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Greetings,

I am attempting to create a 1500-1700 point Mk6 Space Marine army that will basically be a modern take on the Rogue Trader Era Marines and whatnot. I have figured out how every model type will look except for the Dreadnought that will be in my army.

I need help converting something that looks like this:

http://www.solegends.com/citrt/rt7dreadnought%20armour.htm

But bigger and a bit better looking.

Failing any ideas, could someone get me some photos of the RT dreads next to Marines and Terminators?

Any help would be appreciated.

antinor aka SonofGuilliman

How about a mixture of Dreadnaught and Defiler parts. Use the Defiler head/torso for the main body, place the sarcophagus where the battle cannon goes and mount it on normal Dreadnaught legs. That would give you the round weapon mounts as on the RT ones and should be reasonably close to the proportions as well. You would only need to de-chaosify it a little.

That does sound like a good idea ESDK, I thought of the Defiler part, but not the regular dread with it. If I were to modify the legs so that they were more like Sentinel legs, or use sentinel legs, I think it might balance out the larger top better.

Thanks for the input.

SoG

Note: antinor was my old account but I lost the password and couldn't log in again so I made this one a while back, but with the new site up, I was allowed back in to the old account, but I like this one better .

If you're not worried about GW-only bits, those dreads in the link you provided look rather similar to some Hordes stuff.

If you want to stay GW, I suggest going with sentinel legs but bulk them up (and maybe cut them down to be shorter), and you could probably borrow some bits from the Ork Killa Kanz or Dreadz (or new ones, if they come out with them!) for that torso area.

There's no substitute for knowing what you're trying to make.

I used to scoff at the suggestion cause I wanted to start making the final product right away, but it's actually better to draw a sketch of what you're going to make first.

You've got some photos, and that's a good start, but clearly, if you wanted the models in the photo, you'd just get the models in the photo. If you want something different and better, sketch that up. Or model it in a 3D modelling app. Or whatever you're comfortable with, but don't just start gluing stuff together and expect it to be worth much when you're done.

@Mr. Bombadidaloo: I looked at the Warmachine stuff, but none of it looked good to me as a base.

@Phryxis: I don't plan to jump headfirst into this project. I want to get some better ideas as to how I can convert the model before buying anything. I may draw up some stuff, but not being the greatest artist, or very good, it may be a hinderance.

SoG

What a neat project! I think the whole army should look fantastic.

I think you have to decide what qualities of the RT dread do you want to emphasize? While you're at it: what qualities of the RT marines do you want to emphasize?

I'd look not just at basic shape, but also a general aesthetic feel to the model. In comparison to the current dread, for example, it lacks that certain 'gothic' quality (no sarcophagus imagery, no skulls, no purity seals, etc.). The legs are short, the arms are long. There are no exposed cables, little by way of riveting/external detail. In a lot of ways, it feels more like a Tau Crisis suit rather than a robot or walking battle-tomb).

For basis models, You might want to consider something like the Warmachine Mercenary Rhulic (Dwarven) warjacks. You may also want to look at the AT-43 stuff, especially the Red Blok walkers. Pig Iron's Battle Droids are probably also worth looking at. Again, not for direct comparisons, but for a similar feel as the RT dread.

Good luck!

Here's what I have so far in regards to the Marines, to show what I am going for.

Apothecary:


Mk6 Command Squad with Mk5 Company Champion - He'll be replaced with a mk6 CC


2 Veterans


This is what I have so far but more bitz are on their way so I can make an army.

SoG

Looking good so far. Good luck with the Dread.

I have one of the RT era dreads. Its basicly two side ways cylinders that are conjoined. The top cylinder is where the arms line up; the bottom cylinder where the legs go.

Building it from scratch to create the lower cylinder I'd use two space marine rhino hatches sandwhiching two standard 25mm circular bases, the ones your marines are on. For the top cylinder use two of the lipped bases the warmachine stuff uses, with rhino hatches and the 25mm bases, creating two halves each: hatch, 25mm base, lipped warmachine base. In between the two halves you need to create that sudo-head that the old one tries to have. At this point you could make the area inbetween more like the Forgeworld dreads with the helmet like head.

The two cylinders should then be joined together.

All you need to worry about at this point is the arms and legs. Legs, use sentinel legs turned around, cut down and armored a bit. The arms are what ever weapons you want. If you need to beef up the joints, I recommend the IG tank wheels with some washers from your local hardware store.

I did something similar to build something in between an RT era dread and the ones that appear in the "Horus Heresey" art books. It depends on your modelling skills.

I think I have both of the RT dreads, though one has suffered a bit of conversion. If anyone is interested in owning them, pm me.

To construct larger ones, I would look for large, hard-plastic balls that can be sliced to make the shoulders and hips, then build the main torso from plasticard or foamcore.

I was wondering if the top part of the Defiler comes on the one sprue or if it is dispursed. If it's on 1 sprue, I can get one of those and a sentinel and build the dreadnought like that.

@aka_mythos: which hatch pieces, I think I know what you're talking about but would like a pic.

@fellblade: the hard plastic ball idea does sound like a good one, though I don't know where I'd get them from, possibly Toys R Us, and I don't have anything to cut them with.

Thanks everyone,

Khrangar

I'm currently in china and can't really get you a picture. I'm talking about the circular crew hatches that go on top of the tank. In my previous post I was refering to using both the two circular hatch parts and the base they go on top of. You could also use the same bit but from the old rhino, if you go those.

http://www.thewarstore.com/SpaceMarineVehicleBits.html
The 6th one down, I think.

The dread is two cylinders built around a hemispherical shape. Going with the ball idea, maybe a pingpong ball (that might be too big)... at toys R Us jus look around some toy is bound to have a plastic ball of the right size.

Also remember if you just need a bit here or there... www.thewarstore.com sells alot of bits.

Ah, I understand now, thanks. I think I'm leaning towards getting a Defiler sprue and combining it with a Sentinel and armouring up the legs.

If any one can get me a comparison between the defiler torso and sentinel legs, I'd greatly appreciate it.

Khrangar