Beginning the Beetle

The combat walker of Kilrone Joy, affectionately known as the Beetle has begun construction along side the other projects fir Wasteland Flats. This beauty will be the rig of choice used when Kilrone is engaged in combat during Metal Wars, a mech combat sport in the Flats.

The build is mostly a Invictor Warsuit. The missile pod was moved to the left shoulder. I actually messed up the legs, but it turned out giving me a nice running pose.

The shield was not put on the gun assembly of the right arm in favor of something better. An ogryn slab shield will be put in it’s place. The bigger shield will go very nicely with the can opener sword planned to replace the gun in the left hand. The assembly on the base is the opener I am going to cut down for the sword.

It has been pointed out to me how the “wings” are very Gundam. I admit it was an influence in the design, but not for rule of cool. Those drop pod fins have been cut flat. The fins were trimmed and placed on the warsuit upside down. The reasoning is actually quite functional.

As the body of the suit is quite the box. If this unit was knocked on its back I see it as a turtle turned upside down. It would be nearly impossible for it to turn over to get back on it’s feet. The fins keep it from being able to fall to that position.

What’s next? The cockpit will be armored in order to protect the pilot. A sensor style head will be placed to the top of the vehicle to relay information to the pilot. The pilot will be added using the same style parts which the standing figure of Kilrone Joy is constructed. Lastly of course, will be paint.

Keep watching this space for more updates!

Hammer’s Folly

The Hammer’s Folly began as a small commercial freighter. Originally freighter 8116 was used to transport goods to and from Wasteland Flats through the Obsidian Mark spaceport. Downed in an altercation with raiders as it crossed the plains, 8116 found itself in the scrap heaps before it caught a favored eye from it’s destined new owner. Rebuilt, refurbished, and renewed as Hammer’s Folly has garnered a name for itself as well as a reputation among the denizens of Wasteland Flats.

Hammer’s Folly is owned an piloted by Kilrone Joy. Kilrone is a character you have not met who will form the basis for Wasteland Flats continuity in all its iterations. He and his possessions will be key characters as well as transition pieces for various videos, posts, and events. In essence he will be my mascot if sorts for all of the different platforms for Request Reinforcements.

The initial base for this bash is the Armadillo drop ship from the Lightyear Hyperspeed line. I bought this on sale at Target a little while back as they were put in clearance to make room for new seasonal product. I bought two for less than the original MSRP of one.

Added construction to the main body began with engines from the Stormtalon kit. Trying to place them on the body where it made sense was somewhat of a conundrum. I knew I wanted the engines assembled by their instructions. The placement was just awkward until I removed the small fin on the top of the engine fuselage. Once that small piece was out of the way they slide into place line fingers in a glove.

The cockpit canopy of the original model was removed. A Stormtalon canopy was trimmed to replace it. In it’s current condition you can see many gaps between the trimmed canopy, top bit behind the canopy, and the main body. These will be covered in trim from plasticard as construction continues to make defined lines in the structure of the ship.

The gun turret from the Stormtalon was also utilized. Assembled by the instructions for the twin linked assault cannon, as they made the most sense for my setting, a position under the pilot was found to make the best visual profile. It needed to still read as civilian, not military hardware. The ring on top of the gun assembly was shaved down before gluing it into place.

Additions to the rear were actually minimal. Originally I wanted to add to the existing engine with the small outlets from the Stormtalon frame. It didn’t matter what adjustment was made. Nothing looked right when adding to those engines. Instead I opted to place smaller maneuvering thrusters at the bottom of the vehicle in the same vein as those in the original kit.

Future additions will be a missile system as well as any dress up the model needs. Once construction is completed painting will begin.

This has been a fun build. I’ve found that with a little ingenuity I can take something very un-Warhammer and set it in the universe with little work as opposed to rebuilding from the ground up. It has provided me with a custom vehicle which will look great on the board setting next to the original model painted in a different scheme.

Building Wasteland Flats

It’s official! Wasteland Flats construction has begun. As seen in the photo above, there will be a few changes from the original sketch.

The set is being built to set on a small board in my display cabinet and to be removed from that board to be set upon the two foot square play area. Both will be dessert themed boards.

This half of the Wasteland Flats market area feature two shops currently. The Hungry Halfling run by Turmeric Caraway sits on the ridge. It is a combination of a cargo container and an abandoned drop pod converted into a cooking kitchen. This shop will eventually have two table and chair sets. The second is somewhere in my bits. The Bronze Stein is Wasteland Flats local pub. The establishment belongs to squat drink master Austere Stout. Set into the ridge itself, the pub will also gain a second serving bar. Both buildings will also feature some added tarps for covering shade once painting is done.

