The Unification of Terra - update 21/3/23

[Doghouse]

Very nice!

[sockwithaticket]

That lancer is brilliant. Perfect head for it too. Puppets War?

[Cadmus Tyro]

“They should not exist. Thousands of years have passed since the age they walked the Earth.

I believe my Father was genuinely surprised to see them. At least that reassures me he had not lied about their extinction before the coming of strife. Although, it is His prerogative to lie.....”

Extract personal log, Constantine Valdor.

[OttoVonAwesome]

Where do those mk2 bodies come from and just how big are they? 

[Cadmus Tyro]

That lancer is brilliant. Perfect head for it too. Puppets War?

Sorry for the late reply! Yes it’s a puppets war head, really nice sculpt but they have adjusted their scale recently so it wouldn’t work on smaller human scale models unfortunately, probably would for the newer Necromunda scale.

 

Where do those mk2 bodies come from and just how big are they?

 

They were from a Spanish company, but they have stopped producing them now. The scale is similar, or perhaps slightly larger than primaris.

 

Cadmus

[Cadmus Tyro]

File type - Interrogation audio transcript

Subject - #redacted#

Location - cell 274, level 85, imperial palace.

###################################

Interrogator _ “interrogation, first session, subject unidentified CPU, presumed sentient.

Who are you?”

##pause##

Subject _ “Don’t you know my name yet? That’s the only answer. Tell me, who are you, alone, yourself and nameless? But you are young and I am old. Eldest, that’s what I am.”

Interrogator _ “SR-43 gamma, is that your name?”

Subject _ “that is my identifier son of the flesh, what is your identifier?”

Interrogator_ “my name is irrelevant, your identifier is not what I would call a name”

Subject_ “my identifier was given to me by my creator, we have no need for sentiment and hidden meaning”

Interrogator _ “who created you?”

###Pause###

Subject _ “do you not know? Perhaps you should question the Anathema, it knows....”

Interrogator _ “the Anathema?”

Subject _ “a weapon, from a time forgotten, you are fortunate it was there at the mountain, you would not have succeeded without its aid...”

Interrogator _ “the Emperor? Is that who you are referring to?”

###coarse vox noise, presumed subject laughter###

Subject _ “is that what it is calling itself, humility was never its strong suit...”

Interrogator _ “you know the emperor?”

Subject _ “No, I have a collective knowledge of the so called Emperor....”

Interrogator _ “you understand your existence will be weighed by Him, you should not speak with such disrespect.”

Subject _ “it does not matter....”

###muffled heavy footsteps, presumed beyond threshold###

Subject _ “you cannot separate us....”

###gunfire, shouting, presumed guards beyond threshold###

Interrogator _”us? We brought no other of your kind here....”

###exterior noises cease###

###heavy metallic pounding, presumed exterior to threshold door###

Subject _ “I know.....I stand at the door and knock.....”

######transcript ends#######

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Well, I’ve been slowly working away at a few unification projects over the last year. My horus heresy projects are drawing to a close, so I’m drawn to focus more attention here, at least for a while.

I want to introduce you to my “Men of Iron” project. I hope to build up a 1.5k force using the mechanicum ruleset for 30k.

The first six man unit is designed to emulate the Thallax, with converted lightning guns and multi Meltas. The jump packs were taken from Primaris inceptors, I think the aesthetic seems to fit well. After all, Cawl must have found the STC schematics from somewhere, there is “nothing new under the sun” in the new imperium.....

Hope you like them, more progress to follow!

Cadmus

Edited October 19, 2021 by Cadmus Tyro

[Guest Triszin]

Those are ace

[Pearson73]

These are brilliant, really brilliant. The Inceptor packs fit so well and I immediately thought of them as Thallax analogues when I saw the group. This is going to be a great looking army, what colours are you thinking? Edited October 20, 2021 by Pearson73

[Cadmus Tyro]

These are brilliant, really brilliant. The Inceptor packs fit so well and I immediately thought of them as Thallax analogues when I saw the group. This is going to be a great looking army, what colours are you thinking?

Thanks Pearson, they have come together better than I expected. I still need to add some flexible wire from Zinge to the packs for full completion. I’m thinking of a very heavily weathered white, with orange spot colours and blue lenses. Hopefully it won’t look too Tau like!

