It finally happened! Shadow dragged Drake himself, creator and co-owner of Titan Owners Club, into the hot seat. The two talk Titans, lore, the creation of TOC, and more. And of course the lovely Bone Garland comes up too. Let's take a look into the mind of the owner of Bone Garland, Sonet Malis, and Seething Hunter.
Shadow: I've wanted to get you in the crosshairs for an interview
for some time and many of the TOC members have awaited this. I asked myself
what the first question was going to be as you're both Titan owner and TOC
founder. The first thing that always comes to the fore is what inspired you to
create TOC?
Drake: Well, when I was a kid my Grandad got me hooked on military
aircraft. I would learn all about them: speed, service height, amount built of
each Mk. etc. We would buy a yearly edition of military aircraft registrations
and highlight what we have seen on the ground and what we have seen flying in
an air show. We would highlight them in this book and mark out yellow for on
the ground and green for flying.
We would buy a monthly copy of a military air magazine and read/update
the status of any military aircraft that have either been scrapped, suffered an
accident, or were transferred to a new address or squadron. We would go through
all of the old RAF squadron records and I could see the fate that befell
certain military aircraft in World War II: where it happened, pilot
information, stories, victories etc. It was amazing that all of this history
was available to me.
My Grandad was also the person who got me into models. I would
arrive at his house, run to his hobby shed (usually where he was) and
immediately open up his cupboard filled with Airfix kits to see what new boxes
he had purchased recently. He was often working on a model here or there. Only
the military stuff really interested me though. I would learn to paint with
him, order on how best to paint parts pre assembly, masking, etc., too.
I then after a few years found Warhammer (through an after school
club in Milton Keynes in Great Linford above an Art studio) and it was awesome.
So exciting watching people roll dice and screaming at their minis on a board.
I picked up RTB01 and the 10-man booster set too and began my journey. I used
to borrow games like Space Fleet and Adeptus Titanicus from a friend's older
brother who lived in Great Linford (also where I saw Space Crusade for the
first time). Adeptus Titanicus was awesome I thought, but never understood the
rules (I was so young and my parents didn't have enough time to teach me).
Then time went by and eventually I bought Titan Legions when it
first came out. I loved the Imperator Titan and the Warhounds. I managed to get
three Reavers too, but Warlords were difficult to come by at that point. Time
went by and I think I got in and out of the hobby four times (mainly because it
got stagnant and expensive). When I first saw Titans in 40k scale I was
impressed and did look to buy an Armorcast Titan or Tyranid creature, but was
too expensive. I then left the hobby again and got back into it just before the
Forge World Lucius came out. Now that was impressive. Certificated too!
"That's cool so they must keep a register of who owns what
Titans then!" . . . nope. Anyway, I left the hobby again, then got back
into it about 5-6 years ago. That's the point we founded Battle Bunnies, too.
Back then we were 40k-centric, before the Horus Heresy kicked off. We started
Battle Bunnies as a place to do our Narratives and Battle Reports for future
record. Then, one day I had enough money to buy some Engines. I purchased two
Warhounds (one for me, and one for my brother which is now back with me
currently). I loved seeing the certificate and thought to myself "I wonder
where the other thousands are". It always interested me.
Then my Brother bought half a Reaver for me as a Birthday present and
I had a Venatarii Maniple! Awesome. Still all three sat in boxes and I had no
rush to paint them, which irked me a lot. Then Heresy hit hard and we began to
become the Battle Bunnies you know today. All the while I had three hulking boxes of resin
sitting there waiting to be assembled and it looked as though it was going to
stay that way, then boom, the Warlord appeared on the scene.
At this point we had a great relationship with the Forge World
staff and we were very passionate about everything Forge World. So I sold a few
things, as well as all of my old 40k stuff, and purchased it the day it went on
general sale after not being fortunate to get one on pre-release days. I was
determined to do this Engine as soon as I could, as I did not want people
reading Battle Bunnies to think I was going to just leave such a fantastic God
of War unpainted. It deserved better than that.
At this point I was still under the impression that Forge World
should create a database of these items just like a Forge World would do in
30k/40k, but with that not in sight I thought why not do it myself. I have
basic GIS and CAD knowledge so could create maps, and I could create my own
content as I went with update posts etc. And so one day I created Titan Owners
Club.
Shadow: You sought to do a
task known of the Mechanicus in order to chronicle their stories? And though
the Warhounds and Reaver were bought first, you built and painted the Warlord
first. Why take on that challenge as your first Titan build?
Drake: There was a fantastic bit in Dan Abnett’s Titanicus where, during the invasion, a
division of Adepts had to scrutinize pict-captures and gun-cam footage of enemy
Titans to see if they could glean any information about the Engine's history,
etc. to help the Loyalists in the war. The information they obtained sounded
much like the information one might get if looking up an ancestor. It was
awesome to know these relics, which cannot be constructed in 40k, had these
millennia-old stories such as where certain scars were obtained, if it had been
salvaged from a previous conflict, or even what battlefields it marched on. In
a small way this is the same, or has the ability to be, which is great.
And yes, I decided to jump in with two feet. Funnily enough, I
think the Warlord was easier to assemble. I think the reason I did it first was
because being part of the Battle Bunnies, people knew I had it, so I had to put
the effort in to paint it. Thankfully blogs are a great help for this.
Quite the excellent work! Especially on a first ever Titan.
