Bits Bits Bits and the Skagerrak Skallen Fangsters Jet Pack Squadron

When we last saw the Legioss Moriad XIV experimental flight squadron, the Skagerrak Skallen Fangsters, it seemed that our evil little friends from Denmark just needed some weapons and right hands to be ready for (unpainted) action.

Well, Hungry Ghosts did that, and it took a very long time. This led to an investigation of why it took a very long time. Herewith, let us go and make our visit.

  There they are, my little Khornicons.

First, the insidious intent: Overkill. Weaponry that would never be considered acceptable in a 40K game by reasonable people.

 This led first to Chaos Squats Plastic Bits Box 1. Here, the guns bin in the upper right was plundered for all those new Space Marines Plasma Pistols, Inferno Pistols, Hand Flamers; whatever was explosive enough but not too ridiculous when being held in one hand while flying.

Then the long row of hand weapons was rummaged through for pointy hacking type things. Also, the Bolt Pistols from the weapons bins to use along with the pointy bits.

But with those hundreds bits, there could be no chance that our Flying Squats would go without decorative skulls or swanky spikes. Or that guns would go unmodified. So the rest of our plastic bits were inspected for potential use.

Then the Chaos Squats Plastic Bits Box 2.

 

This is where spikes, Tyranid bits, and stuff too big for the other box lives.

 Then came the Process of Exclusion.

Right off, we're not going to use

the Space Marines Storm Raven that has been accumulating from low bids on bits on ebay. 

That's about $5-6 there. 

And certainly not the

 

$6 Imperial Guard Valkyrie.

Patience pays off: remember, you're not going to use that whatever for who knows how long; quiet accumulation can be more rewarding than indulging in the "It's so cool, I want it now!" urge.

Not using the Imperial Tanks and Cities of Death parts. We have plans for those. And the extra Valkyrie Troops Compartment below as well.

Not going to need the Tau bits (including most of a cheap-ass Fire Warrior squad), the Chaos Chariot Gore Beast (ready to join the Bear-Master and Cyboar Cyclor), nor headless Cold Ones. 

Definitely not that Daemon Prince, who looks much more impressive when spread out against the floor like a patient dissected on a table, for planning purposes.

Where there is time yet for a hundred visions and revisions. How modest seem the actual Chaos pieces when compared with Tyranids, Dragons, and other foul beasts. How his legs are thin next to the Hive Tyrant and Zombie Dragon. That Terrorgheist has some very useful bits as well.
 

Now things get a bit tougher.

Do we want to use the Ork bits? Lots of tubes and spikes. But no, we'll save them for the Secret Land Train Secret Project, along with the Imperial Tanks. 

What a terrible name for a secret project.

Now this is really a tough choice: Dark Eldar and Necrons. So many possibilities. But too many possibilities. Since Hungry Ghosts has a second set of Ewal Dvergar to convert, they will use the Dark Eldar and Necron bits.

Cometh the Undead. Such very nice bits from those Vampire Counts monstrosities. Surprisingly cheap as well. Seems with all these new plastic kits, there's some sort of critter in the middle that possesses all the useful power. That critter might go for $15-25. But the rest? $1-3 for an entire side of ghostly horsemen or creepy skeletal enclosures. A person could build their own Mountains of Madness for not much money.

Also, flowing tides of magicks from Tzeentch Daemons. We'll use some wisps of magic and some new style skeletal cavalry bits. Them Hexwraiths are covered in ghostly flames.

If only for the sake of what few sanity points I still possess, by fiat none of the used bits will be used here. Not even the baggie with the skeletal horse parts.

Or the Assorted Space Marines Parts and the Whole WFB Critter Bodies and Scenery bits. No one needs a Gnoblar leg right now.

I said I was not going to look at the metal bits because that would take forever...

And it did.

It really did. They are so very nice.

But the Battlefleet Gothic parts, Nurgle Drone Riders, Big Plastic Guns, and Skeletal Horsemen will be included in the potential permutation pool of parts.
 

With the infernal sun rising, our evil little Skagerrak Skallen Fangsters are personalized.

 Those reddish-brown spots are, as Rorschach would say, human bean juice. 