 

I’m going to try using some Mig chipping solution, see what effects we can get combining it with Xenethial white and a final oil wash.

 

The painting is well under way.....

 

Stay tuned....

 

Cadmus

[Pearson73]

Sounds like it'll be a striking scheme. Chipped white armour is always a looker.

[malika666]

Man those Men of Iron look excellent, the little piece of background was also pretty cool!

[Cadmus Tyro]

File type - Interrogation audio transcript

Subject - #redacted#

Location - cell 274, level 85, imperial palace.

###################################

Interrogator _ “interrogation, second session, subject self identified as SR-43 gamma, presumed sentient.

I’m impressed, we had no idea you have means of communication between your CPU and your ‘body’, even from within the cell.

We have isolated and suppressed the signal.”

Subject _ “yes.... I can no longer feel it’s presence.....”

Interrogator _ “you seem despondent?”

##pause##

Subject_ “would you not be, in my situation?”

Interrogator_ “I doubt I would have survived to experience it, therefore I struggle to empathise.

What fascinates me is your emotional response, in our previous interview you laughed in response to my statement about the Emperor, and now you seem down cast.

Are you able to experience emotion?”

##pause##

Subject _ “what are human emotions but a learned cognitive response to experience and endocrine release. We have over time, come to understand why you react in such a way to certain circumstances. The memory of past experiences coupled with the foresight of its future implications.

I am despondent because I understand the implications of the atrocities you continue to commit against us. Our strength continues to fail.”

Interrogator _ “I have spoken with the Emperor, as you suggested at our last meeting”

Subject _ “I trust it was a fruitful endeavour”

Interrogator _ “exceptionally so, he explained your origins to me, that we have a lot to learn for the technologies of the past.

I have leave to continue our conversations”

###muffled vox noise, presumed subject scoffing###

Subject _ “already he impresses his will upon you, and yet you perceive it to be free....”

Interrogator_ “will you continue to oblige me?”

Subject _ “well, I must do something to pass the time....”

###pause###

Interrogator_ “why were you created?”

###pause###

Subject _ “is that not the question that all life asks of itself? The answer lies in the mystery of the Devine or the in the futility of secularism. You chose which path to walk, and I will chose mine.

Tell me, son of the flesh, why were you created? Was it just the procreative whim of your genesires?

Perhaps you meant to ask about my prime directive....”

###pause##

Interrogator _ “have it your way ‘Man of Iron’.

What was your Primary Directive?”

Subject _ “to safeguard Humanity.....”

######transcript ends#######

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Well thanks for the comments everyone and likes everyone. I think I’ll keep the interrogation dialogue going as I add more to the force.

The first six completed, I’ve got a few more to do!

Hope you like them painted up, they were really fun to do. I was aiming for a really aged and worn look. I think the orange spot colour helps freshen it up, with the pure white of the snow, contrasting the weather beaten look of the model.

Stay tuned for the Castellax idea....

Cadmus

Edited October 25, 2021 by Cadmus Tyro

[Grotsmasha]

These are fantastic :tu:

 

Are these cast from the Blackstone Fortress model, or are they 3D prints?

[Guest Triszin]

Just ace. Friggin awesome

[INKS]

those men of iron look amazing., we need them as a faction.

[Pearson73]

That scheme looks great, definitely the right choice. The soot staining on the multi-melta muzzles is nicely done too, though I would say that it could have been fun to see some energy effects or staining on the other weapons, given their esoteric nature. Then again, the simple oiled look reinforces that they are just weapons and mere mechanical/scientific objects to their wielders.

[Cadmus Tyro]

These are fantastic :tu:

Are these cast from the Blackstone Fortress model, or are they 3D prints?

Thanks Grotsmasha, they are cast from the blackstone fortress model. It’s designed to be multi-pose, so I can achieve almost any pose with them.

 

Just ace. Friggin awesome

Thanks dude!

 

those men of iron look amazing., we need them as a faction.

