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So I started thinking about the crew:

1 Overall Commander
1 Junior Officer
2 Bridge Attendants
2 Main Gunners
2 Auxillary gunners
2 Drivers
1 Driving Officer
1 Weapons Officer
1 Engineering Officer
2-4 servitors loading weapons/running the reactor
A servo skull running coffee to the bridge


Wow, now that I write that down it sounds a little ridiculous. Did I forget anyone?

You said lion and my first thought is...

I would start at the cheap toy bin, find one of those plastic animals.

From there you can add bits to mechanize it, or use is as a sculpt example to mechanize from the ground up.
In all seriousness, Voltron style isn't a bad way to go either.

Nice, ok I guess that idea is out.

Let the Land Raider Cannibalization begin...

Here are a couple pics of the Engineering Deck forward and aft bulkheads:


The port side will be ventilation, stbd side will be the hydraulic plant. The forward walls will contain anti personnel weapon mounts (Twin linked heavy bolters most likely). I can't figure out why you would build this huge walker and wouldn't throw a few extra weapons on. In game terms they won't do anything but they should look pretty cool.

The Engineering Deck is getting assembled. The forward and aft views:



Detail of the Aft view:



Here is an update on the overall model:



So the next layer will be the Primary Deck which will be the base of the Transport sections, the Missile Deck and the arm supports:


These two pieces will be used to make a composite panel with Styrene I-Beam such that he deck is about 1/2" thick and super stiff for the weapons mounts.

The outer hull will be made of a modified Landraider hull. Here are the pieces prior to cutting showing where the cuts will be:


I was thinking about cutting the center column so that I might be able to make a landspeeder hanger but it would have taken up too much space internally and I would have to make a highly modified landspeeder (folding wings, etc.). So the plastic between the doors will stay. There will also be cuts to allow the Primary Deck to pass through to the weapons mounts.

Where do you get 18" pieces of plastic like that?

Evergreen sells sheet materials in multiple different sizes up to 8x21". That was key to getting those parts to work.

http://www.evergreenscalemodels.com/Sheets.htm#White%20Economy%20Packs

Primary Deck Photos.

Here is the Modified Land Raider Hull sides:


Here are all the parts laid out together:

So it is made of 0.060" Sheet with 3/8" Plastruct I Beams for stiffening. Overall about 1/2" thick and plenty stiff to support the entire Deck out to the weapons mounts.

And assembled:

Holes will accommodate the Shoulder platform mounts and weapons mounts.

Isometric:


So the center portion will be the missile Deck and the hole will be a lower weapons storage area. I am finishing up the central column that will connect the Engineering deck to the Primary Deck and support the command deck.

Wow, just... wow.

Sweet!

I'm looking forward to seeing this one finished.


Nice job so far.

Now for the piece that will hold the torso together:


Sideview showing the head mount at the left and the aft end to the right. The indention at the top will be for a ladder to the command deck. Overall this creates the side bulkheads for both the engineering deck and the weapons deck.

From the front:

The pin allows a small amount of rotation for the head. I am thinking about just oving this piece and the aft bulkhead down to the Engineering deck so that I will be able to open up the engineering deck when the titan is complete.

and the next step will be the roof for the Weapons Deck. Here are the cuts laid out:


All I have left is the upper deck and Command level before I can put a picture of the full superstructure up.

You said earlier you were in need of ideas for a head, how about modifying (Read cutting down) the main body of a valkarie and then repositioning the nose so that its part of the body (also providing you with two crew). you would have to flatten off and mechanise the nose and lose about an inch off the valkarie body in width height and length but it could work.

Sirius42 wrote:You said earlier you were in need of ideas for a head, how about modifying (Read cutting down) the main body of a valkarie and then repositioning the nose so that its part of the body (also providing you with two crew). you would have to flatten off and mechanise the nose and lose about an inch off the valkarie body in width height and length but it could work.

