DIY chapter idea - Scratch and start anew

[nusphigor]

Hello guys.
I am trying to come by with a chapter of my own and decided to start this thread in order to get ideas flowing and maybe ask your help with suggestions and such.

So far the idea is that the first company of the chapter deploys in mk3 iron armour and, whilst is a veteran company, it only has squads of sternguard, vanguard, company veterans and devastators.

In game, the devastators might have the cherubim to represent their veteran status.
Also, the Vanguard veterans may not use jump packs, as the army is based for space warfare and boarding actions and the mk 3 iron is quite bulky and heavy.

The other companies may wear other marks of armour but mk3 is reserved to the 1st.

No terminators in the army though, as most of the resources would go towards adquiring these plates.

There is a heavy component of scouts, but they are from the 10th company as usual.

Speaking of icons, the squads are marked by battlefield disposition in the right shoulderpad with the squad number on top.
The company number is displayed on the right knee via heraldry (something like what the dark angels and blood angels do). Right shoulderpad in the case of scouts squads.

The colour scheme might be something like this (maybe freehanding the eagle when necessary)

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/sm.php?b62c=@iakk7_hbTKH.hwQiJ_.__@@@hez7I..@@..@@@@_@@@_@@@_@_@@@@@@@@@@..@@@@@@@@._.__.@&

I will modify this as i expand on the idea of the chapter.

Any questions and comments would be nice, as i am completely at a loss when creating chapters.

Thanks for reading.

Edited June 23, 2020 by nusphigor

[Quixus]

Hello guys.

I am trying to come by with a chapter of my own and decided to start this thread in order to get ideas flowing and maybe ask your help with suggestions and such.

 

So far the idea is that the first company of the chapter deploys in mk3 iron armour and, whilst is a veteran company, it only has squads of sternguard, vanguard, company veterans and devastators, classified as a normal company.

 

Making the units on the field as this:

Sternguard and company veterans = battleline

Vanguard = fast attack

Devastators = heavy support

 

In game, the devastators might have the cherubim to represent their veteran status.

Sounds like a good start.

 

Also, the Vanguard veterans may not use jump packs, as the army is based for space warfare and boarding actions and the mk 3 iron is quite bulky and heavy.

Depending on where you look (e.g. Souldrinkers Omnibus), jump packs are a considered a good tool for boarding actions. But yes according to fluff MkIII and Jump Packs don't work together.

 

The other companies may wear other marks of armour but mk3 is reserved to the 1st.

Reasonable

 

No terminators in the army though, as most of the resources would go towards adquiring these plates.

Hardly a drawback in the current rules.

 

Speaking of icons, the squads are marked by battlefield disposition in the right shoulderpad with the squad number on top.

The company number is displayed on the right knee via heraldry (something like what the dark angels and blood angels do)

I like it.

 

The colour scheme might be something like this (maybe freehanding the eagle when necessary)

I was about to recommend etched brass aquilas, but apparently Forgeworld no longer sells them.

[nusphigor]

Thank you brother.

I have some eagle brass but i've never learnt how to use them, so actually is far easier for me to free hand the icons xD

 

Any more ideas?

I was thinking of base the chapter badge with a boat, or something akin to a boat, as per the tale of the argonauts.

[Quixus]

Thank you brother.

I have some eagle brass but i've never learnt how to use them, so actually is far easier for me to free hand the icons xD

Is there more to it than getting them off the sprue and gluing them to the model?

 

Any more ideas?

I was thinking of base the chapter badge with a boat, or something akin to a boat, as per the tale of the argonauts.

Do the Simpsons sailboat picture

[nusphigor]

Is there more to it than getting them off the sprue and gluing them to the model

I dont know. Somehow i always end up with those things and the mini super damaged and my hands full of superglue xD

[Xenith]

Nice scheme, it reminds me of the Masters of Protelus.

[RolandTHTG]

Thank you brother.

I have some eagle brass but i've never learnt how to use them, so actually is far easier for me to free hand the icons xD

 

Any more ideas?

I was thinking of base the chapter badge with a boat, or something akin to a boat, as per the tale of the argonauts.

If you think you're up to freehanding it, what about something based on the prowl of a trieme (with the traditional eye for style) https://goo.gl/images/UvvDxT

 

If you do that, I'd embrace the Argonaut theme, and make them a fleet based chapter. Maybe a distrust of teleportation as part of the reason they don't use termis.

[nusphigor]

Hello guys.
I was reading this again and, since i have some marines around i thought it might be a neat idea to do this project again!

