[IRON GAUNTLET 2017] +Index Astartes: The Desolators+

[Donkey Kong]

I think it's a little boring. I like the yellow well enough, although that could be bolder too, but I don't think the grey compliments it well. I think blue might work well. I think the lenses would be better in red instead of green. And I think it would look better if the legs were entirely yellow instead of just the knee down.

 

So.... Mantis Warriors but Blue instead of Green with a Scythes of the Emperor chest v arms/legs scheme.

EDIT I suppose this suggestion might also resemble the original Raptors scheme.

Edited March 29, 2017 by KingHongKong

[Draakur]

Thanks mate.

 

My initial feeling is to rebel against the idea of changing the grey, but when I ask myself why that is, I think it's linked to originally going for a heavier storm theme when I started them (which I still want here and there, as a call-back to their roots, but which I've since mostly abandoned). So that said, maybe it's worth rethinking this.

 

I want to keep the yellow, for the lightning bolts and their reference to speed etc. and as passed down from the Destroyers. But what else could work, for a Chapter of (selective) cannibals, of a more psychological/tactical bent, who think they're on a joint, pre-ordained journey of ultimate significance to the cosmos...?

 

Some ideas so far:

#1:

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/sm.php?b62c=@herwn_i9tku.iaidB@hLKX7@@..@hqSXZ@iakk7@@iakk7iakk7@@@________@@@@_______.__hLKX7iakk7@@@..@@@@@hLKX7@@iakk7i87gh&

Very different, riffing on the blue suggestions, went for bright. Only two-tone.

 

#2:

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/sm.php?b62c=@i9tN3_hiLNv.iakk7@@@@@@_i7SyI@.__..___@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@..___@@___@@@@@.i8Wpw&

Again quite different. Brighter yellow. Reverse-Scythes, in many ways. Only two-tone. Red eyes.

 

#3:

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/sm.php?b62c=@i9tku_h9ohz.hPThY@@@@___i7jsF@iakk7__..____@@@_@@@____@@@@@@@@@@_.________@@@@@.i7zey&

Darker blue this time. Darker soft armour and Aquila. Red eyes.

 

#4:

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/sm.php?b62c=@i8VPu_hicxa.hPThY@@@@@@@hk3XI_iakk7__..___________@@@@@@@@@@@@@@h9ohz.___@@@___@@@@.i7zey&

Different blue again. Quite like this, though almost feel the grey could look better here. Electric blue eyes (though you can't really see it).

 

 

Thoughts? Does it still feel like blue might be better than grey? I'm actually unsure now either way - more tinkering with the grey could bring better results I think (and blue doesn't feel much like a psych warfare group colour... unless it has lightning bolts... which maybe it should!)

 

+edit+

And another thought - I'm not sure they need to be Cursed Founding. I don't feel it necessarily adds enough, they can be plenty "deranged and damned" without needing to be from this founding. Though the unusual way in which their idiosyncrasies could actually be seen as their specific curse manifested is not something I've tried to exploit and turn into a thing, yet.

 

So get rid of it? Or spend a little time exploring how it seemed they were initially thought to have gotten away with it ok, but then it came to looked like they really WERE cursed, theirs more insidious than any physical manifestation - theirs was the curse of an unhinged and deluded mind...?

Edited March 31, 2017 by Draakur

[Zhiv]

I like #2 the best, thought I'd not split the helmet. Though this scheme is really close to Marines Malevolent. #4 is also neat, but it's pretty close to this.  And that's kinda canon.  I kinda liked grey. It's vague, neutral... not very 'proclamatory'.  Yellow on the other hand, well....  ^^;;

[LancsHotpot90]

Number two is definitely my favourite here maybe with an all black helmet though? Yellow for vets perhaps? Edited March 31, 2017 by LancsHotpot90

[Draakur]

Cheers guys, appreciate the feedback. I'm still leaning more towards the grey/dark grey too. I'm glad I explored blue but I'm not loving it so far. Might tinker with #2 and just play with different tones of grey. Will try for a filled in grey shoulder pad field too (rims remain yellow), so I can use a yellow Chapter symbol.

