Blackshields Modelling Question

[Etruscan]

So, with the advent of the new Blackshields rules I thought it high time to leave behind the myriad unfinished projects I have ongoing and start a new Blackshields one, naturally.

 

I'm looking for some advice on how to model the Xenos Deathlocks, Halo blades etc. that they have access to. I have been scouring the Warhammer site looking for appropriate bits but nothing is really resonating so far. My research online has thrown up a bunch of Xenos races that have little lore and certainly no models so any ideas what bits I can steal from other ranges to make a suitable Deathlock or Halo blade?

 

Thanks in advance.

[MoriyaSchism]

It can be anything really. I saw a guy once make a weird warpstone arquebus out of Skaven bits. Presonally I'd try combining some of the more exotic Kroot weapons with Necron bits or Eldar energy weapons.

 

Edit: Thought of an idea for making jury-rigged Halo blades. I'm thinking of taking some spare Imperial power swords I have and grafting Necron bits or power generators from Eldar power weapons onto them.

Edited April 2 by MoriyaSchism

[Cleon]

There's a cool necronish sword in a marine hand on the deathwatch sprue that might be worth looking at, otherwise I draw a blank.

[Etruscan]

Thanks for the replies folks.

Agreed there are plenty of options creativity wise but on the other hand hardly any parameters. Looks like I will have my work cut out!

[Uberlord Gendo]

One thing worth considering is what the rules tell us. Obviously halo blades are two handed, but Deathlocks apparently work in such a way as to produce deflagration and have some sort of ability to overload or emit something dangerous. Maybe they're some sort of poorly understood deathray that the Marines have slapped a machine spirit on to try to use. Maybe they're using Votann ion tech and are pressing the buttons wrong. Maybe it's some sort of hellish black powder blunderbuss with exploding shells. You could work it into their backstory- who are the xenos they got them from? Elder merchants selling questionable goods? Taken from the bodies of slain foes?

(I think it might be funny to see Marines with Ork kustom dakka blastas.)

[Etruscan]

Those are some great ideas, thank you.

 

A sprue of archeotech weapons would be such a dream for the Heresy range.

[Cactus]

My suggestion is to start with some skitarii weapons. The rangers' galvanic rifles for example. If you know anyone with a squad of vanguard they will have a ton of those spare.

[TheArtilleryman]

Halo swords, you say?

 

Halo Mega Blocks say hello:

 

[Etruscan]

On 4/6/2024 at 8:53 PM, TheArtilleryman said:

Halo swords, you say?

 

Halo Mega Blocks say hello:

 

 

They look like those tooth flossing picks.

 

 

[arnesh88]

I wonder how some of the Leagues of Votann weapons will work for Blackshields as well. They're the type of weapons I would expect to see from either the more advanced human civilizations or the ones that mixed with advanced xenos.

[LameBeard]

I think a little dig around the Rogue Trader era catalogues might help - you find a few exotic weapons that never made it to the official army lists (or were hidden in some random tables), and it's often the Rogue Trader era that inspired Heresy 1.0.  We all know that lovely model of the space marine scout with a shuriken catapult. I am thinking about anything even older that would be a better representation of deathlocks. Maybe some disintegrator-type things exist?

[Etruscan]

I actually went through a few Votann bits I have and found that the Ion pistol and blaster are a pretty decent fit for a Xenos Deathlock and do a good job of conveying a beam weapon. They are also a suitable fit for Space Marine hands.

 

Disintegrator weapons would be ideal but there are hardly any models of them sadly. That limited edition Imperial Space Marine from several years back and I think also the holstered pistol on one of the recent plastic Praetors.

[LameBeard]

I saw a nice conversion or two on the web using Kroot rifles, they look great but seem quite rifle-ish to me. Are deathlocks still 18” assault? 

[Dagoth Ur]

1 hour ago, LameBeard said:

I saw a nice conversion or two on the web using Kroot rifles, they look great but seem quite rifle-ish to me. Are deathlocks still 18” assault? 

Yessir, 18" and Assault 2. I'm looking at the various Termagant weapons myself. Fleshy and tumescent - just perfect for some xenos corrupted marines.