Legio Astorum - Warlord Titan Construction Build - WIP #16a - Basing

Hello dear Readers and titan fans, thanks for dropping in. I've been a little lax in progress of Dominus Victoria since finishing the construction build of the superstructure. But, I am a hobby butterfly and get distracted by new projects and old ones I haven't got around to finishing from before, the closet of doom has plenty of projects to take up when the fancy takes me.

Anyway, I bought a wooden shelf and traced the circles using the Apoc Blast Template, I will be matching the base to the bases of my Reaver and two Warhounds, so a circular design was the way forward.

I used my Jigsaw at a 45 degree angle, you can see the waste wood above. And below you can see I have given the legs their first basecoat, after a black primer, some Leadbelcher basecoat and next I will need to spray with some washes, a blend of Agrax Earthshade and Nuln Oil.

As you can see I gave the edges of the base a quick spray with Mournfang Brown to see what the effect would be, but I think I will need to seal the edges with some filler or modelling clay to give a smooth edge - I am open to suggestions please, whats best to seal the wood edges, at the moment I can see the grain.

A base is not really needed I would suggest, but it gives the massive amount of resin better stability and strength as the legs will be fixed to the base, forming a strong loop rather than legs like open forks. So, some little progress and a request for suggestions please. Cheers, Siph.

Construction Guide: Link to Warlord How To Build - Index Page

Mechanicum - Cult Mechanicus Datasmith

Hello Readers, thanks for dropping by and checking out WeeMen... no Relictors progress this week, but a little progress with something different, hobby butterfly continues to plague my projects...

I actually sprayed the cloak with a car spray to see the effect it would give, and I quite liked it, I added some highlights but generally this is what it sprayed like, some depth and shadow to it over the basecoat of Chaos Black.

I spent awhile matching the blue power orbs/cables etc to match my first Datasmith, painted by Mordian7th.

I spent some time on the face to make sure it looked decent. And a head green power cable to match the first Datasmith too. But this one has a little more dull metal and less Gold/Bronze to differentiate. 

And finally, a matching pair of Datasmiths, both similar but slightly different schemes, not bad attempt to match the excellent Mordian7th's handiwork, continuing to make the Ad Mech forces my own. Cheers for dropping in, some progress on the Kastellan Robots for this Datasmith soon - I think triple Heavy Phospher Blasters for the next two...

Relictors Space Marine Land Raider - Terminus Ultra Pattern

Hello Readers, thanks for dropping by to have a look at my latest addition to the Relictors Battle Company arsenal, a Terminus Ultra Pattern Land Raider - this is a beast of a tank and in these days of Imperial Knights and 40K scale Titans, this tank was originally designed as over the top Apocalypse tank, but now would fit in nicely. 

I love this front view, yes count them, 3x TL Lascannons and 2x Sponson Lascannons - why is it not the same as the GW out of the box, well, the truth is that design sucks! The rear TL Sponson guns cannot fire forward because the single Lascannons are in the way! So, I polled what I should do back in 2011... yes this has taken awhile to be completed!! The poll was found here with suggestions of how I should mount the guns. The results, here, said mount as Triple Sponsons, which was my favourite option too.

Lord Halfpenny got around to doing his Terminus Ultra "Invictus" with Predator Turrets on top, seen here. I got as far as a WIP, here, in Oct last year before it went back into the closet of doom - but finally its completed!

I have used the Forge World Extra Armour upgrade to make it look more meaty and fit for task as a Titan Slayer, I also added extra bits from Rhino Razorback top plates to show extra ventilation grilles needed to cool the Lascannon capacitors inside, I reversed a side door to show more ventilation grilles and added a jet engine fan assembly on top similar to the fans on a Vindicator top plate, but bigger!

Here you can see the door ventilation grill, similar to what Lord Halfpenny did for his Terminus Ultra.

I also added a Command Frame SM sensor package to denote the extra sensors this tank would require for targeting so many Lascannons together, and of course, the sharp eyed among you have noticed riding in the cupola a certain Sergeant Chronus for a lovely boost to Ballistic Skill!

Here you can see the trimmed down plates from a Rhino, I think it makes the tank look different enough from a 'normal' Godhammer Pattern, the Extra Armour helps too! I also put some spikes around the vent on top as a nod to the dubious practices of the Relictors dabbling in Chaos to fight Chaos, and some Razorback front spikes on the front of the tank to indicate that this tank does not use its Assault Ramp, as it does not have any transport capacity because the internals are full of those Lascannon capacitors!

I painted it exactly as I did all my other Relictors tanks, using the accent colour of Bleached Bone (Ushabti Bone) to put emphasis on the number of Lascannon barrels this thing has ;)  The main colour is Codex Grey (and Army Painter Uniform Grey) and washed with Nuln Oil and highlighted Administratum Grey. The golds are Gehennas Gold, washed with Agrax Earthshade and highlighted Auric Armour Gold and Runefang Steel. The weathering is a little Calthan Brown (Mournfang Brown).

Here is a close up of Sergeant Chronus, the spear of Macragge, lent to the Relictors... I love his helmet, so Ipainted his Gaunlets to match the heavy-metal vibe the helmet portrays. Behind him you can see the Command Frame Sensor package.

How did I convert the Lascannons, well using a spare set of Razorback Lascannons, I trimmed them at just behind the barrel length and affixed to the Land Raider sponson assembly as the pictures show.