Yellow on the other hand, well....  ^^;;

How very dare you sir :p

[Donkey Kong]

I'll second (third?) Zhiv and LancsHotpot90, I like 2 the most. Only problem with it if you think it's one, no two ways about it, it is the Marine Malevolent scheme. As in, when Zhiv says it resembles the Marines Malevolent, the only mistake he's making is using the word resembles. I'll just throw out another suggestion for seeing what it looks like if you use the blue from 3 instead of the black?

 

The problem I had with the grey on the last one was that it didn't look finished. It's something I also noticed about the soft armor, first time glancing through I had assumed that you had left them white and hadn't noticed that it was a very, very light silver or grey. I think a more powder blue or even electric blue tinge to the grey would fix that if you're set on having it grey.

 

And then just the arbitrary personal thoughts, 1. I think shoulder pads look better as a solid color, probably because I don't like the trim in general. 2. I wouldn't have yellow heraldry, I would recommend black or white heraldry with an accent color if you wanted it. I think it's cleaner and stands out better. But the White Scars themselves have red and yellow, and there's precedent enough to say otherwise. 3. I think that the helmet would be better if the cap was the darker color and the face, for lack of a better word, was the lighter color as the Mantis Warriors and the Mortifactors do. I'm sure someone can dredge up a good looking counterexample.

 

I think the cursed founding is too much baggage if their only curse is going to be that they're nuts. It might also be completely redundant considering that I'm sure a completely rational and well sourced argument can be made that the White Scars in general are nuts. I like the insidious curse story better, but I think there should be more too it than being crazy. Using what you have I would focus significantly more on the cannibalism and how it works into more facets of the combat doctrine and faith. i.e. No man, living or dead, left behind since if the next Captain eats the old Captain's brain it's like we never lost the old Captain. Visions are treated as gospel, they're premonitions and divine experiences like the Black Templars' Emperor's Champion. I'm sure you can think of more.

 

They're nutty and weird but what they do has purpose and it makes sense to them. As a generality, too often "insane Chapter" boils down to rewriting Khorne Berzerkers. So the Flesh Tearers aren't interesting to me, they're boring. Same with the Minotaurs prior to Forge World's rewrite, now they're interesting and cool because so much more factors into them being this overwhelming force Chapter.

[Draakur]

Cheers for this.

 

Hmmmm yep ok, it's not identical but agreed, much too close to Marines Malevolent. Alterations will be easy here. I'll tinker with the details but I feel like this is the right track now. You're probably right about yellow heraldry, too.

 

Re: Cursed Founding, yeh, it's gone. The more I think about it the more I realise I was trying to snowflake them.

 

I'm right there with you re: insanity always = frothing berserker. All of the variations on "that Chapter" bore me to tears. I want something more occult/creepy/supernatural here, with more of a mad scientist megalomania, almost. Hoping I'm hitting this mark ok so far.

 

I'll be clear that I've not actually decided on the truth of what's going on here. It could be that they were cursed from the beginning, being subtly influenced over time and now fully being led down a dark path by malicious powers. They could simply be mad fools, seeing what isn't there and trying to discern meaning in the chaos of the warp, in a misled attempt to find purpose and hope in a purposeless, hopeless universe. Or they may in fact truly be agents of the Emperor - he stil does have influence in the universe, and it's possible he has a significant role in his unfathomable plans for the Desolators to play at some juncture, and is guiding and preparing them for it, just as they believe.

 

Which leads me to the question - is this sufficient? Do I actually need to decide on the truth, to make this compelling? I would prefer them not to be fools, so I know what you mean when you say it'd be better if they weren't just crazy... fine for them to appear crazy, but more significance would be good...

[Donkey Kong]

I'll be clear that I've not actually decided on the truth of what's going on here.

 

Which leads me to the question - is this sufficient? Do I actually need to decide on the truth, to make this compelling?

