Decimator conversion

So I REALLY like converting models... love it. So much that sometimes I just get caught up in making more and more models and then all of a sudden, I have a ton of models to paint. Well, maybe not suddenly. :-) In the previous post, it was an attempt to look at the kits, most of them great, that GW produces to still use them just modified from their original purpose. This post is no different. This is one of the biggest models I have put together, it was fun, slightly scary, and ate up some bits lying around.

First off let's start with the conversion in question... Forgeworld's Decimator for Chaos.

I love this model, everything about it screams Chaos to me. A big hulking monstrosity that has to have a bigger storage tank for the bigger demon inside.  It's rules are pretty good as well, not over the top, and allows some tactical flexibility in being able to take marks.  All around it's great, and it's threat potential can be outstanding. I will order one eventually. (Ok, I MIGHT order one eventually, throwing things into a cart on FW's site was was over $225 [American] before the shipping for not a whole lot.  So I just have a new found respect for people who collect a lot of FW.) It's just too cool of a model not to. However, I didn't want to wait for a model to arrive to me, so it was time to make one and do a little research to see what I could see.  As it turns out, there isn't a whole lot of Decimator conversions out there.  At least when I was looking there wasn't.  So after looking at FW's size chart I was starting to get an idea for how big this thing needed to be and came to the conclusion of using a Dreadknight as a the starting point.  After the game last Saturday, it turns out that is actually a pretty good size comparison.  My Decimator is taller than my buddie's Contemptor on a scenic resin base, and my Decimator is flat footed on the base too.

So where to start? With the basic construction of course.  Which in this case was the torso and legs. I'll post the pictures I have during the process, which I'll apologize for now as I don't have a whole lot of those.  The first step, get rid of the baby carrier.   This involved clipping and scraping away the platform the GK sits on/is attached to, to leave a cavity for the head to sit in.  On thing I did do, which looking back on now was probably not the best idea, was to glue the torso to the legs early.  This fixed the position, and while that's not bad in itself, it does make the pose more static.  I would like to make another at some point, so things to remember for later.

Once the basic construction was done, how the hell I am supposed to chaosify this thing?! Leftover Heldrake and Forgefiend parts that's how. One you really start looking at the thing you start to see a whole lot of bits from different kits. Whenever possible I tried to use as many bits from the Dreadknight kit as possible, this involved a lot of repurposing certain bits from their original designation. For example, all the hoses that flank either side of the Decimator's head are almost exclusively from the Dreadknight kit. The real huge find in my bits box was the cowling for the battle cannon on a Defiler, it was MADE for that spot around the head. So, a real quick breakdown of kits used/broken for this conversion...

Dreadknight
Heldrake claw and neck
Forgefiend ectoplasma cannon
Chaos vehicle sprue
Imperial vehicle sprue
Defiler battle cannon cowling
Raptor flamer
Necrosphinx head
Possessed spikes
Light from a teleport homer
Demon Prince leg plates and loincloth
Flagellant tethered skulls
Assorted skulls - Vampire counts corpse cart and a ghoul head

Some spare plasticard and greenstuff

All in all I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out.  As of now it is primed and waiting for some proper paint to bring it to life!