Khorne's Eternal Hunt - KrautScientist's chaotic WIP thread 2024: Baby steps...

[Skrundle87]

I must admit I'm not a fan of heresy stuffs, however I really like the idea of seeing before and afters, that's cool for sure

[Lord Commander Scrymgeour]

That's a nice treat! I hope one day to have reached a level of fame where people make alternative models of my characters! Unfortunately Although Blood angels are long lived, I'm not sure there are any that are 10,000 years old!

[KrautScientist]

Cheers, guys! :)

 

@ Kharnaak: Tee hee, could that really be it? ;)

 

@ Skrundle87: While I like the Heresy stuff well enough, I have little to no motivation to actually tackle a 30k World Eaters force, so this was basically the perfect occasion of seeing some of my characters in their youth -- and I simply had to go for it ;)

 

@ Lord Commander Scrymgeour: Well, to be fair, while I would like to pretend otherwise, fame had precious little to do with it: I'm just glad AgnostosTheos was game for the challenge :) Towards that end, it's an even bigger shame he quit his World Eaters, depriving me of any chance to see even more of my guys in their 30k incarnations -- except that one myterious model that is still forthcoming... ;)

[KrautScientist]

A kitbashing related update today: I am currently messing around with the Tempestus Scions (an amazing kit, btw), and thought I would share some initial impressions. This may be semi-off topic considering this thread mainly deals with my World Eaters, but since there's a fair bit of chaos related kitbashing involved, I hope you won't mind ;)

My current plan is to turn four of the models into the beginnings of a squad of elite soldiers for my detachment of Traitor Guard, Urash's Marauders, although I will probably use one model and some of the amazing Tempestor Prime bitz to buy an Inquisitor/Imperial Noble/senior IG officer/whatever...

Anyway, taking inspiration from Jeff Vader's recent experimentation with different head swaps on the Tempestus Scions was a huge inspiration, and so I did something similar, collecting various heads from my bitzbox and trying them on my first Scion test model, in order to see how they would change the overall look and feel of the model. Now don't get me wrong, the whopping seventeen heads that come with the kit are just as amazing as the rest of the bitz. But I still wanted to see how a mere head swap might turn one of the models into very different characters.

I sorted my findings into several different categories. Each picture links to a big, very zoomable version in the gallery, btw:


I. Inquisitorial Types

Possibly the most relevant part of the experiment for this forum. Here are the various heads I tried:

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/9/601592_sm-Astra%20Militarum%2C%20Head%20Swaps%2C%20Kitbashing%2C%20Storm%20Troopers%2C%20Tempestus%20Scions.jpg

I wanted to explore several options for creating shadowy and/or hi-tech-y Stormtroopers. My first experiment was to use a leftover head from Inquisitor Coteaz I still had lying around, and not only was it a great fit, but the resulting model is quite similar to the Sergeant of the Kasrkin models, don't you think? I am seriously considering using that head for my Scion-based Inquisitor.

I also tried two robed DA heads, and while Marine heads tend to be a bit clunky when used on non-marine bodies, these might actually work (although it would be necessary to shave down the neck portion, which I didn't do for my experiments). I also like the faceless SpecOps look of the fourth head (a Valkyrie pilot head, I guess? Just bought it via ebay some time ago).


II. Medieval Types

There's quite a bit of overlap with the Inquisitorial types on these, although I wanted to see how to make the Scions look even more archaic and medieval. I used several Bretonnian heads for that. Here are the results:

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/9/601593_sm-Astra%20Militarum%2C%20Head%20Swaps%2C%20Kitbashing%2C%20Storm%20Troopers%2C%20Tempestus%20Scions.jpg

I actually really like the Brodie-helmet like look on the left two models! These might look great for a fire-and-brimstone Hereticus retinue (or in a particularly medieval IG regiment). The helmets do interfere with the antenna and sensor array on the shoulders, however, so some cutting might be in oder if you want to take this route. The knight helmet was mainly a joke, as was the shaved down berzerker helmet on the right (just the thing if you're going for the old "Boba Fett" look, though).


III. IG Veterans

I think that using various heads from the IG, WFB Empire or even Space Marine catalogues could be a great options of making the Scions look less like freshly-pressed parade ground soldiers and more like hard-boiled veterans from some of the more colourful regiments of the Astra Militarum:

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/9/601594_sm-Astra%20Militarum%2C%20Head%20Swaps%2C%20Kitbashing%2C%20Storm%20Troopers%2C%20Tempestus%20Scions.jpg

I particularly like the one with the SW scout head on the far right ;)


IV. and V. Traitors and Renegades

Ahhh, now we're talking: I tried various chaotic heads in order to make the Scion model look like a Traitor Guard soldier: The decorative trim on their body armour makes them equally viable for chaos, if you ask me. I did already shave off some of the beautiful IG iconography, too. Anyway, here's my first set of traitors:

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/9/601595_sm-Astra%20Militarum%2C%20Head%20Swaps%2C%20Kitbashing%2C%20Storm%20Troopers%2C%20Tempestus%20Scions.jpg

As you can see, slightly shaved down WFB chaos warrior helmets will work, as will heads from the plastic cultists.

