Hive Tyrant--Metal body with plastic wings, legs and tail

[biomega]

Hey dudez and dudettez,

I managed to get a good deal on just the wings, legs and tail for the FHT on a certain website. I already have a walking model with Balrog wings but I want him to look current.

I was thinking about putting the metal torso on the plastic tail and legs, then attaching the new wings. Not sure if they would be able to support him.

What do you guys think? One option would be to have him "lightly touching" a piece of base terrain with a foot, to give more support. Could pin from there.

Is this a fool's errand? Should I try to acquire a plastic torso as well?

[rehkal]

Only thing I would worry about is balance. Placing the metal body that high up might make the model rather... tipsy. Adding rocks or other things to the base will help that though. (think heavy)

Probably best to pin the tail to the body too, the wings an such shouldn't be an issue.. hmm.. since the tail is hollow, you'll have to fill the inside of the tail to be able to pin it too.

I don't think you'll have to worry about the tail breaking under the extra weight though.

[cyaneye]

I'm honestly not sure you can have the tail support the metal body without the glue breaking bonds either at the waist or the base. Not to mention the tail could bend over time due to supporting so much weight.

If you want to pull it off, I advise you put him on an oval base and model him jumping off of a boulder or carnifex corpse with tail dragging behind on the ground, so you can have whatever he is jumping over support the weight. Given the other two fliers in the codex have oval bases, the base shape shouldn't be much of an issue.

It would be a fantastic model if you can pull it off, otherwise I wouldn't recommend putting so much weight on the slender tail piece.

[nikh]

I actually just recently made that exact same Tyrant, when I can I'll post pics, but I used a metal head/torso and plastic everything else. Only issue is that it's front-heavy, and that's because of how I placed the wings. Works no problem otherwise, and I got a dirt-cheap Flyrant out of it.

[biomega]

My wings and tail/legs came in the mail today. They're beautiful. Maybe I can kit-bash the Balrog wings with a Carnifex to make a Crone now. No way I'm paying what GW's asking for that model.

I think I might try painting it before putting it together, since I want it to look good, but I'll update you guys on how it goes. Thanks.

--EDIT--

WELP, looks like the part that connects the tail to the torso is missing, so I'll have to see if I can get one of those now, or he's just going to be walking with wings. BUMMER.

[mattblowers]

I think walking with wings is your best bet. Anything else just becomes a real hazard for me. Metal models don't fair well when they tip over.

[Kwodd]

I'm with Matt, walking with wings.

[biomega]

I went ahead and ordered the rest of the parts for the flyer--I just like the new model too much to let it pass me by. Now I have two tyrants, not sure what I'm going to do with the metal one now.

[gangisconn]

Any pictures of the completed conversion? I have recently cracked open my war gaming time capsule and all my models are from the late 90s. Any photographic help would be nice since I have my tiny oop metal hive tyrants sitting in simple green now waiting for glue to come apart for my own conversions.

I have a lot of old dark elf models too, and the plastic wings on the dragon might go on to one of my hive tyrants. Also I have 1/2 of a metal dark pegasus which might go onto the back of my other hive tyrant. What I'm worried about is "modeling for advantage"; I don't want to try any of the tricks like hiding the tyrants behind terrain or other units from which the modern hive tyrant wouldn't gain cover.

[broyston]

I have a metal tyrant I want to put wings on, but don't want to leave it walking, may be accused of exploiting LOS. I have a spare trygon tail I never got round to using for a tervigon conversion, it should be sturdy enough to support the weight of the body. The only issue is it might make the tyrant too tall.....

[gigasnail]

my FW flyrant is walking, zero (please do not swear) have ever been given.

[broyston]

Jan 25, 2015 5:19:19 GMT gigasnail said:

my FW flyrant is walking, zero (please do not swear) have ever been given.

It is unlikely I accept, particularly as the tyrant has had wings for many editions and walking models were all there were (unless someone did an amazing conversion).  They do look cooler flying (well sitting up on their tails.....) though I think.