Interesting, I am just now looking at ordering a couple of Valkyries. They will be for my IG, but I will keep that idea in mind when it gets here.

I like the Valk idea, I was just looking at someones star wars army and think that an AT-AT head modified would look pretty cool.

A valk head would look a bit like the 'vulture' mech from battletech. I love the pics, great to see you've been hard at work!

I think you should use one of these...


Slurpee... yum, promotional slurpee cup sold for $3 when Ironman came out. From your pictures it seems the right size and would give you a good starting point to build off of. Its hollow, so you can do things to the inside. Don't know where you'd get one anymore.

very nice, but its not too late to add another carapace gun adn call it a warlord.

most people scratchbuild titans one clas too big. Warlord the size of Imperators, now Reasvers the size of warlords.

From the pictures of dreadnopught and the pairs of legs the itan is definately a warlord. The Reavers feet are only slightly bigger than the dreadnoughts base.

also the size 'five inches taller than the Forgeworld Reaver, that is Warlord scale right there.

add the extra gun and this will be one of the few Warlords out there that is the right size for its name.

Orlanth wrote:very nice, but its not too late to add another carapace gun adn call it a warlord.

most people scratchbuild titans one clas too big. Warlord the size of Imperators, now Reasvers the size of warlords.

From the pictures of dreadnopught and the pairs of legs the itan is definately a warlord. The Reavers feet are only slightly bigger than the dreadnoughts base.

also the size 'five inches taller than the Forgeworld Reaver, that is Warlord scale right there.

add the extra gun and this will be one of the few Warlords out there that is the right size for its name.

I agree with these sentiments. I've noticed the samething. I actually forgot the title of this thread and thought it was for building a Warlord.

To ptlangley have you thought about buying the individual FW weapons for the titans or are you going to scratch build it all?

I really like the progress you have so far, it's a lot of extra work keeping the interiors open and doing the wall construction like you have. I'm surprised you didn't just go with sheets of foamcore then cover them with styrene, as that seems to be the trend when building big stuff.

I'm not sure how large the lego bionical heads are but a nunber of those have been used for paladin/knight titans and some of them do have a good look to them. The iron man head would be awesome, repainted it'd be hard to tell what it came from especially if any modifications were done to it, I'm sure they'd be on ebay and quite cheap.

As previously mentioned, if you want a boxy styled head there's a couple differant model kits for the AT-AT and AT-ST available from star wars, or take the head off of one of the AT-ST Walker toys, it has a mean cut and look to it and you can pick them up for around $10-20 on ebay.

An alternate for the valk cockpit would be to pick up a model kit for an apache helicopter, it has a simular canopy style and may be much cheaper. Years back in rogue trader era white dwarf featured a titan made from combining a AT-St walker for the legs and then an armored body with apache helicopter forming the fuslage and cockpit.

There's also this Gi Joe toy that was converted into a cool imperial transport capable of airlifting baneblades

Before:



After:

ptlangley wrote:So I started thinking about the crew:

1 Overall Commander
1 Junior Officer
2 Bridge Attendants
2 Main Gunners
2 Auxillary gunners
2 Drivers
1 Driving Officer
1 Weapons Officer
1 Engineering Officer
2-4 servitors loading weapons/running the reactor
A servo skull running coffee to the bridge

Wow, now that I write that down it sounds a little ridiculous. Did I forget anyone?

Possibly a communications officer if that isn't handled by a bridge attendant.

I assume your engineering officer is a tech-priest so you have that covered. (Wouldn't want those servitors to get mind-locked with no one around to get them working let alone the rest of the machine spirits)

And ofcourse you missed a priest, but thats totally up to you and your army's flavour.

Orlanth wrote:very nice, but its not too late to add another carapace gun adn call it a warlord.

most people scratchbuild titans one clas too big. Warlord the size of Imperators, now Reasvers the size of warlords.

