Thursday, June 30, 2011

Mordian 7th Regiment - New Chimera test build and Leman Russ Vanquisher

Time to squeeze one last blog post in before the month ends! After my previous experience building the Mk. 1 Rhino upgrade kits from Blood and Skulls Industry I was chatting with Tom about the other kits he's made recently. I was excited to hear that I could still order the Chimera upgrade kit he'd made a while back as it's very similar to the Wyvern Pattern Chimeras I'd kitbashed (scroll down a bit) for use with the last iteration of the glorious 7th. For a quite reasonable $15, he offers a replacement top plate, turret and hatch that quite nicely approximates what I'd done before with the added bonus that it requires almost nothing in the way of cutting and trimming like the kitbash versions I'd made did. A week or so after I'd placed the order, a box arrived with 5 of the kits. After trimming away the minimal flash and a quick wash, I snapped a picture of what exactly comes with the upgrade kit:


I especially like the viewports he's used in place of the ball-and-socket lasguns from the standard Chimera, and the low-profile turret is designed to accept the multi-laser from the original kit, as well as giving one room to add whatever turret armament one may desire. I cracked open one of the old-style Chimera kits I've been hoarding in the Closet of Doom and did a test build with the first of the five kits I'd ordered.


The kit went together smoothly (well as smoothly as assembling an old-style Chimera kit ever does) and I decided to build an Autocannon turret as well as a Multi-laser turret (as he'd included a spare turret in the package). I decided that as part of the overall sleeker aesthetic provided by the turret and new hull, that I'd leave off the big boxy side armor plates that come with the old kit and instead just add some stowage and whatnot to the sides. Overall I'm quite pleased and I'm looking forward to building the rest of the kits!


While I was about it I knocked together one of the newer Leman Russ kits that I picked up at my FLGS. My intent was to build it such that it could be used as either a 'vanilla' Leman Russ or a Vanquisher (I do really like the push-fit weapon options on the new kit), though I decided against adding side sponsons to it. I may add another Leman Russ in the future, but for now the other two heavy support slots for the army will be taken up by a Medusa Emplacement and a Manticore. I loves me some heavy artillery after all!

10 comments:

  1. Those kits do make for a sleek looking chimera. The turrets have a more scifi feel to them than the GW ones. At least that's my opinion. Will there paint on these soon?

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  2. I'm hoping so - they've started wrapping up the renovations around my condo so I was finally able to re-install the in-window air conditioner up in my hobby loft. It's been way to hot to do much up there of late, but I'm hoping to get some brush time in over the holiday weekend!

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  3. I agree with the Inner Geek, those kits make it look much more sci-fi. I am off to check out the link to see what else he offers! Thanks for the post!

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  4. really like the chimera kit, do you have contact details so i can pick one (or four) up please :)

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  5. Indeed - they work quite well! I just contacted him through his eBay store here: http://stores.ebay.com/Blood-and-Skulls-Industry?_rdc=1

    He calls them "Capricorn-pattern Chimeras".

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  6. managed to pic one up only to find i havent got my chimera kit here! dont suppose you have pics of one with a standard or a FW turret on do you? :D
    also did you ever get round to painting yours?
    d

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  7. Doh, bummer - At the moment I don't have a standard turret built, but the mounting point seems like it's a bit different. The turret hole on the upgrade kit is quite a bit larger though, so a standard turret will sit on top comfortably, but won't be particularly secure...

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  8. Mordian7th,

    I am sure you are aware that Leman Russ tanks can be fielded in squadrons of up to 3 tanks in any combination of patterns. As such, you can still squeeze in a Battle tank with the Vanquisher if you wanted and still have your Manticore and Medusa emplacement.

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  9. Are those chimera kits still available?

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  10. @Michael Wilson: I'm not entirely sure. They were done by Tom McBride, who can be found on eBay under "Blood and Skulls Industry". You might want to drop him a message there and see - it's been several years since I bought these, I don't know if he still has the molds...

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