Celestial Lions - Pic Heavy

[Col. Dracus]

Well I have been working on a Celestial Lions chapter of Space Marines and thought I would share some of it with you guys. Let me know what you think!

http://i962.photobucket.com/albums/ae109/LordDracus40k/Celestial%20Lions/2012-02-27_23-06-02_757.jpg
Some of the finished models on a WIP display board.

http://i962.photobucket.com/albums/ae109/LordDracus40k/Celestial%20Lions/2012-01-27_08-06-52_253.jpg

http://i962.photobucket.com/albums/ae109/LordDracus40k/Celestial%20Lions/2012-01-20_17-11-39_77.jpg

http://i962.photobucket.com/albums/ae109/LordDracus40k/Celestial%20Lions/2011-12-01_22-01-11_128.jpg

[Col. Dracus]

http://i962.photobucket.com/albums/ae109/LordDracus40k/Celestial%20Lions/2011-12-05_20-33-52_69-1.jpg
My "Counts as" Vulkan

http://i962.photobucket.com/albums/ae109/LordDracus40k/Celestial%20Lions/2011-12-05_20-34-44_95-1.jpg
Libby

http://i962.photobucket.com/albums/ae109/LordDracus40k/Celestial%20Lions/2011-12-05_20-33-23_696-1.jpg
my "Counts as" Captain Corien Sumatris

http://i962.photobucket.com/albums/ae109/LordDracus40k/Celestial%20Lions/2011-12-12_19-19-32_621.jpg

[Col. Dracus]

http://i962.photobucket.com/albums/ae109/LordDracus40k/Celestial%20Lions/2011-10-29_19-44-54_676.jpg

http://i962.photobucket.com/albums/ae109/LordDracus40k/Celestial%20Lions/2012-03-04_20-17-23_551.jpg
Contemptor 1

http://i962.photobucket.com/albums/ae109/LordDracus40k/Celestial%20Lions/2011-10-29_19-45-30_423.jpg
Contemptor 2


What do you guys think? Looking forward to some input!

[drake2.0]

I really like the concept, its a little gold heavy. maybe some silver breaking up the large fields of gold would help, also maybe some dark washes where the gold/purity seals/other things meet to help it stand apart. That being said, you have more painted than I do, so I commend you on that

[ZenPaladin]

Nice work! Its great to see someone out there making their conversion dream a reality. What are you using for those termie heads?

[Typhonian]

The gold to blue ratio/balance is perfect on Lufgt Huron.
Nice job using the lion heads as a chapter symbol.Did you make copies out of green stuff?

[Col. Dracus]

Thanks for the comments guys! The conversion parts are all from Scibor Minis. I just picked up a couple Micron Pens so I might try some black lining around things like the Purity Seals. I have gotten several comments about using silver on the high points of the gold but I have yet to buy the paint to try it... I will have to get around to that soon. I did not make any of the chapter symbols out of greenstuff, but some of the special/heavy weapons are greenstuff. I have quite a bit of experience with making press molds for weapons now. I started doing it in order to have enough Lightning Claws for all my Chaos Terminators.

I started this army back in August and it became my tournament army in January with over 1500 points painted. If you are interested I have been keeping a Blog on the army and some of the local tournaments that I have been attending and running. Check it out at http://dracusjournal.blogspot.com/

Here are a couple other things I have been working on.

http://i962.photobucket.com/albums/ae109/LordDracus40k/Celestial%20Lions/2012-02-04_18-59-44_63.jpg

http://i962.photobucket.com/albums/ae109/LordDracus40k/Celestial%20Lions/2011-11-11_23-10-02_203.jpg

http://i962.photobucket.com/albums/ae109/LordDracus40k/Celestial%20Lions/2011-11-11_23-11-17_124.jpg

[pretre]

Yeah, I like the idea but on the broad vehicle surfaces the gold ends up looking a bit shabby. Looks a lot better on the infantry though.

[Horus Aximand]

I personally think there are far too many of them ;)

It looks like you're off to a good start. My only recommendation would be to use more thin layers of gold on the armour to get a nice, smooth coverage.

[Prometh]

Or mixing the first layer of gold with brown-ish colors and using the poor gold for highlights :)
But its a very interesting and unusual look alltogether so keep it up!

[Master of Asgard]

Cool! It makes me think of the Thundercats a bit ;) Is this army set in the time after they got decimated by the Inquisition, and if so are you planning on showing that?

