30 Jan 2023

Legio Astorum - Warlord #3 - Ex Noctia WLT No.10 - Painting Armour

The Rites of Colour continue for this mighty veteran God Engine of Beta Garmon now recovered and being re-sanctified. The transfer from Legio Atarus to Legio Astorum has meant a complete overhaul of systems and removal of the sanctified armour plates for rededication and repainting.
Some armour re-painted in place and details like Pistons and Searchlights done.
As a nod to the previous heraldry and history of the Titan, and to avoid upsetting the Machine Spirit, the addition of red markings to the traditional Blues and Golds of Legio Astorum will be preserved, the rear leg pauldrons retain their Atarus reds and silvers, whilst the shoulder armour will preserve some reds and elsewhere reds will be preserved as stripes. 
The main red accents will remain on the void generator arches atop the Titan. One because it makes it easier to identify next to Dominus Victoria (WLT104) on the battlefield viewed from above and rear, but mainly because I did not want to repaint all the hard to get to details! I loathed painting these vents and arches on Dominus Victoria, so I was keen to preserve the reds here - but tied into the blues and stripes elsewhere with the alternate red and blue panels.
As always this will be based like my other Titans using 6mm MDF and forstner recessed screws from the underside into the feet. If you are looking for a complete guide on construction of a Forge World Warlord see below:

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

This needs to be ready for BeachHead 2023 at Bournemouth BIC for the Titan Owners Club UK BeachHead Walk!

Legio Astorum will Walk at the next Titan Owners Club UK event, where they will be battling alongside other Forge World 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, we even now have a Spreadshirt Shop, any profits go to running these events or buying Titan sized terrain for future Walks for all members to enjoy :)


Cheers, Princeps Siph :)

26 Jan 2023

Deathwatch Space Marines - Bladeguard - Done!

Another week gone, not sure where! Up next, 3 Bladeguard Deathwatch Marines, 

They have been converted to have Necron power weapons rather than swords - as they look cool! and have had the addition of 3D printed shoulder pads and helmets. I've added shoulder pauldrons from the Emperors Spears, Dark Kraken and Wolfspears chapters.

I really love how the weapon colour contrasts with the metallic black armour- I've tried to make the blades as 'Necron-like' as possible, whilst retaining the similar highlighted appearance of all the other power weapons.
The helms are 'Sparta' based, I wanted them to stand out more, as really the Bladeguard marines are the veterans of the Primaris breed.
Overall happy with the way these guys finished, and 3 more to the sizable Deathwatch force! Next up are more marines, and a very interesting character.

Cheers, Lord TITANium Halfpenny (6pts)


22 Jan 2023

Age of Sigmar AoS Conversion to 40K Lord Relictor - Chapter Master

Hello All, welcome and thanks for dropping by. A long overdue WIP now completed at last. I suggested I would convert this Age of Sigmar Lord Relictor to something Warhammer 40K Relictors Space Marine Chapter, this was posted HERE in 2015! Well, better late than never...
I present the Chapter Master of the Relictors Chapter Space Marines, the Lord Relictor himself! Now, if any of you have read the Relictor's Chapter fluff background the role of Chapter Master is really a title given to one of the Relictor Captains. The actual Command of the Relictor's was long ago passed to the Librarius and the Chief Librarian. A link to the fluff can be found above on the title bar.
I converted the legs of the Lord Relictor model to have the bottom greaves of a Terminator, and used the haft of a Thunderhammer re-attaching the AoS head. I also added a Crux Terminatus to the shoulderpad, a lot of filing and cutting to make it fit.
Here you can see some of the gubbins on the rear of the Storm Shield, which is made from the terrain Arcane Ruins skull faces.
Here is the Storm Shield, I added a Skitarii sensor to one eye and a Crux Terminatus plus a censer from the Skitarii too.
Finally I added a Terminator 'hood' with sensor pack and a small shield repeating the one on the Storm Shield. With a small mechadendrite from the Skitarii pack poking out from the leather pterges and a grenade pack. I then filed off the icon on the chest ornament and added a decal. I am rather happy how this conversion worked out.

Cheers, Siph (10pts)

20 Jan 2023

Deathwatch Chapter Space Marine Characters - Done

Hello one and all,

Two completed characters for my offerings this week, both for my Deathwatch force.

First up, the Iron Father model - or first born techmarine as he will be in game, (I might change him for a captain in the future... if needed..) 

The model has been painted akin to the other Deathwatch force. I opted for black armour, than the red normally associated with Techmarines. I think this is right for a Deathwatch marine.
The Judiciar next, this has had a couple of changed made - I wanted to change the weapon to that of one of the Necron models in the Indomius set - I opted for one of the bigger swords (Hyperphase Reap Blade - Siph) in the set, which looks perfect for the background of the character. a 3D printed pauldron was added to the right shoulder, and a DW one for the left. 

I also changed the left arm, using a spare bit which changes the look, and captured the feel I wanted. as if waiting to spin the weapon around, and use 2 handed. An old servo skull was added to the left shoulder holding the Indominus icon - whcih links the two models together, and the timer below it - I had to add this in some way to the model, and really like the way it sits on the model. The Servo skull looks like it is just floating over the shoulder, which is the look I wanted. 

The Power sword has had several different washes and layers of purples to pink, to white to get the look I wanted. and am pretty happy with the result! 

