To explore strange new worlds... Or: Expanding my Rogue Trader's warband

[Kaled]

Just a very quick update to show progress from this week while my Photobucket was dead.

As you can see I've added the cable to the Captain's hellpistol leading to a power pack on her belt and I've attached her head.  The main jobs left on her are to build a new scabbard for her sword and to attach it and her neural whip to her belt.  I also realise I've forgotten to add her shield generator to her left arm - something I meant to do before attaching her arm...

I've added quite a bit of detail to the Explorator's torso - the cabling to his chest and packs etc to his belt.  I still haven't built his right arm, axe or mechadendrites though.

Finally, I assembled the ship's cat - to show that he's mechanical he now has one eye popping out of it's socket, some cables and springs poking out his back and a few patches where he's been repaired in the past.

Any and all comments are welcome.

- Dave

[Hadriel Caine]

The cat looks like a nightmare. In a good way.

Looking forward to seeing these progress even further. Nice crisp detailing so far. As to the shield generator I can relate to forgetting to stick to a plan when assembling minis!

[Kaled]

The Explorator may not have an arm yet, but he does have an axe - and mechadendrites.

Also, I've now made the blood sacrifice, a necessary step in building any good model - a drill bit snapped and I drilled a pretty deep hole in my finger tip.   

- Dave

[DapperAnarchist]

What gauge of wire is that? I may go get myself some...

Hope the finger's ok! Blood for the Hobby Gods!

[Heroka Vendile]

nice use of the FW technical drone part. the group is coming along really well, although I'm yet to be convinced about that cat...

[Kaled]

What gauge of wire is that? I may go get myself some...

Apparently it's an A string from a bass guitar.  I bought a set of cheap bass guitar strings off eBay - very useful.

[Stormgrad]

Dave i love your work my one niggle is that the explorator is a very big model but from the pictures does not really have much of a stomach and i just expect him to have abit more of a paunch would it be possible to have a side on shot.  I do however love the axe it looks rather brutal.

[kierkegaard]

Awesome axe. Where is the hand from?

I really like the mechadendrites too.

[Kaled]

So, they're basically finished - not sure when I'll start painting, but I'll share pics when I do.  The Captain now has a shield generator and I've attached her neural whip and the new scabbard to her waist.  About the only change to the Explorator is his right arm which I'm not entirely happy with but I think it'll be okay once it's painted.

Awesome axe. Where is the hand from?

Which one?  The right hand is from Sgt Stone, the left is a set of antennas from a BFG Cruiser stuck together and bent a little to look like fingers and a thumb.

my one niggle is that the explorator is a very big model but from the pictures does not really have much of a stomach and i just expect him to have abit more of a paunch would it be possible to have a side on shot.

A side on shot wouldn't show you much - between his cloak and the gubbins on his belt etc you can't really see his stomach.  He doesn't have a paunch, and deliberately not because I didn't want him to resemble the Crime Lord.  He is pretty broad and fairly short, and I figure he has equipment strapped to his back adding to his bulk.  Still, he's not exactly my best sculpting - I found it very difficult to sculpt a body that would fill out the Crime Lord's cloak.

[Myriad]

Looking good.  the explorator is a slightly odd shape, but then he's so augmented that this isn't so much of an issue.  Like how the left arm's come together.

The captain certainly strikes a dashing pose in the finest naval tradition.

[kierkegaard]

I think that the explorator's right arm looks great - I really like the segmented armour you have used on the (presumably) organic limbs.

I also really like the captain (you're right, we need more hatted characters. That use of the Bodyguard's sword is great. Where did the rest of the scabbard come from?

[Adlan]

I'm seriously loving the Captain and her hat, wonderful model. Feels almost edge chronicles, sky piratey.

[Kaled]

Where did the rest of the scabbard come from?

It's just a length of 2mm thick plasticard filed to shape and wrapped with three strips of thin plasticard. The eagle is there to suggest she spent some time in the Imperial Navy before joining the Rogue Trader's ship.

It's well worth buying a sheet of 2mm plasticard as it's perfect for making weapons - it's what I used for the Explorator's axe blade.

[judge-minos]

As usual you came out with such great models.
I love the hat on the captain, I am making a female rogue trader as well and I got stuck on her hair witch I wanted to do like the female captain on the Rogue Trader RPG book.
You might have changed my mind, now I have to decide if I wanna buy them or sculpt it myself 

[RobSkib]

Cracking stuff as usual Dave! I'll echo all the comments about the Captain, she's full of character and I can't wait to see her painted. I like the explorator too, although I'm not sold on his axe. Have you tried making the teeth of the axe cog-shaped rather than jagged?

I'm also very interested to see what you do with the ship's cat..