My first batch of Dark Eagle Space Marines

 o/

They're already almost halfway as far as the Black Dragons made it.

As mentioned in my last post, I have a new space marine army that I am working on. Well, new isn't entirely correct, none of these models are new, just their color scheme is. The Dark Eagles are a canon chapter about which very little is known, see?

A lieutenant, the must have for every new army!

After watching Secret Level, I am sure everyone will be naming their Lieutenants Titus. This guy however shall remain nameless for the time being.

Another 5th company army? Soon it will be revealed as to why I went this route again. 

Left to my own devices, with little to no precedent to follow, I've gone for a dark (appropriate given their name), gritty, battle worn appearance. I tried some painted on battle damage which is a bit of an experiment for me. I'm liking it so far. Olive drab painted marines have a reputation for being sneaky marines, especially if they are of Raven Guard heritage.

This guy's base is covered in dead vegetation...or is it?

I wanted to buck that trend however, so instead these marines are cleansing the Deathworld of Prism, which is even more colorful than Sesame Street! Indeed, their armor is just as out of place on these bases as most any other Chapter's would be. Likewise I wanted a fair bit of shiny gold ornamentation on the Lt., as you can see above. I like the golden faceplate in particular, I may do that on the Sternguard. 

Hellblasters, the backbone of my marine armies. The glowy green plasma coils don't stand out quite as much as they did on my Smurfs. Of course these guys aren't pushing their weapons into the cautionary color range either...

Again, I think the scraped and scarred tactical markings add a bit of realism. 

As I did on my Smurfs previously (who are only about a dozen models shy of being fully painted), I've opted to do my batch painting with a smattering of marines from different units. As opposed to five of the same type at once. It mixes things up a little, and keeps from have one painted squad to stand out amongst the primed and/or bare plastic hordes. 

This week (or two's) batch o' marines. The Intercessor in the first pic was done previously. 

A tour of duty of the deathworld of Prism

 An Astartes chapter, now erased from history once called this deathworld home. They discovered an ancient, subterranean xenos portal of some sort and either tried to open or destroy it. Instead the portal fractured, tearing a hole in the fabric of reality that could not be closed. Despite their desperate attempts to contain the disaster, they were lost in the ensuing cataclysm. 

The Inquisition stepped in and ordered Exterminatus, but not even their cyclonic torpedoes could close the portal. Nor eliminate the wretched taint of the warp emanating from it. Prism was erased from all maps and star charts, yet it's screams in the ether mark it as a blazing beacon of terror to Psykers and Navigators alike. 

Periodically, the High Lords will dispatch an Astartes chapter to the world to cleanse it of whatever foul horrors have populated it via the warp breach, be they Xenos, Daemon or Heretic. Every arriving strike cruiser announces itself with an orbital bombardment, but it is just a formality. Only boots on the soiled ground, bolters, blades and holy flames can properly cleanse this blighted planet. For a little while, at least.

The last chapter to take up this grim duty was the 5th Battle Company of the Black Dragons, the proverbial foxes guarding the hen house. Only the Emperor knows what trophies those vile mutants  collected. Rather than purging this rock of the warp's taint the Dragons likely saw it as an opportunity for a recruitment drive. It is only the sad state of the Imperium of Man that such tainted Astartes are even tolerated. 

Now that the Dark Eagles' 5th Company has arrived, this shattered Prism shall be properly cleansed!