 

 

 

I would decide on something. You can play with the narrator's perspective to work up the mystery, but you'd probably have to pull away from the Chapter a bit which could also detract from the story. I'm not sure how you'd best incorporate the idea of legacies in a single marine if you don't have the marine talking about possessing the essence of cannibalized heroes-or maybe it would be even weirder for that to be one of the few instances of a Desolator talking. But, I wouldn't go in half cocked and blind. I've seen enough stories where the author/s made it up as they went along, and those stories suuuuuuuuuuuck.

 

I never got the mad scientist megalomaniacal angle from the Desolators, so I'll be interest in seeing how you work that in. Cannibalism has got the occult angle well covered.

 

I wanted to give this example, and I'm not sure how to work it in or even transition to it well. Forge World's Space Sharks are far more interesting to me under the pretense that they are an ancient Raven Guard successor. They're mysterious and weird and don't really talk much to anyone, but there is a backstory to them. There's substance that's there that wouldn't be if the story was "who are the mysterious space marines? They're pale and scary so they could be Raven Guard. Or they could be loyalist Night Lords!! Who knows?!"

There's also merit to be said in that an unsolved mystery is significantly more interesting than a boring answer. The entire Horus Heresy series has generated enough disappointments that I can firmly say that I fall in the camp that says 40K would be better without it, having left the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy shrouded in mystery. I think that there was similar disappointment when it turned out that the Dark Angels were the Unforgiven because the Fallen were just more renegade marines. But, this is also an argument in favor of saying "Who cares?! Just leave it blank and let them speculate." Which probably isn't the best advice either.

[bloodhound23]

Part of my interest in framing the epistemic access to the Violent Gods is to, frankly, avoid the difficulties you've mentioned. If I want to spell out the details later and as I model the army, then great. But I don't have to if I don't play the all-knowing narrator. But KingKongHong is not wrong when he warns that it can be a road fraught with disaster, as I'm starting to understand in my own case. 

 

Sorry, I wish I had more than just echoing the thoughts of others and giving criticism. I wish I had something positive for you. 

 

I will say that I'm envious, as it seems like you're getting close to seeing the thing from all angles, after which you can finally nail down what you want and finish the damn thing.

 

So keep on keeping on.

 

P.S. I like the second scheme.

[Draakur]

Thanks guys. Sorry, crazy time here in my neck of the woods, just getting to go over and read these responses properly now. Appreciate the encouragement, bloodhound.

 

I managed to get a bit befuddled in my last post and kind of forget something - I actually can't play the deluded fool angle if I want this to work, because the whole idea of them putting such faith in their Kolduns and this way of living is that for the most part, it works. If it didn't they would never have become who they are, and the Desolators as I perceive them wouldn't exist. Their visions (fairly) consistently lead them to victory, or to places that needed their help, or to change path only weeks before X planet they were about to visit was destroyed by an asteroid shower, etc etc.

 

I don't think the visions will be explicit, they'll always need to be interpreted and this will take time and discussion, but the big impactful ones are very often in the Chapter's favour. So someone/something out there is helping them... or at least looking to keep them alive and strong, for some purpose...

 

+edit+

Ughhhh. I honestly don't like the idea of choosing either of the options. At this stage, I don't know that I could choose one without having to start really changing how I see them, and certainly it would mean developing whole new chunks of content that make the chosen conclusion work.

 

I feel like if I say "the Big E has chosen and is protecting them!", that is basically just Marine Sue-ing myself into a corner and devaluing my work. Outright casting them as toys of a chaotic power, however, ties them down to eventual betrayal of oaths or being crushed before they get the chance...

 

Or does it? Maybe not. The second choice is much less final in terms of its potential opportunities. I think, as it stands though, I will choose not to choose (which is a choice in itself).

 

My next task is finishing my Origins section, need to look at the Imperial timeline and find a better spot for them to enter now that Cursed Founding is off the table - a time that makes the development of their particular style of warfare against the Dark Eldar smooth and natural.

Edited April 5, 2017 by Draakur

[Dizzyeye01]

Perhaps leave it as a mystery to the readers so that its left to them if they feel like it is chaotic or from the Emperor itself. However you could go on to suggest that the chapter itself is being watched by the Inquisition who are yet to give their verdict to balance things off. Food for thought.

