Kitbashed Typhus

A new Typhus model is on its way to replace the rather tired offering still in the GW range but - given that Lords of Contagion models are on offer on eBay for a few quid - I decided to make my own.

I cut off much of the LoC decoration to change the silhouette of the model and gave it a different stance, one with both feet on the floor. One main change is that the dangling intestines have been removed to make a ragged exit for plague flies.

I chopped up the manslayer and rearranged the bits to make it more scythe-like in appearance, adding the hand protector - Nurgle is all about Health & Safety, after all.

The destroyer hive is mainly made from Milliput, grooved, drilled and cut up while semi-dry to give a crumbly appearance.

The cloak is also cut back. This entailed filling in several uncovered gaps with paper impregnated with polystyrene cement.

A top view of the destroyer hive tubes.

Kitbashed Primaris Librarium

I fancied adding a Librarian to my Primaris Ultramarine army but the £22.50 cost for the single plastic figure was somewhat too rich for my wallet.

I therefore resolved to buy one of the Dark Imperium figures that can be had for a few quid off eBay and convert it.

I have to say that my effort has not been entirely successful.


Oh well, it will have to do.

On to the next.

Scratch-Built Chaos Hellblade Aerospace Fighter

Rolling over for an attack run

The Chaos Hellblade is an absolutely iconic 40K fighter plane. Imperial fighters tend to be Hawker Typhoons - heavy, brutal, blocky - but the Hell Blade is a Spitfire - light, elegant, agile.

Banking into a hard left turn: note the steerable lateral thrusters

Forge World used to make a Hell Blade but it has been withdrawn, possibly for remodelling as the quad-autocannon are gone in the new datasheet.

The new Hell Blade has twin guns. I have located them on top of the wing because that is the visible part of a fighter model and scratch-built models often are too 'clean'.

Power climb using the main ventral thrusters

The Hell Blade is normally piloted by a hard-wired servitor and/or a daemon. There isn't really room for a pilot.

Pulling out of a strafing run

I found a paper-plane template on the web for scale and the shape of the main body parts and wings.

Outrunning a missile

The plane is made from card, reinforced with white glue, and straws. Only the guns and sensor packs on the wings are from plastic kits.

It is painted with commercial primer, to smooth out the surface, Humbrol red spray can paint, as a base colour, and a light coating of Tamiya metallic red.


Okay, it not as good as a Forge World resin model but that will cost you the best part of a ton (assuming you can find one), and this cost pennies.

Review: Artizan Designs - Grey Wolves U-Boat Crew

 Grey Wolves

Northstar Miniatures sell 28mm Artizan Designs metal models on their website. There is a 'Thrilling Tales' section of Pulp Fiction and generally Interesting Characters. They come either as single figures or in packs.

Two of those packs, available for £8.50 each are U-Boat crewmen, entitled 'Grey Wolves'. They include: a captain with binoculars, a petty officer with Schmeisser SMG, two crewmen with SMGs, and a Spandau team.

These are great figures, full of character. In size, they match Warlord Bolt Action minis pretty much exactly.

I envisage using them: as a defenders of Berlin '45 Naval section, a Sea Lion Patrol Scenario section, Very British Civil War, 7TV, and in pulp fiction skirmish games generally that are set in the interwar and WWII eras.

Highly recommended.

You can buy them here.

Review: Quick Fit Plastic Deathguard

Gee Dubya have released a Quick Fit Build box of three plastic Deathguard, clearly aimed at the 'toy' market.

So should a wargamer buy them?

They are pretty similar in concept to the Deathguard marines in the starter sets, i.e. push together, which is why, I suppose, they are quick build.

'Push together' means 'spring slightly apart after the glue has dried' so I recommend cutting off the push together lugs before gluing.

Note: a friend of mine decries this ridiculous idea and advocates making the sockets wider instead.

So should you buy them?

On the plus side:

First up they are only a tenner so are reasonable value. Hell, an Ayrton Senna represents great value compared to character models currently going for a Bobby Moore.

Secondly, they are different from the ones in the starter set - a definite plus.

Thirdly, one of the heretics is clutching a Blight (grenade) Launcher which is a useful supplement to one's putrid host.

But on the flip side:
I assumed they would turn my seven-marine starter unit into a ten-marine set - but no. One of the models is a champion with sword and power fist as the set is intended as a three man section, which ain't a lot of use. You can take two models away from the seven in the starter set and make two five-marine sections.

Kitbashing the fixed-pose champion to turn him into a standard marine would be very tricky and probably not worth the effort.

So, my advice is buy them if you want to turn your starter section into two smaller sections, otherwise wait for the box set which will undoubtedly be on the way.

Kit-Bashed Chaos Hell Talon

The Business End

I recently pulled my Siege of Vrak Chaos Armies out of storage to confer some TLC

First up was my Hell Talon

Straffing Run

The Talon is the intermediate sized Chaos aerospace combat machine, designated as a Strike Fighter. It is well armed with twin lascannon and secondary armament.

Bombing Run

It carries some really nasty dumb-bombs which unfortunately mean you have to fly over the target. Choose with care, or you can find yourself stranded in the middle of your opponents army - ho hum.

The Base

The Talon is mounted on a metal tube affixed to a Vrak siege line resin base.

I took the damned photo so I'm posting it

Chocks away, Biggles