Leviathan Crusader Stompa Build

So, at Adepticon this year, I attended Boota Town and was lucky enough to win a Leviathan Crusader.    Immediately, of course, I informed my compatriots that this Leviathan Crusader had no idea about what was about to happen to it!

I decided I wanted to actually build the model properly first so that all the articulation would work and possibly actually make it seem as if it had been properly looted.  So, here's a shot of it right after the initial build (note that not all of the plates were added):

By the looks of the thing, I think that, story-wise, this is a Grey Knights mini-titan of some kind which the Orks of WAAGH! Drillteef has captured and looted.

My initial additions were a bit weak.  The model is so huge that it's tough to get a grip on where to start.

So, I hemmed and hawed over the arms a bit and tightened them up a little.

While they needed some straightening out, I thought it was best that I move on to the body and do some re-balancing later when I got a better idea of what the whole model was going to look like.

Note that a simple basecoat during the build process can help tie the individual parts of a kitbash together. Sometimes the different colors can distract your eye and give you the wrong impression of balance or over-balance in a particular area.

I decided to do the Big Mek's crow's nest first and that gave me the confidence to move forward.

I was very conflicted about the skirt, however.  I was originally going to do a big howdah and put the Orks on that as well as a platform on the back.  After bouncing some ideas off the members of the Independent Characters Forums and the Freebootaz Forums, I decided to go with the kilt and use the back platform as simply a launch point.

Last night, in a flurry of building, I began to give the model depth and function.  It came together extremely quickly after these initial decisions were finally made.

The chain was a real pain in the ass, trying to loop it around and clip them together with individual links.  The best tip I can give is try to pick up clasps from a craft store.  It's worth the extra money.

Note that if this were anyone else doing this, they would choose a better material than plastic signs from Wal-Mart.

I was very happy with what I'd done.  Whenever you do a project like this, remember that the key is in the layering.  You want to make sure that you have parts partially covering other parts. It adds complexity to the model.  For me it was especially important due to the fact that I was using substandard plasticard; I had to make it appear as if the materials are thicker than they really are.

Also be aware of logical supports.  This lends to the believability of the model.  Note here the chain holding up long girders and in the next picture down, I have the bars facing in for the Big Shoota platform.  You can also see some supports in the crow's nest.

I immediately sat down to finish him when I got home today. I could think of naught else as I was driving through the rain in my little Toyota.

The big-ass shoulderpad is a little busy, but I don't care.  I think it's cool and I can actually put Orks hanging out on top of it if I want.

So, of course, I gave it a silver spray to tie it all together.  Here's the final product (be sure to click the images to see bigger versions):

So, I think the wife deserves a little us time tomorrow, but I'll start painting straight away on Thursday.  I'll be masking all the areas that will stay silver (within reason) and spraying the hull pieces in gradual layers of brown to yellow.  After that, I'll remove the masking and spray on a brown wash.  Then, after a quick dull coat to preserve the basecoat during my man-handling, the hand-painting will begin.  I hope to at least have the first washes done before the big Apocalypse game at my buddy's house this Saturday.

I may be adding some Grot Riggers and Ork gunners at a later date, but I must admit that I want nothing to do with painting actual Orks right now.   I will, for sure, be painting the Big Mek and having a cord running from his hand-control down to the Stompa itself.

I'll hopefully have something to show soon!