Reaver Titan (Legio Gryphonicus): Reaver Legs and Base

So after mindlessly assembling Eldar for a few weeks I got hold of myself again and thought abut what I wanted to do next. technically from a while back, my plan was to do a regular 40K project then to do one of my FW large models. I had just finished the Space Wolf project, then jumped into the Gothic stuff which did not meet the terms of the original plan. So in order to refocus myself I have decided to start work on the Reaver titan while I still remember roughly how I painted the Warhound.

I will also need a a name for this titan model too. So far it's waist is at the top of the Warhound in terms of height. While the price tag is scary enough, just the sheer size of this thing is at the limit that I am willing to have. A warlord is definitely out of the question...unless I built my own. Which will never happen.

Anyway below are shots of the Reaver's legs and base.

The various pistons on the Reavers legs and hips are a rather tedious part of the build. I will caution you, if you are planning on assembling one yourself, that you attach the waist pistons as you glue the waist together. It is a pain to get them in there later.

I did the toe pistons one at a time, initially only gluing them to the toe socket by having them in place as the glue dried. the back leg was difficult as it is in the process of stepping and required some bracing to keep the feet and toes in their proper places.

The shin armour assembly recommended that you glue the supports into place as you glue the armour into place. I did not do this, then found the armour support brackets did not line up with their attachment points on the lower part of the legs. However I solved this with a cup of hot, microwaved water.

Caution: Heating water in the microwave can be dangerous as water in a clean, featureless container can super-heat without boiling, and then simultaneously boil once it is disturbed. This translates roughly into it being possible for water heated in a microwave to superheat and erupt out of the cup when you pick it up. Look at your water as it heats up. If you see it boil you should be find. As a precaution a wooden splint can serve as a nucleation point for the boiling bubbles to form, so place one in the water be fore you heat it up in the microwave.

Anyway by immersing both armour pieces together and letting them heat up, they both become quite flexible. You can then place them on their attachment points and adjust their shapes to better conform to where they will be placed. Note that it important to fit both halves of the armour at the same time. they need to line up properly at the front of the leg and this is best achieved with both sides being fitted at the same time.

And so it begins...

The base was made with a hard board circle from a cable roll and part of a grid from a fluorescent light. I originally was going to do a full grid using an insect screen but opted instead for panels of plasticard to fill it in. Since the Reaver is taking a step forward I made the base a stepped two level. The addition of random techie bits fills in the base and brings it in line with the Warhound's base.

A shot just to show the scale of this model.

Placing the feet and determining how the toes will be positioned.