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Hi all!

So this is my forum post in Dakka and anywhere ever for that matter so forgive the odd mistake if I make any.

As a long term Ork fan and a newly subscribed 40k gamer I've always enjoyed building and converting Ork units. About 6 months ago i came across this fantastic Triceratops model in toy shop for £4. It had all the right ingredients for a fantastic Squiggoth conversion. The model itself was sturdy, heavy and fairly well detailed for the price. I had seen similar conversions in the past and this inspired me to begin my endeavors!

Its a work in progress but I've made real progress over the last few days, having it sat on my shelf for the rest of the time.

I am working on the turret part at the moment and hope to have pics of that up soon. This is my first attempt with plasticard as well and im really pleased with the way the tail armor has come together.

I still plan to do the following:

1) Attach the tusks around the jaw (pinned - they broke off yesterday when I dropped the massive sod)
2) Add the turret mount with big gun, driver and side sponsoons
3) Add either (or both) a belly pod gunner, or chin gunner
4) maybe a bionic leg or eye
5) Jaw plates
6) lots of rivets and bitz

I'll take some more pics soon and add a boy or two for scale. The whole thing is pretty massive and is probably well over 12" long. But that's what they all say, right?

Anyway, C&C welcome - be gentle

DAH SQUIGGOFF!!!!!!!!!!!!

Looks dead orky so far and all you've done is thrown plasticard at a dinosaur lol. I like it and its a great base to work from.

Good to see you've thought about making the armour fit the beasty properly. Going to add some belly armour too?

Spike jaw plates might be more robust than tusks?

How about a big armoured spike bolted on the end of the tail?

I'd love to see a 'pilot' sitting on the beasty's head, desperately trying to steer it Or a head gunner. (Not so keen on a belly gunner.)

Your next big issue is the howdah, as that will presumably the gun platform - it needs to look solid and stable in itself, but still connected to all that swaying moving back armour, in at least 4 points of contact. Some kind of movable joints or suspension perhaps? Depends on how high/low tech a look you want...

From my own ork converting experience, don't add rivets etc until the very last.

I love what I see so far.

Thanks guys!

@Clang, I'm not sure about the belly armor - the detailing in the scales is quite good so kinda want to show that off a bit. Additionally the side sponsoons will be hanging around that area - I'm going to have them attached to a ladder down from the main Howdah on either flank.

I was definitely thinking about a big spike on the tail, but I might even to a 'tail gunner' - a little snotling in a micro-turret at the end of the tail piece - what do you think?

Here's a few preview pics of the howdah - nothing glued down yet. There will be chains rising up from the tusks to enter the 'cabin' bit to act as the driving mechanism.

And this is what I was thinking for the belly gun turret - still dislike? thought it might be darkly amusing and orky

No, I think the tail isn't big enough to believably support a tail gunner - a close combat weapon seems a better fit. And I think the dino's belly isn't far enough from the ground to give decent space for a belly turret. A howdah (looking good so far, by the way) and side sponsons will be shooty enough.

Epic conversion
Cant wait to see more progress on this mean beast
Regards
Mark

Agreed that it looks great so far! I'm looking forward to see how it turns out.

Kinda reminds me of something...

http://www.dinoridersworld.com/Toys/Dinosaurs/Triceratops.html

Tail gunner and everyfing!

Thanks for the encouragement and pointers all!

I've been making good progress on the howdah which now has a fully rotational rear-mounted big-gun sponson! Now its time to add the tusks, Big Gob jaw plates, side sponsons and the detailing. Can't wait to get to the painting stage!

I like where this is going

hi guys!

Some updates for you at last! Progress has been slow due to time constraints but im glad the last few hours have really started to see this project take shape.

Less of a dinosaur with card thrown at it, and more of giant armored eating machine, with card thrown at it

Please keep the comments coming, i love hearing the feedback and helps me press on!

I like very much! Keep it up

Awesome work!

Have you given thought to what you are going to use for rivets? I found these helpful. I can only get small amounts locally for outrageous prices, but online they are cheap for lots.

Will be watching this thread =D
Subbed!

You can also make rivets with a mechanical pencil and green stuff.

Thanks guys!

Progress has been slow but steady over this last week. I have been using plastic rod cut into slivers for the rivets and this is what I have spent most of the week doing. Despite their name, they're really not that exciting!

I have added the jaw and the side parapets which I am really pleased with. They bulk out the sides and bit and make the whole thing more aesthetic in my opinion.

I have also (not pictured) managed to drill a tiny hole in the 'drivers' hand so that the steering chains that will be attached to the tusks can rise up into the steering platform through this hand back down to the other tusk. This should look pretty convincing when its done. I guess the in-joke would be that the poor driver would have little to no control over the beast anyway so his one-handed steering and pathetic whip would be nigh on useless

Anyway here are some pics! Enjoy

Very cool project!

Jeez man, That looks amazing . I really like the platforms held by chains. Nice!

Nice, I really like the metal jaw on the squiggoth, it transforms it from a cheap dinosaur toy to an ork model

Yeah, that giant iron gob on the Squiggoth is what really solidified this conversion. Keep it up!

Thanks guys!

I've removed the gob so that i can get the detail on the mouth and face painted properly - but have no fear, it will be back and painted before long!

I'm really pleased with the way the metalwork has come out - nothing fancy, just a black undercoat, lead belcher, ink wash and then mithril silver drybrush. But its really picked out the rivets and patchwork gubbinz.

I was quite lazy with the red paint and have managed to catch a few areas of silver which i'll need to go back and tidy up but otherwise I think its coming along nicely!

One dilemma im facing is, I have a Bad Moon army, and my color scheme is very much mostly blackened silver (as you see here) with accents of yellow and black. The problem with this beast is that the plates are quite large and not interrupted enough to really capture the similar scheme without it looking a bit 'poker dot'.

Not sure if that makes any sense or not? Anyway, I haven't been brave enough to yellow it up yet...

Update: this is what my usual colour scheme is like:

Sorry to break it to you but you're scheme is mostly yellow, not blackened silver!
You're going to have to paint up the majority of those panels in yellow to make it match.

This squiggoth is full of win

The scratchbuilding is of a really nice level, all your panels fit nicely and give it a great look. My favourites have to be the hanging side baskets with the chains and the chains to the tusks.

Looking forward to seeing you get some progress on this

..and after quite some time, I have finally gotten round to finishing her! Pretty pleased with the overall look and feel of this. Best of all she fits in perfectly with the rest of the boyz!

I was unconvinced on this one until the very end. The paint job and the iron gob really did a good job changing up the visual signature of the model.

Until that, it looked like a dinosaur toy with plasticard on it. The different color scheme knocks down the dinosaur vibe, and the iron gob is a great change to the outline of the model. The addition of the ork crew also really works to give the model the proper scale. I think it would benefit from a themed base, too, as you could have some fun adding detail there (footprints, stomped marines, whatever).

I didn't have the vision of the end product in my head, but you obviously did. Really, really cool!

Thanks Butcha! I have been thinking about a themed base because shes difficult to pick up and maneuver at the moment, and as you say, a base could really set the scene. Now...what to crush? My mortal gaming enemy is a Black Legion chaos player - what could i squash to get the blood boiling?

I've a bunch of fugly Chaos Marines in awful states of repair that you can have for postage cost to become casualties!

That's a splendid piece of work! So often these conversions look, not bad, but you can tell it's a toy with bits bolted on. This, though, is as good as anything you'd see done with the proper model and then some!

Take an exalt!

My word this is excellent!! Looks great!