Help Nidifying an Aegis Defense Line

[scrotatohead]

I got an incredible deal on the GW Imperial Strongpoint with its two bastions and three, yes three aegis defense lines. One line goes to my son. The second will bolster my DKoK guard. The third I want to convert for my 'nids. My bitz box is overflowing but my creativity isnt.

What would you do to make the defensive line certifiably 'niddish?

[swarm492]

perhaps some body parts rippers are munching on, some hot glue you then paint or perhaps green stuff some weird growth.

[maskedtyranid]

Maybe you could also put like, some kinda brain creature on the gun emplacement itself, with tentacles extending from it to wrap around the gun.

I was thinking about this myself, but more along the lines of scratch-building it. I'd have, like, odd, spiny growths in place of barricades and a mini-spore pod that split open to reveal four Tyranid gun tentacles. But before I do that, can anyone provide me with the approximate measurements for all the guns and barricades? In particular, how wide across are they?

[Xantige]

A while back I got an Aegis Gunline (minus the gun, so just the barriers) from a friend for the cost of a paint pot. Since then I've been struggling with the same issue... how do I make these look niddish, without turning them into a giant project that requires lots of sculpting and sawing.

Frankly, I've yet to come up with an answer. One person suggested rolling out lines of Green stuff or milliput and laying it over the barriers, like creepers would. I personally would like something that's more identifiably "tyranid".

I did have the idea of putting each piece on a small base, and to somehow make parts of it look melted by acid. Some pieces would maybe hide digestion pools, while others might be on uneven ground due to capillary towers breaking through the ground. But if you want the pieces to connect, I'm not sure. It seems like Tyranid terrain is either noticeably Tyranid (capillary towers and digestion polls) or just derelict in appearance.

[Tempests Wrath]

One option to avoid a large project, while still nid-ish without resorting to goo or tentacles or capillary towers is just to do them exactly as done for The Imperium with the exception of trying to make a hastily done genestealer cult symbol on each piece..

Maybe paint the symbol and then put single, thin, stray lines of paint with the symbol as if it was very quickly done with a bucket.

The fanatic cultists probably wouldnt care if their new paint job looked pretty, as long as they got to honour their new gods/masters/saviors/chefs.

its just an idea.. and not quite what you were asking, but its way less work and still fluffy!

[mray]

rippers eating and/or spitting acid. thin layers of hot glue follwed by washes in a crater could act as a moat of niddy goodness.

[Deathnid]

if it wasnt so damn expensive i would use these www.darkartstore.darkartminiatures.com/products/Alien-Hive-Nest.html

for your converting i suggest a few carnifex plates, some deathspitters and a tonne of hot glue.

[dakkathrope]

I have an idea I'm planning on building once i have some spare cash.

I was planning on capillary towers with a membrane (like gargoyle wings) spread between to form the wall. Hopefully within a month or so i can at least get a pre-painted version done. At this point I'm thinking of whittling balsa wood or foam and using some thin plastic stuff for the membrane. (not sure exactly what) I also need to figure out the demensions for the actual line so its legit.

[scrotatohead]

These are great ideas. I like the idea of heating and warping the shields. And using 'nid arms and weapons ( which I've got tons of) plus Fex plating will start giving it an alien look. I want to use the gene stealer nodes as well, maybe even attached to the face of several sections. I also like the idea of greenstuffing the start of capillary towers. Thanks for the help. Time to buy some hot glue sticks and start working.

[Biotitan]

You could just do it up all rusty and damaged.
The nids didn't build it, but as the battle lines moved the nids are now hiding behind the imperials own defences.

[muggins]

I'm struggling with this right now.

[Akrim]

Im going to get to this eventually but I think it could be done quite easily and cheaply, my idea...

(1) Cut some appropriately sized bases from plasticard (long thin ovals)

(2) Cut some small triangular shapes from styrofoam/polystyrene (whatever foam sheet insulation is called where ur from), arrange and glue them to the base.

(3) Use some flexible wall filler (cheap at any DIY store) to fill in the gaps, creating a wall of sorts.
You can use your fingers to mold the shape you want (Have some paper towels on hand tho). Add any appropriate bitz you have - extra scything talons from the warriors kit might work great or extra Termagant gun arms are usually plentiful. Let dry for 24hrs.

(4) Take a low temp hot glue gun (hit up the Dollar Store) and make a few horizontal lines along the wall with it, this will give it a good organic look. Prime & Paint.

I dunno about Bastions for Nids (I think it said somewhere we cant use the guns) but if necessary I would look at full size foam footballs for converting (cut about a quarter off the bottom.)

[hiveguardalpha]

I bought a Tyrgon tail plate, and some magimold - I'm going to make some chitinous panels, and then use an Impaler Cannon from a Hive guard...

[yordun]

Eh, I think plain old vertical glue gun webbing should do it - slime makes anything look niddy in 40k.

[IMAmAchIN3]

hot glue