Land Raider project

[Kazehana]

I'm not sure if this is exactly the right board, but this is the best place I can guess it belongs.

 

Anyway, I'm planning on purchasing my first Land Raider eventually for a heavy conversion job. It's going to be a Crimson Fist Land Raider, constructed(or repaired, or recovered, etc) after the Rynn's World incident. In lieu of a standard Land Raider this will be a Land Raider Redeemer.

 

The idea is that the Land Raider will be a way to honour the brothers lost during Warboss Urzog's invasion; as such, I've decided upon a mass of skulls lining the entirety of the hull. The skulls will represent the tragic deaths, but I also intend for each skull to represent a dead Marine. As I've read that but a little over 100 Crimson Fists survived, that would mean that I would need to somehow fit 900 skulls. However, as that is literally the least feasible task I've come up with in quite some time I'm just going to put as many as I can and say there's 900 - anyone who wants to count them will become aware of the truth, but other than that...

 

As I'm going to mount the Flamestorm cannons on the forward mounts, near the Assault Ramp, I'm going to use the back mounts for them to put in shrines. I'm thinking something like Calgar's Land Raider in the Codex; perhaps an image of a Crimson Fist standing atop an Ork body with a bloodied Power Fist. Just a black outline, with light highlights to accentuate it - but no actual colour aside from the blue of the Land Raider. There will probably be skulls lining the shrine itself, as well.

 

On the back of the Land Raider I intend to put several other Chapter symbols, of the Chapters that aided the Crimson Fists in their darkest hour. The Lexicanum states that there were 6 Chapters present, amongst them the Dark Angels Ravenwing, but I've also read of the Salamanders and Imperial Fists arriving as well. Is there a full list of the Chapters that arrived anywhere? They're being put on the back to show that their aid is appreciated, but to keep the motif of the Land Raider as carrying the sorrow and utter fury they feel due to the invasion - in that sense the Land Raider being a Redeemer is fitting.

 

The top of the Land Raider is where I'm torn. I want to do something like put the organ mount from an Exorcist on it, to give it a very cathedral-y/mobile shrine feel. I also like the idea of an army rolling into battle playing it's own marching theme - the Imperium does have something akin to that, no? I was considering a servitor to play said organ, but it feels so out of place; perhaps a Sister of Battle? Relief forces sent to aid the Crimson Fists on Rynn, it could be. Or I could simply leave the seat out and have just the organ mounted. I'll obviously have to leave much of the bits meant to go atop the Land Raider out - and possibly carve my own hole in for the thing. Does anyone have an image of just how big said organ is in comparison to a Land Raider? Would it be better if I made my own, somehow?

 

On the Assault Ramp I want to have the Crimson Fist heraldry atop the aquilla, as well. But that will be easy.

 

My question is this; does this project seem plausible if I have absolutely no skill/experience with greenstuff? Are there any bits that I could use to get the skulls? I fully imagine this Land Raider being more bulky than others due to the dual shrines and skull mounts, so I don't mind if the bits would make it larger. I'm aware that some bits from the building sets have designs such as descending skulls carved into the wall, and whatnot. Before I purchase the bits (or the box, and make the buildings out of what's left), are those of a decent size to use with the Land Raider's hull?

 

Also, does anyone have any advice on painting white? I've never done it before; I paint most skull designs on my models (Dreads, Stern/Vanguard, Vets, etc) Mithril Silver and highlight in Boltgun, but I feel these skulls should be white.

 

Lastly, I'm considering what exactly this bad boy should carry. I was thinking a 10-man Sternguard using bits from the Legion of the Damned box to get some (read: some) skulls and bones on their armour - and to get that sexy Heavy Flamer. A Power Fist would obviously be in the squad, as well as a bunch of Combi-Melta and Combi-Flamers, and they should, in my opinion, be lead by a Chaplain - or Pedro himself. I may have them carry a Chapter Banner as well, but that wouldn't translate to the game.

[Alphz]

A quick idea might be to freehand the skulls on the hull of the landraider. Of which case you can search some pictures on the web and then draw a few concepts on paper, from there you should practice painting them on some flat primed plastic until you're happy with the result then go for gold all over that bad boy's hull!

 

You could make you're own organ by using hollow pipe bits usually available at model shops such as train and plastic kit stocking places. Use varying sizes and cut the top off at an angle. Could be a cheaper and more size controllable way to go.

[Kazehana]

My freehand skills with a brush are so bad that I'll be more likely to throw the paint randomly and get all the skull designs on in that way. However, you do give me an interesting idea, as I have several friends who should be able to do this.

 

Would it be feasible to use a pencil to sketch skulls on place and then use the outline to paint over? I've heard there are some pens designed for drawing on painted models like these - I was planning to use those for the murals.

 

The Exorcist model comes with a Rhino, if I remember - I can always use a Rhino, though it's a pricey box. I should probably make my own, and most likely will - thanks for the advice there - but for curiosity's sake does anyone know how the organ model compares to a Rhino hull?

[Alphz]

Its quite sizeable on the rhino if I recall correctly, easily doubling the height of the model but it only takes up the back 1/3 of the hull top.

 

No worries about ideas, yeah the pens you're probably thinking of a micron marker pens which come with very fine tips. If you're more comfortable with that you could try that. Another idea is just make a stencil of skulls, tape or hold it against the hull and paint in the stencil (You could even spray if you were super careful with overspray).

 

I would practice with greenstuff, using it as a filler is an invaluable skill even if you can't sculpt it but still requires familiarity. This will allow you to be a bit more ambitious on how you attach things to the hull as you can smoothe out the transitions more.