Necromunda Kitbash: Van Saar

[dabbk]

Hi all,
when I started back Necromunda end of last year, I had nothing left, zero miniatures. I didn't want to acquire some at Ebay prices, and thought it'd be much more fun to kitbash stuff!

So, here's a thread with my Van Saar, kitbashed from Genestealer Cultists (not super original, I know). I used weapons from cadians, genestealer cultists, ... Then, some ebay bits. Heads are Space Wolves from Ebay.

I am just getting started on these, so for now, there's not much going on... I'll paint these using the canonic color scheme: green suit and bright orange hair (maybe a few silver heads/blonds here and there to differenciate them).

Anyway, here's the start of the gang:

Beginnings...

• dabbk
• Jul 27, 2017

Now I have to think a bit about what I want modelwise. I need more guns & plasma stuff, too, but I'll shop for bits later.

Stay tuned!

 

[spafe]

they'd be perfect for magnetising.. jsut saying!

lovely conversions though ol chap. What colours are your bearded wonders going to be sporting?

 

[dabbk]

I shall not be tempted by magnetizing miniatures
I'd rather get another box and paint more dudes

I kinda think I'll stick to the good old greenish suit + bright orange hair, but I'll see that with one test model.

 

[Punktaku]

"Journey not into the valley of magnetizim, for the way of glue is righteous and true"

 

[Ben_S]

I find the Space Wolf heads a bit hairy for my liking. I can't think of good (GW) alternatives though. There was one old Empire head that was (imho) perfect for Van Saar but, even if you could source enough, having them all using the same head was rather boring.

Nice work on the conversions though. I must get some of those hybrids one day.

 

[dabbk]

To each their own: I love these heads And dont want to have space wolves, so on van saar it's great!

Another option I've considered (and might give a try for diversity) are @madrobot heads (eg for example HH-40 and HH-47, which are obvious van saar heads. He even has bodies for these if I remember well! Otherwise some catachan might work, but van saar need beards IMO

Anyway, you should absolutely get one box, even if just to have a look at the sprues, these are goldmines!
If they make a similar ganger one end of this year for necro reedition (one can dream), I will wet my pants - and buy ton of these

 

[Ben_S]

Perhaps I wasn't clear. It's not that I dislike the heads per se. I used some for some Goliath-types myself. But they don't suit my image of Van Saars. The original models were bearded, but all had short, neatly trimmed hair and beards, rather than looking like Viking punks. Of course, that's just my preference. If you like to reimagine Van Saar as hairer then go for it.

 

[Fold]

Like Ben I'm not sure the space wolf heads are really "the one". They're very big for standard human proportions and their hair/beard styles are pretty flamboyant for Van saar, perhaps more suited to goliaths or hive brats.

The kit is really suited to van saar but you may also want to watch out for the stooped poses and genestealer arms (such as on the heavy stubber guy here) which are dead giveaways as to the true nature of the kit.

The image here is in my inspiration bank though I have forgotten the source sadly.

 

[Blood Donor]

"Journey not into the valley of magnetizim, for the way of glue is righteous and true"

Huffing magnets never caused anyone to say this...

 

[spafe]

If you want smaller but similar style heads... and can source them, then the old empire knights of the white wolf sprue had...8 heads on it I think that were similar wildish style hair, but slightly less so than the space wolf heads, but at a much better proportion.

 

[Ben_S]

Not a bad idea, though I think it was only 5 heads. There are probably other old Empire heads that would work.

 

[dabbk]

@spafe looks like that guy has some: http://stores.ebay.co.uk/WJS-Bitz?_trksid=p2047675.l2563 interesting references ! I'm still on my idea to use these specific SW heads, because I like how it looks: give those VanSaar a bit more punch to my eyes, even if they are indeed not exactly as the original ones.

@Fold I'd be curious to know where that head comes from. Is this photoshop, or a really, really detailed kit?!? Pretty badass indeed

 

[spafe]

You're right @Ben_S , there was only 5, you got 8 knights though in a box which confused me!

