarines, World Eaters, Blood Angels, White Scars. If I go for the cavalry colours, the green will clash with Salamanders, altough some design elements could offset that. So I tried something out of left field, as the french dragoon had brown uniforms. However, any suggestions or design ideas are welcomed.

Colours: Light brown or brass (leaning towards brass) with a white arm, possibly silver.

Legion Symbole

The old Gaul Triskèle is of Celtic origin

Unfortunately, I terribly lack means to digitalize art or the skill to draw, so for the time being my legion concepts will have to remain abstract as written ;)

[MikhalLeNoir]

Oh. I love the french history ans a Legion based in bonaparte could ne very cool.

 

So aboit the color scheme. If the brown doesn't look good, then maybd exchange the brown with copper or Bronze and keep the white arm. Could look veeeeeeeeeery cool.

Elite units or veterans could then expand the white.

 

So go for it!!!

[MakoBoy88]

Copper would look absolutely King.

[Memento Of Prospero]

Véthorix, Primarch of the XI - The Auspicious, The Battle-Born, "Roi Soleil"

 

Homeworld: Gallia

 

A bit of background, under devellopment.

 

Véthorix's exit of the warp was a brutal and fortuitous one. Gallia's labour force led by venerable Panoramix, was in open revolt against a oppressive regime under the self style king, Hostar. The bitter fighting lasting for over a decade, and a stalemate of  had settled in. The rebels heavily outnumbered the crown loyalists, but under equiped and starving, could not shatter their impregnable fortresses, relics of the dark age. Breaches would seal themselves in matter of minutes, underground tunnels would collapse and flood burning promethium on their own, such was the potency of it's defense systems. The war came to a new heading when the revolutionaries, in desperate need for an end, failed a suprise assault on the Capital of Lionne, ending in catastrophy. Seizing the opportunity to grind his reeling foe under heel, Hostar rallied his banners and marched out of his sanctum for the final blow. A desperate battle took place in the foothills of the citadel, rebels scrambling for a retreat, but too disorganized to be effective. The Monarch slew his way to the heart of the army, at one time cleaving his enemies in twain, at others peircing armour like parchment with his monomulecular blade, who's properties shifted to suit the bearer's needs. intended to remove the revolution's leadership and break the insurrection's moral for good. The old fool was not within 30 paces of Hostar's grasp when the skies darkness bleakly and bust open with feiry conflagration. Through the heavens fell a furious comet, smashing the suzerain from his anti-mount pinning him to the ground, caughing black blood. From within, emerged the form of a pubescent child, his face covered in locks of the deepest crimson. He surveyed the battlefield for an a split second catch visions and words in the storm of combat with his enhanced senses. A man in a ruined worker's outfit sheilding a women from an artillery shell, dying from his wounds. A man richly clad cruelty in his eyes as he gutted a weaponless boy trying to flee. Blood, so much blood, pouring into the earth - the smell assaulted his nostrils. The prone figure beneath him was desperately trying to reach for his discarded weapon, within a hair's breadth from his fingers. The child, curious and unconcerned with the raging conflict around him, moved to grasp the weapon with  suprising speed and agility. He picked it up in a single hand and examined the blade with his eyes alight with entelligence. Hostar fighting for consciousness, rasped

 

"Boy, give me the sword. You shall never want for anything... I will make your... " The child turned in his direction, a smile creeping on his face. He stepped over and bore a burning gaze into the man's eyes, his green pupils seeming to overtake him. He saw the madness and hatred that dwelled within the man's soul. In a flash, the smile on the child's face disappeared, the blade in his hand forming an elegant foil and stabbing tyrant's throat through and out the back of his spine. 

 

"Non." These were the last words Hostar, the self styled king, would ever hear. 

[Memento Of Prospero]

Oh. I love the french history ans a Legion based in bonaparte could ne very cool.

 

So aboit the color scheme. If the brown doesn't look good, then maybd exchange the brown with copper or Bronze and keep the white arm. Could look veeeeeeeeeery cool.

Elite units or veterans could then expand the white.

 

So go for it!!!

Yeah, the more I look at it, the more I like the brass. More White for vets is a great idea!

[Memento Of Prospero]

Copper would look absolutely King.

2 for copper! I will try a test run his weekend.

[MakoBoy88]

If you go the copper rout, veterans have to have the verdigris of aging copper not as a sign of wear but as a sign of veterancy.

 

Maybe. Haha

[Memento Of Prospero]

If you go the copper rout, veterans have to have the verdigris of aging copper not as a sign of wear but as a sign of veterancy.

 

Maybe. Haha

We'll see how technical I can get :)

[Slips]

Nihilak Oxide dude!

