Queen Bee Knight -- Thank you! Please read the new post

[Captain Semper]

Jeff "Magneto" Tibbetts! This is A LOT of work you've put on the weapons there!!! Truly inspiring stuff! How long did it take you again?

EDIT: I strongly suggest you copy/paste this post in the Tutorials section too - it's great to have it archived and I'm sure a lot of frater will benefit from it!

[JeffTibbetts]

Hard to say how long this project is taking. A really long time, is my best answer. I work slowly even at max motivation. I'm always listening to music, talking to my GF intermittently, getting up to change records (yes, I'm a budding vinyl hipster partially because it forces me to take breaks and stretch) if I'm spinning discs, grabbing drinks, etc. I rarely sit down and just hammer something out. In this case, I've only been working on her late at night, but it's been almost daily for the last week or so. 

 

And yeah, I can probably work up a 'real' tutorial, but I always feel bad that I don't know what size my magnets are and stuff. I'm terrible at keeping track of things like that, so I don't know how much my knowledge will really help someone else. I'll try, though. 

[The Acid Dog]

... Wow.

I came here to check out your thread after I saw it in your sig, and holy Emperor that's some serious work you've put in! I was planning on converting the legs to get different poses on my future knights, because when I looked at Nusquam's plog it didn't look too hard. Your plog, on the other hand, may have scared me away from it! That's a lot of work that I'd be afraid to screw up, and I cannot for the life of me find any plasticard/plastic rods to replace the pistons with.

Anyway, I'll be watching closely. I want to see this lady finished!

[JeffTibbetts]

Thanks, man! Yeah, I have a scale model shop close to me that carries not one, but two full lines of plastic rods and sheets and other whatnots. Great stuff! This is the brand I got but they had another. Check around for train shops. I guess I haven't looked to see if Amazon carries any.

 

Not sure where you're located but maybe I could buy you a pack and send you some? Are you in the States? 

[The Acid Dog]

Thanks, man! Yeah, I have a scale model shop close to me that carries not one, but two full lines of plastic rods and sheets and other whatnots. Great stuff! This is the brand I got but they had another. Check around for train shops. I guess I haven't looked to see if Amazon carries any.

 

Not sure where you're located but maybe I could buy you a pack and send you some? Are you in the States? 

 

I am indeed!  I live in Kenosha in southeast Wisconsin, about four hours from Cedar Rapids.  I'll have to check the local hobby shops again, because I don't think there are any train shops locally.  There's a "Magic" shop, a comic shop, a board game shop, and my preferred FLGW.  I've heard rumors in the dark alleys of another hobby shop, located somewhere near the coast of Lake Michigan just a few miles away, but I'm not sure where it is, and no one who goes there ever stops in at the GW.

 

I'll have a look around over the next few days and let you know if anything turns up. If I come up with nothing, I may just have to take you up on the offer.

[JeffTibbetts]

Alright! I've been up that way quite a bit. Had some in-laws in Sheboygan. I love Madtown, too. That seems like the kind of place that might have a scale shop… 

 

EDIT: yeah, there's a place in Madison that is stocked to the gills. Man, I'd drive two hours to go there if I were you. You wouldn't believe the things those model train dudes could teach us about weathering and super-detailing. 

[JeffTibbetts]

And here's some fluff for you, to give you a taste of the pilot and her complicated history, leading to her fighting as a Freeblade.

 

Aurelia Elise Tibbetts was born to the Tibbetts house as the eldest of two daughters and a brother. Her father was a Noble of the house, piloting a massive war machine to battle for his liege and uncle. Her mother was a kind, but trouble woman (some called her mad, on any account she was a non-comformist). Early on, she knew the stodgy life of the courtesan was not quite for her, and she longed to fight in a Knight when her father passed it on. This duty, however, was to fall to her younger brother, Alistair, as he was the male heir. She perceived him as weak and unfitting of the family name, and made his life very difficult as they were growing up. Her parents always tried to rein in her boundless energy and control her impulses, but they were never able to quell her rebellious spirit. Courtly life was very complicated for a woman like her, though. Her suitors (who were many, she was a radiantly beautiful woman) were happy to carry on affairs with this free spirit, but never to accept her as a peer, let alone betrothed. She resented her brother deeply, and sought attention with older men, gambled, drank, and reveled in petty bar brawls. Even at a young age, she was infamous for her shocking behavior in the aesthetic circles.

