Legio Astorum - Warlord Titan - WIP #25 - Volcano Cannon and Thighs

Hello Titanseers, thanks for dropping in. I have finally finished one of the much needed weapons on Dominus Victoria, Warlord No.104, currently undergoing the Rites of Construction. The Belicosa Volcano Cannon is a mighty laser type weapon that (ensuring the voids are down) can devastate enemy Titans with its powerful blasts! 

The link to the whole Titan Construction process can be found HERE.

I applied some of my usual heat-staining to the barrel end, simple washes of Nuln Oil, Drakenhof Nightshade, Leviathan Purple and Seraphim Sepia, starting at the muzzle and working backwards.

The Leadblecher undercoat was washed with a mix of Nuln Oil and Agrax Earthshade before being drybrushed with Necron Compound. The recoil (?) cylinder on top was painted Stormhost Silver and some Chestnut Ink.

I picked out a few details like green power cables seen throughout the titan, and some Balthasar Gold portions. Added a decal on the hatch both sides.

From the Astorum Engines decal sheet (now OOP) I used a small suitable decal to fill the space and painted the cog motif black and white.

The gun shield was quartered with my accent yellow colour (Army Painter Daemonic Yellow over a white undercoat, two coats of FW Clear Yellow and recesses Tau Sept Ochre). More FW decals and some skull kill markings were applied.

Here the armour has been glued in place, it is very difficult for the thin crenelated piece not to look bent upwards, so careful clmping whilst the JB Weld dried is necessary, I've kept it to a minimum.

The armour fairing was painted the usual Kantor Blue, recessed with FW Nightlords Blue and a single white stripe to echo the shin and chest armour was applied. A black skull from the Imperial Guard transfer sheet finished off the look.

The gunshield was then glued into position onto the mounting piece (which can be placed left or right side for the opposite arms).

While I was on a roll over the Easter Break, I ploughed on with the knees and thighs, another accent piece in yellow with some decals from both the Imperial Knights and Astorum sheet, touched up with a little white to fill in the gaps. The right knee (left above) was filled with the spare shoulder Astorum Eclipse decal, again the gaps on the inside edges were blocked in with Chaos Black to ensure a more circular whole.

The Knees and Thighs were simply clamped in place once the adjoining areas were roughened up and paint scraped off to ensure a tight bond.

I added "CIV" being the Forge World Certificate No.104 for this Titan in Roman numerals and also sounding like my username "Siph"....

So finally, here is Dominus Victoria to date, undergoing the Rites of Construction and the main bulk of the work now completed - I am looking forward to getting this project completed and attending the Walk at the end of June.

A mighty Engine in the making.

Dominus Victoria will Walk at the next Titan Owners Club UK event, where she will be battling alongside 80 (yes 80!!) other Titans! I will be sure to post lots of photos.  Remember to register your own Titans at Titan Owners Club, and if you want some cool Titan Owners Club merchandise they even now have a Spreadshirt Shop, all profits go to buying Titan sized terrain :)

Cheers, Princeps Siph :)

Legio Crucius - Warlord Titan - WIP #3 - Progress

Hi One and All,

Further Warlord progress this week, the Warlord is starting to come together now. 

The endoskeleton has had a basecoat (black) then sprayed up Silver. This will then get a few washes of Agrax to add depth, and then highlight.

I've also started the task of detailing the edges of the armour plates. These have been painted similar to the other Legio Crucius Titans in my collection, with black, white and a selection of stripes and checks (I will do a check guide soon).

I have also spent some time working on the head to allow the addition of LED lights. I have added several 'holes' ready for them. These will be ran through the head into the body were I will have the battery holder housed.

There are still a load of armour plates to go and the Walk in June is getting very close...

Thanks for looking, LH

Adeptus Sororitas - Alternative Plastic Battle Sisters Squad #1

Hello All, thanks for dropping by, here is my take on some puritan Sisters of Battle. I envisage these being a rather puritan and devout Order, more practical and substance, less baroque and myth - I know not to all tastes as the ornate bonkers bits makes 40K unique, but I got bored of waiting for plastic sisters. These are made using 3rd party Dreamforge Games Eisenkern Valkir Heavy Troopers and some Statuesque Miniatures Heroic Scale Female Heads.

