# 'Mega-knarloc'



## Tankworks (Jul 20, 2008)

This is the effort to date on this 'mega' project that I am working on for one of the guys that plays Kroot. It is a too obvious conversion from a dinosaur but the prospective user likes them. The stats are not finalized yet but it will be fairly powerful, sort of a Krooty tank with special home-brewed rules to keep things in balance. The head is my first go round with green-stuff and some milliput added later. I am happy with the result but there is a learning curve. I have 'lumped-up' the beast's hide in some places and have to add a few more pin feathers.
























The crew are detachable, the 'goad' just sits astride the beasts neck and the gunner and auto-cannon are one unit held by the cannon mount. The 'rifleman' has a magnetized base. Theorecticaly they would become infantry if the beast were killed.


----------



## wombat_tree (Nov 30, 2008)

Wow thats really cool! +rep
However the chainmail doesnt look very tau-like.


----------



## Tankworks (Jul 20, 2008)

wombat_tree said:


> Wow thats really cool! +rep
> However the chainmail doesnt look very tau-like.


Never thought of it like that, was just trying to add a bit what I thought might be Krooty type armour. Ah well, it is too late to change it so I will have to come up with some fluff to explain it. I was going to add some chains around the gun-platform al a Merkava turret, any thoughts on that?


----------



## Broken Sword (Jan 5, 2009)

Did you convert the beak or was it already like that? If you did, kudos for making it come together so well.


----------



## Tankworks (Jul 20, 2008)

Tankworks said:


> Never thought of it like that, was just trying to add a bit what I thought might be Krooty type armour. Ah well, it is too late to change it so I will have to come up with some fluff to explain it. I was going to add some chains around the gun-platform al a Merkava turret, any thoughts on that?


I consulted my resident expert on all things Kroot and the verdict is that the chain-mail is OK.



Broken Sword said:


> Did you convert the beak or was it already like that? If you did, kudos for making it come together so well.


Thankyou, yes, the eyes are as moulded, I modeled the beak and added more musclature and knobbly bits and the 'feathered top-knot'. The tail has been shortened and some more spikey bits to be added. I spent a bit of time today making some chain armour for the platform and painting the base. I may add some SM bits for armour depending on what turns up in the parts box.


----------



## A1i3nz (Apr 1, 2009)

Love the conversion!!! Looks very kroot like and well configured. Just one question though. What type of gun is it firing? And what are its stats? i might want to make one further down the road.


----------



## Death 0F Angels (Feb 27, 2008)

id add some mass on the underbelly and the neck. Slant the eyes instesad of that big round glaring thing. Cut off the wing looking things on the arms. 2 things are a must imo though. First, need to add the kroot dreads to the head , second cut the "thumb" on the foot so that it lays flat on the ground. A lot of potentail there and a great job so far. I like how you build the mounting on the back.


----------



## Tankworks (Jul 20, 2008)

I hung some chain-armour a la Merkava and smeared a bit of paint around.
















Answered some questions personally rather than eat up a lot of space here.


----------



## Jacobite (Jan 26, 2007)

Brilllaint work on hte head, its great! I think the biggest thing that makes it look dio-like is the feathers on the arms and the round scales, if you were to maybe make them shorter of elss obvious it would bring the whole level of hte conversion up drastically, don't get me wrong the conversion is great as it is, the gun platform is very good its just those small details which give it away.


----------



## Tankworks (Jul 20, 2008)

Jacobite, I added the knobby scales to the model but the consenses seems to be that the arm feathers have got to go, and they will, as soon as I come up with something more suitable.(maybe more greenstuff beef!)


----------



## Tankworks (Jul 20, 2008)

For those interested, a couple of close-ups of the head.
















Game tomorrow, sack time!


----------



## Tankworks (Jul 20, 2008)

A shot of the 'improved' Knarloc! I have trimmed the feathers on the forelegs and added some muscle. I am thinking some padding or armour above the wrists.


----------



## Tankworks (Jul 20, 2008)

update pics...


----------



## Tigirus (Apr 13, 2008)

pretty cool for something that started off as a plastic velociraptor (the toe was a dead give away)

on a side note, did you make that chainmail by hand? if so, that's incredible because I had major problems with real life sized mail.

EDIT:
you might want to add another strap on the front of the platform as I can see recoil ripping that gun off.


----------



## humakt (Jan 2, 2008)

The head is awesome. I keep looking at the images of the platform and thinking what a wild ride that would be in the heat of a fight.


----------



## Tankworks (Jul 20, 2008)

Tigirus said:


> pretty cool for something that started off as a plastic velociraptor (the toe was a dead give away)
> 
> on a side note, did you make that chainmail by hand? if so, that's incredible because I had major problems with real life sized mail.
> 
> ...


OK boys and girls, chain-mail 101. I have included some pics which I hope will illustrate the process.
Start by putting some rings on a length of rod or wire doubled so that the rings cannot flip over 'cause if one ring flips over it screws up the process. Each row of rings has to lay the same way, alternating with each successive row.









The first three rows are critical, they should lay flat:








When properly done, each 'center' ring will have four others looping through it.
After the first three rows are done it becomes a simple process, repeated over and over and over to the point of mind numbing tedium!








The mail looks best when the size of the material in relation to the diameter of the ring leaves as small a gap as possible (I could have used a smaller diameter ring on this model but I cheated by buying ready made rings from the local bead shop and the smaller rings were made out of material too thick to allow for joining).








I made the rings for the Ork, they are much smaller. Mail is not something that I would want to do for an army but it lends that bit of something different for the odd beasty.
The fighting-platform is or will be anchored across the chest and under the rib-cage also the auto-cannon has the Tau modified recoil system which is so good that the cannon could be fired from the shoulder were it not so heavy!


