A giant walks among men: BA VDCF Dreadnought Project

[Baal Dropout]

Hmmm... ok, I'm wanting to field a BA ven. death co. dread and I dont want to strip/mutilate what I already got. The idea has also been lurking in my mind lately: create one using (dominantly) empty sprues and empty my bitsbox at the same time... + the dreadnought showcase got me all envious ;)

 

After pondering/cutting/carving/sniffing cement today, this is what I've come up (MkIV shown for scaling purposes)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v207/matt_atknsn/WH40k%20BA%204th/WIPs/IMG_1747.jpg

 

Items/bits used:

• Predator lascannon sponsons, barrels cut and cemented together; intended to be the powerplant
  
• shoulder pads cemented end-to-end as front greaves (letting the cement cure/evaporate atm)
  
• 2 shoulderpads per foot: heel and toe
  
• 2x hubcaps per knee
  
• predator lascannon turret attachment, cut off ends, used as armor over thigh joint
  
• neck part of a helm, used for hip joint
  
• 'peeping' tank commander from rhino sprue, inverted for receiving the previous item/hip joint
  
• sprues used as skeleton (rhino and '98 tactical empty sprues)
  
• terminator torso: placeholder sarcophagus location
  

Here's the torso and legs element:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v207/matt_atknsn/WH40k%20BA%204th/WIPs/IMG_1743.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v207/matt_atknsn/WH40k%20BA%204th/WIPs/IMG_1744.jpg

 

And what I want him to look like in the end: clickity-click (Photobucket) (hopefully come up more armor-looking than a walking box :D )

 

C&C are always welcome :P

 

Cheers!

[Brother Nihm]

So far so good, though I'd change the front of his feet for something less curving.

It looks a bit like clown shoes at the moment. :lol:

[wokkers]

ambitious. subscribe *click* :lol:

 

I agree with brother nihm tho - change the shoes.

[Terminatorinhell]

you want him to look like Wallace from fire emblem :lol:

[Sarr]

you want him to look like Wallace from fire emblem :P

I can think of worse things to make a dreadnought look like...

[Baal Dropout]

So far so good, though I'd change the front of his feet for something less curving. It looks a bit like clown shoes at the moment. ;)

I agree with brother nihm tho - change the shoes.

Noted, and indeed it does look odd in most angles, I'll cook up something (must be all those cement I've been sniffin :P )

 

you want him to look like Wallace from fire emblem :P

I can think of worse things to make a dreadnought look like...

OT though: been revisiting/replaying the FireEmblem(GBA) series :P

Indeed, IMO he just looks cool with that armor, and I think will be in line with the BA fluff with being artsy with their stuff

 

Anyways, will certainly have something for the end of the day, it's too cold outside, I feel like locking myself in my room again :wub:

[Sons of Horus]

looks funny :D its got huge feet and a tiny body lol :P i've heard of top heavy but this is really funny.

[Baal Dropout]

looks funny :D its got huge feet and a tiny body lol :P i've heard of top heavy but this is really funny.

 

Hehehe, like the dread-with-titan-legs pic eh? :huh:

 

Anyways, half-time report:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v207/matt_atknsn/WH40k%20BA%204th/WIPs/Picture.jpg

• added 'hydraulic actuators' onto the sides of the legs: these are from the old-ish banner poles (no proper pic yet)
  
• Installed the greaves: shoulderpad on inverted front torso (belt area cut off) + half hubcaps (I'll be overlooking the "clown shoes" for now :P)
  
• I'm second-guessing the blocky upper leg armor, will have to think of something to replace it (that doesnt include shoulderpads :P ) would be okay if I'm doing an ironclad, but it just doesnt suit it atm...
  
• started to work on the main body: termi front torso will function as the chassis where everything else will be cemented on (no more 'hugely unproportional' crits for a wip hopefully ;) )
  
• the bunch of sprues in front will be the chestplate; I'm curently letting the cement evaporate so I can be properly carved/sanded and what-nots
  

That green shoulderpad is just a prop :D

[ShotgunFacelift]

awesome ideas!!!!

[Disistablishmentarianism]

Heh sweet, the greenstuff shoulderpads look cool maybe you could do some more downsized :) also maybe bulk out the termi chest, it's less in your face now but it's still ungodly small in proportion to everything else.

I personally like the 'clown shoes' especially now with those greaves :)

[Chaplian Silkor]

This is looking really great!

 

I'll be following this thread :)

[Brother Daeger Helsir]

Awesome job. I too thought the feet were a bit clown-shoeish at first, but worry not! Now that you've added on the greaves they look absolutely great.

