Originating chapter for a Leviathan Dread

[anarchistscourge]

Hey all,

 

So I’m going to be kitbashing a leviathan dread from an easy build redemptor (prefer the look) but I am stuck on what chapter it should originate from.

Leviathans are relics from before or around Horus heresy so I’m not sure I want a successor chapter and I don’t want to cheat myself and call it a black shield.

 

What are your suggestions? I was tempted to paint it up in one of the traitor legion colours and say that he dread didn’t fall to chaos, maybe iron warriors or thousand sons

[Drizzt79]

Hey all,

So I’m going to be kitbashing a leviathan dread from an easy build redemptor (prefer the look) but I am stuck on what chapter it should originate from.

Leviathans are relics from before or around Horus heresy so I’m not sure I want a successor chapter and I don’t want to cheat myself and call it a black shield.

What are your suggestions? I was tempted to paint it up in one of the traitor legion colours and say that he dread didn’t fall to chaos, maybe iron warriors or thousand sons

Sounds like heresy :-)

[Reviler]

The loyalist marines from traitor legion were called black shields at the time of the Hersey as well. That is where the term comes from.

[anarchistscourge]

I assume none of the loyal ‘traitor’ marines kept there heraldry if they joined the deathwatch then?

[Drizzt79]

I assume none of the loyal ‘traitor’ marines kept there heraldry if they joined the deathwatch then?

Nope out of shame

[Inquisitor Red]

The most probable answer is yes they removed all of their old legion iconography and called themselves black shields. On the other hand though, a lot of the traitor legions changed their colors, and logos pre-primarch being discovered and after the Heresy. So you could argue that your dread was a loyalist through and through before the finding of his chapters respective Primarch, or before his legion turned traitor. See examples below:

 

World Eaters

Pre Angron = War Hounds (White/Blue)

 

Black Legion/Sons of Horus

Pre Heresy = Luna Wolves (White)

 

Deathguard

Pre Mortarian = Dusk Raiders (Red/Black)

 

Word Bearers

Pre Logar = Imperial Heralds (Not sure on Colors)

 

 

In the Horus Hersey books from time to time this happens when a marine is still loyal even though his legion went bad. Some get rid of all icons, others stay true to their original legion colors, even though it caused mis-trust they didn't want to hide from their shame of their brothers. In other words make your dread any legion you like, and if someone has a problem with it just smash their face in with him lol. 

[anarchistscourge]

That was the idea, that the marine was loyal and never turned, something akin to Nathaniel Garro if anyone is familiar.

Could do alpha legion as technically they weren’t traitors lol

[Trevak Dal]

Why not have him be an honored brother from the Steel Pangolins chapter?

[anarchistscourge]

Probably because I’ve never heard of them before lol. Als can’t find any information on them

[Prot]

I like this idea and thought of doing it myself but can’t afford a Leviathan. All I’ll say is I would do a Luna Wolves Dread that has enough marking to identify but is considered a Black Shield.

 

To me it would be a character like Loken or so,etching insanely old.

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

As soon as I get everything painted I will then assemble my Levi and paint it up. So glad I got it before the Big hike.

[mjrwaud]

@anarchistscourge

 

Hmmmm, tough question... but I'd say the opportunity to use a "heretical" origin legion is too good to pass up. Therefore, it might just depend on which of those legions you like the fluff and aesthetics of... also a tough question! Horus Heresy era troops / dreadnoughts etc. tend to be less exaggerated in their style (fewer wolfy wolf stuff on Space Wolves for example) so you're safe with just a few key features to show its true origin. Iron warriors could look really sharp (I'd guess HH era would have fewer hazard stripes) but the bright red of the thousand sons peaking out from under deathwatch black would look amazing (in my personal opinion).

 

I'm curious, how are you kitbashing the leviathan from the redemptor? Has anyone seen that done before?  I'd really like to do the same (picked up the Tooth & Claw set), but am really unsure how to kitbash the weapon options...

[anarchistscourge]

Going to use the easy build to keep cost down. Then using the storm cannon arrays I’ll cut the arms just below joint and probably magnetize. You could also potentially use a second heavy onslaught cannon.

