Hobby Time! Painting my Wife's Homebrew Space Marines: Silver Stars [How I Paint Things]

The Silver Stars are a mix of the byzantine politics of the Holy Roman Empire, unsolved mysteries, and a handful of names and locations pulled off of a map of my home town. My wife's creation for a Deathwatch campaign, they've served as background flavour and occasional antagonists for almost ten years - whenever one of their few surviving members are found!

Proud scions of Guilliman himself, the Silver Stars trace their lineage to the Ultramarines. Records are incomplete or sealed by Inquisitorial order, but they are believed to have been created during M35 in order to solidify Imperial control over a region of space called the Magellan Rise. From the capital world of Telethusa, the Silver Stars were initially everything the Imperium could have hoped for: diligent, insightful, and thorough. Their penchant for bureaucracy would come to be an anchor of some of their worst impulses, and like most of the events which lead to their downfall, was thought of as a positive trait at first...

Stabilizing local politics by influencing ruling families indirectly at first, the Silver Stars started to take an active hand in ensuring 'loyal' lineages, slowly culminating in the Chapter being thoroughly obsessed with the control possible through familial lines. Family members of those recruited into the Chapter - and some rumours suggest family of Astartes themselves - were insinuated into positions of power, until the Silver Stars effectively ruled the Magellan Rise directly, and entirely as they saw fit. Candidates for the Chapter were screened and selected according to familial tie to previous heroes, and though they were capable of great feats, the Silver Stars became slowly insular and blinkered to the wider Imperium, obsessed with the security of their holdings.

The downfall came at last when long-suffering Administratum clerics uncovered how long exactly Telethusa and the wider Magellan Rise had failed to tithe to the Imperium. The Inquisition at once took note. For zealous Inquisitors with a bone to pick, it was too good an opportunity to pass up - they demanded the Silver Stars submit to their questioning and audits conducted by the Administratum. The Silver Stars refused, and the stage was set for conflict to finally strike the heart of their little realm. Supported by Sisters of Battle representing the entire fighting strength of the Order of the Lost Ark, a score of Astra Militarum regiments and their own esoteric forces, the Inquisition put the sword to the Silver Stars. To their mounting horror, the Chapter strength passed 5,000 Astartes, though their skills were blunt and their fighting spirit lacking in comparison to their pious and determined foes.

The Silver Stars were laid low, their altars and idols shattered, their name scrubbed from Imperial records. Every single Space Marine to bear the Chapter badge was hunted down and exterminated by the Inquisition. And yet... to this day, Adminstratum adepts cannot account for every bolter or suit of power armour the Silver Stars possessed...

00:00 - Intro
01:47 - The Painting
18:42 - The Finished Marine

Thanks to Producer level Patrons Alan Nuttall, Kyrie Crawford, Trainboy, Fred, and Jimmy - as well as all the other Patrons that made this video possible, and Exit23 Games for recording equipment that helps keep the channel ticking over! Find out more at the following links:

PAINTS USED:

PRIMER:
The Army Painter Gun Metal

BASE:
Leadbelcher
Kantor Blue
Retributor Armour
Rhinox Hide
Mephiston Red
Abaddon Black
Corvus Black
Corax White
Rakarth Flesh
Screamer Pink

LAYER:
Cadian Fleshtone
Kislev Flesh
White Scar
Calgar Blue
Doombull Brown
Stormvermin Fur
Dawnstone
Liberator Gold
Troll Slayer Orange
Pink Horror

SHADE:
Nuln Oil
Agrax Earthshade

DRY:
Necron Compound

CONTRAST:
Guilliman Flesh
Aethermatic Blue

SPRAY VARNISHES:
Vallejo Matt Varnish

[Chopperkelly]

Nicely done. Really enjoyed hearing the background to the chapter 👍

[elfbait]

Very cool. I have been slowly chipping away at my own chapter for decades. Mine are similarly not Chaotic but are still traitors in the eyes of the Imperium. They use xenos tech and, even though they still fight for the Imperium, are considered tainted.

[WanderingCelts]

The Chocolate stars were a dodgy space marine chapter as well. They melted away under gunfire and were eventually all eaten by the Tyranids.

[justanothercaptain]

Happy Wife = Happy Life! As long as she is happy with it you’re “golden”! 😀👍 Cool 😎 video as always! Thanks 🙏 Cheers 🍻

[stevesandford]

For those who DON'T game in WH40K, the Steel Armour technique Troy uses here is also ideal for Medeival Plate Armour from the early 100 Years War up to the early Renaissance and even the 'curraissiers/lobsters' from the 30 Years War/ECW!!! (The added colour/gilt/decal detail Troy adds is also applicable for Medieval minis!) For 28mm gamers, Essex Miniatures' of Great Britain do a vast range of really characterful minis from the 1100's/Baron's Wars to The Mid 1600's TYW/ECW!!! (I DON'T work for Essex, I just like their little Knights!)

Although I don't paint Fantasy/Sci-Fi at ALL, I watch all of Sonic Sledgehammer's videos because I'll always find a trick or technique equally applicable to my historical 28mm minis.

xx SF

[johnkelley]

This was a neat tutorial and I thought the lore was very interesting. Thanks to you and your Wife for making this.

[robisonwells]

I loved this, and it's very timely. I'm in the process of building a Space Marine homebrew that is 100% not following the Codex Astartes (they drive Genestealer Cult vehicles and I'm using the Kill Team Death Korps of Krieg as scouts). Love seeing more non-canonical chapters!

[JoeyC]

I really love these colours together. Good work!

[sotbs]

love some good renegade marines who take after the 'noble' example of the Badab sector and Huron, rather than just "lolchaos". sounds as if it was a fun campaign!

[stevepickering]

Brilliant Work my friend and love the history lesson.

[firstevidentenigma]

You've helped inspire me with how I want to paint my Blood Angels successor chapter. Thank you, sir. :)

[NeoByteNL]

Man you have a wife who plays miniature games, wish I was that lucky. Mine thinks Monopoly is still awesome :)

[TashiMortier]

I like how well you fixed up the face. :D Could be a secret technique, applying the contrast paint over Cadian flesh. :D

[alexhark]

I have the Gunmetal spray as well. I was worried when it dried that it looked very shiny and the paint wouldn't stick but I noticed yours was shiny too. Looks like you didn't have any issues!

[euansmith]

The idea of Space Marines establishing dynasties (one way or another) is a favourite bit of head-canon of mine, too. It is a good argument for why the Space Marines are rendered infertile as part of their conversion from human to post-human. I've got ideas for a Primaris force dispatched to the Dark Imperium. They are Cawl's greatest abomination; fertile Primaris Space Marines. The idea is for them to establish themselves in positions of power and spread their post-human genetics to spice up the broth of benighted humanity.

That's a cool looking Silver Star.

[buzzardbeurling]

Great job. I'm currently doing my own chapter complete with back story 🙂

[tuomolaitila]

Would love to see you visit Blood Angels. Its been so many years since last one.

[Robzilla]

How did this slip by me? My favorite one so far, loved it.

[LittleTubist]

Oh man, now this has me thinking how this paint scheme would look on Tau. I feel like this could get around the tedious parts of shading in all those crevices on the battle suits if it's one of the first steps after priming like you did in this.

[WAcrobat]

I'd like to see you try out more Renegade Astartes one day!