[Col. Dracus]

Right now I have not really set a "Time period" for them per say. But if I had to set a time frame I would say it is after Armageddon. I don't use Command Squads so that I there are no Apothecaries, I use a lot of terminators (as what is left of the chapter would be considered veterans), and I use quite a few Dreadnoughts to show the number of fallen brethren. I have the Command Squad that came with the Space Marine Megaforce, but I have not put them together yet. I have been debating on what chapter I would paint the Apothecary as (to show the aid of another chapter).

If you have any thoughts on how I should paint the Apothecary let me know... I was thinking as Tiger Claws. This may help show a connection to the Astral Claws who may also have a connection to the Celestial Lions.

[Thornblood]

Hi Col!

Im very envious of your Celestial Lions. I once started a force and just couldn't get the knack to painting gold. They look awesome.

Anyway, as I was once an enthusiast I had a few thoughts on them and their fluff. I liked the idea that their geneseed might be of a excommunicated chapter, hence the implied Inquisitor/Assassin trying to have them killed off. So you might be onto something viz-a-viz Astral Claws Also with just 50 marines left I was hoping that a sympathetic ordo xenos Inquisitor might second the whole chapter into the deathwatch. Anyway...

The Apothecary could be a Celestial Lions Apothecary, just back from serving his term with the deathwatch (so model him in deathwatch colour and scheme), thus giving you a good reason why 'just one' apothecary made it.

Alternatively the Mentor Legion see http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Mentors#.T2e2pRwjpyo who loan individuals or squads to other armies as they are intellectual giants. In this case he could be acting as both an advisor, in, as they have a lack of apothecaries, they happen to send one of them too. Maybe he has another agenda and in fact he has been sent by the Adeptus Terra to ascertain the purity of the gene seed and that they removed all the apotheacries before so this agent could do this work unrestricted with the Lions' apothecaries from hiding secrets.

Or... The Relictors have now been declared Excommunicate Traitoris, but they fought alongside the Celestial Lions on Armegeddon. Maybe The Lions who have seen the treachery of the Inquisition are happy to harbour the renegade apothecary. Maybe they are oblivious to the fact that the apothecary is a renegade at all?

Or... The exorcists (daemon slaying specialists) fought alongside the lions on armegeddon. Hearing of their plight they sent an aopthecary. Really this is an excuse for the exorcists to investigate the Lions purity and why they are being persecuted. Maybe for another agent.


As an add-on. As the Lions homeworld is possibly in the same system as that of the Elysian drop trooops (Elysium I- X) maybe the apothecary was recruited from elysium troopers originally when on campaign with whatever marine chapter. As he always aspired to be a Lion- the marines from his home system, this guy particular apothecary was sent (as an excuse for any chapter).

[Col. Dracus]

@Thornblood Great input! I will have to look into some of that. Thank you very much for your complements. I have been sick lately so I have not been able to post any new projects, but I hope that will change soon as I have several new items that need to be painted and assembled.

[Meowcenary]

I personally think there are far too many of them ;)

It looks like you're off to a good start. My only recommendation would be to use more thin layers of gold on the armour to get a nice, smooth coverage.

I agree completely, a of couple thin layers would have helped alot. Though seems like a good start. =)

[Malkavschilde]

I always do a layer of tin bitz before I do gold.
seems to come out alright for me.

[troglodytesrus]

Not sure im a fan of the alternative helmets, but otherwise very neat and props for the unorthodox chapter choice :D

[Col. Dracus]

I got my order from Forge World in and got it painted this last weekend. What do you guys think?

http://i962.photobucket.com/albums/ae109/LordDracus40k/Celestial%20Lions/2012-04-14_20-21-07_476.jpg

http://i962.photobucket.com/albums/ae109/LordDracus40k/Celestial%20Lions/2012-04-14_20-21-18_958-1.jpg

http://i962.photobucket.com/albums/ae109/LordDracus40k/Celestial%20Lions/2012-04-14_20-22-46_264.jpg

[musical-fool]

I like this scheme, simple but effective! good job

[Vangrail]

I am glad to see more Badab war armies. I would love to see a campaign that takes place during it. I have sons of medusa and here are celestial lions. Sadly there are like 20 more chapters that people need to play.

But over all I like the army love the lion bits!