I love adding exotic outliers into a project. Usually these end up being little imp like companions who ape the costume and trappings of their crew, but in the case of my squat pirates, I decided to go bigger rather than smaller. After all, a nasty crew of beard-wearing space corsairs would probably welcome a larger, nastier beard-wearer. Especially one with a feather in his hat!
I had picked up the model second-hand for about £2 several years ago, and it had been sat in a box waiting for the right project. I had actually looked at and discounted a number of Citadel ogryn models and other space ogres before I remembered the Khanate Warlord. The model had the right mix of size, lankiness and aesthetic that would let him fit nicely in amongst the squat pirates.
The conversion was very basic. I removed the integral base, replaced the head with one from a Citadel ogre maneater, and trimmed down the gun barrel.
As for painting, I simply replicated the colour palette I've already used on the squats. I particularly like the orange stripe on the gun casing (used on a couple of the squat's weapons) and his flamboyant feather.
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| I had a bit of fun painting the gruesome severed head trophies! |
The feather is loosely based on macaw tail feathers (which are obviously a completely different shape, but I liked some of the colour combinations).
All in all, I think he's a useful addition to the crew, both by balancing their short stature and in order to terrorise those cargo-lugger captains into surrendering without a fight!
Sweet, as always - makes a change from Orgryns.
ReplyDeleteThanks! Much as I like ogryns, they're just a little bit too muscular and/or militaristic for what I wanted. I think this guy has the right mix of equipment and stature to make him work nicely.
Deletelove it! amazing use of the Alternative armies figures...which you know I'm a big fan off. Excellent work
ReplyDeleteThanks Blue! I keep picking up the odd AA figure every now and then. They're fun and pretty compatible with earlier Citadel stuff in terms of sculpting style too.
DeleteVery nice take on a pirate ogryn! That plasma looking weapon looks comfortable in his grip, yet another reason to surrender once boarded by these scourge of the space lanes.
ReplyDeleteCheers Dai! I think surrendering is the better option :)
DeleteThat simple headswap works perfectly. I love this little gang you're putting together!
ReplyDeleteThanks very much! Really enjoying making them :)
DeleteLooks fantastic!
ReplyDeleteThanks Hobbs!
DeleteThe head swap works very well: it took me a while to figure out what the original miniature was. I like the colours you've used. They tie the squad together but don't make them too regimented. They're looking like a cool little team.
ReplyDeleteThanks Toby! Colour variation is important in an exotic group of individuals like pirates I think, but saying that I really do want to tie them together visually. I'm using a few more colours than I might do usually, and a bit more variation in terms of placement and patterning, but I think it's working!
DeleteLooks amazing. And it might be simple but it's certainly very effective. Excellent work and paint 👏
ReplyDeleteThanks Clam! Glad you like him :)
DeleteI simply can't believe you made this work. As usual, it is your vision of the future result what strikes me and how you manage to select the very precise bits that will eventually become such gorgeous characters. Fantastic.
ReplyDeleteThanks Suber! It wasn't quite the simple instinctive part selection that it might seem though - it took a bit of thinking to settle on something other than an ogryn body!
DeleteI didn't realise that you had used the maneater head, although it is obvious in retrospect.
ReplyDeleteThat body plus that head plays with both sci-fi and pirate tropes so well on its own, but when you stick the guy in with the squat pirates it really kicks it up a notch.
One of my favourite projects from you for a while Axiom, great work.
The head was another nice piece of serendipity. It popped up for a few quid on Ebay as I was working on the first set of squat pirates. I'd never have bought the whole ogre, but the had was perfect! Glad you like the crew :)
DeleteGreat stuff!
ReplyDeleteThanks Kym!
DeleteWonderful!
ReplyDeleteThanks Mouse!
DeleteNicely done indeed ... and when enemies laugh at his feather-in-a-cap they will likely be shot in mid-guffaw :)
ReplyDeleteThanks very much! I would even dare laugh at his feather ;)
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