 Sometimes, when handling small parts, there's no such thing as "cut away from yourself". As when dealing with the little arrow bits cut off of a Tzeentch Icon and attached to the face of our Chaos Squat on the left. And sometimes, the finger bleeds fast. Faster than the smelly liquid wound sealer can dry.

But Hungry Ghosts is very efficient. Here are the bits left over after everything was done. Mostly Space Marines, and they deserved it.

Now You Will Know Fear, O Emperor's lapdogs: We have the strength of technology and body to fire a Bolter with one hand!!!

Squats in The Citadel Journal 1994-1998

Squats in The Citadel Journal 1994-1998:
Historia Squatitcus Appendix 1

Starting in the mid 1990s, Games Workshop began expanding its array of periodicals, first with magazines devoted to “unofficial” rules by staff and readers, and on to a vast range of graphic novels and fiction. For most of the 1990s the focus was on mixed coverage of different games or lines of miniatures, many of which would eventually have their own periodicals (usually of short life).

The two longest lasting not-White Dwarf magazines were The Citadel Journal and Troll. The Citadel Journal consisted of 50 issues, starting in 1994 and ending in 2002, with several changes in page size and page count. Though it appears that The Citadel Journal was intended to be a bimonthly, some years have only 4 issues (according to copyright date), and some years have 7 issues (which makes dates after 1998 particularly fuzzy). Only issues 22 to 25 are labeled with a precise date, the others only contain a copyright year. So some publication dates are probably off a bit, but the order is correct. I have provided the issue number of White Dwarf at the start of every year to help keep track of their contemporaneous content.

We are concerned here with the second incarnation of the The Citadel Journal. The first Citadel Journals were released from 1984-87 at irregular intervals, containing WFB miniatures, rules, scenarios, painting guides, before the Rogue Trader 40K rulebook and WFB 3^rd Edition were released. At this point, some of you are thinking, “WFB miniatures, rules, scenarios, painting and converting guides? That sounds like White Dwarf?” And you would be right. But the 1^st Citadel Journals were published at a time when the Dwarf was a general gaming magazine, featuring much excellent content for Middle-Earth Roleplaying, Call of Cthulhu, Paranoia and other popular games from beyond the shores of Britain. So the CJ gave a chance to focus on content for GW's own games, which would become the standard for White Dwarf by 1987.

Ye Oude Citadell Yournall

Anyway, Citadel Journal Mark 2 was devoted to experimental and unofficial rules from GW staff and readers. It also provided material for the smaller Specialist/Fanatic games that were not featured in the pages of White Dwarf.

In the first few years, The Citadel Journal provided substantial amounts of original material ranging from multiple-part army lists to extremely detailed conversion guides, with much content from GW employees. In its Middle Period, there was a much stronger focus on publishing reader-submitted material. In the late 1990s, Citadel Journal was redirected toward "experimental" rules by GW regulars, in particular providing the first source of rules and catalogs for the Forge World models and books.

Once the internet was widely available, much of the point of these tree-pulp publications, and similar ephemeral zines by Warhammer fans, evaporated into the Tiny New Land of Tron. Now there are internet fanzines devoted to almost every army type, and more ways to be involved in the worlds of Warhammer than ever before.

As a consequence, printed publications would have to become more artistic and luxurious, or contain exclusive information, to be successful, or both.

Today, we will look at the first 4 years of The Citadel Journal.

Welcome to Forge World, You May As Well Just Give Us Your Wallet Now.

The Squats in The Citadel Journal

The Citadel Journal would provide a temporary home to the Squats in various ways, from army lists to incidental references. The Citadel Journal provided similar refuge for the forces of the Imperial Adeptus Arbites and Adeptus Mechanicus, as well as the old favorites Eldar Harlequins and Exodites. It was nice to see those prancing clowns come back, but I miss the days when there were 30 different individual miniatures in series instead of 7.

Variety is nice but there are still too many Farseers!

*****

For most of its first 3 years, The Citadel Journal was printed on what I believe the UK calls A4 size paper, with 48 black and white pages. The Citadel Journal at this time also featured full color covers that contained additional gaming or artistic material, frequently expanded into multiple-page gate folds of tables, rules, and counters.