Once the foam has been sealed and textured painting will begin. I can’t wait to finish this board so that I can get a little filming done!

Dispensing Justice

In the deserts of the Badlands there are many obstacles. Daily life is a battle against the elements. Then there are the various denizens of the Badlands themselves vying for power in whatever form they can take it. Who keeps these raucous gangs in line? The Arbite Enforcement Patrols.

I was digging through my bits box a small time back when I ran across some rider minis from a line I no longer remember. Further exploration gave yield to another figure on foot as well as two original arbites!

The majority of my force will be on foot. I have not decided how I will flesh these guys out to ten models, but it will happen over time. Currently the figure with the bionic eye will be the leader. The arbites models will serve as patrolmen is the force

The two painted figures will be stripped as I no longer have the paints I used originally. I will however, use a similar paint scheme on them once I begin painting.

What’s the Wasteland Flats setting without it’s various mounted figures? Nothing I say, nothing!

Keeping with what has become something of a tradition for the setting The three rider style figures will become mounted patrolmen. Each will get their own personal mount.

The non-helmed figure will be astride the five dollar dinosaur figure procured from my local Wal-mart. Originally this dinosaur was to teach me to paint on a different organic texture. Now it will give test test a purpose beyond as well.

The remaining riders will get their own mounts in time. As I go through yet another box of bits I found in my storage shed I am intrigued at what may be in it. I have already found an original gryphon, stegadon, and pegasus from Games Workshop. Maybe I will find more lizard like mounts that will mesh better with the large dinosaur. Only time will tell.

That’s all for now. Join me again next week as we continue to explore the setting of Wasteland Flats!

Wasteland Flats Expands

As you all know, I have been working on a setting to play games in the wastelands. In an area known as the Badlands sits the settlement of Wasteland Flats.

Originally the Flats was to be a small set. Then I started importing other ideas to flesh out the area. Several of these ideas lend support to expanding into mechanicus and manufactorum settings.

Wasteland Flats was originally designed to be gathering area consisting of the many shops and dives found in any rpg campaign. Since that initial concept I have thought about how they get some things. This lead to adding both a shipping and space port. Both will be smaller scale to support the settlement appropriately.

One side of the setting leads into the desert. I plan to have two boards set for this area to allow play from any reference point to the Flats themselves.

The biggest addition will be the amphitheater. This location will house different “sporting” events. I got this idea from my wife. Though she doesn’t play any of the games, she has brought several brilliant ideas to this project.

The amphitheater was meant for the gladiatorial games. It would allow for items such as floating terrain. Multilevel terrain builds would allow the games to take yet another set of obstacles to over think while playing. I was explaining this to my wife when she blew my mind.

“Are you going to model some people rolling up the grass?” She asked. “What?” I replied trying to figure out what she was talking about. Then she laid it out for me. The amphitheater was ample size to double as a blood bowl sevens arena. She has assumed that I would try to bring Blood Bowl to the Badlands. Now I am.

Other additions to come once they are figured out will center around mechanical matches between larger constructs up to the size of armigers and dreadnoughts. Vehicle racing will also be brought into the fold. Lots of potential to be had here.

Wasteland Flats is well on its way to being a campaign destination instead of a background location. As more things are added to flesh out what is already there to make sense of the local, more ideas come to mind which I already have terrain to build with. Who am I to stop progress?

The Automaton

Yul searched across the plain using his augmented cybernetic systems. His mechanical eyes surveying the terrain for enemies. He moved across the rocky outcrop from atop his mechanical steed. A glimmer from distance caught his attention. Zeroing in on the glimmer, a large object made itself known from the glimmer of glass and plume of dust. Yul turned his steed back toward the Rangers’ command vehicle. It was time to report his scouting mission.

Yul is a double homage to Yul Brenner. He was one of my father’s favorite actors. The double homage? Oh! Yul Brenner was not only one of the main cast members from the original Magnificent Seven, but also from the original Westworld. As such he hits this project not only as one of the seven cowboy conversions, but the only android in the ranks.

Yul, robotic scout

Yul’ steed was constructed per the instructions from the Serberys kit. Yul himself uses the rider body from the same kit as well as the raised rifle and pointing arms.

His head is a mash up using one of the hats from an Age of Sigmar Freeguild Handgunner. The bat was shaved from the handgunner head in order to attach it to it’s new wearer. The helmet from the Lord Imperatant from the Dominion boxset I had lying around was then shaven down at an angle with my hobby knife.

