Rogal dorn

 It's been a while since the Rogal Dorn tank was released and for a long time I wasn't bothered about getting one. However, with the 10th edition codex release and the new Rogal Dorn Tank commander, my option changed. To me, it seemed silly to have aLeman Russ commander ordering Dorns around. However, having the bigger Dorn ordering around the smaller Russ's makes far more sense, so I finally have my Dorn commander. 

There are two main things to note on this Dorn, the first being the magnets visible on the turret above. Not only is the main gun magnetised but also the hull gun. I didn't bother with the sponsors as they hold themselves in quite well. The main gun was quite easy to magnetise, the hull gun was another story. It wasn't so much the hull mount but the guns, as the magnet needs to be dropped down inside the hole on the back of the guns, and for the demolisher cannon this proved troublesome, as I managed to get the magnet round the wrong was on three separate attempts! The second thing to note is the head lights, instead of the stibbers or melta guns. 

This lead to the creation of a turret mounted stubber, placed at the rear, where the standing gunner would have been. With the cupola mounted stubber, that gives the three stubbers normally found on the Dorns. 

This stubber was kitbashed from a storm bolters, probably from a space marine vehicle, bits of a storm bolters from the Munitorum containers, namely the stand part, and the stubber barrels from the Dorn kit. This was then magnetised to enable me to pop it in and out of the turret. 

I actually really like this model and I still don't understand the whole issue (pun intended!) I don't see why people were so bothered. My Admech tank doesn't have a bottom and that's not a problem, I don't see it and I don't see the bottom of this either. If anything, it means I can store all the bits for the tank inside it when I pack it away, so that's a bonus as far as I'm concerned. 

The only negative thing I have to say about this tank, is that I might have to glue to main gun attachment in place, as currently it is to loose and just says pointing down when you fit the guns. No one likes droopy gums on tanks, it just looks silly. I have no idea what weapon options are best, but I do like the big gun, just looks like a proper tank. 

Skitarii reinforcements

Next on the build list were some skitarii reinforcements , mostly in the shape of rangers but with a couple of marshals thrown in as well. These have been a long time coming, and now means I can actually field two legal squads of Vanguards. This therefore means I can field the Questor Forgepact with a full compliment of Skitarii. The issue is still that I'm quite a few points short, but that can be filled with Imperial Agents. 

Anyway the actual models are pretty much as standard, including six standard Skitarii with Radium carbines. 

There are also two models with Arc Rifles, to compliment the two existing Plasma Caliver's already in the squads.  

Lastly we have the two new marshalls, one of which will be painted up as a Ranger and one a Vanguard, to joint the current Vanguard Marshall. 

 

As with the other Marshall, the pistols have been modified to make the standard pistols a little more fancy looking. 

Additionally, one of them has had his Alpha combat weapon modified to a control staff. 

It shows how long it's been since I even looked at the AdMech rules that I didn't realise that the different pistols and combat weapons that the all the same, gone are the days of radium pistols or arc pistols, there all just Mechanicum pistols now, same with the combat weapons. Anyway, the kitbashed Marshall weapons just add some extra character to the models, like they have been tinkering and upgrading themselves as they have fought across the years. 

Armageddon!!!

So it was a early start this morning, my boy woke me up early so we could head to town and pick up this;

We're going to be splitting the box, with him taking the Oro half and myself the marines, with the rest being shared between us.  

 As for when I get to build all this, well that's another question, given I still have two Hippogryph's to build and a whole load of models to paint! My boy on the other hand, well by the time this post goes live, I think he'll be well on the way to building his half, with a large chunk already built! 

Temu Taurox Upgrades

 A few weeks ago I showed my Temu Taurox's, with their dakka loadouts (Gatling cannon and volley guns), well while I was building some other models I had a thought. The turret ring on the Taurox is basically the same size as a 40mm base, and so I had a look around in the bits box and found a few parts that might be useful. 

First up, converting the prime back to a standard Taurox, with a couple of Auto cannons. 

This is simply two auto cannons mounted with some bits from the bits box and a spotlight from the Dorn kit. 

When dropped on to the top of the Taurox body it fits pretty well, giving the automated turret vibe. It might prove a little hairy for the poor soul who has to climb on top of the Taurox to change the magazines!

I do like how this one looks, and I think it fits with the rest of the vehicles aesthetics as well. Once painted up, hopefully it will blend in even more. 

While routing through the bits box, I came across a bunch of bits I had brought for my Wyvern project. These were actually Taurox prime missile launchers, although I doubled them up for this project as I think they look better this way. 

I added so extra little details to the base, just to try and hide it a little bit and also to add some character to the whole thing. 

Overall I really like both options, although I'm a little annoyed that one of the missile pods ended up drooping more than the other and it looks a bit lopsided, not enough to really stand out but enough to be annoying. 

This now means that I have some options for running the Taurox as either primes or standard models plus options for equipping one with missiles rather than guns. I will get around to spraying these up at some point and I've decided to go for the all black scheme for them, which not only makes things a bit easier but also means that they should be tabletop ready sooner.