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Masterful plasticard work there, sir. Can those pistons come off? I've tried to pull something like that off before, but the glue ran and glued everything together.

monkeytroll: couldn't agree more . This whole model started off because of the bitz box rummaging; I had an additional pair of tracks and a second gun turret which helped out tremendously with the build. And it's not ADD, we just love everything!

MajorTom11: Thank you! But now I'll have to reconfigure the crew.. lol. I'll see what I can pull off with the grots I have lying around; now, where to get a butterfly?

The Good green: Thanks! The top part of the pistons can be removed (the thinnest bit); the bottom is attached to a plastic rod. The trick is to build it in stages: first, you build the big T-bit (the lower bit); let this dry throughly, then atach it to the proper point on the ramp. Then, you take a bit of plastic rod that fits inside the tube, measure the correct length, and chose a poitn to attach it to. In this case, iadded a pin that fits in a bit of tube on the dozer blade, which allows for removal. I could have drilled a hole and put a bit of rod through to make it more 'real', but that felt a bit fiddly to me and I was afraid I'd break stuff, so.. this'll do .

Very nice work on the battle wagon, very clever all that piston stuff

I have to say that Battlewagon looks brilliant the working pistons are utterly wonderful.....I like moving bits on models!

Llamahead wrote:I like moving bits on models!

Thanks for the pics - just wanted to see the full range of movement

How snug are those moving parts? Are these your first moving parts? I ask because I am interested in how well they will work after painting. I have a number of parts on my Trukks that are meant to slot on/off - and now that I have painted them, what was a snug fit is now a force/scrape the paint fit Just a warning if you weren't aware of it! Meanwhile I think I am going to have to go back and make mine less snug and then repaint...

Will the pistons have trouble moving once there painted

OMG that is freaking sweet!!!

"working pistons" Epic win, and nice to see the tank more or less completed

Good point, Arakasi. That might spell "trouble"! I still can't wait to find a place to use the working pistons! I have one failed attempt already.

Young_Logan: Thank you! The working pistons were more to see if I could pull it off; the usefulness of it is rather limited

Llamahead: Thanks, glad you like the wagon! It's totally different from the legged battlewagon, but I like that, it's a bit more orky that way. Also, it's so big you can't mistake it for anything else!

EagleArk:

Arakasi: You're welcome - I'm always up for a chance to show off . As for the moving parts: pretty snug, but they'll only need an undercoat and some metallic paint. It's the first time I'm trying working pistons, but I've found with tanks and such that moving are usually ok unless you paint lots of layers on. Plus, I have a plan B: I have plastic rod one size smaller then the one I'm currently using ,and the worky bit is removable, just in case.

Finch Claw: see the answer above

Commissar Agro: Thank you!

Rose_Mountainz: Thanks! Now to get some paint on it...

The Good Green: make sure that the points where the pistons attach are movable; that's usually the key problem - well, it was on my first attempt ayway .

Now onto something new: We went on a holiday for a week, and I managed to get my warboss done. Not all that much, but with a kid plus sightseeing, it's more then I expected .

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Grotskull Mag Uruk Thraka, most dangerous greenskin known to the Imperium!









And a scale shot so you really appreciate how big he is (I think he's larger the Ghazkull):


Lighting wasn't the greatest while taking pics (nice little thunderstorm going on), but photohsop sure helps out . Enjoy!

Big up for the big grot

Dem grots sure love der pistons, eh boss?

Grotskull is lookin' large and in charge! I especially like his backpack/engine. THe bits of wear and tare are nice too. Makes the metal they used look more like a xeno alloy, while the exhaust looks like a more like something from an IG battle field.

Looking good! I wonder if there is an easy way to do hazard stripes straight and consistent width, as this is the only thing detracting for me (I've given up mentioning the orange - okay - I have from now on!) Personal aesthetic only - I hardly consider Orks or Grotz necessarily capable of such. Also, have you considered breaking up the orange a bit by doing all the studs in metal?

So great a Warboss dude!!!

All i can say is put some gloss varnish on the blood on claw, finish the look, part from that "its all good"

I see some plastic spruce on him! Good job.

Awesome job especially with the Bionics!

monkeytroll: Thank you!

