The Helguard

[XenoMechanicum]

Hey, I suppose I'll edit this initial post as I learn how to work on the board, still working on uploading some pics - I'll add more later, after I get to my preferred hangout to spend the day painting and hopefully getting my first game in.

So far my planned origin is within one or two Foundings of the Cursed Founding, and my Chapter is an Iron Hands Successor with a defective Progenoid Gland. Because of this only half as much Gene-Seed is harvested from each Marine - to combat this they've developed a tendency towards mechanical augmentations to allow members to survive long enough for Dreadnought interment.

Their home world was known as 'Ginnunga' (working title with a purpose), a Death World covered an above average concentration of active volcanoes - due to the sheer amount of ash being spewed into the air, the world is poisonous to most humans, forcing the original settlers underground and to develop an almost albino skin tone for most, along with lowering the overall temperature of the surface thanks to he constant ash clouds.

Their Fortress-Monastery was known as the Gap, nestled in the center of a bowl, burrowed deep into the ground, with the magma constantly adding new layers above them as it cools.

However eventually a Tyranid splinter of an unknown Hive Fleeet attacked, driving most of the Chapter to return home where able to help combat this menace. Even with that and reinforcements from other chapters, the already losing battle took a turn for the worse when someone else started attacking the Tyranid invaders - the Necrons whose Tomb World had finally awakened.

Between the all consuming organic terror from the sky, and the inorganic immortals quickly rising from the ground beneath them, the Chapter Master of the time made the difficult decision to cut their losses - forcing the few remaining natives to evacuate, he made plans for the Chapter to abandon the Gap, taking most of the heavy armor with them - leaving only the barest scraps to hold off the Xenos. However the Home Guard of the 9th Company refused to leave before anyone else, and with their broken remnants - having held back the combined Tyranids and Necrons swarming the planet - protected the Chapter Master while he arranged the detonation of their remaining munitions to help things along.

The Chapter Master was badly wounded in a final push, and was sent off with the final ship evacuating their supplies, the Captain of the 9th Company staying behind to detonate it. After the ship made it to the safety of the fleet hovering above (fending off Tyranids, though barely), the planet was ruined by orbital bombardment, aiming for the Gap to destroy the core of the planet.

While put in stasis, the Chapter Master was finally interred within a Leviathan Siege Dreadnought, and he stepped down to allow a fresh leader, instead forming the vast numbers of Dreadnoughts resulting from the assault into the new 1st Company, serving as its Captain. The 9th Company was officially dissolved, in honor of their sacrifice, with "For the 9th!" now being a common battle cry, and their remaining a Fleet-Based Chapter ever since.

They welcome the inclusion of the Primaris Marines as fresh blood, stronger and heartier, with hopefully no defects being carried onward - though that remains to be seen.

I know a lot of it is fuzzy still (I should probably read about the invasion of Baal I'm guessing for a better idea of a Tyranid invasion like what I have pictured) but as I haven't read any books only the wiki and some fanfiction, anyone have any advice on where to touch up their story? I'll clean it up as I go along, also please tell me if I'm in the wrong section.

Edit: Replaced Test pic with 4 pics in a spoiler at the bottom to save space!

Edited January 7, 2018 by XenoMechanicum

[Quixus]

Nice read, the marines look like loyalist Iron warriors though. If you do not want a tyranid invasion, how about an Ork Waaagh?

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Your Iron Hands successor's models and backstory look promising.

[XenoMechanicum]

Thanks Quixus! I'm about to edit and show some better pictures, but my 3 main colors are silver, gold, black; the original Marines are mostly silver with some gold and black highlights (I might go back and add a little more black at some point to sharpen the contrast) where the fresh generations of Primaris flip that around to mostly black, like their vehicles, and I plan on making Terminators mostly gold I think, though I don't have any for my guys yet.

 

And a I appreciate the suggestion! Never said I didn't want Tyranids though I actually WANT the Tyranids just for their reputation as an almost unstoppable swarm - after all, the Ultrasmurfs and Blood Angels had trouble pushing back Tyranid invasions, and thy didn't have the number shortage my guys do because of the defective Gene-Seed, so the entire time they were fighting them off, they're trying not to doubt their ability to stop them - until Necrons start waking up and blow all that to pieces, cause why go to so much trouble to defend a frozen, inhospitable ball of fire and ice from a nearly upstoppable swarm coming from above, when the entire planet beneath is loaded with an equally implacable enemy that - much like my guys - refuses to die? Caught between the hammer and the anvil as it were.

 

And thanks also Bjorn! I wasn't sure if it sounded too 'generic' after the other invasions of famous canon chapters like Blood Angels or not, I cooked up he entire idea while I was at work Friday, seemed to tie a lot of my plans together and give them a bit of character, a quirk (like not having the 9th Company anymore).

[DaBoiKyknos]

Cool colour scheme! Painting looks a bit rough, though. Maybe thin your paints more?

