Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Future Wars => Topic started by: Belligerentparrot on January 21, 2018, 04:15:10 PM
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Hi all, welcome to my madness!
For the last 15 years this project has been the entirety of my hobby. The idea is to create a number of factions fitting GW's Confrontation range. I've decided I wanted an online record of the project, and this thread shall be it. The rules of the project are:
- No more than 600 miniatures in total, divided into 50 factions.
- The entire range of Confrontation gangers must be used.
- At least 1/4 of the project must be conversions.
- At least 1/4 of the project must be unreleased Citadel miniatures.
- Each of the 50 factions must feature at least one unreleased Citadel miniature.
Now, don't expect to see many painted minis for a while. This for two reasons:
- I wasn't going to start painting until I'd settled on the final 600 minis - I cannibalise models/bits for new ideas as the project changes, so haven't wanted to paint anything unless I am sure I'll use it.
- In a couple of months time I will be a Dad, and painting won't be high on the agenda. :o
But if you like conversions and world-building, this might be interesting!
So, on to the world building and the first two factions.
Yerot's World is some kind of small, barely habitable planet on the edge of the human Imperium. Most of the factions will represent the forces at work in the large Hive City that constitutes the single significant settlement on the planet. You'll see gangs from all levels of the Hive, noble retinues, the forces of law and order, and the forces of scum and villainy (and whispers of a Genestealer cult).
But (and here I owe a massive debt of inspiration to the Ironsleet blog hombres) underneath the Hive, below even the ruined and forgotten scavvy levels, lurks something even more sinister: a verdant green realm, where technology has been used and abused to recreate an ancient forest. This is the realm of devotees to the Green Mechanicum!
I'll do the minis in a new post, as I will probably fuck up the links first time....
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The Court of the Branche-Queen:
(https://i.imgur.com/Fe0UNR2.jpg?1)
L-R: Queen's Champion; Herald; the Queen herself; Jester; Sage
The Queen's Hunter and the Hound:
(https://i.imgur.com/Y0Cnw4v.jpg)
Various cultists, completing the Queen's force:
(https://i.imgur.com/PZ7NGlV.jpg)
The Green Man and his Guards:
(https://i.imgur.com/ms9xQbn.jpg)
More cultists, completing the Green Man's force:
(https://i.imgur.com/WqF294Z.jpg)
The Green Mech theme, and the use of a couple of parts in the conversions, are borrowed from the amazing Ironsleet blog. The Ironsleet take is by far the most creative thing I've seen in 40K, so this is my humble homage to it.
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:-* :-* :-* :-* :-*
Lovely. Those conversions are brilliant. Absolutely love the creativity that has gone into them and the theme.
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Awesome conversions :o
Will follow your project with interest.
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I'm a fan. So consider this post fallowed.
Also a fan of ironsleet. :D
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Those conversions are just too sweet and the fluff behind them is awesomely weird too! 8)
- No more than 600 miniatures in total, divided into 50 factions.
- At least 1/4 of the project must be unreleased Citadel miniatures.
So if I understand you correctly, there'll be 150 unreleased Citadel miniatures? :o Now that's the real madness in this ambitious plan! Also; that must be costing a small fortune too...
And 600 miniatures for a skirmish game? That's dedication and 50 factions sure is a lot. So will there be smaller factions as well? Because on average, each faction should number 12 minis, where the Green Mechanicum already has 23... ;)
I'll be following this with much interest :)
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This project sounds incredibly ambitious, but I love the conversions you've shown so far. Looking forward to more!
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Colour me intrigued, I shall follow this with interest. I'm loving the Green Mechanicum - something completely different.
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Nice conversions.
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Like everybody before said, sounds terribly ambitious and not a little bit pricey, but man do those conversions look good!
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As others have said, lovely conversions there! Beautiful integration of some really diverse bits and pieces.
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:o
Incredible task you are setting yourself. Really lovely work so far and I too will be watching the thread to see the progress.
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If you can achieve a fraction of your plan it will still be fantastic to see.
To do it all, if you're a dad in a couple of months, will be a miracle!
Good luck!
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Superb modeling, can't wait to see where this goes.
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Thanks for the kind comments folks, this forum really is the most encouraging hobby forum on the net. :-* I realise 50 factions is a lot, but world-building and mini-building are my favourite parts of the hobby.
