How to Model Rough Riders

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

In my "New Rough Riders" review thread, the important question was raised:

 

I think the most pertinent question about Rough Riders is clearly: how are you going to model them?

 

Since the aforementioned thread was about their effectiveness and tactical uses, I thought a seperate topic to focus on the modelling aspect would be good. Gothical got the ball rolling with this suggestion:

 

 

As a Cadian player I am thinknig of using the Dark Elf* Doomfire Warlocks  as a base, given they have a layered robe and chainmail thing going on that could be turned into an oversized military jacket. The horses come with legs/feet attached, the feet will need trimming as they are looong but otherwise the way they sit in the lower-leg stirrup things looks pretty good for lancer; naturally the mutant horse heads will need replacing, random spikes cutting off and runes filling in. Use Cadian torsos, arms, weapons, helmets etc.

 

It is making the Lances that I actually find the hardest, given they have to be both advanced enough to fit with the reasonably high-tech Cadians but still look "realistic" - and also need arms that can hold them in appropriate positions.

 

 

Of course, the most straight forward option is to simply use Death Riders of Krieg: https://www.forgeworld.co.uk/en-CA/Death-Korps-of-Krieg-Death-Rider-Squadron

 

But that won't fit with everyone's regiment. However, fear not! There are a few options out there to build your own by bashing together some of the following bits with the kit of your choice (be it Cadians, Catachans, 3rd party, etc).  Here's what I am aware of:

 

1. Legs:

 

Victoria Miniatures: http://victoriaminiatures.highwire.com/product/rough-rider-legs-x5

 

Curious Constructs has two varieties: 

Dress uniform: https://kirtongames.co.uk/products/colonial-empires-dress-uniform-cavalry-legs-set

"Militia": https://kirtongames.co.uk/products/colonial-empires-militia-cavalry-legs-set

 

 

2. Lances/arms:

 

Victoria Miniatures: http://victoriaminiatures.highwire.com/product/rough-rider-arms

 

Curious Constructs doesn't seem to have a way to purchase just arms, but if you email Rob Angell (Col. Gravis) I bet he'll sort something out for you, he's a super nice guy and helfup: https://kirtongames.co.uk/products/colonial-empires-cavalry-conversion-kit

 

Kitbash: looking at Elmo's motorbike rough riders, looks like he just put a grenade and a combat knife (available from various GW kits) on the end of a pole -- not sure where you can get those brass cylinders Forgeworld sends out with Death Riders but that would probably be a fairly low cost option.

 

*NB Victoria Miniatures sells legs and lances in a combined conversion kit which comes with 10 legs and 10 lances: http://victoriaminiatures.highwire.com/product/10-man-rough-rider-conversion-kit

 

3. Mounts:

 

(a) Horses

 

AoS Freeguild Outriders: https://www.games-workshop.com/en-CA/Empire-Outriders

 

Perry Miniatures Napoleonic British Light Cavalry horses: https://www.perry-miniatures.com/product_info.php?products_id=3297&osCsid=jk6rpseoscs9fbrp32odbv45r4

 

(b ) Lizards

 

AoS Drakespawn Knights: https://www.games-workshop.com/en-CA/Dark-Elf-Cold-One-Knights

 

AoS Saurus Knights: https://www.games-workshop.com/en-CA/Seraphon-Saurus-Knights

 

(c ) Bikes

 

Mad Robot Azog Treat Bikes: https://madrobotminiatures.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=9_16&products_id=157

 

Mad Robot Motorcycles: https://madrobotminiatures.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=242

 

Ramshackle Games Scrambler Bikes: http://shop.ramshacklegames.co.uk/index.php?id_product=54&id_product_attribute=0&rewrite=20mm-biker-gang-11-models&controller=product

 

 

 

POST YOUR IDEAS AND I'LL UPDATE THIS FIRST POST WITH LINKS!

Edited June 6, 2017 by Nicodemus Doloroso

[Brother-Chaplain Kage]

Back when I was going to do up a Vostroyan army, I bought a box of Cold One knights to convert. With minimal effort, the legs of the dark elves can be made to fit with the heavier armor of the Vostroyans or another suitably armored guard unit.

[Brother Captain Ed]

Sorry for tracking my dirty plebian hobby mud into your rules thread, Nico.  It won't happen again. 

 

Those links are helpful!  I'm thinking I'm going to cannibalize the horses from my Warmachine Steelhead Heavy Cavalry.  http://privateerpress.com/warmachine/gallery/mercenaries/units/steelhead-heavy-cavalry

 

The legs are modeled on the horse, making it easy to add torsos, and the armor is fairly chunky and Imperial-esque.  Just add some purity seals and aquilas.  They also went from faction essential to suck-out-loud overnight in their edition change so you might be able to find them for cheap on eBay.

[elmo]

Here you go. http://shop.ramshacklegames.co.uk/index.php?id_product=54&id_product_attribute=0&rewrite=20mm-biker-gang-11-models&controller=product

 

And here is my wip post http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/269375-wip-thread-711th-ccab-chocochip-rats/?p=4056216

 

They also have other versions of bikes. http://shop.ramshacklegames.co.uk/index.php?id_category=17&controller=category

Edited June 4, 2017 by elmo

[FlamingDeth]

Just sold the vast majority of my guard, going to replace them with converted Pike and Shotte guys from Warlord Games so that I can have another intense army project that I will never, ever finish. As such, rough riders will be based off these chaps.

