Old old Tycho model - wargear modeling

[Squirrelloid]

So, I have an RT-era Tycho.  You know, back before he actually had a name and was just Marine Captain (who happened to have blood angels iconography).

There are two major changes between my old metal and the current sculpt (aside from the improved feature definition from being redone as what I assume is finecast instead of pewter).

 

(1) His current face mask only covers half his face.  (The metal has a full face mask)

(2) The current model has a combi-melta, the original just has a bolter.  (That may also be a model rules change since rules for Tycho as a character first appeared, but I can't confirm that right now).

 

But otherwise its obviously the same model (pose, iconography, etc...).

 

Should I try to model a melta barrel onto his bolter somehow for WYSIWYG?  Do I need to given they're obviously closely based on the same sculpt and thus clearly the same character?  (For anyone not familiar with the metal Tycho, he's one piece and the bolter is kind of small, making any attempt to make it a combi-melta look awkward at best.)  Basically, is 'obviously Tycho' obviously Tycho, and do you think I can use him 'as-is' without difficulty?

[Xenith]

I would just leave the model as is, and let your opponent know that it's Tycho when you deploy. Everyone know's Tycho has a combi melta.

[Lord Sondar]

I agree with Xenith that you should leave it as is, it's a great sculpt and an easily recognisable piece of BA history.  I don't think anyother miniture has gone on to influence the BA more than this one.

 

I have the same Blood Angel Captain and It's one of my favorite models. I painted it in non-metalic metals and gave it an up date back packfrom the Death Company sprues.  I chose not to use him as Tycho and painted him up and the 7th company Captain. 

 

I hope you enjoy it as much as I have, whatever option you choose.

[Stercus]

I had one of those in about 1995/6. Only thing I did with it was to glue a pair of eldar swooping hawks wings to the back of his backpack. Looked great, although because it was made of lead, he kept falling over.

Don't feel that you need to mess with a true classic. Just let your opponent know who it is before you play.