Evolution of a home brew Chapter

So I've been kicking around making my own space marines chapter for quite some time.  To design ones own space marine chapter including a cool name, color scheme, chapter icon, and background is  For myself (and I believe others) the culmination of the creative aspect of this hobby. I think I have finally come up with something that works for me. So before the big reveal I'll run down how I got there.

So my first idea was.....

Space Knights!!!

Cool name, or too cheesy? Kind of like space wolves but Knights! For a while I've been thinking along the lines of a knightly order similar to black templars or something. So I had the split shoulder pad (like a bretonnian grail knights shield) with a dragon as the icon. 

Here's a W.I.P. chapter master  (this is as far as I got)

I thought of an entire background (home planet of Avalon) with icons for all the squads and, names for all of the company captains.

Brother Captain Malakhi of the 3rd company 

Then I got side tracked with other projects like space wolves and my own chapter got put on the back burner, until recently. 

So with the coming of the Blood angels codex, once again I thought of my chapter, as possibly a counts as blood angels chapter. But something wasn't right with the Space Knights. The name, color scheme, icon, just wasn't all jiving for me. So back to the drawing board. 

I'm still thinking Knightly, and I liked the split shoulder pad, but wanted to go more Knightly...like knights in shinning armor style, and came up with this...

 Not bad. I liked the split color,  so I thought how about a split color scheme, and came up with......Blood Knights!! 

No not Knights of blood...this is something totally original (sarcasm) 

So I have an icon (which looks vaguely similar to angels encarmine) a name (original?...not really) and a color scheme, that I kind of like, but not 100%. I want it darker and more gritty! like a space marine, not a candy coated plastic man. 

I started experimenting with my split colors and how I paint red. and came up with this...

Instantly I'm in love with how the Red came out. This is completely different then how I normally paint red. 

Old way: base of mechrite red, blood red over this, with highlight of firey orange.

New way: Base of Dark angels green, followed by successive colors of Scab red, red gore, blood red, blazing orange. 

The yellow, I don't hate, but it's ok. Something is still not 100% sold for me, until yesterday when,  I'm in the car listening to one of my favorite artists and this track come on. 

And it hit me. This was my chapter. Name, check. Blood angels successors, check. on to colors and Icon. 

I was in love with the Red I came up with, and still kind of digging the split thing but wanted to come up with something new and original, here is what I came up with...

(dark angel icon as place holder)

I have to say that I'm liking this 100%. Just need a cool icon...

And I decided to switch the bloody (hammer) arm to the weapon arm.

I give you the Emperors' Bloody Hammers.

 (the main color is hawk turquoise, though it came out pretty blue in the pics)

And there you have it. I have an army to paint now. 

So much to do, so little time

I need to win the lottery so I can have more time to finish the things on my plate. Here is what's in the current rotation:

Space Wolves - Need to complete a unit of long fangs w/ multi meltas, a couple more Thunder wolf cavalry and some Fenrisian wolves to round out my 2000 pt force for the next Contest of Champions.

Chaos Dwarfs - 15 Warriors, 10 blunderbuss, 1 sorcerer conversion, and a hobgoblin bolt thrower. This is going to be a quick 500 pt force to play/test/learn the new 8th Fantasy rules.

Tyranids - I've been wanting to get started on these guys for a while, but the Space Wolves have been taking most of my time. I think once the COC force above is complete, I may start painting a small force of nids to play/test/learn this codex. I have pretty much everything assembled, just need to lay down paint. I also want to put them on these wonderful bases (I'll need to remove them from their current ones).

Dwarfs!!!!! - They have been patiently waiting in the box unassembled for years!!! I have a ton of them, and nothing is assembled. Lots of work here, but once 8th comes out, I'm going to have to dive in!

So that is what's currently on the table. I would also love to make a Blood angels army, but I think that is more of a dream at this point  (unless that lottery win happens). And depending on  what comes in the Fantasy starter set.... (did I hear skaven?). I've always wanted to do a skaven army. I have a Skaven Blood bowl team, but that isn't even on the list of things to do at this point.

Paint on!!!

Indecisive painting

     I've come to the conclusion, that I'm an indecisive painter. Since normally I will create my own fluff and color scheme for an army, I'll paint a ton of test figures before deciding upon the final color scheme. And once I have come to something I like, chances are, down the road I may even change my mind again. I did this with Chaos space marines, Tyranids, and now with the current army on my painting table Space Wolves. 

     I didn't really test out a color scheme for the wolves I just picked a great company (Ragnar's) and went with it. I don't know if I was just being a bit over zealous or what, but the figures came out way to bright & colorful in the end (I can partly blame this on the incredibly detailed new space wolf models). So I need to fix this before I go any further. 

     I'm determined to complete my space wolves, but now that I have changed my color scheme half way through, this leaves me with the task of repainting everything I have so far. Luckily for me, the main part of the figure, the power armor will remain unchanged. I will be repainting all of the company markings, shoulder pad trim, leather parts, armor tubes, plasma weapons, and rune stones. 

     Am I just crazy, or does anyone else go through this?

Before and After pictures coming soon!