Order of the Endless Crusade WIP

[OrdoMilitaris]

Ave Imperator!

This is my first time posting - have been collecting Sisters for a few years now having spent many years away from the hobby (usual reasons).

Want to get going with painting / converting and writing fluff for my crusade themed army and would appreciate help, comments and support along the way.

Have a Sororitas Imperial Knight conversion that I'm working on and almost ready to post pictures of it, have finished the converting and have just started painting - let me know if you'd like to see it.

 

Before I finish the Knight I need some advice on the colour scheme for my Sisters:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/148492198@N02/shares/9145qA

https://www.flickr.com/photos/148492198@N02/shares/gh4Atd

 

Leaning towards the red at the moment as would fit with Inquisition and Black Tenplar factions but am changeable. I'm happy with the armour etc but which do you prefer? Should I stick with the red or change to blue?

 

Also - when writing fluff what are the important details that people want to know about?

 

Will post pictures as and when I finish models. I'm planning a force of 2000pts to start, just need to get some Black Templars and I'm there. Thanks for reading if you're still with me and hope to be more involved on this forum.

 

The Emperor protects!

[Servant of Dante]

Red is a very Sisters color

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Black armor with gold trim is what the Black Legion traitors wear, and may result in "friendly fire" incidents. (I know your Sisters wear white robes, but those may get torn off in battle.)

 

Additional colors will help. May I suggest making the pauldrons all white, to match the robes? (You can keep the gold trim in that case.)

[Atrus]

Nice. Red is a good sisters colour and a good contrasting colour to both white and black, making it pop out a bit more. Blue I find want to try and get lost in darker colours like the black.

If you like the darker armour but done want to get caught up in friendly fire, lol, maybe a dark dark dark blue?

[Servant of Dante]

Black Legion is Black and Brass right? I mean, my Order Minoris is black and gold with white vestments, and OML is black and gold with red vestments.

for reference here are the color schemes of the 6 Orders Majoris

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Black Legion is Black and Brass right?

 

It's described as black with gold trim in the short story 'Honor Among Fiends' (published in 'Heroes of the Space Marines' anthology).

[OrdoMilitaris]

Red is a very Sisters color

 

Thanks for your comments so far. I've decided to stick with the red.

@Dante and Atrus - it is a very sisters colour and will fit with the other factions I'm planning to include. Thanks for the quality guide to the major orders. Please read below for the fluff I'm working on: any help to make it in line with Canon would be much appreciated.

 

@Bjorn - I like the look of the armour as it is, although for the next one I will try painting the symbols on the pouldrons white and see if that works - I didn't want them to look too much like OML (which they might) or have too many bright colours- I want the whole Castellans Crusade I'm building have a dark medieval feel to the models - I already have a bunch of WFB Flagellants to convert as Inquisitorial Acolytes and will be getting some Knights Templar. I also have A couple of Cairn Wraiths to convert to count as Jackaero / Plasma Cannon servitors.

 

The Sisters faction are a Minor Order inspired by Valorous Heart (iconography fits very well with Black Templars) with lots of Missionaries, Repentia and Penitent Engines following the Crusade, with Sisters establishing shrines and protecting pilgrims in its wake, and assisting the work of the Ordo Hereticus Inquisitirs operating in the area.

 

The many relics created by so many martyrs are carried by an Imperial Knight called 'Artemis the Relic Knight - Arch-Sacristan of the Eternal Crusade' - my thinking is that the crusade is fast moving and therefore the reliquaries need to be safely transported, but also visible to the faithful - what better than an IK? This will be my army's centre piece. I've always been inspired by the grim-dark gothic feel of 40k so want to show that in my army- the Knight has a Penitent Engine pilot, and lots of purity seals, relics etc on it. Am still painting it which might take a little while.

[Knight of the Raven]

About the Black Legion's color scheme.

 

Back when the mythical 3.5 codex was released, it was actually black and either or both silver and gold. Troopers got gold on their pauldron trims and silver everywhere else, chosens had more gold trims and terminators were considered elite enough through their armor to have the same scheme as the troopers... and because they have so many damn trims and raised edges in the first place they'd look gaudy enough to attract Slaanesh's attention if they had only gold ones.

 

I like this color scheme for sisters, if only because black and gold is stylish as hell.

 

No idea how it would work with friendly fire though.

[Beams]

Considering your significantly smaller, and have a completely different silloheutte and a ton of different colored cloth, you should be fine.

 

Also, it only really ever matters if your specifically fighting black legion...

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Also, it only really ever matters if your specifically fighting black legion...

