Kitbashing with loyalist kits

[Bloody Legionnaire]

I’ve been aware of the fluff stating CSM loot quite a bit of their kit from their foes for awhile.

 

Who likes to kitbash loyalist bits with their CSM bits to represent this? I’m thinking about making some raptors using legs from the assault marine box, mostly because I’m over painting all the trim on the legs, but I would like to have some diversity within my Black Legion reflecting components of looted armor. The first concern would be the old “does it look chaosy enough” but I think it could/should. It’s not like the Rhino and it’s variants look out of place in chaos armies. 

 

Anyone done anything unique or creative using loyalist bits?

[MegaVolt87]

Probably my kit bashed mk VI combi plasma guys fits the bill for you. 

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/354832-a-long-war-vet-returns-iron-warriors-project/?p=5734714 

[Bloody Legionnaire]

Those look good! And as I suspected, no doubting those are Iron Warriors even lacking the chaos trim

[Kaiju Soze]

I mean, I'm currently building an Exalted Champion from the Havoc champ and loyalist Command Squad (specifically the pointing arm and company champion shoulders). That's on top of my sorcerer built from a Phobos librarian and Warpsmith built from Iron Father Feiros.

[Dr_Ruminahui]

I did kind of the opposite for a chaos space marine killteam (last edition) in the Works In Progress forum as part of last year's Back to Badab event.   So, rather than have CSM taking up imperial wargear, I instead wanted to capture a squad of Astral Claws on their way to becoming Red Corsairs - basically, they had replaced their damaged/lost equipment and damaged armour with chaos ones (presumably) manufactured in the maelstrom.

 

Here's a link to my work:  http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/361428-back-to-badab-a-badab-war-community-log-kill-team-edition/?p=5532880

 

I've done some of what the OP likely had more in mind with my Empreror's Children, most visibly with 2 bike squads that are made using the dark angel bikes from the old Dark Vengeance box.  The champion's combiweapons are from the imperial tactical marine kit.  Here are some photos:

 

First squad (and for some reason I decided to only use heads from the fantasy Chaos Warriors kit):

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/346143-the-judgment-on-kadeth-dr-ruminahuis-emperors-children/?p=5062299

 

And the 2nd squad is split between 2 posts:

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/346143-the-judgment-on-kadeth-dr-ruminahuis-emperors-children/?p=5116596

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/346143-the-judgment-on-kadeth-dr-ruminahuis-emperors-children/?p=5123026

 

Finally, a couple of character models built from dark angel characters from the Dark Vengeance kit, with the most identifying imperial iconography shaved off:

 

A Chaos lord from the grand master:

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/346143-the-judgment-on-kadeth-dr-ruminahuis-emperors-children/?p=5631406

 

An Executioner from the librarian - for this model, I only used the front of the torso and the outstreched hand:

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/346143-the-judgment-on-kadeth-dr-ruminahuis-emperors-children/?p=5737714

 

Finally, the head of the grandmaster ended up as a trophy on my land raider proteus:

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/346143-the-judgment-on-kadeth-dr-ruminahuis-emperors-children/?p=5630268

Edited January 25, 2022 by Dr_Ruminahui

[MegaVolt87]

It's a crime the old CSM box has discontinued. I wanted to kitbash it with the Mk IV kit. :(

[TrawlingCleaner]

Does it count if we've had the parts longer that any living loyalist?

My IW force uses a lot of parts from HH and Loyalists mixed in with the new wave of CSM Plastics. Heads, guns, shoulder, pads, melee weapons, backpacks etc

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[WarriorFish]

I'm not sure if it's a unique or creative example, but my CSM are made from loyalist, Chaos, and 30k bits (with a focus on MkIV because it's cool). Link is also in my sig if you're interested, my approach was in several angles.

 

First in that I was seeking a use for MkIV but I wanted to do a recently turned force that wasn't "all in" yet. The other is that I think Chaos is more than spikes and horns. The mix of bits works well I think and helps give your force some character, the rest is in colours as is ever the case. For example nobody can mistake IW as noted! I say go for it

[Dr_Ruminahui]

It's a crime the old CSM box has discontinued. I wanted to kitbash it with the Mk IV kit.

 

The new CSM kit works just as well for kit bashing - you just to have a saw handy (I prefer a jewler's saw) to cut them up.  Its only slightly more work than with the old kit, and gives you much interesting models.  For many of the models it was easier to assemble the model then cut it apart, though that wasn't necessary for all of them.

 

Here are some of the new marines (from both the Shadowspear and new CSM boxes) kit bashed with cloaks from the fantasy chaos warriors box, to make some noise marines:

 

Unpainted: http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/346143-the-judgment-on-kadeth-dr-ruminahuis-emperors-children/?p=5715978

Painted:  http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/346143-the-judgment-on-kadeth-dr-ruminahuis-emperors-children/?p=5757033

 

Some greenstuffing can be used to respose the models slightly, but in the models you see above the bulk of it is just rebuilding the parts of the fantasy cloaks I had to remove to accommodate the 40K shoulder pads.

Edited January 25, 2022 by Dr_Ruminahui

[Tallarn Commander]

I'm impressed with all these excellent conversions!