 

 

 

Thank you brother.
I have some eagle brass but i've never learnt how to use them, so actually is far easier for me to free hand the icons xD

Any more ideas?
I was thinking of base the chapter badge with a boat, or something akin to a boat, as per the tale of the argonauts.

If you think you're up to freehanding it, what about something based on the prowl of a trieme (with the traditional eye for style) https://goo.gl/images/UvvDxT

If you do that, I'd embrace the Argonaut theme, and make them a fleet based chapter. Maybe a distrust of teleportation as part of the reason they don't use termis.

 

This idea is really neat, i was toying with some trieme like symbols for the chapter icon. I'll upload a pic of them as soon as i have something i like.
Thank you brother roland.
 

As for gaming purposes, i still have the mk 2 and 3 marines around, i also have some mk 4 marines now to round things up. how ever, i do not have any more scouts as i sold most of them (didn't like them that much to be honest). Also i have some comptemptors and some rapiers to use in this idea.

I ordered some of the old badab characters to add them to the army in case i want to play with different chapter rules. as i usually organize the tournaments now i don't get to play them, so it's mostly 40k with beer and pretzels for me.

 

Please, if you have any ideas to add to this thread please don't hesitate to write them in here. every thought helps me a lot because i usually struggle when creating stuff.

I hope you guys can accompany me in this voyage!

Cheers!

[Gamiel]

In game, the devastators might have the cherubim to represent their veteran status.

I was thinking of base the chapter badge with a boat, or something akin to a boat, as per the tale of the argonauts.

This makes me think that you should look at religious and nautical rituals from antique Greece for ideas regarding the chapter's rituals.

 

I suggest taking a look at Osprey's Sea Peoples of the Bronze Age Mediterranean c.1400 BC–1000 BC and Bronze Age Greek Warrior 1600–1100 BC for some design ideas that could fit with the Argonauts idea and are not the overused design cues for "ancient Greece".

 

 

Maybe take a look at the Homebrew chapter concepts - ideas dump thread at the old Deathwatch part of the FFG forum for some ideas

Edited May 23, 2020 by Gamiel

[nusphigor]

 

In game, the devastators might have the cherubim to represent their veteran status.

I was thinking of base the chapter badge with a boat, or something akin to a boat, as per the tale of the argonauts.

This makes me think that you should look at religious and nautical rituals from antique Greece for ideas regarding the chapter's rituals.

 

I suggest taking a look at Osprey's Sea Peoples of the Bronze Age Mediterranean c.1400 BC–1000 BC and Bronze Age Greek Warrior 1600–1100 BC for some design ideas that could fit with the Argonauts idea and are not the overused design cues for "ancient Greece".

 

 

Maybe take a look at the Homebrew chapter concepts - ideas dump thread at the old Deathwatch part of the FFG forum for some ideas

 

 

Very neat ideas brother! i've been enjoying the osprey's book as per your suggestion. There are lots of very interesting ideas right there!

 

However, the issue i have now is that all those marines are part of my Imperial Fists army now.

 

So basically scratch ideas and start anew with a clean canvass which are Primaris models.

So far i have this:

Ragnar Blackmane

Tor Garadon

1 squad of 10 Intercessors (sgt with chainsword)

2 squads of 5 Infiltrators (with apothecary each)

1 squad of 5 Hellbalsters

and i'm waiting on the mail a Primaris chaplain and 3 easy to build intercessors to build some Lieutenants.

 

Since it's been a while, i've been reading a lot from druids and the celtic culture, but also about the Tuatha de danann and the irish folk, so i was thinking of linking the new chapter more towards that cultural aspect.

 

I was looking at ragnar's mini and he does have a feral image, but instead of wolves it made me think of bears.

 

So i thought, how about a questing chapter, based on navigation, druidic and bear themes?

 

The issue i have at the moment is that i'm envisioning the bear and druidic parts as being too bound to woodland nature, so it conflicts with the space faring nature of the 40k millenium in my head.

 

 

What do you guys think about this idea?

How would you solve the woodland vs space issue?

