+ inload: Tempestus Maniple nearly ready to walk +

+ inload: Stormlords prepare +

Ahead of their maiden game – alongside Infernus, and against Legios Sisyphus and Astorum – the maniple is receiving some detailing. I've been adding lots (and lots) of tiny chequers, stripes and black panels to the Titans, and they're starting to come together.

My occulobes felt like they were falling out last night while painting the cheques on Tabellus Defixion's carapace armour, so I called it a night; but am planning to go back and fill the rest of that panel. 

As an aside, I'm really glad that GW finally released the Lucius-Alpha head. I know it's a terribly minor thing, and has no in-game effect or anything... but that's part of why I'm pleased. It's nice to have visual options to distinguish things.

Speaking of which, a closer look will reveal the non-standard armour panels. I've mixed and matched the plastics with this set of Traitor Armour Plates, designed by Argonaut and sold by Battle Bling. The aim was to get an asymmetrical look to the Titan – I've always liked the subtle creeping in of corruption during the Horus Heresy (I like shades of grey in the Loyalist/Traitor divide), and asymmetry provides a subtly chaotic look.

I was clearly feeling enthused about cheques when it came to painting Son of Sarum! Deciding where to put them – and how many panels to apply them to – is a matter of taste. Having spent ages highlighting and shading the blue, it can feel a bit wasteful to then cover them over, so I went picked my least favourite panels: those where I felt the highlighting/shading wasn't quite as clean or neat. That way I don't feel bad about covering them up.

The black and white chequers look quite stark; the plan is to soften them in alongside the rest with some burnt sienna oils. This red-brown will link together the various colours, while also making the blue pop.