5888 replies to this topic

[Augustus b'Raass]

SO! These will be the last WIP shots, as I think the tank is finally finished. There's a couple of changes:
1. I already mentioned the extra leg trophy.
2. There's some chaos-like spiky banding added, which was a pain in the behind to figure out how to do them properly.
3. The biggest change is that I decided against the land raider like open tracks up front and 'fixed' it so it looks like the original build. This tank needs to appear like a beast, and the open tracks made it look too small. I think I'll redo the conversion on a future Night Lords Slaaneshi CC squad's Rhino.

Well that is just a beautiful machine

Thanks!

DITTO !!!!!

That is one big gun you have there. The torsos are going to look great painted up

Yeah the Sack 'o corpses are awesome.

Huzzah! More progress on The Beast!

It looks beautiful!

dem trohpies...

I added an additional leg!

Freakin' sweet.

And I know your paintjob will definitely do this killer justice.

Thanks Flint13!

You sir, have some great ideas and the penache' to make them reality. I really like this thread

Thanks man, I'm glad you like it. Hope you get some ideas from it.

What an awesome concept!

Also, not that it matters now, but I do think the single exhaust is a better look.

I have to admit though, that my first thought was "how many times can it fire before the chassis is wrecked?"

Thanks, I think I made the right choice indeed. About the technical side of things - I think the extra armour of this tank is probably heat-resistent? The question is more: how many times can it fire before the barrel needs to be replaced.

Edited by Augustus b'Raass, 10 April 2014 - 06:06 AM.

[Augustus b'Raass]

After I got a question from helterskelter about the bits list for above predator, I sent it to him and got into a nice PM convo. He's planning to build one, and magnetize the gun so as to be able to include other bits like the plasma destroyer and a heavy conversion beamer. I thought it would be a shame to share the info with only a single brother, so here's the entire bits list and an extensive tutorial for anyone interested in making a copy

 

++ In return, I only ask that you post the pics in this forum, and post a link to your post in this here thread! ++

(also naming the your tank's commander after me would be cool)

 

 

PARTS:

 

CHASSIS: 

Normal Rhino ++You'll also need an additional predator plate from a second rhino kit (but you can reuse this part in every build  )

Vindicator Extra Armour http://www.bitsandki...-kit-p-492.html

Vindicator top armour and vents (for the rear part) http://www.bitsandki...mour-p-493.html

The two vindicator armoured parts (middle row, two rightmost parts) http://www.bitsandki...-kit-p-495.html

Rear fuel tanks (on side of tank) 2 x http://www.bitsandki...ck-p-10843.html

 

 

TURRET:

Thermal Cannon muzzle http://www.bitsandki...on-p-10772.html

Leman Russ exhaust http://www.bitsandki...pes-p-2313.html

Leman Russ turret http://www.bitsandki...ret-p-2310.html

Leman Russ side armour http://www.bitsandki...-x2-p-2319.html

Leman Russ plasa destroyer for the base of the thermal cannon muzzle http://www.bitsandki...gun-p-5282.html

Baal predator fuel tank armour sections 

http://www.bitsandki...s-a-p-5816.html

Baal predator fuel tank http://www.bitsandki...nks-p-5810.html

 

TROPHIES:

Secret Weapon Sack ‘o Corpses http://www.secretwea...products_id=576

Secret Weapon Sack o Skulls http://www.secretwea...roducts_id=230 

 

THE CHASSIS

1. build the rhino normally, leaving all top plate and the lights off. Glue the Vindicator sides in place. Also, glue the vindicator top ventilation plate on the back door

 

2. Take the top plate from the vindicator set

first cut out the vents - leaving the edge undamaged! In other words, cut around the vents, with about a 2mm margin

then from the side, saw, dremel, file or sand away the raised area of the copula, so that it becomes level with the rest of the top plate

then cut out a rectangular shape slightly larger than the predator top plate that comes with every rhino set

 