I’ll probably just wing it as I do most my conversions

[Kinstryfe]

My theory for things like this is: "What wouldn't be expected?". So what chapter/legion would be less likely to send a Leviathan to the Deathwatch. Now, keep in mind that all these years later it's probably unlikely that an actual crusade era marine would still be in the thing, but rather a series of new marines occupying the shell. In a way, the original marine's atonement wasn't joining the Deathwatch, but liberating an ancient relic from the forces of chaos and gifting it to the Deathwatch in perpetuity. So you get to have double the fun. You get a Dreadnaught that you get to make a history for, and a pilot you get to make a story for. Maybe even buck tradition and have the heraldry split between the two, or the shoulder the original colors but another part painted in the occupants colors so you don't anger the ancient machine spirit. You could have all sorts of cool pairings based on old heresy era rivalries, or go totally random. A member of the Unforgiven piloting an ancient Night Lords dread, a son of Sanguinius in a Sons of Horus dread, a space wolf in a Thousand Sons dread, and so on. Imagine how confused any traitors you encounter would be at an ancient death machine wearing the heraldry of both Prospero and Fenris?

[Prot]

That’s an interesting thought. Could you imagine a Black Legion marine with a pre Heresy origin coming up against a Luna Wolves DW Dread/Contemptor/Leviathan? What a shock that would be. There’s a great short story in there somewhere.

 

Aside from that there is something that a dread of that Heresy era would definitely bring to the battlefield, almost as a leader. When you read those very early HH novels it’s really about the Imperium annihilating the Xenos. These ancient warriors would have a ton of value in that area of expertise which is extremely valuable to DW.

[anarchistscourge]

This is awesome stuff! I was trying to work out how to explain a horus heresy era leviathan would be in deathwatch and his gives me a phenomenal reason.

If splitting heraldry I might paint the right shoulder one chapter and potentially the right chest plate another

[Kinstryfe]

This is awesome stuff! I was trying to work out how to explain a horus heresy era leviathan would be in deathwatch and his gives me a phenomenal reason.

If splitting heraldry I might paint the right shoulder one chapter and potentially the right chest plate another

I would do the shoulder the heraldry of the pilot's chapter as normal, and then have the dread's body with the original wearer's heraldry somewhere, or an icon of the legion or something. That way it's keeping with the traditional themes. For added fun, since the DW wasn't formed for a good while after the heresy, you could even have three chapters. For example, a Luna Wolves Leviathan who served with the Raven Guard after the Heresy who joined the Deathwatch as a final atonement, who is now piloted by a distinguished Praetors of Orpheus veteran. Layers within layers within layers. Like an ogre or an onion :)

[anarchistscourge]

How about a bunch of totems from previous chapters. Pretty sure I have enough lying around. Not sure I could pull off the multiple chapter paint scheme

[Kinstryfe]

How about a bunch of totems from previous chapters. Pretty sure I have enough lying around. Not sure I could pull off the multiple chapter paint scheme

Lorewise, I think that totems and icons of the chapters of previous occupants would be very fitting for a Deathwatch dread.

[Xisor]

White Scars. I'm sure they acquired some, either as token gifts from enterprising Mechanicus agents, but they themselves as a Chapter wouldn't care especially for them in particular.

 

I could see them being donated to the Deathwatch, early on.

 

Alternatively, before getting to Deathwatch, I could see them being pawned off as an 'honour' to Successor Chapters, e.g. arriving as a many generation (e.g. a successor's successor's sucessor's successor's... successor's successor), hand-me-down that's barely been used. Either still in original wrapping, or pre-Heresy/early Crusade White Scars variant/obscure heraldry.

 

I could see it being a lot of fun.

 

Possibly to the point that, centuries later, it's returned to actually house a White Scar (or antecedent successor from the endpoint) who, whilst undertaking their Long Watch, have suffered and found themselves willing to overlook personal tradition and delve into that sarcophagus.

 

Even in death, after all!

