New paintscheme/chapter - the Ghost Bears or 'Draugabjörn'.

[Karack Blackstone]

https://treesforlife.org.uk/forest/mythology-folklore/bear/

 

https://www.druidry.org/library/animals/bear

 

https://www.crystalinks.com/bears.html

 

Decent search fu today.

 

All bears have one thing in common: If you're going to use the Wolves rules for WH40K as a theme, you may want to ally in a LOT of Apothecaries, or deal with having a heavy love of Paw Priests, or whatever you go with as far as a rename of the Wolf Priest HQ type.

 

Still, the idea remains the same. Bears are caring, loving, nurturing creatures, and your forces might need to reflect that at least a little. It's up to you as to how much; just please keep in mind, if there's ever a reason for the Long Claws to have a more Brotherhood unit (Tacticals), you're going to want to keep someone around, like a Dreadnought to watch over and escort the unit and keep a Shaman / Apothecary nearby to tend to them all.

[ranulf the revenant]

Spirit Grizzlies

[Vykryl]

Ever seen video of a grizzly chasing down an elk? Like a flesh and blood bulldozer, running over trees and through dead falls the elk has to hurtle or dodge. Sneaking creatures to, if the accounts in my California Grizzly book are accurate. Early European explorers reported that if you shot one and didn't kill it, it would play dead. Once you go close it would stop feigning and charge, sometimes with other bears that were hiding in the chaparral. Good totem for a Space Wolf successor :D Brutal and cunning.

 

If you go with Ghost Bear, are you going to have a Guard/Rasalhague Dominion side force? This name does have the best sound to me, even if already used in the BattleTech universe.

[RikuEru]

Right folks,

 

I am trying to narrow down my names for this chapter and really need your help. Potential names include but not limited to:

Thunder Bears (blend of mythological thunderbird and general guardian bear legends. Works for both cultural references)

Iron Bears (armoured side of things. Picturing tribesmen meeting a marine for the first time, etc)

Ghost Bears (bit mechwarrior and bears are not overly stealthy, but I like it. Was my origina thought)

War Bears (brutal and to the point)

What do you think? Really struggling to nail it down. Any advice and/or suggestions most welcome.

 

Cheers, GM:)

Additional Info:

 

Iron Bears is also the name of an Alternative 6th Legion in the Brotherhood of the lost Sub-Forum here on B&C that has some American native vibes and a highly elaborated history, homeworld and concept. (Also a cool paint scheme that you could use for your Elites)

Their Primarch was pretty close to Leman Russ- who, alongside Magnus, became the "Lost" 2. and 11. Primarch in their AU timeline. I think they also integrated surviving Space Wolves into their Legion.

 

...and I think that the offspring of Grizzly&Polar Bear Relationships are called Ghost Bears. They have a light creme colour that looks almost shiny, depending on the light. They used to be a rare sight, but become more and more common.

[Guest Triszin]

I like

Thunder bears (3rd fav)

Ghost bears (2nd fav)

 

Other thoughts

Ursus minor

Ursus major

 

 

Astral bears (my favorite)

 

 

 

The bear clans of the astral bears chapter, fleet pattern ursus minor(company strength), rarely deployed as ursus major (chapter strength).

 

 

To add to rikus comments on real life ghost bears hybrids. They are also supposed to be absolutely massive. Pizzlys, grizzlors, bigger than there parents.

 

Grislords

Grizzlords

Edited August 1, 2019 by Triszin

[GrFlur]

Stalking bears

 

you've gonna feel their looks on to your skin

you've gonna get the feel that someone is looking you

You''ll  now you're not alone anymore

so be carfeull

you're not going to see them, but they will be there and 

in one mistake, error, slip, lapse or blink of the eye...

 

 

They will be raining fire, thunder and lightnings until their mission is acomplished

[NightHowler]

I think Draugabjörn is my favorite, but if you want the “gothic” version of their name I also like Ghost Bears.

[The Saint Ragnar]

"Pizzly" or "Grolar" bears are massive creatures. They are just downright scary when it comes to size and weight. Very rare but also very interesting coats. I think I saw somewhere they can get to 10'+ and weight over 1500 lbs. That aside, I think having a mix of the Draugabjorn and Ghost Bears similar to the Vlka Fenryka and Space Wolves. Have one name be what they refer to themselves as and close allies do and the other what the common folk call them.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Suggestion: Keep "Draugabjörn" as a Chapter name in the First Chapter Master's native Fenrisian, "Ghost Bears" as a Chapter name in the Low Gothic common to the rest of the Imperium. Use "Astral Bears," "Iron Bears," "Stalking Bears," "Thunder Bears," etc., as Company names, which are as original and individualistic as that of Space Wolves Great Companies.

Pizzlys, grizzlors, bigger than there parents.

