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You Aint Seen Squat 2.0 (I guess)

Alright...so I have been kind of forced into making my own P&M Blog here on Dakka as apparently my blog isn't good enough for some...you know who you are...

Right Vik? Monkey? *eyes*


So for some reason after playing a game of Warhammer 40K against the Imperial Guard I've decided to collect my own army of them as well. It is not the first time I have toyed with the thought as I did own a Cadian Battleforce (unassembled) but have been looking for that special surge of inspiration. Which I found when I came across this P&M article on Dakka Dakka by ArbitorIan as well as the Squat header on the Mik's Minis blog by Mik.



So with having a load of unassembled Cadians laying about, and after being thoroughly inspired, I placed an order with GW to get myself some plastic dwarfs. I have since learned that converting is easier with the previous boxed set of plastic dwarfs as their heads, arms, torsos and legs are seperate whereas the new set has the entire body and head in two pieces of plastic. In order to make the Lasgun fit it means a lot of repositioning, delicate cutting and filing down bits and pieces and even then it doesn't always align properly which means covering it up.



It has been a while now since I started on the army which is why this post nearly mirrors my first post on my blog but maybe I can get some feedback from the people here. I have moved on beyond my first single dwarf model, my pictures are still crap though. I have acquired quite a collection of stand in models to be used in my Imperial Guard Squats as well as started on two other armies. One of which is also the Imperial Guard, who got re-armed after I discovered eBay selling loose bits. My intention is to model them after the Helghast from KillZone. I also gave in to temptation and started on getting some Terminators to build myself a small Deathwing force belonging to a custom chapter.

More is to follow....as I am sure Vik will prod me if I dont post.
Any and all feedback is appreciated as long as it is constructive.

well i had a quick look at mik´s blog and i found this pic here:



this is something i prod you to make!!! this could be soooo cool as a HQ for your dwarfes^^

i really like your idea and i think you are onto something really cool here... the whole squat issue is something that hasn´t really been solved by GW right enough so the need for squats is still there...and thankfully it seems the right man has deemed himself up to the task! so lets talk business, have you thought about what kind of base you want your minis to give? i recently have made quite collection of various bases made by air dry clay and also i did some tests with plasticcard... i did some bases to look like lava and then ice floe...then mud and also some tech underground...what are your ideas? will you make some quaffing squats as well? i think i have just the thing for you ^^ *rumages around in his bitzbox...*


hope you add new stuff soon, cheers, vik

That vik, always prodding people he is. And he has a monkey working with him you say?

Are you planning on it all being converted, or will you try and get a few GW squats in there too?

You do realize that is not an actual Lego set right? Mik mentions it in the same post I think Also if it was.... I might actually make it...just not as an HQ Choice, it would be in the same boat as my Boring Machine or your Zeppelin.

As for the bases, I figured id go with the basic plan of getting some fine sand, glueing that onto their bases, painting it and maybe adding in some small pebbles.

Rough and rocky, like my table's surface. Besides all my models have already been glued to their bases, too late to pry them off now.


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monkeytroll wrote:That vik, always prodding people he is. And he has a monkey working with him you say?

Are you planning on it all being converted, or will you try and get a few GW squats in there too?

Some GW Squats as well, I do actually own several already. Of course my Primaris Psyker is an original Living Ancestor. He just used to be in a sidecar of a Squat Bike, so I turned it into a wheelchair of sorts after all he is old!



I am not sure what to use the original models as yet, it has been one of the things on my to do list. Like painting...which is way off in the distant future somewhere because I am not a very good painter. Somewhere on my blog is a overview shot which also sneaks in my Squat Bikers. I have around twelve or thirteen, but made a unit of ten. They are to be my roughriders but come with their own set of problems. The original arms do not align with the bikes very good at all and if they do it makes no sense. Holding a handlebar with your thumbs out? Silly buggers.

well that answers my recent question to yer homeblog...grrr....
well we have to make do with what is there^^

i might actually be tempted to make you an anvil of these proportions as a present...only not before returning from holidays that is...

and not from legos... my kids would kill me for that....err...no i tell a lie they would jump to that actually but i would use more mundane stuff like styro and such things....the thing then would look like neils inquisitorial tower...go check it out it is stunning....


as for prodding... my prodding thumbs are feared through at least three galaxies...ask some of my relatives...
and i woudl never work with a monkey...teaming up with is another matter...but i am allergic to work^^




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lol proff X in a garden gnome version^^ cool idea...get him a banner pole and add binoculars and you can use it as your commander...


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something as a bit of a nice starting boost help of some sort^^

if you want some color changes i can do that...later on,...as i need now to get some sleep^^

Not bad, simplistic but appealing. I'll stay tuned for more.

Simplistic sure, how would you go about it then? Like I said suggestions are more than welcome And one can't deny they are Space Dwarfs.

At the moment I'm basing my old Squat models. I'll take some pictures of them later. Seems I have some models more than once though, which is not exactly a big deal.

I do hope that my order of superglue comes in soon as I'm almost out....and with it the superglue activator.


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Right, so this has been a long time coming. To be honest due to my general lack of photographing skills I did not feel too confident that they would turn out alright. But as I am still awaiting a shipment of bits, glue and other assorted stuff I figured I might as well take the plunge and show what original Squat models I have.
So here we go.

Officers

Note the Triplets in the back


More Officers, Vox Caster and Banner Carrier



Squat Sergeants, Power Fists and Bolt Pistols

I think they are Bolt Pistols at least, and of course two of them are obviously related.


Squat Troopers and Sergeant

I do wonder why one of the Squats seems to be wielding an AK-47


Exo Squats

Four are complete, the fifth is just the body, I was going to turn him into an Enginseer. Still might.


