WIP: Adeptus Titanicus Legio Tempestus Warhound Titans - Part 4

OMG the Camouflage work is done.  Before I could get there, I needed to complete and entire second round of masking over the previous layer.  This establishes the second layer of colored shapes that appear to be painted over the Legio Tempestus dark blue background. Let's take a look at a one of the Titans with the second layer of masking applied.

Facta Belli's Carapace with the second layer of masking applied

With the second layer of tape, I'm trying to establish the same pattern as the first layer, with a similar density of shapes.  I offset the shapes on to areas of the surface that have not yet been masked, allowing for some overlap over the previous layer of tape.  If we don't cover up enough unmasked areas, the second color layer will not show up well in the camouflage pattern.  This is an area I continue to refine as I progress through the titans.

Facta Belli's legs with the second layer of masking

The Reavers were painted with shapes that were too large and not dense enough, in my opinion.  I got pretty close to where I wanted to be with the Warlord and now I'm trying to do the same or better on these Warhounds.

First try at Legio Tempestus camouflage pattern

Oh, and on the small shin panels, I decided to paint them in the Legio Tempestus dark blue (final layer of camouflage color) and leave them without camouflage. They are a bit small for the pattern to really register in any event.

Leg armor with additional masking to protect the white panels

With the second layer of masking on all four titans, it was time to put down the final camouflage color, Vallejo Air Deep Sky (71.090).  As seen above, I added a little extra masking to protect the white.  I learned this the hard way when laying down the prior color.  It wasn't awful, but I was getting some small bit of over spray past the masking putty.

Facta Belli with the final camouflage coat applied.

So here we are with four camouflaged Warhound titans.

Next, I removed all the masking and got the titans ready for brushwork and decals. Here are shots of where the Titans stood after the masking putty was removed. 

Turbo Canis unmasked

Facta Belli unmasked

Dente Ferrum unmasked

Lux Curet unmasked

Unmasked, I touched up the metal skeletons of the titans (Scale 75 Black Metal) and dry brushed them with Vallejo Oily Steel (70.865). This work can be seen in the title image when compared to the individual pictures of unmasked titans above.

Next up will come shading of the skeleton and the final unmasking of the camouflaged armor panels so the trim work can begin. Checkered decals will get applied to some of the white armor panels as the heraldry takes shape. Lots yet to do, but the pace should greatly accelerate now that the painfully slow work of masking the camouflage pattern is behind me.

Cheers and Happy Gaming!

WIP: 30K Sisters of Silence Vigilators

I was thinking a bit about the future of my Horus Heresy Dark Angels.  While thousands of points worth of Dark Angel's would be something to see (and own!), I enjoy more variety from my hobby and my gaming experience.  So I though about the Custodes I already have built and painted which could be used as part of a Talons of the Emperor allied detachment.   And that brought me to considering the sprue of Vigilators from the Burning of Prospero boxed set that I had put aside.

I can field a Sister of Silence HQ, Vigilators and some Custodes in an Allied detachment and I already have most of the models.  This detatchment could be a fun side project and painting challenge.  I went to eBay for a single SoS model to make six all together so I can pick one out to be an Oblivian-Knight, a good cheap HQ for the detachment. This composition will fit in well with the custom Burning or Prospero campaign I'm considering with a gaming buddy who has 30K Thousand Sons.

I built the models stock and created custom cork bases to match the Custodes bases I have already assembled and painted up. Then I mounted the five sisters I have for painting.  I'll get the sixth eventually through the mail. At present, I think I'll use the pointing sister as the Oblivian-Knight.  The eBay purchase is a blind buy, so there's no telling who I'll get.

The bases were primed with Vallejo Surface Primer Black and then coated with a thin coat of Vallejo Black Lava to mask the cork texture. The Sisters were all mounted on bourbon corks for painting (my preferred "painting handles", currently). As side projects go, this one was quick and painless.  The Sisters may languish a bit in the cabinet waiting for paint, sadly.  I must get through my Legio Tempestus Warhounds and probably add some core Dark Angles to my First legion force before I can justify putting time into this new unit.

Expect to see these ladies pop up again on the blog before the summer ends here in the NE, regardless!

Cheers and Happy Gaming!

On the Workbench [May] - Heresy Era Dark Angels Master of Signals

Greetings!  A short filler article this week to cover while I continue to tape tiny polygons to my four Adeptus Titanicus Warhound Battle Titans. They are VERY close to getting their final coat of camouflage paint then I'll be off to the races finishing them. Otherwise please forgive my second workbench post for May.

Back to the First Legion.  I was reading up on various 30K strategies and familiarizing myself with the rules in general when I realized I needed a Master of Signals to direct the fire of key squads during battles. He won't make the 1K list I've already completed, but I expect to add him to 1.5K and larger lists.  He will likely lead my Heavy Support squad with Missile Launchers, but could also join the Tactical Support squad with plasma guns. I'm also considering a second Heavy Support squad with Heavy Bolters for cheap infantry suppression to take advantage of the First Legion's molecular acid shells. I fancy those boys replacing the Missile launchers as I bring in armor to take over the heavy hitting in larger point rosters.