I added purity seals, another 3rd Party Multimelta from PDC Miniatures start up, and GW bases and Bolters. I have seen people adding SM Backpacks to these, but to maintain the sleeker proportions I stayed with the Dreamforge Games stock kit.

The holy trinity of Bolter, Flamer and Melta are captured in this squad with a Valkir flamer converted with a combi-weapon flamer nozzle, the alternative Heavy Weapons bought ages ago from a Kickstarter from PDC games, where I got my Alternative Rapier Laser Platforms, and the modular Heavy Weapons.

I varied the heads with the Valkir Helmets too, to save painting so many faces and to give the more militaristic practical vibe. There are three styles, a Knightly Helm, a Vampish Helm and a Gasmask Helm, these were the Vampish Helms.

I also varied the hairstyles and colours, keeping to the traditional black and whites but varying styles between the 28mm Heroic Scale Heads and the 'Angry Bobs' heads.

The armour is simply Eshin Grey over Black basecoat weathered with a little Leadblecher; with Mephiston Red cloth highlighted Evil Sunz Scarlet. and some gold details - Retributor Gold washed Reikland Flesh shade.. Simple to replicate.

Here they are bolstered with the holy visage of the Imagifier and the santic hyms and sermons from the Dialogus! Glory to the Emperor, death to the xenos, daemon, heretics and traitors, cleansed by holy Bolter, flame and Melta. Ave Imperator.

Cheers, Siph (7pts - three completed last year)

Legio Crucius - Warlord Titan - WIP #2 - Paint time

Hello one and all!

The Warlord project marches on with me starting the Rites of Colour process to paint the Warlord. The base has had a under coat of black, then silver. This will get a wash of Agrax and others to add depth to the model.

The armour panels are being painted as per my other titans, with a black/white scheme of the Legio Crucius. For the Warlord, I am retaining the stripes and checks as seen with my other titans.

Also, here are the lights from the torso search lights on - full beams! I will be adding further lights to the head to add to the effect. I am toying with different colours for the search lights, but nothing is set in stone.. yet..  I'll post a 'how I did that' post with regards the lights soon..

Thanks for looking! LH

Terrain and Scenery - 3rd Edition Starter Set Ruins

Hello Readers, another thing off the to-do pile that has been languishing there for a fair few years! These ruins come from the 3rd Edition starter set, many many of these must be out there in circulation!

I fancied some scatter terrain, small enough to add interest and practical to be useful enough for a squad to benefit from cover so I added a base so the area would be clearly defined.

The ruins with the climbing plants was in a job lot of second hand terrain I picked up years ago, to this I added the other ruin to make the pair.

I added some piles of sprue offcuts as rubble and based using sand and PVA (Elmers) painted the same as my bases, Mournfang Brown, Karak Stone and Ushabti Bone.

I added some dyed flock patches and a few tufts of GW Middenheim Tufts and done.

A nice small scatter terrain for the battlefield. Terrain is the third often neglected army on the table, hopefully this inspires you to get some done.

Cheers, Siph. (5 painting points)

Legio Crucius - Warlord Titan - WIP #1 - Another Titan?!?!

Hello one and all,

Hot on the heels of the Warbringer, ‘Mons Ignus’ and my second Warhound ‘Black Strider’, I've started my next project - ‘Hell's Daughter’, a Legio Crucius Warlord. The plan and aim is to have the titan ready for the Titan Owners Club UK Walk in June (around 80 days to go).

So far the build has gone well, the legs are pinned into place in the ankles, knees and in several spots around the hips. The torso was a little more complicated than hoped as i am looking for access for the LED's (You might have spotted the LED's in the torso search lights.. The initial plan was to not fix the 'roof' however I am looking at a second option as the roof offers a lot of support to the body, and it might be wise to have this fixed into place.

The shoulders are fully pinned, and I have also added magnets to the arms to allow for weapons to be swapped out.

I am happy with the pose so far, the plan will be for the model to be looking to the right, with the weapons both fixed to a set point. All of the panels are set, ready to be painted as are the weapons.

Cawl  inspecting the titan - wondering if it is possible to build a Primaris Warlord...

