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So I have started a new project, concerning the most universally reviled codex choice: The shambling chaos spawn! Although I intend on using them as an army when completed, it’s really more of a modeling painting project than anything.

I got the inspiration to go through with it from this thread: http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/354758.page

Here’s the list:
Chaos Sorcerer w/ Gift of Chaos = 130
5 Marines w/ Flamer = 80
5 Marines w/ Flamer = 80
3 Chaos Spawn = 120
3 Chaos Spawn = 120
3 Chaos Spawn = 120
3 Chaos Spawn = 120
3 Chaos Spawn = 120
3 Chaos Spawn = 120
3 Chaos Spawn = 120
3 Chaos Spawn = 120
3 Chaos Spawn = 120
3 Chaos Spawn = 120
3 Chaos Spawn = 120
3 Chaos Spawn = 120
3 Chaos Spawn = 120
1850

So I have to make 39 of these buggers, although I am considering dropping one unit of spawn and running a daemon prince instead, using the giant chaos spawn from forgeworld. Every single model in the force will be converted, and I figure I get to count the spawn as "converted" as long as I use bits that aren't all from the stock kit.

The first guy up is just a giant mouth, cut from the face of the greater daemon of nurgle.



There will be prodigious amounts of greenstuff involved to fill the gaps, but I want each spawn to be different.



This next dude is pretty stock, however his head comes from the greater daemon of nurgle tongue.



I have already got a decent amount of greenstuff on him.



This last guy is kinda fun, he uses the daemon prince body, a chaos terminator tentacle, and yet one more bit from the greater daemon of nurgle.



I’m taking the time to make sure most of the gaps are filled in, as I’d like the conversions to be as seamless as possible.



Here is the sorcerer who leads them all into battle, the dread and terrible Sorcerer Scott!



He is actually the same mini my cousin used to play in his chaos list, who had terrible luck and always died horribly. He’s just here for the fluff and the laughs!

I have to commend you for your bravery.

Lol, thank you! Most of the responses I have gotten at the local club consist of nervous laughter or "why."

AWESOME project man! Love the concept and the attitude behind it , and the modeling is going to be wicked fun too.

PM me if you need more spawn boxes, I bought up a load last fall to use as chaos trolls but quickly cooled on the plan. Looks like I have 3 unopened boxes, at the least.

Cool, thanks! I will certainly let you know, I think I have plans for all but 8 of them so far, and I'm sure I will need more bitz.

I'm actually a little further ahead than the pictures indicate, I just haven't had time to get all the updates loaded yet. So hopefully I can get those up soon.





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Ok, got all of the other pics uploaded. This should put to rest any doubts you may have if i'm actually going through with this project or not...

This guy is built from spure, tyranid warrior legs, and spawn bits.





This guy is just all spawn bits and a tyranid warrior carapace, eventually he’ll have a mass of tentacles similar to Nard’s maw fiend.





Another spawn + carapace combo.



He has lots of eyes in the back of his back!



Spawn body, horror of tzeentch head, tyranid rending claws and mawloc unmentionables.





Trygon body plus a lot of random heads.



This guy is going to get the tentacle treatment as well.



Mr. Knuckle dragger here is a carnifex shell, river troll arms, tyranid warrior tail and spawn bitz.





Let’s see, river troll body, mawloc claws for feet, barbed strangler neck, daemon prince head.





Mostly spawn with a little tyranid warrior.



Yes, he is supposed to only have three arms.



This dude has a daemon prince head, river troll arm, scything talon and spawn bits.



This guy is a upside down mawloc mouth.



Still needs more tentacles.



Here we have an upside down river troll body, carnifex crushing claw, and custom toes.





And last but not least, this spawn has a river troll head, carnifex carapace, trygon head plate, trygon tail, lictor arm and hormagaunt arms for legs.



Despite all the tryanid bits on him, I think after the greenstuffing he won’t really be “tyranid” like any more.



Well that’s it for now, I’ll have more pics up as I get them!