Right, this beast should make short work of an Imperial Knight over the length of the Battlefield, hopefully...BS5 and TL, hitting on 2's and re-rolling 3x Lascannons... lets hope those pesky Ion Shields don't save them all!

Thanks for dropping by, cheers all, Siph.

Relictors Space Marine 4th Company Devastators Squad w/ Grav Cannons

Hello Good Readers, hope you are well. Here is my latest offering, I got these Devastators with Grav Cannons and Grav Amps ready for the massive battle we had at Warhammer World a few weeks ago, with the exception of a few details and the heads, so hot on their success in Imperial Knight slaying, I finished them.

The Sergeant received his Combi-Grav, so with the Grav Cannons and Grav Amps for re-roll, this squad puts out 23 grav shots if stationary (or Relentless in an Skyhammer Annihilation Force) with a damage re-roll of 20 of those for getting those glancing Sixes! Almost guaranteed to kill a Landraider or Termie Squad - but at a cost point premium, this squad costs more than those said targets when fully kitted out. But, in that Skyhammer, this is a great Alpha Strike, otherwise a points sink. When I am not using the Skyhammer, I'll farm out the Grav Cannon marines to various Tactical Squads in games.

Here's the Sergeant, I like the 4th Company green trims to the pauldrons, a change from the majority of my Relictors 5th Company black trimmed black pads, just seen that I missed the Sergeant's gun casing Aquila, doh, have to quickly fix that.

I added two stripes to the Chainsword and a green 4th Company Knee Pad for a touch of colour as the accent colour I usually use on the weapon casings in bone is missing from these Devastators - I was up against the time pressures of getting them ready for Warhammer World, so the bone went - but I like the different scheme - marks them different from the mass of 5th Company marines.

Right, next up for the Relictors painting pile - Bikes, maybe something rather shooty which has been languishing in the closet of doom for years... and a lot more Devastators - my aim is for another Grav Cannon 5-man Squad for an effective Skyhammer Annihilation Force alpha strike, plus I want a squad of 4 Heavy Bolters for the rule of cool - they look awesome - so much dakka. And then maybe some Lascannons, Multi-Meltas... the Devastator box comes with more weapons than you can use, so I had to buy a Tactical Squad just to use the bodies as Devastators!

Thanks for reading.

Relictors Space Marine Stormhawk Interceptor

Hello Readers, thanks for dropping by to have a look-see. Here is my latest offering, a lovely StormHawk Interceptor flyer for the ever growing Relictors Battle Company. In the above shot, armed with an array of weapons - TL Assault Cannons, 3-shot Skyhammer Missiles and a short range 2-shot LasTalon lascannon. Brutal. The new flyer rules give Interceptors give -1 BS against surface targets, I will probably play this way without all the other flyer shenanigans - who will actually want another 'Flyer' phase, it's long enough with the separate 'Psychic' phase.

As you can see, after debating what to do with the tail fin, I weighed up the different options, thanks for your input guys, and decided to go with the under-wing at the rear, to differentiate from the StormTalon tailfin and cut away the large fin section with hung downwards. The top tail fin option was too 'helicopter gunship' like the StormTalon, I wanted a more 'Jetfighter' aesthetic - okay this kit will never be a Xiphon Interceptor!

As you can see in these two pictures, the loss of the downward tail section makes for a much more streamlined Interceptor, I've also as previously posted, magnetized the Icarus Storm Cannon and the Las Talon nose guns.  Incidentally, the horse was from my original box of skeleton warriors from back in the late 80's I found randomly in the closet of doom! Now put to good use.

Here you can see the look I was going for, much better in my humble opinion, more streamlined and faster looking.

From the rear you can see the 'Aliens Dropship Vibe' I was going for, and without the large under-fin attached to the top section, the Halo chaff launcher is free to fire and give me those re-rollable jink saves :)

Here is the magnetized Las Talon nose cannon, it fits into the mount seamlessly.

And for a slightly different profile, both aesthetics and stats, here is the Icarus Storm Cannon. Depends if you want lower strength, 3-shot long range or the double tap short range lascannon option.

A slightly different nose profile with this option. I used yellow for the Skyhammer Missiles, I think a great long range, mid power missile load out, I think is great for anti-air! Across my entire force, the missiles are painted yellow to really pop.

Above you can see the different brutal nose cannon options and silhouette - these things certainly don't rely on aerodynamics to fly! All of about 3 inches of actual wing surface to provide any sort of lift ha ha. (I also went for port and starboard red/green navigation lights at the end of the wings - for those times it is not ramming itself in the faces of the enemy!)

Here are some close ups of the tail as requested by Reddit readers and hopefully others will find it a useful reference (looking at you Corrm!)

I did contemplate filling the gap with a little plasticard, but it hardly shows and could be a vent of whatever description. I did add some weathering to the underside of the tail, as in its new position it is in line with the maneuvering thrusters on the body, to give it a lot more agility in a dogfight no doubt!

And finally, a rear shot showing the Halo chaff launcher and what your enemies will see - as they crash and burn, the fast disappearing shape of their nemesis...

Overall, I loved this kit, and without a cockpit to worry about, painting was fairly simple and quick. I just removed the jet nozzles and exhausts, nose cannons, missiles, all the sensor lenses and engine intakes, and was then able to spray and wash and drybrush the entire model grey, before adding the details back once the entire superstructure was complete.

Thanks for reading. Cheers, Siph.