+ inload: Painting a Stormlords Reaver Titan +

+ The steady march of progress +

+ In which we look at the travails and ooportunities of painting the Scythian. +

It's a Reaver – or the beginnings of one, at least. Painting something this big (it's a 40k-scale Titan) has been fun so far. Building and painting in parts is proving a sensible idea, and the first big subassembly that I'm tackling is the legs. 

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To begin, I primed the whole superstructure with the ever-reliable Hyrax Brown from Colourforge (matched to Rhinox Hide from Citadel), then worked over that with Siege Armour, which matches Runelord Brass. The underlayer of Hyrax Brown was to ensure a consistent colour base and work deep into the recesses, while the Siege Armour was applied with a slight zenithal emphasis – that is, I did prime lightly over the whole thing, but more lightly from underneath.

I've never used Runelord Brass, but the resulting colour is a warm metallic – more rose gold than brass to my eye. It's a lovely colour that looks slightly disconcertingly like chocolate!

Why not silver? Well, that was to keep me honest when painting the legs. The mechanical 'skeleton' of the Reaver involves lots of pistons and detail, and it would be very easy to just gloss over the differences and paint it all silver with a quick wash. I thought that would be undeserving of the model, and so worked over it with a selection of metallics: silvers, brasses and bronzes, to pick out detail. 

The basecoat provided guidance on where I had added something and where I hadn't – and pushed me to make decisions on how I was treating various parts. In the end, the rose gold finish is only really evident on the trim of the armour.

Speaking of which, here's a shot of the back, where you can see the trim on the lower legs, particularly  noticeable on the Imperial Eagle:

The other armour will be getting sprayed blue, both for consistency and for a smooth initial basecoat, but as the toes are so integral to the leg superstructure that I've had to get stuck in with a brush. This proved quite a meditative process, as while there's a huge area to cover, the details are thick and clear, making brushwork simple. It's more time-consuming than an AT-scale one, but much more pleasant!

I used a Prussian blue acrylic to lay down a strong base. This colour is very powerful and deep, and will provide a good base for the eventual lighter blue colour of Legio Tempestus:

I'll need to start making some decisions on which plates to spray blue, and which to spray a different colour – as you can see from the plate above, the near-black Prussian blue will work as a base, but I'll need to up the tone considerably.

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All the while I'm painting this, I'm acutely aware that I need to balance a desire for this part to look good... with the fact that a great deal of it will be completely covered up!

This pict-capture from the front shows the armour plates loosely in place. The backs of these have been primed Hyrax brown, and the fronts let unprimed for now, while I work out which will be mainly blue, and which can be primed another colour.

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+ inload: Building the Reaver Titan +

+ Scythian Uprising + 

+ Update on building the big Reaver – things are ticking along, and I thought I'd share some notes. +

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+ Building the Scythian +

For anyone fluent (or at least conversant) in the technolinguis dialect of printing, my (very kind and indulgent friend) tells me that this was printed in PLA with a 0.2mm nozzle. having handled 3D prints before, I was expecting quite a lot of cleaning up to remove layer lines, but I was pleasantly surprised with how clean it was. There is a surface texture, but it's more like the slight drag you get from running your fingers over the paper in a book, rather than definite steps and coarseness.

I worked over the surfaces with DSPIAE sanding sponges – some very useful little tools I picked up on the recommendation of Stuntwedge – and did a little sharpening and cleaning with a craft knife, but in all honesty it required very little clean up. Even the sanding was mainly for my own peace of mind, and because I'm intending to use oils – I didn't want to have channels for them to flow down.

As shown above, even before cleaning the parts slotted together very neatly on the torso, and it's got a full interior.

After clean up I broke it up and gave it a once-over with grey primer. I've mentioned before that I do this sometimes to help pick out details. I'd like to do a nice job on this kind gift, so I want to give it my best shot.

... quick shot after priming. Grey makes details easier to see, by providing a little tone to the white PLA.

And the reason I've primed it is visible here – can you see those layer lines on the curves on the left-hand side of the picture? These need cleaning up, and there are few areas that would be improved with another light sanding to improve the finish.

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+ Building the base +

It's unlikely to see too much gametime, so priority for the base is stability and display. It amused me to have a scaled-up version of the oval Titanicus bases, so I ordered an oval plaque from an MDF supplier. It measures 29 x 42cm (A3 size, with the corners cut off, essentially).

A layer of polyfilla formed the base texture, over which I placed some layers of 5mm thick foamboard  and larger rocks to build up some relief. Very large ones are a great opportunity for adding some height, and you don't have to go completely over the top – just enough to break up the sense of artificial flatness and add some natural scale.

Once dry I added my usual mix of Golden Acrylic texture paste, small rocks and sand to texture, bond and seal the surface. I added a little soil to the mix for variety – just some compost that I baked in the oven at 100 degrees for twenty minutes to kill off any bio-forms and render it inert. A layer of PVA over the top will later seal it all in and help prevent degradation.

