Probably the most drawn out and time consuming build of mine, a Legio Titanicus maniple.
To put this in context I started building the Reaver 16 years ago and it has been pulled apart and rebuilt twice before, the Scout titans are more recent but have still been rebuilt once. This is why parts of them are painted and other bits aren't.
A decade ago I was fairly happy with them but as you get on in life, learn new skills and techniques you start to look at older work less favorably. I hope that this time, once they're painted it will be the final time I rebuild them.
For those of you that don't know what a Titan is they are the God machines of the Warhammer 40k universe. Several meters tall and equipped with weaponry that could level a city. Crewed by specialists of the machine cult, men who dedicate their lives to the warmachines they serve.
Anyway let me start with something boring, the bases. Those of you who remember the old Epic Armageddon game, Titans had damage counters in the base, something you could spin to keep track of how much punishment they could take. These Titans were only about 6cm tall...
This was exactly what I wanted on my 28mm scale versions, models that stand 55cm at the highest point.
I cut bases from MDF using dinner plates as a template, (a platter in the case of the Reaver) and cut out a much smaller hole in the front. Cut the same circle out of high density card 6 times, 3 of them had a section removed as they would be placed on top. In between I placed a plasticard cog with a bolt running through the middle.
Once the model is finished I can paint numbers to each of the cog teeth and easily track void shields or the like.
Tiberius Rex, a Lucius pattern Warhound
The basics of this Titan was actually built by my brother-in-law, but it was given to me to finish it off.
Made from thin plasticard this Titan has taken the least amount of my time. The rivets are added by layering up 3 coats of thick pinstriping paint, applied via the end of a cocktail stick. I never want to revisit that process!
Hellion Opus, a Mars pattern Warhound
This Titan was originally built as a dare, the bet was I couldn't make a Titan from the stores [Games Workshop] bitz box in a week. I won the bet but the model wasn't great, far from it.
This Titan has recently had its carapace changed so that it's more in keeping with the Mars pattern. Lots of placticard, filler and painted rivets.
I have some previous pictures from the carapace construction below:
The trim on all of my Titans has been cut from ice cream tubs, the plastic from the lids are a great thickness and easy to cut.
I also had some custom name plates made for the titans from Versatile Terrain, very happy with the customer service from these guys. To order your own visit: https://www.versatileterrain.co.uk/
Vulcan Primis - The Reaver Titan
While Warhound titans are smaller and more agile, Reavers are larger, slower but pack more of a punch. Still there are at least two classes of Titans bigger than the Reaver. To see why I've decided to build my own (£££) check out the official model here: https://www.forgeworld.co.uk/en-GB/Titan-Builder#/reaver-titan
One of the reasons these builds take so long is due to running out of cool bits to stick to them. I might find a plastic lid, a nozzle from something which turns into a bit of a light bulb moment. However once whatever little idea I had is completed i'm scratching my head until I find the next piece of inspiration.
I have taken to making my own Titan sized purity seals however. By cutting strips of ice cream tub plastic, gluing two strips together with super glue and boiling them in a saucepan so they flex. Then after making a negative stamp with some instamold press in some green stuff. Simple!
Anyway i'll be defiantly revisiting this blog, these Titans are far from finished.
25th of February 2019
Just a small update, all three Titans now have void shields. I found this little file online and managed to get 8 of them 3D printed, a first for me and they're great!
I've got two on each of the scout Titans and four on the back of the Reaver.
I'm going to focus on the bases next, promised myself i'll start painting these this summer!
10th of March 2019
Got around to putting together the banner for the Reaver titan, to hang between it's legs. A loin cloth banner if you will.
The banner itself is more ice cream tub plastic. With the pole being made from sprue and cities of death parts. I would have finished this weeks ago if it wasn't for dropping one of these winged skulls down the back of a large cabinet... Found another in the shed thankfully.
The banner was held over a flame for a few seconds, so it's not completely flat. The purity seals on the back are made the same way as recorded above.
31st of March 2019
Small update today, I've added some Plaster of Paris to the base. Firstly bases that big don't look right if they're perfectly flat, secondly the scout titans needed something to blend their old bases to the new ones. I also dumped a load of spare parts into the plaster, once the sand as been glued on it won't look like this stuff has recently been dropped.
11th of May 2019
A few extra things have been finished off, like the sand on the base and some minor details.
I've also finally undercoated the titans, so much more enthused about them now they're the same colour. I started off with a black spray base coat (automotive primers come in bigger cans), followed by a gunmetal spray layer and finally a light silver. The first two coats were done with the titans disassembled, the last coat however was sprayed with the titans in one piece and from a slightly elevated distance. Adds a bit of shading before I break the rest of the paints out.
The lawn also needs to be cut...
22nd of October 2019
So i must have finished painting these models about a month ago, but finally remembered to update the blog. Ideally I would have liked to give them a better paint job, an air brush would have helped. However these models had been left unpainted for almost a decade so it was about time I got some paint on them.
To mixed up the shade of purple for Legio Xestobiax, I combined Citadel paints Caledor Sky with Vallejo's Royal Purple. It was about a 55-45 mix in favor of the blue.
So here goes;
The first of the scout titans,
The second scout titan;
The Reaver Titan;
I paid homage to Prospero on the carapace, as the legion once served with the falsely accused Thousand Sons.
The handing banner would have icons painted to it each time the Reaver takes down a super heavy opponent, an engine kill to use titan terms. That is of course if I ever field these models...
The cog wheel can be turned to keep track of void shields...