----------



## Tankworks (Jul 20, 2008)

humakt said:


> The head is awesome. I keep looking at the images of the platform and thinking what a wild ride that would be in the heat of a fight.


Thankyou, the 'research' that I have done seems to indicate that the Kroot use a minimum of saddlery and appear to like to hold on with their talloned feet! The proposed rules take into account the problems that may arise when shooting or trying to keep the beast under control.


----------



## Tankworks (Jul 20, 2008)

More stuff added; a couple of SM shoulder-guards strapped to the head to act as blinkers (it may not be a good thing for the beast to see what is going on behind it!) and some armour. Some 'armour' added to the fore-legs and some chain to anchor the platform.
























It is about time now to get the beastie's support platoon ready or at least put together and primed before next Friday.


----------



## The Wraithlord (Jan 1, 2007)

This is quite the cool concept and is turning out very well. I look forward to seeing the full product.


----------



## Tankworks (Jul 20, 2008)

A corpse for the base.


----------



## Tankworks (Jul 20, 2008)

Corpse on the base, did this instead of starting on a platoon of Kroot infantry!


----------



## Kitsunex (Mar 8, 2009)

haha I LOVE the corpse. i like how you put a skull where the head would be instead of just have a battle damaged helmet.
bonus points because its a lame Ultramarine.


----------



## Tankworks (Jul 20, 2008)

Yes, Ultramarine, EVERYBODY's favourite!


----------



## Tankworks (Jul 20, 2008)

The beast in battle, just before being pasted by a broodlord, did not see the SOB in the pile of bugs!


----------



## Tankworks (Jul 20, 2008)

Well I finally got to work on some Kroot 'infantry' to shepherd the beast!
First up, 'storm trooper':
















next, 'grunts':


----------



## Tankworks (Jul 20, 2008)

more 'grunts':


----------



## Tankworks (Jul 20, 2008)

more:
















heavy support:


----------



## Tankworks (Jul 20, 2008)

Rear echelon:








































Working on a shaper but still WIP.


----------



## Blueberrypop (Apr 27, 2010)

I'm guessing this is the chapter approved kroot army?


----------



## Tankworks (Jul 20, 2008)

It is 'My Approved' Kroot army!


----------



## Blueberrypop (Apr 27, 2010)

That works too. I love to see fellow kroot players


----------



## shaantitus (Aug 3, 2009)

Awesome, all of it. The monster knarloc is great work. It takes considerable effort to convert a model like that to fit in and you have done it well. Nice work.


----------



## Tankworks (Jul 20, 2008)

Thanks for the comp. The 'army' will be a while in the making but I hope to tag on to a game Friday and get some play time in.


----------



## Tankworks (Jul 20, 2008)

What will be the Shaper and another grunt:


----------



## edd_thereaper (Oct 21, 2008)

Nice work on the big beasty, and I love the way you have converted the kroot foot soldiers, it gives them so much more character

cheers

edd


----------



## ownzu (Jul 11, 2010)

Kitsunex said:


> haha I LOVE the corpse. i like how you put a skull where the head would be instead of just have a battle damaged helmet.
> bonus points because its a lame Ultramarine.


hmph,ultras own


----------



## morfangdakka (Dec 31, 2006)

Love the foot troops lots of character. keep them coming I like the one that stepped in something. EWWWWW. awesome.


----------



## Tankworks (Jul 20, 2008)

OK Kroot fans, the latest, eating on the run:
























and thankyou for the kind words.


----------



## Tankworks (Jul 20, 2008)

A weapon upgrade on the Shaper and another WIP grunt, reloading:


----------



## OIIIIIIO (Dec 16, 2009)

Fantastic work ... I can't wait to see some of this kroot stuff painted. Loved the "Drive-thru" guy ... I actually chuckled at that one. Good Work. Keep it up.


----------



## Tankworks (Jul 20, 2008)

Talthewicked said:


> Fantastic work ... I can't wait to see some of this kroot stuff painted. Loved the "Drive-thru" guy ... I actually chuckled at that one. Good Work. Keep it up.


I have to fess-up, a friend came up with the idea of munching on something so I took the idea and 'ran' with it!


----------



## Tankworks (Jul 20, 2008)

A couple more grunts done. The box is now empty and I am attempting to scrounge more kroot without getting a new box! Got some primer on most of them.


----------



## xenobiotic (Jun 7, 2008)

I'm impressed by how these, what appears to be, slight changes and kitbashing you make gives the kroot life and adds loads of character to each miniature. For this, you shall have +rep! :wink:


----------



## Tankworks (Jul 20, 2008)

Began the painting process, so far...


----------



## Phenious (Jun 10, 2009)

Wowie! They are some impressive Kroot! That one looks a little more like orc then kroot with his weapon there. But still, I like it.


----------



## Tankworks (Jul 20, 2008)

Phenious said:


> Wowie! They are some impressive Kroot! That one looks a little more like orc then kroot with his weapon there. But still, I like it.


Yeah, I took a bit of artistic license there! Not sure how it will work out in a game but we just play for fun and have no problem accomidating wierd stuff.


----------



## Tankworks (Jul 20, 2008)

Pretty much painted, the odd detail and basing yet to be done (and how many left to do?!)


----------



## Tankworks (Jul 20, 2008)

Got back to working on the Kroot. First, decided to re-work the Knarloc and got a few Kroot painted.


----------



## Tankworks (Jul 20, 2008)

Three down and a bunch to go!


----------



## Maligant (Mar 27, 2011)

These are some fantastic Kroot - like Xenobiotic said, I love how just simple tweeks and just adding random things really makes them stand out.


----------

