Armies on Parade: The Starborn Mining Clan - a Genestealer cult counts as tyranid army

[binary]

Since I haven't posted here in a looong time I thought I'd share the project I've just finished.  This is my armies on parade board for this year.

I've been building (as you might have seen on other social media platforms) a Tyranid army, modelled as a Genestealer Cult mining clan.  I asked myself "what would it look like, on the Day of Ascension, if the Genestealer Cult had access to all the different mining equipment, and how would they use it?"

Cue a flurry of random sketches of futuristic mining equipment, a scouring of the GW website for kitbash ideas, and a scouring of other codicil to see which rules would best suit the models. 

I finally settled on using the Tyranid rules, as each of the big monsters could represent a different piece of equipment.

 

 

this is the finished board (I hope, unless anyone spots something I've missed)

 

2 Carnifex with heavy venom cannon

Haruspex

Exocrine

Maleceptor

Tervigon

Termagants

Trygon

Neurotyrant

Tyrant Guard

Tyrannofex

Toxicrene

2 Carnifex with bio plasma

 

 

More to come....

Edited October 11, 2023 by binary

[binary]

The Clan's Harpy - Eagle K-21, an Equus Class orbital lander

 

And some close up shots of the weathering and details of the board.

 

[firestorm40k]

Absolutely superb, I'll be gobsmacked if it doesn't win you an award! 

[gideon stargreave]

On the one hand, this is one of most amazing army builds I’ve ever seen, with a level of detail in the converting and planning that is truly wonderful to behold. I’ve been following your progress on Instagram here and there and it’s inspiring. On the other hand I wish that the competition wasn’t so high for this year’s armies on parade, cause how the hell is anyone else going to win anything! Amazing work

[Firedrake Cordova]

What a completely different and totally awesome idea! It's very well executed, too - the kit-bashes are great, the weathering on the vehicles is very well done, and I really like the electrical glow on the "generator tank" (sorry, can't think of a better description for it! )

[TrawlingCleaner]

It's bananas how good this looks, incredible work!

[binary]

Well it’s been a while but it thought I’d better update this one since more stuff has been added to the cult. 
First up I built a counts as Psychophage, modelled as a fuel bowser. I decided to really lean into the whole “spews fire everywhere” aesthetic.
 

Next a counts as Norn Emissary. Built using bits from the armiger, sentinel, ironstrider, leviathan and kastalan kits, and themed around the idea of a forward surveyor. 

[binary]

And finally (for now as there are a few other thing WIP) the crown jewel….

 

built this on a 30cm base so that it fitted the same footprint.

 

the Colossi class mining excavator, counts as a Tyranid Heirophant. Built from the baneblade, ork battlewagon and various scenery kits along with a crap ton of plasticard. 
 

No

[binary]

[ZeroWolf]

This is fantastic, really well done  Love seeing work like this.

 

I think one of my favourite parts is the two cultists chilling on the not-Hieophant

 

[kabaakaba]

you use holy baneblade for what????? it's heresy! but, BUT, its amazing heresy. 
really like cultists with mining equipment.  and colours cathcing eyes!

[Operative23]

Absolutely stunning.

It's a great level of dedication.

 

Bravo :)

I hope you get some prices with this entry, it's well deserved :)

[kabaakaba]

That should be sent to White dwarf 

[Firedrake Cordova]

The mining excavator is something else, and as @kabaakaba says, should be sent to the WD team.

[binary]

@Firedrake Cordova @kabaakaba already done!  They were photographed by the WD team for an article last September but they couldn’t give me a date for when it’ll appear. 
 

in a new update I’ve done most of the build work on a counts as Barbed Heirodule (just needs details and rivets)

[binary]

And started on the new Harpy. Absolutely adore the Arvus kit so I bought 2 with the intention of making both a Harpy and a Hive Crone. 
The harpy has the wings reversed as I’m adding an A-10 style H tail. Just need to decide where to place the heavy autocannons. Roof? Chin turret? Wings? Thoughts?

 

[kabaakaba]

Put it under the wings, in both sides.

Also is this standard pilot? Or you make him?

[Firedrake Cordova]

If they're paired, under the wings like an Avenger? If they're singular, under the chin?

[bloodhound23]

Can't believe I'm getting to witness this in real time!

 

Extremely fluffy, ace work.

[binary]

Finished the build for the counts-as Harpy for the Starborn Mining clan…

The Talmetes Pattern Arvus. An upgunned and up armoured version of the Arvus lighter used to transport VIPs and the leadership cadre of the Mining Clan..

[WBRBloom]

Hey @binary, these look simply stunning. I've recently started building a GS cults army, and I'm fascinated from the many options they have. Your conversions are spot on, grimy, overworked underdogs, in some backwater planet, mining for whatever the imperium asked them to a few thousand years ago, and then left them to pay their tithes.

(As you can see I love these kind of armies over anything else).

 

Really fine job, might fine mate!

[Firedrake Cordova]

It looks great.  

 

One question - is it an optical illusion, or are the guns not quite parallel to each other (diverging)?

[binary]

9 hours ago, Firedrake Cordova said:

It looks great.  

 

One question - is it an optical illusion, or are the guns not quite parallel to each other (diverging)?

Thanks mate. It’s an optical illusion, because if the way they’re mounted to the hull they’re definately parallel!

[binary]

 

“Raptor D54 on final approach through waypoint Dervium. Request clearance for pad 9. The Lord Councillor does not like to be kept waiting”

And that’s the counts-as Harpy finished. 
The Talmtes Pattern Arvus, uparmoured and up gunned and used as a VIP transport and armoured courier within the Talmtes System.

 

[Firedrake Cordova]

Really nice - the weathering and the engine glow came out great