Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Ok, new project time. We are having an Apoc game at the FLGS on the 26th, and by the Immortal Emperor I want a bleedin' superheavy this time!

I considered a baneblade scratch build, but I don't know that I can get a 1/32 tank to look the way I want in time without possibly butchering the model. (The Tamiya kit is SO pretty!)
So I am starting up a project I was going to do anyway: A Sisters Knight class superheavy from Epic. I am used VDR to come up with the following stats:

Walker Warmachine
AV F 14 S 14 R 11
Structure Points : 2
Void Fields : 1
6 Heavy Bolters (3 per arm)
2 Exorcist Launchers (Torso mount) (at 60pts a pop. VDR doesn't use them)
525 points.

I am imagining sort of a big (6-8") dreadnought with a big organ on the back, and a pulpit on the front. For inspriation I am looking at some of the organs from the wikipedia entry.
Mostly http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:RD_orgel.jpg for how the panels work on the chasis, only where the little front pipes are there will be a pulpit, and more Exorcist-esque pipes. Statues will also play a part as in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Orgel_der_Severikirche_in_Erfurt.jpg
Though in general I am looking for a less baroque and more gothic look.
I will post the (bad) concept pictures I sketched when I get home.

Now, I have the start of the box/chasis built, and even though it is my first time using plasticard it is working out well. I am getting a little stuck on the legs though. I am a bit torn between using standard human type legs like those of a dreadnought and the reverse chicken legs like a Warhound. Alternately the bizarre "dog leg" of the Penitents is an option, but seems too complicated. I want to make it look pretty heavily armored, and an architectural look would not be remiss, perhaps involving butresses. At the same time though, I don't want to miss out on the dark technology aspect, with lots of wires, pipes and the like. So I am a little torn between ideas.

Anyway, I will post pictures when I get home; it just felt good to put some words to my thoughts and type them out. The clock is ticking after all!

Ok, so here are some pictures so far.

Here is the rough concept sketch I scratched up at work (the original scales are too ugly to post...)


And here are ideas for how the legs might look; armored on the left, unarmored on the right. Sort of bouncing between the two.


Now, looking at the torso the two corners of the chasis will have little arches with statues in them. The center arch, sort of above the pulpit, will have either a statue, or the pilot, who will be wired in sort of like a penitent engine.

The arms will have hellblasters on them, because I love them.


So, here's what I have so far.




Not super duper exciting. This evening I am going to mess with the legs and get the pelvis thing at least going. I still need to pick up some plastic tubing for the pipes this week.

Now, here's my thoughts for legs. I think I will use 3 1/4" dowels bunched together for the center part of the leg, partially for stability, and partially because I happen to have them. I am thinking any sort of "spindly" look is going to be bad, and I don't want this thing collapsing under it's own weight. Plus it will make a pleasing triangle shape that I can then put little pistons and cable bundles on.
For the shin armor, if I do use it, I kind of want to cannibalize some plastic salt and pepper shakers like you see in McDonalds. The fluting is appealing. Trouble is I might actually have to steal them since Wal Mart doesn't seem to sell them, and that isn't really my style. So I need to come up with an alternative.

Well, back to work for me. Please, any and all ideas are welcome! This is my first scratch build project, so I am sort of just diving in and seeing if I sink.
I don't want to sink.

Looks like it's going to look very cool. I canit wait to see it all finished.

Too right. Bigger than a Knight paladin? Smaller than a Warhound.hmmmm, seems to fill the gap there nicely. Good work.

Ok well, a few hours later... and I am not sure I spent the time well. I made a pelvis I am not terribly happy with, and decided I am definitely going to use old film canisters for the shin armor because I have a bag of like 200 of them. That and unlike anything I built tonight, they are just about perfect for the scale I want.
So, pictures of failure.

It all started because I really wanted to use a bottle cap and two bases from some Dark Age mini's for the hip joints.

So I seriously over engineered this box for them to fit on. I am fairly certain this box, complete with internal supports, will hold me up if I stand on it. If I don't use it, I am definitelt piroutteing on it.
So, not too off it seems. Then I think "Hey! If I put another cap in as a lumbar, it can pivot on it's waist!


Then after playing a bit with dowels and leg sizes, I got this.

I didn't think to get a ruler in the picture, but it is about 5" high at this point. A bit tall for my 6"-7" target.
The other problem is the pelvis is way too boxy and large, especially now that I am seeing the picture from this afternoon that I really liked.
So, tomorrow I am heading to the hobby store to get some plastic 1/4" tubing for the pipes, some extra card and some rectangular tubing for the legs. Oh, and some guitar wire. I am hoping once I put the pipes on the scale won't look quite so out of whack to me. There will be at least another 1/8" on the width and height of the box once I put the trim on it, and I figure 2-3" of pipes, so perhaps after I get the upper together the lower won't look so bad. Plus, I figure I will be putting some banners and flags hanging from it, so that can help cover some issues. Still... I hate that pelvis.

