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As we all know the upcomming IG release, almost everything have a current / future sci fi look to them

Even the ratling snipers have futuristic riffles.

I have no idea how old or how long ago the chimera and LR chasis were made
( was it around after WW2 lol? ) Its time to re design them!

Since GW is comming up with new kit yet using same ollllllllllld design,
they are going to stick around for another decade?

Its a sad day for IG players.

As much as I hate the whole plastic track system they created for the Russ and Chimera kits (especially the Chimera kits), I don't want them to change.

I like Guard tanks. I don't want to see them altered dramatically.

H.B.M.C. wrote:As much as I hate the whole plastic track system they created for the Russ and Chimera kits (especially the Chimera kits), I don't want them to change.

I like Guard tanks. I don't want to see them altered dramatically.

I agree. They fit in with their whole Imperial design theory, so if you changed them they would no longer look right.

While I dislike assembling them, they can look pretty nice when a full Company is lined up.

I wouldn't be upset at replacing them with a more modern, sleeker variant though...

warpcrafter wrote:if you changed them they would no longer look right.

No moreso than the Rhino step change, and that was a well-deserved change.

For the Guard tanks, let's see...

The Chimera looks fine, however the two-sprue multi-element wheel and track system should be replaced by a new sprue using a simplified spacer and composite track system similar to that used in the Baneblade. This would speed assembly considerably, using less materials, and improving track-to-track fit for better accuracy. The Lasgun ports could also be redone, as they use up a lot of sprue for nothing in-game. This doesn't affect any of the conversions, as it's an "invisible" change - externally, it's identical to before.

The current Hellhound is a mess, looking neither Fast, nor better-armored. The Hellhound family should be redesigned more akin to the Artemia, with a new turret mount that extends farther back, and pair of big fuel tanks replacing the transport section. This is an easy thing to do, especially as the Chimera already has stops to support / guide the base for the fuel tanks.

The current Basilisk is something of a mess, as the gun is way out of scale, and the gun mount is just goofy. Redesign as a modular gun, like the Shadowsword's multi-barrel.

All-in-all, the Chimera family is reasonably OK.


The Leman Russ, however is another matter. It's design is completely obsolete, and should be redone from a clean sheet.

I particularly like detailing on the Baneblade-styled conversion / scratchbuild. The forward wheels are far too large, but this is still easily the most viable-looking thing I've ever seen for a Leman Russ.

Building off that for a Demolisher isn't too difficult, as it's just adding a little extra armor and a different set of barrel swaps.

I agree with JHDD, the Chimera is still hanging in there ( sort of in the middle between the ancient and the current Valkyries / super heavies ) But LR chasis... imo is not much better than the old land raider. And certainly doesnt
look right next to valkyrie and sentinels.

Chimy's are still cool, but the 'Russ tanks aren't great. I'd consider starting gaurd if they had more of the feel we get in the new super-heavies.

Basilisk was out in 1995/1996. I know it was the last one out, and when spending my Birthday money, Ninja Chris forgot to ring that particular kit through the till. Which was kind of nice. Unintentional though. I owned up and was told not to worry, so meh!

So, Leman Russ...possibly as early as 1994? Wasn't that long after 2nd Edition came out I think. Bro and I bought both on the same day.

I like them as is, because they DO look old and rustic, just like they are in the fluff. Chimeras, like Rhinos, haven't changed much over the millenia. I think they should be the same, mainly because I think they still look cool. I'm sure this is the case mainly because I don't actually have any: I just play against a lot of them.

Obviously GW doesn't want to change them because the molds for those are cash cows that have no residual costs other than the plastic that goes into them!

I remember having an argument with someone like this he said all imperial guard vehicles look unfeasible.
but as someone who's obsessed with ww2 i think they look great

And what they're really supposed to mimic is WWI. That's my area of expertise, so I like them too.

Nope. No change needed.

I think that the Chimera is in better shape than the Leman Russ. Frankly, using a new SM Predator turret on the Chimera chassis does wonders for how it looks. I'm building all of mine that way now.

The Leman Russ is unfortunate. It has a very characteristic look that it needs to retain in some fashion. I don't think going the mini-Baneblade route is the way to do it - I think it makes it look even more old fashioned. And I've also seen conversions out there that keep the chassis and widen the turret that I think just look ridiculous. I think widening and lowering the entire chassis is the right direction - I'm just not sure how it should be done.