[nusphigor]

I went ahead and developed the idea more, tying it to the Bear and druid concept.
it turns out that there was a gaulish goddess called Artio that was tied to bears, so i started from there and created this colour scheme

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/sm/bpe=424242&bpj=823D00&bp=823D00&bpc=424242&hdt=823D00&hdm=823D00&hdl=823D00&ey=B30000&er=424242&pi=424242&nk=823D00&ch=823D00&eg=FAE2AA&sk=FAE2AA&abs=823D00&bt=823D00&cod=823D00&ull=823D00&lk=823D00&lll=823D00&lft=823D00&url=823D00&rk=424242&lrl=823D00&rft=823D00&slt=424242&sli=009C15&srt=424242&sri=009C15&ula=823D00&lel=823D00&lla=823D00&lw=823D00&lh=FAE2AA&ura=823D00&rel=823D00&rla=823D00&rw=823D00&rh=FAE2AA&bg=FFFFFF&rb=424242&gr=424242&wg=true&bpr=000000&cs=000000&/spacemarine.jpg

 

I was thinking on calling them The Claws of Artio or Ursus Claws.
the main idea is that they are on a quest searching for a lost object tied to the chapter's past.
The chapter has a long and almost forgotten history but it was almost exterminated following the destruction of the Elyon system (a system in which i run narrative campaigns in my store), but since guilliman's return they have been given life anew with primaris reinforcements.
 

Ive been painting my Ragnar model with a basecoat of Mournfang Brown but with Zandri Dust hands, so that they end up being ivory, as they represent the claws of the chapter. Something like the way the crimson fists mark their veterans, a member of this chapter has to go progresively to "earn his claws" in battle.

 

So far i don't know if they are a more melee oriented chapter or not, but i guess that keeping a balance in all might be a good idea.

the other idea is to paint blue tatoos on the faces of the marines without helmet and green celtic knots on the armours, also maybe sculpt fur for the commanders.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

I was thinking on calling them The Claws of Artio or Ursus Claws.

"Claws of Artio" sounds better, in my opinion, though your IA should identify the "Artio" that is the Chapter's namesake. A planet? A mythical place, oft spoken of but which living men have never set foot upon, like Shangri-La (or the Webway)? An Imperial saint who blessed the Chapter and aided the Marines in an ancient battle?

 

"Ursus Claws" remind me of a harpoon-like weapon with the same name, and the World Eaters as a direct consequence (Angron's flagship bore the weapon).

the main idea is that they are on a quest searching for a lost object tied to the chapter's past.

Does this mean the Chapter is fleet-based? If so, from where will the Chapter recruit? Forge and agri-worlds which the Chapter pledged to defend, in exchange for supplies and the right to conscript their human inhabitants?

Ive been painting my Ragnar model with a basecoat of Mournfang Brown but with Zandri Dust hands, so that they end up being ivory, as they represent the claws of the chapter. Something like the way the crimson fists mark their veterans, a member of this chapter has to go progresively to "earn his claws" in battle.

Bear claws are black; they're covered in keratin, NOT enamel.

 

I like the ideas on a Marine "earning his claws"; but the Ragnar model will likely require time-consuming modifications to transform the wolves adorning his armor, into bears.

the other idea is to paint blue tatoos on the faces of the marines without helmet and green celtic knots on the armours, also maybe sculpt fur for the commanders.

Good ideas. They should help make your Chapter look distinctive.

[nusphigor]

 

I was thinking on calling them The Claws of Artio or Ursus Claws.

"Claws of Artio" sounds better, in my opinion, though your IA should identify the "Artio" that is the Chapter's namesake. A planet? A mythical place, oft spoken of but which living men have never set foot upon, like Shangri-La (or the Webway)? An Imperial saint who blessed the Chapter and aided the Marines in an ancient battle?

 

"Ursus Claws" remind me of a harpoon-like weapon with the same name, and the World Eaters as a direct consequence (Angron's flagship bore the weapon).

the main idea is that they are on a quest searching for a lost object tied to the chapter's past.

Does this mean the Chapter is fleet-based? If so, from where will the Chapter recruit? Forge and agri-worlds which the Chapter pledged to defend, in exchange for supplies and the right to conscript their human inhabitants?

Ive been painting my Ragnar model with a basecoat of Mournfang Brown but with Zandri Dust hands, so that they end up being ivory, as they represent the claws of the chapter. Something like the way the crimson fists mark their veterans, a member of this chapter has to go progresively to "earn his claws" in battle.

Bear claws are black; they're covered in keratin, NOT enamel.

 

I like the ideas on a Marine "earning his claws"; but the Ragnar model will likely require time-consuming modifications to transform the wolves adorning his armor, into bears.

the other idea is to paint blue tatoos on the faces of the marines without helmet and green celtic knots on the armours, also maybe sculpt fur for the commanders.

Good ideas. They should help make your Chapter look distinctive.

 

 

Thanks mate.

Well Let me try to answer one by one.

