Tuesday, September 02, 2014

Adding Mobility - APC


Wanted to built APC for my Squat infantry units. I wanted it to look tough & brutal. No unnecessary decorations, just a bulldog delivering the troops into the thick off a fight. At first I struggled hard to find suitable base for the APC. Didn't just wanted to  choose Rhino with some Squat freehands on it's sides. Instead I wanted to create vehicle that was built using GW plastic kits but would still look completely original (pretty much what I did with my dreadnought model earlier)! Phew… Harder than I thought it would be. I was stuck for a long time not been able to find perfect starting point... until GW released their latest goodie… – Space Wolves Stormfang Gunship!

Whoah! It was perfect! no tracks but still sharing the Space Marine design language. I was thrilled, I rushed to get my copy right away, I also got the Rhino kit to go with it, since I wanted my Squat APC to still look little bit like Rhino since, after all my Squat force is still basically Space Marine army.

I started to play the game of mixing with the two kits, I wanted it to have the same access-points and weapon combinations as Rhino had, so I had some sort of plan to follow. At firs it was going to look more like one of those WWII Assault boats at Normandy but quite soon, almost by accident I flipped the whole chassis upside-down and Bam! There it was, totally fresh look that looked nothing like GW had done even tho it was made out of their own kits. I was very happy.

So here it is, the first one of the two Rhinos I still need to build. It actually ended up looking so good that I pretty sure I also need to ad Predator variant to my force in some point. Paint job was very simple - The same blueish-grey basic colour that I have used throughout my whole army. Tactical markings - White stripe for infantry & orange to mark the company (12th company) lots of weathering and simple freehand on the side & there it was. Really hope you like it!








41 comments:

  1. That is one fantastic transport! Although clearly built from GW parts, it looks total different, albeit still like an Imperial vehicle. The paint scheme fits it perfectly, adding to the brutal sledgehammer look of it. I would love to see some of the WIP pictures, before it was painted, to get a better sense of how you did the conversion (it is so seamless it is hard to tell!).

    When all said and done, this is going to be one stunning army (it already is in fact)!

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  2. please please do a how to make guide

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    1. Seconded! I may need to co-opt this excellent STC :D

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  3. Brilliant!!
    Really cool idea !¡!
    Innovative, original and yet, somehow, true the squat spirit
    Epic should I say

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    1. Really appreciating you comments mustard one;)

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    2. Should I even say "Flipping good" ?¿?:D
      You´re a true inspiration Mikko!¡! :)

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  4. Wow, that thing is the flying freight train from hell. Suitably clunky for squats, consistent with the GW world, and just damn cool.

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  5. Yep, blown away by what you've done here. Stunning model and paint job.

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  6. Now that is a true behemoth of steel. Its amazing what talented hobbyists like yourself can make of G.W's somewhat lacklustre recent releases.

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  7. all said here - im very impressed - roll on your next visit .....

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  8. Excellent job sir. It really fits the aesthetic of the squats. Imam loving this army you are creating (and I have never been a fan of the squats) :)

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  9. Love the back door, I can just imagine the Squats tryng to get out, some jumnping some hanging down, their little legs flailing as they try to reach the ground ;) but it would make a really cool name for the transport if you want to mix your influences .

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    1. Some how some of that post disappeared, what I originally wrot is I misread the word Rhino in one of your sentences as Ronin, but it would make a really cool name for the transport if you want to mix your influences

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  10. Sometimes turning things upside down makes more sense than you'd guess :) Absolutely fantastic vehicle, bro!

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  11. Looks awesome!

    Paint job wise is the blue something your worked on from your previous ultramarine squad experiment? I remember you saying you wanted a pale blue for them and it really kind of shows on this model more than the previous squats for some reason?

    Anyway, awesome work as always, thanks for sharing :)

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    1. Cheers Irwit!
      Those pale blue Ultramarines never happened but the colour tone haunted me so badly I had to try it out with these stunties;)
      The tone on this tank is exactly the same I have used throughout my army but yeah, maybe its the bigger surfaces that bring out the tone who knows?

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  12. An epic conversion. It's a real bulldog of a vechicle.

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  13. Now that's a vehicle that looks as though it could break your jaw (in a good way!). Is that an upside down Space Wolf flyer? Proper thuggish. Really nice.

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  14. Very creative and beautifully executed

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  15. Thank you all very much once again!!!
    Like I wrote, Im planning to built another one of these and after hearing so MANY requests about proper how-to-do tutorial Im certainly planning on doing one now.

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  16. Amazing work. The look of a hovering train cab makes absolute sense in context :)

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  17. That is seriously cool - awesome work, man!

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  18. Fantastic! Elevates the entire army to new heights!

    Speaking of which. There is an Absolutely Epic 40K tornsment in Las Vegas in February. How about we meet there with our labors of insanity to represent Finland in style?? Las Vegas is on everyone's must see once list, right?

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    1. Now that would be really COOL! With my gaming experience I would probably get slaughtered in the 1st. Round but it's OK to me;)
      That could also be perfect opportunity to see some West Coast too.....looooooong flight tho:/

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    2. We should do this! You should bring Kari and rent a car and do a follow on road trip from Vegas to West Coast. We can catch up at SFO again. Seriously think about it. It would be epic.

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    3. Reading this Kari? It would be just like in fear & loath in Las Vegas but instead of drugs we would have trunk full of miniatures;)

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    4. Very tempting proposal, to say the least.

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  19. Above the technical skills displayed and the creativity behind the concept,One thing above all makes it brilliant for me :

    It seems it weighs a ton. when I look at it I almost fell like I wouldn't be able to lift the model even at that scale and that if the real thing existed, it could probably smash through buildings like through crackers just because of its mass.
    It looks fantastic for these reasons.

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  20. Mikko This is industrial ! it looks so heavy !!

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  21. I just found your blog. I started from the beginning (1/2 way finished now) and I am blown away. Thank you for sharing such wonderful art with us. Can't wait for more.

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    1. Thank you!!!!
      I remember when we started we really thought we knew everything:0!!!
      Nowadays we write with much more humble attitude:)
      I guess you could also see some progress in our art also;)?

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  22. Wow. Stumbled upon this site from a link over on Dakka.

    Awesome, amazing force. The Rhino is just the dawns danglies. Stunning.

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  23. When are we getting an update and tutorial?!

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