35th Anniversary of 40K:Rogue Trader Contest entry...

[Sudsy]

A local game shop, Geek Room Games and Hobbies in Omaha Nebraska for those interested, is running a contest to be judged this January commemorating the 35th anniversary since the 1987 release of the first set of rules. One of the White Dwarf magazine articles covered how to create a vehicle using a deodorant dispenser. Interestingly enough the article goes on to explain how they didn't want to photograph the staff's current vehicles used in games as they were all too recognizably 'Star Wars' vehicles kit bashed, but all to familiar (i.e. could cause legal issues). Given the way GW handles it's intellectual property these days, the irony is astounding.

Being papercraft modeler, and this being where I got hooked onto the hobby, my entry certainly will feature A LOT of paper parts from the kits we all know, love, and build (or hate and build anyway because were gluttons for punishment).



So, I've got that AML 90 back there as inspiration, scale, and possibly a turret I could use... But that has since changed. As we get closer to the contest date, I'll post some more. After all, I don't want to give out all my secrets now!

 

[mijob]

Thais is gone be an intresting build, good luck with the contest.

 

[Awry_Chaos]

Looking forward to how it will turn out!

 

[Revell-Fan]

Very nice! I'm looking forward to seeing the result.

 

[Sudsy]

Major update! The Attack Speeder is now complete with it's final coats of paint and clear coat ready to turn in for judgement... That will be the first weekend in January after the New Year (Geekroom Games Shoppers vote on it January 9th, so it's audience judgement). I'm afraid to say, I do not at all expect to do that well given some aspects of my paint job... but we'll discuss that in greater detail after January 9th when I'll post those pictures!

Here are some of the early build pictures from a couple of weeks ago when I was figuring out the forms I was going to go for.



As you can tell, I pulled out my T19 Warga (AML) for inspiration. Similar roles as combat reconnaissance and fast attack after all.... This time it has anti-gravity technology.... As 35 years ago, Imperial Army (soon to be Imperial Guard), had access to such tech (given the very few vehicle options they had models for this early in 40K history). I even had the parts ready to go to make a new AML turret for this one... However that would soon change.




I started out with 2" (50.8mm) wide strips of a certain length (based on the length of the deodorant dispensor), and rubber banded them in place while using a vinyl plastic cement that gave me a headache... As that was the only think that seemed to get the cart stock to stick to the plastic (even after sanding the plastic). The layers were nice for further forming later on, I went in about 1/16" (1.5mm 'ish) each step up. Also, that circle cutter was an incredible tool this build...



While the AML turret is cool and all, I wanted a bigger hatch to stick a vehicle commander/gunner out of. This MK I Predator turret fit the bill, and the time frame of what 40K vehicles were available 35'ish years ago. I'd read the Compendium some time recently, and this was in there, along with the re-printed White Dwarf article about the deodorant speeder 'trash bash'... So, it fits (pun intended...).



Here are the drivers hatch (from the AML) and the turret ring (from the MK I Predator) laid out on the hull. It all seems to be going to smoothly looking back!

 

[Sudsy]

So, things rarely ever go smoothly do they?

I used some thin CA (super glue) on the card stock to give it some more strength and rigidity, then I took the the parts out to the drill press. Running my Dremel rotary cutter in a drill press mount, I had not issues until I attempted to drill my 1/2" (12.7mm) hole for the turret pivot and the drivers compartment. Disaster!



Or was it disaster? What, with the way the CA coated card stock glued back on... You hardly notice the hole the rest of the build. In fact, it gave me a nice access point to get the drivers compartment settled in..

On to the Turret, and this Mk. I Predator Turret from Patoroch's files was my very first successful paper dome.




I'm also rather fond my over engineered turret ring. Coating the cart stock in thin CA glue is certainly something I'm going to repeat in the future!



I can't get over this circle cutter. Check out that hatch ring! Maybe 1.5mm from the inner to outer diameter! Perfectly cut!

 

[Awry_Chaos]

Interesting!

 

[mijob]

Looking great nice to read all your construction steps. Keep it up.

 

[Sudsy]

I've soooo many updates for this... Now that the contest is over and the winner decided... More on that later. First, let me start where I left on the build.

Continuing on with the turret, using the MK I predator design. Sometimes you just need a jig to keep the part steady while the glue sets!



Confirming layout, and building up the hull for the driver and turret ring:



Here I used some Magic Sculpt two part epoxy. I love this stuff, and the Aves equivalent My containers must be over 12 years old now, but still going strong! It kind of gave a good cast appearance to the upper portion of the hull there.



Using some spoons, I laid out some interesting blisters for power equipment and anti-grav magic technology. Soldier provides what looks like cables. The holes are where the base will interlock with the bottom. All the card surfaces were coated in thin CA glue.

\

Finally, we have our foamboard circle, card stock, and paper stick base.

