Making all twelve Wolf Lords - Grand Annulus Finished!

[Krakendoomcool]

So I titled this thread ‘making all twelve Wolf Lords’ so let’s get on with the ‘making’ part.

 

So this is my Ragnar Blackmane this is where it all started.

 

 

I’ve had the original lead version (which I’m certain is the oldest model still in use in all of 40k, respect) for 25 years and been meaning to do a conversion for ten or so.

 

I had this Chaos Lord body and was going to make this my Ragnar. I end up making an Ulrik/Wolf Priest out of this.

 

 

Found this effort by Lulkan62 on coolminiornot as an example of what I was planning.

 

Then Karitas did this great effort on Excommunicate Traitoris.

 

 

Years went by, I didn’t get around to finishing my conversion. Then Krom came out. To me Krom looks like either someone was sculpting a new Ragnar and has a last minute change to a different Wolf Lord or they were heavily influenced by that 2nd edition sculpt. There are just so many similarities between the two when you look. Wolf pelt, chain across chest, belt to name a few.

 

GW then released the upgrade sprue with the frost blade and a great Ragnar looking head. They are almost telling you to put those two kits together.

 

Then I saw this, for me this was the ultimate Ragnar conversion.

 

 

This is Tommie Soule’s version. I was blown away. I could remember my original 2nd edition model and still imagined him with the blonde hair. This is a great deliberately retro update. I’ve recently found out that Tommie posted a WIP in the forge right here on B&C.

 

(My Ragnar)

 

The Sternguard head is a great idea. With the hair you really get a unique Ragnar looking head with presence. Tommie somehow managed to use 2nd edition Ragnar’s hair! I got mine from a spare Wulfen head.

 

(My Ragnar)

 

The second great idea is to use Ragnar’s original company badge. I’d seen so many attempts at making this company badge from Wolf heads and they never look quite as good as the original. So when I saw Tommie had just gone ahead and cut the original out and inserted it into a vanilla shoulder pad frame I felt really stupid. It’s such a good idea it makes you feel dumb for not thinking of it yourself.

 

The pose of mine is slightly different. I like to think I’ve captured him leading into the swing with his right knee advancing.

 

I was happy with him and started painting him up.

 

(My Ragnar)

 

Not everyone likes the blonde hair, I really do, maybe its nostalgia. But I realised it wasn’t going to be a patch on Tommie’s with my painting skills and it was coming out with a lot of yellow on it and looking cartoony. I was reading the space wolf omnibus at the time so decided to change track and based my Ragnar on the cover art.

 

 

So this is how he turns out...

 

 

 

The dead berserker on the base is a reminder of his ferocity and his temptations.

 

I was really pleased with this and felt confident to tackle another Wolf Lord.

Edited April 5, 2018 by Krakendoomcool

[TiguriusX]

Love em all....makes me not want to paint mine anymore haha

[Krakendoomcool]

@TiguriusX I know that feeling! I’ve seen so many amazing projects over the years. It either makes me go ‘oh what’s the point?!’ or ‘if he can do that I can definitely achieve what I’m trying to’

 

It can go either way.

[PeteySödes]

For me I just see all these amazing things and I get more discouraged by how many new things I need to buy...

[Ryltar Thamior]

thanks for that creative process explication! Really great to see a number of excellent spins on the same concept in one place like that.

I'd also completely forgotten Blonde Ragnar from back in the day! It's something that i've been loving about 40k recently - all the 'blast from the past' stuff that's made the migration from 2nd edition into glorious modern forms; and doing that with the Space Wolves is both timely and much-needed [as a bit of a reaction and push-back against the over-the-top "wolfy wolves of wolfish wolfery" syndrome that appears to have taken over the codex in the past few editions since the 3rd ed 'sweet spot' ... but also imo against some of the more 'cartoony' design-choices that we've seen on more recent miniatures and sprues in some places - e.g the 'hairy heads' on the old 3rd edition upgrade sprue [still some of the best GW's ever done in a Marine kit imo - simple, characterful, and not "over-wiggly" [proper art-history term there]], versus some of the more ... outlandish hair on the most recent round of Wolf infantry plastics] 

It's also a handy antidote, seeing people use more modern kits to bring to life really superlative takes on these characters we've known for years or decades - as it helps to assuage somewaht my trepidation when particular models get re-done as to whether they'll actually be an improvement on their fore-runners. 

