#phantom titan

[titanomancy]

I had a chat this weekend with a fellow regarding the Eldar Phantom Titan, and I referred him to this very blog to see pictures of the one I’d built - very cleverly neglecting that I never actually uploaded any pictures of that build. How embarrassing!

Somehow, I’d gotten the Phantom mixed up with the Revenant I built around the same time (but also hadn’t uploaded). My recollection is that, unlike the Revenant, no attempt had been made to assemble the Phantom before I got my hands on it. Also unlike the Revenant, this one has some weight to it so I wound up pinning both feet to the base, although I tried to retain some of that implied agility by keeping the heels raised and letting it glide across the battlefield.

The Phantom is broadly analogous to the Imperial Reaver Titan, but they don’t quite line up directly - the next class up, the Warlock Titan (which doesn’t currently have a model) is the same size but more psychic, so they don’t really adhere to the same scale progression as their Imperial counterparts.

Probably just as well given how thin its limbs are. Like the Revenant, the thighs were reinforced through the length in order to prevent it from sagging or deforming under the weight of the torso. Given the unbalanced stance, deformation of the limbs was a serious concern so it was important to take steps to mitigate against it.

The extra structure wound up paying off immediately, as I’m also informed that this is the Titan that survived a fall from counter height after being left unattended in the presence of a cat.

[blackwolfstudio]

Update

Okay, so the D-ark is dipped and drying.  I should be able to finish it on Friday after I get back from this business trip, and then have the whole package sent back to the client on Saturday.  That’s good stuff.  He says one of his gaming buddies wants to contract with me to paint the whole Deathwatch: Overkill box set.  I have no idea how much to charge for that - guess I need to figure that one out.

Phantom #2 is unpacked and I’ve begun cleanup and sorting.  So far, it looks like I’m missing one of the hinge pins for the cockpit, so I may have to fabricate something to fill that spot.  Otherwise, everything looks good - just cleaning mold lines and sprue bits at this point, filling the occasional bubble or crack, and doing minor repairs.  My goal is to get some time in Friday night getting the weapons put together (Glaive, D-cannon and Pulsar) and magnetized so I can prime them Saturday.  Also would like to get the head/cockpit done Friday night.  With luck, I can have this whole thing done toward mid-week next week and on the way back.

On my own models, I’ve cleaned up and magnetized one of my last regiments of Spider Riders, working toward the goal of finishing that whole army by 2017.  Pondering selling off some of my Undead and some Space Wolves.  I got the Prospero box, and I think I’d like to take my Vlka Fenryka in a 30K direction at this time, so I may clear out a lot of my 40K Wolves.  And the Undead - well, I have an entire unbuild Nagash legion (literally a legion).  Not sure whether it would be better to build them and sell off some as I paint or to sell them early.  I think I may go with the build/paint/sell route in hopes of promoting the studio more.  

40K Chaos is gone barring the Titans.  I’ll keep them on hand - still need to build a Warhound and a Reaver for the maniple, plus one Chaos Knight.  Adeptus Mechanicus and Taghmata Ominissiah are almost finished - 5 Tech Thralls and a Lighting left, and I need to acquire 10 more Scions, a Valkyrie and maybe another unit of Kataphrons to round out everything.  Oh, and build my Freeblade.  Oh yeah, and the loyalist Titans: Warlord, 2 Reavers, 4 Warhounds.  Minor oversight there....Gobbos need the aforementioned Spider riders (plus one more regiment), a River Troll Hag, a Giant, a regiment of Forest Gobbos, a regiment of Night Gobbos and something else which is escaping me right now painted, plus an Arachnarok with Flinga built and painted.  Finally, my 40K Orks, Bad Moons - lots to do there.  That leaves Undead and Eldar in the Unbuilt Wing, waiting for time and love, along with the Heresy stuff.

Certainly plenty to do, but the paid work is coming along quickly, which is nice.  I think, once the AdMech is done, I’ll tuck into some terrain, too.  Need to get a bit more put together and painted for the gaming area.  Oh, and maybe host a few game nights.

[blackwolfstudio]

Phantom 1 done. Sorry - hard to see with the black primer. Magnets at the neck, wrists and waist, as well as the point defense gun (bright lance in the pics). Arms can be swapped to either side. Overall, pretty good kit to build. 2 cans of Chaos Black primer gone, though.

[blackwolfstudio]

Progress from last night - Phantom arms ready to be attached and legs finished, ready for priming (bet this is a 2 can model - I.e. How much Chaos Black I'll go through). Also, Ghost Ark 2 basecoated and dipped, ready to finish today. Will try to get finished shots of the Phantom up once all the bits are primed. Oh, and that base? That's another Dragonforge item - as far as I know, Jeff is the only resin base caster to make 200mm bases...which are perfect for Reavers, Warhounds and Phantoms.

[blackwolfstudio]

Update

So many projects. Ghost Ark 1 getting varnished today and Ark 2 hopefully basecoated and mega-dipped. I still need to figure out how to re sculpt the Doomsday Ark to receive the Back 2 Base-ix magnetic flying base. Ponder.

 Ordered a bunch of bases from Jeff over at Dragonforge for my Orks. The more I looked at the Grot Tanks, the more I wanted to put them on Bases, so I got some 55mm Urban Streets Asphalt Bases from Jeff, along with some others for my Warboss on Bike and Nob Bikerz. For those who don't know Jeff, he does great business- you can find his store on Facebook or his website. He's a one-man shop, so orders can take a little while (unless you contact him and ask for expedited production which he's usually amenable to), but SO worth it for the quality. 

 Also, the Phantom stymied me for a while. Client wants the arms magnetized to allow weapon swaps, but any magnet small enough to fit in the elbow/forearm joint (most logical place for ease of swapping) wouldn't have the hold strength, I fear, to handle those long weapons and the lever effect they would create. So after pondering, a Russian Imperial Stout, and some intense eyeballing of supplies on hand, it hit me that a long, sturdy pin might be the answer. With the arms angled slightly upward and the wrists magnetized, this should hold fine and allow left to interchange with right. We shall see.