Monday 16 November 2020

Xenos at the Desert Fringes - T'Sulian Warriors

Sometimes you see an idea that's so cool, you just have to copy it! Since GW's Blackstone Fortress game was released, I've seen half a dozen or so really great figures with spindle drone heads as heads or masks. I knew it was something I wanted to try myself, and decided the best way to use them would be on some robe-clad desert-dwelling xenos race in the Tusken raider tradition.


I've converted and painted a pair of aliens based on this template, and I like them so much I intend to make more!

T'Sulian tribesfolk keep watch over key trading routes.

I'm calling this cyclopean xenos race the T'Sul. They draw on a lot of the archetypes of nomadic desert tribes such as the robes and long jezail-like rifles. The concept sheet below shows how I work through ideas in terms of potential conversions and influences. Note that not every single concept will be realised into a miniature, but doing this really helps me to plan conversions, and to see what works or what doesn't.



The first two figures had to set the visual direction for the rest, so I went for my favourite two concepts, both with the trademark long rifles that will characterise most of the warband.


The first figure was based on the iconic chaos warrior / champion with jezzail. The original sculpt has a shorter coat and hooves (see Asslessman's brilliant painted version). I extended the coat and added a new pair of feet (the original hooves are underneath the greenstuff).


I had to cut back the hood to get the new head to sit properly. This needed a little bit of filling to repair the damage.



The second warrior was based on Hutk-Nke Plague Priest, one of Jes Goodwin's classic chaos sorcerers. This time I removed the staff and replaced it with a jezail from a historic wargames manufacturer.


Again, I needed to do a little bit of repair, this time at the front of the robe as well as the join at the head. This warrior also got a pistol accessory from the 40k Kroot sprue.


The sorcerer model is significantly smaller than the chaos warrior. That's no problem, as I'm perfectly happy to have height variation between the figures. I did decided to add a little bit of elevation to the second model with a rocky outcrop made from a cork table mat.

In terms of painting, I wanted to keep the colour scheme relatively simple to match the colours I identified in my concept image. They both got nice dark blue robes, offset with a range of brown equipment, and of course those big bony head crests.



I painted the eyes with GW's contrast paint (my first use of it) before adding a white reflection dot and a nice coat of gloss varnish.



It's not overstating to say that I think these are my favourite figures I've made this year. I can't wait to make some more and get them onto the table!



20 comments:

  1. Glad you didn't choose to call them "Quegah Warriors"...

    That particular Kroot bit is one of my favourites too.

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    1. I like the Kroot sprue, both for the actual models, but also for all the cool low-tech accessories. A refreshing change when so much of 40k is much higher tech.

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  2. Damn so nice conversions here! You continu to illuminate my hobby world with your clever creations :)
    Models with dress from Jess Goodwin range seems to fit perfectly to your concept. I suppose Skaven 3rd ed models should work, as well. Who said Jezzail... :)

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    1. Thanks Nico! It's not coincidence that most of those concepts are based on Jes Goodwin models - he definitely led the way when it comes to cool robe-wearing figures.

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  3. They work very well. The conversions are very well done: I would never have guessed the original models. You seem to plan conversions much like me, except you're a lot more organised in your planning!

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    1. Thanks Toby. I do quite a lot of planning for projects that need multiple repeatable elements, or need to match an existing aesthetic. It's nice sometimes to be a bit more impulsive every so often though!

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  4. Oh, this is so tempting to steal for more weird factions in my desert setting. One of the best 'spindle drone as head' conversion sets yet!

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    1. I reckon they would be perfect inhabitants to a large number of arid zones across known space ;)

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  5. They are awesome, it's a perfect use of both bodies and alien. Very inspiring.

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    1. Thanks very much! The outside heads do a fantastic job in kicking them firmly into an unsettling alien aesthetic I think.

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  6. These are my favorites of yours this year as well....Seamless as ever dawg! Really looking forward to the one of the magos holding the rifle in his left hand. Do you plan to do all the ideas shown above?

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    1. Thanks Grover! I reckon I'll get through about 6-8 of these. The magus is a definite as I've started the conversion, and I do have a plan for the palanquin rider. If I end up with half a dozen warriors and a character or two, I'll be happy!

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  7. I had never thought of using these bits. The heads work much better than I could have expected. They look really interesting and the whole thing asks for a full warband now!!

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    1. Thanks Suber. I'll get started on the warband as soon as possible!

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  8. Best combination of old and new to create something unique even if it gets inspired from other places.

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    1. Thanks JB! I guess we all take influences from all over the place to make our hobby stuff :)

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  9. Excellent ! Do you mind sharing the name of your provider of riffles?

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    1. Hi Jaeckel, the rifles are Ottoman jezails by Trent Miniatures. I bought them from ebay, but they are stocked by North Star: https://www.northstarfigures.com/prod.php?prod=14279

      There is a variety of designs; the largest is a pretty good match for the Warhammer jezzails, if a little shorter.

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  10. Absolutely love the red, ivory and blue combo. Nicely done.

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    1. Thanks very much! I'm very fond of that colour scheme myself!

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