WarFrog's Hobby Blog: Project Compendium Tyranid Swarmlord

This is a compilation of the WiP posts for the Tyranid Swarmlord

I have been running two conversion projects at once, to fill the down time while waiting on green stuff to cure.

Starting Bitz;

I am going to be using a Trygon torso and 2 Trygon head plates (not pictured), plus a set of Carnifex legs and tail, standard Carnifex head and standard Carnifex armored plate (not pictured either).

Torso modifications:

I removed the 2nd and 3rd ridges from the armored plate, I would later go on to remove the first two back vents as well.

Torso modifications step 2:

Here you can see the Carnifex armored plated and additional green stuff vent that has been added to the torso. The Carnifex tail section has been lengthened so that the torso and tail/waist will fit correctly. The tops of the Carnifex legs have been widened and Trygon head crests have been cut into armor plating for the thighs.

Leg conversion process

Thighs removed from legs

Thighs cut in half

The Carnifex thighs were removed with a jewelers saw, the cut in half with a standard hobby razor saw. The thighs were then widened by gluing the halves to a 1/8 inch thick piece of plastic card and sculpting/sanding it down to match the original contour. Your can see the white plastic card in a photo above this.

Trygon torso:
Beginning to blend the Carnifex armor plate into the torso and have added the first 2 green stuff vents.

Waist & Tail extended and armor plate added

Torso & Tail dry fit

The last two pairs of vents still need to be extended with GS.

Current edition Hive Tyrant tail

I need 2 of these and I don't want to pay for them as bitz on eBay.

Press Mold

I used Instant Mold to make a quick press mold.

I took a piece of brass rod and bent it to shape to be structural support of the tail.

Beginning to pack the mold with ProCreate at a 60/40 mix.

Two short tail sections molded up with brass rod inserts ready for use.

Legs about %85 complete

I need to fatten up the thighs a little bit, going for that softball player look.

Making the primary horn

Still need the extended goatee and talon thingies on the sides of the mouth

Tail section

Built up with brass rod and first layer of green stuff.

Update 4

Head

Moar Head

Those wonderful mouth claw thingies

I still need to finish out the neck muscles.

Thickened thighs

Ready to be cast in resin.

Update 5

Resin Leg casts are finished........ Wooo

Size comparisons

So it looks like Swarmy is gonna be shorter than a Trygon / Mawloc and taller than a current Tyrant. That is an original hive tyrant up front, I now use them as either tyranid primes or tyrant guard.