Mechanicum - Thallax Cohort #3 w/ Phased Plasma Fusil

Hello Readers, thanks for dropping by. The latest additions to the Mechanicum Taghmata is a squad of Thallax, a Thallax Cohort. These can be in squads of three or up to nine. They are armed with Lightning Guns which are heavy 3 Shred and two modes Arc and Strike (single shot mode but additional +3 strength and Rending) and one has a Phased Plasma-Fusil.

The Phased Plasma-Fusil is for dealing with heavy armoured troops.

There are two Lightning Gun armed automata

And here are the entire Cohort so far, three squads each with a heavy weapon and all can deep strike in and have jet pack for rapid movement.

Cheers, Siph (6pts)

Imperial Knights - Vassal Knights of Legio Astorum - Cerastus Knight Lancer #4

Here is the fourth and final of the Knight Lancers for my Cerastus Knight Lance of Legio Astorum. Vassal Knights are those bonded to a Forge World, not like a Household of Knights which may come from a world's noble class. These are seen on Forge World Lucius, where Legio Astorum hail from, as stalwart defenders of the Forge complexes. Rapid reaction forces and escorts to the valuable God Engines of the Legio.

This is Sir Alarbus riding Cerastus Knight Lancer 'Astra Fury', the more dynamic of the poses so far, the raised left leg is supported with a brass pin from the base to evenly distribute the weight.

I added some foil gauze to the foot cavity to add depth and detail. You can see the black pin drilled into the foot and base for stability and the rocks for weight to prevent the miniature tipping forward easily and help stop the base from warping shape over time.

The shock lance is magnetised at the elbow for ease of transport to Titan Owners Club events or battles at a mates house.

The Ion Gauntlet Shield sports the star map icons often found on Legio Astorum God Engines.

The completed Lance.

And that is Knight 25 done:
Knight Seneschal: High King Lucius Darius riding Dominus Castellan 'Adamant Wrath'
Knight Baron: Baron Tybalt riding Questoris Warden 'Triumphal'
Knight Scion: Countess Joscelin riding Dominus Valiant 'Iron God'
Knight Baron: Sir Idae riding Cerastus Lancer "Stellae Glory"

Knight Scion: Sir Sordhen riding Cerastus Lancer 'Ever-Stalwart'

Knight Scion: Sir Lewis riding Cerastus Lancer "Black Sun"

Knight Scion: Sir Alarbus riding Cerastus Lancer "Astra Fury"
Knight Scion: Sir Geraint riding Cerastus Castigator 'Heretics Bane'
Knight Scion: Alpha Augreus Vladimus riding Mechanicum Cerastus Atrapos 'Ryh-83'
Knight Scion: Sir Selwyn riding Questoris Crusdaer 'Honour Intractable'
Knight Scion: Sir Greigor riding Questoris Paladin 'Oathkeeper'
Knight Scion: Sir Olwyn riding Questoris Paladin 'Honoured Vigilance'
Knight Scion: Sir Karyx riding Questoris Paladin 'Unyielding Astra'
Knight Scion: Sir Taurus riding Questoris Gallant 'Carnivore'
Knight Scion: Lady Natanya riding Questoris Errant 'Gloria Fury'
Knight Scion: Sir Maximilian riding Questoris Errant 'Pride of Lucius'
Armiger Squire: Knave Izrael riding Warglaive 'Bane of Iron'
Armiger Squire: Knave Balthazar riding Warglaive 'Unalloyed Victus'
Armiger Squire: Knave Erasmus riding Warglaive 'Cowards Bane'
Armiger Squire: Knave Luxious riding Helverin 'Fury of Thaemar'
Armiger Squire: Lady Irmaa riding Helverin 'War Strider'
Armiger Squire: Lady Melandra riding Helverin 'Blue Jackal'
Freeblade: Gerantius riding Questoris Errant 'The Forgotten Knight'
Freeblade: Sir Hekhtur the Chainbreaker riding Questoris Preceptor 'Canis Rex'
Custodes Indentured Knight: Sir Hestor riding Questoris Errant 'Imperius Rex'

Cheers, Siph (20pts)

Imperial Knights - Acastus Knight Porphyrion Proxy - COMPLETED

Hello All, thanks for dropping by. Well I bought this on a well known auction site but it turned out it was 3D printed so I decided to build and paint and move on to fund an official FW purchase. Here it is completed and ready for distant shores.

I chose House Terryn as its ripe for re-homing. And a fairly familiar scheme as its just substituting cream for yellow to make Vassal Knights of Legio Astorum. 

As proxy 3D sculpts go, this was a good one, hghly detailed and not far off FW quality, no warping but instead the giveaway is print lines and stepped curves.

The Terryn icon proudly on the flanks and pauldron.

The sensor cluster (head) I had painted Astorum yellow before I decided to re-home, but it suits the scheme regardless. I hand painted the chequers on the face gorget. The official model has a engraved cross where the horse decal is. That's where I confirmed it wasn't FW, but as a decent kit otherwise I chose to build, paint and move on to fund an official one - the official FW model can be used at our Titan Owners Club events - we like to support FW as we want more titan goodness in the future in uncertain times for the design studio as most of the catalogue has moved to plastic and only specialist models remain.

The pilot access hatch is adorned by the crest of House Terryn

I added heat staining on the barrels of the twin-linked Magna Lascannons

The Ironstorm Missile Pod adorns the rear of the carapace, and the secondary Lascannons are on the front of the hull

The banner details the exploits and kill markings

And for practicality it is magnetised at the waist for transportation or storage.

Cheers, Siph (25pts - almost a Warhound Titan!)