 

 

 

"Claws of Artio" sounds better, in my opinion, though your IA should identify the "Artio" that is the Chapter's namesake. A planet? A mythical place, oft spoken of but which living men have never set foot upon, like Shangri-La (or the Webway)? An Imperial saint who blessed the Chapter and aided the Marines in an ancient battle?

 

"Ursus Claws" remind me of a harpoon-like weapon with the same name, and the World Eaters as a direct consequence (Angron's flagship bore the weapon).

 

Claws of Artio sounds cooler, but Ursus Claws has a 4th ed feel to it that attracts me a lot, even if it sounds like the weapon from Lotara's cruiser.

Maybe they have geneseed from the world eaters, who knows?

 

 

 

Does this mean the Chapter is fleet-based? If so, from where will the Chapter recruit? Forge and agri-worlds which the Chapter pledged to defend, in exchange for supplies and the right to conscript their human inhabitants?

 

Maybe they come from the mythical Artio, but its a mysterious forest world which none can enter as it's protected by the chapter command.

Other than that, it might be mostly fleet based with some tithes from the system's worlds.

 

 

 

Bear claws are black; they're covered in keratin, NOT enamel.

 

I like the ideas on a Marine "earning his claws"; but the Ragnar model will likely require time-consuming modifications to transform the wolves adorning his armor, into bears.

 

Yup, Bear's claws are black but ivory looks way better on marines in my opinion, so let's say Artio's Bears have Ivory Claws. (actually they might be 3 times bigger than a Grizzly, making them even more terrifying!).

As for Ragnar, well I scraped off the wolf symbol from the shoulder pad but the other symbols look bear like enough to me, so let's say it still applies to Artio's bears, which are quite different from earth ones.

 

 

 

Good ideas. They should help make your Chapter look distinctive.

 

Thanks mate. the idea is to make the chapter feel nice and cool to see.

 

On the meantime, I think i'm going to change the shoulderpads from green to black, because that green doesn't look than nice. Maybe just keep that color for the celtic decorations.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Say the Chapter is of the Second Founding, declared an Imperial Fists descendant, but actually created with the gene-seed of World Eaters loyalists?

 

As for Artio, let's say it was part of the Impossible City. The Chapter's records claim its founders fought Daemons in the Imperial Palace itself, during the Horus Heresy; but even the current Chapter Master dismisses the claim as fanciful and likely false.

 

As for claws, crocodiles have white claws. Maybe Artio's "bears" are genetically engineered bear-crocodile hybrids, resembling the Ammit from Egyptian mythology?

[Quixus]

Say the Chapter is of the Second Founding, declared an Imperial Fists descendant, but actually created with the gene-seed of World Eaters loyalists?

IIRC the 2nd Founding just split the remaining loyalists into chapters. Use the 13th Founding for something like that.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

 

Say the Chapter is of the Second Founding, declared an Imperial Fists descendant, but actually created with the gene-seed of World Eaters loyalists?

IIRC the 2nd Founding just split the remaining loyalists into chapters. Use the 13th Founding for something like that.

The Scythes of the Emperor are of the Third Founding; Black Library novels have implied the Chapter was secretly founded with the gene-seed of Iron Warriors loyalists.

[Quixus]

 

 

Say the Chapter is of the Second Founding, declared an Imperial Fists descendant, but actually created with the gene-seed of World Eaters loyalists?

IIRC the 2nd Founding just split the remaining loyalists into chapters. Use the 13th Founding for something like that.

The Scythes of the Emperor are of the Third Founding; Black Library novels have implied the Chapter was secretly founded with the gene-seed of Iron Warriors loyalists.

 

3rd is different from 2nd. IIRC in the second no geneseed was taken out of freezing to make new chapters, I am not even sure the tithing was a practise then. The legions were just divided into chapters on that founding. I just picked the 13th because then you have a canonical explanation why nobody checked the geneseed.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

I just picked the 13th because then you have a canonical explanation why nobody checked the geneseed.

The Imperium has exactly two ways to check gene-seed:

 

1) Have a Marine eat it, and exercise his Omophagea by analyzing the genes;

 

2) Have a genetor (AdMech Techpriest who specializes in genetics) perform a DNA test.

 

The first will be considered wasteful; the second can be dealt with via the AdMech (e.g., bribing the Fabricator-General into ordering the genetors to "look the other way").

 

Besides, if Archmagos Cawl states, "This Chapter was founded with Imperial Fists gene-seed. You think they're descendants of the World Eaters Traitor Legion? Such nonsense! I analyzed the genes myself, and repeat my statement the gene-seed is that of the Imperial Fists!" who can refute him?

