Mandragola’s Legio Astorum (and Mortis and stuff)

[Mandragola]

I think that's the right approach. Maybe some bodies too.

 

I managed to get hold of some AI ground assets. Not sure if I want to use them for base details or keep for AI, as they're now OOP. I do have spare AT assets so could use some of those.

[Rabenga]

Have you tried applying splatter with a tooth brush? Load it up and drag your finger across the top of the bristles, little practice is needed, but you can get fairly accurate with the droplet placement.

[Mandragola]

Good tip. I'll give that a go.

[Mendi Warrior]

Definitely some bodies! If you have a couple of old epic infantry models (and are willing to sacrifice some of course), they might do the trick.

[Mandragola]

Bit of an update. My four warhounds are well on their way now. Transfers are going on, which is the last step before weathering. Quite a lot of rust to apply to the Mortis guys and mud for everyone, but the end is in sight.

 

 

Quite pleased with how the patterns on the mortis hounds' legs have come out. The diamond one was tough.

[Fajita Fan]

That's excellent work getting them to all look so individual. 

[Shovellovin]

Holy smokes! Excellent work on all the models but I have to give extra kudos for your use of patterns. As Fajita Fan already stated, the patterns really individualize your Warhounds. 

[Bjorn Firewalker]

The Warhounds are well-posed and painted.

[Mandragola]

Thanks guys. The three Mortis hounds now have their transfers and rust applied. Next step will be matt varnish. Wasn't sure if I should do this before or after the rust, but in the end the decision was made by the fact it was night time when the transfers went on.

 

 

 

 

Haven't done any weathering on the weapons yet. Progress is being made though. I tried some streaking with this vallejo rust wash and it looks a bit weird on the white bits - sort of like the hound is crying blood. It's barely perceptible on the black but does make it look more worn. Overall I think it's coming out pretty well.

[Dark Bjoern]

Wrong Legion, but exellent work.

[DuskRaider]

Oh wow, love the patterning! Good to see you started a worthy Legio ;) Edited April 7, 2020 by DuskRaider

[Mendi Warrior]

They are gorgeous!

Are you going for a similar muddy blasted battleground for the bases or trying something different?

[Mandragola]

Cheers. Yeah the idea is that the Mortis are fighting my Astorum. So they'll be on the same terrain.

 

One thing I'm considering is the Reaver for my Mortis army. My Lucius Praetorian is built to replicate an old picture from AT 18, which actually shows a Mortis Reaver.

 

I've got a reaver titan in its box. I could, in theory, build its skeleton and transfer Lucy's armour plates to it, then paint some Mortis plates and stick them on my titan. I could make it a pair of arms posed like the picture too. 

 

Here's the titan: 

 

 

And the old image it's based on:

 

 

What do you reckon? No rush, as plenty of WIP stuff to do first.

[Mendi Warrior]

Two ideas coming to my mind so as not to undo already done work.

- Is there an old image of an Astorum Reaver that could serve as inspiration for your Mortis Reaver? Kind of a twisted hommage.

- Build the Mortis Reaver as a mirror image to the original artwork, left side becoming right side, hence not ending with the exact same pose as the Astorum guy but still in a similar posture like they are gauging each other before unleashing hell.

[Mandragola]

That's an interesting thought. I don't think I want two the same though - not least because it took a long time to get the base right.

 

I expect I'll be able to get the leg, knee and shoulder armour off. That's where I've done most of the work. Not sure about the head and carapace. I'm not sure it feels like the right thing to do though. I made this model to be my special character Reaver. I'd have to do something cool on the new one as well.

[Fajita Fan]

The problem with removing the head and carapace is that the contact points are well hidden and if you're like me I measure twice and glue once.  Taking apart models I've glued tends to be a real pain in the ass because I do it so they don't come apart.  I took the head off my brawler Reaver to replace with the tusked one and I broke the plastic of the neck instead of the convex/concave contact point because I glued it in so well.  The carapace can have 3 contact points (all hidden) and I'd be afraid you'd nick such a gorgeous paint job trying to lever it off.  The part where the torso turns down 90* under the curve of the carapace isn't accessible with any knife I have.

 

If you're committed (and can safely remove the leg/groin armor and just repaint the ankle pistons) you'll find it easier to cut the torso off. I did this on my brawler Reaver to give him a more rotated swinging motion, you could then just swap a Mortis torso on there. 

[Mandragola]

Ahh now that's an idea. If it comes off at the waist somehow I'd save an awful lot of swapping. I might try that, but not now - I'm going to try and actually finish the models for the vow before starting on the Reaver. Probably.

[Fajita Fan]

Depends on how you glued it, it's a peg into a circle and the pistons line up but you won't be able to see the pistons when you reglue it.  If you use a saw and chop through most of it you can twist it off, I was able to save the joint so it doesn't look hacked up.  

[Mandragola]

Success! The body came off between two of the waist bits and I've managed to get all the panels off the shins and pistons. No harm done. I've built the body out of the box and now I've got a naked Reaver - minus arms. I think I'll do posed arms for this guy so I'll magnetise him a bit differently to how I do the Astorum ones. It needs a right-handed power fist so will make one, perhaps with bladed fingers like the Warlord.

 

Now to figure out the pose I want for Lucy's new legs. Or I guess to finish something.

[Mandragola]

Ok here's the Reaver, now a member of Legio Mortis, as in the illustration. 

 

 

I've magnetised the left arm at the elbow and I'm making it a gatling blaster and VMB for the roof. I might just glue the right arm on - not sure. I could easily stick some more magnets in an arm for it - I have plenty of both spare. But I expect it'll always be run with a melee weapon.

 

I think this has worked pretty well. Need to figure out a good pose for Lucy's new legs next, and of course paint this.

 

Here's the hand by the way. I replaced its fingers from the first knuckle with blades from a BA dread that I had in the bitz box. I think the result is quite fun.

 

 

In the image there are some purity scrolls hung from the titan. I'll see about replicating those if I can. Banners too, hopefully.

 

C+C welcome as always. One question is whether this is the right head to use. I've actually got one of each kind available, due to having bought a couple of weapon sprues. Would the original kind look better?

Edited April 9, 2020 by Mandragola

[Interrogator Stobz]

Excellent work Brother, love the claw!!!

[Fajita Fan]

Oh I was going to say before you even asked - you have the right head.  There's no better head for a melee Reaver looking for trouble than that head.

Edited April 10, 2020 by Fajita Fan

[Dosjetka]

Shame you dismantled a completed Titan, especially as it looked so good. Ah well, too late to go back now. The "updated" version looks promising. :)

[Mandragola]

Don’t worry, Lucy is fine. I’ve been making her a new pair of legs today. A comprehensive rebuild is pretty appropriate for Lucius Praetorian anyway.

[Fajita Fan]

Are you going to do broken trees in the right fist? I almost wonder if the “impurity” seal should be gold and maybe be a metal hanger for the roll rather than made of wax which would be a disc of wax the size of a swimming pool.