This year, I participated in the #Dreadtober challenge - paint a Dreadnought model (defined as something with legs whose base is 60mm or larger) for Warhammer. Many people participate and they paint all kinds of things - traditional Dreadnoughts, but also Knights and other walkers.
My Adepta Sororitas army is mechanized and every squad has its transport ... except the Machaenix Canonical and the mechanics! I wanted to build a unique model; a recovery vehicle with a crane to pull damaged vehicles, but also manipulative arms and tools, as well as a space where tools could be kept and various repairs and fabrication made.
I started with the Mortian Medium Crawler and added the manipulative claw turrets to it. I didn't choose a main weapon (because I wanted to count this as a RH1N0) and instead bought a crane (which I didn't end up using). My original idea was to use the Mortian set fairly unmodified, but then I saw the Genestealer Cults Goliath Truck - it had a great civilian industrial look, and would merge well with the crawler. I also found the Galvanic Servohaulers kit and that was also civilian industrial. So, a few eBay purchases later and I started assembly.
I sliced the base of the Crawler up so I could insert spacers to expand it out, and used the "cowcatcher" from one the servohaulers in the front.
The manipulative claws were attached into the wheel spaces on the cowcatcher.
I attached the Goliath assembly to the model, adding in a Servohauler engine to fill in a space I'd cut out - this gave it the broken symetry that is good for 40K. I then started to assemble the big crane, figuring out where it might go. Some trimming - a little over enthusiastic, because I had to rebuild it later! - allowed me to use the side of the original crawler.
Some vague posing, to see how it all might go together. There are many manipulative arms, which I like for a 40K salvage vehicle.
The legs! So many pieces, each needing cleaning up. The Mortian kits are very nice and well-cast, and the resin seems good and solid.
The legs were assembled and added on ... but there was still a need for a rear section!
I used the two halves of the last Servohauler (mounted upsidedown) to make the sides of a sort of "rear bay". I was inspired by various maintenance trucks I saw, which have a rear bay flanked by lockers containing tools etc. I used the Goliath side pieces to detail the interior. Finally, I added some small columns to support the crane turntable.
The final detail (other than minor additions like hooks and weapons and do-dads) was to add in a pair of supporting legs which could be deployed when the crane was static, similar to many real-world cranes and so forth. They have wheels to move them, but when they are lifting things they deploy big outriggers to stabilize it. I built the one on the left side using pieces of threaded rod so it looked like it might be able to move outwards, because the turntable was offset and so the center of gravity was too.
Now on to painting!
The initial scheme was all done with spraycans - I gave it a nice undercoat of rust-red primer and then lay down a nice but uneven gunmetal. Then, bright red (concentrating on the bits I wanted to end up red) and then some basic masking and gunmetal. The result was a patchy, rusty metal and a nice bright red that (because it was over a smooth gunmetal) tended to rub off the high point when I touched it :)
I then started with the legs, picking out joints with different metallics and using a gold paint pen to do the trim (those things are great - super easy to use and a good effect). Then, I used a wash made up of Lahmian Medium, black poster paint and brown woodstain over everything. I rubbed a lot of it off with a tissue, leaving it in the recesses. I really like that wash - it is a great way of quickly adding industrial grease.
The red got cleaned up with some highlights and Contrast red, giving a really bright color. I started with transfers, sealing them in, and started on with details . . .
I knew I wanted crew, so I got some Reaper mechanic / scientist figures. A quick paint job - they are going to be hidden in the rear bay and won't be clearly seen (full disclosure - you can't seem hardly at all!) - and they were good to go.
The big crane was undercoated yellow and then given a basic paint job of flat colors . . .
. . . and then a wash of the industrial grime.
The rear details - they look great! And you won't be able to see them at all!
I bought a couple of other Reaper figures to be crew - very Steampunk, but I love it. I cut one down to convert her to fit in a hatch, and converted the other with a big bionic arm so she could be pressing a button.
And then . . . final assembly!
I really like the girl in the purple.
You can barely see anything in the rear bay under the crane.
"They're after me Lucky Charms!"
These are the squad of mechanics (which I painted ages ago) this model is the transport for.
And that's that! A big and crazy project, but I finished it in time and I am really pleased with it. Quite unlike anything else I've done, but I do love it!
Let me know what you think!
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