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Another Kroot plog! Man, Dakka is overflowing with Kroot these days <3

Great conversions and paint, and I really love those Kazon things. Is the kit you used this one - https://www.amazon.com/Star-Trek-Voyager-Kazon-Torpedo/dp/B000G0JBZY ? I'm tempted to pick one up and Chaosify it for rapid insertion reasons.

- Salvage

That is the kit. Be ready to glue your fingers together.



Automatically Appended Next Post:
I must report on recovering a lost Kindred that was considered beyond recovery. The very first prototype Kindred Tracker model had gone missing several weeks ago. I feared that the feline overlords had consumed him or that he was at the mercy of my sometimes spotty memory. Or even worse, he might have been placed in a "safe place". and yet he was recovered amidst at great personal peril!

While chatting with the wife, I noticed a small visitor scuttle out from under the couch she was sitting upon. Claws held at the ready, and tail curled upright, a scorpion of no less than six inches long appeared. My eyes widened in horror, her feet raised as she was looking directly at me. Thankfully, her reactions were swift as the words to alert her took far longer than the scutling scorpion would require to have arrived at her feet. And then the little fellow stopped in plain sight. I jumped toward my trusty Caribbean work boots and donned those rubberized flip flop sandals. In a blur I slammed my full weight upon the beast and then gave a slight wiggle back and forth for good measure. Injured, but alive, the beast thrashed in a small circle as I brought my foot down again. Its tail now uncovered by the sandal I narrowly missed its final gasp of defiance as I brought my foot back to safety. Crushed and crippled the scorpion again tried to rouse its broken body forward, but I draped it with not one but two thick napkins and plucked its wiggling form up in my now protected hands. Large scissors were used to dismantle the seemingly unkillable monster and it was gracefully flushed down the toilet.

Fearing that this beast was not alone, I snatched a flashlight from the table and began a detailed search beneath both couches and the entertainment center. And that is when my lost Kindred weakly waved for help. The dust and cat hair that had gathered there engulfed the wounded warrior, but using a stick he was retrieved back to safety. Elation flooded my being as I had not only bravely faced down a fearsome beast lurking within my own home, but I had recovered a lost warrior.

I wrapped up painting the last six Knarloc riders.

Three Knarloc riders armed with Fusion blasters. These provide some powerful, short ranged firepower. Crude repairs and adapted targeting systems are powered by portable generators carried in saddlebags or backpacks.


Armored plates protect the targeting systems scavenged from Orkoid raiders. These units are surprisingly adaptable and were highly desired for their minimal energy requirements.


Plasma cannons are also adapted onto improvised mounting brackets. Small power packs are mounted directly onto the weapon systems, but their exhaust systems are pushed to their limits as the Tau technology falls further out of tolerance over the years.


Battle damage is often repaired in the field.


Here is a picture of the entire horde of Knarloc riders led by the Tracker Kindred Alpha.


The Tracker Kindred Alpha is a massive male that bears heavy weapon systems and requires two riders to control.


Each model carries a theme in color and basing Tall grass and large seashells dot the shores of an alien marsh.

Kroot Hounds are a specialized form of Kindred that can provide fast moving support and protection for the Knarloc riders. I have 20 of these models and took the time to show some of the steps I went through while painting them.

Here I have all 20 with their blue flesh properly shaded and highlighted. I have also picked out their leather straps and yellow base for their quills. Nearby you can see three Kroot abberations. These are the offspring of Kroot who had fed from Tyranid flesh. Unwilling to outright kill these Kroot, the Shaper council has decided that the physical deformities they suffer means that these Kroot live outside the boundaries of normal Kroot society.







I add some shading to their beaks leaving some highlighting color to the edges of their Beak. I also faded a bright red into orange and then yellow on each of their crests. Leather straps were detailed and higlighted and finally washed to give them a little depth. Grenades are painted a dark red to make them easy for other Kroot to find and use. If you look closely, you might also see some of the Hounds have bionic legs. I bought 20 models and ended up a few legs short. So hooray for cybernetics!



I took a picture of my workspace. This computer desk works nicely for managing all my projects and keeps my mess to a small part of my spare bedroom. My paint, tool and brush collection is growing constantly, but as I am getting into my mid forties I need eyeglasses to see anything up close. A magnifying glass and desklamp allow me to still see all the little details I am so eager to paint. Of all the things I am having issues with as I get older, my eyesight is the part I mourn the most.

A wave of Blue skinned Kroot Hounds race ahead of the Knarloc riders. Kroot Abominations posess enough basic intellect to be trusted to lead the savage beasts and are strong enough to settle any disputes between the Hounds. Spread out and able to deflect assaults against the Knarloc riders, the Hounds also excel at uncovering traps or hidden threats.



Cybernetic replacement legs are sometimes used to return a faithful Hound to full service.