 

[Sudsy]

Some details of how the base interfaced with the model, and some more experiments with the overall look adding in headlights with the hemispherical beads, small card stock boxes, and more solder as wiring.

Those two spoons that looked cool as airbrakes... Yeah, they didn't make into the final design sadly. Deodorant bottle plastic and CA glue didn't work well together in spite of my efforts to rough up the surfaces. I used some other nasty stuff just to get the card to stock to the bottle, and should have planned my airbrake idea better to use a more mechanical fastening system instead of relying on the glue.

 

[Sudsy]

So, when those spoons didn't work out, due to the CA glue lack of interaction between the spoon material and deodorant container plastic...



...I switched over to making hand/foot rails so the crew could climb aboard (or boarders... yeah... design tradeoffs... crew accessibility vs. security).



Only thing I forgot, were some tie downs and lifting lugs since this vehicle is likely going to be hauled around the galaxy aboard Imperial Naval transports.... Details! Much like the differences between driver and commander/gunner hatches, lack of consistency between periscope sizes, etc.... I compromised on a few, to me important, details in the name of speed building to get this thing ready for the contest!



Now that she's all primed up, onwards to the painting!



Yup, got my original BMP "counts as Chimera" out to match the camo, along with the paper Sentinel to ensure the crew matches. That, and some Santa Clausthauler season NA beer.... After all, it was still Christmas when I was building this!

 

[Sudsy]

As per my usual for now, I didn't use anything fancier than craft store paint, Delta Ceramcoat acrylic to be exact. I think I had some Dick Blick or Daniel Smith sable brushes in my pile though, so for me those are pretty darn fancy. I didn't end up suing the 15/0, as those 3/0 brushes worked just fine, even on the crew (Mad Robot Miniatures resin bits, Classic Tanker Heads, Crewman Torsos, and Heavy Weapon Crewman Arms). My wet palette is my ever reliable leftover container with cotton rag 'sponge' and parchment paper (baking kind, from the grocery store).


So, that 'orange sticker' there... Yeah, mechanized warfare Veterans from the last couple of decades will recognize it, FACs (forward air controllers) and other recce troops as well. This is the Holy VS-17 Marker Panel, so friendly aircraft (maybe) will not shoot the vehicle.

 

[Sudsy]

Some more bench top and show time photos of the paint job. I figured the crew had also tied off an 'un-official' but Commisar approved, Imperial Guard flag to the front...



I had to create a bit of lore for the vehicle...

BO-25 (Bravo Oscar Two Fife) aka "Body Odor" from B-Troop 414th Squadron of the 111th Cavalry Regiment from Wainwright. Armored Cavalry formation that retains some Dark Age grav equipment fielded by the Imperial Army at the time of the Great Crusade, authorized to do so to this present time, specializing in combat against Eldar, Dark Eldar, and more recently T'au forces due to their superior mobile warfare style. Had their transport made it to the Damocles Gulf Crusade...

 

[Sudsy]

This is where I should have inserted the details about the crew models!

Well, the links are listed above...



Commander/Gunner has the Classic Tanker Head, Crewman Torso, and the observer arms from the Heavy Weapon Crew.



Driver is simply the Classic Tanker Head and Crewman Torso, epoxy shoulders.

 

[Sudsy]

So, how did the contest go? Well, here are a few pictures of the field of competition, and how I fared individually in the results.

Instagram from The Geekroom Games shop that ran the contest (for those who can view the IG or Facebook)

Text from the post:

January's Painting Contest was a close one. Our scoring system is as follows: 3 points for every 1st place vote, 2 points for every 2nd place vote, and 1 point for every 3rd place vote. The final results literally came down to the last votes cast. All the entries were amazing.
1st and Best Artisanal Build: Michael Sutherland
2nd and Best Modern Build: John Beattie
3rd: Jeramy Tolbert
Honorable Mention: Antonio Martinez

The post is well worth viewing, you get to see some great detail shots of the whole field. Here are my photos:



That Ork had me sweating bullets! But a couple of votes made a huge difference!



I brought home the certificates and did some final shots.

I have everybody from Zealot to thank for the inspiration and models I used to create this fine trashbash/kitbash! So thank you for all the support over the last few years as I got into, and stayed, in the hobby of paper card model building!

 

[Awry_Chaos]

Congratulations on your win!

Are you related to the famous Sutherlands?

 

[micahrogers]

Congratulations. Just having the gumption to enter a contest speaks volumes. Great work by all.

 

[mijob]

Nice job sudsy congratulations.

 

[Revell-Fan]

Congratulations on 1st prize, Michael!



This is a great little model. I like the colours and the weathering. I wouldn't worry too much about the spoons, the overall concept is convincing, just as the jury saw it. Thank you for posting this and thank you even more for being here. If you have the time, please post some pictures of the model in the gallery (especially those with the certificates ).

 

[Rhaven Blaack]

You did a FANTASTIC JOB on this project!!!
CONGRATULAIONS!!!