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Hey everyone! I'm new to DD (as of yesterday) but I've always been a fan of its conversion threads (great work everybody!). So, here's my 'masterpiece' - my completely converted Fremen army. If you aren't familiar with the term, take a look at wikipedia for more (or read the book Dune, by Frank Herbert). I play them as Black Templar and let me tell you they are brutal opponents (8wins, 0 losses, 1 draw).

I'll attach LOTS of photos here, if you have any question on the construction technique just let me know.

Wow. I was thinking you'd use the Van Saar bodies, but the eldar bodies look pretty good.

Also, nice work on the sand worms.

Like I said earlier lovely army,nice well executed conversions.Plus I still feel stupid for asking where they were from earlier,damn I should get out more.

odinsgrandson wrote:Wow. I was thinking you'd use the Van Saar bodies, but the eldar bodies look pretty good.

Also, nice work on the sand worms.

Thanks! I did think of the Van Saar at first, but metal is so much harder to work with than plastic. Also, the eldar models could be posed far more dynamically.

Since I already had two land raiders (worms), it was time for some infantry to make up my fighting force. I wanted my Templar initiates to be Fremen warriors, that way they could ride the worms in style while still being terrifying cc monsters. To make still suits, I used eldar guardian bodies with their shoulders, backpacks and gems shaved off. I then added fremkits, slip style boot straps and jubba cloaks with green stuff. I purchased MAS heads to replace the guardian helmets, but did use some of the eldar heads with added beards and facial hair. Later, I used floral wire to add nasal tubes. Also, I added crysknives from plasticard. After some serous repositioning, filing and green stuffing I got the desired dramatic look. For my power fist I made 'stunballs' out of wire and the tips of mortar shells from the Ig heavy weapons teams. For my meltagun, I crafted a Dune 'lasgun' from a left over shuriken catapult, plasticard and tau battle suit flamer bits.






























































That's the first squad... Now all together.

You sir, have just blown my mind - seriously, I had it here a minute ago, and now I can't find it.

So I assume that your games take six and a half hours and involve lots of moving around, with no combat until the final turn?

unistoo wrote:You sir, have just blown my mind - seriously, I had it here a minute ago, and now I can't find it.

So I assume that your games take six and a half hours and involve lots of moving around, with no combat until the final turn?

Lol thanks- I try. I'm sure my opponents wish that's how it went- first turn I move, second turn I position, third I assault, 4th and on is clean up


I needed leaders. That meant a Naib (Marshal), Watermaster (Master of Sanctity) and Duncan Idaho (Emperor's Champion). I though Duncan was a perfect choice, since, if you have read all the books you know, Duncan can die as many times as necessary yet still be in the next battle, fresh from Tleilax.

Duncan was based with the Imperial guard Cadian legs and tank commander torso. He also had a modified heavy weapons team binocular holding left arm and another left arm modified to be his right. His head was the sergeant's- just no headset. Also, he has eldar guardian boots.

Anywho, here we go.

You are indeed Maud'dib

Dark Lord Seanron wrote:You are indeed Maud'dib

That's what I like to hear!!! I wish I could make my 'level up' system follow the Dune path... oh well.


My next project was my ornithopter. I really wanted one since they are so fluffy and would add some tactical flexibility to my army. I had it represent a land speeder- the nice part is since WYSIWYG is a little loose with my army, it could represent any of the multiple variants. I wanted it to be like the books ornithopters, so capable of winged flight, not hover jets or antigrav engines. Also, I wanted a lasgun on the front- this could be set to variable frequencies, thus explaining the multiple weapon formats.

I used obiwan's star fighter as my base. Enjoy.

Here's the original model



And my conversion

You have only made 7 posts yet made me feel totally inadequate about my whole hobby life.You sir are an excellent modeller and a good artist.

Deff Dread red Edition wrote:You have only made 7 posts yet made me feel totally inadequate about my whole hobby life.You sir are an excellent modeller and a good artist.

Lol thanks but don't feel too bad- I've been hobbying since I was 6 years old- that's 16 years ago. I first started painting heroquest and haven't stopped since...


Now that I was on a roll, it was time for some HEAVY SUPPORT! I considered predators stand ins, since BT have no devastator squads, but it just didn't seem right (vehicles attract worms, after all).

So, I made a vindicator. What?!?! Ya, a vindicator. AND he would represented by a 3rd stage guild navigator. what what whaaaaat?! Ya that's right. I'm a huge Dune purist, so this did pain me quite a bit. In the end, I was able to justify it, however.

My army takes place at some point during Maud'Dib's crusade. At this point, the Guild was under control of the Mahdi, since he alone controlled spice production. Therefore, in my tangent universe, it's not completely impossible that a navigator might be forced to lend support to the Fremen crusading forces. As far as the demolisher cannon goes, my navigator, Fintan, folds space and time around the enemy, rending them from between vast distances of the cosmos.

Ok, enough sniveling. Time to see Fintan! I made him from a wire armature using several layers of green stuff. His spice gas bubble was made from a raspberry spread's glass jar. He also sports some bits, coat hanger wire, electrical wire and gatorade caps. Make sure to notice the rivets.

One more thing, I wanted to add a spice gas inside his bubble, but painting on glass is extremely difficult. Instead, I sprayed it with fixative and shook around some cinnamon powder. Ya, I go the extra mile. I also rubbed some on my worms for color and smell (spice looks/smells like cinnamon according to Dune).



