Shadow: It was a great
motivator then. The fluff certainly has a hold for you, even when your Battle
Bunnies work is set aside. Is that what inspired your Legio choice? You have a well-known
love of Mortis in spite of playing such a diehard Loyalist legion in 30k.
Drake: Well, Mortis was just a perfect Legio choice for me. I
collected Death Guard, known to march with Mortis in 40k after they plague
themselves up, so to me, this meant a slight history. Also my friend Paul Rudge,
who painted that great Leviathan Dreadnought, also painted the first Legio
Mortis Warlord (of which I followed his painting guide for.) In addition, my
second Legion was Iron Warriors, and anyone who listens to Angel Exterminatus
will know that they marched with Legio Mortis. Then the cherry on the cake was
when I was told that Legio Mortis was part of the Censure Fleet which went to
punish the Sorcerers at Prospero with the Vlka Fenryka! I just need them to march
with the Night Lords too now and I am set.
Shadow: You'll seek to tell
many a story with those engines. Have your Titans proven to be the terror and
story element you hoped for?
Drake: Well, Bone Garland
was just a board clearer. I actually stood there after his first game feeling
like I had just seen the scene in Independence Day where the Chrysler building
was destroyed for the first time.
BOOM!
Shadow: A moment of pride,
or shock?
Drake: More of a, "that is too insane; I can't believe what I
have just witnessed.” Vehicles flying, craters everywhere, tar pit units vaporized,
not a scratch of damage, and all void shields regenerated.
Shadow: Did it make you feel
like you were recreating Dan Abnett's works?
Drake: To a degree, yes. It was more akin to a Galaxy in Flames or Betrayer
with an Engine seeing humans as secondary objectives.
Shadow: Has playing using a
Titan changed your perception of them? And what is your favorite aspect of
being a Titan owner?
Drake: Well, I have only marched with a Warlord currently. I still have
yet to have a Walk with or against a Warhound or a Reaver Titan. So from a
Warlord's perspective it is like playing a game of Slapsies with a lightning
claw. It is no way near on the same level.
I would like to March against a Banner of Knights (Adeptus
Titanicus term for a formation of Knights) as well as against some other Titans
too. I am a collector foremost I would say nowadays, and hopefully this will
change to gamer again in the future, so my favourite part is the fact I have a
God of War painted and assembled overlooking my gaming table. It is beyond the
term "centerpiece;" it dominates your cabinets and displays.
Shadow: Imagining a whole
family of them painted up? And do you plan to add anything beyond what you
have, such as Secutarii or Knights of your own?
Drake: I am really happy with my two Warhounds, Reaver, and
Warlord, but I am really keen on a Nightgaunt, Subjugator, and Nemesis when
they come out. It's a shame though, because I want a selection of weapon
loadouts for Bone Garland, that it
would be a simple case of buying a second Warlord chassis to have two Warlords.
I also want a Secutarii Titan Guard contingent as well as two Banners of Knight
House Morbidia. The issue is I have to
wait for official schemes.
Shadow: And if they ever
create the Imperator?
Drake:
Well if they did, apparently "it would be one for the FW Costume
Department instead."
Shadow: You and I often talk
about the future of TOC and the immediate Titan releases. What do you hope to
see in the long term for Titans?
Drake: Well, I believe all Titans that will be done in Adeptus
Titanicus will be done in 28mm (apart from anything bigger than a
Warlord/Nemesis), so if that is the case, then I will be doing one of each in
28mm. The Secutarii are exciting too as your Legio can look great as an army
with support elements. I have 30 Secutarii in bags currently and hope to paint
them as soon as a scheme is realized.
Shadow: Speaking of Adeptus
Titanicus, how do you see that changing or enhancing Titan ownership at the
current scale? And will we see a mini Bone
Garland?
Drake: It can only get better. I do hope that the Adeptus Titanicus
rule book has an appendix which ports the rules to 28mm scale. I can also see
Warhammer World easily being able to support events at this new scale with
pretty much the same boards there currently with different scatter terrain. The
community at the Horus Heresy Weekender responded very well to the preview.
I will be doing a Demi Legio or War Maniple at 10mm scale. I will
be doing Legio Mortis and Knight House Morbidia as well as Bone Garland. I do hope that I can play it at 28mm scale too as the
rules worked so well at the event.
I think we will be adding a Battle Maniple page for Adeptus
Titanicus forces to be submitted [Referring
to the TOC blog].
Shadow: You mentioned your
grandfather earlier and how it influenced you and your way of looking at
modeling. Has Titan ownership lived up to those old memories?
Drake: Well I am no noob where it comes to Forge World models and
it is far more difficult, as you know, when it comes to assembling a resin
model compared to an Airfix kit (especially a bipedal one).
Shadow: We've seen how your
past has influenced the creation of TOC and even a bit of today. What do you
ultimately hope to get out of being a Titan owner in the future, especially as
you've got a long history in the hobby and seen it evolve?
Drake: Well, I just want to do the hobby justice. I want to be able
to play huge reenactments of gigantic battles of Horus Heresy history, and do
it all to a decent standard. Having Titans is a must for this in my opinion. I
do hope to be able to play large games of Adeptus Titanicus in 28mm scale too,
even if just parallel to a regular 40k game running underfoot.
Shadow: One last, always
interesting question. Any shoutouts, bellowing challenges, or advice?
Drake: Dry fit first and follow an image of a model you want to
pose your Titan like.
Shadow: Thank you for your
time. It was both an honor and a pleasure.
