Knights of Mars (because there aren't enough red marines)

[MaxSigmund]

Hello Warseers,

I normally lurk in one of the other forums, but I felt it was about time to start a marine plog. I've collected four or five marine chapters in my hobbying life (all my own creations, all with varying degrees of ridiculousness and rules cheese). I usually torture myself with some overcomplicated chapter symbol, and this time is no exception:



He's the only painted one so far, and here are the reinforcements. The Techmarine was intended to be an IG Enginseer, so I hacked off a load of marine-type identifiers, only to have to sculpt them back on. Nuts. Ah well...




Early days yet, but any feedback grateful received (especially complimentary). Enjoy

[Skawolf]

I feel you on the complicated chapter badges... the reason I stopped painting my salamanders for now.... The test model looks really good, red is great fun to paint on marines. Have fun and show us some more

[Brother Alexos]

That marine is AMAZING!!!! I love the work you did with the Chapter Badge! any advice?

[Siph]

Why don't you use the Cog pad from the SM Vehicles sprue. I'm sure you will be able to get loads if you ask about, they are rarely used.

[MaxSigmund]

Wow, speedy feedback - thanks guys! This area of the forum seems more popular than the one I normally lurk in :-P

Siph: That's an intelligent thought, but I went ahead and made that marine anyway (despite actually having one of those cog shoulder pads to hand). That said, I like the painted-on look - they may be a bugger to paint, but they'll look good. I'll probably save any AM cog pads for characters and veterans...

[Brother Alexos]

These guys are wonderful....

Do you have any fluff for this particular chapter? I'd be willing to write a few small pieces for, say, characters and anything you feel needs the backround.

[MaxSigmund]

Yawn...another week, very little work done. Painting has progressed on the next marine (a Heavy Bolter), but nothing worth showing off just yet. However, I have finished sculpting Techmarine Hephaetus:


I was a bit worried about how he'd turn out (I nearly tore the hands off a few times to start over), but he's grown on me. I like the idea of a basic techmarine with none of that distracting extra close combat stuff (power axe, servo-harness) - this way, he can focus on the important stuff (namely: hiding at the back of the battle, adding more locks to the doors).

Brother Alexos: Thanks for the offer! I don't have any real fluff for this chapter. My initial plan was to just revise a lot of my old characters. Using the old SM codex, this chapter would have used the 'Heed the Wisdom of the Ancients' and 'Scions of Mars' traits. In my head, this chapter will combine the tech/artificer natures of the Salamanders and the Iron Hands, with the stoichism of the Imperial Fists. I've kept the bling to a minimum so far (not even purity seals), but I may change my mind about this when I get to the big characters. Two big thoughts for models: jetbikes and a techmarine dreadnought.

Anyway, back on topic: I'd be interested in any fluff or background you could come up with - I'll post a list of the upcoming characters' names in my next post if you like to give you something to work with. Something you could help me with now though: since I can't use traits to identify my chapter, which existing special character would be most appropriate? I don't have a copy of the codex, but I think I'll make my own version of at least one of them...any ideas welcome...

More updates in a few days

[Petay1985]

beautiful work so far fella, i really like your sculpting, it has a very unique feel to it, the plasticard work on the techmarine is ace too. looking forward to seeing him finished and another update on the log.

[the damned artificer]

Some beautiful models you've made here, will be watching you

[Skawolf]

you may not want to use the shoulder pads w/ the cog symbol from the vehicle set, but have you considered using the torso? maybe even just for your sgt.s , I think it would look awesome.

[MaxSigmund]

Way ahead of you there Skawolf - presenting Brother Orion (and his vehicle sprue torso):




I'll probably finish the techmarine next. It'll be a busy week though, so I can't promise anything soon. Thanks for all the positive feedback so far - I'm going to be extra greedy and ask that you rate my blog as well (what can I say - I'm a glutton for stars)...

[MaxSigmund]

Hey there gentlenerds,

A quick progress picture of my Techmarine in progress. He's still missing a lot of details, but the basic paint scheme is there. Any comments and advice would be appreciated, but you'd better hurry (before I finish him and move on)...

[Gonfrask]

Really good model

[D3V!L]

This is some really great stuff!
I especially like the techmarine.

Will you play this army as a normal SM army, or which codex will you use?

Greetins
Lukas

[MaxSigmund]

Hello again,

I took a break from painting the techie (although he's nearly done), but I finished the first scout:



D3V!L: Hmm, good question - I'm assembling these chaps as vanilla marines, but I'm open to suggestions. Potentially they could be used as Dark Angels - do Deathwing termination squads still allow you to mix and match between assault and tactical termination weaponry?

