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I've been tempted to take some warp spiders in my army since having read the new Eldar codex, however the modes dont seem to have aged well in my opinion, they're just too bulky and static to be eldar for my tastes. I've been trying to find a good replacement base model and found the Shadow Spectres from forgeworld look like they have an appropriate amount of bulk to them and also already come with jetpacks attached.

My current idea is to use the Shadow Spectre model, cutting down their rifle at the barrel and attatching the barrel from a starcannon + blades on the end as it is a similar shape to a Warp Spiders gear.
I also intend to sculpt mandibles on the helmet to give them the right headpiece for Warp Spiders.

My concern is that they may still not look Spidery enough, and ideas would be welcome to create more dynamic looking warp spiders.

Also if anyone has converted up their own Spiders wants to post images for inspiration it'd be most welcome

I was going to mock you for buying FW to convert to something I thought was much cheaper. Then I checked the price on the Spectres, and jeez. Only £34.00? That's like... Less than $5 CAD more than a box of Spiders. (Which sounds terrible, thinking of boxes of spiders)

So I preemptively take it back. This would be a really sweet conversion, for only a small increase in price. I suggest you get a hold of the Autarch blister with the Warp Spider pack, or if you're really lucky, find someone who has the backpack and will let you borrow it. Then get some greenstuff and some olive oil, and make yourself a press-mold for the backpack bit. It'll take some experimenting and some greenstuff to get it right, but you should be able to make a reliable mold that will last long enough to get at least the backpacks you'll need. If you really want to, you can also use the same method to get the ends of the warp spider guns, unless you were set on the idea you had written out.

The rest of what you said sounds good. And honestly... I might steal this idea now.

People have done it here.

FW has been cheaper than GW (even with discounted local sellers) since the embargo a couple of years ago.

It's still outside what I'm willing to pay, though. I just sold my warpspiders (I've only ever had 5 - more than enough in 2nd ed and sidelined since. I stopped using them in 5th - I haven't played 6th.)

I'm still hoping to run the starcannon barrells on the gun to represent the warp spider weaponry, will be taking a look at my spare wraithblade bits to find something appropriate to the appendages on the end of the gun.

The real test will be trying to GS webbing similar to the Exarch Warpspider comes with, it looks like a nice effect if it can be replicated.

It looks liek you could do it with a bit of practice. I would recommend that you try not to acheive it all in one go. Maybe lay down a first layer, let it dry and then put another layer over the top. That would help differentiate between the multiple strands, rather tha it all devolving into one slightly mushy layer.

could you use metal wiring and twirl a few strands together. How do you plan on doing powerblades? I do like the warp spider exarch model. I think it's one of the best of it's era and I wish the other warp spider models were just like it.

Here are mine:


I'm also in the process of adding more with Wych legs (instead of the Scourge one's in this image). I thought it would add more visual interest for the squad with variable heights.

Anyway, it's not too tough to convert.

They're not just static, they're inherently difficult to compose on. It's basically impossible to draw the viewer's eye where you want with so much of the model clumped into one area. It's nearly impossible to get a satisfying contrast between the different parts of the model. Even the best warp spiders don't look great IMO.

My brother has done a similar thing. He is using scourge legs too. Scourge legs with guardian bodies with various plastic wraithguard bits to build the shoulder pads and back packs. He is using plastic wraith cannon end on a shuriken catapult for the gun. Looks convincing and very much improved over the current models.

No spiderweb pattern though you would have as already said use green stuff maybe.

For the spiderweb pattern on the Exarch and others, perhaps you can try using thread or very fine string/twine and wrap it loosely around the model, cris-crossing as you go to get the effect. It seems like that would be easier and simpler than trying to do the same thing with really fine green stuff.

Could just paint it on as well.

 mars2024 wrote:
Here are mine:


I'm also in the process of adding more with Wych legs (instead of the Scourge one's in this image). I thought it would add more visual interest for the squad with variable heights.

Anyway, it's not too tough to convert.

What are the rest of the parts?

I do a lot of castings for it: the gun is a bash of the Scourge rifle with the deathspinner (the exarch has some DE dagger blade glued onto his wrists for powerblades). The head is a cast of a modified guardian helmet (with the mandible-blade thingies on it). The backpack is a cast of a modified bit from the GW exarch modle. The other variant I'm working on is more or less the same, but substituting DE wych legs for the scourge ones. It give my squad a bit of a height difference as well as a pose one - and is still pretty dynamic in pose.