@DbM:

The Pred doesn't need a big Pred turret - just a little extra stowage on the rear, and it's good.

The Russ can be redone, but it is way too puny for what it purports to be. If it grows up to Land-Raider size, then it'll make more sense.

JohnHwangDD wrote:

warpcrafter wrote:
The current Hellhound is a mess, looking neither Fast, nor better-armored. The Hellhound family should be redesigned more akin to the Artemia, with a new turret mount that extends farther back, and pair of big fuel tanks replacing the transport section. This is an easy thing to do, especially as the Chimera already has stops to support / guide the base for the fuel tanks.

It would be awesome if the Graia pattern became the standard Hellhound. It's easily recongizable as a flamethrower tank (or maybe a massive squirtgun tank, either way cool).

At Adepticon, we were promised a 4-piece track setup, to replace the current jigsaw puzzle of pieces.

I'll believe it when I see it.

@Napalm: The problem with the Graia is that the turret is too similar to the Chimera turret. Artemia is completely different, so it makes the models even more distinctive for quick identification.

I see what you're saying, I just like that really skinny looking flamer nozzle. It's like a guardsman is just sticking his flamer out the turret and has the hose tied into that giant fuel tank on the back. Still, either pattern would be an improvement over the current standard pattern.

I basically agree with HBMC on this one. I like the look, hate the tracks.

I think the Chimera is fine for the most part, since it's just an APC after all.

I do think the Leman Russ could be updated a bit. I think the model is starting to show its age and is starting to look kind of dorky alongside newer things like the Baneblade. I think it could stand to be made just a bit sleeker and proportioned a little bit better, but not a complete overhaul. Sort of like the old Rhino compared to the current one.

I would like the LR to be bigger and give the hellhound those sweet FW tanks.

Well after watching my brother glue his fingers together a few times putting the track parts together, I would agree with H.B.M.C. and the others, looks fine, needs a slight upgrade to make it easier to assemble but its guard, it should look a bit rustic and outdated (and thats why they have to bring so many.... )

Napalm wrote:I just like that really skinny looking flamer nozzle. It's like a guardsman is just sticking his flamer out the turret and has the hose tied into that giant fuel tank on the back.

Still, either pattern would be an improvement over the current standard pattern.

You know that the Artemia uses the *exact* same nozzle and fuel hoze / tank, right? The only difference is that the Artemia nozzle is mounted off-axis on an asymmetrical turret.

Totally agreed!

I love the current design of the IG vehicles, wouldnt want them to change... Perhaps remade into better plastic kits, but with the overall same design.

Overall design aesthetic of the Imp Guard tanks and transports is now set in stone, no major redesign would be acceptable, the overall look of the Leman Russ is now iconic to the Imp Guard Army. But a modernisation of the kits would be welcomed, bulking them out, giving them a 'facelift' is all good and probably about time for the hideous metal/plastic combos we all know and hate to be fully realised in plastic.

We should simply look to the space marine mk1 to mk2 rhino to understand how the look is retained whilst modernising the kit to match the other areas of the range. But with the current economic climate, cost cutting and the fact its far from an urgent model change (unlike the buggy n wartrack that desperately need bringing in line with the rest of the ork range), I can't see anything happening for a while.

It's depressing how our school system fails to teach kids essential life skills like recognizing 20th century armor.

The Leman is NOT a WW2 design, it's clearly a Renault tank from 1917, WORLD WAR ONE.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renault_FT-17

The Chimera is a Soviet BMD

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMD-1

From the 1970s!

Luna if you ever have to time travel across the 20th Century righting wrongs and hoping the next leap is the one that takes you home you're going to need to know your armored fighting vehicles.



In all seriousness, both of them need their sideplates redone so they can have some suspension. Other than that I'm happy with their look.

^What? Those dont even look similar other than an overall, very rough shape.

But thats like saying the dog was designed after the bear.

I think the chassi is fine but the turrets should look more like the Forgeworld ones (Ryza pattern iirc), mine all have those turrets and they all look pretty spiffy.

Edit: although a redesign on the way the tracks go together would be awesome, as would updating the look of the weapons (E.G. heavy bolters and lascannons in line with those on HW squads, lasguns on chimeras getting updated etc etc.), still like the basic shapes of the tanks though,

I like the overall boxy look of both. But, they need some improvements. The Russ turret needs to be bigger, the battlecannon smaller, the hull lascannon smaller. Better tracks for both.

Does nobody else like the converted Russ as a new-style Russ?