Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I'm new to miniature conversion (although I've painted a few before), and to WH40K in general. I've just started putting together an Imperial Guard force, and I'm currently trying to develop a good look for my army, as well as practicing conversion techniques.

A lot of articles and forum posts from this site have proven helpful - particularly with regard to capes, hats, and hair. I've run into a problem while attempting to augment the Cadian figures' shoulder armor, however, and I haven't found much useful information on it here or elsewhere.

I'm trying to extend the shoulder pads horizontally by three to five millimeters, and to give them essentially the same shape as the Space Marine shoulderpads (though thinner and aligned horizontally instead of vertically). I found it fairly easy to get a shape I'm happy with for a single shoulder using milliput, but it seems pretty difficult to make two of them look consistent on a single model, much less across a whole squad. I've considered working until I get a pair I'm happy with on a single model, then trying to remove the pads and make a mold based them, but I suspect handmade shapes that look good on one model probably won't apply to other poses so well - it seems like that would require something very geometrically regular. I've looked into using plasticard as well, but trying to curve it along more than one axis doesn't seem reasonable.

Can anyone suggest a better way to perform this kind of alteration? I've attached a picture of my best attempt so far, along with a diagram of what I'm trying to do (the picture is, unfortunately, pretty bad - I've circled the model's right shoulderpad, but the diagram probably offers a better reference).

Well if you can find a bretonian player with extra bitz, I think they all come with some kinda mini shield bit that would prolly be a good size for a rounded triangle kinda like what you have there.

thin styrene strip can be cut & shaped to what you want (maybe a triangle sort of). w/practice if the strip you get is thin enuff, press & roll it like dough (i use a smooth x-acto knife handel) it will hold a concave shape. i've used the the same technique for belts & straps out of .020"x .030", .015"x .060", .015"x .100" strip styrene. hope that helps

Oh, I actually know this one.

Tyranid Extended Carapace bitz! They are the perfect size and shape to use for Guardsmen shoulderpads.

What about Kroot shoulder pads? They are that general shape too, if I recall correctly?

The EC nid or Kroot bit might work. Here is how I would do it - warning: I like to do things the hard way.

1. Make a rough pattern out of greenstuff.
2. Cut plasticard into shield shape, make many of these.
3. Put plasticard shields into boiling water.
4. Pull out one shield at a time with tweezers.
5. Press onto pattern until the shield conforms to curved shape. Let cool.
6. Repeat.

I think that this would work.

I have some components that I need to make for my Chaos Marine Raptors that I intend to use this method for.

Thanks for the suggestions - I hadn't noticed these parts from other armies' kits.

The Extended Carapace pars do look like they're about the right size and shape (although the chinks and scratches would have to be filled to make them look less organic).

The Bretonian shield also sound interesting, but I'm not sure if I've found a good example of the part. Do you mean the little shield-shaped plates on the footmens' chests? (They're about the right size, but they don't look like independent parts.)

The Kroot shoulderpad looks almost perfect, assuming that Kroot are a little bigger than guardsmen, that the pads are independent parts, and that they work for left and right shoulders (I only see them on the left).

Is there any way to get these pieces apart from squad kits? They don't seem to appear in any of the "bitz" offerings on GW's site.

Xenite, I think I'll try out your suggestion this weekend. It would certainly be the most cost-efficient way to go if it works. What thickness of plasticard do you find works well? (I made a preliminary attempt with some really thin stuff, but it cracked and split after cooling.)

I think this forum needs to bring up the imperial eagle CENSORED graphic when it thinks you are trying to say something naughty.

Quidlon wrote:
Xenite, I think I'll try out your suggestion this weekend. It would certainly be the most cost-efficient way to go if it works. What thickness of plasticard do you find works well? (I made a preliminary attempt with some really thin stuff, but it cracked and split after cooling.)

I have used 16th inch.... I think anyway. I will have to measure it when I get home. That is crazy that it cracked, I have not encountered that. I do know that PC is pretty brittle. It cracked after it cooled?

http://www.thewarstore.com/product27223.html

http://www.thewarstore.com/product27224.html

http://www.thewarstore.com/product27321.html

http://www.thewarstore.com/product27385.html

http://www.thewarstore.com/product27422.html