Grgobart's Repressor Conversion

[Grgobart]

My Motivation
The Forgeworld Repressor is a fine looking model, the only thing bothering me about it is: It doesn't fit the style of the Plastic Immolator!
I know this might not sound like much of a problem to many us (you fellow Sister-Players here), especially those preferring Forgeworld/non-Organ Exorcists and/or old/metal Immolators. But I happen to like the look of the Plastic Immolator and its derivations (Rhino and Organ-Exorcist) quite a lot and consequently the whole vehicle fleet of my army is entirely made up of those. So even though I like the Forgeworld Repressor model, I would prefer fielding Repressors, which don't look like they'd better fit the opposing Space Marines rather than my own Sisters.

So here's what I came up with, in order to fix this issue:

As of now its not entirely finished yet, I'm still pondering over how best to glue the whole thing together, so that the heavy Flamer turret-ring-thingy remains accessible, in case of need thereof.


Build Process
The first concept ideas for this I had, shortly after I first discovered the Repressor. Back then our Rhinos where 50 Pts and my sole interest in Forgeworld, was the prospect of fielding them cheaper(point-wise). So this was a very long running Project. But the actual time working on it is considerably shorter, I only started physically working on it, shorty before the Repressor went Front Armour 13 and even then it was seldom more than 15-30 minutes a day, not mentioning countless lazy weeks and months of doing nothing at all.

The creation of this model was mostly "design while building", the only constants being the angled Firing Slit configuration and the Immolator-Canopy-toped front turret. Combined with my (quite greedy) ambition, not to 'sacrifice' any parts essential to something in my army. (e.g. no cutting up and remodeling any Immolator-top-covers, since that would have meant, I'd have one less potential Immolator/Rhino(than I paid for!)) and the general difficulty of needing to pre-plan certain steps/features(e.g. making a rectangular cavity into a solid block is much harder to archive, than assembling the same resulting shape from two pieces, of which one only needs a considerably easier to achieve rectangular through hole), building this model proved to be quite a challenge. Not to mention trying to create the desired odd angles of the model by using even odder angled bits of sprue-frame. But then, I enjoy tinkering and who cares if the inside of my construction looks more fitting for an Ork-Vehicle

Your Opinion
So, does anyone share my issues about the Repressor's style fittings, or am I alone with that opinion (again )?

Did I achieve a more Immolator-fitting style for the Repressor? Do you think it doesn't look like a Repressor anymore?

I'm genuinely interested in your answers, because I've been working on this Repressor for so long, I'm simply no longer capable of looking at it objectively (Do you know this effect?). Naturally, any other sort of criticism is welcome as well.

Here a Comparison picture to help you decide and an outlook on how its (supposedly) going to look like finished and painted.

PS: Any opinion on me thinking it's more natural to fit the heavy flamer in a turret and make the Strombolter pintle-mounted(like any other Strombolter on any other vehicle!!!) than the other way round?

[Pearson73]

Looks great, good idea.

[*Furyou Miko]

I like the conversion, but I would say that the pintle-mounted flamer is rather iconic for the vehicle and is a big part of what separates it from other, similar transports.

I'd also inquire where the dozer blade is.

How did you make the top cabin?

[Grgobart]

About the Dozer Blade, I don't like those aesthetically, so won't be making one!

As to the other question, I presume by "top cabin" you mean anything behind the turret.

I made that part (like the rest) from loads of straight pieces of left-over plastic casting-frame. I glued them together side by side to create (admittedly quite thick) sheets of plastic in the desired size, figured out the required angles and put them together. I did use two Razorback-tops, one for the top-decoration, the other as a base from which I could start working from. The firing-slit-frames and those pointy-whatever-those-are-things on top I carved from left-over plastic casting-frame.

Oh, and the white stuff you see, is just some paste to even out small cracks and crevices.

I hope that's what you wanted to know.

As for the iconic heavy pintle-mounted flamer, fair point! The Repressor should be separated from other vehicle by its heavy flamer as well as its fire-points.