3. Cut out a hole of the same shape as the vents you just removed. Then, cut off about 2mm of the ridge along the vents and glue the vents under the top plate, so that it matches the hole you just cut

 

4. Cut out a piece of plasticard roughly the shape of the top plate. Then glue that onto the raised area of the top plate and carefully cut it out to fit with a hobby knife

 

5. Cut the hinges of the predator top plate.

 

6. Cut out a rectangluar shape the sice of a predator plate. Use the predator plate to orient yourself. You could use dabs of glue to put it in place, as the part on the card you glue it on is removed anyway

 

7. Glue in the predator top plate. Use some green stuff to fortify it from below

 

7. Cut a rectangular piece of plasticard 4mm longer and 4 mm wider than a predator top plate. Out of that piece, cut out a rectangular, making sure what is left over is a 4mm rectanular piec of banding. Glue that over the predator top plate (the yellow is supposed to be the plasticard)

 

8. Take the largest front part of the vindicator cannon pieces and cut it along the red lines. Glue the two left over pieces in place. Glue the rhino lights in place

 

9. Take the second rhino top plate. Cut out the ring along the straight edges. It will serve as a cutting shape

 

10. Then, glue it on a piece of plasticard with the TOP of the ring glued to the plasticard using very few, small dabs of glue (you'll have to pull it off later). If you don't understand what I mean, check out the pic. Then, cut out the plasticard around the ring. Pull the ring (save for the next predator)  off the plasticard. Then, glue the plasticard shape on top of the top plate of the predator and glue the entire modified vindicator top plate on top of the predator

 

11.Cut the two Imperial Knight fuel cannisters in half and glue them in place on the aft parts of the tracks. Cover the wholes under the cannisters with small strips of plasticard or green stuff

 

THE TURRET

 

1. Glue the Leman Russ Turret together. Then, saw the turret from one rear corner to the the other rear corner. Also, cut off the copula. You'll be replacing that with a (Chaos) Space Marine vehicle copula

 

2. Close the hole on the turret rear with a piece of plasticard. Reinforce this with some green stuff

3. Glue the Baal Predator  fuel tank to the turret. Leave the armour sections off for easy painting

 

4. Glue the plasma cannon bits together and saw them off along the red line. Glue the rear part in place where it's supposed to be on the leman russ turret

 

5. Glue the Imperial Knight Melta Cannon together and cut of the fitting edges and the sight. File the ridges into the plane edge where the sight used to be.

 

6. Glue the cannon to the turret. I filled all holes with green stuff and pinned everything in place for extra strength. 

 

7. Cut out a form out ot the top plasticard part, to fit the fitting ring of the leman russ turret. This should be the end result

 

WEAPON OPTIONS:

You could magnetize the melta cannon in place, so you can replace it with the left over bits from the plasma cannon for a plasma executioner. Simply stick some green stuff and a magnet in the back of the plasma cannon bit you have left over and hey presto. Also, you could magnetize the Conversion Beamer option. Use the FW Contemptor conversion beamer for this

• RED: Cut at the red lines


• GREEN: Fill the gap in the green portion with some green stuff and mold it until it copies the slope of the 


• other side. Add glass bead rivets. Fill the side of the gun (the top for the dreadnought) with some plasticard gubbins to match the other side of the gun


• ORANGE: Magnet here


• BLUE: And use a GS tentacle/tube maker to replace the tube

 

Hope it works out! Enjoy!

 

Edited by Augustus b'Raass, 15 April 2014 - 08:27 PM.

[Forté]

Is that the sound of Knights running away I here?

[helterskelter]

Most excellent brother! I'm going to have fun building this is for certain.
It's not just the knights that should be cowering oh no no

[Augustus b'Raass]

Is that the sound of Knights running away I here?

After we steal their guns? 

 

Most excellent brother! I'm going to have fun building this is for certain.
It's not just the knights that should be cowering oh no no

MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAH

 

Good luck guys!

