Help With Kitbashing

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Calmdown
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Help With Kitbashing

Post by Calmdown »

Hi All

I'm not a WHFB player but I've had my eye on Wood Elf models for a long time, and I recently started playing a new game which has given me a reason to buy them. I'm intending to buy a few boxes of Wood Elves (possibly some DE/HE boxes too, if you think that's a good idea, thugh I'd like to stay on WE theme) and kitbash up the models I want. However, having never seen most of these sprues much less tried to use them, I don't know what's really compatible and what isn't so I was hoping that if I tell you what I want to achieve, you can tell me how best you think I can achieve it using all/mostly GW plastic kits. The setting is a snowy, frozen ancient city though, so WE models that are standing on trees/roots/branches aren't great.

(I am likely going to buy some Reaper and vintage models too, but for the purposes of this post, assume I want to kitbash everything!)

In the game I'm playing (Frostgrave), the type of model is defined by its weaponry and armour although it doesn't have to be true WYSIWYG as long as it's on-theme. I want to make up multiples the following models:

"Wizard": The main character and anything Wizardly will do. The WE casters are all a bit too much "flying/floating on branches" for me though so I'll probably look to Reaper here.
"Wizard's Apprentice": Same as above.

"Thug": hand weapon + no armour (or at least, cloak-y enough to pretend it's not armour, WIldwood Rangers would be fine if they had 1 handers for example)
"Infantryman": 2h weapon + no armour (probably use straight Wildwood Rangers for this)
"Man At Arms": 1h weapon + shield + leather armour (maybe Eternal Guard for this; do they look like they're wearing mail or leather do you think?)
"Archer": bow + dagger + leather armour (probably use straight Glade Guard for this)
"Crossbowman": xbow + dagger + leather armour (I'll just buy Dark Elves for this I think)
"Templar": 2h weapon + mail armour (not sure what to use here short of buying Phoenix Guard or Black Guard)
"Knight": 1h weapon + shield + mail armour (Eternal Guard if they arent used as Infantrymen; if they are, maybe something heavier here from DE/HE ranges, or possibly Araloth or other characters)
"Barbarian" 2h weapon, no armour (might just use Wardancers)
"Treasure Hunter": 1h + dagger + leather armour (I think the Wildwood ranger sergeant is fine since he has two hand weapons, but running multiple of these would be multiple boxes and so expensive. Any suggestions?)
"Ranger": Bow + sword + leather armour (probably Waywatchers, but they're standing on tree roots which I don't like for the setting, so open to suggestions here)


Your thoughts on how best to accomplish this, which models would be suitable, and any awesome kitbashes that are worth attempting (for example - how to get guys with 1h weapon and a free arm to represent thug models since most WE, HE and DE seem to use either a 2h or 1h+shield!) would be very much appreciated. As would any inspirational kitbash pics!

Thanks!
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Hyarion
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Re: Help With Kitbashing

Post by Hyarion »

I love kitbashing.

All the elven models are pretty compatible in terms of parts, the only thing to look out for is that the 3 elven types have different armor styles so you have to be a bit choosy about what bits go where so it doesn't look too squirrelly.

So here are my suggestions for GW models that will work for you, you may need to do some sleuthing or some Ebay since GW has changed their store stock since Age of Sigmar came out. Reaper has some great figures, but I don't know their library as well so that's why I'm not including links to them.

As I think about your list, the problem seems to be that all these archetypes use daggers. Depending on what your definition of dagger is, and if you want it in hand or in a sheath, you might have some problems because GW Models are done to what is known as "Heroic Scale" which means (among other things) that weapons tend to be emphasized so while the Glade Guard sprue does include some dagger bits you can glue on, it's hard to find a model that doesn't have a huge sword in a hand.