 

As a matter of fact, I might end up yoinking some of your design here for my own, more anthropomorphic dread.

[Baal Dropout]

Thanks guys!

 

@Disistablishmentarianism

it's not greenstuff, just green :P (it's from a Bandai 1/144 Zaku model kit)

 

Ok, second day:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v207/matt_atknsn/WH40k%20BA%204th/WIPs/Picture010.jpg

• sanded down the sprue to look more like a chestplate, everything is supported by sprues under that big block o' plastic
  
• after I added the chestplate, the 'backpack' looked very awkward so I sawed it down. stacks are from the lascannon tips and are currently letting dry
  
• arm/shoulder joints are from the HB bits (used in kits such as Razorback and Land Raider)
  
• another shoulderpad stuck at groin area, the winged skull bit is from the banner pole from the old-ish tactical squad
  
• the helm shown in the pic will be used as the base for the actual 'head' of the dread, as the FW dread helm is a bit bigger
  

Man, after adding that chestplate, it immediately reminded me of those marines in the anime Irresponsible Captain Tylor :P

This' gonna be a pain when I start filling in the spaces: around the shoulders, the torso, around the helm, doing the helm... uugh ^_^ The DCCW are just there to show how much a gorilla this'll look like (and prevent that from happenin :blush: ) Next challenge would be to do a shoulderpad prototype, as well as to do the torso and try not to make it look like an 80's Transformer toy :P

Maybe I'll call him Chirico too :D

 

Cheers! ;)

[Captain Mick]

This looks very well already cant wait for a update :D.

[Shortsonfire79]

Looks REALLY good. I'm impressed with the way the chest plate sanded down. Looks great!

[Master Toddius]

Its a MECHA-MARINE! Cool stuff and very inventive. This has so many cool aspects to it. Can't wait to see it finished.

 

:)

[Baal Dropout]

Its a MECHA-MARINE!

 

I have no idea what you're talking about :P (seriously though, the thought(s) occured to me just recently ^_^ )

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v207/matt_atknsn/WH40k%20BA%204th/WIPs/Picture011.jpg

• started filling and building up putty on various areas (chestplate bulge, 'collar', helm 'extension'
  
• changed angular upper leg armor to a rounder one: inverted shoulderpad cut 2/3 with the other 1/3 placed on opposite end
  
• started hands/lower arm/DCCW: two sholderpads cemented side2side, filled with putty; fingers and circular 'inserts' made with sprue
  
• shoulderpad primitives (forground) using sprue (like the chestplate, will be sanded round)
  

Dont mind the arms, am just surprised that it fits (now I'll have uses for the extra PCs that I have from my mecha kits ;) but that's another story/forum... peace mods :tu:)

Hot dang, how many shoulderpads can you see? (12 :P ) good to find uses for stuffs I dont intend to use hehehe

[cathar the great]

Subscribed. ^^

[Shortsonfire79]

Is this design stealable? I RREALLY love this idea!

[Baal Dropout]

Is this design stealable? I RREALLY love this idea!

Sure can! :)

 

CAUTION on the following though: cement/glue fumes and plastic dust, also, you might want to have a container nearby if you plan on utilizing sprues... unless you plan to have an impromptu terrain (pile of rubble!) lying on your work area :drool: )

 

Cheers!

 

omigosh, this is' lookin more and more like an Front Mission 3, SD Gundam or The Matrix APU XD (sorry, still charging the camera batts so no pic =( )

[Shortsonfire79]

Thanks man! I've already started. I do cement glue/plastic dust all the time for my Tau..well..used to.. I never found it to really work well for me...but I hope to master the technique one day!

[Brother Daeger Helsir]

Question mate, what'd you use to cut and sand the sprues? Such amazingly clean edges... O_O

[MrToombs]

Inspiring, i think ill check what pieces i got laying around in a bit box :P

[Baal Dropout]

Ayt ;)

 

Thanks man! I've already started. I do cement glue/plastic dust all the time for my Tau..well..used to.. I never found it to really work well for me...but I hope to master the technique one day!

Cheers man! ;)

 

Question mate, what'd you use to cut and sand the sprues? Such amazingly clean edges... O_O

Side cutters, hobby knife and files should suffice ;)

 

Inspiring, i think ill check what pieces i got laying around in a bit box ;)

Anything and everything not used should suffice (like sprues :tu:) best of luck :tu:

[shadowfire]

Baal Dropout, I wonder if you visit the Fichtenfoo boards. Check out his models. His forum has a nice link list to guys who model mecha and gunpla and the like.

 

I've been on a gunpla Hiatus, myself.

 

Still browse the boards there, lol.