Been working on this guy the last night or so, got the inspiration from the dog creature in "The Thing."



There is a lot of work left to be done, but I am liking how he is turning out so far.



Well that's all for today, I'm off for a game and rolling out some greenstuf tentacles!

Sturmtruppe wrote:This is pretty awesome!

Thanks!

40k needs more people like you - people with visions

Visions of madness? Well, let's just say I enjoy all facets of the hobby!

This.

Great job!

Well, I figure I had to do it to one guy, just because I had the parts to give him the parts.

Are you doing another "Army in a Weekend" this year? If so any ideas/clues on what you will do?

I'm planning on it! Probably going to do a berserker army, as I have almost all of the models I need. I'm trying to stick to the Chaos Codex and have every option in the codex available. So between them and the spawn it is one long step towards completeness.

hungryp wrote:Nice conversions, but...you're building how many Spawn?

39 good sir! I know only taking two minimum sized troop squads is cheesy, and that maxing out on fast attack choices is totally WAAC. What can I say, I am who I am!

Anyhoo, here are a few updates before I step out for tacos. They are all done, just need paint and bases.

rodgers37 wrote:This is the most amazing army ever

Great idea, a great start, and it looks like it's going to be a lot of fun to make! Will definitely be watching this one, nice job!

Oh my god. This is the most amazing thing I've ever seen. I applaud you. This is too much win

Thanks guys! Glad you like them.

I got a little more done tonight, although I quickly found out that I am going to need to roll out some more tentacles! He just needs some GS to hold the tentacles in, and then he's off to the done pile.

Thanks again for all the kind words fellas!

Commander Cain wrote:I really think you should convert up a sorcerer however. While the model is really good looking, it seems a shame to have a completly converted army minus one!

Oh he'll be converted! I'm thinking of either replacing the bolt pistol arm or making his backpack writhing with tentacles. Any ideas on what you think would look better?

Savnock wrote: Th.. this.. you... wow. I cannot WAIT to see a batrep with these puppies. Kudos to you for actually modeling them all, too! Most of us would just be tempted to, say, go to the dollar store and buy 39 cheap plastic toys. But your way is far more awesome.

Lol, I can't wait to get them on the field as well! Yeah, the easy route wouldn't have been as much fun. This is definitely a labor of love.

Also, in a few weeks I am ordering the new spawn from forge world along with some plague toads to convert up. Give you all something to look forward to early next month!

Boss Salvage wrote:Spawn with junk?!

Really dig the OMG TENTACLES! on the fly guy too. How do you roll out those, by the way? I've got a few 'tentacle storm' conversions I've wanted to do for a while, but I keep backing off since I'm not sure how to get long, fingerprint-free tentacles ...

Yep, spawn with junk! Thought it would be fun to do at least one that way.

The tentacles I copied from Nard's Maw Fiend. I just rolled out greenstuff that was really wet, and left it on a plastic binder. As long as your fingers are really wet, you don't leave prints. You do tend to get flat spots where it dries on the binder, but they aren't very noticable and could easily be shaved down if needed. They were much easier than I had originally thought that they would be, so I suggest that you give them a try!

Nope, no armature. And I actually just pose them right after I roll them and let them dry that way. You might have a tougher time if you need a specific length or want the tentacle wrapped around something. These I just roll out a bunch of random sizes and length, and then select the ones I want and trim if necessary. Hope that helps!


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Just a little update, got the fly guy finished and started working on this guy.



Anybody know who he is supposed to be?

whalemusic360 wrote:The 5th Chaos God, the Flying Spaghetti Monster! That unit should have the mark of Pastafarism.

Hooray, glad you were able to recognize him! You've obviously been touched by His Noodly Appendage!

InquisitorRoeth wrote:For the Flying Spaghetti Monster! err.... I mean, uhh, for the... uhh, the uhh, Dark Gods?

Pasta for the pasta god!

I also got this guy finished up last night.



This project seems to be coming along a little faster than I expected, so that is a good thing. Still have lots to do though!

