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I need some recommendations on what wiring or even chain to use on the Trojan tank and where can I find a hook for it? Something to use for both the Trojan and the Atlas Recovery tank would be ideal. I would like the material to mimic IRL cranes; readily available, fine enough, flexible enough and cosmetically right.

The bead/charm section of craft stores will have a variety of jewelry-size chains and braided strands. They're great for 40k scale chains and ropes.

As far as hooks go, easiest route is probably to carve one out of a bit of plastic. Additionally, Mechanicus sprues have quite a few claw/hook looking bits on them. And there are always dollar-store construction toys.

Ok, now what is the approx. size of wiring/strand I would be looking for to fit onto the cranes? I do not have the model in person to check, Im just trying to plan everything before I do.

Couldn't give you a specific size, I just eyeball it at the store.

If you wanted something to replicate the look of the metal wire bundle cables, you can often find securing lanyards made of a miniature version of the very same thing.

Here is a scratch built/kitbash of an Atlas. I used chain from a local hobby store (michael’s/ac Moore). The chain itself is 2mm wide across and less than a mm side on. The hook is from the GW Galvanic Servohaulers. .i was going to use the large claw, but it was too big.

Other options for chain might be to use twisted wire, or barbed wire (most of it is pretty smooth anyway if you buy it from game companies).

Look for "metal tow cables" - used in scale model tanks and the like. They're made from very fine wires braided the same way as rope, would look good for this sort of thing if you don't want to use chains.


Example from Taigen for a 1/16 scale tank:

Ok thanks for the suggestions guys, those all look like viable options

By the way Cruentus, is that all plastic card for the Atlas crane?

Neverwinter27 wrote:
Ok thanks for the suggestions guys, those all look like viable options

By the way Cruentus, is that all plastic card for the Atlas crane?

Yes, aside from the hinge on the top of the plasticard box holding the arm, the rest is all plasticard.

I found papercraft Atlas files online, and started to build that, then realized the paper wouldn't work/mesh with the plastic model base, so I used the papercraft stuff as guides to make just the parts I needed. I still had to wing some of the structures, as I think the actual Atlas top hull is different from the Leman Russ I used, and to build out some of the flat areas, but I think it came out pretty decent. Always wanted an official Atlas from FW, but they disappeared and finding them on ebay is like finding hens teeth.

*edit* @shmvo Ooh, those cables look great. Can probably find those in 1/35 or 1/48 as well.

Thats some work you put in...I was thinking about getting a hold of some 3D printing replica of the FW Atlas kit nowadays