I have about 180 painted Chaos Marines divided between 4 CSM factions, but all but one of them are actual Chaos Marine models.

My only converted loyalist is Night Lords Aspiring Champion Jarvak, converted from an OOP loyalist sergeant with powerfist.

Aspiring Champion Jarvak (with magnetized arms)

Someday I should probably convert up a squad of loyalists to the side of Chaos, it would be a fun project.

Ave dominus nox.

[Karhedron]

The Mk3 box makes a great starting point for Iron Warriors.

[RolandTHTG]

My chosen in the front of this old photo have a number of weapons from the old Space Wolves upgrade sprue on kakophani bodies.

I also used those weapons on champions and such.

[MegaVolt87]

 

It's a crime the old CSM box has discontinued. I wanted to kitbash it with the Mk IV kit.

 

The new CSM kit works just as well for kit bashing - you just to have a saw handy (I prefer a jewler's saw) to cut them up.  Its only slightly more work than with the old kit, and gives you much interesting models.  For many of the models it was easier to assemble the model then cut it apart, though that wasn't necessary for all of them.

 

Here are some of the new marines (from both the Shadowspear and new CSM boxes) kit bashed with cloaks from the fantasy chaos warriors box, to make some noise marines:

 

Unpainted: http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/346143-the-judgment-on-kadeth-dr-ruminahuis-emperors-children/?p=5715978

Painted:  http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/346143-the-judgment-on-kadeth-dr-ruminahuis-emperors-children/?p=5757033

 

Some greenstuffing can be used to respose the models slightly, but in the models you see above the bulk of it is just rebuilding the parts of the fantasy cloaks I had to remove to accommodate the 40K shoulder pads.

 

 

Yeah I have seen good work with the new CSM, but I can't commit to the scale change. I'm too far in with the old sculpts with my IW's. I might have more old potato BL CSM knocking about to simple green and put in the freezer to break down for parts. I did re-furbish quite a bit of my old BL for my IW's already. I would probably do SoH/BL incorporating the new CSM, though that seems pretty common these days to do. Its one of those things thats a good idea and everyone seems to have the same idea. :) 

[Dr_Ruminahui]

Well, the old arms and the new arms are the same length, so that wouldn't be a problem - though that would leave you with a bunch of legs and bodies you might not have a use for.  As well, more so than the scale change IMHO, the lack of detail and trim on the old models vs the new ones is the most visible difference - so in that respect your MK IV bodies might not pair up visually with the newer arms.

Edited January 26, 2022 by Dr_Ruminahui

[WarriorFish]

Yellow CSM is great, who said Imperials got all the colours? ;)

[Lexington]

I'm in the middle of turning the new Mephiston into a CSM Sorcerer Lord, inspired by an old John Blanche conversion. We'll see how that turns out, but like hell if I can stop myself.

[Khornestar]

I have many weapon trophies on my Berzerkers. Grey knight force sword, SW frost axe, and a few loyalist chainswords.

[Excessus]

I'm in the middle of turning the new Mephiston into a CSM Sorcerer Lord, inspired by an old John Blanche conversion. We'll see how that turns out, but like hell if I can stop myself.

Oh, from the 2nd ed Chaos codex. Nice!

[Excessus]

Personally I tend to use bits from the Heresy range to spice up my heretics. MkIV helms and such.

[Slave to Darkness]

Not just me that had the Blanchisian Mephiston idea then when the new sculpt came out? :lol:

 

Ngl I am thinking about doing a new army using the new kits based on Blanches 2nd ed army. The Abby Terminator conversion will be huge! :wub:

[Valkia the Bloody]

Basically more than half of my army is kitbashed and desecrated looted loyalist armour and weapons.

I absolutely love to slice and dice up the boring loyalist Primaris and make them more interesting.

For example, I chopped up the Indomitus box for the greater glory of the Dark Gods.

And I picked the right army for it, since I play a pirate warband of Night Lords.

Do my guys look "chaosy" enough?

I think they do.

But it is a matter of taste. And as much as I love to look at nice gold trim, I still find painting it tedious.

Judge for yourself.

My merry band of murdering marauders:

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/363797-night-lords-warband-and-chaos-lost-and-the-damned/

[Bloody Legionnaire]

I’m a fan of the HH aesthetic.. from that I am big fan of CSM with MkIV helmets and shoulder pads. I’ve built a few Raptors for my black legion with them and I think they look really great!

[nusphigor]

Does it count if we've had the parts longer that any living loyalist?

My IW force uses a lot of parts from HH and Loyalists mixed in with the new wave of CSM Plastics. Heads, guns, shoulder, pads, melee weapons, backpacks etc

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love these!

[Closet Skeleton]

I've got a bunch of kit bashed guyts in the first few pages of the chaos link in my signature.

Here's my more recent Khorne berzerkers with forge world torsos, arms from the bits box and loyalist legs from ebay.

Yeah I have seen good work with the new CSM, but I can't commit to the scale change. I'm too far in with the old sculpts with my IW's.

Why should chaos be all the same scale?

I have at least 3 different scales of CSM in my squads.

Edited February 28, 2022 by Closet Skeleton