[Donkey Kong]

Or does it? Maybe not. The second choice is much less final in terms of its potential opportunities. I think, as it stands though, I will choose not to choose (which is a choice in itself).

 

 

You can choose a ready guide in some celestial voice

If you choose not to decide you still have made a choice

You can choose from phantom fears and kindness that can kill

I will choose a path that's clear

I will choose freewill

 

Raging against a higher power could be really cool, especially if its left ambiguous whether that higher power is benign or malevolent.

 

For Dark Eldar adversaries I would focus on a region of space rather than a particular moment in time. 13th (M35-M36) dark and 21st (M36) cursed have obvious baggage. 10th-20th (M35-M36) will stick you in the middle of the Nova Terra Interregnum/Moirae Schism. 23rd (M37) is the Sentinel Founding whatever that means.

[Olis]

Perhaps, you can translate your indecision to the Chapter itself. To what extent do they know the choices they have? Have you considered using the Imperial Tarot?

 

Edit - also, while I'm here, I preferred the first colour scheme...

Edited April 5, 2017 by Olis

[Lysimachus]

I also like the first scheme, yellow and grey have both been used in the past for WS Successors so they work fine. I do agree that maybe they'd look better with solid grey pads, but if you did that maybe it would be worth also adding a bit of yellow higher up (either head or backpack?). The black could work better as the chest eagle colour? I'd also say the scheme would look more defined and finished if you added a slightly darker grey on the ribbing/pipes/backpack joints?

 

The fluff seems good too, the summary in your first post seems like a good starting point, with plenty of good ideas. The only caution I'd add would be to be careful not to bring in too many extra details in the article? (The lists of different bits they eat and from whom could potentially be a danger of this) While cool, you only have a finite amount of words before people lose interest (3.5 to 5k is a good target for a 'standard' IA).

Edited April 10, 2017 by LySiMachus

[Draakur]

Gentlemen! Rumours of my demise have been greatly exaggerated.

 

I'm only here briefly, things are hectic - I've not forgotten the oath, and I've still managed a little writing.

 

Thank you all for your support.

 

@Dizzyeye: Yes that is possibly what I'll be doing, but... (Keep reading)

 

@KHK: I like that idea too. The idea of complete certainty and no anxiety over their ultimate mission and cause is maybe too convenient, but more importantly, maybe not at home amongst the grimdark.

 

So a certain amount of 'raging against the higher power' might have its place. I certainly don't see it as something that would divide the Chapter - they're resolute and unified as a whole - but perhaps a few of the Kolduns secretly have begun to harbour questions and insecurities over the centuries? Again not something to bring disharmony to the Chapter, but maybe a whimsical sort of longing for answers, looking up at the stars in moments alone and being frustrated at never knowing, being forced to rely on blind faith that it truly is the Emperor guiding them...? Maybe in the form of a sidebar monologue... (Though that decides the writers perspective then and there)

 

What do we think?

 

Also, I am taking your advice about timelines under advisement, thanks brother.

 

@Olis: I think the above probably answers this, but I imagine the tarot almost definitely plays a part yes. I imagine the Kolduns deal with all manner of divination, it's very much a defining part of who they are (along with crazy muscle wizards).

 

@LySiMachus: Thanks brother. I liked that scheme too. I'll see what I decide on in the end but it will definitely be grey and yellow.

 

I'm glad you like what I've got, too. The various minor details (like the esoterica behind consumption) are not likely to make it into the IA in any lengthy form, don't worry.

[NovemberIX]

I'm coming into this a bit late, but hopefully I can help constructively. So there is a third option regarding their visions. Using what we know about CJD and Spongiform Encephalopathy what if, as part of the cannibalistic rituals, a bunch of the psykers all ate the same "infected" brain, and it's in effect is the basis of these visions that are being shared (as a side note, dependent on the timeline of initial infection, few, some, most, or all of the chapter could be infected via the honor cannibalism eating. Spreading it from just one psyker to all, then to the chapter as a whole). It's not chaos, it's not the Emperor, it's just a tragic delusion.