I didn't mean to make the project sound as ambitious as all that - I have been collecting unreleased minis for over a decade, so have quite a bunch of the minis I need for this project. The conversions are what mostly remains to be done. This is my way of using my collection, and of limiting it!
on average, each faction should number 12 minis, where the Green Mechanicum already has 23... ;)
Should have been 24, fuck, forgot one of them! Will post a pic of him next time. Yes, each faction will be around 12. I figure the Branche Queen and Green Man can't always see eye to eye now, can they? So I'll count 'em as two factions.
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Far above the arboreal caverns of the Green Mechanicum, life goes on as normal in the teeming hive of Yerot's World. Sure, occasional rumours of strange wonders in the lowest and forgotten reaches filter up to hive-folk, but the immediate pressures of life are more compelling and distracting. Deals have to be made and betrayed, scores settled, and the gang's territory and influence expanded. If recruits can be added to the gang from the motley collection of humans and abhumans that inhabit this planet at the edge of the realm of humankind, then all the better too.
The "Elites", named after the high-class deviance club that is the source of their wealth, are looking to expand beyond the block they control in one of the hab/commerce-levels. They are rich enough that their leader - seen here waving his power sword around - has begun to affect a certain pimp-ed out style.
(https://i.imgur.com/bVeHNFy.jpg)
(I was really struck by the similarity between the Squat's odd hat and the Elite ganger's odd hat. Clearly someone at GW was channelling the smurfs in their 40K imagery).
A block or two over, the less-wealthy "Maniacs", so named to the suicidal bravery of their boss and founder, are preparing to resist their rivals' expansion - and are lucky to boast a half-ork heavy weapon specialist and a Hired Gun on their side. However, the boss's tendency to spend gang funds on his own equipment - look at that lovely power armour and unusual weaponry - is a source of tension. Will his deputy Gerg seek to oust him?
(https://i.imgur.com/5IOiEM3.jpg)
(Theme was pretty simple for this gang - everyone needs a mohawk, but no one should be a ridiculous bag of steroids like GW goliaths).
The hive is also full of displaced remnants of gangs, trying to eke out some security and stablity as best they can. One such gang is the once-proud Skullcrops. All that is left is basically this extended family, with gang leader Ash Storm (and his fearsome combi-weapon) and his life-partner (seen raising her mutant caryatid) trying to keep their young son safe.
(https://i.imgur.com/zTnImoY.jpg)
(I wanted to make a gang that will have to play with a different dynamic, so decided to make the gang into a family unit. Funny how the unreleased Goliath, which was sculpted years and years ago, has a lot of similarities with the new plastic goliaths).
What do people think about chainmail in 40K? I can't make up my mind if the Thug (acting as a hired gun for the Skullcrops) fits or not. ???
If matters weren't already complicated enough, the mercenary Yelrom and her gang of cut-throats - famed throughout the hive for their violent efficiency - seems to have taken up residence elsewhere on this hab-level, displacing local power balances.
(https://i.imgur.com/Xc48tH4.jpg)
(This is what I've been busy doing the last week and a half - making a gang of mercs to fit with the female arbite. Best sculpt Gary Morley has ever done in my opinion, shame it was never released. Really enjoyed making these, though decided to limit the gang to 10 as they've got more kit than the other gangs).
Finally, one more gang for your viewing pleasure, and my embarrassment! My old Orlock gang from 1996. I never finished painting them, and the paintjobs are terrible (thinning paints, what is that?) But I think I'll leave the ones I've already done. It seems a shame to paint over so much fun from my adolescence! Does anyone else feel like this?
Haven't made up any fluff for them yet, but got to use my original gang somewhere in the story!
(https://i.imgur.com/pELZG3b.jpg)
Edit- forgot to say, the one well-painted orlock was not painted by me!
Whew, sorry for the long post, and for the crappy pics. Should have spent less time writing fluff bollox, and more time taking pics.
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(I was really struck by the similarity between the Squat's odd hat and the Elite ganger's odd hat. Clearly someone at GW was channelling the smurfs in their 40K imagery).
Ancient wargamers.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phrygian_cap
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Pretty inspiring plastic kitbashs! I will follow this with interest.
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More great conversions, having fun identifying the parts! The standout for me is the female arbite though! It’s a great model :o where did you get her?
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Thanks again for the kind words, and for solving the mystery of the smurf hats!
The standout for me is the female arbite though! It’s a great model :o where did you get her?
