From DallasE: Full Stride to the Finish Line! (100 points)

Well, here we are at the end of another Challenge, and I thought I'd save a Big One for the free-fire zone, just for fun. So here it is - Canis Negris, a 40K-scale Warhound Titan of Legio Krytos.

This is another 3D printed model I got from the same chap who printed me Apostolus Tenebris, the Reaver Titan I painted earlier in the Challenge. The Warhound is an awesome model too, and also adheres pretty stringently to the "Codex Look" of Warhammer 40K Titans. Sometimes it's better to do as the great Harry Flashman was advised once upon a time: "lick up the honey, stranger, and ask no questions."

Anyway, the Warhound was quite a bit less fiddly to assemble than the Reaver. One thing I did, though, was to grind down the neck somewhat as it stood too proud of the carapace as cast. I like the hunchback look of Titans and a sticky-out neck is not for me. Of course the weapons look grand, don't they? Turbo-laser Destructor and Plasma Blastgun for the win. There's also a Vulcan Mega-Bolter that will make an appearance farther down the page.

One of the shinguard armour plates has some wonderful cast-on detail which I customized to my own build.

Plasma Blastgun!

Rear view of the Warhound. Some nice cast-in aquila detail on the panels. 

Vulcan Mega-Bolter taking the place of the Turbo-laser.

Standing beside the Reaver.

As for scoring... I reckon at least 80 points is fair for this monster, and I'll take 20 as a bonus for the "Books" studio. I haven't read a ton of Warhammer 40K novels (many of them are dreck and merely "bolter porn") but I LOVE the work of Dan Abnett, his Eisenhorn and Ravenor books are fantastic, and "Horus Rising" (the first book in the Horus Heresy series of 400+ novels) is sublime. But one of my all-time favourites of his is "Titanicus", a novel about engine (Titan) combat in the 41st millennium. It goes into great detail about how the god-machines work with their "mind-impulse units", sarcophagi full of amniotic goo, etc. but doesn't forget the PBI either. The descriptions of Titans from an infantryman's point of view are awesome, and all the details he includes about the Chaos titans and their sirens wailing scrapcode just bring so much life to the setting. Great book and one I would LOVE to see made into a movie.  

So that's it for me for this Challenge, I'll shout out my thanks to the Minions (and especially my Minion, MartinC) and especially to our hosts Mr. Curt and Lady Sarah for putting this whole thing together.

See you at the wind-up!

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Oh man, this is fabulous, Dallas. The Warhound is by far my most favourite Titan design. I've always admired the implied menace of it's stooped, lupine silhouette it's powerful dog's legs and formidable weapons. So cool. The green and cream livery is excellent, and ties in nicely with its sister Reaver. I'm also totally with you on Abnett's 'Titanicus'  -  it would make an amazing movie.

You've had a great Challenge Dallas! Thank you for showing us your winter's efforts of wonderful miniatures. I hope you'll join us for the next edition of the Challenge.

- Curt