Heavy Weapon Teams

Heavy Stubber, Heavy Bolter (Guessing here)



Mole Mortar, Plasma Cannon


So here is hoping that I can continue my tinkering soon as my order of bits come in, at the rate things are going it'll be work on my Deathwing before I'll finish any more Squats. Then again...Deathwing is cool too. I got in my eBay order of a Land Raider, 5 Terminators and a Dreadnought and they look appalling. The Land Raider is even missing some pieces, I am not sure I will be able to restore it properly...at least I got a nice wreck out of it....maybe.

well, look who made his first caontact with Automatically Appended Next Posts...next time PM me so that this gets a new post as it earned one^^

i specially like the standard bearer...that pose is so cool!

and the plasma canon just screams^^

It's always great to see someone doing something interesting! I'm really digging the conversions!

You know you're going to have to model some counts as roughriders, right? Squat bikers!

Can we see some more pictures of your HW squats? That was looking pretty promising.

Keep up the good work!

Cheers,
Rawson

I do actually have a unit of 10 Squat Bikers, I just have some issues with their original arms. They dont align properly or take of the handlebars in ways that no biker would. I am currently at work, I do have some more blurry images on my blog but I can take some more once I get home (light permitting) now that I figured out how to focus my silly phone.

Just to clarify did you mean the actual Squat Heavy Weapons or the converted ones?

Thanks for the comment appreciate any and all readers

Sorry, the converted ones. I don't have the nostalgia of some of the veterans

Ill snap some pics either after work, or else tomorrow morning. I have enough pieces left that I can assemble three more mortar teams as well. Well....as soon as the bits I ordered come in...I think I should send out another e-mail.

Oh Vik! Thanks for the colored version of my single poor Squat in that picture. I am not too fond of the red myself but coloring it that way did make me realize that. So there was a silver lining. I think I'll lean more towards earth tones. So maybe grayish black with some brown to contrast with.

If you want to do a mockup of that Id be well pleased

Always pretty neat to see squat armies being made, looking good

consider it almost done matey^^

Don't get me wrong, I didn't mean simplistic negatively, but it's basicly just a dwarf with a lasgun. If I were to do it, I'd begin with remodelling the armor, or at least add some futuristic gadgets to make them more credible. Sure their armor looks almost exactly like that of vostroyans, but look at the old squats and imagine what they would look like if they were to be released as plastic kits.
But again mate it wasn't meant to be overly critical, it was more complimentory, you found a simple way to make solid squats.

Oh I wasnt offended or anything. I did hear from ArbitorIan that the old Dwarfs actually came in pieces which made converting a lot easier. The older kits had the models with loose torso's, arms, legs and heads. The current plastic kits feature two pieces for the entire body, the only thing that is loose are the arms.
To make the lasgun and cadian arms even fit there is a lot of filing to be done. You are right though they are Dwarfs with Lasguns (and clipped helmets), I do have a series of bits left over but I am hesitant too spend too many of them before I feel like I am...done. I have enough bits coming in to make another 20 Squats, which means I can fill out my squads who miss a trooper or two, make another three heavy weapon teams and end up with another Infantry Squad of 10 models.
I didnt mean to come across as cross either, in fact this last post of yours did get me thinking. Of course several of the Dwarf Bits will go on my tanks and such as well to clearly state their allegiance.

as said done, BUTT...^^ for me i tried to get the earthrn look but i tell you this... as the dwaven mini is way smaller/condensed as the standard IG or for that matter marine... i think this scheme would make them look a bit like a small heap of dogdo...for nurglitsh guard a maybe for imperials a nogo^^

i would really look into more colorful schemes... if not red then a dark blue? or a sombre green maybe?
here are some warzone minis i did for testing recently...:








how do you think these could work for your dwarves?

and for me i think you could try to add something like shoved up goggles to the hemelts with a bit of GS and then some futursitic backpacks and the lkook then would be perfect... it is rather easy to say thy look just like fantasy dwarves with a lasgun attached to them...seeing deathkorps or vostroyans they too look like their fantasy counterparts...and catachans look like mortheim or pirats most of the time... i think it is the same with beauty... it is in the eye of the viewer...and rule one aplies here... your money, your ideas...whatever you deem fit...

SQUATS!!! I love it, I can say that here!


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And Vik has Bauihaus Corporation Minis from Mutant Chronicles!

these bauhaus ones will be one day my choas traitor guard...german based...

@Vik - Ahh but Vik they are not Imperial Guard...they are Squat Guard! A big difference. And you might be right, but I will get a color scheme....I am however staying miles away from anything bright. Unless it is their beards. But one can never go wrong with goggles...is that your Steampunk side coming through again?

@Shaso - Damn Straight! Also welcome to my little bitty slice of Dakka

LOL! finally found it is all! Now me and Vik will likely be hard to get rid of! ;p

goggles are cool... you could do them with some small beads pressed in a GS band around the helmet... very quick way then...and maybe a small antenna to the head to show some headset...


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yep we are mightyly persistent...

That's a decent selection of old minis there, and a dozen bikers too? Very nice!

Like chem warfare agents we are!

Very chatty too ^_^ Which is good, when I get home ill make a Deathwing related post for my Space Marine Chapter to be...unless you are paying attention elsewhere in which case itll be somewhat of a rehash
Less than an hour before I am free to head home....Huzzah!

LOL< well, now I guess we will have to watch for that!

You flatter me, Sir. And flattery gets you everywhere...ask Vik.

lol...my wife never reacts acordingly to my flatery...i think i should move to the other shore... seems i could really pull some strings there...

LOL! IN America, the gals fall for the British accent!

I know....oddly enough I am Dutch but have a British accent when talking the Kings. >.>