To the best of my knowledge, Morley sculpted her as a tribute for John Blanche (there is a piece of Blanche artwork on a very similar theme. Hard to believe, I know ;) ) Best Morley sculpt I know of!
As to where I got her, suffice to say that a lot of patience and luck was needed to acquire it - though I have seen one on ebay once, too.
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How on earth did you manage to get a copy of that prototype multi part metal marine? Are you now functioning on just one kidney?
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That female arbites is a great sculpt! I really like the helmets on the other guys in that gang too. Are they trimmed down space marine helmets, or something else?
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I really like the helmets on the other guys in that gang too. Are they trimmed down space marine helmets, or something else?
The plastic helmets are from the Valkyrie kit - the pilot/gunner bits are fantastic for making bounty-hunter types, and there are a couple of US-based bits sellers on ebay who regularly stock them. The metal helmets are Pig Iron.
How on earth did you manage to get a copy of that prototype multi part metal marine? Are you now functioning on just one kidney?
Ha! Actually I have two of the multi-part prototype marine, so I could have helmeted and bare-headed minis. Fortunately neither cost me a kidney (I wish I could say the same of some of the other unreleased minis I have :'( )
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Yes, it was the plastic ones I had my eye on. They do look great!
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Stuff like this, to me, has always been the coolest part of the 40k universe. Those conversions are incredible! I can't wait to see more! I'd also never heard of Iron Sleet until now, incredible stuff they do there as well.
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Rumours of the Branche Queen and Green Man have not penetrated to the luxurious upper levels of the Hive - for how could such rumours be interesting in comparison to the fantastic tales from elsewhere in the universe that uphivers get to hear?
Still, some uphivers descend to the teeming hab-levels and lower for all sorts of reason and mischief, bringing retinues or forming gangs themselves.
It wouldn't be a Confrontation project without Helmawrs and Bratts!
(https://i.imgur.com/E71SXFM.jpg)
My Helmawr boss is the lightly converted forgeworld arbite in the centre there. Such a frustrating mini - great details, but a really odd belly-out pose.
Bratts - I did the hired gun conversion this week. The idea was to make a female mini without using female parts (so elf and thin elysium bits mostly). Came out more androgynous, but I am happy with it.
(https://i.imgur.com/Rr00hyb.jpg)
Keeping order on the border between the upper levels and the hab-levels is a squad of the governor's personal guard.
(https://i.imgur.com/TvTtADE.jpg)
If anyone has unreleased Juan Diaz kasrkin w/ heavy bolter - I'd be VERY interested. Last one I need.
Here we have a minor Hive Noble from House Mortarch - she's rich enough to employ some of the governor's spare troopers as bodyguards, and is accompanied by her major-domo and a couple of her House bannermen. The rest of her retinue includes various characters of the greebly sort that inhabit the 41st millenium.
(https://i.imgur.com/kKgdyMk.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/qSsLoQS.jpg)
Argh, just realised the greenstuff on the majordomo is horrible. Odd how taking pics can force yourself to admit you were doing a rushed job on a conversion sometimes.
Finally, among those journeying down from the safe realms of the uphive are religious fanatics on various devotional missions. Here we have an Ecclesiastical Knight Errant with retinue and sanctioned psyker - a retinue followed by a motley band of pilgrims, more than one with sacred tomes on their backs (mandatory for this kind of Blanchean nonsense, innit).
(https://i.imgur.com/fwkG3x6.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/mljcpBg.jpg)
Did most of these over the last couple of months - pretty shamelessly ripping off Blanche's "Herodd's Boys" on a couple.
Thanks for all the kind comments so far!
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Some more very nice conversions there, although if I may offer a tiny suggestion: drilling out the muzzles will make them even cooler. (It's a pet peeve of mine, seeing beautiful models converted and painted to a standard far higher than I could ever hope to achieve, but they have a solid muzzle...)
What's the source of the main body/arms/legs of the House Mortarch Nobel, and the torso/arms of the figure in her retinue with the Skitarii head & Sicarian Rustwalker/Infiltrator legs (back row next to the snake-dude)?
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Just spectacular. Captures a certain image of 40K so well.
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Thanks for the kind comments! I don't currently have anything to drill gun barrels with... should look into that, GW bolt pistols in particular are bad for this.
