Watch Fortress Bastard

[Brother NAm]

Watch Fortress Bastard

 

So! I've finally found a forum with likeminded Watchmasters where I can share my progress on my current project, namely the creation of a Deathwatch Watch Fortress which has one of each canon chapter represented with no duplicates (with a few exceptions such as the Space Wolves and Dark Angels...). This currently numbers at approximately 300 chapters or so I believe. I present to you Watch Fortress Bastard, now 3 years in and showing no sign of slowing down anytime soon!

 

I have put together some lore for the Watch Fortress which I'll share with you as I go along, but for starters I just wanted to dump a variety of models I have kitbashed/converted/painted so far to give a flavour of how it's been going. The beauty of the Deathwatch is their diversity, and I'm trying to make most models as unique to their chapter as possible.

 

Only thing left to add is that I'm an extremely slow painter due to a number of reasons, main one being my disability caused by brain surgery in 2016, so please bear with me as I plod along. So with all that out of the way here's what's being going on so far:

 

Looking forward to sharing ideas with other Watch Masters!

[Duke Danse Macabre]

That’s some damn fine painting you have there, your detail work puts mine to shame. ;)

 

I don’t envy your task including such a diverse chapter list, I had intended to myself at one point but the free hand and my ocd drove me insane. Lol

Typical fortress size seems to be 5-7 companies with 40-50 marines in each with command, characters and pilots not taken into account but here’s hoping the next codex or supplement will be more informative but should be the perfect size for your challenge.

Also stunning text on your rhino, really makes it pop, also a nice use of the horns from I want to say ogre stone horn kit, hard to get big trophies which are not tyranids.

 

 

I always love talking and sharing new hobby ideas, not just painting.

everyone paints at their own pace, personally I struggle to paint in winter due to circulation issues amongst other things.

[Brother NAm]

Cheers matey - the diverse chapter list just happened after I met a fellow painter online who was attempting 1000 chapters (!) going by Phil Sibbering's website but that just seemed a bit too much for me so I settled for 300 which is more achievable given my spare time. I've utilised multiple ways of sourcing the chapter emblems from the GW pads, 3D printed ones, decals I've purchased and printed myself and in some cases freehand. As a lot of the the canon chapters don't even have details about their colours or iconography I have to get creative and recycle pads or simply come up with something appropriate!

 

I should mention I've based my lore not only on the codex but the RPG which is an absolute treasure trove of Deathwatch lore in my opinion, and therefore I can 'bend the rules' a bit when it comes to Watch Fortress size, composition, arsenal, etc.

 

 

 

Also stunning text on your rhino, really makes it pop, also a nice use of the horns from I want to say ogre stone horn kit, hard to get big trophies which are not tyranids.

The horns on the Rhino are indeed from the Stone Horn kit, while the text is a decal from the Limited Edition 7th Ed Deathwatch Codex transfer sheet - I wish I could freehand like that!

Edited January 5, 2022 by Brother NAm

[thesilverback]

Nice looking figs, And good luck with trying to do 300 different chapter shoulder pads.

[Smoke Frog]

Fantastic! Big fan of your work of course, glad you came to visit us here! Bolter and Chainsword seems to be a great place to share work on all thing power armor, xenos, or heretical. 

 

I hope to see a lot more of your work, you have an ambitious project ahead of you. I think I like your Shadow Wolf marine the best so far, I may add one of that chapter to my own watch fortress at some point. 

 

I am curious how far you are into your 300-marine journery so far?

 

And why Watch Fortress Bastard?

 

Is that 'bastard' as in 'bastard sword' (as in the double-handed medieval weapon, or in this case the double-handed weapon of the Inquisition?), ...or maybe 'bastard' as in 'orphans' (because they have been disowned and outcast from the rest of the inquisiton from some --redacted-- reason?), ...or maybe that is the name of the star the watch fortress orbits (Bastard's Star?). 

[Brother NAm]

 

 

I am curious how far you are into your 300-marine journery so far?

 

I'm about 100 - 120 marines into the journey! I really should do a count, luckily I make a note of each chapter I've covered so far.

 

 

And why Watch Fortress Bastard?

 

It's because I'm taking slight liberties with the Deathwatch's most basic ethos, such as: the size and composition of my Watch Fortress; the use of Xenos lifeforms and weaponry; the use of scouts (eventually); inclusion of chapters widely considered Excommunicate Traitoris, etc. Funnily enough I was going to include options in my army not available to us before the 8th & 9th codexes came out - back when 7th came out we couldn't field Techmarines or Apothecaries for example which I found ridiculous and why I didn't take much notice of the codex preferring instead to treat the RPG as my Deathwatch Bible. It also helps I have a radical Inquisitor working closely with the Watch Fortress too! As the word itself refers to something no longer in it's original form I found it quite apt. 