Abominations are the result of their parents consuming the flesh of Forbidden species. Tyranid mutations often appear in the form of claws or sharp talons. These Kroot are outside the normal caste system and are sterilized. Rarely able to develop more than basic language skills, these mutants prefer to run with the Hounds and often are elevated to a high social standing within the vicious beasts ranks.


A really bad full army shot.
20 Kroot Hounds
3 Abominations
12 Knarloc riders
1 Tracker Alpha
On the shelf below you can see the bulk of my infantry
50-60 Kroot forms and several Krootox.

Looking good! i think that's the most kroot hounds or kroot in general that i have ever seen in one place.

When the Four Fingers took control of their battleships, there were hangar bays filled with small torpedo shaped shuttle craft. Built around an adamantium frame, these small ships served as boarding torpedoes against enemy voidships as well as planetary landers for small teams of Kroot Kindred. Each shuttle can hold up to ten Kroot and the small ships serve them well as precision dropships and then afterward as armored strongpoints. Slow and clumsy in an atmosphere, they are often outpaced by the mounted cavalry favored by the Four Finger Warband. Larger remote frames are deployed after a combat to return the landers to the Kroot battleships in orbit above. Lacking any external weaponry, the landers still provide nearly invulnerable protection for the Kroot.

However, the landing craft have suffered at the hands of the Kroot. Maintaining and repairing damaged units is not a favorite activity for most Kroot and the few possesing any real technical savvy are critically understaffed. As a result, many are rusted and sport unconventional repairs or modifications to extend the usefulness of each ship. One day, the last one will stop working and the Four Fingers will lose a powerful resource to deliver their Kindred safely into battle.

Entry or exit is through a small circular hatch in the roof. The slender, Kroot must pass outside this tiny hatch quickly when they land.


The once gleaming white ships have worn down to a rusted patina over the years. Atmospheric entry has burned the hull and often the Kroot inside prefer to wait a moment for the burning hot metal to cool before deploying.


The adamantium frame shows no heat damage or scorch marks as its ability to resist heat or damage is unrivaled.


Four landers are ready to be deployed. The engine and energy field generators midship all show the signs of heavy customization. New parts are frequently added or removed from the ruins of defeated foes.

Love the colour scheme and themes of your army. Really striking and unusual. Very unique. Super job all round.

Really loving the colour scheme you've chosen, particularly on the big beasties

I have been busy for the last couple of weeks preparing with work. However, I have managed to get a spot of painting in and have put the finishing touches onto the first half of my Tracker Kindred riders. These agile mounts are able to close with enemy forces and dart away quickly. Kroot riders often scavenge flamer weapons that can be used to harass enemy infantry or dangerous plasma pistols that can be fired at close range to damage heavier, armored foes. Chain weapons are a coveted prize that the Kroot riders are eager to collect. Some riders even manage to salvage armor for themselves to wear as they charge enemy lines.

Flamer weapons can be fueled with backpacks or smaller, portable cartridges.


Rapid attacks that fade away before the enemy can react can distract the enemy from more dangerous elements moving into position.


Human plasma weapons are dangerous to both the user and the enemy.


Charging forward, flamers alight and plasma exploding in front of them, Tracker Kindred are blessed to be mostly blind. This Kroot genotype develop a thick cranial shell that often resemble horns, but can cover the beasts eyes. Typically within the Trackers first or second year, the growth overtakes its eyes and even ears closing the beasts off to experience the world through touch. Kroot riders are matched at the birth of a Tracker and the close bond formed by their brethren allow the Trackers to effortlessly move through pitch darkness or blinding light without missing a step.


Twelve Kroot riders and their Tracker Kindred mounts move across a salty marsh. The briny water splashing lightly as the beasts weave through the reeds.

The Four Finger Clan has the ability to field several powerful weapon systems mounted atop the Greater Knarloc beasts that travel with the warband. A salvaged Ion Cannon has been mounted atop an armored Howdah and over the years it has seen multiple modifications to allow it to function. Massive exhaust vents and coolant systems prevent catastrophic overheating of the high energy weapon system. When deployed in the field, these systems are managed by a senior Kroot and several of the youngest Krootlings to earn the honor to be sent into battle. These young Kroot are untested in battle, but over the course of several campaigns will develop into valued warriors able to be deployed among their brothers.





Alongside the heavily armored Ion Cannon is another Greater Knarloc bearing a salvaged Railgun taken from a Hammerhead. Mounted on a sliding track, this long range weapon can be quickly prepared for firing and with its advanced targeting system is capable of precise firing against even the mightiest foes faced on the battlefield. Again, Krootlings are sometimes allowed to assist in crewing this massive weapon system.




Both of these backfield monsters are expected to carry a considerable amount of baggage and support material that will allow these mounted Kroot to survive in the field without any outside support for extended deployments in hostile conditions.

