Ultima Founding Chapter Help!

[A Gentleman's Coup]

Hello all!  Just started making a homebrew lion themed chapter.  Thinking of calling them either the Sacred Band or the Lions of Carthage.  I'm a little stuck on the color scheme (thinking either gold with red pauldrons and helmet or halved red and tan).  Basic backstory is that they are an Ultima Founding chapter dropped into the Phoenician System to deal with an Ork Waaagh!  They found themselves fighting on two fronts as a local political party took advantage of the chaos to rise up in revolt against the governor and start a civil war.  The local Victorian Guardsmen (my homebrew guard resembling Praetorians) were hard pressed when the Space Marines arrived.  They had been pushed out of all the major cities and back to the planet Victoria where they originated from.  Only small redoubts still held out on the planets Carthage, Nova Carthago, and Massilia.  The chapter quickly launched itself into the fray, relieving the over-stretched guardsmen and building a forward base on Carthage.  Great casualties were taken and the rebels put down, but the orks would never quite be eradicated from the system despite the constant attempts by the Phoenician military forces.  The chapter would begin construction of a fortress monastery on Carthage and begin taking in recruits to replenish losses.  One of the trials undertaken by the potential initiates are to kill one of the great Phoenician lions with ones' bare hands and bring it back to the monastery.  If anyone has questions or suggestions, they would be very welcome and helpful!

[Brother Lunkhead]

You're off to a good start Brother A...... I like the sound of the Lions of Carthage and the theme you have going there Gold with red pauldrons and helmet to me looks too close to the Celestial Lions (gold with blue pauldrons and helmet)..... halved red and gold sounds cool though. Just a thought.....it's your chapter to do with as you see fit no matter what I or anyone else says and I'll defend your right to that too. Good luck with your DIY chapter.... it's a fun ride 

[Bishoujo]

I prefer the Lions of Carthage name option.  It sounds good and fits thematically, both with that being where their fortress monastery is located, as well as the right of passage for initiates involving a local species of lion.

 

I like the Gold + Red paint scheme idea. It's possible that it may look similar to Custodes or Minotaurs, but your units will look very different from the Custodes and the Minotaurs are more bronze than gold.  I also think the Tan + Red idea would look nice, and probably differentiate itself from other paint schemes a bit easier.

 

Looking forward to seeing you expand on these ideas.  

[Doctor Perils]

Carthage can be a great source of inspiration, one that too few people know of.

If I were you, I'd go with a slightly less "on the nose" reference, maybe change up the names a bit to 40kify them? Perhaps "Punic Lions"?

For help figuring out a colour scheme, I'd suggest using the site's interactive Space Marine Painter - it's not yet updated to have the Primaris template but will surely help you figure it out some: http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/smpbeta.php

 

Is the chapter meant to be founded separately prior to their arrival in your sector, or does this event happen during the Indomitus Crusade, at the end of which Carthage is made a homeworld for this newly created chapter?

 

Are you planning on including some "thalassocratic" ideas in the chapter?

[A Gentleman's Coup]

My current idea is to have the chapter founded for the Indomitus Crusade and settled in the system.  As for thalassocratic ideas, I haven't developed them enough to have reached major themes like that yet, but I am more than open to new ideas.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Hannibal Barca served Carthage. Considering what he's famous for, will the Lions of Carthage operate a large number of Mastodon heavy assault transports? Maybe you can create your own "war elephant" by replacing a Land Raider's tracks with several pairs of Dreadnought legs, the sponsons with additional doors (the guns will be mounted on a howdah), the front ramp with a full-sized battle cannon and twin autocannon (trunk and tusks)?

[A Gentleman's Coup]

That would be hilarious and awesome!

[A Gentleman's Coup]

Here's a bit of story to help with the chapter demeanor.  

 

 

Trooper Harris wiped his brow and leaned forward on the mealie bags that formed the majority of a haggard defense line.  For a day and a night the 24th Victorian Foot had held Ork's Drift.  For a day and a night they had held off wave after wave of greenskins.  Harris knew the outpost would fall.  The hospital had burned to the ground and the guardsmen retreated to the inner redoubt.  As he gazed up into the hills, Harris had to admire his enemy in a way.  They were brave and effective fighters, a worthy opponent.  Harris was jerked from his thoughts by the bellows of Company Commander Chaud.  The orks were massing for another charge.  Their dead already covered the ground, yet the orks simply thundered over them.  Harris raised his lasgun in tandem with the rest of the defenders.  As he drew his target, a louder noise roared over the din.  Harris turned into the blast of wind as a mighty gunship descended over the outpost.  Titanic figures leaned out of the side and began to leap out from dangerous heights and land with massive thuds on the dry dirt below.  Space marines!​  Chaud commanded the men to begin firing, but Harris couldn't take his eyes off the dropping figures.  They quickly moved to fill the line without delay, firing as they moved into place.  One moved to take place next to Harris over the fallen body of Trooper Nelson.  Harris couldn't tear his gaze from the giant, from who's belt the pelt of a lion's leg hung.  Suddenly, Harris heard screaming from the hill.  He turned to watched skull faced giants tear from the brush and rip into the ork commanders with fury and fervor that turned his stomach.  He suddenly felt a weight on his shoulder and turned in panic.  The giant gazed down at him and motioned toward the charging orks.  Harris quickly took up his lasgun and unleashed his weapon into the approaching orks.  The outpost might hold after all.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

The story's good.