Legio Astorum Reaver Titan "Aquila Oculus" - WIP #9 - All about the Base

Hello Titan-seers, welcome back, I am progressing the Reaver build to the Base - I base the Titans, its not necessary but I feel it makes them a lot more stable and the legs form a strong triangle with the base being the third side of the triangle so really solid.

I used a Forstner Bit to make depressions for the screw head and washer that will complement the glue bonding the feet to the base, a screw up into the foot helps hold the foot down whilst the glue dries and forms a strong bond in addition to the JB Weld.

The base is 6mm MDF and sanded smooth on the sides, layered with PVA and glue and some slate chips. Where the foot is flat on the base, I scored the surface to increase the surface area and avoid gluing sand on those areas.

Here is the finished article, painted my usual Mournfang Brown, Karak Stone and Ushabti Bone and tufts and flock patches. Above shows the personal heraldry of "Aquila Oculus", the red Aquila is repeated on the chest armour and the carapace shield - black sun of Lucius and the 'eagle eye' bird design, "Aquila Oculus" meaning eagle-eye (my Action Man reference).

The flame designs look great with the base and against the blue. The right knee cap is the Titan name. 

So, just the trim to go on the Torso. Almost complete!

Cheers, Siph

Legio Astorum - Reaver Titan "Aquila Oculus" - WIP #8 - Weapon Arms and Power Couplings

Hello Titanseers, more progress on the Reaver No.2, Aquila Oculus now has some arms to fight with! I chose a 'disco' Reaver, two triple-barreled Battle Titan Laser Blasters and a carapace mounted dual-barrel Turbolaser Destructor. As you can see from the above WIP pictures, I have used 8mm x 30mm rod magnets for the arms and small 2mm x 3mm for the hose connectors. A trick is to mark the poles different colours so you dont mess up polarity - this way I can swap out and exchange weapons between Battle Titans (Reavers and Warbringers).

The cross hatching and no paint ensures a strong bond for the Armour Plates, and the magnet sits flush with the gun casing so the Arm mounts have a strong connection. The slot on top of the weapon fits snuggly with the Armour Panel so they sit in the correct position for the Arm mount and magnet. Simple to do.

The weapons come with right angled hose connectors, these are the re-modded Battle Titan weapons, I find it easier to glue the hoses to the torso and add the hose connectors to the hoses rather than the individual weapons, meaning the weapons simply pulls downward at the arm joint and lifts away leaving the hoses on the torso - a simple clunk into place, the hose magnets ensure the hoses sit correctly on the weapon mount regardless whether it is a left arm or right arm - the weapons are interchangeable - if the right angle connectors were fitted, they would not be exchangeable between left and right.

The hoses are pinned for strength at the torso connection point, and a small magnet in the dome of the hose connector to fit into the concave of the weapon mount.

In preparation for the coming together of the Rites of Construction, several of the Armour Plates were also finished off. The Aquila is red to match the red half Aquila heraldry on Aquila Oculus.

And the completed 'Disco' Arms, two Battle Titan Laser Blasters, I kept the blue armour free from kill markings or star map motifs as these are both completely interchangeable between left/right and Reaver/Warbringer. The Armour plates were painted separately and then clamped and glued into place afterwards, making sure to roughen up the surfaces for the JB Weld to better adhere.

The metal is simple, Leadbelcher washed with a mix of Nuln and Agrax, drybrushed with Necron Compound (oh the heresy!), gold is picked out with Vallejo Model Colour Brass (70.801) which is an almost perfect match for Citadel's Retributor Gold and washed Reikland Fleshshade. The central barrel sections had a drybrush of Soulstone Silver and further Nuln Oil at the extremities, to add some interest.

The muzzles received the same heat staining effect as the carapace Turbo Laser Destructor, just a simple drybrush of black around the muzzle, then a sequential washes of black, blue, purple and sepia - Nuln Oil, Drakenhof Nightshade, Leviathan Purple and Seraphim Sepia going backwards along the barrel. It adds some much needed colour and interest to plain barrels.