He is simply based on the stock Forge World Master of Signals.  I used a Mark IV Dark Angels shoulder pad on the left arm, and a plastic riveted Mark IV pad for the right. I got the model some time ago and do not have his original shoulder pads - and if I did, they got put on someone else. The main challenge was matching the bulk of the resin Dark Angels pad as I don't have any resin right arm pads since the force is primarily plastic and the few resin models kept their own pads there.

A plain plastic Mark IV pad was a bit too diminutive.  Then I noticed on the Forge World site that this model comes with a riveted shoulder pad anyway, and when I looked to the plastic riveted Mark IV pad it was a bit larger than its non-riveted cousin. And so here we are.

Some wood glue and basing material later and I have a new Master of Signals to lead the First Legion fire support where needed.  He'll be fun to paint up and add to the command echelon of my growing pre-heresy Dark Angels.

My next post will hopefully return to Legio Tempestus with some real progress on the Warhounds. I'll close with a couple teasers of the ongoing effort to mask the camouflaged armor panels...a have begun to question my sanity, but never my resolve.

Dente Ferrum's carapace and weapons taped

Dente Ferrum's legs taped

Lux Curet's carapace and weapons taped

Lux Curet's legs taped

Turbo Canis's carapace and weapons taped

Turbo Canis's legs taped

Cheers and Happy Gaming!

WIP: Adeptus Titanicus Legio Tempestus Warhound Titans - Part 3

The Warhounds march onward!  I was able to finish up the initial taping for camouflage layer two. To get there, Dente Ferrum was taped up next, following Facta Belli and Lux Curet.  So much little tape pieces...

A look for the back...more tape, different angle.

And let's dip down to take in all the leg tape as well...

And last, but not least, Turbo Canis was taped up to make it four.

I realize posting up these pics that I never got back to drilling out weapon barrels.  That won't do.  Expect to see this changed in the next post. It's taken the hobby time of almost two weeks to get this first pass of tape done.  Yikes...I hope I can move faster on layer two. I won't give up, but I'd do almost ANY other hobby project at this point.  Got stick with it though!

Once all the tape was on, the second camouflage color (Vallejo Air USAF Light Blue - 71.111) was sprayed lightly over all the taped panels with an air brush. This left me with a clean slate to start taping once again for the final camouflage color. Here are the leg armor sections with the second camouflage color applied.

And now with more tape!   Ready for the third and final color. I get these after the way to provide an allusion of progress. Anything to to have something done builds confidence to go on and complete the rest.

Here is Facta Belli with the second layer of color applied. I'm trying to use care and not lay each layer on too think.  In this picture you can still see the color of the tape through the paint, so I'm not doing too badly at it. With the Reavers, I had a bumpy texture to the camouflaged panels after all the tape came off, making them look a little crude.  The Warlord came out WAY better, and I hope these Warhounds will as well.

Here are Facta Belli's legs all taped up for the final pass of camouflage colors.  I magnetized the waist of Facta Belli and Turbo Canis before I decided that wasn't really needed.  It does make this painting easier, no doubt.  I'm leaving them along for now, though I may glue things down permanently at some point after everything is painted up. I keep getting their legs mixed up and they come apart unexpected when handling some times when I forget, especially since the other two Warhounds are glued together without magnets.

I'll close this post with the progress on Turbo Canis. Another view of my attempts to keep the paint light while still achieving good coverage and color intensity.

Turbo Canis will have black/white thigh armor, so only the groin plate needs camouflage work. Part way through, I realized there are these little shin plates above the main leg armor that I hadn't thought of.  For now they got a coat of the second camouflage color.  Not sure what I'll do in the end, but they won't be camouflaged unless it stands out negatively for some reason.

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So that's where I'm at.  All four titans have their second camouflage color applied and two have partial taping for the third layer. I'd like to be laying down the third and final camouflage color by the end of next week, so we'll see.  Things should progress MUCH more quickly after that.  I love the moment when I take off all the masking (tape and putty) to reveal where each of the titans really are.

Come back next week to follow along. I hope your own projects are moving forward well.

Cheers and Happy Gaming!

WIP: Adeptus Titanicus Warlord Battle Titan Weapons

Ascraeus Magnificat modelling the new weapon options

Taking a break from my on-going effort to paint Legio Tempestus camouflage on four Warhound titans, I assembled and magnetized the new resin Warlord weapon options from Forge World.  I was fortunate enough to pre-order these before they became extinct online, quite by chance.  In any game, I like options.  And when there are options, I like to have access to all of them.  So even though I have never played a game of Adeptus Titanicus, I needed the new weapons offered by Forge World.

The Quake Cannon is a main weapon I am likely to use in games of Adeptus Titanicus.  I see it paired with the plasma weapon on one of my Warlords, possibly the yet to be built Gladius Noctis. For now, Ascraeus Magnificat proudly displays the new weapon following its initial manufacture.  The resin arms are modeled almost exactly as the plastic parts.  The magnet socket was a bit bigger however, and I opted for a large magnet as a result, though this required a bit of scraping to enlarge the socket even more.  The resin is a bit heavier than the plastic so I wanted a strong connection.  For now, the gun shield is attached with small globs of poster-tac.

