N1SB Labs: Engineering 30k Myrmidons with Graviton Imploders

[N1SB]

I experiment with my miniatures. Every model is just a new test subject to me now. Some are successful. Many are not. All provide useful data (even if it's just never do THIS again). Having incurred the costs in money & time, sweat & gears, I share my findings with you freely now.


+++ Overview +++


Today's experiment: how can I easily convert 30k Myrmidon Destructors to have Graviton Imploders, easily and economically?

I used to play a lot of Megaman

This was a simple kit-bash. The situation is that Myrmidon Destructors actually don't have a gun-arm for Graviton Imploders. If you buy the models, you'll get a Volkite Culverin, a Conversion Beamer, an Irradiation Engine...but not a Graviton Imploder. Many people use the Heavy Grav-Cannons from the 40k Cult Mechanicus Kataphron range, which is a good idea, but I elected to go for a 30k aesthetic.


+++ Methods & Materials +++


What does a Graviton Imploder even look like? Actually, there is was a reference in the form of Forge World's Macrocarid Explorator model, where one of the optional weapons is was a Graviton Imploder (Edit - as of 2020, this model seems to have been discontinued).

It's got a nice girth on it, so instead of using the 40k Heavy Grav-Cannon, I went with Forge World's Leviathan Grav-Flux Bombard. The benefit is that they're available as bits by themselves (separate from the purchase of the Leviathan). The Grav-Flux Bombard bit comes in 4 parts: the front of the gun, the back of the gun, the "elbow" joint, then the part that actually connects it to the Leviathan's shoulder. I only used the front here. I drilled a slight socket in it, because Myrmidon Destructors actually have a ball-joint for the weapon arm.

For your shopping convenience, the components I used:

1 x Myrmidon Destructors: https://www.forgeworld.co.uk/en-IE/Mechanicum-Myrmidon-Destructors
3 x Grav-Flux Bombards: https://www.forgeworld.co.uk/en-IE/Leviathan-Pattern-Siege-Dreadnought-Grav-Flux-Bombard


+++ Conclusions +++


The major finding - the Grav-Flux Bombard is somewhat heavy. Don't worry, the miniature doesn't keel forward and face-plant, but I did have to account for it when gluing the Myrmidon Destructors to the base. They're just a little bit on the back of the base to compensate for the Graviton's sheer weight. As long as you are aware and adjust for it, it's fine. I do think my drilling a ball-socket in the gun itself prevents arm-fall-off syndrome, though.

Painting-wise, I tried different stages of the weapon actually firing. The base weapon was just spraying a gunmetal colour. Then I highlighted the tips of the weapons and their knobbly bits by drybrushing white, then even with a light-blue mixed with metallic medium (that's a special type of paint that basically makes whatever you mix with sparkly). From left-to-right in the top photo: not firing, slightly firing, FULL BLAST. Full Blast was actually too much, in retrospect I think something between that and slightly firing would be optimal.

In conclusion, a very simple kitbash, to maintain a purely 30k look & feel.

[Charlo]

They are ridiculous and I love them.

 

Need more pictures from other angles! 

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Good job. As you took inspiration from 'Mega Man', may I ask if Mega Man himself will join your army, maybe with a jump pack and magnetized (interchangeable) arms?

[N1SB]

A late reply, but I want to own up as I'm revisiting all these N1SB Labs posts to have a consistent structure, as I've more painting lab reports to share shortly.

Frater Bjorn, I owe you an answer and I'm owning up...the back does not look good. I aimed for expediency and impact for the opponent to see. I had to clip the joint of the Graviton Bombard gun to make it fit:

No denying it, it was a sub-optimal solution. I did not reply earlier because I felt I would always go back and find a solution...but after a year since playing 30k, it is what it is.