 

Her father, Third Blade Ephraim Tibbetts XXVI, was a fine pilot among the house. Rarely the best in tournaments of skill, but never an embarrassment, and the consummate team player. Always happy to promote his brothers and sisters in arms. He was a proud man, stern but not cruel. Even Ephraim could see that Alistair was not cut out to be a strong warrior, but he did his very best to whip him into shape. Aurelia was coerced to help tutor him in combat and tactical studies, at which she excelled, but this only made her more bitter. She drove Alistair hard, to the breaking point, and her father could see that she was enjoying the task altogether too much. He knew that Alistair needed it, though, so he let it continue right up to the day he was to undergo the Ritual of Becoming, which he did not survive.

 

While reeling from the guilt of having her wish for Alistair's death granted, her father Ephraim told her that the task would now fall on her own shoulders. She had spent her life in bitter resentment, raging against the strict lifestyle that was expected of her, only to be granted that unspoken wish as well. Far from being happy, she was conflicted to point of nearly suffering an emotional breakdown. Never one to hide her feelings, she flew into a rage in the Tibbetts household, flying from fits of screaming to collapsing in wracking sobs. Her father watched, as unable as ever to control her, and waited for her to spend her energy.

 

The following day he took to the task of training Aura seriously as his heir. He knew that his Knight would fall to her, and so he approached her lessons with the knowledge that time was running short. He was very protective and he knew her nature well, however, and he always urged caution in and out of the cockpit. He could never really relate to her rambunctious spirit, and felt that her wildness and lack of discipline were great flaws. Despite her hot-headed nature, even he admitted that she was a fine warrior. Skilled with a sword and bold in the face of danger. While they conflicted on many levels, Aura admired her fathers skill and relied on his steady calm to balance her.

 

Not long after, she undertook her own Ritual of Becoming and the imprinting rocked through her like a hammer-blow. She felt that she was torn between duty and her past, forever cursed to feel the tug of temptation and the guilt that was sure to ruin her. She understood now the seriousness of her duty, and questioned her worthiness in the face of the deeds of her ancestors.

 

While dealing with her personal rift, Aurelia's lascivious history and carefree irreverence had been building a rising tide of outrage and scandal that was staining the good name of the family. Rival knightly had been speaking ill of Ephraim for failing to control her, and now that she was to become one of them the pitch of their voices only rose in intensity. While she had toyed with the hearts of the sons of other Noble families, their parents sought her father out and one of them challenged him to a Knightly duel to settle a perceived slight.

 

Third Blade Ephraim Tibbetts was killed, his mount pierced with a lucky shot that cracked the chest armor and sent shrapnel throughout the interior. Aura's life was forever changed. The fate of the family now rested on her shoulders when she was most vulnerable.

 

Aura bonded with her father's (now her own) mount as the repairs were made. Though they were not traditionally allowed to, she insisted on working closely with the Sacristans as the armor was repoured, painted and mounted. She personally ran wires, rebuilt circuitry and rebuilt the throne socket one cockpit. Her hands washed away the blood of her father with her tears and sweat. She spent day and night in the Vault Transcendent for a month. Her mother was despondent with grief, and it was her younger sister who brought her meals and told her what was happening in court. During this time, Aurelia was sleeping in the saddle, sometimes even while she interfaced with the Throne Mechanicum. Aurelia developed a strong bond with her mount. She felt the history, the experience and the vitality of the machine spirit and her ancestors flooding into her psyche and mixing with her own personality. The machine represented her father, her family, and her debt. Her soul was finally able to understand peace and balance when she interfaced with her Knight.