Mechanicum - Thallax Cohort #2 w/ Multi-Melta

Hello Readers, thanks for dropping by. The latest additions to the Mechanicum Taghmata is a squad of Thallax, a Thallax Cohort. These can be in squads of three or up to nine. They are armed with Lightning Guns which are heavy 3 Shred and two modes Arc and Strike (single shot mode but additional +3 strength and Rending) and one has a tank-busting Multi-Melta.

These are the plastic boxset, very highly detailed and more fiddly than the resin counterparts but equally as detailed which is great. This one has a Multi-Melta for some deep-strike tank-busting action.

And the last two have the standard armament of Lightning Guns.

Cheers, Siph (6pts)

Imperial Knights - Acastus Knight Porphyrion Proxy

Hello All, and budding Knight Scions, a huge addition to the Imperial Knight forces, though numerous and aligned to Legio Astorum Titan Legio, they lack serious titan-killer firepower themselves, enter the affectionately named "Murder Turtle"... a somewhat overpowered Acastus Knight Porphyrion (at least in AT28mm where most of the titan action occurs). This will also be an allied Household to the Vassal Knights of Legio Astorum, but this time (mainly for re-sale opportunity) House Terryn.

Lots to do so I started on a few of the smaller bits and pieces first, cables...

I then progressed to the armour plates and legs section - once these were done, I fastened the Armour Plates to the endo-skeleton leg structure. Lots of trim! I will try to reflect what colours I use on my Knight Banner as to where I place red panels, personal heraldry etc. As this is a cheaper 3rd party print, I will not be using at Titan Owners Club Walk events as we try to support FW whenever possible and  Forge World models if they exist to support and hopefully stimulate titan development (Reaver still only has Apoc Launcher for carapace and it's long over a decade old, but Warmaster in 28mm will be gladly received if planned?!).

Getting there, legs now done.

So I will paint it up and sell to fund the purchase of an official Forge World Acastus Knight Porphyrion in due course, I have an Acastus Knight Asterius in the to-do pile. Painting as Terryn Household is quite easy for me, as they have the exact scheme of my Legio Astorum, gold and blue, just the creams on heraldic plates rather than yellows as seen on the Shoulder Plate above. In the meantime, I can game with it because House Terryn are an allied House to my Vassal Knights of Legio Astorum.

I've also purchased a couple of suitable sized oval bases to provide stability and match the Knight and Titan forces which are all based for my future resin Acastus Knights. More progress to be had and I'll report back here with photos!

Cheers, Siph.

Mechanicum - Thallax Cohort #1 w/ Photon Thruster

Hello Readers, thanks for dropping by. The latest additions to the Mechanicum Taghmata is a squad of Thallax, a Thallax Cohort. These can be in squads of three or up to nine. They are armed with Lightning Guns which are heavy 3 Shred and two modes Arc and Strike (single shot mode but additional +3 strength and Rending) and one has a Photon Thruster (AP2, Assault 2, Blind, Lance, Gets Hot) weapon. As the Thallax are Relentless the Heavy mode of weapons are not an issue.

The hulking, heavily augmented cyborg shocktroops originating within the Ordo Reductor faction of the Mechanicum, the Thallax differ from the Martian Skitarii regiments both in their purpose and the unique degree of their augmetics. The Lorica Thallax which encases their major organs, nervous system and cerebrum also replaces the skeleton and limbs entirely with armoured mechanical systems powered by an internal reactor core.

The agony of this process, along with the replacement of the usual human sensory apparatus, proves so traumatic as to require the surgical excision of the pain centres and emotions. The Thallax, however, retains a degree of independent human thought; this individuality and self-determination is greater by far than that enjoyed by tech-thralls, whose cranial-surgery implants are often crude at best, damaging as much as they control.

These are the Forge World resin variety to which i removed the Chain Bayonets, and I have a box of six plastic Thallax to get on with too. This gives me a choice of smaller troop choice Automata for the Tahgmata.

Cheers, Siph (6pts)

Mechanicum - Ursarax Tech Thralls #2

Hello Readers, thanks for dropping by. GW says "Ursarax tech-thralls are formidable, even monstrous, killing engines. Like the Thallaxii from which they were derived, these war-cyborgs are converted from suitable human candidates, their living components retaining a dim, tortured consciousness that provides them with superior tactical abilities and the instincts to kill. Jetting into close combat, the Ursaraxii tear apart steel and flesh alike, seeking the temporary relief of the automated neural anaesthesia that is administered for fulfilling their orders."

This is the second squad of these I have, the first painted in 2017 so these were painted to match, updating the former squad groin, thigh armour plates which I had missed. Plus jump pack vent exhausts and turbine glow.

The nice Volkite Incinerator built in the chest was picked out with a fiery orange glow

These all have Lightning Claws and pair up nicely with the first three armed with Power Fists and a Claw. Six in a squad will be a lot more survivable now and form a nice fast attack choice.

Cheers, Siph (6pts)

WeeMen at the Beachhead 2025 Titan Walk in Bournemouth

Hello all,

Titan Owners Club were invited to Beachhead 2025 for the 4th year running and gladly put on a demonstration game where we conduct a Titan Walk and interact with the public answering any questions they have about Titan ownership and making and painting and playing.

A selection of the Princeps playing this weekend

Titan line-up

Legio Astorum

Legio Astraman

A Psi Titan and Legio Crucius

Legio Astorum

Aeldari Titans

Another Psi Titan

Legio Ignatum

Legio Vulcanum

Legio Mortis

Legio Solaria

Legio Vulturum

Day 1 - Battle Photos

Day 2 - Battle photos

This Knight Lancer felled a Reaver Titan!

The Knight Cerastus Lancers form a vanguard to protect the God Engines

Another fabulous weekend of good gaming, great company and meals out. Lord H and myself both had an excellent weekend. I got another 7 titan kills for my Legio tally, a fair harvest.

Cheers, Siph