 

Regarding painting, style 4 (with the intended colors) would look pretty good, and most importantly, easy to paint compared to some of the partial color designs.

[Daimyo-Phaeron Lenoch]

Firstly, I think you mix 41st millennium WS (almost no Dreadnoughts) with 31st Millenium WS's (lots of quick, small, lethal, antigrav vehicles) very well.

 

In regards to outfoxing the enemy, will you have an Odysseus-equivalent when it comes to trickery? (Odysseus was well-known for being able to outsmart his foes and also an accomplished warrior.)

 

Do your Desolators (when they play strategy games to match minds) make little figurines and use random outcome generators to determine parts of the game? :D Nice 40k homage inside the 40k universe (if that's what you're going for).

 

The way you have them be overachievers at one specific thing to the point of ignoring everything else/leaving when they're done does well to separate them from other WS successors. The tunnel vision (if you could call it that) is an excellent characteristic.

 

The psychological warfare doesn't make much sense, other than scaring systems into long-term compliance. Did they fight Night Lords for a while and see how effective the terror tactics were, and decide to adopt them (editing them to keep them in line with Imperial law)? Never mind, saw your bit on fighting Dark Eldar.

 

The cannibalism does lend mistique...keep all the details, maybe have a sidebar conversation between an apprentice Koldun and a full Koldun, with the younger asking why it is specific parts to eat and the older one says "that is only for the shamans/High Koldun, (forgot the name) to know. They/he have/has decreed what is to be eaten, and that is the end of that. But I wonder too, brother. Who knows, in the end, but the shamans/High Koldun/The Big E?"

 

Also, I prefer the electric eyes color scheme. Very storm-theme, and anything with electric eyes must be awesome!

[Kelborn]

Bit late since there were so many Iron Gauntlet threads popping up like rabbits.

 

Regarding color scheme: May I suggest something?

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/sm.php?b62c=@hcXvU_hozqS.haLvy@.@@___iaigX_.__iaigXiaigX___@@@@@@@@@_@_@@@@@@@@@@.._________@.@@.iakk7&

 

Dark grey and blue, representing storm clouds and the darkened sky

Yellow eyes and Aquila (though I would suggest a lightning bolt instead of an eagle or skull), representing the fast hitting bolts of pure energy / wrath

Some yellow details here and there to improve the lightning theme

 

 

Regarding against higher power:

 

Let them have an issue with the Ecclisiarchy or a decision of the Inquisition / High Lords. Half of the chapter agrees with it, half think that this was the wrong choice. The decision can include your chapter. As true sons of the Khagan, they are already a bit more of a wild card and maybe at odds with certain imperial bureaucrats.

[Legionare]

 "the hunt and strategical pre-game is just as significant as the conflict. Some tales are told of the strategical outwitting of enemies by great heroes in the Chapter's history without referencing the battle itself at all", "poets. Contests of wit not uncommon. Known to play games of strategy as a past time"

I like these, they really give your chapter some character and truly show what The Desolators value the most. 

 

"they must return to the Imperium, needed for a not yet clear but profoundly significant task to come" This makes me wonder, what is this task? Have you thought anything about that, as the timeline continues with Guillimans return and the Indomitus crusade, the day that that task comes might actually come sooner than we realize.

Overall, you have a very interesting chapter and i hope you the best of luck in the coming challenges. 

[Draakur]

I come back to my thread after a few months to find... replies I hadn't seen! My apologies, brothers.

 

I'm coming into this a bit late, but hopefully I can help constructively. So there is a third option regarding their visions. Using what we know about CJD and Spongiform Encephalopathy what if, as part of the cannibalistic rituals, a bunch of the psykers all ate the same "infected" brain, and it's in effect is the basis of these visions that are being shared (as a side note, dependent on the timeline of initial infection, few, some, most, or all of the chapter could be infected via the honor cannibalism eating. Spreading it from just one psyker to all, then to the chapter as a whole). It's not chaos, it's not the Emperor, it's just a tragic delusion.

 

Regarding painting, style 4 (with the intended colors) would look pretty good, and most importantly, easy to paint compared to some of the partial color designs.

