Thalos WH40K walkers - scratch built

[Klaus not Santa]

Now that the Ghosts in the Rubble diorama is complete we shall go on to something new, shouldn't we?

During the building of "Ghosts in the Rubble" Fireball at "Work in Progress" wrote:

allright, now you'll add 3 more of these displays, join them and then you'll have your entry for this year's GW 'Army on Parade'...

To which I replied:

@Fireball - I like your idea, but I have a hard time figuring how to include this dio. It is pretty centralized. If I was to continue to the left or right, it would show Orks - on the left in the opposite building, on the right on the street.
A scene "behind" this scene wouldn't really be visible....
For an "Army on Parade" scene I'd have to think of something else..

and his suggestion:

Well, your guys could be on the way to a crashed imperial Dropship. That way, you could have 2 fighting scenes and be able to build another big fat giant Dropship, yay! Nah, i know what you mean and i wasn't that serious when i dropped that idea wink

Even if he wasn't serious this idea got stuck!
It is really tempting to try something like this - even though I will never enter a "Army on Parade" contest, but the idea of some (more or less) linked diorama scenes is something I really want to try.
So what kind of other fights could be happening in this Ork infested town?
Who would the Imperium send to rescue a crashed (say) Ambassador?

In the descriptive text for "Ghosts in the Rubble" I already mentioned "KG von Domm" which leaves me all the flexibility I can have. In a Kampfgruppe I can throw whatever I like (or rather what's available).

Hmm, I have a new urban combat vehicle, I have troopers in urban uniforms, what else can I throw into the mix?
Walkers?
Urgh!
My personal nemesis...

Some of you may realize that so far I haven't successfully built a walker for the IG.
I do have some Ork walkers, like
Boz 'o da Dakka....


Cut'n'Crush


or even the mini-titan "Green Minnah"


But nothing really for the IG.
The only thing that comes close were these IG walkers I based on Kinder eggs....


Well, they weren't really bad.
Maybe I should try to re-build a walker along these lines?
So I tried.
Looks a bit like a tiny Zeppelin


Lets see about some legs then....Aehm...well....

The pose is OK, but .... no.

It simply wouldn't fit the "Ghosts in the Rubble".
So lets try something more...substantial
OK, THIS looks like a substantial shank
And a slender little foot


OK, so the typical chicken-leg style then....




Climbing over some rubble or debris. Well, not a small walker for sure.
Though not a Titan, but at least a heavy walker I'd say.


Once the legs were glued in position I started with the body platform.


And the base for the cockpit. I want it to be rotatable like a head.


Then some kind of engine stuff....


And shoulders.


Next I created a little cardboard mock-up for the body.


With this as template it was rather easy to cut the necessary plastic card pieces.


Of course its not glued in position, so it looks a bit wobbly...


And a "fender" on the side.
Please note the legs and hips will get armor plates of their own - so this "fender" is just an additional piece.


And for the scene I have in mind (still a bit secret) the walker needs a rocket launcher.


With rockets


The process so far convinced me that this could work out I may finally have a good concept for an Imperial walker.
But for the scene I will need at least two...
And once you know how its done, the second is a lot easier


And he's a free standing one too!

Different pose though.

Two brothers

Looks like these two will put up a decent fight against the Orks.
What do you think?
Cheers
Klaus

 

[tigrazor]

My my my... There he goes again - in full swing!

 

[Belugawrx]

Cool ;D ;D

 

[Quaralane]

Definitely excellent work thus far

 

[The Nylon Gag]

Very very groovy Santa

Gag

 

[Klaus not Santa]

Thanks guys
Seems like you all agree with the basic design of the THANLOS walkers.
Lets see if I can maintain that trend

I decided to name the two walkers Pollux and Castor - the two brothers from Greek mythology.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castor_and_Pollux
First thing was to build POLLUX's carapace, using the same template as for CASTOR.


With some of the lessons learned on the first built, it went together quite smooth.


While the carapace cured I started the "close combat" weapon for CASTOR.
Its a huge sword.


Do we have something like this in the WH40K arsenal?
A huge power blade?


I think it looks good


CASTOR with the sword and the left arm that will take the long range weapon (maybe a Bolter?) and POLLUX with his carapace.


POLLUX's close combat weapon will be a huge fist with a flamethrower in the palm


Fingers attached.


and the arm mounted (with quick tac).