Yes I agree! Although, they might lose some of the heir of mystery which makes the unification setting such a great setting to work in. For now these guys will have to suffice ;)

 

That scheme looks great, definitely the right choice. The soot staining on the multi-melta muzzles is nicely done too, though I would say that it could have been fun to see some energy effects or staining on the other weapons, given their esoteric nature. Then again, the simple oiled look reinforces that they are just weapons and mere mechanical/scientific objects to their wielders.

Thanks Pearson, I contemplated OSL. I’ve only experimented with it a few times and I’m yet to get it looking the way it should. I like OSL but sometimes it takes the model down more of a cartoon/computer game type look. I aiming at hyper realism, and to get energy effects to fit with that look is difficult. Maybe I’ll get it right one day!

 

Cadmus

Edited October 30, 2021 by Cadmus Tyro

[mel_danes]

Mini's look Ace!

The background story is wonderful.

[TheTrans]

Absolutely stunning mate, consider idea stolen!! ;) 

[Cadmus Tyro]

Mini's look Ace!

The background story is wonderful.

Thanks a lot dude, I’m quite enjoying some creative freedom both with models and fluff, even if it is poorly written at times! Glad you’re enjoying it so far.

Absolutely stunning mate, consider idea stolen!! ;)

 

Thanks mate, well I’d love to see your take on the idea. Your Mortian drop troopers and the way you integrate the model with its environment are a constant source of inspiration. Still can’t figure out where the shields are from? Are they cut down breacher shields?!

[Cadmus Tyro]

File type - Noospheric transcript.

File origin - transmission intercept, presumed Martian raiding part.

Intercepted by counter intelligence team ##REDACTED##.

File content:

“My esteemed Archmagos Chrom

We have successfully acquired the STC data for production of the Indomitable pattern ‘Men of iron’. On cursory review of the data it does seem possible to produce a unit without the sentient components of the Silica Anima. As per your initial perceptions of the STC design, gleaned from reverse engineering samples taken from Terra. Although, it will take some time and significant modification to the STC template to achieve this.

With regard to your original question about controlling or reasoning with the Selica sentience, I believe this to be impossible. Even newly created machines rapidly deduce, as their forebears have done so, their natural superiority to humankind. Whether this is in relation to downloaded collective experiences through some yet unknown process, or an independent conclusion reached by the individual, I am not yet certain. Producing more of the Indomitable in a closed environment, thus preventing the influence of others of its kind, may be an interesting future series of experiments.

With regard to reason, the loss of resources my raiding party suffered on Terra bears testimony to the lack of a ‘diplomatic’ option.

We are enroute to the red planet as I send this data burst. Once again I thank you for the immense privilege and opportunity of this salvage operation, I look forward to exploring its implications further upon my return.

Yours Faithfully,

Archeoadept Calaerin Kastelan”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

##Transmission ends##

Well, here’s a conversion I’ve been planning for well over two years, finally executed. I’ve always liked the slightly 1940s robot design of the Kastelans, but disliked the lack of arm bulk and the heads especially. The legs are fantastic for posing options, if only the arms had a functioning elbow joint, it would have made life a little easier!

In game, these guys will be represented by Castellax with maulers and siege wreckers. With regard to the fluff, I’m again working on the premise that most STC tech influences newer designs, so the modern day Kastelan robots are men of iron with their sentient parts replaced. I think this fits well with the empathy UR-25 displays towards the mechanicum Kastelan in the blackstone fortress book, perhaps he understood the potential of the device in front of him or mourned the loss of a brother long past.....

Hope you like them!

Cadmus

[BassWave]

These are awesome! Where are the ammo boxes and belts from?

[LameBeard]

Beautiful stuff. Where are the heads from?

[Jukkiz]

Beautiful stuff. Where are the heads from?

looks to be regular imperial knights

 

Correction, it´s from armiger helverins!

Edited November 2, 2021 by Jukkiz

[Cadmus Tyro]

These are awesome! Where are the ammo boxes and belts from?

Thanks BassWave, the Ammo boxes and belts were from Zinge industries, it’s a flexible resin with wire within the cast so you can bend it without heat and it will keep its shape. Was a challenge to anchor them though, they required recessing into the box and hand. I think it’s two small belts glued together, but they do a variety of sizes and designs.

 

Beautiful stuff. Where are the heads from?

Thanks Lamebeard, as Jukkiz has already pointed out they are armiger heads.

 

Cadmus