Another Greater Knarloc carries weapon systems taken from the wreckage of defeated enemies. A pair of fearsome Flamestorm cannons are mounted atop this Greater Knarloc. Fuel cells are scavenged and refilled carefully and a Tau targeting system is used to allow the gunner to swing the fearsome weapons quickly without risking injury to the Greater Knarloc mount.




Krootlings are often introduced to battle atop the Greater Knarloc mounts. Their small, developing bodies are nimble and quick and they are eager to learn the arts of war from the senior Kroot beastmasters they serve under.

Great job adding some REAL heavy support to Kroot! And yet again the ghoul kit proves an excellent resource for everyone outside vampire counts.

I don't think I've posted in half a decade, but that's a good job

That is a amazing force. Not just are the conversions amazing but I love the paint job. It pulls everything together.

I like the trio of Great Knarlocs counting as...Riptides? Whatever they are, looks good. Hurry up and paint!

Many thanks for the kind words. I suffer a bit from hobby isolation and truly enjoy the community here at Dakka. I am currently trying to get the remaining 12 of my Tracker Kindred painted before I hurl myself into painting the sixty something infantry Kroot I have.

Meanwhile I have another two Greater Knarlocs that I purchased from ebay that had to be sent to my in-laws back in the states. (Along with a ton of conversion bits, another dozen Kroot and the lower legs of an old metal dread). Many people do not ship to me here in paradise, so I have to ship to family in the USA to bring with them when they come to visit. I already have the dual assault cannons from a contemptor dread and a pair of the heavy railguns from a new XV-88 model to put on the eagerly awaited Greater Knarlocs.

I am quite pleased with how everything has been turning out and have slowly started to realize that I am still unsure how I want to field these when I am finally done. I wish there were better rules form making my own models that would be allowed in an army. Maybe the upcoming Ork codex will give the flexibility to make the Greater Knarlocs into the armored weapon beasts I imagine them to be.

Aw, these are just great. The stealth team are just perfect. Love the velociraptor Cavalry - not to put expensive ideas in your head, but my immediate thought on their heads was ‘baby Forest Dragons’

Well that took a LOT longer than I expected.

I started the second half of my "Tracker" Kindred almost a month ago and finally, I have completed them. I did get distracted with the Greater Knarlocs that arrived a few weeks ago, but my biggest obstacle was a series of late night SCUBA dives that ran from 9 pm until 11. We have been growing corals here in Cayman and were trying to get photos of the corals spawning. We spent two weeks in August and September diving every night and finally got the images we wanted. It was amazing watching the corals spawn and I was thrilled to be there and witness such a wonderful event.

Now it is Hurricane season and for me that means that we get lots of free time and I have been able to return to painting and modeling. I find it relaxing and rewarding to sit down and see the development of my armies over time. Although, I did learn not to loan out the only cable that hooks to my camera. Downloading the images required me to dig up my old laptop that had a SD card reader.

And for the last twelve "Tracker" Kindred, I was able to maintain the colors and methods I had going for my first half. I worried that I would forget a step or what mixes I used. So here we go.

A Shaper Kindred leads the fast "Tracker" mounts and is joined by a small Kroothawk with brilliant, flame colored plumage.


Kroot riders adorn themselves with warpaint and totems made of feather, fur or bone. Their primitive heritage contrasting with the advanced tech some have learned to use.




Bases reflect a marsh with stale, boggy water pooled between clumps of tall grasses and large sea shells.




Moving silently toward their foes, these riders depend on their agile mounts to carefully navigate this treacherous terrain. Led by a Shaper Kindred, these Kroot bring a mixture of weapons scavenged from distant battlefields.


My next step is to begin painting the small horde of infantry that I built. I expect they will paint fairly quickly as I have been focused on the many mounts and baggage for each model so far. I am only adding the most basic of personal markings and totems to each model and am considering the best way to show their "Four fingered hand" icon that will be reflected across each member of the warband. I have been thinking of either a rubber stamp might work, or a small stencil that could look like a Kroot was blowing paint over his own hand onto another member of the tribe. Anyone have any good ideas for how to do Tatoos or other primitive markings?

Specialist teams have been painted! Not all Kroot are limited to only using a Kroot rifle in combat. Bolters, plasma, melta and even missile systems are employed in limited numbers as close support weapons. Able to operate independent of the main force, these specialist troops can be deployed in advance of a larger assault to prepare the site for invasion.



A pair of Shaper Kindred lead the team. Nicknamed "Colonel Kroot" by his "hilarious" subordinates, Shaarsel wears the headgear taken from a human renegade adorned with a brassy skull with horns and a beak. He carries a stormbolter and walks with the aid of a massive thunderhammer taken from a black armored Human marine.


