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Right, having built what I am calling a "Phoenix" type Command Squad transport out of a stock GW Chimera (which I think looks nicer than a stock Chimera anyway!) I was wondering what other versions of the Chimera can easily be built from the GW kit or from 3rd party conversion kits and the Chimera hulls.

This is the Phoenix;




And yes, there is a Venator and an Infernus in the background.

I have worked out that I might be able to kitbash the following;-

Griffon by using the unused Mortars from my Cadian Battlegroup kit (delete the main turret and side lasguns, leave the rear hatches off and have the mortar sticking out the top pointing forwards).

Collosus by using the a LR Eradicator Nova cannon that I have got spare mounted in the same way as the Griffon, possibly with a Vindicator style loading crane and shell hanging off the back. Either that or buy the FW kit and then build the cannon onto a Chimera chassis and use the Russ chassis to make another LRBT

Basilisk-type gun as per the above two but using the spare Vanquisher cannon (yes I have got a LOT of spare guns from my Russ kits!)

Anyone have any ideas as to what else I could do with the Chimera. As my force is mostly HDF I have reasoned that they wouldn't be likely to have many Russes as they would mostly go to the Administratum and the PDF instead so they have got their combat needs out of the only hull they are allowed to use and so the Chimera has been pressed into service as pretty much anything they would need.


I am even considering re-making my Russes using the Chimera hulls built in the set-back turret style of my command carrier as I have a go by "plonking" my FW Exterminator turret on top of it and it looked a lot better than the nromal Russ, much more modern. That and I am not sure how useful the sponsons are - I havent really used them that much in the games I have played so far.

I have tried the chimera russ idea before, and putting any russ turret where the standard chimera turret goes looks fine...kinda like a blockier, more 40k version of a russian T-34

I have a friend who has done these vehicles:
FW Vanaheim pattern Basilisk: http://fromthewarp.blogspot.com/2009/06/basilisk-conversion.html
Medusa MKII tank: http://fromthewarp.blogspot.com/2010/09/medusa-mk-ii-templates.html

Maybe these will help.

I find predator turrets work really well with Chimera chassis to create either techy looking Chimerae or Russes

Ah that's the sort of thing I meant, more or less exactly how I want mine to look. First conversion is already underway using my FW executioner turret and then I have my Demolisher & Exterminator turrets as well as I have converted my two existing Russes into Thunderer variants.

Is there a link to any more information on that Chimera, I would be interested to see how the side guns have been attached as well?

I kept it simple for the Russ sponsons. I drilled 3 holes in the top of the side plate and 3 corresponding pins in the sponson. this allows me to simply slot my preferred sponsons into place. I have HB and plasma cannon alternatives. You can just about see the mount points at the bottom of this pic if you zoom in:



You could easily use magnets, though.

Ahhh thats cool it keeps it very simple. Did you use Preadator sponson or Land Raider ones as they dont look like the awful boxes the Russ comes with?

I used Predator sponsons. They were left over as I needed the turret anyway, and used the Rhino chassis on my Hydra.

this is mi chimera conversion

That is very cool. Nice work!

Step-Back Chimera when it was a WIP.

An early conversion, I used a reaper girl for the commander, and replaced the doors in the rear with metal mesh screen from an old screen door.

Another early conversion, I cut off the multilaser and glued an autocannon to the turret.

My latest conversion, and the second one in which i was brave enough to actually cut up a kit. A tank Destroyer.

I built these in 1997 for an Inquisitor article based on converting the Epic scale Chimera variants to 40K.

CHIMEDON Chimera with a battlecannon in the turret

CHIMERRO The Chimerro is a standard Chimera with additional Hunter-Killer missiles

CHIMERAX Quad autocannons for use against ground and air targets.

Note also the cut down, shallow side sponsons. Each one has hand cut. When did GW change the Chimera to have integral shallow sponsons?

The Chimerax is quite cool, it's almost like a precursor to the Hydra.

Wasn't aware they had shallow sponsons on them at any point, my command carrier does have the (pretty bloody awful and a bit too long) Forgeworld track guards on it. All three sets of them I have brought have been twisted and even after straightening they still don't fit properly!

Here is one I put together a few editions back for my WWI themed guard army (which is still in progress... )











I also have a wheeled variant that I did for an urban themed army, I will have to dig that out and take some pictures.

I like that one Commissarbob, very cool.

Ross74H wrote:
The Chimerax is quite cool, it's almost like a precursor to the Hydra.

Wasn't aware they had shallow sponsons on them at any point, my command carrier does have the (pretty bloody awful and a bit too long) Forgeworld track guards on it. All three sets of them I have brought have been twisted and even after straightening they still don't fit properly!

The Chimerax and Hydra existed concurrently in Epic. Just found this: http://www.inisfail.com/40k3/vehicles3.html

"Chimerax assault vehicles are easily recognisable because their turret has been upgraded to mount four light autocannon. These multiple autocannon allow the Chimerax to lay down a withering curtain of fire. This is highly effective for keeping enemy infantry, light skimmers and flyers at bay even though the Chimerax is not equipped with complex tracking and ranging sensors like its larger cousin, the Hydra self propelled anti-aircraft gun."

The guns on the Epic Hydra are much larger than the Epic Chimerax guns.

Re the Chimera side sponsons: By sponsons I mean the area that sticks out on the upper side of the hull, not gun sponsons. If you look at the sprue pics on the GW website, the sponsons are now part of the side hull instead of being separate pieces, and are much shallower than the sponsons in the original kit.

PS. The photos in Alletons post show the difference. Top two photos have the original wider sponsons and he last pic (tank destroyer) has the newer narrow sponson

Hum, I wonder what other variants of stuff are in Epic that aren't in 40K, it would be interesting to try and make some other versions of things.

I might try building versions of those ones you have made as well, which Whaite Dwarf was it in, I will try and get a copy to see if I can use the guide to making them.

A few of the Forgeworld things bring ex-Epic vehicles to the 40k world. The Gorgon, for instance. More useful stuff that might turn up at some point soon are the AA variants of the Whirlwind and Sky-ray gunship. Some Eldar Knights would be pretty cool as well, especially the Bright Stallion quadruped knight.

Ross74H wrote:
Hum, I wonder what other variants of stuff are in Epic that aren't in 40K, it would be interesting to try and make some other versions of things.

I might try building versions of those ones you have made as well, which Whaite Dwarf was it in, I will try and get a copy to see if I can use the guide to making them.[/quote

]If you are referring to my conversions, they were in Inquisitor magazine, issue #16.

Tim