Mandragola’s Legio Astorum (and Mortis and stuff)

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Excellent work.

[Gattopardo]

That's very nice. I like the pose a lot.

[schoon]

That swampy base is great!

 

Will you be doing the rest of your minis in that common theme?

[ToyShip]

Man. That is KILLER posing! I really dig it!

[Brother Desultor]

I love the detail you put on the bases. It really adds dimension and completes the model.

[Mandragola]

Thanks all. Glad you like it. 

That swampy base is great!

Will you be doing the rest of your minis in that common theme?

Yes, that's the idea. My finished titans have their bases done in this style but I haven't done any basing in ages. Here's a shot of the stuff I took to the Legio Walks last year.

 

Edited January 13, 2021 by Mandragola

[Lord_Borak]

That Reaver really looks like he's wading through the filth. Great posing. 

[schoon]

Yes, that Reaver is a real throw back (or nod to) the old AT88 illustrations.

[Brother Dallo]

Lovely stuff Mandragola. It’s been a year or two since I last looked through this thread and you’ve come a long way.

 

That last group shot is particularly impressive.

 

Keep at it.

 

Dallo

[Chaeron]

Love the recent basing - and very cool to hear that there'll be more in that style (or redone to match!). Great work as always! 

[Mandragola]

Thanks guys. I'm still plugging away at the moment. I've had this Warlord and Warbringer on my desk for ages. Making slow progress on them. The Warlord has liquid gold trim, which I think I'll do on the Warbringer too. The astronomical designs are nearly done on them both though (more done on the Warlord), which was the step that had brought me to a halt before. It's actually kind of fun so I should have just cracked on with it.

 

[Xanthier]

It's always nice seeing those designs done well on plating, it's one of the more unique legio decorations. Good stuff!

[Bjorn Firewalker]

The Titans are beautifully painted and detailed.

[Brother Dallo]

Really impressive work.

[Mandragola]

Thanks. Turns out I needed kind of a break from the fine detail. I spent a couple of hours basecoating a couple of warhounds and a reaver this evening. Quite therapeutic, though it does mean there’s a lot more trim in my near future.

[Brother Desultor]

Glorious titans!

[Mandragola]

I got a bit distracted from finishing off my Warbringer and Warlord, by other unfinished engines. After all, why work on just two titans at once, when you could be doing six or seven?

 

In my defence, I've had various ideas for different patterns on titan armour, and I wanted to try them out. And I "needed" to finish a 4th Warhound for my Mortis guys so I had 1750 point force (comprising Mandatum and Ferrox maniples).

 

So here we are. From Left to right we have a Mortis Reaver (with a diamond pattern I'm pretty happy with and miles of trim next to do), that 4th Warhound (nearly ready for transfers), an Astorum warhound with a Chevron pattern very roughly marked out and an Astorum Reaver that I've had for ages, but never quite finished.

 

 

Painting these guys is quite fun, which is my excuse for working on them when really I ought to finish at least something. It is a hobby, after all.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Fine work on the Titans.

[Brother Dallo]

Bet you still finish them all before I finish one of mine.

[schoon]

Really like your checkers - what's your technique?

[Mandragola]

Bet you still finish them all before I finish one of mine.

 

Keep at it.

 

Dallo

Maybe, but not if I keep starting new projects. I might finish one of the seven engines that I've currently got in a WIP state though, sooner or later. There seems to be a bit less pressure to finish stuff at the moment while I can't play any actual games though.

 

Really like your checkers - what's your technique?

Thanks. I drew the pattern out in pencil before painting. Probably would have been easier with a white undercoat but I used black, in error. When drawing diamonds a trick I've found (also through error) is to get the vertical and horizontal lines straight before you look at the diagonals. Then draw the diagonals through all the Xs. Dunno if that makes any sense at all but there you go.

[Mendi Warrior]

Great work as usual! 

[Mandragola]

A bit of progress on the Mortis Reaver to report. I felt like the table cloth bit needed something extra. The transfers aren't quite right, and might disappear into the checks anyway, so I decided to try and add something 3D. I went with the Eye of Horus symbol from a Warlord, which was a bit tricky. Steps below.

 

 

And here's how it looks stuck on. I've made a bit of a mess of the paint in the process, but nothing I can't easily tidy up. I had to use a bit of GS at the top to connect the bit that sticks up there to the trim. Once that's dry I'll paint this.

 

 

I'm going to replace those shoulder plates with blank ones, or possibly ones with Ts on, and then add some transfers. Then it'll be more or less ready to weather.

 

Oh and I've been having a play at heat burn on the metal of the melta. Not happy with the result yet, but I think it's getting there. I used a very silver starting point (vallejo pale burnt metal) which lets the burn colours show up, but that also showed up some gaps. I've filled those and made a start on repainting it.

Edited February 9, 2021 by Mandragola

[schoon]

Using the Warlord Eye of Horus is an inspired idea.

 

I may have to steal that when it comes time to do my traitor Legio...

[Brother Dallo]

Aww, I was toying with that exact conversion for my second Reaver. Now it’ll look like I copied you. You monster! :P

 

It looks good.

 

Keep at it!

 

Dallo