Stone Dragons

 The next force on the paint table was the Stone Dragons. Now, the Stone Dragons have had a bit of a convoluted  development, switching from ultramarine successors to space wolf successors, from system based to fleet based and back to home world based. One thing that hasn't changed is that the chapter is a crusading chapter, formed of many small crusading forces, such as this one. 

This force is based around the Phobos armour and stealth, a classic hunting party is you will. Lead by a Captain and a couple of Lieutenants, this force is the largest of the 500 point forces, coming in at 19 models in total. 

An incomplete family photo

Another angle

The force works in a number of ways but it mostly works around infiltrating and the unit of reavers and infiltrators backed up by the suppressors and eliminators. Now, there was a slight change of plan with this force, the suppressors were actually supposed to be part of the Eagle Knights but by the time I realised this they were already painted and transfers applied! So they are now part of a slightly bigger Stone Dragons force. 

The aforementioned suppressors with their eliminator buddies.

The eliminators are still headless as originally I wanted something classically Blood Angles but now I guess they will have to get the Space Wolf treatment and some wolf themed helmets. 

Headless warriors.

As with the previous marine forces I have tried my hands at transfers and I think that after some practice with the others I'm finally getting the hang of it. Ok so there not perfect, not by a long way, they are better than the first ones I did. I have tried to add in lots of details and extra little markings, to try and signify some of the deeds that they guys have done, I did think of adding in a lot more and I might go back and adds more later but for now they will do. 

Some of the transfer details. 

Eliminators

The eliminators are different from the rest of the force as they are a lot plainer, loosing a lot of the yellow markings, except their chapter badge and also a lot of the silver\metal parts. In addition, these guys are not finished as I really want to camouflage the cloaks to blend in to the grass basing and battle mat that i have. I had a go at doing some camouflage patterns on spare parts but I have yet to master the art. What I have decided is that I want a stippled effect but I have been struggling to get the right colour and intensity to the pattern. I have been asking around at the club and I think I've got a plan, I just need to try it out and see if it works, I'll let you all known as I'm brave enough to try it out!

Some of the extra details

Infiltrators

The infiltrators form the one half of the main force and are designated for ranged interactions. There was a slight error made here that I need to correct, as the Comms array man has his markings on his shoulder but the sergeant is missing his (the bloke holding his pistol), he has his Sgt insignia just above the chapter badge but no flashes below. I could probably just leave it but then it would fall foul of the lore, as no marine would reach Sgt without having claimed some sort of battle or personal honours. Apart from this minor issue, the squad is sorted.

Reavers

The reavers are very similar to the infiltrators but at least the Sgt has the right markings on. The only issue with these guys is that I really should have stripped a couple of the guys as the paint \ primer on them is very thick and not particularly flat in places. Luckily this isn't to noticeable from a distance and so it won't be noticeable on the table, it just annoys me that I didn't spend a bit more time preparing them.

The commanders

The leaders of the force are made up of a Captain and two lieutenants, one reaver and one infiltrator or Phobos armoured one. As usual I've taken a bit more time and care over these guys and I think I've done a good job. I've also gone and added a few more transfers, especially to the Captain.

Stranger details

More details

All in all, I really like these models and think that this is the best paint scheme of all the smaller marine force. The classic grey and yellow really works and stands out with out being to much. I will base these up with all the others when all the marines are finished, that is after I have dipped them in quick shade! 

Next up are the Dark Guardians, however, this may take a little longer than planned. We are currently away from home for a wedding, however we had to fly earlier than planned due to predicted weather issues, so we headed south several days earlier that originally booked and as such I didn't get a chance to finish the models and get pictures to post. I will try and get them done as soon after the new year as possible but that might be a few weeks away yet.

Emperor's Disciples

 Here we have the Emperor's Disciples, an even smaller band than the last lot! These fine examples of space marines are scions of Guilliman and if they are ever fielded they will form the core command and warlord for the army, which will makes sense in a bit, if it doesn't already.

Family portrait to start

The Emperor's Disciples are not very codex compliant and while it was thought that they were sons of Dorn and the Imperial Fists, the coming of the Primaris Marines and detailed genetic testing showed that they were actually sons of Guilliman. However this did not cause much change to the chapters structure, with them.maintaining their fleet based ways and more independent company structure. Here we have the chapter master and his personal guard of hand picked veterans. 

The chapter master and guard

Ok, if you haven't notice yet, then this figure is actually Marneus Calgar, chapter master of the Ultramarines, however for my purposes this is the chapter master Marcellus, Master of the Emperor's Disciples. There is a backstory to both him and the men he commands, namely that he was one Company Master of the 15th Campaign Company (lost \ destroyed companies are not replaced but new ones raised under a new number) and established himself as one of the most capable commanders of the chapter before crossing the Rubicon to become a Primaris marine. Unfortunately the then current chapter master did not survive the procedure, due to a number of reasons from old age through to damage to many of his current implants and systems. This elevated Marcellus to Chapter Master, by way of company master votes. 

Marcellus and his chosen honour guard.

Rear details

Ancient and Lieutenant

The company standard and it's attending ancient, a piece I'm quite proud of. I took some time with the details on the banner and while I've no doubt that it could be better, I think I did a good job on it. The Lieutenant is just a standard Lt with nothing special on him or about him. 

More details of the transfers

Standard details, i need to do something on the scroll but haven't found the right thing yet. 

I have done this up as the first company standard rather than the chapters standard for a couple reasons. The main one being that I didn't think that this was a very ornate and flashy standard that would befit a chapter standard, plus these are not being deployed as a chapter but as a chapter command force and such wouldn't be bringing the chapter standard. Lastly, I didn't have the bits I wanted to really make this a chapter banner, namely the transfer for the middle. While there is one there, it's really to small. If this was going to be a chapter banner, I would want the chapter symbol to take up most of the standard, which would involve freehanding the both parts, something I am not keen on! I do need to fill up the banner with something, what thought I don't know but I'll keep an eye open for something.

Veteran intercessor honour guard

Lastly we have the "veteran" intercessors. These will.be run as either standard intercessors in smaller games or veteran intercessors in larger games, where I will be able to.use troops from some of the other marine detachments. There are a few special intercessors in this unit and there is a reason for this, they are the units that my son painted up when he first painted some models. (You can see them HERE)

The company elite showing theor personal and campaign honours

While they are not exact copies, they a have taken a lot of inspiration from those models and with any thing I do like this there is a backstory to each model. I won't go into the details here but the short version is that one was honoured for exceptional individual bravery by s space wolf successor chapter and now wears the helmet of the wolf lord who he saved from certain death. The other wears the symbols of a blood angels successor chapter for his solitary stoic defence of their apothecary as he collected the geneseed of the chapters fallen warriors to stop it falling to heretic's from the death guard legion. Lastly the Sgt is honoured by the primogeniture themselves, the Ultramarines. Honoured for leadership and bravery during the plague wars, he wears his honours with less flash than his brother's but with just as much, if not more reverence.

The last two members

The last two members of the squad are just regular marines who have shown themselves to be exceptional marines through countless battles and deeds and have been chosen to accompany the chapter master as part of his body guard, they have yet to earn themselves honours such as their squad mates have but time will see if they manage to. 

Next up are the Stone Dragons, Space Wolves successors.