I tried even more heads, though:

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/9/601596_sm-Astra%20Militarum%2C%20Head%20Swaps%2C%20Kitbashing%2C%20Storm%20Troopers%2C%20Tempestus%20Scions.jpg

I really liked one of Jeff Vader's experiments, where he used a head from the WFB Marauder Horsemen, and indeed, those heads work brilliantly on the Scion bodies: They are instantly recognisable as chaotic, but they still seem orderly enough so as not to damage the elite soldier look. My absolute favourite has to be the head from the Dark Vengeance cultist champ, though: While it may look slightly goofy on virtually any other model, here it instantly transforms a Scion into a warrior of the Blood Pact - BAM!

 

Interestingly enough, the first mostly finished model to come out of my purchase of the Tempestus Scions wasn't even a Tempestus Scion: I used the voxcaster bitz from the new kit to salvage a FW Vraksian Militia torso I had seriously gutted for another conversion, and thanks to the new bitz, I was able to build a traitor soldier with voxcaster:

 

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/11/602224-Chaos%2C%20Conversion%2C%20Kitbash%2C%20Renegade%20Militia%2C%20Renegades%2C%20Tempestus%20Scions.JPG

 

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/11/602225-Chaos%2C%20Conversion%2C%20Kitbash%2C%20Renegade%20Militia%2C%20Renegades%2C%20Tempestus%20Scions.JPG

 

Even though he uses Chaos Marauder legs and a FW torso, he should still work well enough as a squad member for my chaos elites. He looks good enough next to my test model, at least:

 

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/11/602226-Chaos%2C%20Conversion%2C%20Kitbash%2C%20Renegade%20Militia%2C%20Renegades%2C%20Tempestus%20Scions.JPG

 

As it happens, I have some Vraksian torsos lying around (courtesy of fellow hobbyist PDH) and I think I will use more Marauder legs and a couple of bitz from the Scion kit to transform them into further models for the elite squad:

 

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/11/602227_sm-Chaos%2C%20Conversion%2C%20Kitbash%2C%20Renegade%20Militia%2C%20Renegades%2C%20Traitor%20Guard.JPG

 

Again, they should work well enough from a scale perspective:

 

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/11/602228_sm-Chaos%2C%20Conversion%2C%20Kitbash%2C%20Renegade%20Militia%2C%20Renegades%2C%20Tempestus%20Scions.JPG

 

The slight variation in armour will make for a suitably ragtag looking squad, yet I believe these guys will still read as elite soldiers and look badass enough for the job ;)

 

As always, let me know what you think! :)

Anyway, hope these experiments might be helpful to some of you!

As always, thanks for looking and stay tuned for more! :)

[Excessus]

"No, I already told you I'm not interested in protective underwear! No, not even if they are protected by Nurgle!"

 

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/11/602225_md-Chaos%2C%20Conversion%2C%20Kitbash%2C%20Renegade%20Militia%2C%20Renegades%2C%20Tempestus%20Scions.JPG

[Dragonkin Arenis]

I'm getting some serious Blood Pact vibes from your Scion conversions.

 

Thank you for the various experiments, I'm already loving the Guard vets (including the Wolf Scout head, oh man that's awesome :D) and the Inquisition experiments, particularly the hooded and spec ops choices

 

I'm not a fan of the marauder helmets (or even the renegade/medieval-style full helmets) on the Scions; something about them just doesn't feel right to me, but I guess that's simply down to opinion.

The kettle hat/brodie helmet looks fab, but in a Chaos force I don't think it would work, sadly. As you said, Inquisitorial or Medieval-themed armies would have a field day with those head choices.

In my opinion, the last head choice in Experiment V, and last two choices in Experiment IV would work perfectly in a Traitor Guard force, as would all of the Experiment III choices. Individually they look like a variety of things, from rampaging and open Chaos worshippers to gruff and disillusioned Imperial Guard veterans, with varying forms of malice, to boot. But together, they become members of the Lost and the Damned, caring little for the rigid structure and rules of the Guard and allowing them some measure of freedom (particularly in facial hair, it seems).

 

Just my two penneth.

[daemonclaw]

although i have never been a fan of that particular wolf scout head it fits in perfectly on the scions .good job 

[KrautScientist]

Cheers, guys!

