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Post by OD from TV on Feb 21, 2014 20:26:27 GMT
Hmm… testing the water… hmm, feels Nid-tastic enough. Greetings and Salutations fellow model builders, first posting on The Tyranid Hive, been playing 40k since mid/late 3rd Edition. (BTW's I admit to being long winded, so at any time please feel free to scroll down to the fancy pics, WiPs, and maybe even drop a comment even if you don't like it). For a while now I've dreamed of a big 40k project, one closely associated with my love of heavy conversion and truly unique miniatures. So if you couldn’t tell by the title, this project is a mixture of Ork and Tyranids, to the point that the models can be used for either army. And just for funzies that Ork army has to be Bad Moons and for the most part follow the IA8 rules set. Why you may ask? Because I wanted the models to be really out there. I'm also a big Fluff fan and as such the whole army itself as a Fluff Rationale, so if interested click this link: OrkNid Projekt Fluff
Projekt HistoryEverything has it's start right? Well, the concept came about in that gray area between the 4th Edition Ork Codex and the release of 5th Edition. I wrote a quick fluff piece on it, and tinkered with the idea with a few concept sketches, a bunch of Lootas with Nid guns, but for the most part I let the idea percolate on the back burner of my brain. Fast forward to a few years ago when I signed up to take part in an Orky modeling competition. At that time I had recently gotten IA 8 Fever, and had bit off more than I could chew; my challenging pledge was building/painting/basing 10 Killa Kanz in one month, only using 1 box of Kanz, scrap, plasticard, and the bitz box. During this challenge, I started throwing in some Nid Bitz into the mix, and that back burner started flaring up (btw I completed the challenge with 1 extra Kan on top).  About a year went by, and my thoughts had returned considerably to the idea of the project, it was at this time I fully fleshed the concept out as a two in one force. Coincidentally right around the time I was working on my first DreadFex (model to count as both Ork Deff Dread AND Nid Carnifex) there was another Conversion Contest that came about. In following with my crazed imaginations, I tackled it head on converting/painting/basing a lot of 6 beasties including one miscast metal Tyrant.  Now after much time passing, I'm taking this long belated backburner projekt up to the front. Sure I have other projects, but this one is going get some much deserved attention. The longterm goal is not only building an awesome unique looking army, but one where most if not all models can count as both Ork units and Nid units, and since I'm a nutball I won't be going for the most effective army, just the coolest looking one I can plop together. So is this going to be an easy Projekt, finishing off an Army that will be 100% converted and be able to follow 2 rulesets? No. Is this going to take a loooong time? Yes. Do I want input? OF COURSE I do! Even if it's saying that my work is no good, I want to hear it, because honestly how else am I going to get any better! I'm open to any suggestions, comments, criticisms, or pretty much anything you have to say! Peace ~OD |
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Post by OD from TV on Feb 21, 2014 20:27:09 GMT
So not going to lie, I’ve been working on the current leg of this project since Jan, so you’ll see the level of progress and change. BTW’s I personally like leaving in a timelog, in case anyone wants to know. Projekt Update/Starting point 18 hours in… Ok, so first up is the Model T MegaArmor, AKA the MegaWarrior(s). Prototype Model T mark I  And just for fun this first MegaWarrior has an extra addition, a removable jetpack that when plopped on will let him count as a Shrike!  Model T mark II  The Shooty Model T  Progress on them is great, but I think the Thrope prototype is a bit more impressive. I’ve been getting more and more into a concept I like to call ‘plug and play’ where on things like vehicles I convert, I can easily swap turrets, but on the Thrope prototype, I figured, why not apply that principle to figures themselves? This baby can count as an Ork Wyrdboy, Ork KFF Mek, Nid Zoanthrope or a Nid Venomthrope.   So not bad for my first Projekt Update, hope I didn't overload any circuits. Peace ~OD |
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Post by baconslice on Feb 21, 2014 20:41:03 GMT
Love it. Look forward to seeing a finished article.
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Post by Raven on Feb 22, 2014 2:48:25 GMT
Looking good. I think my favourite so far is the wheelchair Zoanthrope.
