The Titan is assembled

This thing is big.

Not an easy build either. If you don't have at least a jewellers saw and a dremmel, you aren't even going to get the resin vents off. you don't get ANY spares of stuff like the million pistons you have to cut to fit.. so do the longest ones first.. that way if you screw up you can cut them for the shorter positions.

I pretty much had to pin every leg joint with brass rod, and use epoxy glue for the major joints, superglue for some of the smaller stuff.

it’s pretty rock solid now though :)

Getting any expression of character into the legs is a challenge, as it doesn't hold together itself. what I did was pose it, then draw outlines of the components, dry fitting over and over until I had it so it looked right, then worked through gluing and pinning joints.

anyway, a guided tour on video follows, along with more pics, and some shots form the build.

What's next is to prime, gap fill, snag and re-prime, then paint it up loyalist colours (legio gryphonicus) then add some spiky bits and conversions and re-paint it chaosy. :)

I know, right? :)

And here’s the pics..

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Assault Group Miniature WW2 German - Painted

Easing back in to hobby after a break, even if it’s only a couple of weeks, is always easiest I find, If I do a single miniature, and do that in a day.

Fortuitous then that the mini I mentioned in a previous post from the Assault group facebook givaway arrived yesterday.

This is the first WW2    figure I’ve ever painted, and I really enjoyed it. He painted up very quickly and his details are well sculpted, it’s a real painters miniature. now I can’t speak for the rest of the line, but if the others are as good as this, I may well be building my Germans with a few more of these figs.

The mini arrived free from major casting errors with very minimal flash and he sits on a traditional tab-between the legs style base, which I used to glue him to a GW plastic disc, as I want my Germans to have common basing, but will be getting them from  different manufacturers.

I’ve tried to paint him to resemble a late war Afrika corps veteran, hence the cap colour and the mismatched trousers and tunic, He’s clearly got about this guy cos he’s carrying a Russian SMG too, although research tells me these were quite widely used by the Germans, even in some cases being retrofitted to 9mm!

I don't expect my historical accuracy to be high, I’m no expert here and as I say it’s my first historical for this period, well ever.

I’m not sure where to go for my next guys, I intend to pick up a few form a couple of ranges and compare them so that you guys can get my newbies eye view on what the models are like. I think Bolt action are my next port of call, but for fairness I’ll go with a metal mini there too, rather than their plastics.

If anyone has any comments on my paintjob, the historical accuracy (or lack thereof) or recommendations for other companies to try, please don't hesitate to leave a comment.

And as always, thanks for reading!

How to base a Titan?

A question, rather than an answer.. or a tutorial.. but also, my WIP take on basing for a titan.

It’s been a bit quiet on the blog the last couple of weeks, blame work, a combination of an external examiner for my HE program and an end of year show for my 100+ Games students means I didn't get much time.

I did however pick away at this problem.. I didn't feel I could start building ZZzz’s Titan until I had the base sorted, because that speaks both to pose and to security of attachment, he had already said he didn't want anything too ornate, or los blocking, and that it often looks daft when a model is carrying a huge amount of scenery with it everywhere it goes.

I however couldn't just slap a model of this scale and magnificence on a flocked green bit of hardboard, so here’s my WIP take on getting it right.

I include the Elysian for scale :)

There's a single small structure in the top left corner, and the rest depicts a road intersection. the streetlights will have osl, and they will be better embedded in the surface.

Ive a lot of putty work to do to tidy and seal edges and to enhance the rubble piles.

 

The big flat area of wall here will get some imperial propaganda posters in scale, and I am toying with the idea of finding or scratch building a suitable scale civilian vehicle to be a wreck, possibly even underfoot.

Here’s some of the development.

Once I had the idea in my head, i sketched it onto the formed hardboard sheet, and started to make the main structural elements.

the embossed brickwork is scribed onto peeled foam core with a pencil and blade.

 

the flagstones are a mix of poster board and cereal box

you can see the foam core structure in the back and the double height poster board kerbstones

       

A liberal coating of PVA and ballast makes a reasonable tarmac analogue

So there we have it so far. still in progress, but I think, showing direction, I may add some signs of corruption to the city as I must bear in mind that this work and this titan are under the influence of the red god!

I might get some more bits done over the weekend, as its my birthday, so along with having a sneaky day off today, I’m at liberty for the weekend too :)

and a few short weeks remain before the holidays, which seem to get shorter every year.

Anyway, thanks for reading, and feel free to offer comment on the direction of this odd base.. a base for a titan!

Did someone say “Free Miniature”?

They did indeed!

“Someone” being the Assault Group.

This company makes characterful 28mm white metal minis across historical, WW2 , Vietnam, Modern and other ranges, and they are offering anyone who “likes” them on facebook a free mini of their choice from the “freebies” section of their website. how awesome is that?

I’m sure they wont mind a few image reposts.. if they do they are more than free to contact me and I'll take em down.. but guys, just look at how cool these wee sculpts are:

Did I mention the Vehicle is from their range too?

What’s not to like, a free model!

I’ve been thinking about WW2 for quite a while, this this chap:

Will shortly be appearing on this blog as my first German mini.

Thanks for reading, and look out for the post where he gets some paint on him :)

Bran Redmaw Conversion

Ready for paint..

I think….

There's a few bits to clean up, primer always shows you the flaws, it’s why I do it when I think I am nearly there. – incidentally I used the Vallejo airbrush primer this time as the humidity was high and i didn't want to mess it up with my usual Halfords can, hence it’s quite a bit darker.

He’s been a long … time … coming if you red the blog regularly you’ll have seen that, but I’m happy with the current state of affairs.

Here’s the rest of the pics -

 

A suitably dark paintjob will be required I think, lots of fur, and maybe black trim in places, rather than gold? hrm, will have to ponder some more.

The backpack was made from a regular wolf power pack from the grey hunters/blood claws box, with some bitz chopped off axes from the same box, the big ol’ axe is “borrowed” from the Thunderwolf Cavalry box, as is the chest plate. The fur cloak, collar and tabard are sculpted using this technique and the beard was similarly added by me. The head is from the terminator box with it’s top knot removed.

I have part of a GH squad on the paint bench at the moment, but this bloke might well be next.

Thanks for taking the time to read, your comments have influenced this build and I value them all :)

Cheers!