+ inload: Painting the 'Footsore' 242nd +

+ Batch painting. I find it dull, monotonous and frustrating; so what better legion to apply it to than the Warmaster's pre-eminent siege practitioners, the Iron Warriors? +

+ This shot shows the current painting pile getting ready for our visit to Warhammer World in May. As you can see, there's quite a bit to do! Fortunately, the way I paint Iron Warriors [+inloadlink embedded+] works well with a production line, as it relies on big pools of paint on the palette. +

+ In addition to these chaps, I've been building other stuff. I was the happy recipient of a Domitar automaton from my pals in the PCRC for my birthday. I think Forge World have started using computer-assisted design and 3D modelling for some of their stuff, and – assuming it's been used here – it works very nicely for robots and similar mechanical things, presumably being part of the reason for very tight tolerances in the fiddly pistons etc. +

The bits

+ The sprue layout for this kit is good, hiding vents and supports where they're least likely to be seen (apart from the forearms, where they pretty much stick straight up, so be careful to cut and clean carefully here), and it all goes together well. The design includes some fairly fiddly bits like thumbs and pistons, but they're integrated well with recessed contact points, so I think it'll be a relatively resilient model, good for gaming. +

The partly-built robot.

+  With the exception of the arms, which I really ought to have pinned, this was a nice quick build. I still have to choose between a closed carapace or the missiles peeking out from behind his head, as well as to add the cables running from the generator to his gravity hammer weapons. I've left the mask unglued for the moment, as I'm tempted to try sculpting on an Iron Warrior-style skull, a bit like the upcoming Iron Circle. +

+ The Domitar is an update/homage to the Rogue Trader-era Conqueror robot (see below). Many moons ago I used to have one of the originals; painted with as much enthusiasm as you might expect a teenager might have for an awesome robot. He's long gone, but I'm very glad to have this chap as a replacement! + 

+ The colour scheme here is very, very tempting... What do you reckon? Legion colours, or keeping the heraldry of a part of the Legio Cybernetica? +