[Memento Of Prospero]

To be edited later, from mobile.

Legion Founding

The XI legion was formerly the Steel Bretheren, sporting teal and white quartered legion colours. A brash and unruly lot by imperial command standards, they thrived in the chaos of battle, conduction brutal void warfare. While the first legion had veterancy upon the battlefields alongside the Emperor and commanded many isoteric weapons, it is the XI who tempered the newly wrought void capable creations of the mechanicus, such Caestus Assault Rams. On soil, the Steel Bretheren prefer a more explosive approach. Heavy handed with the use of storm birds, storm eagles, fire raptors and assault rams, they would scatter the enemy forces with criss crossing strafing runs while deploying legionaries in the midst of the enemy. Such tactics bore fruit on many occasions, especially during the Dan'hubi campaign against the elusive eldar. The slow and purposeful Dusk Raiders had spent months chasing shadows of the ever moving Eldar craftworld. At the behest of the Emperor, and later the great shame of XIV, Scipius Ganicus, then master of the XI, was dispatched as a reinforcement to accelerate the stalling crusade. Refusing cooperation, the Dusk Raider continued their dauntless pursuit, while Scipuis faint to leave the system in dismay, only to ancor his fleet in the midst of a gas giant. When the Eldar came for another lightning strike on the XIV, The Legion Master sling shot a large asteriod out of the gas giant, too small to hide a capital ship, but large enough to scramble the presence of assault boats and gunships until it was too late for the xenos to react. Brutal boarding action disrupted the ship's command, and the XI fleet came out broadsides blazing, putting every last eldar ship to the sword.

[Frater Cornelius]

I have to admit, I am a little bit bummed as your project has thrown a wrench in personal plans for the Heresy :P

 

Having said that, you still do good work, so keep it up and don't disappoint ;)

[MakoBoy88]

Nihilak Oxide dude!

Literally this. Just a fine detail brush to sweep this into the recesses of shoulder pads, helmet detail, knee pads and bolter mechanics and bang. You have got yourself a popping model.

[Memento Of Prospero]

I have to admit, I am a little bit bummed as your project has thrown a wrench in personal plans for the Heresy

Having said that, you still do good work, so keep it up and don't disappoint

How so !?! The heresy train has no brakes, wrenches or otherwise!

[Hesh Kadesh]

Bonus points if you give them Tartan and call someone Ravenborn. ;) *electronic high five to anyone who remembers those bad boys*

[Skalpynock]

Panoramix? I hope your legion uses combat drugs on its auxiliaries.

[Frater Cornelius]

I have to admit, I am a little bit bummed as your project has thrown a wrench in personal plans for the Heresy

Having said that, you still do good work, so keep it up and don't disappoint

How so !?! The heresy train has no brakes, wrenches or otherwise!

Nah, don't worry. Nothing of consequence and no harm done. I was merely contemplating some ideas right when your thread popped up :D

[BlueBelly1863]

Love this concept!! I'm a huge history nerd, especially 19th century warfare (American Civil War particularly, but I love it all!) I understand not wanting to make the connection too obvious, so I think the bronze is a really cool idea! However for the symbol, why not do something more connected to the french military and napoleonic units? 

[Knight of the Raven]

I can't help with your legion's color scheme since I wouldn't know color theory if you brained me with all the books about it, but I'd like to say something about the French thing.

I find a Napoleon Bonaparte proxy to fit very well with an expunged legion, since I've always pictured him as someone who would never accept to be second to anyone, even if that anyone was the Emperor. A little like I picture Julius Caesar, which is why I'm surprised his space proxy, Roboute Guilliman, never entertained thoughts of rebellion.

I can understand the celtic symbol for the legion, since the French revolutionary flag doesn't fit as a legion badge and the fleur de lys, in addition to being a symbol of the royalty Napoleon seeked to replace dethrone, is already taken by the Adepta Sororitas. I'm not sure how celtic France was after the roman and germanic invasions (including the Franks'), but the triskele fits.

But then you have the obvious "Look at me I'm Ancient Gaul" name for the legion's homeworld and the stereotypical celtic names for the primarch and the revolt leader (and the latter's name will cause no end of "how could they lose if they have magic potion?" jokes since Paronamix is the french name for the druid Getafix in the Asterix comics). Now, it's not so bad since the Iron Hands have a primarch called Iron Hands leading his legion from his flagship named Iron Hands. It becomes just... weird with the next point though.

