Starting off with Craftworlds I knew I wanted some rangers. I was put off by the single sculpt squad, especially since its only available in finecast, so needed to work out an alternative that would fit my idea of rangers better. I’ve always felt that Rangers should be a bit more exodite like, with a more exotic and less uniform look.
What I came up with came from a combination of Shadow Warriors from the AoS range, Guardians and some Drukhari weapons…
As you can see I used the guardian legs, arms, heads and Shuriken base, the Shadow Warrior torso and Dark Lance barrels.
The other five worked with the same base combo but I used unhelmeted heads and Heat Lance barrels.
I plan on working on some more using something other than the Shadow Warriors, likely the Wildwood Rangers and yet more different gun barrels.
Cyber Arachnids, Grapple Guns, Heavy Stubbers and more for these elite gangers. A new leader ushers in a new high-tech killteam, equipped to the nines and ready to take on the underhive. As with all my Van Saar I’m going for an energy weapon based force, no solid slugs or gun that fires them, no cc weapons other than energy shields and power weapons. This has offered up the oppertunity for some cool conversions, particularly the ‘heavy stubber’ for this force. But first lets take a look at the creepy pets that have appeared…
A combination of an Eldar component, not actually certain from which kit(let me know if you recognise it), some Forge World servo skulls and Sicarian Ruststalker hands, with each finger cut into a single peice, for legs. Thanks Hendybadger for the idea.
These were quite an easy simple conversion, just with hard to find components. Just making these 2 took up all the hands in the Sicarian kit, luckily I’ve got plenty of uses for the other bits.
Next up is a new leader for the gang, Tor Gellion now demoted to a Champion. This new leader is outfitted a little differently but still sticking to the Las/Plas theme I’m going for with the gang. Introducing Ortrex Gellion…
Featuring a Combi Plas, Power Sword and Energy Shield in the weapons department and a grav shute and scope for gear. This guy is an ideal build for me, no idea if it will work but I’m sticking to it.
The Combi-plas is from one of the Forge World weapons packs, I cut it off the hand it was supplied with to create the pose I wanted with an arm from the plastic kit. The sword is from the Admech Sicarian kit, cut off and attached to a close combat arm. The back back is made up of the top half of an Admech Skirtarii back pack, also where the ‘scope’ drone came from, and the grav chuite vanes from the Primaris Reiver kit.
I’ve made up a group of similarly outfitted gangers to go alongside him, each equipped with a selection of gear. Let’s take a look at the grapple guns…
At a glance they look like a very good option for Van Saar to make up for thier movement shortfall. I made these from the Van Saar combi melta, with the melta and las barrels removed, and the hooks from the Primaris Reiver grapple guns. I was planning on just swapping in the whole of the Reiver grapple gun, but the scale was way off…
Next up was a couple of gangers similarly outfitted…
Another long las for the squad, which I’ve gone for over the long rifle mainly because it is las, but also plentiful on a sniper is nothing to be shirked at. This was made from a thin peice of brass rod, I think about 1mm although it could have been smaller. This was drilled into the gun and the barrel. I’m still searching for a good scope to be added to these, as the ones I’ve pulled from my bits box just don’t look right.
I also threw together a melta gunner as the melta ability is crazy, especially combined with it’s high strength of 8, mega AP of -4, and 3 damage!
To finish off I needed some heavy fire support…
I really wanted a heavy stubber for my Van Saar to complete my heavy weapons choices(I’ve built a Lascannon and Plasmagun, and have a Multimelta and Radcannon on the way), but it goes against the theme, then inspiration struck, I could build a multi-laser to stand in for it! Luckily I had one in my bits box, from the Valkyrie kit, and set to modding the heavy weapon frame to accomodate it. I love how it looks and think it makes a nice proxy to keep the theme.
That’s all the building of the Van Saar done for now, next up I’m looking at some hangers-on. Rogue docs and ammo-jacks here I come!
It’s time to introduce to new additions to my Underhive collection, the new hotness on Necromunda, a pair of Luther Pattern Excavation Automata or Ambots…
I chose to make some modifications straight off the bat, to personolise them a little bit. Nothing major, just a bit of a kitbash. The first, to join my Van Saar gang, I added some antennae and some ‘fins’ to the back to enhance the bug-like look and add a technological look to it. Here’s a better look at it…
The other I wanted to create a little story for, a modified bot used by a wandering tech hunter. Used for defense but mainly for excavation, heavy lifting and of course as something of a pack horse. Now I’ll have to work on this wanderer to go with him. Here’sa closer look at this one…
It might be a while before I actually get them on the table, but they’re spurring on loads of ideas for ‘other’ models to make.
I’ve decided to post a wee gallery at the end of each month to show a roundup of the hobby prohjects I’ve completed in that time. This is so people will be able to get a look at everything in one place, but also to give me an idea of what I’m getting through. I’m also looking to try at least one new hobby method each month, such as the icicles I tried this month, to add to my hobby skills and hopefully this will encourage me a bit more.
So without further ado, here’s what I’ve done this month…
Gideon Lorr is finished, kind of. There’s still a few bits and bobs I’d like to add to him, but I’m away for the next two weeks so it will have to wait until I’m back :). Here’s how he looks…
Still buzzing with Inquisitorial enthusiasm so cracking on with Gideon Lorr. I head off for Italy for 2 weeks at the end of the week so I would very much like to get him and his servo skulls finished by then. Here’s how they are looking at the moment:
After cracking through the Inquisitor commission, and the Eisenhorn/Ravenor books I’ve still got the bug for painting up a few more of these bad boys 🙂
Since I won’t be using them in games I decided to work towards something that I could sell on, once they are done, so went with the current cheese of an Inquisitor and 3 servo skulls!
Gideon Lorr is one of those models I’ve always loved, even if he is just a slightly different sculpt to the witchhunter I’ve just finished, so decided he would be a good place to start 🙂
DeathWatch Studios 