Citadel Journal 1 (January 1994, White Dwarf 169)

The Squats army is included in an article about selecting Epic Armies with random card draws (p. 26).

Mark Gibbons's 1992 drawing of 2^nd Edition -style Squats fighting World Eaters appears on p. 35.

*****

Citadel Journal 2 (Mar 94)

Epic Space Marine article “Storm the Breach” about urban warfare in Epic includes rules for Squat buildings and weapons (p. 30-41).

Back cover shows an Epic battle-scene featuring Squats fighting Khorne Renegades.

*****

Citadel Journal 3 (May 94)

Warhammer 40K “Assault” article includes rules for the Squats Mole Mortars. (p. 24-31)

Replay of the Squats v. World Eaters drawing, p. 39.

*****

Citadel Journal 4 (Jul 94)

Warhammer 40K “Assault Part 2” article includes rules for Squat Gunners and Mole Mortars (p. 12-23).

Re-Replay of the Squats v World Eaters drawing, p. 30. What secret does this picture possess? It appears in White Dwarf and p. 58 of the 40K 2^nd edition Wargear book as well.

What does it mean?

Warhammer 40K “Tinboyz” (p. 42-43) features rules for the 3 Ork Tinboy models (Squat, Eldar, Space Marine).

*****

Citadel Journal 5 (Sep 94)

“Epic Special Characters” includes the Squat Ancestor Lord (p. 16-21).

*****

Citadel Journal 6 (Nov 94): None

Citadel Journal 7 (January 1995, White Dwarf 181): None

Citadel Journal 8 (Mar 95): None

Citadel Journal 9 (May 95): None

*****

Citadel Journal 10 (Jul 95)

The front inside cover displays a color battle-scene of Epic-scale Squats fighting Tzeentch Renegade Titans. The Tzeentch Titans are excellent conversions by James Funnell.

“Mega Wars” a set of rules for combining Epic and 40K includes Squats in the mix (p. 4-15). Unfortunately, the rules torpedo the Squats by making anyone allied with them suffer the same movement penalties (also known as “Fat of Foot”).

Ratlings and Ogryn are said to keep up with the human IG without explanation. But presumably the Ratlings use their slick buttery skin to wriggle into crevices in the back of the Chimeras. Thus causing the Ogryn run after the tanks, drawn by the irresistible smell of hot buttered Ratling.

*****

Citadel Journal 11 (Sep 95)

Part 2 of the “Mega Wars,” the Epic-and-40K linking rules supplement (p. 4-17), which includes the Squats army throughout the article.

Since the article is Human propaganda, though, the special scenario for the Squats is a raid against a Homeworld to steal more of the higher technology of the Squats. The authors falsely describe Squat Homeworlds as “dark and desolate” places, but accurately warn that fighting the Squats in their homes will be “particularly deadly” (p. 12-13).

Most interestingly, the authors state that the Tyranids would be the race least likely to attack a Squat Homeworld (p. 13).

The Squat-created Leviathan is briefly referred to in an article on Epic Imperial Guard characters and troops (p. 37).

Squat Leviathan. No Guardsmen Need Apply

*****

Citadel Journal 12 (Nov 95)

Consistent with the “Difficult to Differentiate from Dwarfs” hypothesis of Squat Extinction Theory, the 2nd Ed 40K Squats symbols used in CJ 11 (e.g., p. 45) and 12 are very similar to several used in this issue in Warhammer Fantasy Battle and Blood Bowl articles in this issue (p. 14-16, 22) and others.

40K, WFB, or Blood Bowl?

40K, WFB, or Blood Bowl?
40K, WFB, or Blood Bowl?

*****

Citadel Journal 12a/13 (January 1996, White Dwarf 192)

Part 1 of “Avast There! Ye Scurvy Dogs! Pirate Armies in Warhammer 40,000.” Though the stats for the Pirate Squats appear in CJ 14, the entry for the Pirate Captain provides the interesting editorial interjection below:

The Captains “are the biggest, meanest, most evil pirates that ever charted the seven segmentums (that's including the Eye of Terror and the Squat Homeworlds for those about to write in with 'there are only five segmentums in the galaxy'- Ed).” (p. 26)

An illustration of a Squat Pirate, perhaps a Captain, by John Blanche appears on p .25 as well.