 

I agree that the question as to which chaos heads to use ultimately boils down to preference: I think the Marauder Horsemen heads work great, but the CV cultists are just as cool, especially if you're going for a more twisted, Vraksian look. Oh, and I also love that wolf scout head: Definitely keeping that one in mind for an INQ28 conversion at some point

 

Regarding my voxcaster traitor, what really cracks me up is the idea of that voxcaster traitor making prank calls during battle: I imagine nothing will mess with your battle logistics like someone calling in the middle of an offensive

 

 

 

Another kitbashing idea, if I may: For those of you who might be thinking of using the scions as a base for (Dark) AdMech Skitarii conversions, the following pictures might be helpful as well:

You can combine the scion torsos with flagellant legs:

http://eternalhunt.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/skitarii-mockup-1.jpg

http://eternalhunt.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/skitarii-mockup-2.jpg

For the real Skitarii log, you would probably need to replace the bare feet with something suitably tech-y and bulky (Necron feet, perhaps?). And you'd need to either add a cowl sculpted from GS or use the AdMech-styled cultist head.

As an alternative for making Skitarii (or, indeed, trenchcoat scions), you could use the legs from that very cultist:

http://eternalhunt.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/skitarii-mockup-3.jpg

http://eternalhunt.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/skitarii-mockup-4.jpg

In this case, the legs might be a bit on the thin side, though... Still, the trenchcoat idea is pretty interesting, though, because you end up with something only one step removed from one of my favourite pieces of IG artwork by none other than the great Jes Goodwin.

One last idea for you, at least for today: I just had to try and combine one of the masked Scion heads with the helmet of a Bretonnian Man-at-arms, creating something resembling a futuristic Brodie helmet/gas mask combo:

http://eternalhunt.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/brodie-helmet-01-1.jpg

The resulting model basically looks like a more detailed, more baroque GW version of one of my beloved Warzone 2nd edition starter minis:

http://eternalhunt.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/brodie-helmet-01-2.jpg

Might be a useful idea for IG as well as Inquisitorial Stormtroopers or Traitor Guard, though...

As always, let me know what you think! :)

Edited April 12, 2014 by KrautScientist

[El-Diablo]

Some excellent ideas for heads there Kraut, i've been thinking about how to make the new Scions traitors myself but not had a solid idea yet. Using the flagellant legs is a great idea, could be combined with some choice Scion and chaos parts to make Dark Mechanicus Skitarii...

[Dragonkin Arenis]

Loving the futuristic Brodie helm/gasmask look, might borrow that for a future Scions army I may potentially do.

 

Been thinking about using the Scions for Heresy-era sniper scouts/recon marines in recon armour, myself. Any idea how they stand up to the "modern" ones?

[KrautScientist]

Thanks, guys!

 

@ Dragonkin Arenis: Do you mean how they compare to Marines or Marine scouts? They are pretty much exactly as tall as regular Marines, albeit quite a bit less bulky. As for scouts, I only have very few scout parts, so I cannot make a solid assessment. I would suppose they are pretty much identical in terms of scale though, maybe slightly less bulky.

[KrautScientist]

Work on the scions continues on several fronts: For one, I have drawn together several of my earlier ideas and recombined them into a very early mockup for a soldier with a distinct WWI trencher vibe:

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/15/603578-Astra%20Militarum%2C%20Conversion%2C%20Imperial%20Guard%2C%20Inq28%2C%20Kitbash%2C%20Stormtrooper.JPG

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/15/603579-Astra%20Militarum%2C%20Conversion%2C%20Imperial%20Guard%2C%20Inq28%2C%20Kitbash%2C%20Stormtrooper.JPG

The conversion will need quite a bit of tidying up, of course: I believe I'll be getting rid of the sensor array on the model's shoulders in order to be able to pose the head more freely. He'll also be getting a rifle rather than a sword and pistol, because I think holding a rifle would really work well with the running pose and give him the look of an experienced soldier advancing under fire. I am currently looking at doing something similar to Adam Wier's beautifully simple rifle conversion, since the one thing I really want to get rid of are those power cables (the one, element I hate about the kit, if only for how fiddly it can get). Apart from that, I imagine he'll be getting some more kit, a backpack etc.

I am pretty interested in finishing this conversion, though, and have slightly adapted my plans RE: the scions: While I will still be building four scions as traitor elites, I'll hold off on creating an Inquisitor for now and rather sort out that trencher conversion: He could probably he could be an Inquisitorial Stormtrooper, which would make him viable for INQ28.

Anyway, expect to see more of this guy fairly soon!

Focusing on this guy as my fifth scion model also frees up the second set of fairly static legs for now (since it would be needed to build a model using the storm coat, as far as I am aware), which is a nice side effect, because having that pair of legs at my disposal will allow me to build a suitably impressive officer for my traitor elites. I am pretty sure that one will use the Blood Pact like DV cultist head.