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Next, some Sardaukar and ground car. This was to counter claims of 'cheese' since I was pretty much using two worms (land raider crusaders) in every game. It would count as a rhino and initiate squad armed with flamer and power fist (stun baton).

The Sardaukar are made from cadian bodies with pig iron studio heads and space marine scout assault arms. The ground car is a '53 corvette model with bits and modified wheels (antigrav).






















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Ok last units.

My battle machine (venerable dreadnought) laza tigers (bike squadron) and thumper objective markers.


















Well that was exhaustively long! I still have plans for future units, but as I am completely absorbed in work and my newest army (a vampire force for 40k) they will have to wait. Q&C are welcome.

You have got some impressive models there mate. Really excellent conversions and superb paingjob's on top of them.

I really love Frank Herbert's universe and you are definately doing it credit!

What plans do you have for the future with this force?

Klausmasterflex wrote:
One more thing, I wanted to add a spice gas inside his bubble, but painting on glass is extremely difficult. Instead, I sprayed it with fixative and shook around some cinnamon powder. Ya, I go the extra mile. I also rubbed some on my worms for color and smell (spice looks/smells like cinnamon according to Dune).

Okay, I was already in love with your army. Beautiful posed, dynamic models based on the best sci-fi world ev-ar, and one of the best realizations of an ornithopter I've ever seen. But then you go the extra mile and make 'em scratch n' sniff?

PURE. FIN. GENIUS.

Thanks for sharing your work, it's absolutely fantastic, and very inspiring! You've done an amazing job of staying true to the source material.

Absolute madness - I love it!
The level of detail to my memory of the books and the film is astonishing.
I especially like the blue in blue eyes for the Fremen, and Duncan's little spivvy 'tache.
All you need now is Leto II as a Baneblade...

Simply outstanding.

Welcome to Dakka. That's one heck of an entrance!

Absolutely awesome. I started skeptical with the idea itself, but was quickly won over by the execution. Where's Paul going to fit in? And can we get some full army shots on the table?

Thanks to all for the kind words- my plans for this army go as such..

I have started construction on a unit of fedaykin. For those who don't know/ can't remember, the fedaykin, literally death commando, are the elite of the Fremen army. They make extreme use of the weirding way, a system of combat revolving around the perfect synchronization of the mind and automatic muscle reflexes. They are so highly trained that they can accomplish muscle movements and leaps which mimic short range teleportation. As such is the case, they will represent assault marines with jet packs!

Also in my mind is the idea of a frigate. Frigates are the largest ships capable of making planetfall without being disassembled in the Dune universe (duniverse). I was going to make one to represent a thunderhawk gunship, but that has yet to come to fruition....

Damn ! Those are freaky deaky ! The film was, very good, yet very hard to understand but good either way, and these models look alot like the characters and so on. Good job !!

damn those van saars are good

Moz wrote:Absolutely awesome. I started skeptical with the idea itself, but was quickly won over by the execution. Where's Paul going to fit in? And can we get some full army shots on the table?

Here you go!







Sorry to burst your bubble- no Paul. I'm not going to use any actual book characters except for Duncan. Why? Let me explain. After his original death on Arrakis during the Harkonnen/ Imperial joint attack, cells from his body were shuttle off to the Tleilaxu planet, Tleilax. Here, an infinite number of Ghola corpses (clones) were made at the demand of Leto II (god emperor of Dune). Over his 3000 year reign, Leto II ordered hundreds if not thousands of Duncans after each was killed (usually by him). As such is the case, it actually is fluffy for Duncan to show up in every battle.

However, Paul Maud'Dib, Alia, Gurney Halleck, Stilgar, the Lady Jessica, etc will not be making apperances. On one hand, my army takes place in the year 40,000.... 25 millennia since their deaths. Also, how could I represent Paul on the field? He can't die, he automatically wins every battle since he already knows the outcome (prescience), and he can kill any and I mean ANYTHING in close combat by himself!

Wow. Awesome.

Woow, Just wooow
Really geniusly concept + executed spot-on! Really would like to see more!

Wow. Just wow! These are freakin' awesome conversions. Lots of work has gone into this and I'm oh so desperate to see some more.

You even have some 'thopters. I'm just impressed overall

Wow this is some great stuff. My only beef would be fluffwise a lot of the fremen have redhair. But really this is some of the most amazing stuff I have ever seen.

This is the first I've seen these! I likey!!!!

Very cool!

Damn! jaw dropped on the floor, and the cat ran off with it.

Fething wow! That's all I can say. I haven't read the book, though I've watched the movie and played the game by Westwood, and I thought it wasn't half bad. Really did justice to the characters as they looked on-film. Also, what Pig Iron heads are those? They look really cool!

Awesome. Pure Awesome.

metallifan wrote:Fething wow! That's all I can say. I haven't read the book, though I've watched the movie and played the game by Westwood, and I thought it wasn't half bad. Really did justice to the characters as they looked on-film. Also, what Pig Iron heads are those? They look really cool!

They are Micro Art Studio Barbarian and Knight heads which are awesome! Also, I'm not sure about that 'red hair' thing... you might be mistaking the harkonnen bronze hair with the fremen.

Nope Chani for one has red hair. I also think its pretty heavily implyed that the fremen are Scots/ MiddleEastern/Far-East mix.


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IDK I could have gone insane for a while there or some such.