The Good Green: Pistons are the only way they'll get over S2 Plus, it adds tot he industrial, primitive technology feel always associate with greenskins. The backpack uses a sentinel heavy flamer as a base, which adds nice techy stuff, and then I added plasticard and tubing for the cabling and exhaust. Since the base of the suits are supposed to be Tau, I wanted those parts to look (relatively) clean; the exhausts on the other hand just can't be clean . Once I get a bit more finished for a new group shot, I'll add in Grotskull with the megagrots; they're quite a sight here on my shelf.

Arakasi: masking tape would help out I guess, and I woud for I, but I kinda like the irregular look for the grots. I'll probably add some more weathering to cover up the parts where I've messed up the most though. Painting the studs doens't really work, since the metal surface area is too small too really stand out. Besides, I don"t feel the need to break up the orange too much. If you look at space marines, nobody wants to break up their uniform colours either; I keep wondering why people want the colour to be broken up on the grots -besides the fact that they don't like the orange, of course...

Yggdrasil: Thanks!

EagleArk: I just might do that, nice idea!

Finch claw: no sprue used on this guy mate, hate to disappoint you

Llamahead: thank you! Glad you like the bionics; I'm happy with the eye, but I keep wondering if the skull has enough detail. Still, it looks good in my hand, so I shouldn't worry too much about the pics...

wow. just wow. I want my very own Grotskull Mag Uruk Thraka now, not to play, just to sit on my desk and look at 'cause he is absolutely awesome!

CommissarKhaine wrote:Painting the studs doens't really work, since the metal surface area is too small too really stand out. Besides, I don"t feel the need to break up the orange too much. If you look at space marines, nobody wants to break up their uniform colours either; I keep wondering why people want the colour to be broken up on the grots -besides the fact that they don't like the orange, of course...

Most space marines I've seen are broken up - by metallics, spot colours, details etc. I just have a preference for painting the studs and I think it looks great, not unnoticeable. That and I don't like swathes of uniform colour - well, especially on my Orks. (Space Marines could be another matter... but I don't collect them). But hey - you're doing this for you, not me - and I do still think he looks great, regardless of the studs! So continue to keep up the good work. I'll just steal the modelling ideas, not the paint job

Gunkh Inmashnozz: Thanks!

Arakasi: These guys are also broken up, by the blue, the chipping, the face, ... If you compare them with ultramarines, blood angels,... they may even be less uniform . The studs can look great when using a darker colour like you're doing, but I don't like on the orange. In the end, tastes differ though, it's as simple as that. Feel free to steal away, I'm doign the same to you, so I guess it's only fair

OMG grotskull is a total badass!!!

NOOOOOOO!

Commissar Agro: yes he is . Glad you like him!

Finch Claw: ?

Minor update: I managed to get a few more grots finished, so here's the piccies:





These two are based off the same model, with some minor cutting on the left model: the arm was simply cut off and replace with one of the loose arms in the grots set. Here's a pic of the back. Simple limb swamp, I didn't even use gs on these:



So you can see, there's really no excuse to have two identical grots in your force!

Grots look great!

Still waiting on the hammer-Grot and butterfly bud! lol

If I may make a suggestion, looking at your warboss again, I think it could do with a nice dose of soot weathering powder and a little chipping, I think this would make the orange stand out really nicely while providing a bit of contrast, and help pickout out the relief of your awesome conversion.

What do you think?

Arakasi: Thanks!

MajorTom11: My only hammer-wielding grot will be on the inside, but I have a few with nets; if I can make a winged squiggy or something, they're on! As for the warboss: I've never tried weathering powders before, so I have no idea on how I would do that... Besides, there is some weathering already there on the exhausts and the scratches on the metal; where would you suggest I add more?

All over the place! A touch of rust, some soot/scorch... rust in joints and rivets (although I would use a brown as orange will obviously not pop much), black selectively on leading edges, guns, impact sites etc etc.

They are actually pretty easy, and the beauty is that you can very easily clean them up if you don't like it, you have to varnish them or set them with mineral spirits to make them really stick and be wear resistant. Whether or not you use them on this project, I highly recommend giving them a go! I used them on my termie's gun barrels, all the rust is weathering, some dust of the dead termie, the turquoise oxidation on the ork in my gallery etc etc etc.

Very much awesome; battlewagon, grot paintjob & commander.

My only suggestion is that the blood only the claw looks very basic compared to the rest of the paintjob. Not quite sure what it needs... Gloss, bring in a few layers of colour (reds/browns), more complex spatter & blood trickle pattern...?


PS. arterial blood is v.much darker in real life, think the colour of rich red wine.