Calling the primarch "the sun king" feels as if you took half of France's world-known history and combined it into a legion. You just need Charlemagne, Joan of Arc and the Resistance to complete the hodgepodge of things people think of when asked about French history. Maybe it can work, but that's be like making the Ultramarines not only the roman legion, but also the Italian city states just because all these peoples happened on the Italian peninsula at some point of history, or making Thousand Sons both ancient and muslim egyptians because they're based on "Egypt."

Maybe I'm making a fun-crushing mountain out of a molehill and taking easter eggs as backstory-defining facts, and I apologize if I am, but I feel the legion would be better if it focused only on one part of French history.

All that said, "the smartest military mind in world history" (thank you, Civilization V) would make a good primarch, and if the Steel Bretheren are even half as good as the first French imperial army, they're gonna steamroll some serious tyrant butt. I can only guess Games Workshop never included Napoleon in their works because they're patriots and he's a filthy Frenchman.

[Memento Of Prospero]

I can't help with your legion's color scheme since I wouldn't know color theory if you brained me with all the books about it, but I'd like to say something about the French thing.

I find a Napoleon Bonaparte proxy to fit very well with an expunged legion, since I've always pictured him as someone who would never accept to be second to anyone, even if that anyone was the Emperor. A little like I picture Julius Caesar, which is why I'm surprised his space proxy, Roboute Guilliman, never entertained thoughts of rebellion.

I can understand the celtic symbol for the legion, since the French revolutionary flag doesn't fit as a legion badge and the fleur de lys, in addition to being a symbol of the royalty Napoleon seeked to replace dethrone, is already taken by the Adepta Sororitas. I'm not sure how celtic France was after the roman and germanic invasions (including the Franks'), but the triskele fits.

But then you have the obvious "Look at me I'm Ancient Gaul" name for the legion's homeworld and the stereotypical celtic names for the primarch and the revolt leader (and the latter's name will cause no end of "how could they lose if they have magic potion?" jokes since Paronamix is the french name for the druid Getafix in the Asterix comics). Now, it's not so bad since the Iron Hands have a primarch called Iron Hands leading his legion from his flagship named Iron Hands. It becomes just... weird with the next point though.

Calling the primarch "the sun king" feels as if you took half of France's world-known history and combined it into a legion. You just need Charlemagne, Joan of Arc and the Resistance to complete the hodgepodge of things people think of when asked about French history. Maybe it can work, but that's be like making the Ultramarines not only the roman legion, but also the Italian city states just because all these peoples happened on the Italian peninsula at some point of history, or making Thousand Sons both ancient and muslim egyptians because they're based on "Egypt."

Maybe I'm making a fun-crushing mountain out of a molehill and taking easter eggs as backstory-defining facts, and I apologize if I am, but I feel the legion would be better if it focused only on one part of French history.

All that said, "the smartest military mind in world history" (thank you, Civilization V) would make a good primarch, and if the Steel Bretheren are even half as good as the first French imperial army, they're gonna steamroll some serious tyrant butt. I can only guess Games Workshop never included Napoleon in their works because they're patriots and he's a filthy Frenchman.

See, this is the kind of feedback I like. Honest, to the point. I should of prefaced with the fact that much of what will come in the early stages are more along the line of brainstorming ideas or placeholder names. As a frenchman, I am well aware of the obvious links, but warhammer is full of them and it makes it a focal point in the setting. The White Scars, The Wolfy Mcwolves, The Blood Angels, the Ultramarines and the Thousand Sons are all great examples of terribly obvious links and easter eggs. Perhaps I was trying too hard to make this legion more in line with this particular setting.

I am at a crossroads at the moment. I can hone the more Celtic side of the the french history, which is easier to just port to the Grimdark setting perhaps dropping Napoleon altogether in favour of Vercingétorix. Or, I can recenter myself on the renaissance aspect of the Napoleonic Regime, which will need lots of subtlety. The triskele can be the proto legion's coat of arms as well.

As you mentioned, I ran into a few problems with developing a Napoleonic legion. The Fleur de Lys is already taken by the sisters of battle in 40k, so I am not sure how that would pan out if I went down that road, but it is the most famous symbol. Second to that, is the Napoleonic imperial eagle. Again, the Imperium is already overloaded with those. The 3rd symbol is the Bee, which doesn't work well into a grimdark setting but has huge implications when it comes to symbolism. It would look like thousand sons iconography as well. The colour scheme is a headache and a half trying to do anything with blue, red and white. This is why I looked back to the earlier history of France for ideas.

[Memento Of Prospero]

Bonus points if you give them Tartan and call someone Ravenborn. *electronic high five to anyone who remembers those bad boys*

Tartans would befit a very celtic influence indeed.

Panoramix? I hope your legion uses combat drugs on its auxiliaries.