From the pictures of dreadnopught and the pairs of legs the itan is definately a warlord. The Reavers feet are only slightly bigger than the dreadnoughts base.

also the size 'five inches taller than the Forgeworld Reaver, that is Warlord scale right there.

add the extra gun and this will be one of the few Warlords out there that is the right size for its name.

I had been thinking about this lately. I expected this would be larger than a regular Reaver, but it is turning out about 4" taller than I expected. The plan all along has been to build an apocalypse missile launcher into the weapons deck. There will be a large open area on the roof above the command deck that I can mount an additional weapon. I will magnetize it so the weapon is removable. Since I only have one titan it would be nice to be able to play it either way. I will probably make a damocles comms antenna as a separate option if, i am also looking at making some AA mounts that I can put on as options.... and this is why I expect to be finished in a few years.


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jabbakahut wrote:I like the Valk idea, I was just looking at someones star wars army and think that an AT-AT head modified would look pretty cool.

Yeah I thought about the AT-AT head as well. I would like to deviate a bit from anything that has been done before but that is a good basic form.


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Strimen wrote:
Possibly a communications officer if that isn't handled by a bridge attendant.

I assume your engineering officer is a tech-priest so you have that covered. (Wouldn't want those servitors to get mind-locked with no one around to get them working let alone the rest of the machine spirits)

And of course you missed a priest, but thats totally up to you and your army's flavour.

Yeah I will have to think about it a bit more but there should be some imperial lackeys hanging about like a sage or priest on the bridge. Yeah the engineer officer will be tech priestish. I may have a couple of servitors in storage somewhere (think star trek borg) that can be activated as additional loaders or damage control etc.


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aka_mythos wrote:I agree with these sentiments. I've noticed the samething. I actually forgot the title of this thread and thought it was for building a Warlord.

To ptlangley have you thought about buying the individual FW weapons for the titans or are you going to scratch build it all?

Yeah I think I will buy a lasblaster and maybe the fist and of course the weapons will be magnetized so I will probably scratchbuild a volcano cannon, an extra las blaster.

ptlangley wrote:
I had been thinking about this lately. I expected this would be larger than a regular Reaver, but it is turning out about 4" taller than I expected. The plan all along has been to build an apocalypse missile launcher into the weapons deck. There will be a large open area on the roof above the command deck that I can mount an additional weapon. I will magnetize it so the weapon is removable. Since I only have one titan it would be nice to be able to play it either way. I will probably make a damocles comms antenna as a separate option if, i am also looking at making some AA mounts that I can put on as options.... and this is why I expect to be finished in a few years.

Even better, as you will be cramping the command deck right next to a tiran BFG you might as well move the guns onto the shoulders, and include an extra one. This will save up room for the command deck. As far as what to put on top, the answer is simple, a helipad. or better yet a dome see below.*

Now again the old epic rules allowed for Carapace mounted command decks, well actually fire control decks and helipads on guess what....Warlord titans.

http://www.solegends.com/citcat911/c2119epictitanparts-m.htm
look on the top right.

These used to fit into the two peg holes behind the weapons peg holes instead of banners. Some command control upgrades were so big they took up a full weapon slot.

You could take advantage of that and declare your Warlord to have three weapons or four as the game permits. It is no great stretch to claim that the extra crew decking reduced the structural integrity and took up void shield space if you so wish. Or more reasonably pay for a Rever titan plus some points to account for the extra hull and shields. A round 2k would do.

As for the carapace weapons, leave empty sockets so you can fill therm as needed, shoulder mounts help because of versatility. * here the idea of having an ornate more palatial command deck can help. With a transparent dome you can see in and view the detail, also Imperial commanders being senior will warrant a lot of personal space, the walking command centre/bunker/general's palace is very Imperium. Furthermore having a central dome pushes the much neeed helipad onto one of the shoulders, vacating the qweapon there. This way you can have a three weapon or four weapon titan without lobsiding it by using a large Helipad on a carapace weapon slot. this doesnt mean you cant have a second small personal helipad or shuttle bay for the general on the back.

