WIP thread - 711th CCAB (Chocochip Rats)

[elmo]

Here is what I have been up to with photos ;)

 

http://i814.photobucket.com/albums/zz66/jonbrooks_photo/IMAG0490_zps7d935384.jpg

 

This is the location of the 2 magnets to hold the dozerblade

 

 

http://i814.photobucket.com/albums/zz66/jonbrooks_photo/IMAG0491_zpscd41e488.jpg

 

The location for the magnets to hold the sponsons

 

 

http://i814.photobucket.com/albums/zz66/jonbrooks_photo/IMAG0492_zps446c901e.jpg

 

The construction so far

 

 

http://i814.photobucket.com/albums/zz66/jonbrooks_photo/IMAG0493_zps7d62d8df.jpg

 

And the bits.

 

 

More tomorrow

[Tanhausen]

That's a clever use of magnets without drilling...are they strong enough to actually hold a sponson through the plastic?

 

I'd never said...

 

Keep up the work :)

[elmo]

The sponsons are held firmly and I will upload a photo of the inside of them tonight to show how the magnet is mounted.

 

Of course, if the model is dropped or treated roughly they will fall off but that would be the least of your problems ;)

[WarriorFish]

That would be handy, your tank is coming along very nicely. I've been looking at magnetising future Russ sponsons and this is how I thought of doing it so I'm very interested in seeing the details of how you've done it :)

[elmo]

Your wish is my command oh great and terrible WarriorFish!

 

http://i814.photobucket.com/albums/zz66/jonbrooks_photo/IMAG0494_zpsf9cf61e5.jpg

 

 

 

Here are some more shots of the LR with different armament. At the moment the base of the turret is a tight fit so I may not even need to use any magnets for this bit. I have glued the gun mantlet onto the turret to help swap over the main guns

 

http://i814.photobucket.com/albums/zz66/jonbrooks_photo/IMAG0495_zps34f54407.jpg

 

http://i814.photobucket.com/albums/zz66/jonbrooks_photo/IMAG0497_zpsff2b27ae.jpg

 

http://i814.photobucket.com/albums/zz66/jonbrooks_photo/IMAG0498_zps66f44d5e.jpg

 

http://i814.photobucket.com/albums/zz66/jonbrooks_photo/IMAG0499_zps23c5a73c.jpg

 

I am going to go for the green/desert scheme as on the gun for the complete tank and the guns are done less a little weathering as well as the tracks to a clean finish as I will weather them when I fit them.

[WarriorFish]

Is that just a couple of sprue bits glued in the sponsons? I was thinking it might be a bit more work than that :P Something for me to look at when I get round to my Pask, not that I'm short of sponson and sponsonless hulls but choice is always better :)

 

Good work indeed, but now I want to see it finished... :lol:

[elmo]

Just bits of sprue ;)

 

I might try 2 magnets each side next time. 1 works but 2 would be extra strong.

[WarriorFish]

I think a single one should be ok for the sponsons. The side of the tank has bits it can rest/clip on to so it should be strong enough to hold?

[elmo]

I have started to put a Chimera together - what are the thoughts of having the heavy flamer in the turret... is it worth having or just stick with the multi-laser or heavy bolter?

 

The hull weapon will be magnetised.

[scatmandoo]

I have started to put a Chimera together - what are the thoughts of having the heavy flamer in the turret... is it worth having or just stick with the multi-laser or heavy bolter?

 

The hull weapon will be magnetised.

 

Back in the old dex, and flanking Chimera always had one. I now see them as a mini hound and another threat for an opponant to deal with. 

[WarriorFish]

It depends what you need, as a turret HF is very nice but generally I think you're better off with putting it on the hull and sticking to the multilaser. It's a quite unique weapon that suits the Chimera well and I've lost count of the number of times a few Chimera have blast away enemy transports or plinked wounds off MCs :)

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

I haven't commented on this thread before, but have looked-in on it from time to time. I think the choco-chip camouflage is very well done and your army looks great.

 

I consider the dual heavy flamer Chimera a "poor man's Hellhound". It doesn't have torrent or Str 6 but then again it is also only 1/2 the price of a Hellhound. Opinions may vary -- spamming Str 6 with a whole whack of Chimerae with multilasers can be good, and those multilasers can work well against Rhinos, Ork Trukks, or rear-armour shots on a variety of targets. I think they are better in bulk, though, so it depends a bit on how many you have. The heavy flamer chimera has definite benefits as well. If you intend to be rushing forward with it, then I think it can be a good option. I find that I am usually using smoke or going flat-out with my advancing Chimerae so the multilaser isn't in use during the approach anyway, and once you're in deep I think the heavy flamer can be a lot deadlier.