I attached the hat to the helmet. This gave a nice sense of motion to the model. The hat itself seems to be blown back from the wind as Yul rides his steed. It went perfect with the motion already established by the clothing of the rider and the sculpt of the steed.

I believe this model turned out nicely. Like the other conversions in this project the minimalist approach has given the finished product a nice look that is different from the original model regardless of how much of it was stock. For those just getting into converting and kit bashing I would highly encourage a project like this one to get your feet wet. Starting with a project like this one can give you the emerging skills to facilitate moving into more complex projects.

Yul is the last of the Badland Rangers. Next month brings a new project to the blog. Join me again to see what’s on the bench!

Third Generation

Generation three of the Badland Rangers begins with Kaz Kaavan. Known as “Scattershot to many due to the use of his multibarreled rifle. Never the less, he never backs down and always delivers.

Kaz “Scattershot” Kaavan

Kaz started with Space Marine Scout legs and a Cadian torso. Arms were then added from the Adeptus Mechanicus Serberys kit. The head is from an old Empire kit. The studs on the helmet were removed so that it could be painted as a bowler type hat.

Gareh has been called “40 Lashes” due to his extensive use of the neural whip he is never seen without. Quite proficient and deadly with this instrument, Gareh has garnered a reputation which proceeds him. He is a man of simple means, yet barely touched potential.

Gareh “40 Lashes” Splaan

Gareh uses the same Scion leg/Cadian torso as several of the builds in this series in order to keep a cohesive look to the unit. Cadian arms were used to flesh out the body with an Escher Whip added to the left hand. Lastly the yelling bearded head from the Puppets War Gunslingers sprue was added completing the figure.

Join me next week as we finish out this series with the automaton scout and beasts used by the Rangers.

Of Brothers and Adoptive Sons

Jarre has two sons. Kal and Kable. These brothers are like any other when it comes to sibling rivalry. Both have a tendency to show off as well as one up the other. In the end though, they would each storm the gates of Hell for the other.

Kal “Prettyboy” Reeze is a flamboyant one. His grand gestures and showmanship have been both hinderance and heroism. The exact nature depends on what was trying to be accomplished at the time. There is a reason he has two cybernetic arm replacements. His father calls it bravado. His brother calls it showboating.

Kal “Pretty Boy” Reeze

Kal wears his body armor over his duster. The lower portion of a Delague lower body and Cadian torso were combined for the initial profile. The pistol arms added to either side of the torso are from the Adeptus Mechanicus Serberys kit. Lastly Kal was given a mustached head from the Puppets War Gunslingers sprue.

Kabel is the younger son. The small deficit in years does little to stall him. Not as flashy as his brother, yet just as skilled, Kable is the marksman of the group. It matter not if he hits you with his rifle with adjustable stand, his pistol, or his fist. You will be hitting the ground.

Kable “Deadeye” Wayde

Kable uses the same base as Jarre. A Scion leg set was trimmed and attached to a Cadian torso. The Skitarii Rangers box provided the transuranic arquebus with what is in my incarnation a magnetic adjustable riser stand that can get used to calculate the correct shooting angle needed. Kable is raising it up to size the shot in this pose. Lastly, another gunslinger head was used. This time it was the clean shaven one.

Though Jarre has two sons of his own, that is not the end of his family in his eyes. Jym is married to his daughter and has joined the group taking monsters of any variety out if the Badlands. He earns his moniker “Two Guns” after his style of shooting. Kal my use two pistols at times, but Jym always does.

Jym “Two Gun” Marvain

Still using the Scion/Cadian body combination, Jym was given two pistol arms from the Serberys kit as well. The difference was to point the two in the same direction for Jym. Kal’s were to be flashy while Jym’s would be pragmatic. The gunslinger sprue provided Jym with a stoic face and scraggly beard.

That’s all for this week. Join me next week as we bring in the third generation!

The Father

True grit meets unstoppable force. That’s how I thought of my father. As young boys we usually see our fathers as those larger than life type of beings. Their deeds and life grown to legendary status in our minds.

After watching a self imposed Supernatural marathon I formed the initial thought which would eventually become this project. What’s not to love about a family of monster hunters?

I was then exposed to Spaghettimunda from @trismegistus_manhattan_lab on Instagram. The characters he dreamed up using the Clint Eastwood and Lee van Cleef movies from Italy were great 40k universe re-imaginations. I thought, “Wow! These are great an from some of my dad’s favorite movies!” To say it is inspiring is an understatement. You really need to check them out first hand!

