Squidmasters Kabal of the Eternal Night

Next time leave less space in between plates like on the front hull of the raider. That is a pretty nice raider conversion otherwise. Very few bothered to convert these old raiders, even though they had countless possibilities for alternatives.

Khain mor wrote:

Next time leave less space in between plates like on the front hull of the raider. That is a pretty nice raider conversion otherwise. Very few bothered to convert these old raiders, even though they had countless possibilities for alternatives.

Leave space? Do you mean raise the spiked bits as the front ones are? Because it's probably not easy to tell but I did do that. Not always easy to see in a picture. Otherwise I'm not sure what you mean.

I think he means that on the front of the raider there are 6 ridges whereas on the back bit there are only 3 in the same sort of space making the flat areas quite big and empty, whereas they might look better with more overlapping plates like the front.

Could we get a top down view to have a look at the extended side platforms?

A new update for you!

As requested, a top down view of the Archon's Raider to show off the extended platforms.



What I didn't mention when I posted the original pictures of this Raider was that the platforms were also heavily smoothed out, filling in the ribbed area to make the extension flow a bit better.
Unfortunately in this top-down image you can also see the footprints of where the gunner used to be glued, which for some reason I was never quite able to get rid of completely. Boo.


Now, it's been a REALLY slow January, so hot off the building table are my freshly repaired and structurally reinforced Venoms.

These are an odd one.






Now, I should explain.

These are a progression from my "floating tower of death" concept that I was carrying forward with my Ravager and Bastion. It made sense to put together some smaller versions as my basic transports, and digging through my bits box I found a few things that just really seemed to work for me.
Rather than have what I saw as a fairly restrictive crew compartment like the standard Venom, I wanted a spinning disk of death that the Warriors could not only cling to for dear life, but also simply impale or strap their victims to it at any time for a quick get away. The skies jutting out of each Venom tower not only serve as weapons, but also as the passenger's seating and safety handles, and their prisoner holding area if need be.
Each is a simple build if you have the right components. The stem is a think felt-tip pen, cut down to a more reasonable size. The actual pen part is wrapped in wire mesh.
The spikes sticking out are from a Christmas decoration, a row of hanging icicles that I cut down, drilled through and stuck a wire through them so they can be pinned to the stem (and now those wires have been reinforced inside the stem after I filled in the stem with hard setting goo).
Atop that, the main part of the upper disk, is another Christmas decoration. This time a tree hanging in the form of a snow-flake. This particular type had a hole set in the middle with a small photo frame that has been removed and stuck on top of a large flying base to give the upper disk a little more height.
A pair of spare splinter rifles make up the weapons on top of the disk, and some cut up wall plugs give a little more bulk. I only recently added the top spine while I was repairing the four Venoms as I really thought they needed a little extra something on top to make it more Dark Eldar-esque.
A final recent touch were the chains and trophies now hanging under the main disk and from the side spikes.
The passengers are mainly from Raiders, a few more interesting weapons added on for variation. There's one on each Venom at the moment just to hammer home the basic idea of where the passengers are, but I plan to add a few more once I get the parts together.


I think I've finally found somewhere local to get plasticard, so the Bastion will have proper work done soon.
Currently in progress are the Beastmasters, all built and now being painted alongside their Khymerae so I can finally get that unit polished off.

Hello again!

This one's special, as its the update that about brings me up to date on the stuff already in my army. Anything beyond this point is currently unfinished, so it'll be uploaded quite freshly.
This is also the main bulk of the army, that I have on occasion liked to use in its entirety, and I did promise I'd upload this pic at some point.

Therefore, 27 REAVER JETBIKES:



You can probably tell not a lot has been converted here. Almost nothing in fact. The main core here are 18 of the completely standard old style Reaver Jetbikes. The riders are still separate and I am planning to start messing with them at some point, but for now they are all generic.

There are one or two tweaks, such the six special weapons guys. When I do get around to filling the units in with the last three (if I find some at a reasonable price that aren't already "small-child" wrecked) they'll be the last three special weapons (three per full unit, see?). These I had to improvise with, three seem to be totting Eldar Falcon sensors, and the other three have the end of spare bright lances, but it all works. No clue what I'll use for the last three. Whatever is to hand probably.