What's the source of the main body/arms/legs of the House Mortarch Nobel, and the torso/arms of the figure in her retinue with the Skitarii head & Sicarian Rustwalker/Infiltrator legs (back row next to the snake-dude)?
The Noble is based on the Sisters of Silence champion, with Neferata's head, Forgeworld pistol (can't remember which kit) and Scyllax claw.
Her Assassin henchwoman is built from rust-stalker legs, Neferata's torso, dark eldar wytch arms, skitarii head, and grave guard + grey knight accessories.
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Thanks for the parts breakdown, I'll have to look into acquiring some bits...
I've got an old GW pin vice I use, with a set of "Microbox HSS twist drills 20 piece set" sized from 0.3mm to 1.8mm, which covers pretty much all muzzle eventualities. The key is getting a pin vice with a variety of chuck sizes to take the different bits.
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I'm speechless. The creativity and kitbashing skills on these is stunning.
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Jeez, long time no post. The first stage of the project is nearly done! I have all but one of the few remaining unreleased minis I needed, and have been busy with converting. I have a whole bunch of stuff to show, but will try to at least undercoat, and hopefully start painting, stuff before future updates.
Today, though, here's more unpainted (and occasionally rare) lead and plastic. Some boring gangs today (i.e. not many conversions), but also one of the conversions I'm most proud of.
Any city needs law and order, and the main hive of Yerot's World is no different. But you encounter the long arm of the law long before you planetfall: unless a lot of creds change hands in advance, you're liable to be boarded and searched by the local branch of the Imperial Navy!
(https://i.imgur.com/EOuduYG.jpg)
(Ages ago I picked up an bag of weapon/accessory sculpting dollies used in the RT era, some of which I use here. But I know of no early citadel sculpt with the long heavy weapon here - it looks quite judge dredd-ish to me, but I dunno if it was ever used).
Once you're landside on Yerot's World, more creds may be useful in avoiding the attentions of the local Arbites, especially the Hive Judges in out-dated power armour.
(https://i.imgur.com/VM8bVK4.jpg)
No amount of creds will be useful in making oneself "uninteresting" to the fanatical Venators, with their acolytes of the Imperial Cult in tow. Well, perhaps if the bride is big enough they'll consider it ;)
(https://i.imgur.com/Fs56Zfm.jpg)
(The Venator conversion was the first one I ever did for this project, about, hmmm, 10 years ago! The Imperial Cultists are the unreleased Redemptionist minis).
The full Confrontation rulebook mentions two gangs that didn't make it into the WD articles, if I remember: Custodians and Vigilantes. Vigilantes don't have much of a description, so I decided to make mine the warband of a low-level and "semi-official" imperial agent.
Here we see the agent (inspired by PDH's brilliant conversion of the elf handmaiden), her power-armoured bodyguard, a couple of retainers, and a penitent mutant.
(https://i.imgur.com/OTOlXkc.jpg)
And here is the rest of her gang of miscreants, including a couple of Arbites assigned to her by the city to help complete the mission.
(https://i.imgur.com/N7KCoMX.jpg)
Custodians are normal hive gangs that are contracted to do law-and-order work, so they're "semi-offical" law enforcement as it were. According to the rulebook, they tend to wear random bits of planetary defence force kit as a mark of their legitimacy. I saw in this idea the opportunity to turn my disparate-looking mob of unreleased IG minis into a cohesive gang.
(https://i.imgur.com/CBMkf75.jpg)
And finally (whew!) here's a slightly better pic of the penitent, as I am really pleased with how he came out. The icon is a little wonky, but (I hope) that adds character! Also in the shot is the unreleased Space Crusade marine from the Arbites gang - note his very unusual backpack!
(https://i.imgur.com/ES5lov2.jpg)
More to come at some point!
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Yay! An amazing collection, sir!
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Woah, that post just keeps going! So many great looking models! You'll have to paint some sometime ;) But loads of very cool ideas there.
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Once again, some very cool gangs there - I'm looking forward to seeing them with a lick of paint on.
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You have an enviable collection of figures on show here. I have a very similar area of interest and am steadily working my way through my own collection of Confrontation gangs. I can thoroughly recommend painting up gangs as you make them - it really does help finish each subsection of the project off, plus it allows you to play with them, or display them. In fact I'd urge you to paint at least one gang before doing anything else with any other gang! After all, bare metal is fine, but in reality we all get excited about seeing cool painted figures :)
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Thanks for the kind comments guys, and the encouragement re: painting. It really is top of the list (after: become a dad in three weeks).
