Blackadder's Lucius Pattern Reaver

[Blackadder]

Blackadder's Lucius Pattern Reaver

Yes before anyone quips that I am crazy (but in a good way) let me acknowledge the fact.

Anyway I have been posed the problem of designing (And building) armour for a FW Mars Pattern Reaver à la mode Lucius Pattern. And before you ask, "No I don't do commissions!" however if anyone is inclined to follow along with this thread and build their own armour components they are welcome and I will answer any questions as we proceed.

Let me begin by stating that the Reaver is my second least favorite titan I see no need for it.

My biggest fault with the Lucius pattern attempts at the Reaver is trying to duplicate the contours of the Mars Pattern with slabs of plasticard. This gives the titan a sloped shoulder hunchbacked appearance that connotes weakness to my jaundiced eye. I intend to remodel the armour in a Lucius vein much as the Lucius Warhound carapace completely departs from the Mars Pattern carapace.

The first order of business is to design a new helmet shape for the FW Reaver cockpit. I think the head of the titans should be reminiscent of each other and sort of morph in shape from Warhound to Reaver to Warlord; evolve if you will.

So my design will be that middle ground and be domed, not the flattish pancake head of the FW model:

[url]http://i.imgur.com/Eacq2bP.jpg[/url]


There will be a short snouted appearance reminiscent of the Warhound not apparent in the front view

[Fizzybubela]

I'll be looking forward to seeing the subsequent updates of this thread.

[Blackadder]

Thanks,

Reaver Carapace Renovation

Really bad concept art Blackadder but it does convey the intent.....
[url]http://i.imgur.com/309WL5P.jpg[/url]


We've all seen them; beautifully rendered scratchbuilt Lucius Pattern Reavers that faithfully mimic the arms and armament of the Mars product but somehow they leave me cold. That trapezoidal carapace design, the hexagonal Apoc Rocket Pod (shades of the Armorcast original) and reminding me of that Surinam toad (No I won't include pictures of that again you can google it if you have the stomach....... :P )

I propose (represented in my pitiful sketches above) an Apoc 10 rocket battery on either side of the main carapace that pop up as required and snap down to give a clean front/side view of the side armour

Chest and back armour roughly angular in shape but the side carapaces jutting at slightly less than 90° to the perpendicular.

Naturally all the leg and waist armour will be angular copies of the Mars original and interchangeable with the FW original pieces and held in place with magnets so in effect there will be two; a Lucius and a Mars for the price of one.

Priceless!

[Tyrendian]

"This is madness" - "Madness? . . . THIS IS Blackadder!!!! *blam* Heresy!"

sooo looking forward to seeing this evolve!

[Blackadder]

Fitting the Torso Front to the Main Torso

I should have my head examined for taking this on but I couldn't resist trying to retrofit a Lucius Pattern armour scheme to an actual Reaver.

First I must fit the parts together so my modifications will fit when the model is assembled.

I want all the Lucius armour parts to be interchangeable with the original Mars armour and all the fasteners hidden so daunting as this task may be, its worth a go.

Below are the crude tools needed to shape the rough sections so they will interlock tightly, What is amazing to me is the precision fit of this model's castings.

[url]http://i.imgur.com/hvC6xGI.jpg[/url]


Simply cutting and filing the flash and rough interstices allow the parts to interlock with a close tolerance.

[url]http://i.imgur.com/Zk5Rg7t.jpg[/url]


Flipping the hull upside down show the good fit achieved without need for glue or reinforcement. Magnets may be all that is required to keep this assembly together.

[url]http://i.imgur.com/miBx3lD.jpg[/url]


The lower breast plate armour will be the first piece to fabricate. Here you see the Mars armour in place and ready to be duplicated in styrene.

[url]http://i.imgur.com/9XidlOr.jpg[/url]

[Blackadder]

Breast Plate Armour

The problem is to achieve the angularity of the Lucius armour without bulking up the rounded Mars panels. I have chosen to represent the Mars armour rather than cover it in styrene.

This will give a leaner look to the finished model. That and the innovations I shall be implementing will hopefully make for a unique Reaver style that is more battle-worthy in design.

[url]http://i.imgur.com/KXfkGa1.jpg[/url]

[Blackadder]

Reaver Head Mental Block:

I've reached an impasse coming up with an original design for the Reaver head. I don't want to copy the FW style Mars flattened pancake as a Lucius angular flattened pancake but rather a midway creation somewhere between the Warhound and Warlord.

Below is what I have come up with given the space allowed under the carapace which is a limiting factor height wise.

[url]http://i.imgur.com/9Prp2Is.jpg[/url]


[url]http://i.imgur.com/J9fzmGe.jpg[/url]


This design will have a four pane wrap around windscreen which although completely useless as in the Warhound and Walord, the two Moderati sitting much to low to see anything but sky through the glazing it does anthropomorphize the cockpit visage.

- - - Updated - - -

Reaver Head Mental Block:

I've reached an impasse coming up with an original design for the Reaver head. I don't want to copy the FW style Mars flattened pancake as a Lucius angular flattened pancake but rather a midway creation somewhere between the Warhound and Warlord.

Below is what I have come up with given the space allowed under the carapace which is a limiting factor height wise.

http://i.imgur.com/9Prp2Is.jpg


http://i.imgur.com/J9fzmGe.jpg


This design will have a four pane wrap around windscreen which although completely useless as in the Warhound and Walord, the two Moderati sitting much to low to see anything but sky through the glazing it does anthropomorphize the cockpit visage.

[Blackadder]

Cab-over Pete With a Reaver On:

To paraphrase the old song 'Convoy'.............

(Ah like both kinds'a music, Country an' Western.)

Remember CB radios; did that fad fade out or what?

I keep looking at this cockpit hence the cab-over reference and find it hard to reconcile how far the mug extended beyond the main body of the Reaver

[url]http://i.imgur.com/Snx79Gc.jpg[/url]


Although my front extends only 6-7 MM further than the original Mars Pattern it's just not looking right to me. I'm almost tempted to scrap the Mars head a build a full Lucius cockpit assembly with a shorter neck.

[url]http://i.imgur.com/2nGXhss.jpg[/url]


This flash image of the front elevation looks reminiscent of something but I can't quite figure what?

[url]http://i.imgur.com/MhAmf8v.jpg[/url]


Once I extend the rear of the hood I shall be better able to determine how to proceed with the rest of the cockpit...........

[url]http://i.imgur.com/4wRm3to.jpg[/url]

[dwez]

The head reminds me of this:

[Blackadder]

Yeah I guess but having never seen that image before I don't think mine will look like that helmet when finished.