Good luck.
  • Wizard: Reaper will be great, also be sure to check out the DE Sorceress or Mordheim mage or HE Mage
  • Wizard apprentice: see above
  • Thug - Glade Guard will be great here for you, the sprue includes sword arms and they can be easily painted to not look like they are wearing armor. You'll need to remove the quiver from the cloak though. The same goes for Waywatchers.
  • Infantryman - Some wardancers are modeled with a two handed weapon, they certainly aren't wearing armor. But they aren't available in plastics.
  • Man at Arms - The eternal guard champion will have some bits of scale armor but can be painted to have mostly leather.
  • Archer Glade Guard would be your best bet.
  • Crossbowman - DE Corsair or Shades
  • Templar - A HE White Lion could do the job.
  • Knight - Lothern Seaguard could work here too.
  • Barbarian - Sounds the same as the Infantryman?
  • Treasure Hunter - Maybe a DE Assassin?
  • Ranger - There are some WW poses that aren't standing on tree roots, but might have some grass underfoot which doesn't seem out of place for an overgrown city.
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Calmdown
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Re: Help With Kitbashing

Post by Calmdown »

Thanks for that indepth response! Are the quivers fixed to the cloaks of the GG and/or easily removable? My modelling skills to repair damage left to the cloak if the quiver is well moulded on may not be up to snuff. Also, are there arms with the Glade Guard that would be an "empty" hand to go with their sword-arms, or are you thinking of cutting away bows?

Ah yes, you are right Barbarian and Infantryman are the same actually. I think Wardancers fit the barbarian vibe better, I'll find something else to use for Infantrymen.

The dagger problem is the main one I've noticed, but to be honest anything dual-wielding hand weapons would be fine (such as the Wildwood Ranger champion). Maybe also GG with their bows shaved down into a dagger I guess, too.

I'm a little reticent to order Waywatchers from GW online since they give you random ones. I guess I could call and ask for specific ones.

Anymore ideas from others would be very much appreciated too!

Thanks!
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henrypmiller
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Re: Help With Kitbashing

Post by henrypmiller »

By the sounds of it you will be fine with a Wildwood Ranger box and a Glade Guard box.

You get some 2 handed weapons with only one hand on the weapon with the WWR box and enough weapon options for many different "load outs" from a mixture of the two.

As for the wizard the dark elf sorceress is pretty good (im not an expert in reaper miniatures) and not so "floaty." you can probably d a decent kitbash because she is plastic.

The more heavily armoured models are probably harder unless you are good with green stuff. You can probably distinguish them with the etenal guard helmets and cloak heads. Most of the woodelf kits are quite compatible though.

I really like the black guard models but I have never used them.
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Re: Help With Kitbashing

Post by Nicholas Nitro »

If you buy from all 3 elf ranges you'll be able to come up with some really unique wood-elves. I wouldn't worry about the way-watchers standing on roots, you can make up your bases to look like whatever you want by removing anything you don't. I made my favorite Glade-Guard by kit-bashing with 2-3 witch-elf boxes. It can be done.
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Re: Help With Kitbashing

Post by Baardah »

I'd go for the following:

Wizard: mix the high elf wizard kit with wood elf bits. The floating rocks etc. from that kit is optional.

The dark elf sorceress is also great and doesn't need converting to pass as a wood elf.

Then the glade guard kit is very versatile for both thugs, archers and even infantrymen.

The eternal guard kit mixed with the shadow warrior kit from the high elf range can then combine to make the rest. The bits are highly compatible. A corsair box for additional variety and crossbows will have you covered.

I have combined the eternal guard body's with shadow warrior weapons to make Rangers/way watchers
The same body's with corsair bits and executioner blades to make shades. And I've combined them with black guard halberds and Phoenix guard bits to make models to count as both Phoenix and black guard in a combined eternity king list.

Also the eternal guard body's can be both armored or clothed dependent on how you paint them. For the waywatchers I painted the scale mail to look like leaves and the breastplate to look like leather. For the eternal guard I painted them and gold armour.
Remember that a paintjob can hugely convert a model all by itself.

Good luck converting
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