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Post by Uhtin on Feb 22, 2014 6:20:53 GMT
Damn that is well done!!! I love it  |
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Post by gman25639 on Feb 22, 2014 6:31:40 GMT
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Post by OD from TV on Feb 22, 2014 12:35:20 GMT
Firstly let me say thankyou all for your kind words. Being new to this forum, it's awfully nice to see such a rapid response. No update at the moment, but with Monday being my last day at my internship, I'll be temporarily parceling my time out on the Projekt and job applications (at the moment I'm leaning towards awarding myself 20 minuites for each application finished). Nevertheless I'm thrilled to see some excitement and wanted to respond since I have the time, as well as a couple questions I wanted to field. Love it. Look forward to seeing a finished article. Well I do have some pics of 'completed' parts of the OrkNid Projekt up at the top, but admittedly they're just group shots, which never allow for the viewing of great detail. I do however still have some "Showcase" photos from the modeling competition (they focus on the painted DreadFex, Deff Tyrant, Serpent Dread, CarniAsada, RantyFex, and Iron Gob... yes each one has a name, its common with largish models I spent hours on building). So is there interest in me posting a bigger showcase of previously built Orknidz, and if there is should I do new photos or the fresh painted 'classical' photos I already have? Looking good. I think my favourite so far is the wheelchair Zoanthrope. I've been a tad iffy on him as late (then again I've been working more on the Venomthrope topper) at times he looks to me rather wheelchair slow, and others he looks almost hod rod quick to me. I know that I really want to find a way to plop on a custom Ork Glyph on him, but I'm not sure where, especially because the difference when using the Zoanthrope for Nids or as a Wyrdboy for Orkz is going to be which side is viewing (apologies for the pic, just realized it doesn't show the reversible aspect). The Zoanthrope version is also incredibly light on GW gray, a hazard for a scratchbuilder like me, because no one lets me plop a mini on a LGW or LGS unless it's 70% GW material, not sure how to add more gray to get him there though, any suggestions/advice would be much appreciated. Damn that is well done!!! I love it Glad to hear it Uhtin, if you'd like I'd be more than happy to marry one of the pieces off, just good luck on finding a state/country that will allow human-plastic weddings. I'm joking, please don't be offended by my crazy humor, it's all in good fun. Yeah that's an interesting one. Not going to lie, I know I'm not the first, nor will I be the last to come up with the idea of Orkifying an entire Nid force, but I hope to be the best at it. That pic itself, has made quite the rounds, but theres another couple out there if you dig about. One last question to pose anyone who wants to answer it. Is there any interest at all on the tiny fluff I tend to write as projekts evolve, or should I keep it to myself. It seems odd to me that there isn't a spoiler code tag for this site, which is typically where I'd hide it, so only people who actually want to read it would be bothered with the occasional block of long winded text I write (*looks at the rest of this reply* Erm, maybe I already am writing too much. Peace ~OD |
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Post by gman25639 on Feb 22, 2014 17:45:10 GMT
I would very much enjoy reading this fluff.
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Post by Uhtin on Feb 22, 2014 19:28:39 GMT
Naaaaah, I am not ready for a relationship yet  But thanks for the suggestion... It would be awesome too see some of your older models and read the fluff. You can never have too much fluff |
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Post by OD from TV on Feb 26, 2014 19:54:54 GMT
Thanks for the replies and the words of encouragement guys! Truth be told I was about to post those fluff pieces here, when I noticed that the site has its own dedicated fluff board, and as I don't want to irk any Mods (especially since I'm new to this board), I posted it there, to those interested the fluff can be read here: OrkNid Projekt Fluff. And yes there are some Clazzic Showcase Pics coming, they'll be put in the first thread (along with a link to the Projekt Fluff). Anyway let's get to it! Projekt Update: 21 hours in... As always a fair amount of time was spent adding some additional detailing on everything, mostly minor stuff that won't really pop until painting, but on the modeling aspect I've been mostly working on two new MegaWarriors. (oh and please forgive the messy workbench background)  I'm not going to lie, I almost feel going back to the Type 1 exhaust system is taking a step backwards rather than forwards, but there's a reasoning and rationale as to why. I really dig the idea of plopping on the thruster mount backpack to switch a Warrior to a Shrike with a simple swap piece, and unfortunately the second type of exhaust system just can't hold a Jump Pack or Wings in place. On the bright side though since I know I want/need a minimum of 2 units of Warriors, it'll be a real easy way to distinguish one unit from the next. I think I might have to reposition the arms, or maybe even just lift them off this guy completely, as I didn't realize he's in practically the same pose has the first MegaNob I made (and with the conversion work I'm doing, it's a waste to not have each one be truly unique). The next MegaWarrior is still very rough, but I'm a post it anyway, I think it's fairly obvious where I'm going to go with him.  The group shot I think was also a necessity. Speaking of which... Group Shot (including a couple of the Big Beasties)  Of course there will be more to come, but (unfortunately) the job hunt has to come first. Peace ~OD |
