Tuesday 15 October 2019

The Final Brat? A Xenos Fusilier

Little did I imagine in 2014, when I started assembling a Confrontation Brat gang, that I would revisit the project sporadically over the next five years. But that it what has happened - I've assembled and painted an 18-strong brat pack, as well as a biker brat and the Bratmobile. The pack includes all five unreleased brats, both limited edition brats, a bunch of conversions, and, as of this week, all three of the standard release brats.

To all intents and purposes, I pretty much consider this project now complete as I have enough figures and a nice variety of weaponry for most Necromunda campaigns. I also don't have any more brats that I can chop up for the cause!




This last addition to the Sutter Dukes nicely embodies the conceit that brats get all the cool exotic wargear, being armed with a Hrud fusil. The Hrud fusil is an illegal xenos weapon from the black market trading post in the most recent Necromunda supplement, the Book of Judgement. It is described as a "powerful long rifle" utilising plasma technologies.

The widely released brats comprised metal torsos, intended to be completed using either the bare hive gang or clothed Imperial Guard plastic arms. I originally gave this brat a sword and pistol combination from Victoria Miniatures, but as I already have a number of sword/pistol brats, I didn't get round to painting him.

I was motivated to give him a more exotic weapon by our current Necromunda campaign. I was tempted by the neural flayer and Rak'gol razor gun, but something about the Hrud fusil's description appealed to me.


Keeping the Victoria Miniatures arm, I built a new gun from a range of pieces. The metal component is a Rogue Trader space ork bolter dolly. I removed the barrel and sight, and trimmed the magazine. The new barrel is simply a length of brass tube with a length of thin plastic strip and a few notches cut for detail. The muzzle is made from the end of a Forgeworld Van Saar shock baton. After taking these photos, I decided to add a ring of greenstuff on the barrel as an extra bit of detailing (you can see it in the painted pics).


Like all my other brats, I went for the tried and tested colour scheme. The only real changes were the fusil itself.



I decided to paint the fusil brass with a glowing green plasma coil, hopefully rendering it as an exotic and unusual weapon!



Whilst I was taking photos, I decided to take some group shots of the Sutter Dukes.

All 5 unreleased brats.

The 3 standard-release brats (front) and 2 limited edition brats (rear).

My brat pack leaders (L-R: The Thin White Duke, Visage and the Magpie Dandy).

Converted and co-opted brats.

So that's it for now for the Sutter Dukes - I need to focus on improving their campaign performance rather than painting them!

19 comments:

  1. That's a brilliant gang and it's been a joy to follow them since the forum days !
    I love the gun and how obviously alien yet unrecognisable it is, really well done.
    Now what's the next confrontation gang ? Psy gang ?

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    1. Thanks Asslessman! It's weird to think that in my post-40k and Blood Bowl days, these were pretty much the first thing I worked on, and the one I've kept coming back to.

      I'm undecided as to the next project - possibly Helmawr or Dogskins.

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  2. Absolutely fantastic, man! I've really enjoyed seeing the Brat gang come together, great work!

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    1. Thanks very much! It's been a pleasure to share the project with folks like yourself :)

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    1. Already did them Phil! http://magpieandoldlead.blogspot.com/2015/03/ash-waste-nomads-ready-for-underhive.html

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  4. I find it delightful to see such a project growing larger and larger through time. However, we all know that a project is never truly finished. Sooner or later you'll come back to it, accept that fact and live peacefully :D

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    1. Haha! It's very probable that I wont be able to resist adding to it :)

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  5. What a simple yet super effective way of changing a handgun to a rifle.

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    1. Thanks! It might not work with every configuration, but certainly worth experimenting with.

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  6. Amazing accomplishment Jon, been fun to follow their progress. 🥰

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  7. I've voiced how much I've enjoyed seeing this project come together and seeing it's completion is kind of saddening. :)
    The Hrud need more representation in current 40K universe, so am glad you went with that option. The gun looks great!

    Good work sir and congrats!

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    1. A project completed is a good thing really, but it does feel odd to think that at this present moment in time I have no intention of making any more brats!

      I wonder what I could use to make a Hrud model? Something a little more offbeat than skaven?

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  8. Bandana guy, would you like to take a seat?

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  9. A fitting end to a great project. Love the build pics.

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  10. An Ork Bolter! You slipped that obscure unreleased piece in there quietly in the gang amongst all the unreleased Bratts. Joyous.

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