Omnissiah's Skunkworks

My final post for this year, but don't worry. Plenty more to come in 2025. I've a backlog you wouldn't believe. Oh, wait. You probably would. The Reaver is done. No kill banners yet; I'm going to add them at the same time for all three Titans, so they are consistent. It also makes sense because I can paint them all same time on a single sheet of paper. This is the first of the three re-imagined Metalica engines, inspired by a battle report in White Dwarf issue 179 as promised. Unusually for me, I've not had to name this one, as it already had a name given in the article; "Carnivore". The middle of the three engines at the back, I've tried to retain as much of the original's colour and markings as possible. The slightly different profile, especially in the leg armour made this tricky, so I took a couple of artistic liberties where the knees were concerned. Was really pleased with the updated 'Opus Titanica' on the left knee plate with the cl...

 I present the Legio Fureans (cognomen: Tiger Eyes) Reaver Titan "Chimaera Invicta". Literal translation "Unconquered Chimera".  This is the first, of what I hope will a small maniple of Tigers Eyes engines. At least, that's the plan anyway. The Tigers Eyes scheme is proper old school original Titanicus, with a storied history going all the way back to the late 80's and the games first edition. Re-imagining some of these classic photos, I think, is going to be a bit of an ongoing hobby themes going into 2025. I still find it incredible I am painting the spiritual successors to miniatures I started collecting thirty-seven years ago.    The palette for Legio Fureans has evolved a bit since the photo above, but the core yellow and black elements still remain. The modern Specialist Games artwork has reduced the intensity of the yellow to something a little less eye-searing, and the repeating flames motif is now more prominent on the armour. I do love the origina...

 Ho, ho, hobby time at last. So the first of the Metalica Reavers is now assembled and looking great already. I have all the armour panels on and am just tinkering with the final pose. The head needs some detailing work, but other than that it's really at the finishing detailing stage and weathering. If there are no major distractions this weekend, I hope to get the trim refined, scratches and oil/pigment weathering done. Plan to add a couple of banners to this one. No carapace flags this time as the original source doesn't have one. Instead a suitably retro groin banner and maybe a couple of simple kill banners for the weapons. Definitely the former though. Stalkers Cracked open one of the Dark Mechanicum constructs boxes today, just to have a break from the brushwork. Really impressed how easily the constructs go together. Require a delicate touch as the models are quite spindly, but they really look great on the bases. The words 'skittering' and 'menacing' co...

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...

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...

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...

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...