How do you mkae a cheap mycentic spore?

[ninjacatz]

So I am a beginning tyranid player starting to build up to a 1500 point null deployment army. For the army I am going to need at least one mycentic spore so I was wondering if anyone knew of a cheap easy way to make one? I had found something on forge world that I thought I might be able to use but it just doesn't look quite right. Thanks
Cheers

[Calgar33]

You could go how GW did a while ago and use pink foam eggs, just cut them how you want and add Nid bits.

[isotope99]

Remember it doesn't have to be closed.

If you want to go really cheap get a monster or trygon base and build some remnants of the sides with triangles of plasticard textured with green stuff/ milliput etc. The genestealer plastic terrian pieces could go in the centre too.

If you want something more impressive, try an upside down venomthrope in the middle to represent the pod's tentacle weapons.

I've done a fairly crappy paint concept sketch to show what I mean:

http://www.lounge.belloflostsouls.net/photopost/data/579/m730040a_99060106062_TyranidVenomthrope_873x627.jp g

[The other guy]

I used

a blank CD as a base.
a Large polystyrene ball from a craft shop (ball's diameter is ruffly the same as the CD)

Cut the bottom off the ball so it fits onto the cd. (ruffly bottom 10%)
There is your basic spore

I PVA glued some flock to the ball in random lines to create the effect of vines/blood vessals
Coated it in a few rounds of PVA glue (to protect it from the next stage)
Sprayed it with chaos black.

finish with a cheap purple acrylic paint and highlight any interesting areas.

[MarneusCalgar]

Well, let´s see, this is a link to a spanish fellow´s blog, he made some this week also!!

http://hofferber-40k.blogspot.com/2011/05/cuando-el-diablo-no-tiene-que-hacer.html

Hope you can use a good translator!! It has 3 parts

[templarboy]

I used some paper mache eggs I found at Hobby Lobby. They are about the height of a drop pod. I didn't want my opponents complaining about LOS issues. I used spackle to seal them and putty to sculpt on some details. You could cut the egg to make an open spore as well. I really wish GW would stop making rules for models that they don't make.

[dannyat2460]

Ive always thought of a tennis ball with the felt ripped off and slit open and a few tenticals coming out maybe even having a genestealer crawling out of it, paint it put it on a base i was thinking dreadnought size and your done.

Or you can do what all the tyranid players did at my local GW go to the local pound shop and look in the toys area there were some really convincing alien pods (not egg shaped but more closed drop pod shaped and self standing) that they sprayed and painted and works really well

[imp]

I've seen some nice ones made from coconut shells

[MarneusCalgar]

I also found these other links to give you more ideas...

http://westgamer.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=12208

http://aguardsmansguidetoglory.blogspot.com/2011/02/delivering-hordes-mycetic-spore.html

[Lerra]

We had a guy show up to a tournament with a bunch of these glued to bases: http://www.fourmilab.ch/images/Romanesco/images/Scr1.jpg

Found in your local grocery store. He made a cast using Oogoo and filled it with plaster. Total cost was something like $20 for a dozen of them (he sold the extras to friends). They look pretty cool imo, and they're certainly easy enough.

[dwez]

He's where I got with mine, I'll pick it up again someday

http://40kaddict.blogspot.com/2011/05/nids-part-19-diy-mycetic-spore-pt1.html

[dwez]

I've actually got on with finishing off the Mycetic Spore for my son's nids. Small progress but here's the base:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fN60PFO3QrQ/TmJGqJiEmRI/AAAAAAAABG8/bJl80buE9QU/s1600/13150627955490.jpg

And here's the pod in situ:

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-crEdtubZ-20/TmJHBd7K1eI/AAAAAAAABHA/XJIU5SlHluo/s1600/13150635348760.jpg

Next up some Milliput chitinous armour plates on it's bottom to protect against painful entry, erm re-entry

DiY Mycetic Spore (http://40kaddict.blogspot.com/2011/09/more-weekend-progress-nids-part-24-diy.html)

[Drunkencorgimaster]

Simply fly to South Padre Island in March. Book a hotel and hang out with all the rowdy college kids. Take a tour bus to Montemoros and get really drunk on the cheap booze. Wake up in a Mexican prison. Try bribing your way out or have a note smuggled to your nation's consulate in exchange for a bogus promise to help sneak your cellmate into the USA. After you get freed, go back to your hotel. On the last day of your trip, wander down to the beach and gather up several dead jellyfish or Portuguese Man-O-Wars on the beach. Put them in a cooler full of dry ice. When you get home, keep them in the freezer until you play a game. Use as spores.

See? Easy.

[dwez]

So that's what Finecast is made from, although I don't recall there being Broodlord shaped Jellyfish but it'd explain the reduction of GW's operating costs.