Hey wehrkind-@ the outset, I assumed it was going to be a warmachine/shrine. If this is the case, I think the size of the pelvis might work to your advantage, in that you can embellish/add/decorate that large area nicely. Good work on the update-let's see some more!!

I love the walking pipe organ transformer thing concept you have there. I look forward to seeing how it turns out.

Very cranky/ intimidating looking.

Thanks for the kind words!
Warmachine/shrine is pretty much exactly what I am going for. Take the biggest, most impressive peice of a barroque church/cathedral that isn't made out of glass, put giant legs on it, profit.

I decided last night babbling to myself while my wife tried to go to sleep that I am just going to build the upper part of the body, which I have an unusually clear picture of in my head, and then make the legs work based on that. As much fun as it is to have it stand up and all, that little bit of gratification will have to wait.

@Taco : You know, I didn't think of it when I drew it, but looking at it with fresh eyes, it really does have a "Imma chargin' mah lazer!" look, doesn't it. I was picturing the little stick figure in the back as sort of attached in a penitent fashion, but now it only looks like eyes :-P

@Adam : You seem like a man who knows his way around a pile of plasticard. Any advice on what thickness to use, tricks to making it do what you want? I have a small baggie of the stuff with various thicknesses, from the 1/16" I am using here to paper. I am just about out of 1/16" though, so what sort of stuff do you generally find useful? Any tips or tricks would be appreciated!

do a search for adeptus mechanicus army. Forget who but they've made three knights based on the defiler parts. Am currently building something similar myself (will be uploading new pics in next few hours). It may not help you as you've already made a pretty good start but may give you inspiration....

Good luck with it anyway, organ on the back sounds cool!

Hellblaster arms are going to be siiiiick, and the organ launcher should be good stuff.

Base is looking good so far. For the record I say add the grieve armor to the front of the legs, particularly as I think it will need some serious armor/solidity to justify AV14. If you look at the BoLS "Lords of Battle" PDF the knight warden is 14-13-10, 2 struct, 1 void. I can handle the 14 front on your guy, but I think sticking with the warden statline isn't a bad idea - including the 10 rear, as the mass of exorcist rockets (hypothetically) stored back there can't help armor it much

And also rules-wise, I'd make it 500 points and call it done.

- Salvage

This is a good start, and could come out really cool. After all, a good idea is crap unless the execution meets it. I think the organ and the pulpit will blend it with the rest of the SoB, however it runs the risk of looking like an idea hack of the Exorcist/Throne of Judgement if you aren't careful. I would make the pulpit enclosed in the front, not open like the front of the Throne, and use a REALLY fiery figure for the orator, really dynamic, to make sure that it is quite distinguished from Inq. Karamazov (sp?) who is kinda morose and brooding (not that that is bad or unfitting). Enclosed front will give more space for iconography and embellishment as well. Just a waist high enclosure is all I am thinking.

Just thinking out loud here, putting in my 2 cents. I'd have to agree that the pelvis could us some help, but maybe just alter it a bit? It wouldn't look good with a little wasp waist. Gotta have a little chunk to it, IMHO.

I would use either .5 mm or 1.0 mm plasticard. Prob. 1. I am in the process currently of building a bunch of Clouseau pattern rhinos for my SOB out of .5mm, mostly b/c I don't have anywhere NEAR the 1.0 mm to do it. I am making kits for about 8 of them, might double up some of the armour plates just to give it a thicker look, but then again they ARE rhinos, needing an AP role of a 4+ from a freakin sneeze to pen :S.

Points-wise, I think that it might be armed a little much for the value. Not that I think you are under-pricing it, but merely from my own tastes that it's loss would be a bad blow to your force. Just to be sure, you could reduce the points even a little below 500. And then build 2, b/c more is always better, right? Besides, you will want your opponents to have more than just one large walker to point their AT at, not need to make their target selection choices for them. Yes, I am the little devil on your shoulder, whispering temptations in your ear .

Seriously, will be following this one to see how it come sout. With all these folks watching, you have to finish it now!!!

Proposed names:
Organotron.
Crescendus.
Stevie.

Crap, the wardens are 14-13-10. I will switch it over to that. For some reason I was thinking they had stats like Dreads or Defilers. Putting it there actually rests it right at 495, so a round 500 would be perfect.

Honestly, considering what the other guys (well one guy) brings to Apoc games, nothing important lives for more than 2 turns. I will be happy if I can sneak this guy out from behind a building and put down some void shields before being vaporized. I was thinking last night I should have made a titan hammer squad to actually be competitive, but that's a lot of cash, and terminators don't put organs on their backs. So, they lose.