Meanwhile, the first test model for my traitor elites is more or less finished:

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/15/603582-Chaos%2C%20Conversion%2C%20Elite%2C%20Kitbash%2C%20Renegade%20Militia%2C%20Stormtrooper%2C%20Tempestus%20Scions.JPG

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/15/603581-Chaos%2C%20Conversion%2C%20Elite%2C%20Kitbash%2C%20Renegade%20Militia%2C%20Stormtrooper%2C%20Tempestus%20Scions.JPG

I'll admit that it's a very straightforward kitbash, but I still like it very much: There's just something about those Marauder Horsemen heads that really works, don't you think?

Here he is with a second WIP model that still lacks the chaos-y extra bitz:

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/15/603580-Chaos%2C%20Conversion%2C%20Elite%2C%20Kitbash%2C%20Renegade%20Militia%2C%20Stormtrooper%2C%20Tempestus%20Scions.JPG

As always, let me know what you think! :)

[Ammonius]

I like the trencher look to the point that I'm thinking about what parts of the concept to steal for the Ministorum Priests that I now need to make.

 

Extra kudos for making use of the best half of my one of my least favorite cultist sculpts.

[deathspectersgt7]

Really dig the new traitor guard figs .

[KrautScientist]

Cheers, guys!

 

@ Ammonius: Man, I love that cultist, easily one of my favourites: Both the AdMech style mask and running legs are totally worth it: I wish I had more of those to work with ;)

 

Some more experimentation with the scion kit: I may only have bought one box for now, but I am not done with these by a long shot ;)

I just had to put in some more work on that Trencher model:

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/15/603668-Astra%20Militarum%2C%20Conversion%2C%20Elite%2C%20Imperial%20Guard%2C%20Kitbash%2C%20Stormtrooper.JPG

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/15/603667-Astra%20Militarum%2C%20Conversion%2C%20Elite%2C%20Imperial%20Guard%2C%20Kitbash%2C%20Stormtrooper.JPG

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/15/603666-Astra%20Militarum%2C%20Conversion%2C%20Elite%2C%20Imperial%20Guard%2C%20Kitbash%2C%20Stormtrooper.JPG

Still missing some details, but I think it's getting there ;) Oh, and what self-respecting trencher would head out into the warzone without his entrenching tool, right? So the choice of backpack was basically a no-brainer...

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/15/603669-Astra%20Militarum%2C%20Conversion%2C%20Elite%2C%20Imperial%20Guard%2C%20Kitbash%2C%20Stormtrooper.JPG

I also added some leftover armour plates to my traitor with voxcaster to bulk out his somewhat skinny legs a bit ;)

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/15/603665-Chaos%2C%20Conversion%2C%20Kitbash%2C%20Renegade%20Militia%2C%20Stormtrooper%2C%20Tempestus%20Scions.JPG

Let me know what you think! :)

[Skrundle87]

Coming along nicely as usual

[lamby]

Already posted over on dakka about the wpnderful character the Trencher has... but I wanted to add here, if he is carrying an assault rifle rather than a sniper rifle, you could cut the front and rear tube-parts away from the sight, and it would look like an EoTech reflex optic- which I can vouch is a much better sight for close combat than a magnifying optic...

[Montuhotep]

Especially if you drilled a hole down the length of it.....

[Ammonius]

Oh! Now that I am home and can compare more directly I see that I had misidentified the base cultist! I thought you had cut up the pirate Champion model. Yeah I would never have thought to take a knife to the one you used because he's one of my favorites. It was the buckle on the coat flap that gave it away. :)

[Darth Mustard]

I really like the trencher conversion

It has a real steampunk vibe that I really dig

The helmet really works

The posture is completely natural

Well done Sir!

[Hyaenidae]

Your work is always inspiring, but this guy....

 

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/15/603667-Astra%20Militarum%2C%20Conversion%2C%20Elite%2C%20Imperial%20Guard%2C%20Kitbash%2C%20Stormtrooper.JPG

 

 

...is Grade A :cuss ing awesome. May I kidnap this idea for my Iron Warriors?

[KBA]

Agreed. Loving the WWI Canadian Stormtrooper vibe that model has.

[Brother Heinrich]

Lol, what heathens said. If I ever start using cultists, I know where I'm getting my inspiration.

[KrautScientist]

Cheers for the positive feedback, guys! I am rather happy with the trencher, as it happens. I also think I'll be keeping the rifle as is -- there's just too much of a risk to mess it up becond repair. After experimenting with a bayonet, thereby making the rifle far too long and throwing off the model's entire composition, I think I'll just give him a trench knife by way of the daggers that come with the Tempestus Scions. Anyway, expect to see more of this model soon

 

@ 1000heathens: Well, I am quite honoured you should like the model so much, heathens! Feel free to use the idea and inspiration as you see fit! The same goes for the rest of you, of course. On a related note, I would really love to see professional, faceless soldiers used as IW cultists (or allies) for once, and I think the Scions provide the perfect conversion fodder for that.

