Friday, April 17, 2015

Abhuman Technoheresy: Deff Dread 001

Progress on the Abhuman Technoheresy is moving forward, albeit slowly. While I am waiting on a package from Mad Robot Miniatures to arrive, I decided to build a Deff Dread for the army.

HOBBY DISCLAIMER: If you have or are taking on a new army, I recommend you get the guts down first, HQ and two Troops choices. I am not following the pattern here since I don't have the models for troops in hand. Yet. Doing all the cool shit for your army can leave you with a small pile of completed projects and a sea of grey foot-sloggers.

Like many kitbashed vehicles in the 40k universe, I started with an old Sentinel. Actually, three of these eBay rejects gave bits to make this build a possibility, I also ended up using a few leftover pieces from when I put together my Armoured Sentinel. Have I mentioned how much I love models that are superglued together? They come apart nicely once the glue is given time to become brittle. These Sentinels were no exception. Once the first sacrifice was prepared, work began.

First thing I worked out was the Deff Dread were the close combat arms, of course using Sentinel legs. A 'fist' was made using a couple of 'big toes' and the center bit of the Sentinel foot. These bits are mounted on a gear recovered from the Tonka used in the Imperial Excavator project. The other arm sports the Sentinel close combat saw as a tool of destruction.

The cockpit has been enclosed with the Armageddon pattern armour bits. The power plant has been expanded to include another hip section. These hips are now shoulders for the close combat arms. Fuel bottles and a battery pack were also included to indicate the increases output of the power plant, as well as hide gaps. The giant glyph on the front is to help reinforce the fact that these mad tribesmen adhere to the Imperial Cult (sort of).

A pair of autocannons are pressed into service as the Deff Dread's dakka. The oil drum is going to be used as a helical feed ammo drum. The ammo hopper on the weapon and drum will be where the ammo chutes connect.

Here are all the pieces assembled and in some cases held in the pose I want with wire. This build is still very much work in progress. Still to be done are power cables (lots and lots of power cables), the ammo chutes, lots of greens stuff work, and of course, paint.

Until then, cheers!

CJ