Just the base (not required but all my Titans are based for extra stability and the base acts as a third side of a triangle making the legs super rigid and strong) and the main torso section to complete now before it all gets sanctified and Walks! I'm hoping to have this Titan completed before the year is out - I may not be the fastest but this is 3.5 times faster than my Warlord build time! :)

Cheers, Princeps Seniores Siph

Relictors Chapter Space Marines - Primaris Aggressors Squad

Hello All, thanks for dropping in. Today I would like to showcase my latest addition to the growing Primaris reinforcements to my Relictors Chapter - some well needed firepower - Primaris Aggressors.

Even though these are the 'firstborn Centurions' of the Primaris range, they are a lot easier to paint and I did in a main assembly including the head which needs to be in place before the cowling; power cables and shoulder pauldrons.

Here is the Sergeant, I didn't see that the model has a spare set of skull adorned Boltstorm gauntlets until I'd fitted one, so he just has one 'badge of honour' on his fists. The box allows all three to be built as troops.

And here is the first of the troops, I intend expanding the squad in the future as they are just so effective on the tabletop.

Cheers, Siph (6pts)

Relictors Space Marines - Company Champion

Hello All, thanks for dropping in to have a look. This is a rather special post to me - my official completion to my Relictors 5th Battle Company! This is the special limited edition Army Box set Veteran Sergeant model, converted and re-armed to be the Company Champion.

The Combat Shield comes from the 2nd Edn metal Terminators, the arm from a 3rd party Emperor of Mankind model, the power pack from a Limited Edition Sternguard Sergeant metal model too. I added a plastic arm and voila. The original arm with the raised Storm Bolter is on my Veteran Squad with Storm Shields and Storm Bolters.

I used a 32mm adapter ring to increase the base size. The Power Sword was layered with Kantor Blue, Sotek Green and then edged with Templeguard Blue and Baharroth Blue at the tip.

The purples were Contrast Shylish Purple highlighted Daemonette Hide. The power nubs on the reverse of the shield were coated with Nihilakh Oxide.

The traditional Company Command Squad now complete, Veterans, Ancient Banner Bearer, Apothecary and finally the Champion - I have an extensive Battle Company as sold in the Battle Company Box Set now OOP -

• 2 HQ Characters - Company Captain plus one
• 1 Razorback
• 1 Command Squad - 2 Vets, Apothecary, Banner, Champion
• 6 Tactical Squads and Rhinos
• 2 Devastator Squads and Rhinos
• 2 Assault Squads

However it was never officially complete without a Company Champion, so finally after 11yrs I did it (with a lot of extra Armoury additions and a fledgling 4th Company and Primaris reinforcements...)

Cheers for stopping by, Siph. (10pts)

Adeptus Mechanicus - Technoarcheologist Daedalosus

Hello All, thanks for dropping in. Daedalosus is an Adeptus Mechanicus Technoarcheologist, who is charged with uncovering and analyzing the technological relics of Mankind 's dark past. This has led him to scour the frontiers of Imperial territory, where he has picked through scrap worlds and ancient battle-zones in search of hidden wonders.

I bought this at a fair price online as it is only available in Blackstone Fortress stuff which I neither have the time or inclination to get into, however his stats and cost are too good not to use on the battlefield - +1 to Hit for Units near him and on a visible enemy within 24in of Daedalosus, so park him with your big hitters and you get a juicy bonus for hitting the enemy!

It's a nice sculpt, the aerials were a bit fiddly and didn't survive first contact with the carpet when dropped, but otherwise cool wargear and Eradication Pistol (Ray Gun!)

His other hand is a super-Auspex-Omniscope, the Omniscanner and in his satchel/holster must be the Archeotech Device he can use once per game to either heal friendlies or mortal wound the enemy.

The robes were Mephiston Red, washed Agrax, layered Mephiston Red, highlighted Evil Sunz Red.  The copper is Fulgurite Copper washed Agrax and highlighted with base colour. The leather Mournfang Brown, washed Nuln and highlighted Balor Brown. The one leather glove is Doombull Brown and Wazdakka Red.

A lovely little addition to the AdMech Forces, and a cheap boost unit character. So many little details to bring out and make the AdMech quite pleasant to paint - until I have to do more of my Skitarii Squads!

Cheers, Siph (10 points)