One thing I find difficult is space. I have basically zero hobby space in every flat I've lived in. That is fine for conversions - it isn't hard to unpack and then pack away again a knife, file, glue in a v. small bitz-box. Painting though - that seems like more faff to unpack and pack away each time. Guess I should try to falsify that theory.
Anyway, next update will definitely be devoted to painted minis (by John B rather than me).
Oh, and hi Axiom! Huge fan of your work, and one of your unreleased bratts came from my collection, years ago in a CCM trade (The baby zoat went the other way).
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I absolutely know about space and baby pressures! My approach is a setup which can be cleared away easily (paints in boxes in a drawer) - I don't have a permanent paint station either. I also have a regular painting slot - it's part of my weekly routine along with the kid's clubs etc :)
I checked on that bratt / baby zoat trade - it was back in 2013! I'm actually planning to get the rest of the Bratts into a table this summer :)
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Taking a wee break from nappy changing to update this. Rather than continuing to bombard you with unpainted stuff, I thought I'd share a couple of the minis in my collection that don't need painting, plus some of the conversions I'm most proud of. I've been on a "strong female character" buzz for the last couple of months.
First up, a hive pilgrim and her bodyguard of Ordo Templar gangers, the latter converted and painted by the almighty JB himself. Honestly, the man is a god. Can provide close-up pics of these and the other JB minis in my collection if anyone else thinks the man is a god too.
(https://i.imgur.com/0221L0I.jpg)
Next, some sort of imperial noble-woman and part of her retinue:
(https://i.imgur.com/swtcikf.jpg)
And some sort of hive marshal, complete with big old padlock for locking up ne'er-do-wells, along with a few henchmen/women/muties.
(https://i.imgur.com/LiYFHD1.jpg)
My favourite is the henchwoman on the left - she's a mix of Melusai, Ad-Mech, and old Confrontation bits - old and new :D
Finally, some sort of Dark Mechanicus techno-snake-lady (why not eh?) with the start of a retinue. These are a little bit rough as my month-old daughter was distracting me at the time ( :-*) so very much a work in progress.
(https://i.imgur.com/ELKK6F1.jpg)
There are more minis for each retinue, but I don't want to spam you all with too much unpainted stuff!
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Oh no, spam on mate, please!
These are exactly the sort of thing I think can do and mess up so it's great to see the unpainted models and try to identify the bits.
That metal figure in the second pic, the noble woman's gang, is he some kind of unreleased space marine scout?
Congratulations on the wee one as well, I hope for your sake she's a good sleeper. :D
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I do so love the horse-skull ad mech. Nice collections one again :)
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Great stuff, love the conversions 8)
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Splendid work. Let's see some painted stuff :)
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Wow, just wow! :o I've just read through the last three pages from start to finish and had to keep stopping for breath, some incredible conversions!
It really is fantastic reading through these kind of posts, so please do keep them coming! :D I'm a big fan of the Inq28 side of the 40k universe (it was actually re-reading the Blanchitsu articles about The Pilgrym that convinced me to jump back in recently :-*), and I have to say, your homage to The Green Mechanicum is absolutely beautiful - I've been thinking about tackling something similar at some point myself, but I think I need a bit more practice on the kit bashing front before I'll be able to put together anything quite so stunning :D
And congratulations on the new arrival - my daughter's four months old now and as a stay-at-home Dad, I totally understand the lack of hobby time! The trick I've found is to really grab what limited time you do have and try to be as productive as possible - I try to set myself a target of 30 minutes of hobby a day (I usually manage every two or three days, though, of course!), but when I do get those 30 minutes in I'm more focused than I've ever been :D
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What a great thread!
Can provide close-up pics of these and the other JB minis in my collection if anyone else thinks the man is a god too.
(https://i.imgur.com/0221L0I.jpg)
With you on the deification! I'd love to see more of these!
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Thanks for the kind comments! I don't currently have anything to drill gun barrels with... should look into that, GW bolt pistols in particular are bad for this.
The Noble is based on the Sisters of Silence champion, with Neferata's head, Forgeworld pistol (can't remember which kit) and Scyllax claw.
Her Assassin henchwoman is built from rust-stalker legs, Neferata's torso, dark eldar wytch arms, skitarii head, and grave guard + grey knight accessories.
i have the unreleased karskin with the storm bolter