A little has gone into the Arena Champions:



Even this was a simple little swap-job though, giving them the bodies and weapons from Cold One Knights (though to be truthful I rarely ever take Arena Champions, and just use these guys to distinguish squads).

On the subject of Reavers though, I'll quickly share this guy, my old Reaver Archon:



Of course Archons can't have Reavers anymore, but back in the old Codex he was a nice little beasty. The core bike is a stripped-down standard Reaver. The body is of course a Harlequin, head titled back and given a Reaver pilot's legs and driving arm. The legs had to pinned in to make up for an awkward angle, and they kept being a nuisance. In the end I had to pin the body right THROUGH the legs and into the bike itself, where thankfully it's been quite secure ever since.
I came across the Harlequin model by chance and just started having a look over it, and thought the coat would look excellent trailing from a Reaver Jetbike, and thus this guy was born. It took a while to get the head quite right, and I ended up sacrificing his mohecian, but I think it looks better without it anyway.

A final addition, and this wraps up the army as-is, and I can get back to the next few additions. Here's my second Pain Engine:



The second Pain Engine (sometimes used as a Talos, sometimes as a Chronos) was built on the main underbelly of the old metal Talos, and modelled on the idea that it was built exclusively from Tyranid parts (as the last was built from Eldar). The side claws are from a Tyranid Warriors, as was the rear armour sections and gun arms. The head was from a Zoanathrope (older version) and the little under-hull claws from an old Epic 40,000 Ork tank.
Of the two Pain Engines, this was actually the one I built first, and it's served my very well over the year.
Sigh, I miss it's stupid random firing rule.......

A bit of progress on a project today.

Well, I say "progress".


Hobbycraft have failed me when it comes to plasticard, so I've had to resort to eBay. While I await the delivery of my materials, I decided to check the concept and measurements with a brief but of cardboarding on my Bastion.



This shows how the four upright shields will be held on, spikes coming under the platform and through the breathing hole in the former-hamster-ball. Four of these will be around the platform, and between each of them four more shields which have dropped down into an open position.
You get the general idea from the blutack used in the above images that on each side of the spikes leading up the shields there will be pipes, wires and a few very small pneumatics (basic machinery) to actual look like there are moving parts. These will be what has theoretically moved the shield plates into position. I haven't decided whether or not to go for full pistons or the pneumatic tentacle route. Something in me thinks pistons would look more interesting, but at the same time slightly less fitting for Dark Eldar. I'll have to ponder on this when I get the actual pieces in place and can play around a bit more.



I'll also finish with something from the cupboard of what-the-hell-is-that?!



I found this recently, and remember building it maybe a year or two ago. The main bulk of the hull are the stands from two very small plastic christmas trees. A few bits of carefully cut pieces of plasticard made the decorative spikes and plates, and the lid from a bottle made the platform on top (with three trophy racks contributed from the Raider sprue). There was going to be a rider/pilot on the top platform but.....well.........
I'm going to be completely honest and say I don't know what this thing is.
I think maybe it was planned as a second Ravager/Tower, or it might have been an early attempt at a new tower to fill in for a flyer before I thought it was really too small (and I hadn't actually put any weapons on it).
Nevertheless I still "sort of" like it and might find a place for it, even if I just tweak it a bit and use it as a piece of terrain. I had a slight temptation to removes the platform and chains on the side and lay it horizontal, making it the front end of a flyer or something. Either way, it sits on the pile of lost projects, waiting to be hacked apart and reborn as something......else.

A few more Warriors.



Standard mix of bits, this one featuring two of my Splinter Cannons.
This brings me to 490pts of dedicated Warriors who are fully painted and ready to go - 21 splintermen, 5 sybarites, 4 cannons, 2 lances, 2 blasters and a shredder.
That leaves 283 points waiting for their final highlight and basing - 17 more splintermen, 1 sybarite, 1 blaster, 1 cannon and 2 more lances.
Beyond that, there are 3 splintermen, 5 sybarites, 2 blasters and 1 "other" that I'm calling a lance who are built and awaiting undercoating, coming to a further 194 points of Warriors.