[RADU LYKAN]

My wip counts as ash waste nomads might give a few ideas

 

http://i364.photobucket.com/albums/oo90/RADU_LYKAN/imperial%20guard/necromunda/awnwipdom1_zpsp1dvpkvg.jpg

http://i364.photobucket.com/albums/oo90/RADU_LYKAN/imperial%20guard/necromunda/awnwipdom5_zpsyciswgws.jpg

http://i364.photobucket.com/albums/oo90/RADU_LYKAN/imperial%20guard/necromunda/awnwipdom2_zpshwugrmgk.jpg

http://i364.photobucket.com/albums/oo90/RADU_LYKAN/imperial%20guard/necromunda/awnwipfiend1_zps55pxoeya.jpg

http://i364.photobucket.com/albums/oo90/RADU_LYKAN/imperial%20guard/necromunda/awnwipmuk1_zps3cx7gydl.jpg

 

A painted version

http://i364.photobucket.com/albums/oo90/RADU_LYKAN/imperial%20guard/necromunda/Ash%20wastes%20cold%20one%20rider%20front_zpsfnanfdzf.jpg

http://i364.photobucket.com/albums/oo90/RADU_LYKAN/imperial%20guard/necromunda/Ash%20wastes%20cold%20one%20rider%20left_zpslbdidu5l.jpg

http://i364.photobucket.com/albums/oo90/RADU_LYKAN/imperial%20guard/necromunda/Ash%20wastes%20cold%20one%20rider%20right_zpsdjpptxa4.jpg

http://i364.photobucket.com/albums/oo90/RADU_LYKAN/imperial%20guard/necromunda/Ash%20wastes%20cold%20one%20rider%20rear_zpsaisfmmb7.jpg

 

Mad robot azog tread bike

http://i364.photobucket.com/albums/oo90/RADU_LYKAN/imperial%20guard/azogwip1_zps99766b3a.jpg

 

My next project if roughriders work for me on the table will probably be 30 of these guys

http://i364.photobucket.com/albums/oo90/RADU_LYKAN/imperial%20guard/rr1.jpg

http://i364.photobucket.com/albums/oo90/RADU_LYKAN/imperial%20guard/rr3.jpg

http://i364.photobucket.com/albums/oo90/RADU_LYKAN/imperial%20guard/rr2.jpg

http://i364.photobucket.com/albums/oo90/RADU_LYKAN/imperial%20guard/rr4.jpg

[Kierdale]

Kierdale's shrine world, during long warp storms, regressed from the tech levels of its height, hence many of their more traditional units are somewhat 'primitive' looking (in comparison to line units such as infantry platoons which receive gear shipped in bulk in from forge worlds).

The Lord's Own Lancers:

Made from Empire Outriders with minor modifications:

Flintlock elements of pistols removed, power packs added.

Lances made from rod and wiring, tips from Ungor spears.

Meltaguns from FW mated to Outrider rifle stocks.

I'd say the legs of Outriders would look great painted up as flak armour, with Cadian torso.

If Bretonian cavalry were still available I'd do some with camouflage caparison! :D

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

Does your Rough Rider sergeant have a Polo mallet? That's amazing -- power mail! I think my Praetorian rough riders need that. How did you make it?

[Kierdale]

The sergeant is actually the second from the left, holding what used to be a melta-bomb applicator.... which I will have to cut off and replace with a plasma pistol.

 

The polo mallet was simply a rod of plastic and the end was, if I remember correctly, one of the small round sections from a piece of sprue.

I'm glad you like it. :)

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

RADU LYKAN can you provide links or tell us where you got the various mounts so I can add them to the first post?

 

Some very cool ideas and great looking rough riders you've got!

[NatBrannigan]

I love the big Ostrich's! Where are the various parts from?

 

I've thrown some ideas round before with Nico on this. I currently have some of the dopey looking Cold Ones (Lizardmen, not Dark Elf) that I could use, but they'll probably end up with actual Lizardmen on them since lots of ideas here are more inspired, and I'm taking up the challenge!

 

I loved my idea of using the Kharadon Overlord Skyrigger balloon jetpack things to make steampunky looking "Cavalry", but bitz sites seem to be sold out now. Also may get moaned at by some players because they would look more like counts as jump packs, so that's on hold for now.

 

Using Fenrisian wolves / Goblin wolfriders has crossed my mind as well if you enjoy your wolves but in the end I think I'm going for a couple of boxes of Wood Elf Sisters of the Thorn. The Stags will work perfectly (I hope!) with my Praetorians once I replace the riders with proper Cavalrymen. The Lances look a bit tooo Eldar (Heresy!) but I've got a bitzbox full of parts to fix that! My homebrew Space Marine Chapter (based in orbit over the planet my Guard come from) have a Stag as their Chapter Badge so it ties the whole force in together a bit more as well.