 

She came to understand that her Knight was regal, fine, and ancient. Their line of the family crest included a honey bee in support (their motto was 'per industriam' or 'through industry' in low gothic), and she decided to name the machine "The Queen Bee" in honor of it's noble bearing. She came to feel like that the Bee was her closest friend, and in fact it remained her only real friend as she was all but a pariah in court.

 

She rode the Queen Bee back out into the fields after she was repaired, while her family carefully watched her actions. They all hoped this would calm her down and immediately set to testing her. Her cousin Julius took her under his wing after a while and helped her train, and he became a close friend. Over the next few years, she rode with them to battle, and over time began to win their grudging respect as a brave and skillful pilot. She fought campaigns against xenos and heretics alongside the Imperial Guard, and she met her first astartes as well. Having heard tell of the legendary warriors, she was nevertheless impressed with their skill in arms.

 

After fighting alongside her cousins for years, she repaired her reputation through honor on the field of battle. She took her place within the family among the warriors and her past was forgiven. She still yearned for a freedom she could never possess in this lifestyle, however, and old habits do die hard. She sought solace in the young men who were always after her, and she enjoyed their company and affections. She also embraced adventure and excitement wherever she could find it, but tempered now with a modicum of caution. She knew she'd never be able to give her vices up completely and never forgot the price her father paid for her honor.

 

As she rode off to war for the last time with her family, there was a sullen air about. Only a few nights before, one of her affairs had ended in the ruin of a noble boy who was banished from his family and the guilt of it was heavy with her. Even the Bee felt different for some reason. The fighting was fierce in the coming engagements against the alien Necrontyr. She was fighting with three other Knights of her house, alongside the cold and aloof Eagle Eyes astartes and the even colder and alien Death Korps of Krieg. During the fighting, one by one the other knights in the family fell until only she remained. Her cousin, Julius, was killed, and she had never felt more alone. She couldn't seem to find anyone to confide in or bond with, and the Queen Bee was her only link to home. And then, when all else seemed lost, even the Bee fell in battle and was so heavily damaged that she could no longer fight. The Adeptus Mechanicus plied her with as soothing a voice as their inhuman voxcasters could muster, offering their services if they could study the fallen knight suits and keep them in their care. In a state of depression-induced shock, she relented. The planet fell and was abandoned not long after, and all forces divided and retreated to their bases in defeat and shame. She was sent along with the Eagle Eyes to their home planet, to be repaired at the base of the Adeptus Mechanices explorator synod that was stationed there.

 

Upon arriving, she threw herself into the repair of the Queen once again. This time there were no Sacristans, and the cold touch of the servitors and disgusting toadying attitudes of the Machine Cultists repulsed her. She left the other three knights in their care, and asked that she be left alone with hers and given a hanger, tools and crew of her own in trade. They agreed, and provided a remote hanger away from their base. She left the servitors in their bays and took some time away to sort herself out. She blamed herself for everything that had happened, and knew that if she continued down her path it would only end in despair and further shame when she returned home.

 

She spent some time in the villages of the natives, getting to know them and their unusual culture. She was attracted to their egalitarian approach to gender and social roles, strong work ethic, and warmth of character. They were very welcoming, and seemed just as curious about her as she was of them. She learned to speak some of their language, and promptly fell in love with a young man named X'ika who made his trade as a jade carver. She was shocked to find that this was a very prestigious career that granted him considerable status. This was the first time she had really been in love, and the joy of it was like being born again. She had a reason now to want to be a better person, and she abandoned herself to the feeling. Now her lust for life and excitement and adventure could be nurtured instead of ruining her.

 

She didn't wait around long enough to forget her purpose, though. Instead, she started recruiting the miners, soldiers, and artisans that she met to help her rebuild the Queen Bee. She taught them how to operate the cranes and pulleys, strip her down and put her back together, fix and assemble the armor… Her lover, X'ika, became the leader of the crew and they built a small communal home close to the base. She lived with them, and together they built a new life. She had her mount repainted into her personal livery, a halved yellow and black pattern, with her family crest proudly displayed. She even painted a portrait of the Queen Bee on the side of the carapace to give face to her best and most loyal friend. When the Queen Bee strode out of the hanger, resplendent in her fresh paint, she was a glorious sight to behold. The native people of Tonatzin were justifiably proud of her, and she loved them for their honest practical humanity in the midst of a cold and harsh universe. She felt closer to them than her family in many ways, and vowed to fight for people like them as a Freeblade.