[XenoMechanicum]

Thanks, I imagine that would help lol; so far I've been going straight from the pot (until I can set up a wet palette to try out hopefully in the next few days, and I've been using dirt cheap brushes from Walmart (97 cents for a bag of 30) to use until I can get better at brush care and painting technique, using the citadel starter brush for small details like the bare faces (it's a work in progress lol), still haven't gotten around to putting their emblem on the shoulders for most, since I want a skull on a shield - basic except for the skull.

 

And thanks! I liked my original black/gold paint scheme but it was too similar to a preexisting chapter so I added silver for a change of pace.

[Cilu]

XenoMechanicum first up I really love your paint scheme! Looks really promising!

 

 

I only started myself 8 months ago and have learned a few things on the way in regards to paint so I'd just like to share them with you

 

Get a wet pallet, it helps so much with the paint thinning 

 

Lawrence from Tabletop Tactics explains it actually pretty good in this video:

 

 

Try and look at this playlist:

 

 

Miniac helped me a lot!

 

This one was/is THE guide for me in regards to power weapons!

 

 

Hope I don't come over as condescending or anything like that, really just want to share what I learned and where I found the information that really cemented it for me!

[XenoMechanicum]

Lol. Thank you very much! I'm heading into work so I'll have to check them out after but I can't wait! I heard about a wet palette for the first time from Tabletop Minions on YouTube - he even demonstrated how to make one for dirt cheap using a paper towel, parchment paper, and a Tupperware set, that I just need to get the parchment paper to make! He also had Sam Lenz help with some videos that I watched about blending which (I can't do nearly as good of course especially without a palette of any kind) but I'm fairly happy with my results even so and looking forward to watching your links for more advice! I mentioned in another post that I have a kromlech turret with a plasma gun that I intend to convert into a Dreadnought at some point - I'll have a wet palette tray by then so hopefully it'll turn out better than my Hellblasters and my Tac Sergeants Plasma Pistol lol

[Cilu]

No problems! I actually made my wet palette with backing paper, a lid from a box and a sponge :D total cost: 3$

[Cilu]

For Hellblasters and Redemptors or plasma in general I can highly recommend drybrushing.

 

[XenoMechanicum]

Those look awesome! I finally watched the videos and they helped a lot! Hopefully in the next few days I'll get a chance to try them out; i still have a techmarine and a land raider high on my priority list lol

[Cilu]

The Citadel Small drybrush is really good for getting these effects that's at least the one I am using.

[XenoMechanicum]

Cool! I've been using the starter brush for the heads because that's literally the smallest brush I have lol I was thinking of taking a look at the artificer series but too expensive - don't suppose they have a comparable size brush in a more generic brand?

[Cilu]

I see your located in the US so I just went to amazon for you and took a look around.

 

If you want some solid brushes that will actually help you then order these:

 

https://www.amazon.com/Professional-Siberian-Kolinsky-Miniature-Watercolor/dp/B06XTJYMMB/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1515448990&sr=8-9&keywords=Kolinsky

 

I know there is written nailart brushes but you can easily use them for acrylic pains. I just ordered a similar set and I am super happy with it! Though gotta say that I do still love my Citadel Drybrushes and my XS Artificer Brush, but then again the XS brush will you get in the above set. Important is (at least for me) that the brushes are real hair which those above are.

[XenoMechanicum]

Ah much appreciated! I expect I'll have to cough up the money for he XS Artificer but it's a lot of money for me to spend on a single brush which is why I've been using the cheap ones - no point in spending $20 on a single brush if I ruin it within a week from bad brush care lol.

 

Thanks for the link though I think I'll have to do that! Why does the real hair make a difference anyway?

[Cilu]

From what I have experienced the artificial hair brushes have a very limited life. They flay pretty fast or simply loose their sharp point. The real hair ones stay healthy much longer and are way easier to keep clean and sharp.

[XenoMechanicum]

Ah that makes sense; the cheap ones I've been using haven't lasted long but when they become unusable I use them for texture brushes instead lol

[XenoMechanicum]

Razorback

Not much change but added gold chevrons to front and a black chevron (not shown here) as a badge for the fall of Ginnunga - infantry and dreads will have it on the leg or somwhere close but for vehicles I just have it on the rear and one side for now.

Dreadnought

Added basic Heraldry to one leg and chevron (same as on Razorback) for Ginnunga, as well as the 1st designation on his left shoulder and the 9th on his Aaron to honor his former company (tried to magnetize his other arm but the magnet came off and is lodged in his lascannon arm at the moment), and got him glued to his base.

Ancient

Not much change other than added the basic Heraldry to his banner and the numerals of the 9th to honor them - no badge for him though as a fresh Primaris marine.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

The models look promising. I hope to see more.

[XenoMechanicum]

Thanks! I planned on doing but but between the magnet issues - which if anyone has any advice on would be appreciated - and finding out my Runefang Steel was apparently open this entire time, I couldn't motivate myself to try and do more since the lack of silver put some hurt on my further plans.