Learn2Eel
03-20-2013, 02:03 AM
Hey guys, I was wanting to get some opinions on a possible Bloodthirster conversion I'll be doing in the near-future - there's no real time limit, so plenty of time to discuss it!
Now, I'll be honest; I really don't like GW's stock Bloodthirster model. It is iconic and still cool, but it definitely looks out-dated and it is a bit too small for my tastes. I've considered a lot of options, notably the Khorne Daemon Prince from Forge World which I would have used my spare Daemon Prince wings on (or a set of Dragon wings). However, I think I would mostly use that model as Skarbrand rather than a Bloodthirster, to be honest - that and I have yet to buy from Forge World and want to wait a bit before I do.
So I've run through quite a few ideas - the first was the Forge World Bloodthirster model, but I quickly scratched that off as it is both way too big and far too expensive for what I want (that and if I want one of the four Exalted Greater Daemons, I would take the Lord of Change in a heart-beat). Another was converting up a Daemon Prince, but I still get the feeling it is a bit too small to fit my image of a Greater Daemon.
Eventually, I arrived at the humble (cough) Balrog; a conversion I have noticed is quite common for Bloodthirsters. Now, I'm not going out to spend $150 on a single model; given that the Bloodthirster and Balrog are $96 each, I'm already investing a lot no matter which way I go. However, I am in luck given that I have a lot of left over bits from Daemon Princes and the like. My ideas were (the point of this post is to ask whether this sounds feasible);
1) Keep the Balrog arms, but replace the sword with the Daemon Prince kits' axe. To model the axe, given that I have two spare, I would cut the 'axe' part of one off, chop the back-half of another off and stick them together to have a two-sided axe, much like Bloodthirsters' are depicted with. To replace the sword, cut out from the top and bottom of the hand, and pin the axe appropriately in its place (cutting off the bottom part of the axe perhaps and sticking it on the bottom of the hand, or using the bottom of one of the spare Daemon Prince swords).
2) Model the Balrog's whip on the opposite hand. I don't think this would be too difficult; it would be similar to modelling the axe, just that I would have to green stuff the hand to make it look like it is actually holding it.
3) Alternatively, and perhaps an easier option than either of the above, is to model the axe on the left arm and not go through the trouble of moving the right-armed whip to the left arm? Would probably make more sense.
4) Change the pose of the Balrog so that its axe arm is maybe held up a bit higher than its whip arm, and maybe have a more 'cinematic' moving pose. I could even have it sort of leaning back with the axe modelled so that the actual axe is behind the Balrog, giving the impression that it is swinging it around. Just an idea.
5) Stick the Daemon Prince shoulder-pads to the shoulders of the Balrog, as well as model a 'belt' with the attached loin cloth covered in chains from the Daemon Prince kit. Would this be feasible?
6) Stick the Daemon Prince arm-guards either on to its wrists or its fore-arms, whichever looks better. There is also what looks like a 'neck brace' in the kit that I could use. Thoughts?
7) I can use the horns on the multiple spare Daemon Prince heads I have to give the Balrog two extra horns curving upwards.
8) Should I keep the "back-flames" on the Balrog or get rid of them?
9) Another idea I just had was to use both of the Daemon Prince axes and put one in each of the Balrog's hands, with obvious green stuff and what not to make them look clean. This would mean I could effectively use the model as Skarbrand (just tatter the wings up a little) and instead use that Khorne Daemon Prince with dragon wings idea (his one axe looks awesome anyway) as the regular Bloodthirster?
So, what do you guys think? I'm sure this has been done to death before, but my resources are perhaps more limited than others willing to do the conversion. Would it be feasible? With some good work and effort, would it look appropriate as a Bloodthirster? Cheers for any and all input!
Now, I'll be honest; I really don't like GW's stock Bloodthirster model. It is iconic and still cool, but it definitely looks out-dated and it is a bit too small for my tastes. I've considered a lot of options, notably the Khorne Daemon Prince from Forge World which I would have used my spare Daemon Prince wings on (or a set of Dragon wings). However, I think I would mostly use that model as Skarbrand rather than a Bloodthirster, to be honest - that and I have yet to buy from Forge World and want to wait a bit before I do.
So I've run through quite a few ideas - the first was the Forge World Bloodthirster model, but I quickly scratched that off as it is both way too big and far too expensive for what I want (that and if I want one of the four Exalted Greater Daemons, I would take the Lord of Change in a heart-beat). Another was converting up a Daemon Prince, but I still get the feeling it is a bit too small to fit my image of a Greater Daemon.
Eventually, I arrived at the humble (cough) Balrog; a conversion I have noticed is quite common for Bloodthirsters. Now, I'm not going out to spend $150 on a single model; given that the Bloodthirster and Balrog are $96 each, I'm already investing a lot no matter which way I go. However, I am in luck given that I have a lot of left over bits from Daemon Princes and the like. My ideas were (the point of this post is to ask whether this sounds feasible);
1) Keep the Balrog arms, but replace the sword with the Daemon Prince kits' axe. To model the axe, given that I have two spare, I would cut the 'axe' part of one off, chop the back-half of another off and stick them together to have a two-sided axe, much like Bloodthirsters' are depicted with. To replace the sword, cut out from the top and bottom of the hand, and pin the axe appropriately in its place (cutting off the bottom part of the axe perhaps and sticking it on the bottom of the hand, or using the bottom of one of the spare Daemon Prince swords).
2) Model the Balrog's whip on the opposite hand. I don't think this would be too difficult; it would be similar to modelling the axe, just that I would have to green stuff the hand to make it look like it is actually holding it.
3) Alternatively, and perhaps an easier option than either of the above, is to model the axe on the left arm and not go through the trouble of moving the right-armed whip to the left arm? Would probably make more sense.
4) Change the pose of the Balrog so that its axe arm is maybe held up a bit higher than its whip arm, and maybe have a more 'cinematic' moving pose. I could even have it sort of leaning back with the axe modelled so that the actual axe is behind the Balrog, giving the impression that it is swinging it around. Just an idea.
5) Stick the Daemon Prince shoulder-pads to the shoulders of the Balrog, as well as model a 'belt' with the attached loin cloth covered in chains from the Daemon Prince kit. Would this be feasible?
6) Stick the Daemon Prince arm-guards either on to its wrists or its fore-arms, whichever looks better. There is also what looks like a 'neck brace' in the kit that I could use. Thoughts?
7) I can use the horns on the multiple spare Daemon Prince heads I have to give the Balrog two extra horns curving upwards.
8) Should I keep the "back-flames" on the Balrog or get rid of them?
9) Another idea I just had was to use both of the Daemon Prince axes and put one in each of the Balrog's hands, with obvious green stuff and what not to make them look clean. This would mean I could effectively use the model as Skarbrand (just tatter the wings up a little) and instead use that Khorne Daemon Prince with dragon wings idea (his one axe looks awesome anyway) as the regular Bloodthirster?
So, what do you guys think? I'm sure this has been done to death before, but my resources are perhaps more limited than others willing to do the conversion. Would it be feasible? With some good work and effort, would it look appropriate as a Bloodthirster? Cheers for any and all input!