Ok, a friday update! Not sure if you can tell, but I got a few more tentacles on the FSM, and I'm considering them all done for now. I guess that puts me up to 10 that I've finished modeling now, so only 29 more to go and then it's paint time!











If it rains tomorrow, I will probably have more updates for you. If it doesn't, I'll probably be doing yardwork instead. So pray to the pasta god for rain!

So I got in my special orders today, and finished up another spawn! I decided that the worst unit in the game deserved to be represented by the worst MODEL, just for giggles.

So here is GW's version of the pumbagor that we all know and love/hate.



And here is what I did with it to mutate it into spawny goodness!







This is a pretty big piece of metal, and very fiddly to put together. Very happy to be done with him.

Well that is all for now, let me know what you think!

Thanks man! Yeah not worried so much about winning games, but I figure it's a win for the spawn if I can manage a draw, lol.

Not sure on the colors yet, just focusing on the assembly for right now. Probable use a bunch of different colors though.

As far as the marines go, they are all going to be modeled with grabba sticks and whips, the better to drive the spawn forwards to devour the enemy!

logg_frogg wrote:wow!! you are really banging these out fast! I'm loving this!

Thanks dude, they are going much faster and better than I was expecting.

sageheart wrote:I love it! haha. great stuff, you should post up some battle reps if you ever get the time, mostly for fun sake haha.

Oh I will be! Armies this awesome can't remain in obscurity!

InquisitorRoeth wrote:You should bring this army over to the H-Land sometime. I bet Klobber Noggin, High Marshal Z and I (Skofe) would love to see this madness in action

Yep, when I am finished it'll be making the rounds. All of Ohio will temble before the shambling spawn!

I managed to get one more spawn finished, remember this oldie but goodie, Scyla Anfingrimm? I always like the model, so I decided to stick him in here since he already IS a spawn, lol!







I didn't convert him very much, but I did remove his collar of khorne. I also gave him a few extra eyeballs on his neck and on his tail. The better to see you with my dear!

IceAngel wrote:Very cool stuff megadave. You should take a nice group shot so we can get an idea what your enemies will be looking at.

As you command, Megatron. [/soundwave]



Most of them don't have bases yet because I am going to custom make all of them as well. Both the FSM and the razorgor both needed them to keep them from breaking, so that's the only reason they have theirs currently. But I think they are making a rather ugly-looking group!

TheH2Oelement wrote:wow. great army. looking forward to the rest of the army

do you think you will have any with a semblance of space marine armor left on them?

Thanks water! I hadn't thought of it, but I do have need of about eight more ideas, so it's definitely going into the pile of suggestions!

Vitruvian XVII wrote:AWESOME!!! Really fun project

Thanks, it's been one the most fun projects I've done, so that in itself is a blessing.

Sageheart wrote:have you thought of making an ad mech type spawn, maybe a bioniced warrior who got spawned up!

Into the idea pile with you! Could be very neat though, lots of random mechanical bits bursting through lumps of flesh... I like it! Also, flying spawn squid FTW.

Llamahead wrote:This army is great and to be honest won't be that bad in game terms with that much randomness somethings bound to go right......surely......maybe.......uh getting Blood Bowl flashbacks.....possibly not. Seriously that many monstrous creatures will actually be fairly tough to deal with for many armies.

Yeah they can kill everything except for land raiders, monoliths, dreadnoughts & stormravens. So I'm thinking about dropping a flamer to give the sorcerer meltabombs, lol!

Regnak wrote:Now that group shot really puts everything into perspective... Great job Dave. Looking forward to seeing paint touch these guys, you've created some great painting opportunities with these.

It really does look pretty impressive all laid out like that, so many random tentacles and stabby bitz! I think the painting will be fun to do as well, I just need to figure out what direction I want to take them in first.

Ok, one last update for the night. Didn't really feel like busting out the greenstuff, so I got this guy started instead.