But why pintle-mounted? I know 'applying common sense' and 'having fun with 40K' don't exactly go hand in hand, But if anything a heavy flamer needs is pintle-mounting, couldn't you just mount one on any vehicle?

[*Furyou Miko]

Its because it was originally a water cannon modification that was swapped out when the Sisters started using them.

[Grgobart]

You're kind of making my point!

Wouldn't it be more convincing for the Repressor to be the only Rhino Variant (except Immolators and some Bloody Space Marine ones) to feature a heavy flamer, due to it utilizing already present piping, pumps and tanks, so all our dear Sisters of the Order of the Sacred Rose on Avignor had to do, was to replace the nozzle and fill 'em up with Promethium.

Again, as far as reasoning and Warhammer go together! It would at least be the kind of second grade reasoning that let's one enjoy action movies and allot better than the current:

The Repressor being the only Rhino Variant to feature a completely autonomous (Yes, the Forgeword model even has its own Promethium tank!) pintle-mounted heavy flamer, because ... it once had a water cannon, that is in no way shape or form related to the heavy flamer??? (other than where it's located maybe )

[*Furyou Miko]

Other reasoning: the pintle is better suited for the flamer because of arcs of fire, compared to the limited traverse of the storm bolter turret.

[Anjetto]

Good

[Grgobart]

It's hard to argue against a heavy flamer (or any other weapon for that matter) being better off with a greater arc of fire. But arc of fire is primarily a result of positioning and not mounting.

Take the Forgeworld Repressor and replace the pintle-mounted heavy flamer with a turret and it would still have a 360° arc of fire. Replace the stormbolter turret with a (simple non-giraffe-like) pintle-mounted weapon and the odd arc of fire will remain the same.

With my model I could have achieved a 360° arc of fire for the heavy flamer, by simply putting the turret on top or raising it above the back cabin. But I didn't, because I don't think it would have looked good and though I said earlier, that making some basic second grade sense is required, lest things get too random and counter-intuitive, that's where reasoning and common sense in games (and action movies) have to stop for me, when things start to get less fun or less cool looking!

I will admit though, it is probably less the pintle-mounting but more the autonomy of the Forgeworld Repressor's heavy flamer that I have issues with. If it just had a hose/pipe down into the vehicle instead of its own promethium tank, you would've had your iconic pintle-mount-look and I wouldn't have had anything to argue about.

But speaking of being fun and looking good, back to the original topic. Thanks for your likes and comments!

@Anjetto: That includes you, on the premise, that you were referring to my work and not just the little discussion about weapon mountings.

[Duke Danse Macabre]

Damn nice looking conversion mate, its refreshing to see some solid thought go into it and for it to be a great looking conversion for that sake rather than the traditional didnt want to pay for the offical kit.

 

You thinking of making a second or did this long take to long looking back over all those lazy weeks? ;)

[*Furyou Miko]

I was mostly thinking in terms of scouring boarders or Scarabs off the top of the hull, but heh.

[Sith’ari]

Man that looks sooo good! I'll definately be trying to recreate this when I get around to building my Repressor's. Maybe we should call it the Grgobart pattern!

[vonny]

definately a good effort, and more than I'd be able to do. I do think however it's a bit back-heavy: there's a lot going on in the back, and not so much in the front, which makes it look like it'll tip over on its rear at a medium-sized speed bump.

[Grgobart]

@Miko

I guess with its better overview pintle-mounting really does make it is easier for a gunner to fight off boarders. On the other hand, being out in the open also makes it easier for the boarders, to chop/bite off the gunner's head.

@Vonny

Is the visual balance really that bad? It's quite sad to hear, especially having posted a picture along with an Organ-Exorcist. I can see my Repressor being a bit back-heavy, ok, but compared to an Organ-Exocist, I wouldn't have thought of it, anything other than being perfectly poised. I mean, do you have one of those, by tilting one back you can literally make them sit up and beg like a dog and it will stay that way!!!

As far as rebuilding one of these goes, yeah, I'll probably make a second one too, some day, but certainly not before some of my other planned Projects. And concerning build time, I reckon it'll take a lot less time (apart from the lazy periods, nothing I can do about those! ), due to having sorted out a lot of the difficulties (and mistakes) the first time around.