[OdinStormfist]

I made mine from some green PVC 3in drain cap, Super sculpey (for the pedals), a small water bottle, expandable foam, gorilla glue and some green stuff.

I took a water bottle and glued (with gorilla glue it up inside the drain cap. I then cut the bottle off flush with the bottom edge of the drain cap. I injected expandable foam in the gap between the cap and the bottle, a bead of it around the base, and a dollop on top, I then let it set. Sculpted the pedals and baked them. I then cut away the spots to glue the pedals in place. Being liberal with the gorilla glue and spraying it with water to activate it. In retrospect I should have glued the pedals then injected the foam. Then I took wire, green stuff, and bits to make the ripper tentacles. More green stuff and bits for the weapons. then painted it.

Here is a pic unpainted and not finished:
http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc449/OdinStormfist/Tyranids/Nids021.jpg

Now painted:
http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc449/OdinStormfist/Tyranids/Nids028.jpg

Keep in mind, some people think this might be big, the foot print is about the size of a land raider in actual size, but it's supposed to carry, safely one Monstrous Creature or 20 regular sized ones in addition to itself being a monstrous creature.

I was trying to go for a look that it hit's the ground, the protective bio foam expands and bursts the spore open after impact.

[dwez]

I think that's the most unique take on it I've seen so far and if it doesn't work out you could always eat it ;) Though I believe blancmange is the spawn of Satan!

[StraightSilver]

A lot of people use the "Plasma Monster Hatcher" egg here:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mega-Plasma-Hatchers-Monster-Hatcher/dp/B002U0IV3G

You can normally pick them up in Tescos or sainsburys in the Uk for about £3, the link above has then at £8 but you can pick them up much cheaper than that.

It doesn't look great in the picture but once painted it's actually a very nice stand in. :)

Actually just had a proper look on Amazon and if you just search "plasma hatcher" they do have some for about £3.

[dwez]

I've got two of the Plasma Hatchers and I think they're ideal for the role as Mycetic Spores, I'd just started my home made one before I managed to get them for £2.99 each. Plasma Hatchers should just be hailed as the standard, cheap, some decent detail and the right size. Why people seem to be down on them is beyond me, This is the best version I found online (http://swchq.co.uk/swcforum/viewtopic.php?t=9903&sid=77eb37e7ff81b6ec3423d2b5279f1d15) with a bit of Milliput to add a little more 'nid-ness

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i278/Gareth_tyranids/Tyranids/IMGP1335.jpg

[Drunkencorgimaster]

I'm sorry, but I think the whole Mexican prison idea is much more simple.

[dwez]

A bit of Milliput sculpting to make the spore more 'niddy'

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cLf_7OaOuNU/TnLwjO2RA5I/AAAAAAAABKc/9bR6KUX29nk/s1600/13161555179610.jpg

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3NShiIwXgo0/TnLxWyMds3I/AAAAAAAABKo/Eur5tMBq4cg/s1600/13161557092363.jpg

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vS8ssTamavU/TnLxkTbvJoI/AAAAAAAABKs/vS0LOtMEHU0/s1600/13161557619994.jpg

[ddsa86]

We use the dragon eggs from Mega Bloks. They split in 2 and you can actually stick a warrior or small brood of termies in it. Our local Walmart had them on sale last year for under $10 USD.

http://www.priceviewer.com/deal/manage/up/201011031288798892_a635e762d316119343d325e1b797879 2.JPG

[dwez]

I thought those dragon eggs were a little more like the artwork in the Codex than the Plasma Hatchers. A slightly armored base for re-entry and slightly organic top half. The Plasma Hatchers were all organic. Managing to fuse the two would be cool, but probably impractical.

[dwez]

Not a huge change in progress, that's the next one, but the basecoats hopefully make the spore a little easier to make out it's different bits

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7khiVRvKOZ8/TncvZE74HhI/AAAAAAAABMk/uecTeRFkDFQ/s320/13164337554682.jpg http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-76wCbiCQ-vs/TncvAvHtlsI/AAAAAAAABMc/Av24G8JUs5Q/s320/13164336531390.jpg

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-S0aqyeAhzVE/TncvMzvODqI/AAAAAAAABMg/Kdi6iwC6Rtg/s320/13164337050421.jpg http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Kc1i3dmlDtU/TncvixtHH2I/AAAAAAAABMo/YDiMtbOU5ic/s320/13164337946133.jpg

More updates soon, and I believe the Ferron Proxima Adeptus Mechanicus has a new announcement to make shortly...

[Hive Mind]

Coconuts. They cost a quid, are delicious and all you need to do to make them into a spore is cut the bottom third off and paint them. You can even use the bottom third you cut off to make an 'exploded' spore.