Thanks for looking! DH (20pts)

15 Jan 2023

Adeptus Custodes - Sagittarum Custodians #1

Hello All, thanks for dropping by for a look-see. I am slowly building up my Adeptus Custodes force to a playable force, and constructed quite a few troops and infantry, off the to-do pile is the latest of these, a squad of 3 Sagittarum Custodes.
I have opted to give them all Misericordia for any melee they find themselves in, camping in the mid table.
I followed the same tutorial from Duncan Rhodes painting academy on how to paint Custodian Wardens, the same as my Custodian Guardians from earlier, HERE.
Sagittarum Custodians are armed with the Adrastus Bolt Caliver, a dual shot weapon, one like a Heavy Bolter, the other a shorter range Disintegration Beam 15in, S5, AP-3, 3Dmg. So they can put out a lot of hurt on larger infantry squads or similar heavy infantry squads.
Sagittarum Custodians can have squads of 3-5 and the Forge World set comes in 5, so in order to make two squads of 3 for more board control, I managed to get a 3D printed head and a Bolt Caliver to use on a spare Custodian Guardian stock body and arms/shoulders, enabling me to field two small squads. The mini above has the alternative head. One from the next squad of three will have the alternative weapon, thus spreading out the slightly different pieces so they all still look similar.

Cheers, Siph (6pts)

13 Jan 2023

Current WIP Deathwatch

 Hello one and all!

 Happy New Year!

 This weeks update is a WIP of my currnet Deathwatch force. 

Techmarine - this marine is from a model I bought nearly 20 years ago - the original Forge Father Iron Hands model. I have opted to switch this marine into a Deathwatch marine to stand out. Details and highlights needed to finish

Bladeguards - these guys are from the Indominus set, I've converted the marines to have Deathwatch pauldrons. Each one has a 3D printed head to add an extra bit of detail to them. These have had the base coats only at the moment.
Each one has had a Necron blade converted instead of the base power sword. This is to fit in with the Deathwatch look I'm going for.
Judiciar. Again, the sword has been swapped with a massive Necron power weapon - I can't recall the name of the model in the Indominus set - I've also added a pauldron under the weapon - With the background of the model, I feel the blade should be insanely large! I have added the egg timer to a servo skull that will be added to the completed model.

Cheers! LH

8 Jan 2023

Legio Astorum - Warlord Titan #3 - Mars Alpha Head

Hello Readers and Titan Enginseers, hope you are having a productive new year. I have progressed more with my third Warlord, Warlord Titan certified No.10, the re-paint from Legio Atarus to Legio Astorum continued with the distinctive yellow of Astorum. Warlord 2 is still in the pre-construction phase with the exception of the head! This re-paint will be quicker and easier to complete before Warlord two! (the fuss over Warlord 10 is completely mine - I happen to have Reaver 10 and Mars Warhound 10... so I HAD to have Warlord 10 haha)
This is a Mars Alpha pattern Warlord Head from Forge World, the repaint was inside and out, but the base metal underside and the neat power cables was already in place from its time as Atarus so I managed to mask off and keep. 

The previous owner had a plain silver inside and the crew in red (Atarus) fatigues. I repainted the deckhead (ceiling) and started to add details like brass pipes, dials and view screens. The Princeps got a more Astorum fitting blue overcoat.
The deckhead was painted my familiar cockpit interior Tamiya XF-21 eggshell green/blue. I added a Warlord Titan to the viewscreen, the Lucius head has a Warhound and the Mars Beta head has a Reaver!
Here you can make out the viewscreens and buttons and keypads etc. I also added leather cushioning to the Moderati and Princeps control thrones.

The pins were removed from the original build and strong magnets were added to the Titan Torso and the head neck. I placed it ever so slightly off centre to give some movement to the titan pose when constructed.
So, this is the third head for Warlord's, one of each design (Mars Beta Warhammer World exclusive Head - Mars Alpha standard - Lucius Alpha head now OOP) I am very pleased with the consistency of the yellow hue, Army Painter White base, Army Painter Demonic Yellow layer, then a Averland Sunset edge with three layers of Forge World Clear Yellow airbrush paint. This acts like a yellow ink and warms the yellow base layer.

A useful link to the Warlord Titan Construction process can be found HERE.

Thanks for dropping by, Cheers, Siph.

6 Jan 2023

2023 - Target Aquired! Hobby Goals

Hello All! I trust you had a great Christmas. Happy New Year!

2022 I got back my hobby Mojo, after a year and a half away, mainly due to a house move, and not really getting the urge back.. however I am ready to go, and after a successful 2022, completing my hobby bingo card, I am ready to go again. 

This year I am planning to complete several large projects..

  • Deathwatch force
  • 2 Warhound Titans
  • 1 Reaver Titan
  • 1 Warlord Titan
  • My Adeptus Titanicus Titan Maniple
  • Terrain 
  • Imperator Titan carapace 
  • Basing my Imperial Guard force 

Not much for 12 months... we will see!

1 Jan 2023

Terrain and Scenery - Scatter Terrain

Happy New Year and welcome readers, thanks for dropping by. I start the new year with a mini project, this is a scheduled post as I am still away. I had a paintbrush rack as a gift constructed from laser cut wood, so with the scraps I made the Billboard! That spurred me on to finally get around to doing some random battlefield accessory sprue I had lurking in a box.
Nothing new, GW battlefiled accessory sprue tank barricade, sprayed Leadbelcher, washed Agrax and highlighted Iron Hands, washed Mournfang Brown 'rust effect' glaze.
Same again, another tank barricade, same colours.
On the sprue came 3 barrels. These are always good to have to enhance the look of the battlefield area.
And finally a billboard made from scraps of push-fit kit, in this case a paint brush stand. I textured the footplate as a concrete plinth, and the suitable posters were downloaded from t'internet. A fine selection can be found HERE.

Cheers, Siph (5pts)