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I'm considering adding a Thunderfire Cannon or two to my Space Marine army but the official GW model is unbelievably expensive and I've heard that it can be quite a pain to assemble.

In the hunt for an alternative model I've come across this:



After I've added a Techmarine it wouldn't work out that much cheaper, but it looks so so so much better!

1) Has anyone got any idea how big this model is? I've had a look but can't find a picture of it next to a normal model to get a sense of scale.

2) Do you think this would be an appropriate model to use? Would you mind if your opponent put this down in a game against you and used it as a Thunderfire Cannon?

Cheers!

Let me get exact specs for you, one second.

looks an awful lot like the turret for a whirlwind, so I'd assume it's about that size + the stand. as for playing against it, I personally wouldn't mind but the look is a bit off... this says "I will eat your flyers" all over it, whereas the TFC does no such thing. maybe look for some artillery models (either IG or non-40k entirely)?

One of these may be more 'Thunderfirey' - and is not too bad at ~$22 (better than the AUD$94 GW Thunderfire, for sure!)

It's the way that I'll be going.

http://www.thewarstore.com/product73510.html

That's not a bad alternative GiantSmasher! Certainly looks more like the GW model, that's for sure. I didn't come across that one when I was trawling Google for alternatives.

This was the main one I was looking at:

http://www.manticgames.com/Shop-Home/Warpath/Forge-Fathers/Vehicles/Product/Forge-Father-Jotunn-Heavy-Hailstorm-Cannon-1-Vehicle.html



It's really cheap, it'd require some conversion work to remove the Squat gunner though.

Any other alternatives anyone has found?

As for the Forgeworld Air Defence Launcher, it looking a bit like a Whirlwind turret might not be such a bad thing. Both the Thunderfire and the Whirlwind are mid-strength blast weapons.

bare length from back of gun to tip is 2.15" (almost 2 1/8")


Tread length is 2.030" (2") (without bracing arms)


With Bracing Arms


Tread width is 1.800" (little over 1 3/4")


Height:
To top of gun 1.850"
With sensor on top 2.15"



Hope that's enough "Scale" for you

I personally would not mind if you used that whirlwind looking thing for a thunderfire. I've made a thunderfire canon out of lego's before (was rather funny).

Like thunderfire cannons but refuse to pay the insane GW price for them. If it was plastic and I could get it 25% off then maybe but otherwise I'll just keep waiting.

GiantSmasher wrote:One of these may be more 'Thunderfirey' - and is not too bad at ~$22 (better than the AUD$94 GW Thunderfire, for sure!)

It's the way that I'll be going.

http://www.thewarstore.com/product73510.html

That model is really, really ugly. Not very well detailed and just plain unappealing to look at. The Forgefather gun thingy from Warpath is a much better bet.

I might try for the Forgeworld Thudd Gun:
http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/Warhammer-40000/Imperial_Guard/Death-Korps-of-Krieg/IMPERIAL-QUAD-LAUNCHER-THUDD-GUN.html
I use an old GW Thudd Gun, but I also run a lot of RT/2nd ed models so it works with my army.

What about something like this

http://www.ebay.com/itm/GreatWall-L3502-1-35-WWII-German-150mm-NEBELWERFER-41-Rockets-/150855694161?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item231fb33751#ht_883wt_689

Needs the kit to go with it, but probably about $15-$20 all told. It would also need to be sci-fied up a bit, but I think it'd be a solid base

Really? A Nebelwerfer?

Abyssel wrote:Really? A Nebelwerfer?

And that looks how different than the FW thudd gun or the Hitech Miniatures Hellfire Cannon? All you need to do is swap out the wheels for tracks, and you're 90% of the way there, add some imperial do-dads, bitz and bobs, and there you go.

orkyben wrote:That's not a bad alternative GiantSmasher! Certainly looks more like the GW model, that's for sure. I didn't come across that one when I was trawling Google for alternatives.

This was the main one I was looking at:

http://www.manticgames.com/Shop-Home/Warpath/Forge-Fathers/Vehicles/Product/Forge-Father-Jotunn-Heavy-Hailstorm-Cannon-1-Vehicle.html

Does any one know the size of this model? Is it about the same size as the GW Thunderfire cannon?

this thread, http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/443771.page#4176269 has a size comparison between the jotun model and a rhino. it's not small.

Abyssel wrote:
Hope that's enough "Scale" for you

Thanks for all the pics! Very useful.

I think the Mantic Heavy Hailstorm Cannon might look a bit better without the huge blast shield on the front.

The blast shield is two pieces that don't have to be put onto it.
The gun CAN be modelled so it can elevate/depress if you are careful in assembly.

I used two of the hailstorm cannons in my marine army when I still played 40k (stopped late last year because the game just got tiresome).

Techno Futuristic Nebelwerfer FTW.

I know what my next scratch building project will be.