 

However, let me add one more level of complexity to the business of building cool stormtroopers: Again, I am really happy with the Tempestus Scions and the conversion and kitbashing options they provide, and my experimentation continues. But my love for the kit notwithstanding, let me discuss yet another source for possible conversions. As you will see, this is clearly not a case of favouring one kit (or manufacturer) over the other, but rather an attempt at outlining several, partly interlocking approaches for building just the Stormtroopers and elite soldiers you need:

Quite some time ago, I participated in a Kickstarter to make some of Mark Mondragon’s designs available in glorious plastic. The kits coming out of this Kickstarter, namely the different plastic Titans and the Eisenkern Stormtroopers, were one of my favourite hobby releases in 2013, as some may recall. And it’s the latter of the two I would like to talk about:

The Eisenkern Stromtroopers provide an alternate set of models for your Imperial Guard. Granted, these are not GW models, so you won’t be able to use them in any GW events or GW stores, but the models are still definitely nice enough to showcase them here! As a matter of fact, I was already feeling bad for not making the time to talk about them in more detail earlier, but now it turns out that the opportunity to discuss them back to back with the new Tempestus Scions is just the perfect way of taking a closer look at the kit. So let’s look at both kits, shall we:

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/16/603900-Conversion%2C%20Dfg%2C%20Dreamforge%20Games%2C%20Eisenkern%20Stormtrooper%2C%20Kitbashing%2C%20Stormtrooper.jpg

On their own, the Eisenkern Stormtroopers provide a kit for making very cool looking elite soldiers with a very distinct WWII vibe. Incidentally, the background of the Eisenkern faction basically has them as “Germans IN SPACE!” (and the name certainly is a dead giveaway…). My personal reason for supporting their creation in plastic was that they really reminded me of the Wolf Brigade in Jin-Roh, but those designs were of course based on historical German uniforms again, so it’s a bit of a circular argument.

Anyway, the kit comes with so many options for customisation that it’s almost ridiculous, and these options are further multiplied if you decide to purchase an additional set of conversion and equipment bitz, giving you lots and lots of different weapons, heads, hands and various gear. Therefore, the humble test model pictured above is really just the tip of the iceberg.

Here’s a scale comparison with the Tempestus Scions:

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/16/603901_sm-Comparison%2C%20Conversion%2C%20Dfg%2C%20Dreamforge%20Games%2C%20Eisenkern%20Stormtrooper%2C%20Games%20Workshop.jpg

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/16/603902_sm-Comparison%2C%20Conversion%2C%20Dfg%2C%20Dreamforge%20Games%2C%20Eisenkern%20Stormtrooper%2C%20Games%20Workshop.jpg

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/16/603903_sm-Comparison%2C%20Conversion%2C%20Dfg%2C%20Dreamforge%20Games%2C%20Eisenkern%20Stormtrooper%2C%20Games%20Workshop.jpg

As you can see, both models are more or less of the same height: The Eisenkern Stormtrooper is ever so slightly taller, yet less bulky than the Tempestus Scion. From a structural perspective, there are quite a few parallels, though, ranging from the body armour and rebreather helmets to the power plant-like section on the model’s back.

The overall look is still ever so slightly different, though: Where the Tempestus Scions are full-out baroque and grimdark, the Eisenkern models are more hi-tech, albeit with a clear retro element.

But let’s look at some more scale pictures, this time with a “regular” IG model, a cultist and an Astartes as additional parts of the comparison:

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/16/603904_sm-Comparison%2C%20Conversion%2C%20Dfg%2C%20Dreamforge%20Games%2C%20Eisenkern%20Stormtrooper%2C%20Games%20Workshop.jpg

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/16/603905_sm-Comparison%2C%20Conversion%2C%20Dfg%2C%20Dreamforge%20Games%2C%20Eisenkern%20Stormtrooper%2C%20Games%20Workshop.jpg

As you can see, both Stormtrooper models nicely fit into the gap between “regular” humans and Astartes: While both are basically just as tall as a regular Marine, the added bulkiness still nicely separates the Astartes from the unaugmented models.

One obvious problem with the Eisenkern models lies in the slightly more realistic (and less “heroic”) proportions when compared to GW kits. While this certainly isn’t a shortcoming per se, it can become a bit of a problem when trying to combine the Eisenkern models with GW bitz.

For instance, where the Tempestus Scion bodies will happily accept even Marine heads with a bit of cutting, even fairly slender heads like the wolf scout head pictured below will look slightly too clunky on an Eisenkern Trooper:

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/16/603906-Conversion%2C%20Dfg%2C%20Dreamforge%20Games%2C%20Eisenkern%20Stormtrooper%2C%20Kitbashing%2C%20Stormtrooper.jpg

That said, some heads work better than others: I have collected some cases where the GW heads worked reasonably well below:

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/16/603907-Conversion%2C%20Dfg%2C%20Dreamforge%20Games%2C%20Eisenkern%20Stormtrooper%2C%20Kitbashing%2C%20Stormtrooper.jpg

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/16/603908-Conversion%2C%20Dfg%2C%20Dreamforge%20Games%2C%20Eisenkern%20Stormtrooper%2C%20Kitbashing%2C%20Stormtrooper.jpg

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/16/603909-Conversion%2C%20Dfg%2C%20Dreamforge%20Games%2C%20Eisenkern%20Stormtrooper%2C%20Kitbashing%2C%20Stormtrooper.jpg

In any case, the important thing to keep in mind here is that these parts certainly weren’t designed to be mixed, so the fact that it still works out in some cases should be treated more like a bonus — but more on that in a minute.