[Augustus b'Raass]

OK, last weekend saw me finish the ten Servitors as Cultists project I started about six weeks ago. In other words, I finished ten infantry guys, which means I get to do another vehicle! Yay! 

 

Admittedly, I have this project on the shelf for a couple moths. There's something about Contemptor Dreadnoughts that makes I can only work on it when I am truly inspired. They're such awesome models, that I can't bring myself to work on them when I don't know EXACTLY what I want to do with them, and have all the right bits.

 

Last week, I got a package from my Facebook friend Elliot -whom I met on the Kit Bash Carnage FB group. He is a fellow Night Lords player, and he sold me his Be'lakor model, some Ultramarine doors and some other gubbins (among which the Night lords door, the symbol of which now graces the Tank Beast). The reason I am telling you this, is because the Be'lakor model had the bit that got my inspiration going again: the mail loincloth. Strangely, my other I went to the exact same proces with my other Contemptor (Captain Tol Zhaqael) and with that modelit was also me finding the bit for a loincloth that got my inspirational motor running. Am I a prude? 

 

I've been on a modelling frenzy the last couple of hours, mostly glueing Sack 'o Corpses bits on the dread. He's nowhere near finished - I'm still waiting on the new FW NL helmets for a head on it - but what do you think?

 

 

 

 

As always: feedback (praise as well as constructive criticism) and ideas very welcome! 

[MrBear]

The Predator is looking mighty fine, any misguided loyalists facing it should better look out. And the Contemptor... he is wicked! Truly a son of the Eight!

[Brother Heinrich]

Nice work man, I feel like the whole Night Lords community is shaming me into getting my damned Contemptor up lol.

[Armond]

I hate you, my Contemptor looks like an EC weenie next to that brute!

[helterskelter]

Just makes me want to buy one haha! You always seem to put just enough extra bits on but still stay clear off completely ott, which is a pretty good skill to have. So he'll magically turn up painted in your hall of honour nlog in two werks yeah?

[Augustus b'Raass]

Replies and then updated pics:

 

 

The Predator is looking mighty fine, any misguided loyalists facing it should better look out. And the Contemptor... he is wicked! Truly a son of the Eight!

Cheers MrBear! I saw your update at the Official Night Lords gallery. They looked very crisp and mean. Did you do any more? Let us know - actually why not start a plog of your own?

 

Nice work man, I feel like the whole Night Lords community is shaming me into getting my damned Contemptor up lol.

Cheers Heinrich. They are and you should! Go for it. And don't be stingy with the corpses.

 

 

I hate you, my Contemptor looks like an EC weenie next to that brute!

That might be the case, but your fluff is longer than mine.   

 

 

 

Just makes me want to buy one haha! You always seem to put just enough extra bits on but still stay clear off completely ott, which is a pretty good skill to have. So he'll magically turn up painted in your hall of honour nlog in two werks yeah?

Thank you. I do my best to keep deserving Flint's "Drag queen of the Night Lords" cognomen, but not overdo it. On that note, I did add two torsos, an arm en several hands and feet to it since yesterday. Is that too much or? Let me know.
I do have a week off next week, so probably by the end of it this baby will be finished. I'm also working on a nice piece of fluff for him.

 

Updated pics (mostly added corpses):

 

Still figuring out how to hang this corpse realistically. Not completely satisfied with this method. Any ideas?

 

Forgot to put pins in these body parts...

 

Better look at the Right shoulder pad corpse

 

He is most definitely NOT a ladies man. Also Servitors better look out.

 

Need a hand?

[Noctus Cornix]

Wow, that Dreadnought looks killer, man. I'm really digging it.

[Flint13]

Wow, I thought it would be impossible to top your Contemptor-Captain, but it looks like you're well on your way to doing it!

 

I am seriously on the edge of my seat to see this guy finished and painting.

 

What are you thinking for a helm for him?

[Koriel]

That's one cool looking dred. I wonder though, the loincloth, is that from the demon prince kit?

