28 MM Reaver - Legio Mortis' Rex Submersi (and a note on the Signum Nobilis)

 After I finished the 28 MM Warhound, I found myself wanting to do another titan, another long, detailed project that would push me to learn new modeling and painting techniques.  The Warlord had just been released, and Forge World was still dealing only in British Pounds, but even with a good exchange rate, the Warlord was very hard to justify!  Maybe one of these days....

But I was (eventually) able to talk myself into buying a Reaver.  The Reaver kit, for those of you who have never worked with one, is fantastic.  I actually found it a much easier and more manageable build than the Warhound.  I am certain some of that was the experience I had gained from the Warhound, but it was also about how the Reaver stands vs. the Warhound, how the weight of the upper carapace balances, and how in general the parts fit each other.  Anyway, here she is:

Some Secutarii (and a teeny bit of a knight) for scale

I like the way the red color turned out on this model.

I'm happy with the way the eagle and banner on the carapace turned out.

Some of the alternate weapons.  Is that a vortex missile in your pocket?

Detail on one of the knees

I went ...er... a little nuts on the kill markers on the volcano cannon

I promise I painted the interior as well, at some point if there is interest I'll hunt those photos down (or take new ones) and post them.

The happy 28mm family!  with some Secutarii...

Banner obverse (or can I only use that word for coins?)

Banner reverse

I had a friend of mine who is a master with photoshop help me with the banner.  I found some appropriate graphics, but he was able to put everything together in photoshop.  If anyone is interested, I still have the files, which could serve as a jumping off point for your own banner.  Let me know and I would be happy to share the files with you.

The one thing about the banner as it currently stands is that the signum nobilis is wrong.  The signum nobilis is the part of the banner that indicates the titan's maniple or battlegroup and the titan's place in that battlegroup.  At the time, I don't think the words "signum nobilis" had been used by GW.  When you look at older banners from GW, they get it wrong too.  I've circled the signum nobilis from an older HH book here:

Here is a newer version, from one of the Adeptus Titanicus books:

Different symbols are used for different titans.  The symbols above are the "standard" if one can be said to exist.  The crossed axes is a warlord - the black color of the axes means that this is the Warlord's banner that we are looking at.  The single axes are two Reavers, and the funky shape that looks like a table are the Warhounds.  This is most likely an Axiom maniple with the Warlord acting as the Princeps Primaris.

I love these banners, the intricacy and symbolism of them.  Here are a few more, again with their signum nobilis (nobiles?) circled.  I think the Imperial Hunters is showing an Axiom Maniple and the Godbreakers are showing a Venator maniple with the Reaver leading.

The Gryphonicus banner is showing a larger battlegroup (maniples are limited at five titans, I believe).  I think the makeup of the Gryphonicus battlegroup is:

• 1 Warlord
• 4 Reavers
• 3 Warhounds

You can make a lot of different maniples with that combination!

I'm guessing a little more with the Infernus banner but assuming the central flame is not symbolic of a titan, it looks like they might be running two Reavers and three Warhounds, possibly a Ferrox or Janissary Maniple.

At some point in the near future I may do another 28mm Titan, but for now, I'm quite happy to continue working on my Adeptus Titanicus scale warlord for my Central American inspired battlegroup tentatively named the Legio Solis.  Cognomen - the Sun Killers.

Once again, this cat was exceptionally well-behaved.