It also matters if you're fighting beside allies who faced the Black Legion in the past, and are trigger-happy towards anything that remotely resembles the Warmaster's Own, i.e., the Inquisition.

[OrdoMilitaris]

The crusade is at the far flung fringes of the Galaxy, therefore feeling relaxed about being confused with the warmaster's remnant.

Black and Gold looks great so I am reluctant to change it - plus our Ordo Hereticus inquisitors have received extra target recognition protocols for their bionics and scopes. Still there is always the one maverick...

[Knight of the Raven]

That maverick will soon find out Dark Angels aren't the only power-armored force that can make inquisitors just disappear.

 

But yeah, don't change your color scheme. It's cool.

[Servant of Dante]

I like the idea of the relic knight, especially since you have a sensible reason for it's existence. 

[OrdoMilitaris]

That maverick will soon find out Dark Angels aren't the only power-armored force that can make inquisitors just disappear.

We've got a higher vocation to live out

[OrdoMilitaris]

I like the idea of the relic knight, especially since you have a sensible reason for it's existence.

 

The story is still evolving and I need to play some games to build up the story. The Canonness was going to be called 'Solaria' after she was the only surviving Repentia after a big Apocolypse battle a couple of years back - then I discovered that Dawn of War already got there first!! Need a name for her.

 

Just hope I can do the Knight justice after I'm finished painting it!

Will post the WIP pictures and how far I've got with it by the end of the week. Need some inspiration to get painting again and hoping this'll spur me on. Been working on it (mainly)off and on for about 6months and have only just finished gluing it together! Just need a couple of evenings to do the base coats and then highlight / detail at my leisure.

[Knight of the Raven]

I don't know about her birth name or a name she might have chosen for herself, but she might be named Invicta (which means "Undefeated," "Unconquered" and everything along this line) by others for surviving against all odds.

 

I say others would give her that name and not herself because sisters of battle are supposed to be humble to a fault.

Edited April 18, 2017 by Knight of the Raven

[OrdoMilitaris]

Instead of Solaria I'm going to go with Canonness Solaris ' Invicta ' - the name Invicta given in honour of her redemption at the battle of xxxx (can't remember the name we gave our battlefield- will update when I find out).

 

What do you think of me changing the name of the order to 'Order of the Perpetual Crusade' instead of 'Endless Crusade'?

 

Have just been reading some Black Templars fluff and realised that their flagship is called Endless Crusade. I want the Sisters to have their own independent identity as well as fighting in a Castellan of the Imperium formation.

[Knight of the Raven]

Instead of Solaria I'm going to go with Canonness Solaris ' Invicta ' - the name Invicta given in honour of her redemption at the battle of xxxx (can't remember the name we gave our battlefield- will update when I find out).

My experiences with genderswapped princess Celestia tell me "Solaris" is a male name.

 

What do you think of me changing the name of the order to 'Order of the Perpetual Crusade' instead of 'Endless Crusade'?

Perpetuals are a part of the Horus Heresy many wish had never existed, so choosing that name will both bring people bad memories and make them wonder if some of the sisters are perpetuals.

 

Have just been reading some Black Templars fluff and realised that their flagship is called Endless Crusade. I want the Sisters to have their own independent identity as well as fighting in a Castellan of the Imperium formation.

The Black Templars' flagship is actually the Eternal Crusader. Figures they'd hog the best name out of all the everliving lexical field, the bastards.

[OrdoMilitaris]

 

Instead of Solaria I'm going to go with Canonness Solaris ' Invicta ' - the name Invicta given in honour of her redemption at the battle of xxxx (can't remember the name we gave our battlefield- will update when I find out).

 

My experiences with genderswapped princess Celestia tell me "Solaris" is a male name.

Thought that it was gender neutral and this site seems to agree with me: http://www.meaning-of-names.com/greek-names/solaris.asp

What do people think of it as a name? "Solaris Invicta" for the Canonness.

 

What do you think of me changing the name of the order to 'Order of the Perpetual Crusade' instead of 'Endless Crusade'?

 

Perpetuals are a part of the Horus Heresy many wish had never existed, so choosing that name will both bring people bad memories and make them wonder if some of the sisters are perpetuals.

Lol - I don't wish to trigger anyone with bad memories! Endless Crusade it stays.

 

Have just been reading some Black Templars fluff and realised that their flagship is called Endless Crusade. I want the Sisters to have their own independent identity as well as fighting in a Castellan of the Imperium formation.

The Black Templars' flagship is actually the Eternal Crusader. Figures they'd hog the best name out of all the everliving lexical field, the bastards.

'Order of the Endless Crusade' it stays! For now....