[anarchistscourge]

So I CONVERTED the redemptor, but really didn’t feel it need much. Basically put a head where the casket is cut the arms below the shoulder joint and used magnets.

As it’s a counts as I went with rule of cool and actually picked up the Telemon Archanus storm cannons (trunk they look cooler). So magnetised those as well. Then basically went to town adding bits to it and giving it heavy flamers (using the GSC clearance incinerators from the Goliath trucks)

Couldn’t find any chapter totems so will be going with the original idea of a “loyalist” traitor legion. Thinking Alpha Legion as Technically they never went full traitor.

 

Trying to think of how to do a more tasteful alpha legion scheme without an airbrush.

Any help appreciated

[Kinstryfe]

The Alpha Legion canonically had about a brazillion different schemes in almost any color. If you mean a metallic scheme though, I would recommend a bright silver base, with thin layers of inks, washes, or glazes applied until you reach a colour you're happy with. Preferably tested out on a spare model before committing with it on a dread. I've pulled off metallic purple with druchii purple and dark blue with whatever the navy blue equivalent is. If you can find a turquoise shade that may work for that now classic Alpha colour.

[mjrwaud]

So I CONVERTED the redemptor, but really didn’t feel it need much. Basically put a head where the casket is cut the arms below the shoulder joint and used magnets.

As it’s a counts as I went with rule of cool and actually picked up the Telemon Archanus storm cannons (trunk they look cooler). So magnetised those as well. Then basically went to town adding bits to it and giving it heavy flamers (using the GSC clearance incinerators from the Goliath trucks)

Couldn’t find any chapter totems so will be going with the original idea of a “loyalist” traitor legion. Thinking Alpha Legion as Technically they never went full traitor.

 

Trying to think of how to do a more tasteful alpha legion scheme without an airbrush.

Any help appreciated

 

Pics please!

I haven't started my Redepmtor -> Leviathan conversion yet (waiting on weapons from Forge World) but I'm really curious to see how it looks!

 

I've seen some cool alpha legion schemes done with a metallic base and several blue + green washes, which can be more forgiving on large flat panels.

[Gederas]

The most probable answer is yes they removed all of their old legion iconography and called themselves black shields. On the other hand though, a lot of the traitor legions changed their colors, and logos pre-primarch being discovered and after the Heresy. So you could argue that your dread was a loyalist through and through before the finding of his chapters respective Primarch, or before his legion turned traitor.:

Word Bearers

Pre Logar = Imperial Heralds (Not sure on Colors)

Slate Grey:

 

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/mediawiki/images/1/1a/WBPreHeresy.jpg

 

 

 

I was thinking about the red of thousand sons although I don’t know how I would do the candy red, but same goes for the blue of alpha legion

For Thousand Sons? Paint the armour like you would Custodes (Retributor Armour > Reikland Fleshshade > Liberator Gold > Stormhost Silver) then use Tamiya Clear Red over the areas you want red.

[Aothaine]

My theory for things like this is: "What wouldn't be expected?". So what chapter/legion would be less likely to send a Leviathan to the Deathwatch. Now, keep in mind that all these years later it's probably unlikely that an actual crusade era marine would still be in the thing, but rather a series of new marines occupying the shell. In a way, the original marine's atonement wasn't joining the Deathwatch, but liberating an ancient relic from the forces of chaos and gifting it to the Deathwatch in perpetuity. So you get to have double the fun. You get a Dreadnaught that you get to make a history for, and a pilot you get to make a story for. Maybe even buck tradition and have the heraldry split between the two, or the shoulder the original colors but another part painted in the occupants colors so you don't anger the ancient machine spirit. You could have all sorts of cool pairings based on old heresy era rivalries, or go totally random. A member of the Unforgiven piloting an ancient Night Lords dread, a son of Sanguinius in a Sons of Horus dread, a space wolf in a Thousand Sons dread, and so on. Imagine how confused any traitors you encounter would be at an ancient death machine wearing the heraldry of both Prospero and Fenris?

 

Really like this idea. I hope you don't mind if I use it.