According to old rules these helipads came with a free Landspeeder, this is not a space marine vehicle, at this level IG high command have access to them for personal transport, the rules allowed it to be used to spot for the titan battlegroup, which sounds horribly nasty to me.

Muhahaha... I am already headed in the helipad direction


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Well the Top Deck and Command Deck are formed:



The holes in the command deck are for the ladders down to the Weapons Deck

And since the helipad idea is out of the bag:

this is the normal defensive position... but say you want to deploy a space marine assault squad or land a speeder:


This is based of the top part of the drop pod base.

Anyone hinged the side doors on a land raider? I played around with it but I am afraid it is not going to be robust enough for multiple opening and closing cycles.

Is there enough deck space for additional weapons on the top deck?

Goodness gracious! This had progressed far! I am impressed! You've basically scratch-built a Titan from PVC and styrene!!! Wow.

As for the crew of this auspicious Reaver, there really isn't such thing as a Titan "driver". There's a Princeps, who is hooked into the machine and controls it as if it were his own body. There are also Moderati, who work communications and targeting systems. There is an enginseer in the engine room, (possibly more than one) and the guns are manned by servitors. (Or, occasionally the Princeps, if he feels like it.)

So assuming the Princeps is taking the place of your three drivers, and removing the gunners and replacing them with your engineering servitors (who are slaved to the guns) I'd make the list something like this:

1 Princeps
2 Moderati (or three, assuming you want one there to monitor ammunition supplies)
2 Main gun servitors
2 Auxiliary gun servitors
1 Enginseer(perhaps more, if you want somebody to deal with ammunition re-supplies for the missile launcher.)
A servo skull running coffee to the bridge (Most definitely keep the servo-skull. Coffee is important. )

You could also add an infantry commander and his team to that count, because you said this was a command Titan.

(Sorry to hijack your crew estimates.)

Anyway, keep it up!

If you get that shoulder landing pad working properly, I will buy a beer in your honour.

I don't know if people build their Titans too big. The artwork is very vague on it, some pictures have the Titans big, but not gigantic while other artwork has Reaver Titans towering over cities.

The Imperator Titan for example should be able to hold hundreds of men in the legs alone, yet the existing model doesn't seem to reflect that. So a Titan model for 40k that is a bit bigger or smaller to me isn't really such a big problem.

Brother Captain Andrecus wrote:

As for the crew of this auspicious Reaver, there really isn't such thing as a Titan "driver". There's a Princeps, who is hooked into the machine and controls it as if it were his own body. There are also Moderati, who work communications and targeting systems. There is an enginseer in the engine room, (possibly more than one) and the guns are manned by servitors. (Or, occasionally the Princeps, if he feels like it.)

So assuming the Princeps is taking the place of your three drivers, and removing the gunners and replacing them with your engineering servitors (who are slaved to the guns) I'd make the list something like this:

1 Princeps
2 Moderati (or three, assuming you want one there to monitor ammunition supplies)
2 Main gun servitors
2 Auxiliary gun servitors
1 Enginseer(perhaps more, if you want somebody to deal with ammunition re-supplies for the missile launcher.)
A servo skull running coffee to the bridge (Most definitely keep the servo-skull. Coffee is important. )

You could also add an infantry commander and his team to that count, because you said this was a command Titan.

(Sorry to hijack your crew estimates.)

Anyway, keep it up!

Old background (early 90's) crew = 1 Princeps and 1 moderati per big gun.

New background = 1 princeps, 1 Tech priest, 2-4 Moderati.

Neither titan listed servitors as crew, they existed as part of the machinery.

The main difference is that Titan crew used to man a gun each, now you just have one weapons moderatus on the bridge, which makes more sense. The Princeps is the pilot and vessel captain combined, he only has loose control over gunnery in the same way a tank or naval commander directs fire, the fire control moderatus does all that with servitors providing automated aiming.

now your command deck will be different, in the way a CIC is seperate from the bridge of a ship.

