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Hello Dakkanauts,

I used to play 2nd edition as a kid. Took a big break, tried to integrate into society. Got back into 40k around 5th edition.

In the 5th edition Space Wolves codex was the Grand Annulus. All the Great Companies and Wolf Lords were represented on there. I always wondered what they would all look like, what equipment they had, how their armies would look etc. At the time most of them had a few sentences to describe each of them and that was it.



I had the old Ragnar model from 2nd edition (pretty certain this is the oldest sculpt still in use in all of 40k, respect). Three more Wolf Lords had been released as models (Logan - Great Wolf, Harald and Krom).

Then ‘Curse of the Wulfen’ was released with two new converted Wolf Lords (Sven and Egil). These really fired up my imagination and made me realise how different all the Wolf Lords could be.

There were still 6 more with no models. But this felt achievable if I was inspired and built up some momentum. Firstly I needed to convert that old Ragnar.

This thread will be detailing my work in progress for these conversions. I saw a lot of great conversions out there and took a lot of inspiration from a lot of different people.



Work in progress shot of new Ragnar with (poor) old Ragnar in the background.

Cool. I always felt that certain parts in the space wolf chapter sprue were made specifically to kitbash your own Ragnar - the head for example. That Ragnar looks like he was sold like that.

looking forward to seeing these as you finish

@ Girthquake
Thank you, looking forward to putting them on dakka.

@ The Eldanari Prince
Absolutely, the upgrade sprue combined with Krom Dragongaze is like GW is telling you to go kitbash a Ragnar. The head I’m using is actually a Sternguard head with Wulfen hair. But the one on the sprue does look like a dead ringer for Ragnar.

Having the lead Ragnar for 25 years or so I had plenty of time to consider a conversion. There was a power armoured Chaos Lord with a good pose I’d considered chopping up with my Ragnar and putting it all back together. Then there was a great conversion using the White Scars captain by Karitas on Excommunicate Traitoris.

But when Krom Dragongaze came out I knew I had the best base possibly. The Krom model is so much like Ragnar that it makes me think the sculptor was either making a Ragnar and had a last minute change or was heavily influenced by the original Ragnar Sculpt. Either way it’s a perfect start to a Ragnar conversion.

The upgrade pack came out and suddenly I didn’t need to use the lead Frostfang and there was a good Ragnar like head in there.

So I was sure I could come up with a decent effort. Plenty of people online has given it a go. The Wolf head shoulder pad was a tricky one. Loads of valiant attempts at this online but I was a bit stuck with how to do this.

Then I saw the ultimate version of Ragnar. Who can be found here...

http://www.puttyandpaint.com/projects/9086

This is Tommie Soule homage to that Original Ragnar model. Blonde hair and all. He’d solved the shoulder pad issue by using the original shoulder pad cut out and mounted in a regular space marine shoulder pad frame. That original shoulder pad really can’t be beat. The head he’d picked was another revelation. It’s a Sternguard head with Ragnar’s original hair added. These two ideas were mind blowing to me and really opened up all the possibilities for far flung pieces I could use for the Wolf Lords.

So I got to work making my own.



This is with just a lose shoulder pad. I used the back pack from the upgrade sprue with a small banner with four claws. I painted the little claws red to tie in with Ragnar’s drop pod and blood claws connection. I moved a wolf tail from his chest to his bolt pistol and put a purity seal on his wrist holding Frostfang as my own little homages to the 2nd edition sculpt.

I was actually going right ahead and painting him in the old 2nd edition colours...



Not only was he coming out too yellow for my taste it was becoming clear he would just be a much worse version of Tommie’s. As I was Reading he Space Wolf omnibus st the time with Ragnar cover art, I decided to base my colour choices on that cover. Black hair, white wolf pelt, red Frostfang.

So here he is...







I was very pleased with the result and felt like I could tackle another Wolf Lord...

Egil Ironwolf was one of the Wolf Lords that had a converted version in ‘Curse if the Wulfen’. I found this really exciting and can’t remember another time when I conversion turns up as the official model. This really opened up the possibility of doing all the Wolf Lords and most importantly getting them all to look different and have their own character.

Egil is the Wolf Lord in charge of the Iron Wolves Great Company of Space Wolves. They favour machines and all have some interest or training in the ways of the machine spirit.



The GW version uses a techmarine body and servo skull to convey this. The Wolf Claws are a right wolf claw and a powerfist with claws added. The powerfist used is from the Wolf Pack kit and is open handed. This to me helps convey his handy nature. Although I liked it, mine comes out differently.



I’ve kept the body and servo skull, I wanted him to be recognisable and I liked the original conversion after all. I used a techie looking backpack from the Wulfen kit. A wolf skull with wires through the eye sockets also from the Wulfen kit. The two massive wolf claws come from this OOP model...



The claws are huge but I figured that if anyone should have the biggest claws it should be the boss. That old Wolf Guard battle leader is a decent model except for the head. I put his body to good use in my Erik Morkai conversion, less the head.



As I painted him I changed course a bit to try to match the muted palette of the artwork. I made all the skulls darker and decided to make the claws a dark steel. To tie in with the Iron Wolves.









I was pleased with him and the fact I now had two very different Wolf Lords. It gave me confidence that I could continue and keep making Wolf Lords with their own character.

Next up was Sven Bloodhowl, the other conversion offered up in Curse of the Wulfen.