I will have to try the thinner plasticard. I bought a thick For Sale sign in case I need some random spare, but I was worried that it would be too flexible for structural purposes. I will mess around tonight and see how it does.

I think for the pulpit I will leave it open, and convert a wildly gesticulating priest from a spare Bretonian body and Empire Flagellant head. I don't like priests much anyway, so he can take a bullet. The "driver" is going to be installed Ghost in the Shell style in the alcove above and behind, represented by that thing that looks like angry Hindu eyes in the picture. I need to put a little thought into how that will work though, and where I will get the bits. I have a spare Penitent pilot that might do in a pinch, but I want it to look like the pilot wanted to be there, rather than nailed there because they were naughty. That part will likely be partially enclosed though. I will try and mock up something tonight so you can see what I mean.

With all these folks watching, you have to finish it now!!!

Aww man, I am going to get stage fright and be unable to perform! Like when my wife stares at me when I try to piss so she can use the toilet before me.

Wehrkind wrote:Aww man, I am going to get stage fright and be unable to perform! Like when my wife stares at me when I try to piss so she can use the toilet before me.

And check your e-mail ftw.

Also, this thing is going to be red hot death to any infantry hordes (orks orks orks) within 36", and could absolutely gut titans or any vehicle it points that organ launcher at. 12 S8 AP1 shots? Oh my sweet hell ...

- Salvage

@ salvage: Oh my sweet hell is right. If it survives long enough to shoot once, you are looking at an average of 7 shots from the two of the launchers. That would be tough.

@ wehrkind: I vote for Stevie. Or Pedro, of course. And the bit about your bathroom? Sharing violation, 5 yard penalty!

To make it look distinct on the battlefield, I would make it a quadruped (or more), ala:

Woo! Here is the lovin Salvage sent to my email:
SISTERS OF BATTLE KNIGHT REDEMPTOR 500 POINTS

WS 3 BS4 S 10 FRONT 14 SIDE 13 REAR 10 I 2 A 1

UNIT: 1 Knight Redemptor

TYPE: Super-heavy walker

STRUCTURE POINTS: 2

VOID SHIELDS: 1

WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT:
2 arm-mounted weapons
- Scourge bolter
- Scourge bolter
1 hull-mounted weapon
- Elysium launcher

WEAPON
Elysium launcher
RANGE 48” STR 8 AP 1 SPECIAL Heavy 2D6

Scourge bolter Range 36” Str 5 AP 4 Special Heavy 9

SPECIAL RULES
• Loaded With Ammo: If the Redemptor suffers an Apocalyptic Explosion result on the Catastrophic damage chart the enormous amount of ammunition stored within detonates ferociously! This is the same as an Apocalyptic Explosion, except that models within range suffer a Destroyer hit.
• Martyr Switch: In any of its own shooting phases the Redemptor’s crew may intentionally self-destruct the warmachine instead of firing any weapons that turn, regardless of Shaken or Stunned effects or loss of weapons. Treat this is an Apocalyptic Explosion, as modified by the Loaded with Ammo rule. Remove the Redemptor from the table after the effects of the explosion are worked out.

That is terribly perfect. I particularly like the martyr switch.

In regards to "omg shots!" that is exactly what I was looking for. In my opinion the Sisters really lack a good way to deal with anything at range. You can get Exorcists for killing vehicles, or you can get Retributors with heavy bolters for infantry hordes, but that's it. So this sort of puts both eggs into the same basket, with the obvious disadvantage of doing so. I am hoping that it will be able to do reasonable damage to titans in it's single round of shooting, since last game our team had pitifully little to say to the 5+ superheavies arrayed against us. If this girl drops a Mega Gargant down to 50% in the first turn, I will be a happy panda.

I do like many legged vehicles, but it just isn't what I see for this. I always think of chaos as being the army for non-anthropomorphic walkers. Even AT-AT walkers, neat as they are, don't really "fit" anything for me. Now, a many legged death vehicle for Chaos? Well... let's see if I start such an army, if I can avoid making such a thing first!

That's sweet! "Martyr Switch" is a great rule, and the "loaded with ammo" rule fits very well as well. Good job!

Do you have a shot of which body and head you were looking at for the pulpit?

In the meantime: Redemptor Kyrinov is, in my opinion, the standard orator model. He's got none of Karamazov's contemplativeness, replaced with pure unadulterated zeal. I mean, just look at him!

Hmmm picture doesn't work, but since I have to head to the hobby shop anyway this afternoon, I will look for him.
Thanks for the tip! The heads and bodies are on BattleWagon. Probably just one of the shouting "I am SO FREAKING HAIRY" heads, with a robed body. I might even green stuff something up.

Ok, so I went to the Hobby store, the one I don't like much, and bought some fun styrene shapes.

By which I mean, I bought them out.

I had to knock out an old lady and her grand daughter who were babbling something about a husband and a stroke, but I got what I needed.

