On the Workbench [September] - Warlord-Sinister Psi-Titan and Cerastus Knights

 

This month on the work bench I have a parcel of Cerastus knights completed.  I had a box of Knight-Lancers on the shelves to support Legio Ignatum.  Then the new four knight box was released with the missing two patterns, Knight-Acheron and Knight-Castigator.  So I found some time to get them all built and ready for priming the next time I fire up the compressor.  These knights are fun to build and it is truly amazing to me how they digitally shrink down the 28mm models to AT scale, maintaining ALL the detail.

The two Knight-Lancers and one each of the Knight Acheron and Knight-Castigator will go to support Legio Ignatum, while the remaining Acheron and Castigator go to support Legio Tempestus (I guess I should say Tempestor!).  With Tempestus being put more in the traitor camp in AT these days, I'll pick a new knight household that fought along side them in the campaigns with Horus.  I'll continue to paint the loyal knights as House Taranis to support Legio Ignatum.  I figure that will allow me to play them with loyal Tempestus when needed but still have a traitor house to play along side traitor Tempestor titans. 

This plan also allows me to bring in a new paint scheme to flex the hobby muscles on as well.

But you didn't come here to see knights.  The other accomplishment on the work bench this month is a new Warlord-Sinister Psi-Titan!

He looks a bit sad with his head rolling about on the workbench, but it's a cool model despite only having a few tweaks to the basic Warlord chassis. He's shown here with the default weapons, but everything is magnetized.  The new Sistramanus Tenebrae comes with the standard shoulder that the other Forge World weapons come with, including the same magnet socket.  This arm doesn't need to be magnetized since a Warlord-Sinister Psi-Titan is only allowed the Sistramanus Tenebrae for a left arm weapon (in fact it's known as the Left Hand of Darkness), but anything can change, so I advocate magnetizing everything when it comes to weapons.

The new Sistramanus Tenebrae

With the weapons magnetized, I can easily use the Psi-Titan to stand in as a normal Warlord when needed for a game, even if the paint scheme is unusual. :) It's always good to have options. And at the moment I have collected and built quite a collection.

All of the non-primed, non-painted weaponry was built last month or as part of this Warlord-Sinister build.  I've earmarked a few options for the Sinister's right arm and carapace, but the rest is claimed by either Legio Tempestus/or or Legio Ignatum.

Ciricrux Anima

Here's a closeup of the carapace add on for Psi-Titans.  This device focuses and channels the Titan's psychic might. And I love the new head with no "eyes".  This really carries the notion of the titan's crew using the warp to sense its enemies rather than relying on traditional sensors and ocular devices.

The base is a work in process.  Nothing is glued down at this point.  I started to arrange bits of cork only to be sure the titan would ultimately stand on it correctly. One thing about the warlord kit is the pose-ability of the legs.  I worked through whether this titan would be stomping on anything, climbing or descending terrain, etc. by using various bits of cork to prop up one leg or the other.  In the end, I settled on a simple striding pose, similar to the Legio Ignatum Warlord I completed for #MonsterMarch4 last year.

I'm working towards the sheer weight of the titan fracturing the Martian crust in some unstable area of the planet as it strides forward to punish the Emperor's enemies. Regardless, the legs are the most dynamic part of the model so its beneficial to look at how to bring some motion to the otherwise static looking war engine.

So, with that little build out of the way it is time to get back to painting.  I expect to leave this model for #MonsterMarch5, in 2021, sadly.  I am already committed to building and painting the HH DA Leviathan Dreadnought for DreadTober and I have the entire Indomitus marine set to paint up as Dark Angels by the end of 2020 (a side challenge with a buddy whom I gave the Necron half to).  So at this point I have just a couple weeks of September to do anything with, and I might be best served cracking on with the Dark Angels Primaris marines. If I finish early, I'll be in a better position than if I'm late in December with the holidays trying to get things wrapped up.

But no worries.  This mighty Psi-Titan will get painted this season, along with the Reaver and two Warhounds I have built for Legio Ignatum. In fact, I'd like to hit the Reaver in January so we'll see. Everything turns on how quickly I can paint up the 23 Indomitus marines.  Doesn't sound like much, but with a good half of them characters or character class models, I want to put the time in to do a good job.  This won't be a speed painting competition.  This will be the start to my new Dark Angels force and I want it to look good! I've chosen to put aside further progress on the classic marines to go all in on the Primaris models.  This comes as a complete turnaround to my prior stance, but the fluff moves on and so will I.

 

In closing, the titans and knights are stowed and the work bench is clean for now until I set to building the First Legion Leviathan in DreadTober. Next up, we'll be back to painting.  Most liekly it'll be Dark Angels Primaris marines.  I have a lonely squad of Hellblasters waiting for some brothers to battle with...

Stay safe out there.

Cheers and Happy Gaming!