Freshly crated plasma weapons were found aboard an Orkish voidcraft several generations ago. Two of these weapons are fielded despite their potential to explode in a fiery ball.

Very cool, I like your use of the raptor models. Your conversion make them fit right in.

The Kroommissar and the drummer are particularly cool conversions.

Love the color scheme!

I love the N. Kroot V.D.

The kroot tracker models are especially impressive.

Looking fantastic.

I especially like the second plasma kroot, who looks like he's making a vain attempt to peer down the sights and actually aim

Thank you for the motivating words. I also like the plasma guy. Although he started as trying to aim his weapon, I also accept that he might be trying to hold the weapon away from his body to avoid any painful burns from it overheating.

I am surprising myself with how many of these guys I have completed. Now I am looking down the barrel of forty Carnivores. I hope they pass easily, but I fear they might be hard to move and start to back up... I am saving my Krootox and Greater Knarlocs for last as a treat for pushing through the forty troops.

Alongside the specialist teams there is an elite Kroot squad trained and equipped to drop into enemy lines and secure VIP targets or secure a beachhead site for troop deployment. Wearing Looted armor and Jump packs, these elite troops carry a variety of heavy weapons alongside powerful close combat weapons like chainswords or powerfists.

Armed with a heavily modified Fusion gun and Imperial Powerfist, is able to cripple heavy armored targets or even fortifications. His armor is taken from Tau Stealth suits, White Scar Marine Power armor and even some Tyranid armored plates to reinforce where mismatched armor is matched together.



A second warrior wearing armor form a Tau Stealth Suit, The remains of A Blood Drinker Terminator suit and a massive Orkish Dakkagun matched with a massive chainsword.



Each Member of the Strike Team is armored with a random assortment of parts and weapons that can change over time as new opportunities arise. Trophies are also taken of a more gruesome nature; bones, skulls or haunches of meat for a later snack.


Now for some Carnivore squads!

Love the Kroot heavies!

If I were you I wouldn’t do it as all the troops then all the cool stuff. That seems like a good way to burn out on the krootox and knarlocs instead of the troops if you can make it through them. What I would do is break it up into groups of X troops and then a knarloc or 1-3 krootox. That way you get the reward for doing the boring guys but you have variety so nothing gets too “stale.” I know the ... 55ish roughly human sized models over 3 color schemes/model styles I had going seemed fine at first but they all had a single color in common as a major component so I almost burned out on them all. Luckily I had a couple other projects on the back-burner with radically different in colors that I’m using to break the monotony.

So I looked at my tabletop where i paint and decided over the Summer that I would try to salvage the random pots of Citadel paints that came with some of my ebay bought models. I hated using the citadel pots and moving the paint onto the wet palette that I had made was a messy affair. So I ordered a bunch of eye dropper style bottles and a bunch of small stainless steel bearings to put into each pot. Finally they have arrived and I get a little hobby related distraction while I move the paint into its new form. Turns out, I had more citadel paints than I realized. Over forty in various styles ranging from the glass bottles with black lids to the new plastic versions with several different styles of label. I have broken them up into bite sized groups of four and managed to spill far less than I expected. I mixed some ammonia free Windex into each bottle to thin it to a more even consistency, and a touch of airbrush propellant added to help reduce the separation and clumping that had affected so many of the paint pots. With the new stainless steel ball bearings inside each pot, they are a breeze to shake and return to life. I am nearly done with this side project and look forward to painting again soon.

Bonus! The Citadel labels peel off easily and look great wrapped onto the new dropper style bottles!

Love that paint pot improvement. That must feel so satisfying using those home-brewed dropper bottles. They are such an upgrade from the pot style.

Switching the paints into dropper bottles was worth all the hassle. Many of those paints would have never been put into use. Instead, now they are already being looked at for future projects. I would encourage anyone thinking about doing this to make the choice and upgrade your bottles. FWIW, there are small funnels for sale in the kitchen section of most supermarkets or home good stores that with a bit of effort fit right into the neck of the dropper style bottles. 50 cents each was an easy purchase.

My first squad of Kroot that will deploy via dropships are a team of headhunters equipped with grenades and ready for close combat. I modeled them waving knives around as it made them look more like they were ready to fight in hand to hand. Kroot rifles come with a big knife at either end, but rule of cool and all that noise....

So here are my headhunter Kindred.
The Headhunter Shaper carries an Evicerator and each other model has bright red grenades hanging on their belts and baldrics. Many bear unique knives taken from enemies and wear feathers displaying their heroics and bravery to their fellow Kindred.


Three Headhunters rush forward as their Shaper activates his Evicerator.


Smile and wave boys, smile and wave.


I am considering the advice of ChaoticMind and might pull out some of my Krootox to do next. Although It is hard to veer away when I sit back and see another fully painted squad. 3 more squads of Carnivores and my infantry is done!