 

Grislords

Grizzlords

I don't think the fusion names work; they're downright incomprehensible to anyone unfamiliar with bear species and isn't hyper-fluent in English. Best make up new names, e.g., "The Golem bear, so named for the exoskeletal plates protecting its vitals, which grant the beast exceptional resilience and make it resemble the golems of legend." Edited August 2, 2019 by Bjorn Firewalker

[ranulf the revenant]

 

...and I think that the offspring of Grizzly&Polar Bear Relationships are called Ghost Bears. They have a light creme colour that looks almost shiny, depending on the light. They used to be a rare sight, but become more and more common.

I looked into it. You're right about the appearance of the hybrids (pizzly/grolar). Upon research though, "Ghost Bears" (Kermode Bears) are actually an subspecies of the American black bear (appearing in British Columbia) which in some cases also happen to be white ☺️. But I digress... (bears are awesome...)

[Dantay VI]

Ghost bears, all day .. every day and twice on Sundays.

[Graymane]

Hello folks,

 

So, its been a little while since i posted here. Life/work certainly gets in the way eh?

Anyways, thanks to a combination of enforced home working and my 40th birthday approaching along with some much needed leave, I'm hoping to have some quality time and resource to finally dedicate to this project.

I have some bits from shapeways and am hoping to churn out some more Draugrbjorn in the very near future! :)

I have already started work on my Redemptor dreadnought. Pics to follow shortly! :)

 

Cheers,

 

GM

[Graymane]

As some of you may know, I love dreadnoughts.

One of the primaris models I like the most is the Redemptor Dreadnought. So, i thought id start there.

The thing that fascinates and horrifies me the most is the concept of the dreadnought 'pilot'. The last shreds of a marine entombed in a sarcophagus for all time, doomed to fight for eternity and the strengths that pilot must have. It is easy to look at the might of a war machine like a dreadnought and forget the man at its core. So I set myself the challenge of incorporating these mortal remains into the build...

I knocked this up from an aggressor head, zombie body, the smoke launcher and hoses from some chaos land raider accessories i had laying about, all boxed in with a little plasticard.

It was, however, promptly pointed out that hair growth could be an issue in a sarcophagus. So i gave him a haircut and magnetised the sarcophagus cover and tidied the whole thing with some green stuff. Also stripped some of the iconography off the cover...

(test fit)

As you probably noticed, I got the basis of the body built and then thought i might like to be able to change main weapons so magnetised them.

I also changed the power fist into a power claw...

Also converted the sarcophagus armour...

Next but was to paint the pilot before building around him...

So then i have build the basic chassis, decorated the sarcophagus cover and test fitted all the parts so far...

So, that's it as of today.

All comments and feedback most welcome as per usual. Let me know what you think so far!

Cheers,

GM

[ranulf the revenant]

Inspiring! Makes it more human for sure! Oh man, now I'll have to do the same with the model once I have one, or it won't feel right

[Kassill]

That dread looks great, I can't wait to see it all painted up! 

[Bjorn Firewalker]

I salute your efforts in customizing the Redemptor Dreadnought sarcophagus to show the interred Marine.

[Guest Triszin]

Gonna have to take some ques from you when I redo my bjorn

[Bryan Blaire]

That dread is fantastic! Great job on the pilot, it really is the little details that make stuff so good - tell me you magnetized the cover, or it's a very tight dry fit, because it would be a shame to permanently cover that work.

[Graymane]

That dread is fantastic! Great job on the pilot, it really is the little details that make stuff so good - tell me you magnetized the cover, or it's a very tight dry fit, because it would be a shame to permanently cover that work.

 

It's all magnetised :)

[ranulf the revenant]

Just saw this -> https://puppetswar.eu/bear-helmets.html

I don't know, maybe you'll like it

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Just saw this -> https://puppetswar.eu/bear-helmets.html

I don't know, maybe you'll like it

[Graymane]

Greetings brothers!

Bit of an update. This is a test fit/idea for the decorations. I have my custom shoulder pads fitted and have been adding a few bits to give it a more feral look.

The bear pelt is supposed to look like its just been slung over the right shoulder and is swinging as as dreadnought moves. I know a lot of greenstuff will be needed to bulk it out and tie it in, but this should be enough to give you an idea, I hope.

Also thinking some form of icon might be needed on the forward knee.

What do you think so far?

Cheers,

GM

[Krakendoomcool]

Absolutely great pose. Loving the bear icon on one shoulder and bear pelt on the other (reminds me of Ragnars shoulders). This beast is shaping up to be amazing. Claws are a fantastic touch too.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

The Redemptor looks most promising.

[Graymane]

Hello again brothers!

Bit more of an update for you. I have finally finished adding bear and wolf pelts, glyphs and so on.

Much green-stuffing, swearing, and several attempts later I'm quite happy with how the bear pelt turned out.

Take a look and let me know what you think. :)

And everything still works! Main weapon is interchangeable and most importantly, the sarcophagus can still be opened...

Now, time to start painting this big beastie!

All feedback /advice welcome as per usual. Please let me know what you think!

Cheers,

GM