I didn't plan the base specifically for the pose – in some ways I wanted to have the model adapt to what's there, as I thought that would be a nice way to add some authenticity. More on the posing and building in a future inload – so for now, I'll leave you with where it currently stands:

+ inload: Moderati Primus of the Scythian +

+ 'Enact on my mark.' +

+ Moderati Primus Waldemar Styrmir

What can we say of Waldemar Styrmir? Strict. Disciplined. Fastidious in his personal habits, and measured in all things. He is the very model of a Moderati Primus of the Stormlords: capable, decisive and willing to uphold both the order of his Princeps while acting as an advocate and champion of the crew.

He is in line to move on to master his own Titan in time – as war and circumstance dictate – and his steadying presence will be much missed by Scythian, with which he has built a peculiarly close rapport.

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+ Reaver crew hierarchy +

The background is fairly vague on how Titans actually work – and probably blessedly so, as it'd doubtless throw up all sorts of contradictions and arguments. Suffice to say that while the Princeps  in a sense becomes the Titan, and his or her will is enacted by instinct as though the Princeps is controlling their own body, there is still the need for a crew.

As discussed in an earlier inload [+noosphericinloadlink embedded+], the crew of a Reaver varies in size, even potentially within a Legio, so when creating your own Titan you've got a lot of space to play in terms of crew size. If you prefer the Princeps to essentially be the Captain of a ship – issuing orders to a large number of underlings, the background will back you up on that; while if you prefer a small crew and more emphasis on the Princeps' direct engagement with the Titan, there's still plenty of narrative space for that. With this project, I'm erring towards the former, both because I like the concept of a crew deck, and also because it allows me to make more models! 

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+ What does a Moderati Primus do? +

Number 2; right-hand man; vice-chair, the Moderati Primus is first amongst equals... beneath the Princeps, of course. The Moderati Primus acts as a node to ensure the Princeps' orders are put into action, covering movement and aiming and firing the weapons.

A go-between for the rest of the crew and the Princeps, the Moderati Primus is a trusted lieutenant to the Princeps, and ranked – as the title suggests – above the other Moderati. Some are destined to remain as Moderati, but I like the idea that some that hold this rank show the inherent capability and sufficient promise to eventually move on to the Princepture of a Titan of their own.

For that reason, I've picked a Reaver Titan Princeps model to represent Waldemar Styrmir, the Moderati Primus on Scythian at the time we've picked. This model was an exclusive at a Warhammer World event many years back. I picked one up then (he was painted up as Mauryan Magon, Princeps of Legio Sumer-Nikator's Dura-Yurobus [+noosphericinloadlink embedded+]) but this chap is a subsequent purchase. 

They turn up relatively frequently on sites like eBay – just be aware that there are lots of counterfeit/recast versions of the various Titan crew models, so caveat emptor. It's not my favourite of the various sculpts, being the least dynamic of the bunch, but the raised gorget  and half-bionic head has charm. The stiff pose also works very well to suggest a 'disciplined enforcer' character; perfect for our rather by-the-book Moderati Primus character.

The rod of office (or whatever it is) clutched in his right hand is a nice touch to break up the flatness of the pose – but it's also very fragile, so if you're looking for a second-hand one, keep an eye out that this is intact or at least included.

Painting-wise I used a similar approach to Princeps Sulerian, using Prussian blue and green washes for the unifoom, and building up various metallics for the armour.

The black leather is the same equal mix of burnt umber and Payne's grey as used for the cables.

I tackled the skin on the head with little more than layers of Gryphonne Sepia and Reikland Fleshshade, mixing them with Vallejo cool white for opacity where I needed a little more coverage. It was a fun experiment, and one I'll return to. It works well for these very delicate and finely-detailed resin figures, ensuring very little textural build-up.

You'll spot I have painted the hands as though he's wearing fingerless gloves. That was to ensure a bit of visual contrast against the dark uniform and holster; and in-universe I like the idea that (unlike the Princeps) Styrmir needs to be able to control Scythian both mentally – through the hard-plugged crew manifold – and physically, with haptic touch controls. It's a small way to show that he's bridging the gap between Princeps and the rest of the crew.

I weas really pleased with how the bionic eye turned out. It's absolutely tiny, so getting a couple of layers of teal on there, and a tiny highlight, was the best I could manage, but I really think it pops.

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Next inload we'll meet two of the other Moderati... stay plugged!

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+ inload: Princeps of the Scythian +

 + 'Yes, my Princeps' +

+ Princeps Proximal Sulerian +

+ Gathering a crew +

+ Building on last inload – about the Stormlords' Reaver Titan Scythian [+noosphericinloadlink embedded+], here we'll turn to the first of the crew. +

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+ Princeps Proximal Sulerian +

It's fitting we look at the Princeps first. Captain of the crew; master of the Titan, the Princeps is a special figure, one amongst millions who is capable of bridging the gap between the Titan's (mostly) human crew and the monstrous machine spirit of the Titan itself. It takes a special figure, one of monumental will and strength of mind to command a Battle Titan, and those who do so are forever changed.

Such is the case of Princeps Proximal Sulerian, who has commanded Scythian for more than four decades. The youngest of seven, Sulerian's family was high-hab, and benefitted greatly from in-utero enhancement. The nakedly ambitious Proximal was eventually promoted past his similarly talented siblings through cunning as much as merit; and as he is fond of reminding his crew, he has now outlived them all.

