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I've been mulling over two different projects whilst putting off painting my iron hands as ideas I havent had a chance to try yet but wanted to do for a while now. The first being squats for Inquisitorial Henchmen, the second being Eldar Jetbikes that dont look so rigid. I've just about finished up a test model for each of the ideas but need to decide on which one to focus on going forward. The jetbike is still mostly dark eldar but I like the masked faces from the Dark Elf riders kit, and obviously the weapons had to be switched over. And my concerns for the squat is that he still looks perhaps too WFB and not enough 40K.

Without further ado here are the test models:

Both look awesome. That squad is just full of character and a brilliant template for doing more.

I am digging that jetbike rider a lot. The dwarf looks great, too, but I agree he's more WHFB looking than 40k looking.

It's the chainmail. I'm not sure how you'd go about making squats utilizing WHFB models, unfortunately, because they tend to have chainmail poking out from everything which is just inherently medieval looking.

I personally love the squat.

The fantasy chainmail works for me, squats in my mind are a feudal dwarven race. I would expect lots of old fashioned looking armour and the like.

Would be interested to see one with a pair of hammers or the like.

Thanks guys, will be making up a second jetbiker this evening and likely a flamer toting squat as another tester.

 throwoff wrote:
I personally love the squat.

The fantasy chainmail works for me, squats in my mind are a feudal dwarven race. I would expect lots of old fashioned looking armour and the like.

Would be interested to see one with a pair of hammers or the like.

The problem I have making one with a pair of hammers is he'll then be 90% fantasy model parts and a real push to envision as 40K.

Couple of things on the squat:

The use of the Imperial Guard bits is great, but they are all on the back, which means that he looks Imperial from behind! See if there are some Imperial bits to use on the front (pouches, grenades?).

Perhaps if you used non-Space Wolf shoulderpads, it would be better, as well. You've picked shoulderpads from basically the most 'fantasy-like' space marine chapter to make a model look more 40K. Big, blocky shouldpads (maybe Mark III) or studded ones (is that Mark V?) would serve better.

If you have access to the new Ironbreaker models, those faces might be more useful. They have metal masks, which look a little more high-tech than bare faces and beards.

I wouldn't worry about the chain mail. Plenty of 40K models have anachronistic armor aspects, like pteruges on a lot of the Ultramarines.

Also, the paint job (which may be in progress) doesn't help make the model look '40K" either. The bolter all being the same color as the armor makes the bolter blend in with the fantasy armor. If the bolter was more distinctive (maybe a black casing and a gold winged skull?), it would be more prominent and pull the eyes towards it too.

I know that sounds like a lot of criticism, but the idea is great and the model, overall, looks really good. It doesn't look goofy (like the old dwarves) or out of scale (with hugely disproportionate shoulder pads and arms). I think the basic concept is really sound, and now it is just a matter of tweaking it.

To be honest, I wouldn't be bothered by the Fantasy aspect of the Squat. 40k is just Fantasy-In-Space at it's core, but it's clear enough that the mini is 40k. If anything, I'd keep using the SW pads, as it does add character and theme to the model.

The squat is fantastic, totally stealing your ideas there I'm afraid I wonder though if some Cadian boots might not make the squat look a little less fantasy? Another thing which might add to the futuristic feel would be some kind of comms unit on the side of the helmet, perhaps with a mic over the mouth, similar to what the Cadian sergeant has.

One quote which characterises the Squats more than any other for me, goes along the lines of "You people do well at war because you treat it as a religion. We do well because we treat it as a business. It is just a matter of outlook." Having thought about making some Squats myself, my idea is that they should be a very 'modern' looking and efficient military force so what you've done so far is exactly along those lines I would say. In that vein the only other thing to add might be a backpack of some kind or just a few more pouches and the like.

The only part of the squat I dislike is the helmet. I'd prefer seeing a Cadian helmet on him. He's also in desperate need of a backpack.