As a final note, another "in-progress". Ebay has failed me in terms of plasticard (surprise surprise) so I started finishing off a few of my Hellions. Work in progress:


Old style Hellion Skyboard, and to be honest the only reason I'm adding Hellions is because I had four of these kicking around and thought I'd use them. The rider is a variety of bits, but designed to look like a Kabalite of course, rather than a standard Hellion. Old Warrior body, old Wych legs, old Mandrake arms and green stuff. Lots of very solid pinning (running from the base, right through the board and into the rider's leg).

I am always jealous of your conversion oh Squiddy one.

The hellion is very very cool. If I were to nitpick I would say the rider looks to be leaning back a bit too much, maybe bend the board forward like its in a dive perhaps?

How many warriors to you have now? They are all so individual it would be nice to have a group shot of all of them that you have

Actually, since taking the picture I HAVE pulled the board down a bit more!

Warriors, I have 35 painted, 22 nearly done (just needs highlights and shading on the armour, and 11 built but unpainted, so 68 in total. In theory my bits box may wield another small handfull so if I can make that a rounded number I'll probably try.

Here's a question for you lot though, does anyone know where I can get decent thickness plasticard?! Since ModelZone closed I haven;t been able to find any, and the stuff I got on ebay turned out to be paper-thin 0.25mm sheets! I don't want to resort to cardboard (again - which reminds me to gets pics of my flyers).

More Warriors!



Standard mix, this time featuring an old metal Dark Elf Executioner Musician, his instrument replaced with a Dark Lance (second one in) a salvaged Ravager gunner (fourth in) and an old Eldar Heavy Weapon Platform crew member. This guy wasn't really converted, but I figured he worked as was anyway.

We follow with a fourth Haemonculi.



Another old metal Dark Elf, this one also a Musician. Possibly black guard? Can't remember.
Anyway, his drum has been adapted to look like a container, a whispy menacing thing pouring out of it. His other hand he appears to have been given a Blast Pistol, not because he needs one (or can legally have one) but because I had it going spare and look worked.

Finally, something special.

I usually use this guy as Drazhar, but I modelled him as AHRHA.



As I said, intended to be Ahrha the fallen Phoenix. Drazhar's body just worked (if we go on the assumption that Ahrha did in fact found the Incubi), and to fit his theme a bit more I wanted him to look a little like a Striking Scorpion too. That's why he ended up with Karandras' claw arm and mandi-blasters. Useless in game of course, those blasters, but they look nice.
The sword I really wanted to go with something very simple, rather than ending up with something far too elaborate. As such he ended up with a Catachan's combat knife/sword. It's basic, simple, but not too much so. The jagged edge still gives it a little something to look good.
Hair and cape are green stuff.

Currently on the table:
One of four Hellions done (see previous post for WIP). Other three only awaiting main body highlights.
One Beastmaster blued up, other four awaiting their blue, and then on to shading, highlighting, etc.
Three Khymera done, seven awaiting final highlights.
More Warriors to come as well.

A group shot was requested, but I think I'll wait until they're ALL done so I can get one massive group shot if I can.

Whilst I'm still scrounging around for the right materials for the Bastion, I've managed to have a very boring/unproductive day professionally. As such, this became a productive day for my army.

Some Hellions:



I'll point out this unit is unlikely to get any bigger. I only built them because I happened to have the Skyboards spare (from the old edition Codex, they were formally occupied by Haemonculi).
Skyboards are the old ones, simply.
Legs from old metal Wyches (possibly Scourge, I'm not quite sure anymore), bodies from Warriors, arms from old metal mandrakes (again, possibly Scourge), and thus we have four Kabalite Skyboard Riders.
It is extremely doubtful I'll ever use them be honest, not unless I get around to building a Baron and throwing a small, stupid and worthless squad out for kicks. If I had had any sense I;d have thought this through and gotten one more board to use these guys as my Beastmasters, but as it is I've already built my five Beastmasters and made them something special. All five have their clothing done, three have had a first layer of blue on armour and the other two are still awaiting that.
Khymerae are now done, but I kind of went off the deep end with these things so I'll wait until the Beastmasters are done. That way I can throw up a group shot of the Beasts so you can see where I was coming from.