[WarriorFish]

It's not bad for a poor man's Hellhound I agree, but in my experiences the lack of Fast and side armour means that you seldom get to take advantage of this. It is good however for some reliability as if he can only knock one gun off he's still at it's mercy for example but don't expect great things. If you wanted to go HF I'd say do so as part of your core Chimera plan so there is no escape! What you'd lack from the S6 spam you can make up elsewhere and along with the troopers inside I'm sure your mechanised push will cut through enemy infantry like a hot knife through butter!

 

This reminds me, I have an under coated FW HF Chimera turret somewhere - I may dig that out for use in the near future...

[elmo]

Thanks for the replies :)

 

I must admit that the main reason I asked was to make my life a little easier with the magnetisation as it would mean working around the fact that the HF and ML share one mantlet but I sort of like the idea of having a hellhound-lite on call when needed.

 

The hull weapon is no problem to magnetise as I did it already on my first chimera but that was the old version of turret so I went down a different road to magnetise the turret from what I will have to do with this one.

 

http://i814.photobucket.com/albums/zz66/jonbrooks_photo/P2030019_zps6173bf2e.jpg

[WarriorFish]

I miss the old Chimera kit, my last one was done as part of ETL II. I'm getting round it by having the new ones as special ones - command or Veteran ones :) I'll have to start magnetising them though judging from this! :tu: Also maybe steal your weathering... :P

[scatmandoo]

To give me a M/L or H/F turret option, I put the H/F part on the H/B base, so then i had both options of the loadout i use. Maybe an idea?

Edited August 8, 2014 by scatmandoo

[elmo]

But I want the heavy bolter too :P

[elmo]

Here are the LR and Chimera no longer naked ;)

 

They are base sprayed in black then oversprayed in Tamiya Nato Green which is the closest spray can I have found to catachan green.

I am expecting them to be complete by next weekend. Or at least to the pre-weathering stage.

 

http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2014/220/f/0/wip___leman_russ_battle_tank_by_elmo9141-d7uai7w.jpg

 

http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2014/220/d/2/wip___chimera_by_elmo9141-d7uaixd.jpg

[WarriorFish]

It looks very similar to Catachan/Castellan Green so that was a good find, they'll be done soon at this rate!

[elmo]

Once it is highlighted in Elysian Green (I use Vallejo Camouflage Green - Game colour 031) you really can't tell the difference ;)

 

The only problem I have found is that it is not cheap! 100ml spray can at $7 list  

That being said I think it is worth it to get the finish. One can just about did these two models and I only use it on vehicles.

 

Tamiya T61 Nato Green

[elmo]

After the first evening of sponging paint onto the chassis this is where I am currently up to. It still needs a little playing with as it could do with just a little bit more then I will have to shade it  - then details and finally weathering.

 

http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2014/223/8/0/wip___leman_russ_by_elmo9141-d7uq7d1.jpg

 

http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2014/223/a/7/wip___leman_russ_by_elmo9141-d7uq73w.jpg

[Kierdale]

Very nice work.

The sponging looks great.

[scatmandoo]

The sponging looks great. Any chance you could do a thread going through how you do the sponging?

[elmo]

The sponging looks great. Any chance you could do a thread going through how you do the sponging?

I will put something together when I do the chimera. It is really very simple though. I use bleached bone as the base followed by Vallejo pale sand and finally Vallejo ivory. Each colour is applied a little less than the one before. I use the sponge packaging from the clam shell packs cut into strips. Use gloves if you don't want to have paint covered fingers ;)

[elmo]

Another night a bit more paint...

 

The sandy bits are done along with the Lascannon and HBs and some lens detailing. I also started on Pask with a bit of greenstuff for his chest armour and cloak.

 

http://i814.photobucket.com/albums/zz66/jonbrooks_photo/IMAG0507_zps31a9f17c.jpg

 

http://i814.photobucket.com/albums/zz66/jonbrooks_photo/IMAG0506_zps8012bb2b.jpg

 

http://i814.photobucket.com/albums/zz66/jonbrooks_photo/IMAG0505_zps58e2b447.jpg

 

http://i814.photobucket.com/albums/zz66/jonbrooks_photo/IMAG0504_zps866e5715.jpg

 

http://i814.photobucket.com/albums/zz66/jonbrooks_photo/IMAG0503_zps275d05d4.jpg

 

The plan for tomorrow is a bit more detailing along with the Meltas, flamers and plasmas and if the GS is dry enough then a bit of Pask.  I need to think if I should give him chocochip fatigues or go for a different look for my tank crew. I am tempted to stay with the chocochip but what colour should his cloak be?