The Macro Gatling Blaster is a weapon I'm likely to avoid in favor of other options.  However, that isn't going to stop me from owning and painting it as an option all the same! The rules for GW games go round and round through the years and today's disappointment can often be tomorrows favored weapon. This model came with barrels a bit warped.  I'll apply some heat and straighten them at some point before priming.

I'll close with a close up of both weapons, including where the magnets sit.  These are great additions to your Warlord Battle Titans and fit seamlessly with the plastic kits as we've come to expect from Forge World upgrades.  It was hard to to break open the casket where Gladius Noctis sleeps waiting for assembly.  Soon..so soon...

For now, I must get back to taping the second round of camouflage patterns on the four Warhounds.

Cheers and Happy Gaming!

On the Workbench [May] - Heresy Era Dark Angels Praetor and Command Squad

Greetings!  While I will no doubt look at running a more effective Praetor (in terminator armor, or on a jetbike, etc.), I had the models for a standard Praetor and command squad in the bits box, so I decided to put them together as a showy command element for the force.  Who doesn't love a legion banner, after all??  The Praetor was build stock and mounted on a piece of cork. I used the same custom mix of model railroad ballast on his base that I am using on all the rest to tie him in with the force.  I wanted the bit of extra height for the model to help him stand out as a command element in the end.

While he doesn't have any specific First Legion bling, I'll manage the look through paint and decals.  He's a great looking model, and will do nicely with his great sword and archeotech pistol. All good weapons for a leader in the First Legion.

Some customization then went into the command squad.  I imagined the two body guards to be Terran veterans from the Wars of Unification.  The banner bearer is a recent Calabanite recruit given the honor in recognition of some great deeds done in service to The Lion on Caliban.

This warrior has a simple load out with bolt pistol and power fist.  These guys are expected to charge and be charged.  No fancy long range weaponry needed. A large command crest helps call this warrior out as an honored veteran in the command echelon. He is responsible for punching anything big and armored that might come looking for his Lord.

The Dark Angel's shoulder pad seals the deal. This is definitely a Dark Angels model! The next warrior is a duelist who gave his leg in service during some past conflict and is now supported by a legion artificer bionic limb. He also sports the crest of an honored command veteran. I am going for individuality between these two body guards, more than anything else, to call them out as unique honored warriors within the Legion's command structure.

I thought the use of mk.III armor for this scrappy duelist fitting. He's seen a lot and he's willing and able to give more.

The banner bearer sports a Dark Angels mkIV helmet upgrade which I'm using to identify recruits from Caliban in my force.  The rest of the model is primarily stock, with a DA shoulder pad and the chainsword arm from an upgrade pack.

He want's for a power sword, but chainswords are iconic within the Horus Heresy era and I need a few among the force for color, if nothing else. This is primarily a showpiece model anyway.  Not sure he'll be fielded in any games.

Yikes...a blank canvas on this banner...decals?  Free hand?  a mix?  ugh...this will challenge me.  The legion banner should be a show piece for the army and I need to do something very cool here.

So there you have it.  An upper-echelon command element for the First Legion.  I guess I'll need to identify at least a company level designation for this force now, if not a chapter (or whatever they called their larger organizations within the legion.  I don't have that at top of mind, but I believe they had chapter masters, so chapters feels right to me).

I'm looking forward to priming these models and getting paint on them.

Cheers and Happy Gaming!

WIP: Adeptus Titanicus Legio Tempestus Warhound Titans - Part 2

Not a lot to show for progress on the baby Warhound titans this week.  Lots of little pieces of tape to cut and place all over the armor.  I'm maybe half way to done for the first layer of masking here? A little more than half way?

Shin armor is done.  One Warhound will have black and white shins, so only three sets to add camouflage to. It is not hard work at all, just time consuming to cut all the little shapes and get them on the model in an interesting pattern without scratching the finish too much (battle damage!). Scratching is due to using fine pointed tweezers and the hobby knife to work the pieces in place.

Above we have Facta Belli's legs and below a shot of her carapace and head.  Still have to finish the weapons and exhaust covers at the rear of the carapace.

Here is Lux Curet, who is the only Warhound complete in terms of camouflage masking tape.

From the top, you get a better idea of how the weapons look. So many little pieces of tape...

Not very exciting for a week of hobby, but represents more time than you might imagine. I'll complete it at some point next week, then lay down the second coat of camouflage color.  Then I start all over again with the second and final layer of tape followed by the last camouflage color.  Whew!  Then I can get to painting the trim and the rest of the detail work. This project is going to stretch out a bit more than other recent ones have.

These Warhounds should look fantastic among the Warlord and Reavers I already have painted.  Once they are completed, I can build the final Warlord and the extra Forge World Warlord weapons I managed to pick up before they sold out!  Check back next week for more on these Warhounds, in the meantime.

Cheers and Happy Gaming!