He's got the khorne berserker spawn head, long with a rat ogre body & arms. The hands are from a regular ogre & the LOTR troll, while the claw is from the carnifex kit. His giant protruding spine is the trygon rattle tail trimmed down a bit. I figured even in spawndom, no servent of khorne would let go of their killy weapons!

That movie sounds terrible!

I think I can make the squid thing out of the two trygon head carapace pieces that I have left, and just make a bunch more tentacles to have wiggling all around him. Any idea for good bitz to use as the tail?


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Ok, so one got one more spawn started before the monday night group meets. This guy has a few troll bits, the other rat ogre body, and the toxin tail from the trygon kit.



Yes, that is the puke bit from the troll you see there. Yes, it is somewhat juvenile.



It is also somewhat hilarious, although I doubt the spawn thinks so!



Well that is it for today, we'll see if I have time to mix up some more greenstuff tomorrow.

Ok, so it's been a week and I've been busy, but not with modeling! :( Mostly been out working in the yard, working late at the job, and getting some games in.

Anyhoo, got this guy finished up today.





I'm working on a few more spawn right now, but I'm not sure if they'll be finished or not by bedtime. I'll be sure to post them if they are though!

kenshin620 wrote:The new guy looks like he might break his poor legs! (Such is the life of spawns, they arent suppose to make sense biologically and then they implode on themselves!) Everything is looking wonderfully chaotic!

Lol, yeah I imagine that he falls down a lot! He'll be in the unit that constantly rolls snake eyes for movement.

l33tninj4 wrote:These are awesome, if I ever make spwan for my Black Legion army I'll have to use this thread for inspiration.

Very cool, you'll have to let me know if you ever get around to it.

blambi wrote:I guess fun is the key word here.

Nice work even if a bit conflicting internally but hey I think that really might work

Fun is indeed the key word.

Allright, managed to get this spawn finished up as well.





I always like them so much better when they are done, filling in the gaps really makes it look like an actual creature/nightmare/fleshy blob thing instead of a bunch of random parts.

Boss Salvage wrote:Loving the log Dave, very cool to see GS pull these random critters together On the newest guy, what's that club arm from? Troll of some kind (LoTR maybe)?

Totally dig puke-butt too

- Salvage

Yep, the club is from the plastic LOTR troll. I have a small mordor force painted up, and just had the extra bits around that I didn't previously have any use for. I'm glad you like puke butt, lol. It was just one of those bitz I had to eventually use, and it just fit so perfectly in the tail hole that it had to happen!

Sageheart wrote:Two Trygon heads sounds like a great way to try out a squid, i envision it as the tentacles making the tail, like they are all wrapped around each other and just zipping behind the creature as if it was just flying at the enemy.

I have actually envisioned it in my head now, thanks to this. Going to make it float upright, with the tentacles hanging out behind it, like the squid from super mario brothers.

So like this, but evil and mutated:

A Black Ram wrote:Such an inspirational thread.

Army's philosophy : High risk high reward!

Thanks! I think it's going to fun to play as long as people don't intentionally try to lead the entire army in circles with a land speeder, lol!

Ok, got this guy done today, have a few more on the table in various stages of work.





As always, more as I finish them.

Thanks Luther, I'm building as fast as I can!

Got this guy done last night, I'm going to have to find him a big skull or a rock to stand on eventually.





Forge World Order should be here this week, can't wait to play with fresh resin!

Ok, so I got old poopy butt done, and I have to say he looks much better than before.



I doubt however, that his tummy feels any better. Perhaps less raw fish?



Also, I got my forgeworld order in today! Time to start inhaling sweet sweet resin dust.

Ok, so it's been a while since I could work on these guys; sold a house, moved myself, moved two sisters and moved my mother all while starting a second job!



So here is Scott the Sorcerer with his spawn finger of doom!



Nightmaw got a new axe, hooray!



Toad one just get an extra horn.



Toad two gets an extra eye in his mouth!



And Toad 3 gets a forehead tentacle. Awww, how cute.



Last but not least is the giant spawn, he's ready to eat some dudes.