[Augustus b'Raass]

Wow, that Dreadnought looks killer, man. I'm really digging it.

Thanks Noctus. I'll keep you guys updated!

 

Wow, I thought it would be impossible to top your Contemptor-Captain, but it looks like you're well on your way to doing it!

 

I am seriously on the edge of my seat to see this guy finished and painting.

 

What are you thinking for a helm for him?

That is a compliment I will graciously accept. Thanks Flint. The helmet I'm going to use for him will be the lower row, left corner helmet from the new FW Night lords helmets.

 

 

That's one cool looking dred. I wonder though, the loincloth, is that from the demon prince kit?

No-one reads the text accompanying the pictures I post, do they?  Oh well, I'll take that as a compliment. 
The mail loincloth is (as I wrote ) from the Be'lakor model. I guess I'll have to find a different bit to cover Be'lakor's... well his pelvis. I'm glad they didn't sculpt him with full anatomy. 

 

Edit: fixed broken hyperlink.

Edited by Augustus b'Raass, 17 April 2014 - 12:50 PM.

[KrautScientist]

Contemptos's looking ace! I have some nitpicks, though, about those corpse parts:

 

One concern is rather technical: The legs nailed to the Contemptor's left shoulder seem to mess with the lines of the composition, somehow. I cannot quite explain it, but I think it has something to do with them being long enough that they compete with the Contemptor's own silhouette -- does that make sense? Might just be a problem if seen from that particular angle, though.

 

The other problem I have is more about the subject matter, and this is where it gets a bit slippery, but bear with me:

 

I think that female torso on the Contemptor's back doesn't work. I've though long and hard what the problem is, and I realise that it bothers me because it's female. Now I hope this isn't sexist or anything, and it's certainly not a problem with the nudity, but rather this is one of those things that make a tabletop model "too visceral" or even "too real", for lack of a better word. I know that's a bit of a double standard right there, because I am usually okay with models covered in viscera and body parts, but seeing that element makes me uncomfortable somehow. I realise that the Night Lords probably wouldn't balk at killing women and draping their body parts across their vehicles and armour. Still that one bit just crosses over into "not cool anymore" territory for me -- it's really hard to explain and it's very probably hypocritical to boot, but there you have it...

 

Phew, on a more constructive note, I've lately seen a Contemptor conversion making absolutely spectacular use of a set of horns and helmeted head from the new Helbrute kit -- maybe that's an option worth looking at?

 

Keep up the great work!

Edited by KrautScientist, 17 April 2014 - 01:00 PM.

[Augustus b'Raass]

Contemptos's looking ace! I have some nitpicks, though, about those corpse parts:

 

One concern is rather technical: The legs nailed to the Contemptor's left shoulder seem to mess with the lines of the composition, somehow. I cannot quite explain it, but I think it has something to do with them being long enough that they compete with the Contemptor's own silhouette -- does that make sense? Might just be a problem if seen from that particular angle, though.

 

The other problem I have is more about the subject matter, and this is where it gets a bit slippery, but bear with me:

 

I think that female torso on the Contemptor's back doesn't work. I've though long and hard what the problem is, and I realise that it bothers me because it's female. Now I hope this isn't sexist or anything, and it's certainly not a problem with the nudity, but rather this is one of those things that make a tabletop model "too visceral" or even "too real", for lack of a better word. I know that's a bit of a double standard right there, because I am usually okay with models covered in viscera and body parts, but seeing that element makes me uncomfortable somehow. I realise that the Night Lords probably wouldn't balk at killing women and draping their body parts across their vehicles and armour. Still that one bit just crosses over into "not cool anymore" territory for me -- it's really hard to explain and it's very probably hypocritical to boot, but there you have it...

 

Phew, on a more constructive note, I've lately seen a Contemptor conversion making absolutely spectacular use of a set of horns and helmeted head from the new Helbrute kit -- maybe that's an option worth looking at?

 

Keep up the great work!