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Post by gman25639 on Feb 27, 2014 6:51:04 GMT
Loving every bit of this!  Looking at your stuff and my bitz box is giving me some interesting ideas for scratch-built 'thropes. |
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Post by OD from TV on May 24, 2014 0:59:25 GMT
*Blows off dust* eeccch, am I late with an update or what (note, this project is ongoing, apologies for the lateness since the previous update). So the past three months have been... well not much work on this project due to the job hunt (ongoing), various real life dramas, and almost loosing my thumb in an accident (stitches weren't fun). But with the recent death of one of my biggest inspirations (H.R. Giger), I just had to press on, and with a rather large self imposed deadline of getting together a field-able small point army by next Wednesday. It doesn't have to be a great army, but one that'll work for my first forray in the new edition. So with that in mind I've been konverting up a storm (apologies for the bad photos, I'll get better lighting on the next update either tonight or tomorrow, I'd take more photos now, but the camera battery is charging after a quick death) Projekt Update ? hours in... Yup, I've lost track. But then again seeing how I'm throwing back into the mix a number of cyborg termagants constructed before I started making the Warriors, it's mute anyway, in the end the hours logged are generally only my own concern, although today alone I've committed 7 hours of work, so it's a long haul of a project. But you reading this probably don't care about that, lets get to the good stuff. Orknid Slashagaunts AKA Hormagaunts  Relatively simple conversion, with lots of tiny bits that the camera couldn't really pick out, but will stand out post paint. Each one has got an engine, a tank of some sort, and some Orky armor bolting the backpack of sorts on. I'm debating about a mini exhaust port for each one, as I am with what to do with the tank. My first assumption that I was thinking about was hooking wire out of each side into a type of gas mask on the Horma's head, but I'm still at a loss as to how I'd pull that one off, if I could make it work, and if its worth all the effort. Each one of these (currently 12), is running about 25 minutes from sprue to full, which I suppose is as good as I'm going to get. I feel like they're also under detailed, but at the moment I just don't have the dexterity in my hand to detail armor plates like I used to (opposable thumbs way more important than I used to know) Orknid Devos AKA Termagaunt with Devourer/Devilgaunt  This is the first prototype of my new Troop badboy. I'm likely to integrate 10 into each squad of Terma I do, and my own rough estimates place that I'm going to need 2 to 3 units for an effective army. It's much more elaborate than the pics show, there's a central pole to which the weapon is mounted, from which 3 support struts attach to the gun itself to steady it while on the move and recoil. At least from a fluff perspective anyway. I did briefly experiment with an idea I had for Hive Guard, with cybork arms clenching onto ground rubble, but I found the small size of the base, along with the difficulty in making good looking small cybork arms just out of my current reach in ability. Ork Stealer Hybrids  Yeah, cause Stealer Hybrids are A. Awesome, B. Fluff-tastic beyond recognition, C. Horribly unrepresented on the tabletop for around 15 years, and D. cause I can! Ok in all seriousness I am using the Freebootas Ork Genestealer Hybrid Generations descriptions. Well for the most part. I'm not quite sure how I'd make an Ork head 'bulbous' without chopping a Genestealer head, which I don't exactly have lying around, and while I could possibly give the second generation styled ones bigger fangs, I'm not entirely sure that would end up looking quite right. The final generation, the one in front and distinctly more Stealer esque maybe shouldn't have the hand weapons, I'm debating on leaving them or striking them, I think it adds to them a bit, but I'm not sold on it. My current plan for these guys is to put together a total of 25 for the Manufactorum Genestealer dataslate, with 5 fivth generation 95% Standard Stealer look with Orkoid secondary arms, 5 formerly broken Stealers with heavy Cybork modifications, 5 first generation hybrids (4 arms, 2 distinctly Stealer), 5 second generation hybrids (3 arms, all clawed), and then another set of 5 with extra carapace. Of course this is quite a ways down the line. The Warriors pick didn't come out at all, I'd take another but like I said earlier the camera is a little out of commission at the moment. I didn't even get a group with the Warriors in, but oh well. They're mostly like in the previous photos with just some additional work done, such as some more exhaust and engine additions, although my original one bit the dust from falling off the table and shattering, but that's why you just have to rebuild. I'm close to 4 being almost ready for paint, need a minimum of 6 for two units of 3, not ideal I know, but with a game coming up soon, there are sacrifices like tactics that must be made. I finish off this update with a group shot of the Termagants, Hormagaunts, the 3 Stealers and a couple of Dreadfexs.  