Two spores and delicious coconut milk for a quid. Cheap as chips.

[dwez]

Big change here, from basecoat to completion, the spore is done:

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PAxvVV01TGk/Tnx1oZgxFdI/AAAAAAAABOo/6bYRlw_j61A/s320/13167793713141.jpg

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-M1NqbHd1oBU/Tnx12S2USTI/AAAAAAAABOw/Nc63k13i9CA/s320/13167794629423.jpg

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CIqWTGwQUn4/Tnx1-3o9X-I/AAAAAAAABO4/g9kv1DL5RB4/s320/13167795014265.jpg

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SshqxotUd8I/Tnx2A0rrHMI/AAAAAAAABO8/ktitwD-fgEA/s320/13167795162526.jpg

More/bigger pictures and step by step painting instructions at my blog. Thanks for putting up with my efforts.

[PaperclipBadger]

Dwez, that's excellent.

[dwez]

Cheers, someone actually guessed it was a pot-pourri seed pod at a tournament this weekend, the first person ever to know what it is. Need to find some more though and the shop I got them from has stopped doing the mix that furnished me with this one.

[Cutthroatcure]

I've got two of the Plasma Hatchers and I think they're ideal for the role as Mycetic Spores, I'd just started my home made one before I managed to get them for £2.99 each. Plasma Hatchers should just be hailed as the standard, cheap, some decent detail and the right size. Why people seem to be down on them is beyond me, This is the best version I found online (http://swchq.co.uk/swcforum/viewtopic.php?t=9903&sid=77eb37e7ff81b6ec3423d2b5279f1d15) with a bit of Milliput to add a little more 'nid-ness

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i278/Gareth_tyranids/Tyranids/IMGP1335.jpg

These are AWESOME!

[BrningHalo]

I also found these other links to give you more ideas...

http://aguardsmansguidetoglory.blogspot.com/2011/02/delivering-hordes-mycetic-spore.html

@Marneus....thanks for posting this! I really like the look of the spore in this tutorial. It looks good and has the added benefit of seemingly being easy to do. I sent the link to our local Tyraniid player as he uses Mycetic Spores quite often.

Thanks,
Tom

[Gartha TheBlue]

I run a nids army and use the MegaBloks Dragon egg (two piece egg) for the spore.( the ones that contained the big dragons) Just use some venomthrope tentacles sticking out of the original holes in the egg. The good thing is that it's textured so just prime it and away it goes!

[burning crome]

The thing is that the Plasma Hatchers dragon egg things(what ever you want to call them they seem to be branded differently) aren't that cheap. In the UK there selling them in home and bargains (a discount shop but not a full pound/dollar store) for about £8 ($11) a go. OK it cheap compared to any GW but lack of quality is really off putting. You would really think that there was a better alternative out there. Some main line toy company must do some alien seed pod.

[dwez]

I got mine from Poundstretcher for £2.99, but that was a sale price so maybe I was lucky but I think with these types of shops they eventually slash the price, or send the stock elsewhere so you could get them cheaper, eventually.

[nacnudllah]

http://hivefleetcharybdis.blogspot.com/2011/11/mycetic-sport.html

Somebody (it was me) wrote a whole article about a cheap Mycetic Spore to make. I made three of them an have been really happy with it though. In addition, they were dirt cheap.

My later spores have round bases, I just cut round bases with 6" diameter from plasticard.

[pathwinder14]

We used large hollow easter eggs from Michaels:

http://omegahobbies.com/images/570_DSCF0349.jpg
http://omegahobbies.com/images/570_DSCF0353.jpg

[MattHoell]

I would definitely go cheap on these. Because if GW ever gets around to releasing a mini for them, you will probably wind up replacing them.

[Bat Manuel]

Cabbage!!

[asteroidjawa]

I vaguely recall someone using cut up tennis balls with some green stuff tentacles.

[Dangermouse425]

I used a CD and a tennis ball with the bottom cut off - it works for me.

[mal'caor]

I ended up using a bright orange hollow rubbery childs toy with tentacles and putting a styrene egg inside it. Next to that, people barely even notice the squad coming out of it.

[The Madman]

I've just started making a spore because of this thread, just as i promised myself i would work on my chaos... *shakes fist*

anyway, i've started mine off with an easter egg that i bought for a £1, wrapped it in cling film and started layering on Art Roc (a "plaster and resin impregnated bandgae") to get the basic shape. the cling film is there just to protect the chocolate (so the water/resin does go through the foil) :D

then i'll be using milliput and green stuff to add tentacles other details before casting it in resin and mounting it on a oval base (any smaller and a carnifex wouldn't be able to fit in it.)

[Wolfs16]

Wow, a lot of good ideas here. I wonder what the GW version will look like?