The main problem from a design perspective is that the Eisenkern Stormtroopers are far less useful for “classic” chaos than the Tempestus Scions, because the smooth lines are not nearly baroque and archaic enough for your average traitor guard, whereas the extra decoration on the Scions makes them very chaos-y right out of the box. The common Eisenkern Stormtrooper fares less well when combined with chaos bitz.

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/16/603916-Dfg%2C%20Dreamforge%20Games%2C%20Eisenkern%20Stormtrooper.jpg


But, again, this is obviously not really a fault of the kit itself: It wasn’t even designed to allow for shenanigans like that.

The big surprise, then, is that the Eisenkern Stormtroopers work amazingly well with the Tempestus Scion heads:

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/16/603917-Dfg%2C%20Dreamforge%20Games%2C%20Eisenkern%20Stormtrooper.jpg

The beret heads from the Scions are perfect for Eisenkern officers — and actually much better than the somewhat generic bare heads that come with the Eisenkern kit (one of the few failings of an otherwise brilliant kit, I might add).

The same goes for the helmeted Scion heads:

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/16/603918-Dfg%2C%20Dreamforge%20Games%2C%20Eisenkern%20Stormtrooper.jpg

And finally, the beret head with gas mask, one of the coolest heads in the kit anyway, is pretty much the perfect officer head for an Eisenkern Stormtrooper. Take a look:

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/16/603919-Dfg%2C%20Dreamforge%20Games%2C%20Eisenkern%20Stormtrooper.jpg

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/16/603920-Dfg%2C%20Dreamforge%20Games%2C%20Eisenkern%20Stormtrooper.jpg

Quite a nice reward for the adventurous kitbasher, don’t you think? Plus this information might be interesting both for those who are contemplating a purchase of the Eisenkern Stormtroopers as well as those who already own the kit and want to tie it in with their IG army: Just get some Tempestus Scion heads, and you’re golden

Another interesting fact: Female Eisenkern models will eventually be available, filling a  gap GW’s catalogue has mostly refused to address so far: Here’s a regular Eisenkern trooper next to Kickstarter exclusive model Ada:

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/16/603921_sm-Dfg%2C%20Dreamforge%20Games%2C%20Eisenkern%20Stormtrooper.JPG

So which one should you choose?

I’ll be honest with you, I couldn’t even tell you which kit is the better one, because a) both are awesome and which is better for you depends on what you are looking for: Both kits are great and, in their respective ways, provide great value for the money. The best possible approach would be to ask yourself what kind of Stormtrooper you are looking for and make your decision from there (or, of course, to just buy a box of each):

Do you want your Stormtroopers visually in line with the eclectic, sometimes outlandish and anachronistic 40k universe? Do you love the little medieval and renaissance touches and are looking for colourful models that channel this particular part of the setting? Then the Tempestus Scions are your thing.

Do you want slightly more futuristic, tactical looking troopers without too many baroque design elements but a noticeable retro feel and tons and tons of options (you can actually use the accessory sprue to build models conversing in SWAT-like sign language, for crying out loud!)? Great, the Eisenkern Stormtroopers are the kit for you.

But even if you come down on either side of this argument, the other kit would still be an awesome purchase. And, owning both kits, I am perfecly sure that I am going to have lots of fun with both types of models.

In the end, it’s really all about being aware of all the options, and that’s what this post is about too: Describing more options for you. In any case, you way want to check out the Dreamforge Games website — chances are, you’ll find something to like there. At the same time, I cannot recomment the Tempestus Scions enough: They are an amazing kit and quite reasonably priced for GW’s standards.

Anyway, so much for the latest Stormtrooper conversion related shenanigans: Expect to see more from the Trencher model and traitor elites really soon!

And, as always, thanks for looking and stay tuned for more!

Edited April 16, 2014 by KrautScientist

[KrautScientist]

So, another rather sizeable update today: Let's take a look at the (mostly) completed models so far, shall we. Before we do that, though...