Placeholder for now, although I thought it fitting at the time ;)

Love this concept!! I'm a huge history nerd, especially 19th century warfare (American Civil War particularly, but I love it all!) I understand not wanting to make the connection too obvious, so I think the bronze is a really cool idea! However for the symbol, why not do something more connected to the french military and napoleonic units?

As mentioned earlier, I am having a hard time finding something meaningful that is not already high jacked by something that already exists in the setting.

[Memento Of Prospero]

As an alternative for the legion symbole, what do you guys think of the Musketeer cross? Not Napoleonic I know, but it is striking and closely tied to the French Elite troops.

[Knight of the Raven]

That's less obvious than the fleur de lys, but like I said, I'm foreign to color theory.

See, this is the kind of feedback I like. Honest, to the point. I should of prefaced with the fact that much of what will come in the early stages are more along the line of brainstorming ideas or placeholder names. As a frenchman, I am well aware of the obvious links, but warhammer is full of them and it makes it a focal point in the setting. The White Scars, The Wolfy Mcwolves, The Blood Angels, the Ultramarines and the Thousand Sons are all great examples of terribly obvious links and easter eggs. Perhaps I was trying too hard to make this legion more in line with this particular setting.

There's no issue with making your legion as obvious as the other [insert culture or archetype IN SPAAAAAACE] legions. Frenchmen in space work perfectly (except maybe for brits. ), be they gauls, franks, revolutionaries, foreign legionnaries or whatever else from French history. My point was that the legion kind of looked like REFERENCE ALL THE FRENCH THINGS, which I find a little off, but that may be a personal thing. Like mameluks in ancient egyptian chariots with elephants on the side or vikings musketeers in skis.

I am at a crossroads at the moment. I can hone the more Celtic side of the the french history, which is easier to just port to the Grimdark setting perhaps dropping Napoleon altogether in favour of Vercingétorix. Or, I can recenter myself on the renaissance aspect of the Napoleonic Regime, which will need lots of subtlety. The triskele can be the proto legion's coat of arms as well.

Well, Magnus is more like Odin in space (traded eye for knowledge) than any ancient Egyptian god from my understanding, so the primarch doesn't necessarily needs to be the same reference as the legion. With two barbarian legions in the Space Wolves and White Scars, celts might be too similar, but ultra-disciplined military badasses with an inkling of social reforms might be too Ultramarines too. But then again, Raven Guard can be argued to be a loyalist mix of Alpha Legion and Night Lords, so who knows, it might work.

As long as they don't devolve into WEREBOARS IN SPACE YEAH!!!1

As you mentioned, I ran into a few problems with developing a Napoleonic legion. The Fleur de Lys is already taken by the sisters of battle in 40k, so I am not sure how that would pan out if I went down that road, but it is the most famous symbol. Second to that, is the Napoleonic imperial eagle. Again, the Imperium is already overloaded with those. The 3rd symbol is the Bee, which doesn't work well into a grimdark setting but has huge implications when it comes to symbolism. It would look like thousand sons iconography as well. The colour scheme is a headache and a half trying to do anything with blue, red and white. This is why I looked back to the earlier history of France for ideas.

Fleur de lys as a legion symbol might make people think of them as effeminate or girly because of the sisters thing and the cowardly reputation France is stradled with, but the people who think that are tools anyway and shouldn't matter. We needed like seven coalitions to put those revolutionaries down. Seven.

A shame the Emperor's Children nabbed the aquila for themselves, this would have been a good legion badge indeed. Too bad Napoleon wasn't from Brittany, the ermine could have worked haha.

(As well as the Scottish lion would fit an English-themed legion anyway. )

[MikhalLeNoir]

Well, I would tackle the Napoleon reference.
As Knight of The Raven already pointed out, doing all of french history could ne top mich. But a power hungry napoleon primarch who can't habe someone above him...that is cool.

What of You turn the fleur around? Maybe add a dagger in The center? Would ne enough symbolism.

Or simply exchange the middle part with a dagger with broad blade.

 

but keep the copper and white...awesome color

[1000 Sons]

I like the Napoleonic theme, a lot of the colours are ultramarine similar, but adding the white and red would help.  The biggest part would be black helms, with a single feather.  Maybe even some greatcoat, or long cloak marines.

 

http://i.imgur.com/uo2fbHjl.jpg

 

Also, why have the primarch help the rebels ? He should see the power in the old emperor, and help him finish off the rebels, and then kill him, and take control himself as the new Emperor. I like the idea of focusing on air craft, have them be the sky hussars.

[Memento Of Prospero]

Yeah, officers had more panache. Great coats make no sense on power armoured models, but perhaps cloaks or the dragoon caps would give them an edge.

How about this?