III-B and Ninja/Vulcan Conversions

[Cat]

Some works in progress here, dicing and splicing plastic models.

The double-barreled nose of the Mk.V fits surprisingly well on the the Mk.III hull; only takes a tiny shaving to get the spliced join smoothed over. Just spray painted the base speckled camouflage for the first Ogres of the Forces of Grey including the III-B, III, and Fencer.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1148...7216107968770/

Construction photos of the III-B here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1148...7195277343770/

Also in the works for the Forces of Grey are a pair of Ninjas that can morph into Vulcans. Took a little more work splicing the ends of the Mk.IV onto the middle of the Mk.III. The main battery and work arms are held on with magnets. I have some 28 gauge galvanised steel on the way which will form the top-deck of the rear cargo hatch to drop over the missiles to complete the Vulcan tranformation (and then can carry magnetised infantry and pallets on the deck).
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1148...7186110913770/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1148...7195277343770/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1148...7194734413770/

[offsides]

Very nice!!! Excellent kit-bashing skills! I wish I had time to do some stuff like that, but instead I'll live vicariously through others who do. :)

[Desert Scribe]

Very impressive!

[ColBosch]

I said it on the Facebook page, and I'll say it here: these are spectacular and inspiring! Ooo, and I'll add something more! Maybe this could be the basis of my custom Oni, so it has different lines from my metal Mk III-Bs!

[Cat]

Thanks folks!

I do like the look of the Mk.V double-snout more than that of the metal III-B. That's a consideration for kitbashing while we wait for a possible future plastic model. (Or maybe a plastic model could be sleeker than the old metal design?)

In my case, the Grey Force is getting a heavy allotment of Combiney Ogres for duty in the great white north: The Taiga Frontier Force. I'm starting to think out scenario possibilities; M3, M6, and M7 combos should work well for northern Canada.

They will also be getting a number of Mk.Is, Mk.IIs, and variants for frontier duty. I'll be building on ideas from this scenario I came across awhile ago, Taiga By The Tail:
http://www.cke1st.com/Games/ogretaig.htm

[Izzy_B]

Impressive! The thick plastic of the Ogres completely scares me away from trying to do cuts like that.

[cephalopagus]

I think SJG needs to hire you maybe then we'll get all the minis designed we want.

[Cat]

Originally Posted by cephalopagus

I think SJG needs to hire you maybe then we'll get all the minis designed we want.

Alas, I only have analogue modelling skills, none digital.

I've been wielding XActo knives on plastic model kits since I was a young kitten.
=^,^=

[Cat]

Just finished painting the first big batch of Ogres for Grey Force (Taiga Force, Canadian).

The Ninja/Vulcan kitbashed models aren't done yet. The Mk.III-B is done, along with a handful of Mk.I and Mk.II proxy models kitbashed from MechWarrior Clix tanks. The Mk.Is & Mk.IIs have interchangeable turrets: standard style with a Main Battery or variant Canadian Armoury with twin Secondaries.

When we get to the official models, I hope the III-B has the front end of the Mk.V rather than scanning and redoing the old clunker, and I hope the Mk.Is and Mk.IIs can come with swappable turret variations similar to these.

Photos over on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1148...7526007088770/

[CON_Troll]

Cat, you are amazing.

Frankly, I like your III-B better than the few pics I've seen of the official ones. Mind you, the "slab-faced" III-B is perfectly fine as is -but yours looks like less of a "kludge" and more like a logical development in hull design for the Ogres.

It does make me wonder what a kit-bash of the III-B would look like using two faces of the MK III instead of the front glacis of a MK V. I suspect it would require a LOT more work as you'd have to trim the two front face-plates of the MK IIIs very closely, then build up some "depth" by adding a stretched rectangle of plastic behind the two MK IIIs to get that "slab" appearance in the image I am thinking about. (Where is that pic, now I'm curious...)

Ah, of course, WH23. (http://www.warehouse23.com/products/SJG10-0104) I should have remembered that.