Reaver Titan 3453 'Triumphus Mortis' Legio Victorum
What can I say, 11 has always been my reoccurring / lucky number, I was born on 11/11 and back in 1987 on my 11th birthday I started this new thing called Warhammer 40,000 (ROGUE TRADER) something that has been with me ever since.
Fast forwards, my 50th birthday, and my family got me Titan number 11, as it was a major milstone, the half a century birthday!
Eternally greatful my buddy Chris and I visited Warhammer World and I was armed with the birthday funds to bring the milestone Titan home.
Certificate Number: 3453
Titan Name: Triumphus Mortis (Triumph of Death)
Titan Name: Triumphus Mortis (Triumph of Death)
Pattern: Mars Pattern Reaver battle Titan
Head Unit: N/A
Primary Armament: Left Arm: Volcano Cannon. Right Arm: Volcano Cannon. Carapace: Apocalypse Missile launchers.
Princeps: #CLASSIFIED#
Titan Legio: Legio Victorum Battle Maniple Composition: Warlord (869); Warlord (1626); Warbringer (252); Reaver (2929); Reaver (2661); Reaver (2442); Warhound (3063-1); Warhound (4045); Warhound (6901); Warhound (7910)
Naming the Titan:
The Latin for "Triumph of Death" is generally "Triumphus Mortis," though the concept is often expressed through related phrases like "Memento Mori" (Remember you must die) and imagery like the Danse Macabre, reminding people of death's inevitability and urging them to live meaningfully. I loved the relation to Memento Mori, the Nemesis Warbringer in my maniple. Memento Mori: A famous Latin phrase meaning "Remember that you must die," a common theme in art and literature connected to the Triumph of Death.
First rites of a God Engine.
+++++++Preparation & Ritual Cleansing++++++
Titan certificate is framed. The parts are given a bubble bath, I mean, cleansing ritual.
Despite Being my 4th Reaver, it still feels like a daunting kit that needs respect! I won't be building it on autopilot.
Rites of Sanctification: Tech-Priests perform extensive rituals and blessings using sacred oils (and my blood) on every inch of the machine during construction.
I'm saving the absolute hell that is toe pistons for tomorrow, yet this Titan stands on its own now, day started pretty terribly but ended up exactly where I want it after a pose correction. Managed to catch it before the weld took hold.
Also managed to jab the scalpel quite deep into the thumb. I forget what Titan building is like, it's been a while! No plasters so Superglued it shut.
The "blood of the slain" (or symbolic blood) is sometimes laid upon the Titan to honor the Machine God, combined with the drawing of protective runes to guard the machine's soul from corruption.
Rites of Sanctification, Rites of Sanguination complete!
Blood for the bloo...... no! I won't say it!
One of the things people make common mistakes with on the Reaver is the Toes. Which is very odd as each one is marked, right Front and right rear, sides, and left front and left rear!
The piston guards / housing is also marked the same. FRONT, INNER, OUTER and REAR.
MAGNETS ARE: N52 Neodymium magnets
Size: 20 x 3MM
Orientation: Axial
Coating: NiCuNi (Nickel-Copper-Nickel)
Max Operating Temp: 82 °C
Surface Flux Density: 180 mT
Max Pull*: 4.5KG
Max Vertical Hold*: 800 g
The 4.5kg pull is way overkill for the arms, however it will stop them getting easily knocked off.
I
I remove the resin tab in the middle of weapon and glue a magnet flat in its place.
I then Dremmel put the arm and sink the other magnet.
I match the magnet polarity to my other Titans so all the options are available to me to swap load outs to match what role the engine will have in the field.
So the Torso is now magnetised and that part of the build is done until painting starts.
The lower half is here, still toe pistons to do and awaiting for glue supplies as building two Titanic kits at the same time goes through supplies fast!
Chanting in Binary: Tech-Priests use binary canticles to directly interact with the machine's logic cores, effectively inputting commands through holy song.
Legs are done. This is where i would have everything glued down. This in my very honest opinion is how you get a stable Reaver. Gravity does the job on the Torso, no need to magnetise the waist. Sure it won't rotate, it's a static pose, but I'd rather it be as stable as possible. This is also how they are built at Warhammer World. I model mine to come apart in the same way! It could be made more stable glueing the front on but its a very tight firt. After a few events up and down the country they still stay together. Had no accidents and its a nice party piece to be able to break it down and show people it's detailed interior! I have seen magnets let go at the waist and the torso come tumbling down resulting in a damaged Titan which none of us want to see.
Reaver Titan 3453 'Triumphus Mortis' Legio Victorum. Rocking second hand old spec (pre 2018) Volcano Cannons and Apocalypse Missile launcher. Thanks to a very good mate for sorting these for me. Done the magnets and got them installed. I really wanted the old spec as got the newer ones on the Nemesis Warbringer and wanted it to have a different look.
Waiting for glue delivery still to do the Toe Pistons! Getting close to paint stage. Each and every one of my Reaver Titans are different so have been planning some scheme ideas today! It will look like it belongs with the others but not fully identical.
The glue supplies arrive that I've been desperately waiting for.
Toe Pistons day! For me the most fiddly part of a Reaver build. Getting close to primer stage tho!
Whilst having a frustrating build day. I wanted to get those crotch cables done and gone!