Finally, to REALLY demonstrate how bored I was yesterday, I put this together for you:



Yeah, I tend to paint the models off-base, mainly because it makes it easier to do the bases. And the feet.

Till next time.

some really interesting stuff, a lot of cool stuff in here. I've always be a fan of the old stuff, glad to see I'm not the only one.

You win at conversions and modelling, sir.

At last a supplier of Plasticard/Styrene has been found. Supplies are on their way, so work on the Bastion can resume as soon as they arrive. A few templates have been made out already and tested for size and fit, so I can jump straight into the build within the next couple of weeks.


Meanwhile, something old.


In one of the very early posts, I added my conversion for The Decapitator.
Here it is again in case you forgot:



Based on a Dark Elf Assassin, this was actually the SECOND version of the character I built.
The first version was much longer ago, and was built as a far more muscular and imposing figure. At the time, the only image I had to work with was the one in the Codex:



Now, from this not much can be deduced, so in building him (because at the time he was awesome) I wanted to go for a real Champion. A figure who was not only a brilliant Mandrake, but a Lord over Mandrakes. Thus, I built this guy:



Based on Drazhar's body of course, the head supplied by an Eldar Falcon pilot, and the arms supplied by the Middenheim accessory sprue with the Mordheim box set, and green stuff to smooth in the arms and shoulders.
Spikes are....well, random spikes from somewhere.
The Decapitator itself, meaning the weapon the guy was named for, is of course Phoenix Lord Jain Zar's "Jainas Mor/Silent Death", her wacky spinny death blade thing. I believe at the time I wad recently rewatched Predator 2, so figured a frisbee of death would be the perfect decapitating weapon for a Mandrake like this guy.

Anyway, a week or two for this st6uff to arrive, an then back to the Bastion project.

Absolutely incredible conversion of the drazhar model! How much effort to remove his head!?

The green works very well against the blue. Lovely stuff.

Incidentally on the plasticard from could you pm me your supplier if that possible as I too have been struggling!

PM sent.

Actually not too hard on the head. Once it was cut away it was just a case of rigorously filing down the top of the armour so that it was smooth and rounded.
Took some hefty clippers to get the main bulk off, but got there eventually.

Another very cool conversion. You seem to have no limit to your original ideas.

I've been neglecting something foe awhile.

It was mentioned in a recent battle report: http://www.thedarkcity.net/t8752-vs-imperial-guard-1800ptsthat I quite often like to use my Razorwings/Voidravens - but they've been missing from the log!
So, time to remedy that.

Two things to keep in mind:

1/ Cheekily, I tend to switch around. I use the same models as Razorwings and Voidravens (though never at the same time).

2/ My two Flyers are currently under reconstruction. They haven't been disassembled, they're going to be completely replaced. The new one are being made exactly the same way, but with a much stronger and durable set of materials. The Flyers I have were built about a year ago, and I'm almost ashamed to say out of cardboard - but not ordinary cardboard! A slightly tough, almost-plastic set of playing cards, that has held up reasonably well, but it;s time for something better and more long-term.


To start then, the current set:



Segmented bits of playing cards covered in various other pieces of plastic to improve the look.
The second image on the bottom row shows the main guns best, the two barrels of the Splinter Rifles/Cannon/Void Lances, and it shows the front hull vents.
The right hand bottom image shows the wing mounted missile pods.
The look is designed to be sleek and practical. I like the lovely spiky nature of the "official" Razorwing, but something about the hull design just doesn't quite sit right with me in terms of practicality. Tjis then is designed as an all-purpose attack fighter/bomber that maybe harkens back to the pre-Fall days when things were slightly less spiky.


And as a special treat....

As I said, these boys are being rebuilt from the ground up with better materials.