Appreciate the idea, but as I've pondered over this aspect of them over the last few months while I tried to get my mojo going for them again, I more or less decided that I wouldn't make a decision on this yet. Will certainly keep this in mind though, thanks.

 

Firstly, I think you mix 41st millennium WS (almost no Dreadnoughts) with 31st Millenium WS's (lots of quick, small, lethal, antigrav vehicles) very well.

In regards to outfoxing the enemy, will you have an Odysseus-equivalent when it comes to trickery? (Odysseus was well-known for being able to outsmart his foes and also an accomplished warrior.)

Do your Desolators (when they play strategy games to match minds) make little figurines and use random outcome generators to determine parts of the game? :D Nice 40k homage inside the 40k universe (if that's what you're going for).

The way you have them be overachievers at one specific thing to the point of ignoring everything else/leaving when they're done does well to separate them from other WS successors. The tunnel vision (if you could call it that) is an excellent characteristic.The psychological warfare doesn't make much sense, other than scaring systems into long-term compliance. Did they fight Night Lords for a while and see how effective the terror tactics were, and decide to adopt them (editing them to keep them in line with Imperial law)? Never mind, saw your bit on fighting Dark Eldar.

The cannibalism does lend mistique...keep all the details, maybe have a sidebar conversation between an apprentice Koldun and a full Koldun, with the younger asking why it is specific parts to eat and the older one says "that is only for the shamans/High Koldun, (forgot the name) to know. They/he have/has decreed what is to be eaten, and that is the end of that. But I wonder too, brother. Who knows, in the end, but the shamans/High Koldun/The Big E?"

Also, I prefer the electric eyes color scheme. Very storm-theme, and anything with electric eyes must be awesome!

Thanks! Glad that blend feels right.

 

Re: Odysseus, a fine thought! Will work with this, cheers.

 

Re: Strategy games, I envisioned things like chess and maybe certain card game variations and the like, but I got a good chuckle here, nice idea :p

 

Re: "Overachieveing" and tunnel vision, I really value this feedback, so thank you. It's an aspect of them I really like and that I plan to expand, now that I'm back to these guys. I was struggling to figure out how better to flesh them out, they just didn't feel whole yet, and eventually I lost drive due to lack of ideas that really grabbed me (the advice was continuously that I had enough and to just start writing the damn IA, which was probably valid, but I still ended up feeling like I needed more or was missing something). But after the last few months thinking, I've decided that this sort of grudge-bearing and "once we set our minds to a task or vow to annihilate an enemy, we do not stop for anyone or anything until it is 10000% complete to our satisfaction" was the missing piece/incomplete part of their character and history that I can now expand them with to become more of a coherent entity.

 

Re: cannibalism, glad this is hitting the right spots for people :)

 

Bit late since there were so many Iron Gauntlet threads popping up like rabbits.

 

Regarding color scheme: May I suggest something?

 

 

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/sm.php?b62c=@hcXvU_hozqS.haLvy@.@@___iaigX_.__iaigXiaigX___@@@@@@@@@_@_@@@@@@@@@@.._________@.@@.iakk7&

Dark grey and blue, representing storm clouds and the darkened sky

Yellow eyes and Aquila (though I would suggest a lightning bolt instead of an eagle or skull), representing the fast hitting bolts of pure energy / wrath

Some yellow details here and there to improve the lightning theme

 

Regarding against higher power:

 

Let them have an issue with the Ecclisiarchy or a decision of the Inquisition / High Lords. Half of the chapter agrees with it, half think that this was the wrong choice. The decision can include your chapter. As true sons of the Khagan, they are already a bit more of a wild card and maybe at odds with certain imperial bureaucrats.

While I really appreciate your time and effort here, I've actually come full circle on the colour scheme - I'll be going grey and yellow, and it will be very close to the very first scheme I put together (bottom of page 1). Thanks for the scheme though!

 

Re: the decision idea, I figure something like this will feature eventually yes. I don't see it as a huge focal point or characterising for them, but yeh, it may well be something like this.