The only things missing are half a Strombolter, which I managed to lose form my second Exocist-Set somehow , and another canopy (the one I used with this one was ruined by an unfortunate incident involving crystallizing spray-on varnish, a long time ago, so I didn't technically sacrifice it for this build).

[Bjorn Firewalker]

I've long been of the opinion the Repressor's storm bolter and heavy flamer's positions should be switched. We all saw what happened when a bullet pierced a flamethrower's fuel tank, in 'Saving Private Ryan' and other war movies. For that reason, the Repressor's heavy flamer should be turret-mounted; let the vehicle's armored hull protect the fuel tank and the hose that feeds the flamer fuel.

[vonny]

Grgobart, I don't know. It's just what caught my eye. It may be photo angles, it may be me and my silly view on things, so don't take it too heart too much.

[CaptainHelion]

It does feel to me like it needs a little something more on the front. But that might just be because I have dozer blades on practically everything I have.

[mince on toast]

i like it , the repressor does look a little strange as it has a more SM look 

come to think of it I cant remember what was released first the repressor or the plastic immo

so yeh not sure if its down to fluff (arbites had it first) or designed before the immo was released

 

its a good effort really I think most people have just got used to seeing the square look 

can the flame turret rotate very far?

 

im trying to do something similar as forgeworld prices in NZ are insane

[Grgobart]

The intended/planned arc of fire for my heavy flamer was the front 270° (It seemed best suited/fitting for that angled cabin design). But unfortunately I screwed up last minute with the part between turret and back cabin, resulting in an actual arc of just over 180° (although I still hope it at least looks like it could do 270°).

I should have made that part a bit narrower and it would've been fine, but I realized it too late and was reluctant to go through with all the necessary changes that had accumulated up to that point.

 

That arc of fire is also the reason why the cabin had to be so far back. I had considered a smaller diameter turret, but since I intended to use that Immolator cupola and cupola-frame, I didn't.

 

[Grgobart]

I finally finished it!

I came across some problems. One was the lack of properly sized decorative bits for those indentations front and back above the tracks, like that Fleur front left (driver's perspective), for which I had to exercise my carving skills before I could paint the model.

The second problem was, I suddenly had this stupid Idea, to try something new ...on the second to last vehicle of the army!!!

"I wonder what gold edges would look like on black armour?"

The sad answer is, I like it, which means I'll have to redo all my previously painted vehicles to match

What do you people think about it?

[Jacinda]

What do you people think about it?

I hate you.

 

 

 

(that's a compliment, BTW)

[NonePurer]

How did you approach the gold edges and get them so bright?

[Grgobart]

How did I get the gold bright? Use a bright Gold colour and don't apply it too thin

I really didn't do much, painted the model black, applied the edges (Vallejo Polished Gold), washed over with Sepia Shade and varnished all black armour with gloss varnish.

@Jacinda

Okaaay, been sitting on this post for half an hour now and still don't know how to take this.

I guess this is what it must feel like dealing with Eldar or Tzeetch.

Sooo, thanks ... I, guess!?

[Jacinda]

I was afraid it would not cross cultures well.

It's an expression of admiration with a little bit of envy. Like when I workout 5 days a week, even when I'm ill, and stay on a strict diet just to maintain my shape, but the girl in the office next door is having a bacon-cheeseburger with a chocolate milk shake for lunch AGAIN and she doesn't weigh 50 kilos tops. Telling her I hate her is shorthand for "I think you look better than me and you don't even have to try very hard."

[Grgobart]

And here I was, thinking I might have inadvertently stolen some Idea of yours, or something along those lines.

As far as envy is concerned, there's the healthy kind ("I wish I could do/be like/have that!") and the not-quite-so-healthy kind ("I wish you couldn't do/be like/have that!")

I'm fine with the first, it's a good basis for a heartfelt compliment as well as a stimulus for refining your own skills (or shape).

Me, I'm envious of those having already finished their DIY Orders, as that's what I like to accomplish next!