And here's how that is being done:



That shows precisely how far I've gotten on one of the rebuilds. I've got the parts to build a few, so I'm going the full way and building three. Once this one is done as a proof of concept, I'll quickly throw out the other two easily enough.
The methods used here are exactly the same as with the cardboard originals. The segments triangles are exactly how the playing cards were cut up. The only difference so far is the extra panels I've been adding for structural support. The plan, as with the cardboard ones, is that the panels will be slightly different and unique on each Flyer, partially to add some characters but also the tell them all apart on the battlefield.
I'll add to this particular project as I add to the prototype so you can see the full method, but here at least you see how the main hull was built. Additional panels are needed for texture, as are flight stabilizers, weapons, a cockpit, engines, and a few cuttings to make it a little bit spiky at least.....

EDIT: In case anyone decides to take inspiration from this, a word of advice. Use SUPER GLUE, NOT PLASTIC GLUE. Due to how thin this styrene is, the bonding process of plastic glue will warp it so you'll have lumps and bumps all over the place.



And in good news, the styrene I ordered has arrived! Bastion progress has resumed!

You're insane, it's great. That venom!!

A few more Warriors to start today.




Next, an update on the progress of my flyers.



With the prototype at a decent stage like this, I went ahead and started the other two. They've easily been brought to the same level as the prototype.



Next I'm trying to work out how to build the cockpits, and after that I'll add the last of the outer armour panels and weapons.


My most recent painting has also yielded this guy:



Not quite sure what he is, but he fits the bill either as a beefed up Warrior, a Wrack Acothyst or a low-tier Haemonculus. The main body was originally build as the crew for a floating tower of death, but came across too much like a Haemonculus or one of their pets to really fit.


I'll round off with some recently completed small projects. First, a Comm Relay.



This was simply built. I do find Comm Relays incredibly useful, sometimes more-so than a Quad-Gun, as having my Reserves be that little bit more reliable can be pivotal.
This was made from washers (the kind you use with bolts) space out with plastic beads. These were then given a few odd spikes to fit in. Once painted, I was happy for a while, but recently added the little jewel inside from a child's piece of plastic jewelry. I had thought of finding a small light that would it inside, but.....well, yeah.

When I said though I found a Comm Relay better than a Quad-Gun, that doesn't mean I don;t have one of them too.



The base is a large button (which explains why it looks slightly lop-sided).
A length of wire was run up from this into a few smaller buttons through which plastic tubes have been pushed to made the barrels of the gun. A number of lengths of guitar wire were then run down to hand alongside this original wire.
Thin styrene was wrapped around the back to bunch the wires together, and from there more textured layers of styrene were added to build the bulk.
Finally a few little touches, the control panel and sensor were added, and that was it.


Currently on the go:
Scourge half-way through painting, flyers awaiting cockpits to be worked out, and for the Bastion I need to work out how to cut curves in thick plasticard without breaking the pieces I need!
13 Warriors just need highlighting, 9 more need to be undercoated.

A bonus entry today, two of my OLD Raiders that don;t see service anymore.



Now, these guys were built with specific purpose, and were the Raiders I used BEFORE the release of the current Codex and current version of the Raider model.
They were built to be weapons platforms and nothing more. They were designed to sit side-on to the enemy, most likely over an objective, with passengers on one side with guns towards the enemy.
The gunners (who would be in the front) have since found themselves on real bases and joined the Warrior squads, whereas the pilots have mostly been disassembled for parts. The "sails" are of course from Falcon Grav-Tanks.
The "pilot" who mostly remains here was built from the WFB Empire Wizard set with a few Dark Elf bits (who always did look a little odd considering which way his robes were flailing).
Because they were designed as gun-boats, I wanted something interesting on the side that wouldn't face the enemy, so I went with the pile of corpses from the Vampire Counts Corpse Cart with a few extra bits of Zombie and Eldar thrown in, as well as some thin chain to strap it all onto the Raider.
These pictures will probably be the last of these Raiders, as I'm planning to dismantle them for parts (the Corpse Cart bits can definitely go on something else now).

Bastion progress at long last.



The first undercarriage spike attached on the left here, spare bits of plastic rod and stripping used to brace it and hold it upright (glued in place for stability).
On the right, Lego has been used to make a 'U' bend in order to get the opposite side exactly lined up.