Granted Princepture of the Warhound Cirsium vulgare after service as Famulous to the notable Amato,  and later the Reaver Solaris Summus, the last Sulerian became noted for his haughtiness and personal reserve. It was his rigid discipline that made him – in the Legio's eyes at least – an obvious choice to become Master of the Scythian when its previous Princeps, Wiedbach Lüp, was killed in combat with the orks of the Carmine Cluster.

The bonding proved difficult; with Sulerian struggling to assert his dominion over the Scythian's notoriously fitful, changeable machine spirit. While he was able to coax the Reaver into an uneasy but effective relationship for his first campaigns, Scythian's manifold roils beneath an apparently calm surface, and it continues to rankle and test its Master.

Profoundly affected by his experience with Scythian, the Princeps has hardened further; his cold ambition curdling into a more judgemental character. Away from the Titan, Proximal Sulerian now cuts a saturnine, gloomy figure, haunted as much as empowered by the Reaver. 

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+ Painting +

The rich blue is Golden Acrylics Prussian blue, highlighted with the addition of Vallejo's Cold White. I kept the palette deliberately cool and stark, with even the gold braiding being desaturated. 

The slightly glossy black of the pipes and leatherwork is produced simply, with a combination of Payne's grey and Burnt umber FW acrylic inks – this combo makes a beautiful dark mix that works as well on its own as to add depth to metallics.

The armour was produced with layers of stippling; being built up with Boltgun metal (or the modern equivalent, Iron Warriors), Runelord brass and Chainmail. I added Agrax Earthshade touches, particularly in the recesses.

The cold blue-turquoise monocle was inspired by the eyes of the Titans in the rulebook art, which have this particular hue.

To give a sense of age, the skin started over a yellow-grey base [+vizref=above{status=WIP
}+], and was built up mostly with purple and yellow washes.

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+ inload: Creating a Reaver Titan +

+ Origines Dubiae – the Scythian +

+ Work in progress +

Scry-chronicle pre-mission datasquirt: {authval: Sensorius-principal Ossteon}

Validity: {principal >14% accur.}

'And it came to be told that Titans would march, and the storm would follow with them.'

Mission parameters:_________________________

+ Scythian +

Recently we looked at the crewing of Titans [+noosphericinloadlink embedded+], with particular reference to the Reaver. That inload covered a lot of the theoretical side of things, so today we'll start looking at one specific Titan, and how we can use the ideas to create some personalities for gaming and narrative.

I hope that the inload covers off how I approach things, and encourage you to have a go yourself. It's great fun!

+ A motley crew... +

+ Where to start? +

There's no need for a crew if we don't have a Titan, so let's work out the Legio and individual Titan. I've been mulling over what Legio to work this deep dive around, and have settled on the Stormlords – Legio Tempestus – for the following reasons:

• Legio Tempestus has a rather peculiar and winding background, with three homeworlds, and good options for the Titan to be Loyalist, Traitor, Blackshield – which also means that it's as general and open an opportunity as I can get for a 'catch-all' generic Reaver Titan crew.
• A 'canon' Legio with an established history both in-universe and the real world gives me the best chance of finding background dots to join.
• As a good example of that, 'Legio Tempestor' [sic.] turned up to help defend Armageddon during the Third War, according to Codex: Armageddon, so there's a great example of those lovely little notes that prompt a story.
• It'll make for a great excuse to get some paint on some AT-scale Titans and create an opposing force for my Legio Metalica (another Legio that has flexibility in loyalty – or at least plausible deniability...)

+ Naming the Titan +

I exloaded on naming Titans back in the dim and distant past, and you can read it here: [+noosphericinloadlink embedded+]. Taking that sage advice to heart, I looked at existing names for the Stormlords. Odrysian appears in the Traitor Legios book:

... and Tempestus appear in lots of other books and rulebooks, notably Abnett's seminal Titanicus and McNeill's Mechanicum. A sample of Tempestus Reavers includes:

• Arcadia Fortis
• Hand of Dominance
• Metallus Cebrenia
• Raxvalian
• Jogozh
• Cerulean Stride

A nice varied bunch, and a good example of not hewing too closely to your theme: a mix of names can give a richer feel to the Legio culture. Here, I played around with some High Gothic names, and mused on using plant names – binomial nomenclature's a great place to find inspiration for cod-Latin. Urtica Dioica, for example is stinging nettle, and strikes me as a great name for a Titan.

In the end, I thought a single-word name would suit – easy to remember and it fits in with the Titanicus rulebook and Horus Heresy black books naming (e.g. Odrysian, Raxvalian). I opted for Scythian, which is general enough to work for loyalist or traitors, and also quicker to say when gaming than a longer double-barreled name!

Like T. S. Eliot's cats, Reavers deserve more than one name, so there'll also be a High Gothic name in addition to its Low Gothic cognomen, but that'll be decided upon in the closing stages of the project, as I'd like to muse on that a bit more.

Next inload we'll start looking at the crew of the Scythian – and how their personalities, and Scythian's own, affect one another.

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