 

"the hunt and strategical pre-game is just as significant as the conflict. Some tales are told of the strategical outwitting of enemies by great heroes in the Chapter's history without referencing the battle itself at all", "poets. Contests of wit not uncommon. Known to play games of strategy as a past time"

I like these, they really give your chapter some character and truly show what The Desolators value the most.

 

"they must return to the Imperium, needed for a not yet clear but profoundly significant task to come" This makes me wonder, what is this task? Have you thought anything about that, as the timeline continues with Guillimans return and the Indomitus crusade, the day that that task comes might actually come sooner than we realize.

Overall, you have a very interesting chapter and i hope you the best of luck in the coming challenges. :)

Glad those elements felt like they imbued a certain feel there :)

 

Re: the new timeline shifts, I honestly haven't really considered its impact on these guys yet, no. I'm significantly more attached to the Desolators than I've been to any of my other creations for a long time, and I'm pretty committed to eventually fully realising them, both in written and model form. They are/will be a slow burn project, I want to really do them well. My abandoning of the thread was never a show of being over them, more just a hiatus while I found my centre with them again. So with that thought in mind, I'm certain I'll get to the Indomitus Crusade etc eventually :)

Edited July 24, 2017 by Draakur

[Draakur]

Heya folks. So something out of this world exciting that happened over in the Black Library subforum yesterday has got me wanting to put up more of my thoughts/progress on these guys and start to tie things together and make them concrete. I have some finer detail and conceptual things I'd like to get thoughts on, but first up, given that I never actually settled on anything, just a basic colour check. What do people think of this?

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/sm.php?b62c=@i7xeR_hE1jl.iakk7@@@@__@ht5vr..__hgPwihid22___________@@@@@@@@@@@@@@hrjMKhrjMK_____@__.@@@@hrjMKi8WxN&

I feel like I'm pretty close to a scheme I'm happy with at this stage.

 

 

The Chapter symbol I've decided will be simpler and more to the point than I'd previously been tinkering with, and will basically just be a 40K skull icon with a simple lightning bolt on the forehead. As basic as that sounds, I know less than nothing about image editing and I don't want to risk screwing it up, so I haven't put the image together properly yet. You can probably picture it anyway, but for clarity's sake it will be this:

https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSTm8EJeszkx0o-lzOA5a8wURUi4p9iVhmMidVLlfWWGYBTtVMJfA

With a standard, downward-facing lightning bolt in yellow in the middle of the forehead. Again, thoughts? Would a double-jag lightning strike look better actually maybe, rather than the normal single jag we often see?

Edited October 15, 2017 by Draakur

[Lysimachus]

Love the scheme, not sure why but I would definitely pick that out as a WS Successor scheme (over any of the other gene lines, I mean). The dark grey and bright yellow make for a great contrast!

 

Nit picks: I'd colour the ears to match the rest of the head, and make the face pipes and joints on the backpack the same colour as the soft armour joints (funnily, it actually shows more on a SMP image than it does on an actual mini, where I wouldn't bother!).

 

Chapter badge looks good too, although I think I'd probably stick to the classic shape WS stylised lightning bolt as a reference to their forebears? You could also try the bolt in white to make it pop against the black and the yellow?

 

All round, very nice though (and you're a lucky, lucky :cuss to get ADB to mention them too!!! :D )

Edited October 15, 2017 by Lysimachus

[Commissar Molotov]

Well, with the prospect of an official mention it's all the more reason to actually make sure they're a finished Chapter! 

 

What are your next steps with the background? 

[Kelborn]

Well, with the prospect of an official mention it's all the more reason to actually make sure they're a finished Chapter!

 

What are your next steps with the background?

Indeed. We're here to help you. :)

[Minigiant]

I think it looks cool. I personally would probably keep the backpack grey. Then the two arms are symbolism for 2 thunderbolts.

 

Talking of thunderbolts. The thunderbolt on the skull. If you imagine the first person mentioning 'Harry Potter' marine getting to you . Maybe better to reconsider it. I think it sounds fine.

Edited October 15, 2017 by Minigiant