Kraut, thank you for this extensive feedback. I really, really appreciate you took the time to write down what you think -and how you feel - about my work.
 

On the first issue: I see what you mean, but trust me, it's the angle of the camera. The legs and arm wrap around the arm perfectly, I poured boiling water over them until they hung exactly like gravity would demand of them.

On the idea of the Dreadnought armour, that is fricking great! I'm going to try that out. And that contemptor over at warseer is fricking amazing. 

Now about what you wrote about the female torso. It struck a cord in me.

You see, I brought the Tank Beast (the tank with the LR turret and the IK melta cannon) to my local GW store the other day. The store manager, Dennis, who is a really friendly down-to earth guy, saw the vehicle and he went quiet. Just for a few seconds. And knowing him, it wasn't because he noticed the body-parts aren't GW produced. But for a small moment, he was processing what he saw. And I sensed it was about the gory trophies. A 10 year old kid actually said it made him a little sick to his stomach!  I decided I probably shouldn't bring the tank to the store anymore and that if GW wants my army on display again, I should probably leave it at home. 

I understand your point about the torso on the contemptor. It's not about it being female, but about making it somehow too "real". I agree that logically it is hypocritical, but I also feel that somehow a line is crossed with it. On the other hand, realism is what we're going for and by the gods the torso looks cool. But I do want people to enjoy my work...

So now I am a little torn: should I remove it, perhaps replace it with a male torso? 

I am interested in what others think about this issue. Please people, let me know!
 

(Kraut, thanks again  )

Edited by Augustus b'Raass, 17 April 2014 - 01:45 PM.

[KrautScientist]

Cheers, mate! I am really happy that you took this the right way -- I certainly don't want to get all politically correct on you or anything

 

Just one more remark, and then I'll shut up and let the other guys and gals have a shot: For me, it's actually not about the body parts per se: That's what the Night Lords are like, even in GW's official fluff. To wit, the new FW Night Lords have the grisly trophies as well and are even wearing gloves made from human skin, for crying out loud. So it's not like you're setting a precedent for tastelessness or anything.

 

Hypocritical as it may seem, I really think it's the fact that it's a female torso, at least that's what it's like for me. Lord knows I'm not a misogynist, but I think it's just the fact that a female torso tells you "this is really serious, for real" in a way that a male torso doesn't? I'm confused, maybe it's the fact that we've grown accustomed to all the disemboweled male torsos? That would probably be terrible... I think I would be equally uncomfortable with children's skulls or hands or what have you. For me, it just crosses a line where it's no longer comically OTT or gritty realism but just...offensive, I guess? Because it hits too close to home.

So, long story short, replace it with a male torso, and I'll be right as rain again -- but from an intellectual perspective, that seems like a hokey resolution. Actually, I'd love to hear Flint's opinion on this, being a grrrl and all, I think that should give a nice rounded argument.

 

Sorry for rambling on like that, mate, but this really struck a chord with me for some reason. Plus it's not often you get discussions out of this hobby that are actually intelectually engaging -- I love this hobby to bitz, but you all know that's true

 

Anyway, I'll be quiet now...

[Augustus b'Raass]

Cheers Kraut! I too appreciate the candor and intellectual to-and-fro. 

 

Perhaps you misunderstand my understanding of your words: I do get that the fact that the torso is female is the reason that the goriness feels too real, too close. I do think it is hypocritical to think a female body is offensive and a male one isn't. But the reason your argument struck a chord isn't because you took offense but because you pointed out that it got too close for comfort because it was too real. Small difference, but to me an important one. 