1. By request...

...some people suggested I show them a couple of additional headswaps, and how could I refuse? I’ll be keeping this short and to the point, though

First up, in case you wondered what the scion heads looked like on bog standard Cadians:

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/17/604168-Astra%20Militarum%2C%20Cadians%2C%20Imperial%20Guard%2C%20Kitbash%2C%20Tempestus%20Scions%2C%20Work%20In%20Progress.JPG

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/17/604170-Astra%20Militarum%2C%20Cadians%2C%20Imperial%20Guard%2C%20Kitbash%2C%20Tempestus%20Scions%2C%20Work%20In%20Progress.jpg

They are actually a perfect fit: You need to shave down the neck portion, though — which I failed to do for the above pictures, hence the slightly hokey proportions. But from a scale perspective, I think you’ll agree that it should work. And while I was at it, I also tried an Eisenkern Stormtrooper head on a Cadian body…

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/17/604169_sm-Astra%20Militarum%2C%20Cadians%2C%20Eisenkern%2C%20Imperial%20Guard%2C%20Kitbash%2C%20Work%20In%20Progress.jpg

…and it instantly created that wonderful Jin-Roh look. Even more cutting involved in this case, though, because the neck portion on those Eisenkern heads is huge.

Oh, and while we’re at it, here’s the Eisenkern head on a regular Tempestus Scion, for the sake of completeness:

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/17/604171-Astra%20Militarum%2C%20Eisenkern%2C%20Imperial%20Guard%2C%20Kitbash%2C%20Tempestus%20Scions%2C%20Work%20In%20Progress.JPG

This may actually be one of my favourite combinations so far! Unfortunately, the fact that the Eisenkern heads only come as part of the larger kit and that you only get just enough heads, this kind of conversion is hardly economical. But if you should find yourself in the possession of some leftover Eisenkern heads, it’s definitely a very interesting option!


2. Straight from the trenches…

I applied the finishing touches to my trencher model. So here it is, ready for painting:

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/17/604147-Astra%20Militarum%2C%20Conversion%2C%20Imperial%20Guard%2C%20Inq28%2C%20Inquisitor%2C%20Inquisitor%2028.JPG

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/17/604148-Astra%20Militarum%2C%20Conversion%2C%20Imperial%20Guard%2C%20Inq28%2C%20Inquisitor%2C%20Inquisitor%2028.jpg

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/17/604149-Astra%20Militarum%2C%20Conversion%2C%20Imperial%20Guard%2C%20Inq28%2C%20Inquisitor%2C%20Inquisitor%2028.jpg

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/17/604150-Astra%20Militarum%2C%20Conversion%2C%20Imperial%20Guard%2C%20Inq28%2C%20Inquisitor%2C%20Inquisitor%2028.jpg

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/17/604151-Astra%20Militarum%2C%20Conversion%2C%20Imperial%20Guard%2C%20Inq28%2C%20Inquisitor%2C%20Inquisitor%2028.jpg

Additional bitz are a backpack with an entrenching tool (a bit of a no brainer, really) and a trench knife (one of the daggers from the Tempestus Scions). Like I said earlier, my experiments in creating a bayonet for the rifle fell flat: While it was easy enough to attach a blade to the rifle, the barrel ended up looking way too long, thereby throwing off the model’s whole composition. However, I believe that the dagger, worn to be quickly available during combat, works well enough as a replacement.

To tell you the truth, I am stupidly happy with this guy, since he is both suitably grimdark and reminiscent of actual trenchers as well as those Warzone minis I keep going on about. I hope to be able to paint him sooner rather than later — a suitable base, complete with duckboards and a muddy surface, has already been built.

Once again, let me show you some possible, different heads for the model, in case you’re going for a different, maybe even more medieval feel:

While the head I used on the model was spliced together from a Bretonnian helmet and a Tempestus Scion head, the heads from the Bretonnian Men-at-arms can also be used on their own:

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/17/604153-Astra%20Militarum%2C%20Conversion%2C%20Imperial%20Guard%2C%20Inq28%2C%20Inquisitor%2C%20Inquisitor%2028.jpg

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/17/604154-Astra%20Militarum%2C%20Conversion%2C%20Imperial%20Guard%2C%20Inq28%2C%20Inquisitor%2C%20Inquisitor%2028.jpg

I actually think those work just as well, and would basically be ideal if you were after building, say, a Genswick IG force.

I also tried the head with mask and beret from the scion kit…

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/17/604155-Astra%20Militarum%2C%20Conversion%2C%20Imperial%20Guard%2C%20Inq28%2C%20Inquisitor%2C%20Inquisitor%2028.jpg

…and it looks just as awesome as it did when used on the Eisenkern Stormtrooper I posted earlier. I have a sneaking suspicion that this head will always look awesome, no matter the model you use it on.

And finally, another really cool option would be to use an Eisenkern head:

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/17/604152-Astra%20Militarum%2C%20Conversion%2C%20Imperial%20Guard%2C%20Inq28%2C%20Inquisitor%2C%20Inquisitor%2028.JPG


3. Meanwhile, back ar the Archenemy camp…

During all those head swaps, though, let’s not forget the intended use for my first batch of Tempestus Scions: I want to turn them into a squad of elite soldiers for Urash’s Marauders. So, any progress on that? You bet!