What do you think?
What should be the ranged weapons for POLLUX and CASTOR?
Thanks
Klaus

 

[Quaralane]

Something along the lines of Heavy Bolters, or Las-cannons, I think

 

[Klaus not Santa]

Good morning!
During the initial design phase I planned to add some Machine Guns/Stubbers to the cockpit/head.
So I quickly built 4 MG.


However, when mounting them I wasn't really convinced.


What do you think? Too much?


Or maybe an alternative position?


Would the MG further back on the side or even under the chin look better?
Or should I remove them completely?


I recall someone asking me what kind of balls I use for the joints.
They are pretty no-name wooden beads 12mm - I got them in a local hobby store.


After I put the MG to the side to see what your feedback will point me to, I began to work on the ranged weapons.
I decided to give CASTOR some twin-linked Lascannons.


A rather simple mount, with an extra central sight.


POLLUX' multi-purpose power fist with the flame-thrower also received a small belt fed bolter.


Truly multi-purpose


For his right side he's getting something bigger.
It is a special low-velocity drum fed Grenade Launcher.


With its 9-shot magazine it can dish out some devastating fire. The 80mm grenades with High Explosive warheads have a large blast radius and are excellent anti-personnel weapons - speak Ork Splatterer


Before I will apply armor to the arms and legs I started to add cables and hydraulic hoses.


And here's the final question for you
I want to add lights - like I used on the PONOS and POLEMOS.
Which version looks best?
Version A


Version B


Version C


Version D


Version E


So what do you think?
I look forward to your feedback on the machine-guns and on the lights.
Thanks

Klaus

 

[Glorfindel]

Looks awesome. I'm liking the D version myself.

 

[Junkie]

I like D as well.

This is a great build, I love seeing scratch building and this is also so very, very cool.

 

[Klaus not Santa]

Hi all,
thanks for your great feedback.

I read several comments about the roundness, lankiness, tube-style of the extremities.
Apparently I missed to mention that these are just the bones, the skeleton. As soon as I'm done with the basic build, tubes and hoses I will add armor plates.
This will bulk up the features and add the imperial box style.

Actually I was intending to give the two Knights a face like feature with the lights, but it seems that's not well appreciated with you
So I will try something different (though no final decision yet).
Some of your feedback suggested to try a lights-MG combo for the chin.

So this is what I tried yesterday. Its a twin mount for the MG and the central light, accompanied by two sensor lenses left and right.


Looks pretty good.


Today's question is to mount them to the front or rear of the chin.
Version A (rear)


Version B (front)
So what do you think?


So is this central chin version better than the other "facial" versions?


If so, which one is better - front of the chin or further back?
Thanks I look forward to your C&C and suggestions.
Cheers

Klaus

 

[Glorfindel]

Believe it or not I've pondered this for several minutes switching between both images and am getting the feel for mounting on the front of the chin. Oddly enough it seems to lend a balance to the bulk of the structure. Mounting on the back of the chin almost lacks pop. But don't listen to me, I'm a styrene hack.

 

[Quaralane]

I'd still move the lights to the sides of the head/cockpit, but that's just me.
I like the chin guns running just below where I'm mentally picturing the pilot's chair

Your versions with the chin guns/spotlight combo seems to work just fine, though

 

[Klaus not Santa]

Again great feedback here and in the other forums!
Thanks allot mates

Now that most decisions are done, the basic skeleton build complete, I was able to look at the actual "beefing up" and adding armor.
For this I wanted to keep the 3-sided (or 6-corner) approach that I also used on the carapace.


The first section of armor plates on the thigh of POLLUX.


And on both walkers (they now look a bit like Dutch Ice Skaters )



The first armor plates for the shins.


Here you can see clearly the difference with and without shin armor.



While the Green Putty cured I added a shield to CASTOR.


The putty sanded and cleaned up.


As a final detail I added a plastic card ornament to the shield.


And then it was time for rivets - plenty of rivets




And POLLUX with rivets - did I tell you how much I like his pose?

No, I LOVE the pose

POLLUX and CASTOR completed!


So, what do you think?
Do they look Imperial enough?