 

So! What I did while you were writing your last comment was call GW Amsterdam South, and asked store manager Dennis what he thought. (As my description of his initial reaction last week was, as you might have noticed, pure speculation). He said the tank looked super cool. He also told me GW wouldn't make a fuss, as -like you pointed out- the Night Lords fondness for gore and trophies is in GW-written fluff. However - the tank only has male body parts. I thus send him the above pictures via whatsapp and his literal response was this: "I think it looks super awesome. But titties are dangerous in-store, 'cause mommies could take offense". I then jockingly pointed out "but everyone loves titties". He acknowledged this, but pointed out that too many mommies think that cadians look like nazi's (Godwin's Law alert!). In other words: The female torso does cross a line with many more people, at least to GW standard. I don't think that GW would publish pics of my contemptor. Not that that is an applicable standard, but still.

On a related note, I am also interested what the disappointingly few female members think...

[KrautScientist]

Aw, man you're getting me all riled up here I'll just keep it short and sweet though and tell you that, while GW may take offense to the female torso as well, they seem to do so for totally different reasons than me: The nudity isn't a problem at all for me (and it seems telling that they wouldn't take offense with heaps of gore, but one exposed breast, and pop goes the weasel). I agree though that it shouldn't make any difference whether the corpse is male or female -- and yet it does, at least in my heart of hearts. What the heck?

 

How dare you bring actual intellectual substance into my wargaming?

[Knight of the Raven]

I'd tell you to go " you double standards! you children! you soccer moms!* you universe!" but I understand the amount of crapstorm this would cause is not worth everyone's trouble, especially if you actually scare customers off (or rather, disgust off) your buddy's store.

 

I do understand the 'too close to comfort' thing though. That's why we never see mentions of beat in Warhammer. Vague allusions to it in slaaneshi background at most, maybe.

 

I believe GW has never gone beyond flayed skin, severed heads and nailed hands on their models. Yours do take it beyond their usual lot.

 

As a note, the few intestines I see creep me out. I hate seeing those. That's one of the reasosn why I hate Nurgle and all his filth.

 

Oh, yeah.

 

Nice models too.

 

*Especially that it's because of you that GW nuked the previous daemonettes and replaced them with fuglies. you!

[Uprising]

First off, I love your night lords.  They are exactly as I would image a night lord army to be like, and they are done to the highest standards humanly possible.  The compentor is looking great, and can't wait to see it painted.   

 

On the issue of the female torso(I am going to get a lot of disagreement here), I say keep it.  It fits the fluff, and it make sense in a marine point of view.  In the eyes of a demi god(space marines), there is no real difference between male and female on the battle field. If your an enemy, you will die, This is the way of thinking for EVERY legion.  Gender makes no difference in war, and I think that torso hits the cord correctly.  In the end its up to you but you are a night lord player, remember that.  

[Shuggnuggath]

I think the female torso does emphasise the fact that the Night Lords regard humans as cattle for the slaughter/fun playthings. An impaled child would have the same effect.

 

I don't think a male torso would be as disturbing since society tends to regard males as combatants/fair game.

[BassWave]

I agree with Uprising, keep it. The female corpse for whatever reason makes people snap back into reality. I see that as a good thing, people should think pinning corpses to a tank is horrifying. People forget that Night Lords are evil because a Talos saves his slaves and Xarl died a "hero's" death.

I will say, however Night Lord armies are not kid friendly, so be careful when playing these in public.

[MrBear]

From my point of view... The female torso doesn't bother me and I agree with those that say it's fitting the modus operandi of Night Lords, I can also see how some people may find it disturbing though so it's a complicated issue. It would be a shame not to use it but it might make things easier for you when using the Contemptor at a store.

 

Replies and then updated pics:

 

 

The Predator is looking mighty fine, any misguided loyalists facing it should better look out. And the Contemptor... he is wicked! Truly a son of the Eight!

Cheers MrBear! I saw your update at the Official Night Lords gallery. They looked very crisp and mean. Did you do any more? Let us know - actually why not start a plog of your own?

 

Thanks for the encouragement, a plog may be launched after the holidays actually. I have had a workload from the Eye of Terror itself this last month and only one more marine has joined the other three but things are easing up now and I will have ten days off from today and should be able to do some more painting next week. Need to work on my fluff aswell though...