Oh, also - another thought RE psyber-eagles/ravens/wahtever .. there's a single bird-perched-on-arm from the AoS Stormcast Vanguard Raptors kit [which also comes with a few flyiing birdies as well]

[Slave to Darkness]

Not sure 100% but didnt Ragnar meet Bulveye in one of the old Space Wolf novels?

[Dantay VI]

Yep, and a 13th Company Rune priest opened a portal to allow Ragnar & Thoring back to the 40K universe to hand the Spear of Russ back to Logan Grimnar.

[Krakendoomcool]

@fearpeteysodes -

The amount of times I've planned projects and got an ebay addiction is too many...just need to go cold turkey and get realistic sometimes. This project did require a load of new parts to go with the bits box. Although I did try to get my money's worth by spreading the parts across multiple Wolf Lords when possible.

 

@Ryltar Thamior -

I think the retro thing might be around because so many people (myself included) are returning back at an older age and can remember how things were first time around. I myself was playing 2nd ed. Took a break, pretended to be part of society and came back with 5th edition codex. That fifth edition is the one I like the best. All that artwork in there. Loads of opportunity to make your own stuff based on that artwork.

 

@Slave to darkness & Dantay VI

I'm reading the space wolf omnibus but i'm only halfway through second book. I've heard Gunnar Redmoon turns up too. I should get reading about him and Bulveye for inspiration and clues. Research.

 

Here's a closer look at Egil Ironwolf:

 

 

So this one is pretty close to the one offered in Curse of the Wulfen. I really loved that conversion and it really opened up the idea you can use far flung bits and still get a Wolf Lord looking guy with tons of character out of it. So you don't end up with all the wolf lords looking pretty generically the same guy. I've still used the techpriest body and the servo skull. That way he is easily recognisable as Egil.

 

The GW version uses a Wolf Claw and a homemade wolf claw from open power fist (from wolf pack kit) with 'claws' added. I really like the look of that, the open hand really lends itself to the fact ths guy is a bit like a tech priest and could maybe fix something if necessary.

 

But in the end I used claws from this old chestnut (currently OOP)...

 

 

 

They are huge claws and really make him stand out as a wolf lord. Basically if anyone should have claws this big it should be the boss. The claws also have a lot of wires running along the arms which fits nicely with the amount of wires already on the tech priest body. The Ragnar company badge also lended itself to the Iron Wolves badge with some drilling and paintjob. The body was also the body I was looking for for my Erik so win win. The model is totally usable except for the head! Don't know what is going on with that head...

 

 

There he is in WIP form. I also used a skull from the Wulfen kit on his chest. It has Wires through the eyes which fits nicely with the tech side of things. The back pack was from the wulfen kit too. It's bigger but fits the tech priest body and has loads of tech looking parts too. So hopefully all those choices really tie this guy down as the head of the Iron Wolves...

 

 

 

For paint scheme there was a lovely pic in curse of the Wulfen. Very muted palet. So i tried to follow that. Dark steel claws. I even darkened down all the skulls after my first painting attempts. Hazard stripes on knee would help tie in with all those vehicles.

 

 

Some more angles so you can see backpack, company badge etc.

 

 

 

 

 

P.s. if anyone is getting photobucket pics instead of the actual pictures let me know and I can just host the images through B&C. I personally find it really annoying when I find a pic of someone's Wolf Lord that I think I'm going to love and i never get to see it (speaking from personal experience of my research not saying anyone loves these)

[MaveriK]

Any plans for known or mentioned lost company/renegade wolf lords? Jotun Bearclaw and Sven Ironhand.

[Krakendoomcool]

I haven't. Bulveye is the only one I'm planning. Although he might come out anyway.

 

I actaully haven't heard of those guys. I'd be totally up for doing them. Where would i find more info?

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Excellent works.

[Gederas]

I haven't. Bulveye is the only one I'm planning. Although he might come out anyway.

