Kickbutt Kitbashing

Kicker brings us his very cool conversions and how he made them!

So a bit of an introduction.

I am a huge fan of miniature games, but really got into GW games (specifically 40K) when I discovered just how flexible the minis were and leant themselves to total customization! I am the kind of guy who just has to always be a special snowflake and have everything unique and personalized…. this extends way beyond the plastic crack that we call our “hobby”: my gym shoes were embroidered with my own little motivational saying, my 4×4 van is sporting a unique wrap and decals, and I designed my own house out of 7 shipping containers stacked three stories tall complete with a dedicated 40 ft container that is my hobby space overlooking the Mississippi River. Hell, I would bejewel my 10 pound pup if that was possible! So when it comes to 40K I sort of have some unexplainable compulsion to make sure each army is as uniquely mine as possible.

While I have not gotten much better at the tactical side of the game over the years of being a 40K fanboy (I will leave the tactics articles up to Reece and the other masterminds at FLG), I have picked up more and more hobby hacks that make kitbashing and army customization not only possibly, but faster and way better looking…with minimal effort*. 

Lets jump right in.

First, we need to define our term: Kitbashing. According to the Oxford English Dictionary**, Kitbashing is described as taking two or more sets of miniature models and combining them into a single new miniature model for matched and/or narrative play.  This definition leads us into the first conundrum…Kitbashing can be costly. Taking two models and turning them into one will often times double the $$$ amount spent on that single unit/model***. Of course you may have leftover bits from one set to use on another, but often times for the perfect kitbash to be pulled off as you imagined, you are forced to use bits that you simply don’t have any extras of lying around. We all know of the severe lack of special weapons on any given spruce or how just few Beakie SM helmets come with a tac squad.  

So my first trick is to constantly make a mental note of any truly valuable  bits that I did not use on the model they were originally intended for. Most likely you forgot about that awesome medic backpack on the Cadian Command Squad sprue, or how that unused Big Choppa from the Nobz spruce would work great for a Khorn Character! It sounds obvious, but few people put aside (either physically or mentally) those prime bits that are just waiting to be bashed.

So following along with the above, we then get to a real kickass kitbashing hack: finding models that are 99% ready to be entirely repurposed. Everyone is likely guilty of having at least a model or two that has been totally neglected once that box set you paid a pretty penny for was first opened. Despite being super stoked when I first purchased it, I still have half the Black Stone Fortress minis totally untouched. And then there are kits that literally come with “bonus” minis! For example, much of the AoS box sets have rider options for the larger war beasts that can be swapped out, leaving you with an entirely unused and super characterful mini that can be based and turned into an ideal HQ option. There are crewmen from tanks and aircraft that never see the light of day, yet can look amazing on the table next to regular infantry. And plenty of xenos sets have all the pieces to make entirely new models minus a single head or weapon options. Then by using these, you are suddenly not spending $35-$40 for a new base-model to kitbash on.

Even if the base mode is not from your original army, it still can find use  by the imaginative kitbasher. In fact, taking something totally from another army of even game system (AoS to 40K), can lerad to the best results and truly make your army special. Many models are just lying in wait, and can easily be added to your army and with a few minor bits bolted on and possibly a creative backstory. Not only is this cheap…but damn they can add crazy amounts of personality to your special-snow-flake of an army. 

What have you kitbashed? Do you have any tips/tricks or kickass kitbashed projects  you want to share? If so email: XYZ

*Because I am a lazy sack of poop and less effort is always the best effort

**Ok the OED does not yet have an official listing for “Kitbashing” but I assure you I am already diligently contacting Management to ensure this is corrected immediately. 

***Math: 2 units to make one unit means twice as much of your hobby dollars spent on a single unit, meaning your hobby might soon require a mortgage to be taken out. 

And remember, Frontline Gaming sells gaming products at a discount, every day in their webcart!