[OrdoMilitaris]

 

Instead of Solaria I'm going to go with Canonness Solaris ' Invicta ' - the name Invicta given in honour of her redemption at the battle of xxxx (can't remember the name we gave our battlefield- will update when I find out).

 

My experiences with genderswapped princess Celestia tell me "Solaris" is a male name.

 

What do you think of me changing the name of the order to 'Order of the Perpetual Crusade' instead of 'Endless Crusade'?

 

Perpetuals are a part of the Horus Heresy many wish had never existed, so choosing that name will both bring people bad memories and make them wonder if some of the sisters are perpetuals.

 

Have just been reading some Black Templars fluff and realised that their flagship is called Endless Crusade. I want the Sisters to have their own independent identity as well as fighting in a Castellan of the Imperium formation.

The Black Templars' flagship is actually the Eternal Crusader. Figures they'd hog the best name out of all the everliving lexical field, the bastards.

Thought that it was gender neutral and this site seems to agree with me: http://www.meaning-of-names.com/greek-names/solaris.asp

 

What do people think of it as a name? "Solaris Invicta" for the Canonness.

 

Lol - I don't wish to trigger anyone with bad memories! 'Order of the Endless Crusade' it stays! For now....

[OrdoMilitaris]

Okay - it's late but I wanted to post this before the mad-busy weekend begins.

 

Here are the work in progress pics for Artemis the Relic Knight.

 

I have used various kits and added them to the Knight model, Penitent Engine pilot, purity seals from various, relics from Grey Knights sprues and the missile launch from an Exorcist tank. This was a very steep learning curve for me as I have never converted a model like this before.

I got some superb help from my brother who helped me glue the Knight together and a guy at the GW store in Cribbs Causeway, Bristol helped me - I owe him a picture of the fully painted result! He took an evening with me attaching the pilot and missile launcher (which was pretty tricky to say the least!) and I really enjoyed learning about Green Stuff. The relics around the missile launcher were added later as my Green Stuff work was pretty messy, but the finished result looks pretty good and to say that I'm happy with it is an understatement - it looks very much like what I had in mind at the beginning. It is my pride and joy and a great centrepiece for my army.

I didn't have pictures of the very earliest stages as the phone I took pictures on died suspiciously after my mobile contract ended...

Pictures of the stages that I have :

https://www.flickr.com/gp/148492198@N02/sv4W4n

https://www.flickr.com/gp/148492198@N02/c9CPK9

https://www.flickr.com/gp/148492198@N02/4V1P5Z

https://www.flickr.com/gp/148492198@N02/53D8Fs

https://www.flickr.com/gp/148492198@N02/cm1z5a

https://www.flickr.com/gp/148492198@N02/PUn57f

https://www.flickr.com/gp/148492198@N02/mP7135

 

This is where I am to date after a bunch of dry brushing and washes:

https://www.flickr.com/gp/148492198@N02/317i5F

 

Will get more up as I make progress. I really hope you enjoy seeing what I've done and that this might inspire you to have a go at converting too - it's really rewarding and there is lots of help out there. GW staff were really helpful, and of course my twin bro who is a bit of a master. Please comment - I need encouragement to get her finished as it is rather daunting!!

Edited April 21, 2017 by OrdoMilitaris

[robofish7591]

Awesome stuff, I can't wait to see the finished product!

[Bjorn Firewalker]

I think "Solaris Invicta" works best as a title. "The Solar System is unconquerable!" is a title, a purpose, and a battle cry that unites the Grey Knights of Titan and the Adeptus Mechanicus of Mars with the Ministorum of Holy Terra, in deed (we hope). Edited April 22, 2017 by Bjorn Firewalker

[OrdoMilitaris]

Thanks, Bjorn. Not sure if I'll have Mechanicum in my army yet - I already have a good showing for Sisters and Inquisition, but will get some Black Templars in a drop pod for a speed bump unit. Looking forward to see if it all works. Haven't made any progress on the Knight as yet but will post more pics when I do.

Black Legion is Black and Brass right? I mean, my Order Minoris is black and gold with white vestments, and OML is black and gold with red vestments.

for reference here are the color schemes of the 6 Orders Majoris

How do I post images directly onto the blog? I tried to post some pics of my Knight before but only the links show..

[OrdoMilitaris]

I've finally made a bit of progress on my Knight conversion!    

Want to know what you think I should do with the panels on the shoulders - should I paint them plain black and add some relics/purity seals or should I try some free hand?

As above, the order is a missionary / crusading force and so I wondered what the fluff implications would be of painting Black Templar style crosses on them?