 

I actaully haven't heard of those guys. I'd be totally up for doing them. Where would i find more info?

 

I'd use the Space Wolves Lexicanum page. Lexicanum in general quite useful for information.

 

Additionally, if you're needing ideas for Bulveye: Here's his official artwork:

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/mediawiki/images/1/1b/BulveyeHH.jpg

 

Maybe that picture helps with ideas?

[Krakendoomcool]

@ Bjorn Firewalker.

Thank you, means a lot.

 

@ Gederas.

Your the second person to tell me to use Lexicanum on this thread so I better take the hint. That is the exact picture I've been basing my Bulveye ideas on. I figured that pic plus 10k in the warp would rough him up a bit so he might look like that slaughter priest guy I'm thinking of using. I've not actually seen that pic so close up so that's really useful. There's a lot more detail there I'd missed before. I hadn't noticed the nose ring for a start.

[Krakendoomcool]

As Maverick states above Renegade Wolf Lords could be a thing. I havent made any Renegade Space Wolves before but with the Wolftime fast approaching maybe now’s the time. All the Renegade Wolves could return from the outer fringes. If anyone has any tips for making renegades I’m all ears.

 

In the meantime (before the wolftime) here’s how I made Sven Bloodbowl.

 

He was another Wolf Lord that appeared in Curse of the Wulfen and I can’t remember another time conversions appeared as official models. Apart from Egil above of course. So this was very exciting for me and these two conversions really opened up the possibility I could make Wolf Lords that looked very different to each other. So maybe I could have 12 all different.

 

Here is a link to see his GW (not my) version.

https://krakendoomcool.files.wordpress.com/2018/03/a5c2a143-620c-4e95-8026-ad9f30f5d649.jpeg

 

For starters I really liked it. The character in the face was really good for me. The scars, tattoos and white ‘wings’ in his hair like Paulie in the Sopranos. I could see the Space Marine Executioners body and jump pack. The head, axe and chainsword from the thunderwolf kit. It was an accessible conversion to do.

 

Looking online I could see someone has gone a slightly different route and used the blood angel chaplain body and jump pack complete with wings. Link here.

https://krakendoomcool.files.wordpress.com/2018/03/3535ab72-43ea-4fbb-a9ec-782c4466b714.jpeg

 

I wasn’t sure about that at first. The GW version is quite restrained. Then I thought about using him in his Firehowlers great company where everyone has a jump pack. How would he stand out? It’s already a Space Wolf army where the basic Grey Hunter is loaded up with trophies and would look like a character in another army. The firehowlers are firebreathers and show offs presumably so in the end I went for it. It also gave me the excuse to paint fire all over it.

 

 

 

I used Geigor Fellhands body. It had a good dynamic twist to it and the chest had straps that ran across it which went well with the jump pack.

 

 

I’d already started to paint him when I realised if I swapped out the chainsword I could replicate his company badge along the blade by using a Wolf Head chainsword instead. Howling fire...

 

 

 

 

That’s my Sven Bloodhowl. I started to really get some momentum going at this point and thought I might just be able to get 12 Wolf Lords that we’re all very different.

[Naryn]

I adore the wolf breathig fire on the chainsword, that’s a really clever use of bits

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Excellent work on Sven Bloodhowl.

[Sagentus]

Dam that is excellent work. Gw should make a cast of that model ;)

[Red_Shift]

All very cool. I don't suppose you fancy a go at Lukas the trickster?

[Krakendoomcool]

@ Naryn

Thank you. Although I wasn’t the first to do it. I’d seen someone else do it and felt like a fool for not coming up with it myself.

 

@ Bjorn Firewalker

Thank you very much.

 

@ Sagentus

Thank you. It’s still a kitbash like the one in Curse of the Wulfen. So I guess a cast does exist...

As I had 3 pre existing original Wolf Lords. I did try to carry on in the style of GW so they might look like a coherent set when finished.

 

@ Red_Shift

Thank you. I do have an old conversion of Lucas that pre-dates the model. It’s a small homage to the artwork of him found in the 5th edition codex. It’s made entirely of Wolf Pack bits. It isn’t flattering compared to the Wolf Lords however.