Wish me luck for the next 80 days...LH

Legio Astorum - Forge World Warlord Titan Build #24 - Mars Beta Head

Hello Titanseers, more progress on mighty Warlord Dominus Victoria, a characterful step forward, the outfitting of the Head, putting a face to the name, quite literally! One to be feared by the Emperor's enemies and gazed at in awe by His loyal citizens and soldiers. I originally had the Mars Alpha head but I sold this once I got hold of the Mars Beta head.

The link to the whole Titan Construction process can be found HERE.

The Mars Beta Head variant is the head you can only purchase in the Forge World store at Warhammer World, a WHW Exclusive. I always make sure I pick one up every time I visit to then send on to many Princeps around the world via eBay (I list at RRP, but it usually pays for my petrol in the up bids which is a bonus!) Next time I go, I'll be getting one myself for the Warbringer Nemesis as this head looks great on that Chassis too - unless a new Warbringer Head unit is released sometime soon for variation, the Warlord has three variants.

A lot of detail is hidden inside the head, so it is important to paint the pieces whilst separate and glue together once the internal surfaces are finished. You cannot get to the Moderati except the back of their heads once in position, so if you want them painted do it before gluing the face plate on.

I used a lovely blue grey eggshell colour for the internal bulkheads, Tamiya XF-21 after seeing it on another Titan blog. It's a great militaristic interior colour I have seen on electronic boxes within ships certainly. The bulkheads were washed with Seraphim Sepia and drybrushed Ushabti Bone. The deck plates were Karak Stone washed Agrax and highlighted Ushabti Bone.

Pipes and fittings were picked out to add details and the door Mechanicus Black and White colours. The Moderati have Legio Astorum overalls and Blue/Gold detailing on the helmets.

I added touches of the same blue as the Helmets and Titan exterior livery just to link it all in.

The front Face Plate assembly is also obscured by the moderati when constructed, so I painted all the screens and dials, I sometimes wonder why so much detail in a head that is barely looked into, but I know I did a good job :)  The radar screen is my particular favourite.

Here are all the interior panels painted before construction. The Face Plate assembly is two pieces already glued together. The Moderati have been glued to their seats too, and slot straight into the Face Plate assembly on this head design.

Here is the view the Primceps Majoris will get to see, I painted a line drawing of a Reaver Titan on the scopes which I was very pleased with, a simple but effective targeting scope.

The Primceps Majoris on the Command Throne was painted separately and glued into the head unit once the rest of the internals were completed.

Here is the Princeps Majoris on his Command Throne, I echoed the Moderati scheme with Astorum Blue and Gold trim. I love the fact that he has a Las Pistol tucked away in his belt... just in case...

Now the internals were all completed, the head was glued together with the removable roof in place so everything was the correct shape. This will make working on the exterior easier, I will drybrush the metallics on the head unit, detail all the scopes and lenses then add the power cables and do the Armour Panels and Trim my usual method.

So after edging the plates with Tau Sept Ochre, the yellow was glazed twice with FW Clear Yellow. The trim first was painted Chaos Black, then two coats of Vallejo Brass then a wash of Reikland Flesh Shade wash.

The endo skeleton metal was drybrushed Leadblecher, and the neck joint Warplock Bronze drybrushed. I picked out the green power cables to match the Torso power cables.

Lenses were picked out in Stormhost Silver and washed with FW Yellow Clear, Green or Soulstone Blue. The main lens was Khorne Red, Evil Sunz Scarlet and Troll Orange - then the lenses were 'Ardcoated.

I love this head, very Sparta!

So now Dominus Victoria has a face - spurring me on to finish Her before the Walk in June. Only 18 more pieces to put into place, the Weapons, main Shins and Shoulders and Thigh plates. I can see the finish line at last!

Dominus Victoria will Walk at the next UK Titan Owners Club event, where she will be battling alongside 80 (yes 80!!) other Titans! I will be sure to post lots of photos.  Remember to register your own Titans at Titan Owners Club, and if you want some cool Titan Owners Club merchandise they even now have a Spreadshirt Shop, all profits go to buying Titan sized terrain :)

Cheers, Princeps Siph :)