Van Diemen's World Devils: Transport Build Complete

Hi folks,

I was in my man-cave last night, scheming again, when a box of models under my painting desk caught my eye. It contained all of the units for an unpainted Ork army, that my friend Jimmy left after a game many years ago. I was marveling at one of the beaten up Battlewagons when I had a stupid idea... what would it look like if an Imperial Guard unit got some pay-back and looted an Ork vehicle? What changes would they make?

After asking Jimmy permission to commence tinkering, this is the pile of junk I started off with (sorry Jimmy, even the best Ork Battlewagon is a pile of junk), Apple laptop included:

I had a whole bunch of vehicle sprues to work with, including one from a Shadowsword super-heavy tank. I also had the wheel and suspension kit that I previously ordered from Victoria miniatures. The first step was to cut all the pieces that I needed off the sprues and do some important clean-up work on the wagon. This included removing about 40 rivets, filing random armour sections flat and widening the back door and fire-points. I also removed some Ork glyphs and flattened the front grill, as it was way too Orky. The exhaust pipe also had to go, it screamed Ork. Ditto the tyres; "if you have money to spend on your car, spend it on the tyres first."

Once that was done I start the construction phase. I added a new front armour plate using half a Landraider door with a dirty great winged skull on it and some scroll work, primarily because it looked a bit like a mustache. I added some lamps and searchlights, as well as a twin-linked heavy bolter mount from a Razorback. The exhaust was replaced with a chopped version of the lascannon from the Fortress of Redemption kit. This gave it a bit of a steam-punk look, like the Warhammer Fantasy Imperial war machines. 

Colonel Clancy himself was made from a Stormsword crew member with a Van Diemen's World Devils resin head. I also added an open hatch cover, vox antennae and microwave transmission disc.

I closed off the driver's compartment with an internal Rhino door and added a computer console and stowed boltgun. Each open door in the drivers compartment got a heavy bolter implacement. I also added some extra armour pieces from the Shadowsword kit with more pintle mounted heavy bolters for good measure. I placed an ammo stockpile in the middle of the transport compartment, so that it can truly act as a defensible fire-point and closed the back entrance off with a second Landraider door.

I had to do quite a bit of work on the wheels to get them to fit, so at the moment I need to wait for some greenstuff to cure before I attach them properly. Some blu-tac gives you the idea though.

Now all I have to do is paint it...

See you across the table,

M4cr0