 

(Also, I'm a massive fan of Doom Metal where a few bands have it in their band name so there's that as well... )

 

 

 

...or maybe that is the name of the star the watch fortress orbits (Bastard's Star?)

 

I love this and am totally stealing it!

[Brother NAm]

Latest edition to the Watch Fortress is this terminator from the Space Marine Heroes Series 2 set which I kit bashed a bit after seeing something similar on Instagram. A good example of combining freehand and transfers to get a chapter pad that you don't have, in this case a Crimson Castellan.

 

Next on the table is a drop pod I built last weekend - I tend to mix it up a bit so I'm doing vehicles and bigger projects on the weekends so I'm not constantly doing marines. Keeps me sane!

[Smoke Frog]

Nice work, I have never heard of this chapter before. Looks good with the Grey Knight-looking helmet, and great effects with those rockets!

[BloodyB]

Love the rhino. It just walks that fine line between awesome enough that a more hunter/animal themed chapter would wholeheartedly embrace the idea, and off-kilter enough that it makes me smile at the thought. Not to mention the pun of a rhino having horns!

 

The posing of some of your models, especially the Missile launcher equipped Brother from your original post, are evocative and really bring motion and dynamism to the whole project, I am also very impressed by the Terminator, the helm is a nice touch, moreso with the tilting plate, as it draws the eye to shoulder height, making sure he isn't drowned out by the lovely addition of firing missiles. I really love the smokey paintwork on the missile contrails too.

 

Really well done, I hope I get to see more.

[Brother NAm]

 

 

Nice work, I have never heard of this chapter before. Looks good with the Grey Knight-looking helmet, and great effects with those rockets!

 

Thanks brother! I'm a stickler for obscure chapters and these guys are brilliant - masters of defence which makes me automatically think they have links to the Imperial Fists! It's a Grey Knights Terminator helmet indeed, good spot - think it's from the apothecary.

 

 

 

Love the rhino. It just walks that fine line between awesome enough that a more hunter/animal themed chapter would wholeheartedly embrace the idea, and off-kilter enough that it makes me smile at the thought. Not to mention the pun of a rhino having horns!

 

Thanks also brother! That's why I love the Deathwatch, I can have 10 rhinos and they'd all be unique with various Xenos trophies! Also, very kind words indeed about the Terminator, cheers.

 

I've just finished a drop pod I had lying about and finally plucked up the energy to do - not going to lie, it was the least fun model to build and paint ever but I'm happy how it turned out in the end. Just don't expect me to do anymore!

 

 

Edit: Pic taken before decals applied... but you get the drift!

 

Next weekend project will be either a Blackstar or a Predator... much more fun!

Edited January 10, 2022 by Brother NAm

[Smoke Frog]

Well I ran out of likes again... but the drop pod looks great! 

[Brother NAm]

A bit late but this is the latest addition to WFB - the newest member of the its elite cavalry unit the Xenoriders. After reading a single line in the RPG many moons ago which suggested certain Space Marines might try mounting a xenos steed I thought to myself why not have a dedicated cavalry unit utilising the great models from AoS! I had two bashed up Mournfangs lying around and this is the second one I've done, ridden by a member of the Iron Talons:

A successor chapter of the White Scars, I decided to festoon him with a few trophies, head he's taken and the like. The cyber falcon is from Warhammer Fantasy (an Errant Knight I've been told) with a bit of Mechanicus wizardry attached to it to give it that 40k feel. A worthy addition to my Xenoriders.

[Smoke Frog]

Really great! I like the use of Bretonnian bits! 

 

I didn't realize the Iron Talons were a White Scars successor, always saw them as an Iron Hands successor along the lines of the Brazen Claws/Red Talons. 

 

...but as I go to check the wiki/lexicanum articles it looks like in the wiki they are in fact labelled as White Scars successors after all! I must have only seen the Lexicanum article before, that one has them labelled as just "unknown."

 

Will have to remember this when I put my own Iron Talon marine, I was planning to make a squad of all Astartes Praeses chapters. 

[Duke Danse Macabre]

The cavalry have turned out great and love the use of old fantasy bits, I’m often doing the same.

Also feel your pain on the drop pod, if you ever make more a tip I find is to pin the base together so the hinges won’t crack the glue in the future with use and pin each strut at the bottom on the base and the top on the engine, it’s a pain yes but my drop pods would survive reentry if required. Lol

[Brother NAm]

 

Will have to remember this when I put my own Iron Talon marine, I was planning to make a squad of all Astartes Praeses chapters. 