 

Deals were made with both the Adeptus Mechanicus and the Eagle Eyes command structure. She would fight with them, so long as they allowed her autonomy, a team of conscripts under her command and food and medical care for them, and material to keep her machine in fighting condition. They readily agreed that this arrangement was a great benefit to all. Over the many years since, she has developed a stronger relationship with the Eagle Eyes, finding some that are more approachable than others, while her relationship with the AdMech has become more and more strained. They had rebuilt the other knights, but she had never allowed them to be taken away or put back into service. She used them as a tool to add leverage to her demands, but the AdMech were covetous and wanted nothing more than to press them into their service. She had communicated back to the Tibbetts house, and they agreed that when the time was right they would recover the machines to ride once more.

 

This arrangement has continued for many years now. She brings X'ika (now her husband), their children and her crew to war with her. They care for the Bee as their vocation and it's a life of adventure for them. They live like an extended family: rough, crude, with passions close to the surface, but they are bonded by love and a shared purpose.

[Disruptor_fe404]

 

And here's some fluff for you, to give you a taste of the pilot and her complicated history, leading to her fighting as a Freeblade. 

 

Aurelia Elise Tibbetts...

 

Third Blade Ephraim Tibbetts was killed, his mount pierced with a lucky shot that cracked the chest armor and sent shrapnel throughout the interior. Aura's life was forever changed. The fate of the family now rested on her shoulders when she was most vulnerable.

 

...

 

She rode the Queen Bee back out into the fields after she was repaired, while her father carefully watched her actions.

 

Her dad's some kind of undead? Or did I miss something major?

 

Sweet stuff other than that! Bringing the family to war seems suitably 40k to me.

[JeffTibbetts]

Oh! That was supposed to say her family. Oops. Can I blame auto-correct for that?

[Excessus]

Though would her father's soul dwell in the machine spirit of the knight?

[Disruptor_fe404]

You sure can.

 

Also, stop being so awesome at Knights.

 

Because it's slowly eroding my resolve to not dabble in them.

 

Seriously, I just had an idea to do a trio of Knights with all-female pilots who call themselves 'The Furies'.

[The Acid Dog]

Hooray!  I have a question, though.  When you use the word "courtesan" to describe the life she detests, are you using the archaic definition of "lady of the court," or the modern definition of "prostitute, or mistress of a man of rank?" I'm almost completely certain that you're using the former, but I feel the need to ask.

[Disruptor_fe404]

I can't speak for the Tibbs, but I actually would not be surprised with an amalgamation of the two (less prostitution, more promiscuity with men of rank), given Aura's behaviour.

[JeffTibbetts]

Though would her father's soul dwell in the machine spirit of the knight?

 

Yes and no. From what I read in the 'dex, they all seem to gel together in the imprint, and also her imprint pattern wouldn't have her father's since she underwent the Ritual of Becoming before he died. They each get their own throne from what I can tell. The codex stuff is pretty cool. Once she interfaced with the Bee, then I feel like some of her father's attitude might come through, but not his actual personality.

 

I can't speak for the Tibbs, but I actually would not be surprised with an amalgamation of the two (less prostitution, more promiscuity with men of rank), given Aura's behaviour.

You pretty much got it. I meant it as a lady of the court, but there's a reason that courtesan became corrupted the way it did. She got around.

 

Also, I love the idea about the Furies. Of course, you need a matching biker army to go with them somehow. And thanks, by the way.

[Morningshadow]

Amazing conversions and work put into this so far! I've got a few coming in a few days and this has given me several ideas for breaking up the poses. Looking forward to some paint in the near (or far) future!