You will need room for:

1 General
1 Aide De Camp
space for attached advisors

communications staff
tactical staff
door guards

in order and in reason.
1 general, you have one person in overall charge.

A general should have an Aide de camp, normally an experienced senior staff officer himself, normally a major.

'Attached advisors' this will be a fluctuating number but space should be allocated for them even if not normally present. at a minimum I would say three 'guest spaces' one for a senior commissar, one for a visiting commander such as a PDF general, planetary governor or senior representative from the adeptus astartes or Inquisition who is accompanying your armies advance. Then you need one space for that persons immediate aide. The rest of the retuinue if any need not be allowed in the CIC. I would leave room for a further pair of dignitary and aide. Only the general and dignitaries require room for seating, aides can stand.

Communications staff. Only one communications officer need be pressnt as interface with the general, but he should have two of three comms staff lining switchboards for communications to an army, this is accounting for heravy automation and servitors doing the majority of the work. General speaks to the commas officer, comms officer relays orders to the switchboard staff, the switchboard staff will be lining walls and largely quiet and non intrusive. The communicatios officer should have a chair, but will often stand.

Tactical staff. again one tactical officer to interface with the general, with very heavy automation you might have everything else done by servitors, might have a second who will be more or less permenatly seated. The tactical officer is likely to stand, by the map table/holotank/holoscreen but will have a stool somewhere.

Two door guards. Standing room only, by the door. You need two one either side, one can be overcome quickly, two is more problematic, while not essential they are a command courtesy and would logically fit the Imperium well as everyone is to be watched because of the prevelance of treason.

Any others. An orderly or two, just to make the drinks and run with messages. then we can add Imperium specific human furniture like an autoscribe and an astropath.

My final tally:

Active in the room
1 General
1 Aide de Camp
1 Commissar
2 visiting dignitaries, preferably room for two more. With good seating for half present
1 tactical officer
1 Communications officer
1 autoscribe (they tend to get close and lean in)

Around the skirts of the room
2+ swirtchboard staff
1 tactical aide
2 door guards
1 orderly
1 scribe
1 astropath

Room for a minimum of sixteen persons, plus servitors. Techpriests might not be present, technical staff are on site but called into the room only when needed to fix something. Though a senior Adeptus Mechanicus member would be counted as a dignitary.

Orlanth wrote:

Now again the old epic rules allowed for Carapace mounted command decks, well actually fire control decks and helipads on guess what....Warlord titans.

http://www.solegends.com/citcat911/c2119epictitanparts-m.htm
look on the top right.

These used to fit into the two peg holes behind the weapons peg holes instead of banners. Some command control upgrades were so big they took up a full weapon slot.

Does anyone have better pictures of any of the parts shown in the website above? I am particularly interested to look at the Dragon and Eagle Heads.

You would be very lucky to source those bits.

OK the landing pad/assault platforms are roughed out:

Here is the start... 1 down 9 to go:


Halfway through... 5 down 5 to go:


Here is where it will be mounted:


Ok now for the money shots.

Platform secured:


Platform rigged for landing or to be manned:


So the idea is that a Space marine assault squad can be transported in the hull and then the pad can be deployed for them to launch off of

-or-

some devestators or a IG heavy weapons team could use the shoulder as a firing position

-or-

land speeders could be carried on the pads and possibly be used for scouting ahead of the the titan or as spotter units for long range weapons.

it turns out that a dreadnought fits up there as well... but that is just a silly idea.

I am trying to decide how best to fill the gaps between the movable wallswhen deployed. It is possible but it will make it much more complicated. I would love to make it large enough to accomodate an Arvus Lighter so that the command team could fly in but I am afraid that may make it too big. DOes anyone out there have an Arvus. How does it compare in size to a Land speeder or better yet what are its dimesions roughly?


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Orlanth wrote:You would be very lucky to source those bits.

I am just hoping someone maybe has them and can get a picture or knows where I could find a higher resolution photo.