[Quixus]

Sure it is possible, but this would requireextra steps.

[RolandTHTG]

There are a few other chapters with rumored loyal traitor geneseed, such as the Blood Ravens and Soul Drinkers. This has been explained to pass the testing because a chapter's geneseed is only tested against previous tithes, and not compared to other chapters. 

[nusphigor]

Say the Chapter is of the Second Founding, declared an Imperial Fists descendant, but actually created with the gene-seed of World Eaters loyalists?

 

As for Artio, let's say it was part of the Impossible City. The Chapter's records claim its founders fought Daemons in the Imperial Palace itself, during the Horus Heresy; but even the current Chapter Master dismisses the claim as fanciful and likely false.

 

As for claws, crocodiles have white claws. Maybe Artio's "bears" are genetically engineered bear-crocodile hybrids, resembling the Ammit from Egyptian mythology?

 

I've been looking at this idea but the whole celtic bear is what makes this chapter silly.

I suppose it was lack of focus and way too space wolfy, so i decided to scratch that and keep the Artio part as a mythological ancestral homeland and traitorous geneseed part, buuuut adding to it that this is a chapter that "works very close to the Inquisition". Meaning is what the Elysian D-99 is but in an astartes form. Of course everything is denied and "the chapter has a very old ancestry, coming from the eternal Artio founded by those honourable marines who fought at the Imperial Palace on the horus heresy".

 

Of course, the chapter might be actually from a different founding but with the support of the Inquisitorial agents from the Ordo Chronos that i will use alongisde them, so the chapter's records might be modified and with restricted access.

 

I was thinking of a colour scheme similar to this one:

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/sm/bpe=AB0000&bpj=AB0000&bp=AB0000&bpc=363636&hdt=AB0000&hdm=AB0000&hdl=AB0000&ey=16A300&er=363636&pi=363636&nk=AB0000&ch=AB0000&eg=CEAE65&sk=CEAE65&abs=AB0000&bt=AB0000&cod=AB0000&ull=AB0000&lk=AB0000&lll=AB0000&lft=AB0000&url=AB0000&rk=AB0000&lrl=AB0000&rft=AB0000&slt=CEAE65&sli=363636&srt=CEAE65&sri=363636&ula=AB0000&lel=AB0000&lla=AB0000&lw=363636&lh=363636&ura=AB0000&rel=AB0000&rla=AB0000&rw=363636&rh=363636&bg=FFFFFF&rb=363636&gr=363636&wg=true&aq=true&bs=000000&bpr=000000&cs=000000&/spacemarine.jpg

 

of course the idea is to use the traditional Inquisition colours, and maybe the chapter symbol a skull in top of a tower or some claws on top of a tower (claws very simillar to the world eaters teeth).

The black hands would represent the "earning their claws" that we discussed earlier but also symbolizing "getting the hands dirty" doing stuff that others might not do in pro of the Imperium (or rather, the inquisition).

 

what do you guys think of this idea? far more grimdark than bright celtic bears, I suppose...

Edited June 25, 2020 by nusphigor

[Bjorn Firewalker]

I like the red-and-black color scheme. "Claws" may be better represented as triangles painted on the arms, as in this example, from the Bathory coat-of-arms:

[nusphigor]

maybe its the white, but it looks far too similar to the white scars symbols.
 

The original idea is 5-4 triangles coming down as if to crush either a skull or a tower (the tower being similar to the inquisition I), all inside a circle

[Bjorn Firewalker]

maybe its the white, but it looks far too similar to the white scars symbols.

I did take direct inspiration for markings on Space Wolves and White Scars markings. You can replace the white with black for your Chapter.

The original idea is 5-4 triangles coming down as if to crush either a skull or a tower (the tower being similar to the inquisition I), all inside a circle

Skulls being crushed in a great beast's jaws? Or the Inquisitorial "I" being used to prop open the beast's jaws and prevent it from biting others, which is how the Inquisition sees itself: The only organization capable of defending the Emperor and His Imperium from forces conspiring to destroy them all.

[nusphigor]

 

 

Skulls being crushed in a great beast's jaws? Or the Inquisitorial "I" being used to prop open the beast's jaws and prevent it from biting others, which is how the Inquisition sees itself: The only organization capable of defending the Emperor and His Imperium from forces conspiring to destroy them all.

 

Yes, that makes the Tower look far more important in this symbolism.

It sounds sooo cool that i think i'm going to start working with the minis right now XD

Cheers mate!