Centurion Mecha

[mangozac]

Hi all,

Well I recently embarked on a new project: finally back to 28mm scale and this time the subject is a bipedal mecha I've dubbed a Centurion. Yes, it does seem like a certain GW concept but this is my interpretation of a "Romanesque mecha"

I started of by doing a lot of pictorial research, particularly at the details of Warmachine Warjacks. WIP shots of the various models at was also a massive inspiration in working out mechanical layout. Nobody tells you and I should have known from my SAW project that the biggest trick to doing a mecha is ensuring that poseability is going to work.

So here I have some pictures of the progress on the leg design. Other than the thigh and lower leg armour all of the parts will be identical for each leg - only the armour plates will have the mirrored details. As it stands each leg will have 10 parts, although I might add one more as further detail. Yes, the lower leg armour plate is currently a card stand in.

Hip joints will probably be ellipsoid spheres ("smartie" shape). I've not got any real plans for the torso yet, but the weapons will be mounted to the torso via very short piston type couplings rather than arms.

As you can see, I haven't yet started any detailing - there are pencil lines for proposed armour banding around the edges of the thigh armour. Rest assured by the time I'm finished there will be plenty of details

Enjoy!

[blind pig]

[mangozac]

[Barn]

[Vaaish]

Now I know why you dropped off the planet It's a pretty nice start, but do you have any pics of where you are going? I'm a little curious about it after seeing the foot.

[Barn]

Also, how high is the leg, and the total height expected to be?

[Arkangel]

And so it begins

[mangozac]

Vaaish: Sorry but I'm winging it again. I know I shouldn't but I am
Like I said, I'm drawing inspiration from a lot of sources, but none directly enough that I can use to say "this is what it will look like". Perhaps when it's time to start on the Torso I'll do something, but I find my drawing skills to be so lacking that these days I just mock up forms in clay.

Barn: The leg will be between 3-4 inches tall depending on the pose. Overall height will be less than 7 inches.

[Munkey Joe]

Zac... Im on the edge of my seat with this..... Its Tanks and Titans Im all about and brother this "mecha" is close enough to keep me subscribed.... I will watch with interest.

[mangozac]

Well I've been making some slow progress this week. I've begun work detailing the front "toe", although there's still a bit more to do:

Centurion_WIP_9.jpg (13.56 KiB) Viewed 44349 times

After the last shots I took I also decided that the foot itself was far too small and weedy looking compared to the rest of the leg once armoured up, so I've begun work on a large armour plate to cover much of the foot:

Centurion_WIP_10.jpg (17.72 KiB) Viewed 44349 times

It still obviously needs a lot of work.


Something I've been agonising over since early in the project was the symbology to place over the mecha. I feel that it's the little skulls and eagles over GW designs that give them that extra level of interest and I wanted to do the same here. Of course, I won't be using the same symbols here so I set about coming up with my own. I wanted something fairly symmetrical and reminiscent of ancient Roman/Greek/Spartan aesthetics.

Doing some research I ran across which reminded me that Sparta used uppercase lambdas on their shields. So I ended up sketching up the following in inkscape: a lambda surrounded by a wreath:

Centurion_logo.jpg (22.74 KiB) Viewed 44349 times

What do we think?

[Munkey Joe]

i like it. I think the extra armor is good ALTHOUGH I have noticed that with Mechas (FW/GW aside) they DO seem to have these spindly feet/ankles for the legs. Its very Japanamation eske and not entirely out of place. Maybe a shield that can be added or removed at will??


OH and the Lambda and wreath... Im digging that. fits grimdark well yet far enough from it.

[mangozac]

So are you saying that spindly is good or bad? GW/FW seem to do spindly covered with big armour plates. Remember there will be a thigh armour plate that wraps around the lower leg - I'll be making that up next

[geomod]

[Munkey Joe]

Both???

LOL. I like the FW/GW armored legs.

They are beefy and nice with a armour plate to protect.

now with the Japanamation mechas....


they seem to have slimmer ankles/feet

I kinda relate it to the foot binding and sandals that are popular in China and Japan with the foot/ankle area being bound to shrink the footprint (pun intended) OR to elongate the foot/ankle region with platforms for a more unstable platform. kinda like High heels...




and we both know GW likes the spindly little legs on the anime mechas they make

now I think BOTH fit and are nice in their own respects, but one does not appeal to everyone entirely. so if you make the plates removable......it appeals to both and makes it more versitile for the masses.....

[mangozac]