 

Now this I'm looking forward to, there are some amazing chapters on that list. Will be particularly interested in your take on the Relictors (wink, wink...)

One thing about the Iron Talons I'm gutted I omitted was their penchant for wrapping the skins of their slain enemies on their armour - but as it goes I've still added enough trophies to keep him happy I think.

 

 

 

Also feel your pain on the drop pod, if you ever make more a tip I find is to pin the base together so the hinges won’t crack the glue in the future with use and pin each strut at the bottom on the base and the top on the engine, it’s a pain yes but my drop pods would survive reentry if required. Lol

Thanks for the advice brother. OI think the operative word here is 'if'. I genuinely think I won't be doing anymore drop pods, the only think that I can say in their defence is that it didn't take me long from assembly to finish. But even that was too long for me!

[Duke Danse Macabre]

 

 

Will have to remember this when I put my own Iron Talon marine, I was planning to make a squad of all Astartes Praeses chapters. 

 

Now this I'm looking forward to, there are some amazing chapters on that list. Will be particularly interested in your take on the Relictors (wink, wink...)

One thing about the Iron Talons I'm gutted I omitted was their penchant for wrapping the skins of their slain enemies on their armour - but as it goes I've still added enough trophies to keep him happy I think.

 

 

 

Also feel your pain on the drop pod, if you ever make more a tip I find is to pin the base together so the hinges won’t crack the glue in the future with use and pin each strut at the bottom on the base and the top on the engine, it’s a pain yes but my drop pods would survive reentry if required. Lol

Thanks for the advice brother. OI think the operative word here is 'if'. I genuinely think I won't be doing anymore drop pods, the only think that I can say in their defence is that it didn't take me long from assembly to finish. But even that was too long for me!

 

 

Wait till they bring them back in a big way and half drop rounded up on turn 1…

I have 5 but I think the sweet spot is 3 and never again.,.

[Brother NAm]

While everyone is busy mucking around with Primaris I'm sat here converting some old Dark Vengeance firstborn marines to Deathwatch lol...

 

 

The idea behind it is they're part of a Watch Station in the Ghoul Stars thought lost which my fleet based Watch Fortress has discovered. This beaky chap is from the Immortal Hearts chapter who took part in the Third War for Armageddon, not much else is known about them so I got creative with the chapter colours and badge. The rest of the Watch Station will also be chapters with little or no information about them. I've completed 3 so far, so this guy joins marines from the Execrators and Silver Stars chapters.

[Duke Danse Macabre]

You can’t beat firstborn, as much as Primaris are a thing now firstborn will never be replaced.

He’s turned out beautifully, very crisp colours and it looks like great freehand on the pad.

would love to see pictures with more angles to see your work from.

[Brother NAm]

February has been busy finishing off my first Corvus Blackstar:

Been sitting on my shelf, along with two others, for far tooi long - probably since 7th edition! I always did want a Corvus Dropship Wing and it's about time I started one.

 

 

You can’t beat firstborn, as much as Primaris are a thing now firstborn will never be replaced.

 

Totally agree with you - I DO like Primaris, just don't like them in my Watch Fortress lore! I've got plans for my pile of Primaris but no time soon...

Edited February 24, 2022 by Brother NAm

[Smoke Frog]

Nice work on the corvus blackstar! 

[Duke Danse Macabre]

Great looking corvus, like the Frag cannons on the front, a good stand in for other assault cannons or Lascannons.

Would love to see some more pictures of it from different angels, so much good still.

[BloodyB]

That Blackstar is lovely, you got those black shades perfect. I also love the red windows for the cockpit, it reminds me of the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber, which is possibly the inspiration behind the mldel, frankly. They kind of look similar.

 

I do like to see Dark Vengeance marines being put to good use, it was such a good starter set. Not quite as good as Assault on Black Reach, but getting there.

 

I'll be watching, I really am liking what I see! Good work!

[Brother NAm]

That Blackstar is lovely, you got those black shades perfect. I also love the red windows for the cockpit, it reminds me of the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber, which is possibly the inspiration behind the mldel, frankly. They kind of look similar.

 

I do like to see Dark Vengeance marines being put to good use, it was such a good starter set. Not quite as good as Assault on Black Reach, but getting there.

 

I'll be watching, I really am liking what I see! Good work!

 

Thanks for your kind words! I already converted the entire AoBR set to Deathwatch - even gave them a bit of lore as a long lost Watch Station incorporated into my fleet based Watch Fortress. Now moved onto the DV set naturally!

[Philip S]

Nice to see you still doing this!