The Rite of Awakening (Technical Procedure):
First Rune: Strike the first rune on the casing using a specific wrench, anointed with oil, (okay primer) while chanting.
Took the opportunity to get priming as soon as the snow had gone!
I then gave the skeletal parts a blast of Leadbelcher base coat. Metal sprays can be an absolute nightmare to paint over! Learned that lesson on my first Warlord. So once all dry I went over it with AK Matt Varnish. Gives the metals an already aged look and a bit less T800 Terminator once the gloss is stripped out of it.
Made a start on my Apocalypse Missile launcher for this Titan, and did my best to make it different from my others. Starting to run out of scheme variations!!
It does fit in well with my others
Second/Third Rune: Strike the second rune with the arc-tip of a power-driver; if the machine spirit is unappeased, a third strike may be necessary
Made a start on the legs.
Toes and toe piston housing and lots of trim. Ghosted in less obvious haz stripes on the groin armour plate.
Stripey pants are in this season!
Right knee awaiting decals. Opted to do a reverse version of my first Reaver 2442 Vow Of Zealous Fury, which had the 50/50 split knee pattern but had yellow on the outer opposes to the inner this time around.
Did a quarter left leg knee, similar to my 2nd Reaver 2661 The Last Judgement. Instead of a left bottom blue, did the haz markings but had it line up with its leg armour!
Made a start to the leg armour. Been a joy to paint in actual daylight, saw the sun for the end time this year!
An idea of how the scheme is going. I hadn't washed or shaded the blues yet.
As planned the knee and leg armour haz markings line up
One of my old Whitby era paints still going and sacrificing itself to Legio Victorum. It was nearly full when I started my first Titan, and now onto my 11th God Engine and its still going!!
I occasionally get asked about my blues so here are the colours that make it up. Kantor Blue base, kantar blue mixed with Caledor sky getting lighter until its pure Caledor leaving pure Kantor at the edges of the panels. Highlight Of Kantor and Fenrisisn Grey as the final highlight. I wash it with thinned Drakenhof Nightshade. I then wash with the OLD Citadel Blue ink to give it some depth. I blend Abaddon Black into the edges near trim to give the blue additional depth!
Legs really starting to take shape.
It matches my other Titans pretty well but won't be identical to any of them.
As this was for my 50th birthday I've added those decals as part of its history.
50!
50!!
Finished the right knee, putting the 3453 engine number on to match the cert.
The left knee also has the 3453 engine number, a single Axe which is the iconography of the Reaver Battle Titan, a few engine kill skulls (which also flow to the leg armour) and some text as part of its personal heraldry
I finished all gold plated rivets, pretty much completing the legs.
That pretty much wraps the legs. Now to make a start un the upper half!
Wanting this Titan to be different from my other 3 I ghosted in chequer Pattern on its right shoulder. Both sets of shoulder armour had haz stripes on the rear section.
Painting the aquila and center shield which matches its left knee. Part of its personal heraldry.
Ready for some decals!!
Done some more decals on the Legio Victorum Reaver Titan today. Mix of Forge World official, GW (Adeptus Titanicus and Imperial Knights) Scumbag Customs and Mighty Brush decals.
@scumb4g.kustoms
@themightybrush
#forgeworld #reavertitan #adeptustitanicus #battletitan #horusheresy #legiovictorum
Like I always do, added its Forge World Certificate number to the Reavers scroll along with a single Axe which I've taken from the Adeptus Titanicus scale decal sheet.
Forge World retired Titan Transfer sheets sadly but Scumbag Customs have saved my skin and had me covered when it came to supplying decals for that scroll.
I have done the Aquilas different on all 4 Reavers. None are the same.
Added its cert number, princeps rank, Mars Pattern Titan and Reaver single headed Axe.
Really happy with how this engine is progressing. It fits right at home within my Demi maniple of Titans and reads Legio Victorum to me still. I'm doing my best to keep it still looking part of the Legio despite trying some new things.
Left shoulder looked plain so ghosted in some blue haz stripes and started the trim work on the face plate and shoulders.
Almost ready for shoulder decals and I have ideas. Unique to this Titan.
Waking the Spirit: Tech-priests perform the necessary litanies and incantations to calm the machine spirit, ensuring its compliance.
Hard to photograph so tried indoor and outdoor light.
Went with stripped floor and hatch again, like Reaver 2661, a way to go yet but a solid start!
Note the circular Stripey escape hatch / entrance / exit on the floor.
Let em glow!
Stripes on the cockpit head door.
Checking the Spirit: Before activation, priests check for signs of a "cranky" machine spirit to avoid malfunctions, often taking hours to ensure the machine is willing to wake.
Neural Link: The Princeps, along with Moderatii (officers who handle specific systems like weapons or movement) are ready to synchronize with the Titan.
The crew (Princeps, Moderati, Tech-Priests) takes their places in the command throne, the Princeps physically and mentally lock themselves into the Mind Impulse Unit (MIU) to merge their consciousness with the Titan.
Reactor Ignition: The main plasma reactor is brought online through a series of chants, with the crew monitoring for "belligerent" reactions from the machine spirit. Startup of the reactor often requires a delicate balance of power to prevent a disastrous explosion. Once the reactor is stable, the void shields and the systems are checked by the crew. The Titan is ready to WALK.
Time Intensive: The rituals are extremely thorough, which is why deploying Titans is a major, slow logistical endeavor
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