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Twas the weekend before Christmas

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This is my favourite weekend of the year. Simply because I know I only have a few days left at work before I can truly unwind and enjoy the holiday spirit. Although it's a bit frenetic, you know, last minute stuff to organise and all that, I managed to sneak a good slab of painting in today. Not only are the first loyalist formations of Solar Auxilia game ready, but also the armour colours are now on the first of the Metalica Reavers. This is evidenced by the quite noticeable spiking of the workshops air scrubbers from all the Tamiya I've blasted through the airbrush today. This is why I use a decent respirator!  Can literally see what time the colours went on. So that would be pre-shade for lunch, then the reds early afternoon, before stripes before tea. Totally worth it.  I've added the decals I want, these I always add as early as possible so I can blend them into the underlying scheme. I don't worry about damaging them during all the handling while I paint, they hav...
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Replicating Reavers

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I have a small confession to make. Although the Warmaster I showed last update was a passion project rather than part of a specific event army, it does belong to a project in a sense. Let me elaborate. This picture from Titanicus and Space Marine era White Dwarf features some of those iconic Metallica engines I mentioned in the last post, as well as a Knight banner of House Krast and the studio's Blood Angels. So, I'm thinking wouldn't it be cool to re-imagine this force using the amazing plastic kits now available in Legions Imperialis?  Feels like a project I could really get behind. Some of the detachments I've already painted now I think about it, much of the Blood Angels for example. There are a few units I would still need to add, such as the Proteus pattern Speeders and whatever the heck is behind them (still trying to figure out what infantry unit that is from the photo). There is no Imperator unfortunately, but I think the Heavy Warmaster 'Interfector Trium...
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Priscus Interfector Trium

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I present the Warmaster heavy Titan 'Priscus Interfector Trium' of legio Metallica (cognomen Silver Skulls). I felt this engine needed a venerable name, not just because it's a Warmaster class, and frankly that should be reason enough! But also because it was painted to honour a legend of the game; "old three skulls". Wait, you've never heard of it? I don't blame you. Until quite recently, when I was thinking how best to paint the Warmaster, I had entirely forgotten the studio Warlord that inspired the palette actually had a name. You see, back when I was really into Epic during second edition Space Marine, there was an iconic battle report between Jervis Johnson and Andy Chambers. Legends of the game. The battle was a fight between Craftworld Eldar (Alaitoc) and the Imperium (Blood Angels). Featured in White Dwarf, it was re-printed in 1993 as part of the compilation book 'Space Marine Battles'. It was one of my favourite articles. The studio armi...
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Metallica redux

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I really want to get this engine over the line in the next couple of painting sessions if I can. There's something really motivating when the armour gets attached and it starts looking like the legio war engine its supposed to represent, as opposed to a metal skeleton.  If you hadn't guessed already from the 'in progress' photos, my first Warmaster Heavy Titan will be for Legio Metallica, cognomen the 'Silver Skulls'.  Most of the armour is now glued in place and had the first pass of painted battle damage. The next stage is to go back over all of the metallic trim to build up the proper tones and highlights. Once that is done, I break out the airbrush for the weapon muzzles and the reactor vents.  The carapace mortars (not shown) also need painting. I added 3mm x 1mm magnets to these the other evening so I could swap out the different weapon options and they snap in place with a really satisfying click! Without a doubt, the biggest challenge was to try to recre...
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War engine twenty

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 It's been a while since I painted a war engine, the last being a (yet to be named) Fureans Reaver, which I really need to pull my finger out and get weathered and added to the blog. Bad princeps! As this is going to be my twentieth Titan for Titanicus/Legions Imperialis, I want this to be a particularly special one.  I've selected number twenty to be a Warmaster Heavy Battle Titan for Legio Metallica. It's the biggest engine I can include, at time of writing, and a kit I haven't painted before believe it or not. Just not gotten around to doing a Warmaster yet. So, with that in mind, last weekend I retrieved one I built a few weeks back, primed it up and started work on the metal skeleton. I will not be rushing through this one. I mean, it's not like I do anyway as they always involve a significant time investment to paint purely down to size, amount of detail and all that trim! But this one I think I'm going to take my time on and just enjoy the process. There...
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Solar powered

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A weekend painting tiny tanks and tiny walkers makes for a happy me. And those are exactly my plans. Goal is to get the mandatory units for the Solar armoured formation complete, along with a couple of upgrade detachments. Namely some heavy sentinels and a pair of Valdor tank hunters.  Both of the latter are already on the workbench early doors while I wait for the varnish on the Russ' to dry. I know it's an appropriately blurry 'potato cam' image, but all I wanted to show is the base stage is nothing more than a pre-shade of greys and some blocked in contrast paints for the markings. Oh, and the tracks and exhausts picked out in Model Air armour brown (Thinned Games Workshop Rhinox Hide would be an equally great substitute). Next stage for these is to add some of the metal details, banding, pistons, frames and weapons. For that I have Scale series Victorian Brass and Metal series Exhaust Manifold in mind. Two of my favourite paints for legions. After a couple more stag...
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Dark Mechanicum break cover

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 Exciting surprise reveal from Warhammer Community, not only some of the Dark Mechanicum rules and campaign, but two more Mechanicum tanks. The Krios and Karacnos spotted hiding in plain sight. That was sneaky of them. The Karacnos Assault tank looks an absolute beast! If one looks carefully past the Karacnos, there's another sneaky Krios behind it! Can't tell if it's a different variation, but wouldn't be surprised. The photo gives a good impression how large the Mechanicum tanks are, especially that Karacnos, which looks similar in bulk to that of a legion Spartan. I think my assessment of the base of the Serperos heavy walkers being 60mm making it approximately Knight Porphyrion in scale turned out fairly accurate. Happy days. You can read all the details on Warhammer Community .  The Mechanicum and Dark Mechanicum reveals so far have really got me excited, can't wait to get these on the workbench and into some games. I might be tempted to even paint one of the N...
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