On the left, a view of all four undercarriage spikes attached. Each of these will hold one of the primary armour.
The right-hand image shows the underside including the bracing on each spike holding each in place. Also shown here are the tubes that will form part of the pistons attaching the primary panels.


The next step is to smooth in the piston tubes and add a few more bits of wiring and paraphernalia to make the undercarriage look good (ie: busy), and then started the primary panels.
I may also take this opportunity to start work on decorating the tower's main stalk.

A bit more work on the Bastion.



In the first image on the left you see the four lower hull spikes fully in place, as well as a number of the decorations for the undercarriage. On each side of each spike is a small piston that connects directly to the outer plate, and there a few more bits in there giving these pistons stability. You should also be able to make out the small pieces of pipping on the main stem. There are identical pieces on the outer hull, which will be connect together using loose, somewhat flimsy wire. This won;t be added until after the rest is painted though.
The middle image shows the same from the top, with a Warrior in place to show not only scale but also where the gunners will be. The Bastion is supposed to have four Heavy Bolters, and although I haven;t worked out how to best represent them on a Dark Eldar construct I am certain I'm going to have them exposed along with their gunners (though still undecided if they're going to be mounted to the hull or free-held by the gunners.
The far right image shows the bottom section of the whole Bastion, the crater I'm using as a base. The crater itself has not been filled in with very small loose shards of plastic (which are a bit like small shards of glass actually). This will be the main texture of the portal the Bastion is rising out of, in a design similar to my Webway portal. There will be a few more layers of this stuff in patterns so that the portal is not completely flat (I'm think of a few spiral arms coming in from the outer edge).
A quick reminder of my Webway Portal for a comparison:



The next thing I'm working on is the next four lower hull spikes. I've worked on how they'll be attached, I'm just trying to get the necessary components together.
(A request for help in find the right pieces has been posted here: http://www.thedarkcity.net/t8816-hunting-for-a-component-help-sought)

A little more Bastion.



The primary undercarriage spikes have been completed here. Four of the outer plates have been glued in, the other four won't be added until after the undercarriage is painted so that I have access (though one has been shown held on here to demonstrate it's final position).
You can see here some of the pistons that are supposed to give the impression that the outer plates have moved into position after the tower has been deployed, the curvature of the plates hopefully making it somewhat obvious that the plates formed a protective sphere that opened out to reveal the crew/gunner platform.
The only thing missing from here )aside from the remaining plates) are a few lengths of wire from the tubes on the main stem that will connect to all eight of these lower plates.
At this stage, I'm planning to add a few vents and decorative elements to pad out the lower hull (where the brass platform can still be seen at the outer edge). Then I'll add a couple of small spikes and mechanic components to the stem. At that point I can call the undercarriage and lower stem finished and I can get started on the topside of the platform and the upper mechanism of the armour plates (ie: "the roof").


I'm also off in a moment to Wilkinsons to explore a possible option for my flyer cockpits....

A tad more Bastion.



A few more cosmetic additions to the undercarriage, including some armour panels over the lower spike support struts, some small vents under the hull itself  and some minor additions to the stem itself. A washer fit very well down the lower stalk, and from there a few short lengths of plastic rod were added pretty much for purely cosmetic reasons. The don't serve much purpose other than to make the lower stalk non-flat.
Picture on the right shows the main stalk and platform in situate in the crater/base. You can see the portal inside the crater nearly finished here (looking a little oddly white because the PVA on the latest layer isn't quite dry yet).

And as an extra bonus, since the last update a cat has knocked this thing on the floor and it DIDN'T completely fall apart! It actually held together, which makes me very happy and satisfied with it's overall strength.

I'm fairly happy calling this segment as is for the time being, so I;m going to move on to the platform proper and rook component. The platform itself should be fine, bu the upper part of the stem that rises above the platform to the roof component could do with some texture. I'm thinking at this stage a few monitor screens and console inputs (if I can find appropriate parts).
I'm thinking that it's also time to start thinking about what I'm going to build the gunners out of, and how I'm going to represent a Dark Eldar version of Heavy Bolters.