What an awesome project! This is so inspired and i'm a sucker for kitbashing and converting characters. I'll be watching with an eager eye to see where this goes

Man, this project is so entertaining ! Your Egil looks fancy, i'll follow with interest your subject. Keep up the good work !

Babouin

These are top notch. Very coherent conversions, great paintwork, full of personality.

Thanks you very much for the kind words.

Sven Bloodhowl is up next. He had a kitbash in Curse of the Wulfen that I found very inspiring...



I recognised a lot of those parts. Space Matine Executioner body and backpack. Thunderwolf head, axe and chainsword. I really liked all the character in the face. The tattoo, the scar and the white ‘wings’ in his hair (like Paulie in the Sopranos).

I saw this one online...

https://krakendoomcool.files.wordpress.com/2018/03/3535ab72-43ea-4fbb-a9ec-782c4466b714.jpeg

They’ve used the Blood angels chaplain body and jump pack. At first I thought it was a bit much. But then I remembered he’s going to be leading a Firehowlers great company. He’s going to need to stand out somehow. They are fire breathers and presumably show offs so the wings but the brief. Also it meant I could paint flames all over them.

I used Geigor Fellhands body. It’s got straps across the chest which fit nicely with the jump pack. It also has s nice dynamic twist to it.





I had started painting him when I realised I could replicate the company badge on the blade by using a Wolf head chainsword from the wolf pack kit. So I switched it...



He has tattoos all over his body (apparently) and also on his armour...





That’s Sven I had three very different Wolf Lords at this point and felt good to continue...



Krom I just painted so will simply post him here...





The next Wolf Lord was wide open to interpretation. So I could just create whatever...



Comments very welcome.

I like it! Eyepatch is a neat addition, and it'll be cool seeing a custom-built wolf lord in termie armour! Your collection is looking mighty fine and full of variation.

Love the eye patch.

Pirate Space Viking.....

My favourite kind of Viking.

Engir Krakendoom is the Wolf Lord I tackled next.

He is the Wolf Lord of the Seawolves Great Company. The Seafaring Space Wolf Great Company, which translates into Star Sailing, and boarding parties. He is also known for strangling a kraken with his bare hands! That is where his name comes from. So the boarding parties and the monster killing married together into Terminator armour, thunder hammer and storm shield. So hopefully he could live upto his reputation on the tabletop.

The pose is similar to one i’d done before on a Wolf Guard battle leader...



I wanted him to look like he was fighting a big monster (kraken maybe). I also don’t remember seeing anyone that looks like they are actually using the shield they are holding so I wanted that to come across on mine.



The head is a spare Krom Dragongaze left over from the Ragnar conversion. I didn’t want to use any of the heads in the Wolf Pack kit if I could help it. Krom has a bionic eye so that becomes an eye patch. I figured that would help sell the Seafaring and monster hunting angle.

The hair I got from this Sven Bloodhowl conversion I really liked...

https://krakendoomcool.files.wordpress.com/2018/03/7f7fce7f-ad1e-41f3-a2e6-ad983cc6fbf6.jpeg?w=736
By Chris Riley.

I really liked the hair on that version of Sven, gives him so much character. Also made me realise ugly Wolf Lords are legit too. Not everyone can be a Ragnar Blackmane.

Space Wolves are covered in trophies, usually wolf related. But for this one I wanted to try to convey the underwater trophies. I put a big skull on his armour from the Slaughter Priest on the cover of White Dwarf. It was quite beat up by the time I cut it away. So I patched it up with green stuff and tried to give it an underwater feel. Some spines from a river troll were added to the shoulder pads. I green stuffed some tentacles onto the Wolf on his shield to create an Octowolf, just because...



I went for a scaly cloak rather than furs...



The painting was another opportunity to pin down the underwater aspect. Slightly faded green skull, greens elsewhere and waves painted on the hip plates.











He was a lot of fun to make and paint. I enjoyed being able to make something really different.
And here his is in action on a boarding party squaring upto my friend’s Swarmlord at Warhammer World.

[img]https://krakendoomcool.files.wordpress.com/2018/03/c7f8a4dd-e191-44bf-9a2a-8fb584fd4acb.jpeg?w=736[img]

Up next another Wolf Lord with no model no artwork and no conversions...

Looks amazing! I love the beard green stuff work!

Amazing! I'd love to know how you do it?

Wowzers, that guy Krakendoom is legit. I love the water based inspiration, it really comes across. I also love the chaos bits, fit really well with space wolves. I might steal that thunder hammer

You're turning these out really fast! Each one still as unique as the last. Can't get over the originality of this project. Great stuff!

@ Bymis
Thanks! I use a lot of water. I mix the green stuff with water, flood the area of the model with water and use it on the tools. You just need to get the first blob to stick before you flood it with water. Lots of long strokes for the beard, use existing grooves and continue them if the model already has a beard or moustache which this one did. Once you have done that you can manipulate the beard from the side to get it to where you want, blowing in the wind, whatever. The knot is just going across the grain really, maybe just pinch in slightly with the side of the tool. Cut it away using the tool against the model as you go to get rid of excess.

@ Boundless08
Thank you. Steal away. I did. Someone did something similar here...
https://spikeybits.com/2014/09/wolf-lords-unite-army-of-one.html
I use loads of ideas I’ve found elsewhere.

@ Lipsdapips
I’m glad your enjoying the project. Confession time. This isn’t in real time, that would be impressive! In real-time I’m actually painting up Wolf Lords 11 and 12. I’ve been told that Wolf Lord 13 returns in a new novel so I better get him made too.