Then I watched a Magnificent Seven marathon. Starting with the 1960s version and all of it’s sequels. I finished up with the 2016 version. When I was done I knew what I had to do. I was going to combine it all!

Every outfit needs a leader. With a cigar in the side of his mouth and a never say die attitude Jarre Waine polices the plains and wastes of the Badland. This ex-guardsman turned Ranger leads his kin through the lands enforcing justice and killing monsters of both the literal and figurative sense.

Jarre Waine

This conversion/kit bash utilized three kits from Games Workshop. The Tempestus Scions and Cadian Shock Troops boxes from the Astra Mitarum range provided the majority of the build. Further pieces came from the Palanite Enforcers box from Necromunda. The head is from the Gunslinger pack of heads from Puppets War.

The project was started using the humble Cadian torso as an armored vest. Scion legs were trimmed of the top waist curve in order to attach the Cadian Torso in a believable manner.

The raised right arm from the Cadian kit was then attached. The left handed pistol from the Enforcers kit was added at the wrist. This provided quite believable body language and sense of motion.

The pointing left arm from the Scions kit was then added. The cigar smoking head from the Gunslingers pack was the added after being trimmed at the neck. The eye line gives a nice sideways glance down the pointing arm as if saying, “Get on the ground if you know what’s good for you.” It just adds the already established body language.

Extra equipment was then added to the model. The Cadian box provided the knife and canteen. The mold lines on this bit has been the bane of my existence. I have removed it three times to remove them inly to find more. I’ll probably leave this piece off until it is painted.

What’s a cowboy without his guns? I used the maglock look for the Scion hotshot lasgun. It makes more sense to be able to quickly remove this from the back instead of fussing with straps. A second pistol from the Enforcers kit was added to the left waistband.

Jarre is currently on the painting desk. I’m taking my time to pull out details as my shaky hands allow in order to do the model justice.

I hope you enjoyed today’s post. Join me next week as more members of the Badland Rangers make their debut!

The Father

True Grit meets Wyatt Earp. That’s how I always thought about my father. An avid western fan and gun collector, he always fascinated me with some of his more straight forward approaches to life. As boys our fathers are usually always magnanimous and larger than life in our eyes. This thought along with inspiration from @trismegistas_manhattan_labs Spaghettimunda project on Instagram brought me to constructing my own wasteland cowboy squad.

My initial inspiration came after a Supernatural marathon. What’s not to love about a family of monster hunters? Scrolling through Instagram I watched as the Spaghettimunda project took life transporting characters from some of my father’s favorite movies. I thought, “Wow! That’s pretty cool and gets your attention!” Then came my Magnificent Seven marathon starting the old 1960s movie through the latest 2016 installment. Then I knew what I had to do. Combine them all and throw them into the 41st millennium.

Every group needs a leader. The Badlands Rangers are no different. Out front with a cigar and a take no prisoners attitude is Jarre Waine. An ex-guardsman and current freelance marshal in the abundant wastes and deserts of the Badlands.

Jarre Waine

Jarre is comprised from three Games workshop kits an a third party head. A regular Cadian torso was used as an armored vest. Scion legs were trimmed by removing the rounded top at the waist connection until the torso fit seamlessly. A Cadian raised right arm was attached with the pistol from an Enforcers kit at the wrist. The left pointing arm from the Scion kit was then attached to the Cadian torso. This completed the assembled body of the figure.

Once the body was completed the cigar smoking head from the Puppets War Gunslinger heads pack was trimmed at the neck and attached. I went with the side glance that gave the figure a “get on the ground” vibe. A second pistol from the Enforcers kit was attached to the left waist. This was to drive home that gunslinger feel to the model.

All that was left was the details. Cadian field equipment was added to the right waist. Since the taking of the picture above it has been removed to make sure all the mold lines have been taken care of. This fiddly piece has been the bane of my existence. Just when I think they ate all gone, I find a new one on a picture. I’m going to leave this piece off until I’m happy with it and it is painted.

The last of any cowboy’s gear is his rifle. Jarre has bern given the sheathed hot shot lasrifle from the Scions kit to round out his arsenal. I decided to keep the attached maglock sheath look from the original kit instead of making straps from green stuff. It made more sense to maglock for the ease of adding and subtracting the equipment in a hurry.

Jarre is currently in the painting desk as I try to pick out detail. Hopefully I will do this model justice in the end.

I hope you enjoyed this installment and will join me next time for another member of the Badlands Rangers to make his debut!