[JeffTibbetts]

Thanks! Might be a while, but I'm eager to get started. I need some airbrush templates for starters.

 

Besides; in the far future there is only war.

[JeffTibbetts]

Got a little work done last night on the ankles. I went for a shopping trip to the craft store to look for some stuff. Chiefly beads, for the ankles. I was looking at wood at first but then I found some plastic ones that I thought would work. These are to reproduce the ball joint at the bottom of the legs, as the angle was going to change significantly with my new pose.

Cut those suckers in half, and they were pretty close to the correct size and angle, but just a bit too big so I took some time and sanded them down. They came out pretty well, and it also roughed up the surface nicely so they take primer. Win. I made sure to angle the hole in the bead where my pin would go, and they're wide enough to allow some play for fine tuned adjustments. Then, I filed one side down flat where the leg would attach to give it the right seat. They were pretty hard plastic, so this took way longer than it should. Again, well worth it because it allows me to get the pose exactly how I want it and it's FAR sturdier than it would have been if it was all sitting on Green Stuff.

I

I had to cut out all the bits of ball joint around the bottom of the leg at this point. I shaved enough that the ball joint seats very nicely, so I'll be able to blend them together with GS once the final pose is in place. Incidentally, you can see the resin I poured into the lower leg a little bit in this shot, not to mention the resin ON the leg. I have been going back and forth about cleaning more of it off. It's really not hard to pick off, but it's time consuming and as I said I think it will help me grunge up the leg significantly when I get to painting. I just hate seeing it at this stage.

Here's her left leg's rough final pose. You can see how snug that ball joint is now. I also got the back-leg pistons started. Just the sides left and she should be ready to take her first strides. Note, this is normally the leg that is forward in the original pose, with a slightly bent knee. Now it's back with a locked knee. Subtle? Yes. Will it stick out like crazy once we see a million Knights with the same legs? Absolutely.

And the Captain Morgan leg and ankle final pose. By the way, this is about as far back as you can get the knee, because that rear piston's hook will hit the cable coupling right there on the back of the leg. And once again, this is the leg that was straight back before, now full forward with a fully bent knee, ready to crush xeno-filth beneath her massive foot.

[deathspectersgt7]

BRAVO!!!!! Love the story now you have to do another short story PLLLLEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSE !

[paz]

This just gets my converting goose brother, absolutely fascinating watching you cut up this beauty and add so much character!

[JeffTibbetts]

Thanks, guys!

 

@Paz, I'm a fan of your work (that illustration is balls-out amazing in a 90's punk kind of way) so I appreciate that, eh?

 

@Serg, I really like this lady so I imagine some kind of short story will happen sooner or later. I want to read up more of the 'Dex, the Companion if I ever get the cash for it, and the novel to see what fluff nuggets I can glean. I'm working on an illustration/photoshopped portrait too. 

[The Acid Dog]

My friend who runs the FLGW and I are going to be converting the legs on our next knights, and we were wondering how we might replace the ball joint of the ankles.  And then you post this.

Beads! *facepalm* Why didn't I think of that?!  Could you by chance tell us how big those beads are?

[JeffTibbetts]

I can try to measure them. Like I said, these ones were a touch big, though. They were kids craft beads so they don't have a measurement on the package. I'll kinda hold one up to a ruler if it helps later tonight. 

 

I'm glad my plog is helping, man! 

[Morningshadow]

I say this in the kindest way but I hate you, lol. Originally when I finally get my Knights in I was just planning on converting the legs and feet so that I could do a few different poses but now  you've got my creative juices flowing and I keep looking at areas to "improve". It'll be at least three months before I even start painting them dang it!

[JeffTibbetts]

Heehee. That's awesome. As long as I earn my hate that way, it's fine. Really, I think the second time around it'd be easier. If you plan it out now, maybe you can improve on the way I did it and get your own system that works better?

[Morningshadow]

Yeah I'm already doing that. Plus it helps that I have a machine shop full of tools and parts to make my conversions. It's a little overkill but it does make the job easier, lol