So, here's what I spent the rest of the evening working on.


PIPES!!! It occured to me about 3/4 of the way through I should probably have just figured a way to line them up and cut all the angles at once, but I didn't, so a few are different angles. There will be another row or two of pipes in front of the current, as well as a row at the corners around statue alcoves. I am just really tired and started screwing up too many cuts to keep working tonight.
Here's another picture, with plenty of scale. I am feeling a little better about the pelvis now too.


The Redemptor comes in at just under 8" now, which is just about the top end that I think he can be without pushing so far into warhound territory he looks silly.
Well, this will be it till Sat.; I have to drive halfway across the state tomorrow to get my car fixed. I have some bitz and figures on order anyway, so this will be a nice little break to think about what my next steps are. It will also give me time to relect upon just how much of a beast this thing will be to paint... I had better rename this "Black primed Super Heavy in <3 Weeks."

Until then my friends!

If you take a dremel you can run a straight line up the pipes and even it out.

That's it, I'm putting a Martyr Switch on my Nova.

Bang-up job so far. Any ideas on armored/unarmored legs yet? I vote for more bulk, so armor. It'll balance things out and make the pelvis that you find distasteful less of an issue.

Nice!

Yea, I am definitely thinking armored legs now. With all the bling and banners I intend to put up top, some "greaves" will go a long way to make it look more solid, and less like an ostrich with no neck. I am finding with the pipes and without the little waspy connection, I am liking the pelvis a bit better. I am going to wait till the top is pretty much all in place, then make that decision.

I do believe you are correct Stelek! When I get all the tubes in place (probably 15+) I will take the grinder and work them all towards the same angle.

If you do indeed dremel the pipes for angle, you may want to have the lengths set at a bit of a curve, as you view them from the high center one to the low ones on each end of the line. Would give a bit less of that angular look to the entirety of the creation. Just a thought.

There will be a bit of a curve introduced by the two statue alcoves and the pilot's socket, but I agree it is a little more angular now than I would like. I am going to try and make the next courses of pipes a little more shaped to fit those features, which is one reason I delayed installing them last night. I should have my bits for the weekend, and if not, I have all the paneling edges and handrails to install anyway, so I will be busy.

I'm liking the pipes. The body and torso work for me giving it a squat build while the pipes keep it from seeming too flat and 'sideways', but it also emphasizes that it's too tall in the legs. I look forwards to you getting back to them. (As a side note, your ruler looks identical to one of mine. Finding the right side was the frustration of most of my early opponents, before I bought something less architectural.)

In the meantime, my thoughts on the legs for later: I think it would be fine if the dowel and/or salt shakers were cropped some, putting it's center of mass lower. I didn't see the ostrich resemblance until you mentioned it. I'd say emphasis on shortening the dowel or finding a way to angle it so the legs have length (thus not looking stubby) but not all the height. You mentioned various walker legs but, whether you decide to change out the legs or just modify the existing, it could also work to give it a wider stance by angling somewhat away from the body. Maybe just in the thigh, or maybe in both but more noticeably in the thigh.

As for Redemptor Kyrinov, I'll just leave a link for you to follow. He's probably officially OOP, so your local store having one is unlikely. I got one for my Pope-Mobile off ebay. As such, it may not be worth delaying to get one for the upcoming game. The flagellant heads have some good options, but I didn't see a Brentonian body I really liked for it. Good thing the body will be half concealed. And I'm just biased towards this guy.
http://gamesday.us.games-workshop.com/GamesDay2004/Los_Angeles/Coverage/Golden_Demon/images/cat1/redemptor_kyrinov_c.gif

Is that a Merkava? I've got some of those ready to be turned into Macharius' (though I'm considering using something esle, the edges are a bit too sleek). Also, I'm pretty sure I have a scale ruler on my desk atm too.

@mahu: WTF is that thing in the pic in yor post? looks like someone ripped the pods off the Battlestar Galactica and let it get ganged raped at a roach motel.

grizgrin wrote:I would use either .5 mm or 1.0 mm plasticard. Prob. 1.

I am in the process currently of building a bunch of Clouseau pattern rhinos for my SOB out of .5mm, mostly b/c I don't have anywhere NEAR the 1.0 mm to do it. I am making kits for about 8 of them, might double up some of the armour plates just to give it a thicker look, but then again they ARE rhinos, needing an AP role of a 4+ from a freakin sneeze to pen :S.

I do a lot of work in plasticard, and you want 1.0mm (at least 0.75mm). 1.0mm is a lot more rigid and gives more gluing surface along the edges.

0.5mm is just too thin and flimsy. Even if you reinforce with sprue and plates for stringers / ribs, it's just not heavy enough.

That's cool that you're scratch-building Clouseau rhinos. I'll be converting mine, when I get around to my Rhinos & Razorbacks.