Scratchbuilding Craters out of CDs!

I'm working on terrain lately, and any good battlefield has to have plenty of shell craters around... Right? I've decided to start small, so the first few craters I've made actually use old CDs for bases. Why CDs? As anyone who lived in 90's, I've got plenty of these around, many of which are not even working anymore, so they make a really cheap alternative if you live in flat and can't go crazy with cutting MDF planks. And if done correctly, the resulting crater is big enough to make cover for 5-6 models.

Materials used for these are as cheap as possible: CDs, paper, sand, decoration stones and Creall Do & Dry modelling material. First, paper was glued over the CD to cover the obvious hole in middle and to work as a more adhesive surface for the Creall. After that, deco stones were glued onto the surface; while this is not required, it gives the terrain more character and more support for the modelling material.

Last step is the most fun one - using the modelling putty to make your own unique crater. I've made two so far, both not exactly beautiful or eye-catching, but they work!

My girlfriend took the idea bit further, and actually made her crater look good. In fact, she hasn't made a shell crater, but a small volcano - and she did a pretty good job with both the modelling and painting part!

The lava was made with PVA glue - first it was poured into the crater to make level of certain height, then (after waiting a few days), the bubbles were made on top of it using more glue. I'm using the volcano as a mysterious lake in game, though the size is limiting. But it looks great on the tabletop!

Bonebreaka WIP 2

I wanted to post pictures of my new Scout Squad today, but because the pictures didn't turn out good, I'll continue today with my Bonebreaka gunwagon project instead - sorry! Still, I hope the progress I made will make up for an interesting post.



Good thing is that I finally started working on a sratchbuilt Deathrolla, and it's actually already attached to the vehicle:



Yes, the Deathrolla is actually made out of a hair-curler! The "arms" that hold it with the vehicle are made out of a sprue, that is pinned together to prevent it from collapsing. Casings around the arms have been looted from the Battlewagon turret mount, from which I needed only the middle section - rest I used to make useful "orky" bits like these.



I also made simple exhaust pipes from drinking straws! Also, instead of putting lasguns at the back of the vehicle, I took some sluggas and put them there - unfortunately I already painted that part black so it can't be seen well; this, ofcourse, will change when the model gets a paintjob.



Last thing - I removed the imperial eagles from sides of the vehicle and replaced them with glyphs. This was a very harsh process and I still have to fine the damaged area, a lot.

I decided to join Matt Kingsley's Ork Vehicle Building Competition on DakkaDakka with this vehicle. If you are scratchbuilding anything orkish right now, be sure to join it as well!

Anyways, this is it for now. My plan is to add more details to the vehicle, and "orkify" it a bit more. I'm sorry that the pictures are too dark - it's rainy here for like three days in row! When the weather gets better, I'll make better pictures - and pictures of the Scout Squad, too.

Well, thanks for watching! I'll be back, soon.

Bonebreaka WIP 1

Hello there!

Maybe you remember the post about my love of Final Liberation ork vehicles. After hours and hours (or months and months) of thinking, I have finally decided to build a kitbashed Bonebreaka, which will serve in my army as a Battlewagon proxy.



Bonebreaka is equipped with a Deathroller and a Battlecannon, a perfect setup for a Battlewagon!

I was deciding between Rhino and Chimera body for the wagon and in the end I went for the Chimera - guardist vehicles look easier convertable into Orks thanks to their industrial feel (and bolts everywhere). I also bought a battlewagon turret from a friend, and I was lucky enough to get a Killkannon too - no deathrolla though.

Joining the chassis and turret mount went rather good. I had to out large section of the original Chimera turret mount - battlewagon turret simply needs a larger hole. I also used only part of the Battlewagon turret platform here, because the whole platform would be too large for the vehicle. Hobby driller helped a lot here.





I also had to saw off one of the corners of the turret mount, which wasn't hard at all. The newly modified platform fits very well on the vehicle.



Here is the vehicle with turret on it. Notice the deffdread Big Shoota on the turret's side. I decided to keep the turret rather simple, so it wouldn't get too large in compare to the chimera body. Pipboy101's article about The Zen of Converting Orks was a great inspiration here.



I love that little valve on the turret. It looks almost as if it is connected to the Killkannon somehow!

Right now, I'm trying to scratchbuild the Deathrolla. Don't laugh, but I'm thinking about using a hair-roller for it. That's right, Orks can loot anything, your mom's wardrobe included!

Also, more posts are coming soon. I have Genesis Chapter Captain and Scouts finished - the only thing they need now is basing, which won't take long. So, see you soon!