 

The riders will then be used to make various psykers I think. Nice to add some more ladies into my army and I don't like using the copious "sexy" models out there. I bought a Raging Heroes Commissar on a whim and she looked utterly ridiculous in her high heels... Lots of mystic looking parts and staves, so I'll see how that all turns out.

 

Pictures of various conversions I've done at some point, I promise!

[Gothical]

To add to my previous post, the Pistoleers/Outriders are the easiest base, but I'm not a fan of the armoured legs nor the undersized horse heads.

 

For more barbaric regiments (like the Skull Takers) then using Marauder Horsemen mounts could work - you'd have to trim off the Chaos iconography on a couple of them, and might want to fill in the holes in the torn fabric, but would have a suitable aesthetic.

 

I am unsure about how the size would stack up, but the Stormcast Vanguard Pallador mounts don't come with any attached rider legs, so it may be possible to build non-horse mounts (like the mounts the rebels rode in the Gaunt's Ghosts novel where Gaunt tracks down Uncle Dercuis). They could be comically oversized, however.

[NatBrannigan]

Anything Stormcast is far too big for IG I'm afraid. I used one of the smaller crossbow pistols from the Vanguard kit as a Condemnor Boltgun on an Inquisitor (Scion body and arms as the base) and it's huge. The Gauntlet was much bigger than a normal human sized head! I suspect those mount will be more Thunderwolf sized.

[Trokair]

While I never got round to actually building them I always contemplated using SM scout Bikes.

 

Using the grenade launcher front panel and converting the special weapon/searchlight/something it is place. From memory when I bought a box of them you get a grenade launcher panel and a twin boltgun panel for each bike. 

[mdaro]

I'm using Chaos Maurader horses with all of the torn fabric filled in with green stuff and the chaos icons removed. My conscript's are Gors with Victoria miniatures las gun arms so for my Rough Riders I'm using the full chaos marauder body with VM Beastmen heads and Catachan arms. I'm mounting on 50mm round bases.

Edited June 7, 2017 by mdaro

[mustardParty]

So, has anyone actually checked out the Perry Mini Cavalry?  Historical lines tend to be too small to be compatible with 28mm heroic stuff - but maybe the mounts will still work??  I've been in a long warp storm slumber but rumors of 8th brought me out of the tomb world.

[Brother Captain Ed]

So...uh...since the models don't really exist, what size base do they go on? 

 

I assumed they'd be on biker bases, but the Forge World Kriegers are on circular 60mm bases...

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

I'm pretty sure the Krieg Death Riders are actually on 40mm bases bases. Another option would be oval bases used for AoS cavalry or bike bases:  https://www.games-workshop.com/en-CA/Painting-Modelling?Nu=product.repositoryId&N=102271+3890688142&qty=12&sorting=rec&view=table&categoryId=cat440136a-flat

 

I believe the 60x35 oval bases are the ones used for regular horse-size cavalry. I know the Seraphon Saurus Knights use 60x35 bases.

[Brother Captain Ed]

That'd be enormous for a regular human on a horse. Space marine bikers are only 25x70mm.

[NatBrannigan]

They used to come on the square cavalry bases didn't they? The Atilla the Hun models? I for some of those with the Sisters of the Thorn models so that will do for now!

 

Just need to get these damn legs to look right now...

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

So, has anyone actually checked out the Perry Mini Cavalry?  Historical lines tend to be too small to be compatible with 28mm heroic stuff - but maybe the mounts will still work??  I've been in a long warp storm slumber but rumors of 8th brought me out of the tomb world.

 

I did a google search and found a picture comparing Perry miniature horses to GW horses and they look very similar in size: http://www.brueckenkopf-online.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/WG_ECWCVScale2.jpg

 

That'd be enormous for a regular human on a horse. Space marine bikers are only 25x70mm.

 

I don't think it would be that enormous. The base would be 10mm shorter than a space marine bike, and while significantly wider, Death Riders of Krieg come on 40mm wide bases and do not look out of place: https://www.forgeworld.co.uk/en-CA/Death-Korps-of-Krieg-Death-Rider-4

[Dr_Ruminahui]

So, has anyone actually checked out the Perry Mini Cavalry?  Historical lines tend to be too small to be compatible with 28mm heroic stuff - but maybe the mounts will still work??  I've been in a long warp storm slumber but rumors of 8th brought me out of the tomb world.

 

 I used 28mm historical for my roughriders. 

 

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a396/Dr_Ruminahui/Imperial%20Guard/IMG_1217_zpskrhu89dn.jpg

 

As you can see from the photo,.. they are rather small, especially since camels are a fair bit taller than horses, but in scale with the guardsman, the mount is smaller than a horse should be.  Still, when you want camels for your army, there really aren't any other options out there.

 

Inquisitor Psychologis Ruminahui

[NatBrannigan]

Space Camels are known to me smaller than Earth Camels though, so it's fine!

 

They look great by the way.

[Tallarn Commander]

Yes, Ruminahui's wonderful camels have inspired me to paint up a squad of Tallarn space camels someday.

[Brother-Chaplain Kage]

Camelus Astra*