I was pretty happy with these FW kits, they all went together really nicely with the minimum of flash and no warping. A little greenstuff and these guys will be done!

Hopefully I'll be able to update more frequently now that everything is settled, and as always, let me know what you think.

Ok, I got another spawn bashed together, and he's a big 'un!



You've got the power; stand up and shout! [/Dio]



We have a trygon tail, chaos hound head, river troll and rat ogre arms, and random spawn tentacles.



Still going to need a lot of greenstuff work, but seeing as how I just got going again, thought I'd wait a bit on that.



The weird part about these spawn that I'm making is that most of the time, there is no plan. I just find bits I like and they seem to make themselves. If only I could get them to paint themselves next, lol!

Sageheart wrote:great to see this still going!

Glad you are still following along, I'm just happy to have some free time again!

Scarper wrote:Nice to see you back in the driver's seat! Big fan of those plague toads

Thanks dude! I really like the plague toads, they are actually pretty cute for disgusting pus bags. Can't wait to start throwing paint on things!

Moltar wrote:I, too, am glad to see this back up, Dave. Have you ran the all spawn list before? I see ciaotym's post above mine, but not sure if that is you running all spawn (+ scott) or just CSM with spawns. I'm very curious to see how they work on the field. Seems like a total mixed bag that's very reliant on the dice roll. But, either way I applaud you for both the gumption and the converting. Looking forward to having this thread back up and active.

Heh, nope, I have never used a spawn in my life, but am very anxious to do so! ciaotym is a silly ork, and I am guessing that he is referring to my daemon princes and greater daemon. I guess to an ork, they are all equally ugly!

Spawn are certainly dice driven, but that's part of the charm. The army will almost literally play itself; all I have to do is figure out my deployment, decide if I want to run or not, and decide whether or not to go to ground. Those are the only 3 decisions I can make, lol!

Commander Cain wrote:Good too see that you are back at it again! The trygon spawn is superb.

Thanks! I worked on him last night, just a coincidence that it all worked out.

Farseer Jenkins wrote:Good stuff Dave the chaos wonder!!!!!


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Missed you at Buckeye battles.

Thanks man. Yeah, I would have loved to have made it to BB, but had to work both jobs. I helped set up all the tables though, so I was there in spirit!

whalemusic360 wrote:The newest one makes me want to give him a brofist, least I leave him hanging,

How many more do you have to build?

Brofist accepted! I think I have 10 total left, but there are still about 6 that need greenstuff. So I'm getting close, just have to find the time to finish!

Ramos Asura wrote:Duuuude! Good to see you're back in the land of the living! Good to hear stuff is settling out.

Yep, still and alive... and well? I plan on getting back to the tower sometime soon, hopefully this next monday if I don't have to close on sunday again.

Death Gear wrote:This is one of the most awesome army ideas I've ever seen. Can't wait to see it all painted

Thanks! That makes two of us on the painting front, I will be extremely happy to get this all finished and start losing games!

Llamahead wrote:Great stuff. Can't wait to see more.

Ask and ye shall receive!


So browsing through a local hobby store, I found some oldies sitting on a shelf that were perfectly spawn sized! An OOP fenbeast and epic dominatrix, plus a cultist who has some spawn-o-rific arms to steal. Hooray!


So here is the fenbeast spawn, with a rat ogre arm, cultist arm, a tail made from the dominatrix head, and other plastic spawn components.


This guy really is a shambler!


Next up is the dominatrix, I am thinking of turning it into a two head mutated rat thing, what do you think?

bunnygurl wrote:o_O

....

....

Sweet...

Thanks, glad ya think so!

Got one more glued together last night, obviously still needs greenstuff.


This spawn uses parts from the rat ogre sprue, on a dominatrix body, with spawn tentacles and a possessed arm.


Two heads are better than one!


Well this means I've only got 8 more to make, barring greenstuff applications. Everything else is in the mail and should be arriving soon, so that is exciting!


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Not an exciting update, but I got the bases ready to go.



After I glue the spawn on, they'll get some static grass to complete the look.