Thats a great link @dabbk , the empire handgunner also fits the bill quite well.

I'd not realised quite how many good ways to build vansaar there are!

 

[dabbk]

I had bought some of Warlord's Project Z sprues, in hope for a convenient bits bank. Alas, those are realistic 28mm, not heroic scale 28mm!

See:
https://store.warlordgames.com/collections/project-z/products/apocalypse-biker-gang-frame
https://store.warlordgames.com/collections/project-z/products/apocalypse-bike-hero-frame
https://store.warlordgames.com/coll...ucts/female-apocalypse-survivors-bodies-frame
https://store.warlordgames.com/coll...cts/female-apocalypse-survivors-weapons-frame
https://store.warlordgames.com/collections/project-z/products/apocalypse-survivors-male-frame
https://store.warlordgames.com/coll...ducts/apocalypse-survivors-male-weapons-frame

I can take size comparison pictures if anyone is interested. It means that A/ I have to get rid of these or assemble them B/ I need a source for various weapons, including pistols (one never has enough stubguns!).

Next source is @Mad Robot 's stuff. Suprisingly enough, not that much diversity in swords (just sayin' ).
Explicitely 28mm heroic scale, so it should work perfectly! There are juve heads, too, which is not common - and hopefully will look great with the GSC bodies !

 

[Ben_S]

This is the head that (imho) perfectly suits Van Saar:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Empire-Re...787142?hash=item283bf7cbc6:g:Qh4AAOSwkShY98on

Trouble is that even if you source enough for a gang, they'd all have exactly the same head. Would be good for a single Van Saar hired gun, Inquisimunda character, etc though.

 

[dabbk]

Pretty cool head indeed. In the category "close to the canonic version", I too like the Van der bildt heads, eg VanSaars cousins from Mad Robot.

Now the question is: which weapons do I want for my VanSaars? I guess they must have a heavy plasma and/or lascannon? Tons of lasguns, few if any H2H? Hunting or sniper rifles, or similar. So, yeah, first ones I have are autoguns & shotguns + heavy stubber

 

[spafe]

Remember van saars do get combat skill acess, and chainswords... can be a nasty surprise for the enemy to find lots of specialists with plasma guns, get up close then find a combat master or 2 weilding chainswords as a counter attack!

 

[dabbk]

Thanks for the suggestion @spafe! I haven't played Necromunda in a looong while, and for what I remember, VanSaar were shooty ones. I'll make a couple close combat dudes, just in case Also, for the leader it might be cool to have a sword.
The problem is that my main gang/most played gang is Redemptionnists, played as close range chaos. I like orks in SWA for the same reason: they're good at close range. I'd struggle to play eldar or skitarii... and in my head, these VanSaars are more a modeling project than a gaming project.
Anyway, I'll add in a few H2H dudes

So, a temporary list for 20 dudes:
Autogun *2
shotgun *2
sniper/hunter rifle *2
lasgun *5 *4 + 1 flamer instead, as spafe suggested!
plasma gun *1 (leader? specialist?)
heavy stubber *1
heavy plasma *1
plasma pistol+chainsaw (leader?)
bolt pistol (+H2H weapon?)
laspistol *2 (kid?)
autopistol *2 (kid?)

I'll see what I can do about these guys with the bits I have

 

[spafe]

Look like a great mix! I'd possibly suggest swapping a lasgun (or a laspistol) to a flamer, that way if you get a specialist who has bs2 you can still use it fully

 

[dabbk]

I loooove flamers, but wouldn't have thought that VanSaar might use one!
Anyway, good call, as I love the models I'll make one, even if just for the sake of "who knows I might need it one day" (a very common saying in my miniatures activities indeed )

Also, I didnt mean to write autogun*2 twice, but autopistol*2 and autogun*2. One need juves, right?