[Cry of the Wind]

Nice work, not sure I have any suggestions for the techmarine, I love the way he is turning out as is. That scout is cool too, are you going to put masks on all of them? I really like the look on that guy.

The Dark Angel Codex does allow for mixed Terminator squads, I think if Space Wolves do too you might be better with that book instead though. I say this because you can have really custom Sergeants and other oddball units (Lone Wolves for example) that would make great "counts as" starting points for any AdMech constructs your marines might bring along with them.

[Brother Alexos]

Your marines are great. I think that you should try and make it appear as if this chapter has been tinkering with their equipment, changing designs, etc.

Have you written any fluff? If not, I'd be willing to do so. I don't mean commision work, just writing up some fluff for the hell of it. I like the tech-heavy feel, you should look at the Forgeworld Character Kit, it allows you to have Robotic legs and arms on a Marine.

[MaxSigmund]

AMAZING NEWS! The ranks of the Knights have swelled by an incredible 33%! Well, I've finished another one.

Here's Hephaetus, my "basic" techmarine. This guy took ruddy ages to complete - the next techmarine I make will be a lot simpler (more emphasis on the armour plating, less on the wires and gubbins). I've also chucked a group shot of the first four marines for good measure:



Brother Alexos: I haven't written any fluff, other than thinking up a few names - you're very welcome to do so, I'd be happy to bounce some ideas by you.

Cry of the Wind: Yes, I foolishly decided to put the respirators on all my scouts. I use some white metal tubing to link the mask to the chestpiece, which is far more trouble than it's worth - I might post pictures next time I face that particular challenge...

I've got one more marine and another scout with me, then I'll have to go home to restock on bits. I've got a few nice ideas for personalised power armour and bionics which I'm looking forward to trying, as well as my jetbike concept. I wasn't impressed with the Forgeworld character pack I'm afraid, but I'm sure I can come up with something more to my liking. I've got some of those Iron Hands bits somewhere...

Farewell readers, happy hobbying

[Brother Alexos]

PM me on anything you want, though I probably won't be making a full story, I can write a few paragraphs on units, or characters. The more general details on what the short stories will be on is up to you. In the PM, try and detail things like if you want the stories to be about them fighting or backround on marines and characters in general. Here's a bit of sample text. This is mainly showing off what they believe, and their close ties to the Adeptus Mechanicus. The first is a Battle Story, while the second is a general backround.

Techmarine Hephaetus dived into cover, narrowly avoiding a salvo of well-aimed Plasma shots. A Tau fire-team had come up out of the rubble just as he'd been trying to fix a run-down Rhino's tracks, obliterating his Servitors withe their unholy weapons and souless machines. He quickly de-activated his Armour's mag-holster with a nudge of his chin, grabbing his Umbra-pattern bolter, and aimed for the tell-tale heat-surge made by Plasma Technology. He had been gifted the Umbra-pattern when he had become a Senior Tech Marine within the chapter, and had tinkered with the design over the last century, as with all of his chapter. Modifications of armour and the application of the human mind when it came to technology was sacred, and practiced zealously.

His visor flashed a warning. It had detected the heat-rise around the Tau position. The armoured claw on his back snapped anxiously in response to his discovery. He had long-ago been hard-plugged to hi's armour's senses, and he shared a communion with the Machine-spirit of his armour that few mortals save Titan Princeps were given the blessing to posses. It had developed tics over the years of being in direct link with his mind, and displayed some of them now.

Three shots rang out, the Tau fell, and Hephaetus was gone, charging over the rubble.

Brother Hephaetus has been with the Knights of Mars chapter for over 500 years, and has chosen the exonerated class of Techmarine. Many applicants for Techmarine Duty come from the Knights of Mars, yet few are accepted. Unlike other chapters whom only send those whoshow the talents for machine-working, the Knights of Mars let anyone willing to try for the vaunted Techmarine rank.

Hephaetus was one of the few that has succeeded. Over the years he has fixed over 50 suits of power armour, 5 suits of Terminator armour, at least one of each vehicle in the Knights of Mars armoury, and has an affinity for on-the-fly fixes. He showed this skill on Jurvaan XI, where he had combined the main gun from a damaged Vidicator and a Land Raider, using the superior armour of the Land Raider to get the Demolisher Cannon close enough to blast through the Traitor-held gates of Perrus and end a century-long siege.

Tell me what you think.

[Cry of the Wind]

Yes, I foolishly decided to put the respirators on all my scouts. I use some white metal tubing to link the mask to the chestpiece, which is far more trouble than it's worth - I might post pictures next time I face that particular challenge...

Please do I always like to see how things are made.