For instance, after finishing my first test model (to be found further up in this thread), I have begun working on a second traitor and have also made a first mockup of the squad’s champion (or should that be Damogaur?):

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/17/604157-Chaos%2C%20Conversion%2C%20Kitbash%2C%20Renegade%20Militia%2C%20Renegades%2C%20Traitor%20Guard.jpg


In this case, the scion chainsword was replaced with a suitably chaotic sabre from the Dark Vengeance cultist champion. The head with the grotesk came from the same model. And while a laspistol may not be the most exciting equipment for a squadleader, I chose the arm for its pose, at least for now. One of the two small shortcomings of the Tempestus Scions, in my opinion, are the sometimes freakishly long arms, so choosing a combination that looks right takes some doing (on a semi-related note, those cables connecting the rifles and backpacks are the other element I don’t like: Getting all those parts lined up just so without gluing the model together outright is very fiddly business…).

Anyway, this guy isn’t finished yet, but I think the model will already give you a pretty good idea of where this is going. Here are the three WIP models for the squad together:

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/17/604158_sm-Chaos%2C%20Conversion%2C%20Kitbash%2C%20Renegade%20Militia%2C%20Renegades%2C%20Traitor%20Guard.JPG

That’s not all, however: Since the scion kit contains so many bitz, there are enough leftovers to use on different models as well. As I told you in my previous post, I will be using some of these bitz to build some more traitor elites, mostly based on some Vraksian Renegade Militia torsos.

You already know the voxcaster guy:

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/15/603665-Chaos%2C%20Conversion%2C%20Kitbash%2C%20Renegade%20Militia%2C%20Stormtrooper%2C%20Tempestus%20Scions.JPG

And I also found out that the rifle arms work fairly well on those Vraksian torsos:

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/17/604159-Chaos%2C%20Conversion%2C%20Kitbash%2C%20Renegade%20Militia%2C%20Renegades%2C%20Traitor%20Guard.JPG

By combining these bitz, the model looks a bit like a missing link between a Tempestus Scion and one of my regular traitors, which could signify the encroaching influence of chaos, I suppose?

A third model uses the plasma gunner arms from the scions for now. Here are the three traitors together:

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/17/604161_sm-Chaos%2C%20Conversion%2C%20Kitbash%2C%20Renegade%20Militia%2C%20Renegades%2C%20Traitor%20Guard.JPG

I also built another champion/squadleader model that I am really happy with. Take a look:

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/17/604162-Chaos%2C%20Conversion%2C%20Kitbash%2C%20Renegade%20Militia%2C%20Renegades%2C%20Traitor%20Guard.JPG

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/17/604163-Chaos%2C%20Conversion%2C%20Kitbash%2C%20Renegade%20Militia%2C%20Renegades%2C%20Traitor%20Guard.JPG

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/17/604164-Chaos%2C%20Conversion%2C%20Kitbash%2C%20Renegade%20Militia%2C%20Renegades%2C%20Traitor%20Guard.JPG

The torso came from the Vraksian Enforcers, while the legs are from a WFB chaos charioteer: Both bits were leftovers of earlier conversions, so it was really nice to finally put them to good use! The arms are from the Tempestus Scions, although the weapons and hands were replaced (with a Space Marine Scout pistol and chaos warrior sword, respectively). The head came from a Dark Vengeance plastic cultist. And I also added some additional pouches and gear:

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/17/604165-Chaos%2C%20Conversion%2C%20Kitbash%2C%20Renegade%20Militia%2C%20Renegades%2C%20Traitor%20Guard.JPG

This model takes quite a bit of inspiration from PDH’s traitor soldiers which range among my favourite renegade models. I am really happy with how this model has turned out, because it really fits my idea of Traitor Guard to a t!

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/17/604167-Chaos%2C%20Conversion%2C%20Kitbash%2C%20Renegade%20Militia%2C%20Renegades%2C%20Traitor%20Guard.JPG

And here are all the “Vraksian bases” traitors so far: Keep in mind that these were all basically made from leftovers from my bitzbox:

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/4/17/604166_sm-Chaos%2C%20Conversion%2C%20Kitbash%2C%20Renegade%20Militia%2C%20Renegades%2C%20Traitor%20Guard.JPG

What I especially like about these models is that they could arguably be used alongside the scion-based traitors in one large squad – granted, there’s a bit of variation, but that’s chaos for you – but they could also be the beginnings of a second squad of traitor elites.


So yeah, after all the headswapping businesss, I hope I’ve managed to convince you that some actual models will be coming out of this in the end! I would love to hear your feedback on any of these!

As always, thanks for looking and stay tuned for more!

Edited April 17, 2014 by KrautScientist