You'll notice that one of the Terma is painted, he's the test fig and first prototype Cybergaunt, in sore need of some silver drybrush, brown drybrush, and a black wash, but it was good to get some paint on one, which reminds me, paint will be coming before Wednesday's big (well actually small) game so a lot of stuff will get splashed and splattered with pigment and look much better, stay tuned if you like, and please do feel free to comment, even if you hate this project, every bit of input helps. Peace ~OD |
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Post by DinoCop on May 24, 2014 9:36:43 GMT
that´s so crazy and random - IT´S AWESOME  |
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Post by macdaddyt on May 26, 2014 1:35:43 GMT
Holy cow! This is flipping spectacular! Can I recommend making an exocrine into a looted wagon? That would make my day
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Post by OD from TV on Aug 17, 2014 1:06:48 GMT
Yeeech, I knew it had been some time since I last posted an update, but didn't realize it was this long! Apologies on that front, while this is a long term project that already has been several years in the making, its past time for this to become a real priority for me. That said just in the past couple days there's been some real life hiccups that have pushed back this update, but I'm working on trying to alleviate those.
Thanks goes to DinoCop and Macdaddyt for the comments, sorry I didn't get back to you sooner. As for the Exocrine Lootwagon, I do/did have something in mind along those concepts, but at the moment I'm focusing more on the smaller bugs. Additionally since I don't really have much in the way of fund-age most of the models I'm utilizing are used minis I've picked up in trades
Projekt Update... Yet again I've lost track of the time spent. I also lost track of updating as I did get quite a bit of paint down, even though I still haven't played a game with the new Nids. In truth almost every time I look at the current dex I lament the lack of choices and would rather play the 4th Edition book. Of course from my opinion the only benefits from the 5th/6th Edition books was Zoanthropes moving to Elite, Hive Guard & Tervigon (the 5th edition versions), and Boneswords coming back as a choice for Warriors. But that discussion is fairly irrelevant to this particular topic.  During the beginning of the month while de-stressing I went thru an old White Dwarf from around the release of the 4th Edition codex, and was thrilled by an old idea of some awesome minis that I had forgotten. Namely the John Woo stylized Hormagant conversion into Spinegants. Spinegants may not have much of a place in todays games, but seeing how this project is primarily about making the coolest looking army rather than the most effective I thought I'd throw a couple together (soon to be a unit of 15)  And since I have like a bajillion Hormagaunts and no one wants to trade for Horma, I just couldn't resist trying out yet another type of Devogaunt.  Admittedly there is a part of me that fears this one might be just a bit too goofy, but its still rather cool. I don't know if I'd do a total of 20 of them, but I think it looks a lot better than my earlier Devogaunts, AND it took me substantially less time to plop together. I know I'll do at least 5 to put in the Spinegaunts unit, and as always the newer ones will be better than the prototype, this one just seems to have such character!
The biggest weakness of the Nids is of course Synapse, and my favorite Synapse is and always has been the Warrior. Add to that the fact that this project really lends itself to modifying old broken minis and with the fragile legs of the Warrior I should be able to receive them in trade easily. Sadly this hasn't been much of a case and those Warriors I do have are mostly MIA. But with lots of Hormas and a crazed imagination, I thought it only right to do a Shrike.
This is yet another Prototype, it stands a bit taller than the traditional Warrior. I'm a little unsure of it, but again its a prototype, the things I've learned from this one will stand good for the next attempt/model. It still needs some bulking, and the legs are far from perfect, but on the bright it's mostly GW gray so I shouldn't have that battle against this conversion if/when I bring for an instore game. (Of course if I don't bulk to proper dimensions I'll be facing a much larger debate from anti-conversion players).
Next update will be coming soon I swear, at the moment I don't have any real life projects to attend to *knock on wood*.
Peace ~OD
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But thanks for the suggestion...
Looking at your stuff and my bitz box is giving me some interesting ideas for scratch-built 'thropes.
