Shadow of the Colossus

THE PETRUSHKA DREADNOUGHT-ROBOT STRIDES INTO BATTLE

Something special this week - the Russian Coalition have a new reinforcements in the form of the immense Petrushka Dreadnought-Robot, my stand-in for the Svarog Battle Robot. Even larger in the stature than the Hochmeister Dreadnought-Robot and carrying some ridiculous weaponry, this monster should bring the Russian Coalition back into contention for the ongoing arms race.

The Petrushka is based on the Thanatar Siege-Automata from Forgeworld, and I did not change much of it at all! A few symbols were removed, some servo-skulls replaced and the legs sawn off so he could stride through the ocean, which was made with Green Stuff and Polyfilla. 

I chose this model because I wanted something big, crude and brutal - the Robot I wanted for the Russian Coalition rather than the more... ornate Svarog-class. My initial experiment, the Arktica Ice Breaker, was great, but far too small, and I continued my search across several different companies. Eventually I settled on the Forgeworld Thanatar, as it had everything I wanted, with very little need for conversion.  

While the conversion was fairly quick, the painting took a great deal longer - over fifteen hours, which for me is an absolute lifetime. The scheme follows the standard grey of the Russian fleet, with brass, bronze and rusted metal. The wrist-mounted cannons were highlighted close to white to match the turrets of the other naval vessels, and a pair of lenses add some colour to the beast. 

Onto the pictures and my own home-grown narrative...

The Petrushka is a product of Markov's Circle "collaborating" with Aksyonov House, specialists in automation and robotics and designers of the Arktica-class Ice Breaker Robot. First created as a maquette for the development of the Svarog-class Battle Robot, the Petrushka was initially just a skeletal frame, a puppet to experiment with different drive-motors, articulation and weapon mounting.

Following their breakthroughs and the approval for the final design of the Svarog, their "test model" was doomed to be ripped apart for scrap. Old, worn and already obsolete, few saw use for the immense construct - few but for the scattered collection of the now near-disavowed and near-destitute Aksyonov House. Garnering the support of a few noble families and attracting the attention of the Tsar himself, they hoped to use this last, grand project to make themselves relevant once more.

Intrigued by an alternative to the mighty Svarog and against the wishes of his chief scientist Markov, the Tsar authorised the development and armament of Petrushka. Using this ready-made chassis to construct a Battle Robot would save a huge amount of money and resources, he reasoned, and he was also keen to see what scientists free from Markov's tyrannical grip and stifling jealousy could achieve.

In a few short months, they presented their colossal war engine to an assembly of generals and nobles. Clad in layers of armour plating, armed with some of the most powerful guns the world had seen and ready to tear apart the enemy war machines with powerful claws, it was a brutal sight. Inelegant but unstoppable, this grand juggernaut stood in contrast to the equally powerful but far more ornate Svarog, a blunt instrument ready to crush all before it.

The Tsar was impressed and amused, and ordered the war machine to the West, against the Prussian forces that had vexed them for so long. Markov was furious, and immediately had his agents apprehend the scientists of Aksyonov House. They had mocked him with their temerity and their grotesque invention, and he would take the secrets of its fusion reactor, its belt-fed cannon, and the Sturginium-powered Bombard for his own.

Petrushka marched to war, a unique weapon of war that would never be replicated. Its impact on the World War would be staggering, yet none of the men and women who oversaw its creation would witness their success

The wrist-mounted cannon is several times larger than the turrets of a White Navy Battleship, capable of obliterating a small vessel with a single tank-sized round

An incredible feed system keeps the wrist-mounted cannon firing - a true wonder in an age where belt-fed gunnery is still in development

Significantly lower armour on the rear portions of the engine reveal potential weaknesses

Rending claws prepared to eviscerate enemy Battle Robots and naval vessels

The immense Sturginium-powered Bombard mounted on the shoulders of the Petrushka is a wonder of technology, truly irreplaceable after Markov's thugs beat the inventor to death, prying for the secrets of its design. Only the massive fusion generator at the heart of the Petrushka has the power to fuel such a weapon

Radiation and effluent from the Sturginium-powered Bombard stains the brass and pollutes the ocean around it

The immense war machine uses a number of lenses, mirrors and spy-holes to give the crew maximum visibility without compromising their safety or the armour of the Robot

The Hochmeister-class Dreadnought-Robot prepares to defend itself

It will have to be quick and strike true to slow the beast

Though shorter, the Petrushka is nonetheless significantly bigger than the Prussian Robot

Black Wolf Mercenaries struggle against the monstrous Battle Robot

The mighty Asgard-class Fleet Carrier suffers the attentions of Petrushka

Danish vessels realise at their peril they are far too close

Donner Squadron moves to assist the beleaguered Havel-class Light Carrier

Escorted by the Pevek Cruiser Squadron, the Petrushka marches to battle

Even the mighty Moskva-class Dreadnought looks small compared to the war engine

The Petrushka, ready for war

Already weathered and beaten from exhaustive testing, the beast is finally ready to join the World War

Side by side, the Dreadnought-Robots dominate everything else in the theatre

Thanks for reading, 

George