Now I will start to look into the other combatants and the actual construction of the street and buildings. So I will browse the Hirst Arts gallery (http://www.hirstarts.com/projects.html) for some inspiration.
As opposing combatants we'll have some Orks. I have the idea of an Ork emerging from a sewer manhole and firing an RPG-style rocket launcher, but I still need a bigger opponent, worthy of POLLUX or CASTOR.
Maybe a tank or a emplaced gun (no walker, as I've already done some Ork walkers )

I look forward to your C&C and suggestions.
Cheers
Klaus

 

[Junkie]

Great job man.

 

[Klaus not Santa]

Hi all,

Now that the actual build of POLLUX and CASTOR is completed (well maybe I will do some additional armor around the "armpits" ), I started with the diorama base.
Here you can see the two walkers/knights on the board. The lines show where the sewer will be and where the opposing gun will be.


I'm using my standard instant plaster for the base, as this will crack nicely.
The soda cap is the hole for the sewer manhole.


While the plaster cured I started to assemble the Ork crew.
The gunner will be turning in his seat to look at the new approaching danger...


The plaster cured nicely with some great cracks


The gun itself is a big energy beam weapon - not really a Zzap gun, is it?And the gunner turning in his seat to look at the approaching walkers.


The mount of the gun, with rivets and cables.


And the two Orks that do the turning of the gun


On the base.


Ixajin asked how tall they are.
Shoulder height is between 12 and 13 cm (depending on pose)


With the basic gun built I started to cast a lot of bricks, using my Hirst Arts molds.
The basic street layout with the sewer manhole.


Oh, and here is the RPG gunner


As you can see he's hit as he's firing his RPG...

I wonder what it will do to his rocket....

The buildings nearing completion.




After the buildings were built I drew the ornaments for the street.


And carved the lines into the plaster...Most of it will be covered by rubble, so I really wonder why I bother


The one window behind the gun will have a mural.


But most of the glass will be shot.


The other window is boarded up.


So, what do you think?
I look forward to your feedback and suggestions.
Cheers
Klaus

 

[tigrazor]

Klaus, thats again really amazing stuff. Castor and Pollux, the 2 hell dogs? Great idea

 

[Quaralane]

Great stuff, Klaus.
Starting to get an action feel to it

 

[Klaus not Santa]

Thanks guys!

KingAzog wrote:

 I mean, two heavy walker made a lot of noise and unless a savage battle is going on, the orks should be hear the noise of the walkers and become aware of the presence of the enemy earlier... but I'm digressing...

Well, maybe the surrounding battle made too much noise
Just envision they are at the other end of the "Ghosts in the Rubble" scene, and I can imagine they'd be a tad...preoccupied


But to emphasize a bit more on the surrounding battle, I decided to add another two Orks that are also firing into the direction the gun is pointing - and I will add a barricade (or roadblock) here too.


One of the key ideas for this whole diorama was centered around this corner building.
I wanted to have an Ork with an RPG up there, but before he can fire, the rocket launchers on top of Castor are firing his way, he he bails out, and jumps off the balcony.
So here is my first take on the jumping Ork


But I realized, this doesn't look good, too upright, not Orky enough.
So I changed the Ork to a "squat turn" style jump...


Together with the German soft cap, I think he looks great


All I need now, are the rockets flying his way


And finally it was time to add some Imperial troops to support the two walkers.
Last week I got my hands on some Statuesque Mini female heads ( http://www.statuesqueminiatures.co.uk/p/8774376/sma012-heroic-scale-female-heads.html ), and so I decided to build at least one female trooper.
Together with Mad Robots fatigue arms and legs (http://madrobotminiatures.com/zencart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=9_18&products_id=46 and http://madrobotminiatures.com/zencart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=9_21&products_id=72 ) this makes an awesome mini, doesn't it?



Next I built a Sniper, that will be walking behind, in a kind of over watch.
The Sniper rifle is from the IG Command Squad sprue, the legs are Mad Robots fatigue, and the head is a Mad Robot Special Ops head.



And here are all actors assembled.


This one here will be facing down the road though...


Two female troopers in the center


and another trooper on the side.
The pipe thing will be a burning barrel (so some flame and light effects)


Last night I finally did some green-stuff work closing gaps and adding knee protectors and small shoulder armor.


So now I have do final cleanup of mold lines and then creation of the cinematic effects for the astray RPG, the rockets off Castor, the rifle fire from the female trooper, flames for the barrels, and maybe fire from the two Orks on the right...

So, what do you think?
I look forward to your C&C
Cheers
Klaus

 

[Quaralane]

Looks like you're enjoying setting this up.
That's what's most important