Although I’ve heard he gets a really good part in Ashes of Prospero. So maybe I should give that a read and try to do him justice. I’ve got the Wolf Guard battle leader with Wolf Claws in the pic above. Maybe one of those Wolf Claws would be a good place to start...

[Supe robot gangster #1]

Wow. Just wow. Fantastic work on all these mate! They look amazing! Edited April 20, 2018 by Supe robot gangster #1

[Krakendoomcool]

@ Supe robot ganster #1

Thank you very much! Means a lot to me. Great name btw.

 

I've started work on Bulveye. I'm so far resisting the urge to put my terrible blue tac pose monster pics up. Will get some WIP of him up asap. After a three month break from being able to do any sort of hobbying (had a second child) apart from blogging and forums it's good to be back in the saddle.

 

Here is the WIP of Engir Krakendoom who was one of my favourites to do.

 

He gets his name from strangling a Kraken to death with his own tentacles (allegedly). He is also partial to boarding parties and is known as the most seafaring of the Space Wolf, Wolf Lords. So that was the brief I had to work with after doing a bit of research on him.

 

I went with Terminator armour, Thunder hammer and Stormshield so he could be a monster hunter on the table top befitting of his reputation. The pose I had done similar to before on a Wolf Guard Battle Leader...

 

 

He had a shield and I wanted to make sure he looked like he was using it. Not seen too many models who look like they are actually using their shield rather than just carrying it. Plus with the monster hunter rep i wanted to try to convey he was fighting something really big and impressive!

 

 

I'd seen a lovely version of Sven Bloodhowl online by Chris Riley...

https://krakendoomcool.files.wordpress.com/2018/03/7f7fce7f-ad1e-41f3-a2e6-ad983cc6fbf6.jpeg?w=736

 

Although I didn't use it as inspiration for my Sven I just couldn't get over that hairdo. I loved it and thought it added tons of character. Not everyone can be a pretty boy like Ragnar. So i tried to copy it basically. Doesn't come across quite so striking on mine, I think partly due to the terminator armour.

 

 

The head is a spare Krom Dragongaze. The eye patch replaces the bionic eye and adds to the seafaring character.

 

Wolf Lords are normally covered in trophies, Wolf Trophies (why Wolves? I thought they liked Wolves? you knows). I wanted Sea monster trophies for this guy. The skull on the armour is the one the free slaughter priest with white dwarf stands on. I had to patch it up a bit after cutting it out and gave it some crab shell like frills to add to the sea creature mystery. There are river troll fins added to the shoulder pads. They were a near perfect fit so i felt very lucky with that one. For the shield I greenstuffed an 'octowolf', just because...

 

 

He has a dark elf corsair scale cloak to follow the theme...

 

 

 

 

 

This guy was really fun. I was concerned about making sure I had twelve (soon to be 13) very different Wolf Lords. This one was a great opportunity to do something very different.

 

Here he is at Warhammer World as part of a boarding party taking on my friends Swamlord (good luck)...

 

 

Thanks for looking.

[Krakendoomcool]

 

I haven't. Bulveye is the only one I'm planning. Although he might come out anyway.

 

I actaully haven't heard of those guys. I'd be totally up for doing them. Where would i find more info?

 

 

I'd use the Space Wolves Lexicanum page. Lexicanum in general quite useful for information.

Additionally, if you're needing ideas for Bulveye: Here's his official artwork:

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/mediawiki/images/1/1b/BulveyeHH.jpg

 

Maybe that picture helps with ideas?

Couldn’t resist posting my very early Bulveye concept. He’s 50% bluetac right now.

 

[Smoke Frog]

Sir master of krakens, this thread is amazing. I came across it when I noticed your signature, and between this thread and your blog I am truly speechless.

 

I love your Ragnar and Ironwolf, and thoroughly enjoyed your octowulf conversions!

 

Looking forward to when this project is eventually complete and we can bask in the glory of all the wolf lords complete in one place!

[deathspectersgt7]

Great Job on these Wolflords . 

[KrautScientist]

A very promising start on Bulveye, mate! I bet not many people have been using that Santa Claus Bloodreaver so far, which should make it a pretty original conversion!