Hungry Ghosts from the Squat Pirates 1990 series

In addition to Pirate Squats, this issue of The Citadel Journal is also honored to include rules for the Daemon-Titan Abominatus, Khorne's Despoiler of Worlds, so mighty It looms over 8 pages of rules.

*****

Citadel Journal 14 (Mar 96)

Epic Squats were the topic of many submissions to Citadel Journal in response to the Editor's call for reader article submissions in issue 13/12a. These are compiled in an article titled “Steel and Stone” which featured new rules for two Gyrocopter variants named Steel Hawk and War Hawk and additional Specialist Land Train Battlecars named Fire Shield, Skyhammer, and Iron Eagle, as well as several vehicle upgrade options.

This article also provided a detailed system for experience-based improvements and new skills for Squat vehicle crews (a flocking million pointy-eared Autarchs cry into their BS3-brand beer). Finally, a special Titan-killer squadron formation, and a special character, Grand Warlord Grimtrek.

The article features the usual recycled art, several 2^nd edition style Squats symbols, the Gibbons World Eaters attack, and an illustration of a couple of 2^nd edition style Squats by John Blanche (p. 27-31).

We Invoke the Power of the Gibbons Illustration thru Our Humble Replication!

“Ahoy There! Ye Mutinous Dogs! Pirate Armies in Warhammer 40,000 Part 2” provides rules for Squat Pirates and Pirate Captains (p. 41-48).

*****

Citadel Journal 15 (May 96)

Editorial apology for not crediting Lee Garner for writing the Grand Warlord Grimtrek material (p. 2).

In a 40K Tyranid-player strategy guide titled “It's Good to Stalk!” by David Camburn, the Tyranid general writes “Except for Squat Hearthguard and Terminators, I have never come up against any real assault squads.” (p. 43-48, quote from p. 45)

Hungry Ghosts from the Squats Hearthguard series

A notable Tyranid defeat is also described (p. 47):

“In one battle versus Squats a result of “Something wrong with Trooper Jones...” [on the Event Tables] meant that six Squat Hearthguard, the Squat Warlord and their chief Librarian ally were all under the Strangler's template. Eight targets needing a 4+ to hit. I missed every single one of them.”

Some say coincidence. I say those eight owe a blood-debt to Khorne for his capricious favor.*****

Citadel Journal 16 (Jul 96): None

*****

Citadel Journal 17 (Sep 96)

An article on Epic Eldar Special Characters reports plans for future articles featuring Squats and Space Marines Special Characters (p. 47-48). Vapor Rules!

***** ***** *****
With issue 18, the Citadel Journal changed to a much smaller but fatter A5 format with 96 pages, while full-color content was limited to the smaller covers that were used for displaying painted or converted minis rather than gaming material. As time went on, more and more space was devoted to topics like painting, modeling, and scenarios rather than the new armies, units, and rules that dominated the Journal earlier. The digest-size lasted until 2000's issue 39, when the CJ reëmbiggened.

Citadel Journal 18 (Nov 96): None

*****

Citadel Journal 19 (Winter 1997, White Dwarf 204)

Necromunda article “House Specialties” provides an alternative to the standard gang advancement rules (p. 18-23). The technophile House Van Saar is given the option of having up to 2 Squats in the gang, Squats who “enjoy the chance to show humans who is the superior race.” The Squats are further praised as “notoriously stubborn and full of self-belief.” (both p. 22)

*****

Citadel Journal 20 (Spring 97)

This issue and Issue 21 supplement the newly released Epic 40,000 rules with material that did not make it into the official rulebooks. Issue 20 presents a Squats army list with stats for the various vehicles (p. 32-46), which are advertised as available from Mail Order (p. 34 ).

Jervis Johnson, one of the great expositors of GW's dragon-like beer-spilling thrashing about in the Strongholds of the Squats, explains (p. 32):

“So why exactly did we leave out the army lists printed in this issue [and in 21] of the Journal, especially the Squats? Fortunately, there is a fairly simple answer to this, which is that we were not at all happy with the way the Knights and the Squats have been presented in the past, and we wanted to put them on a 'back-burner' for a while so we could do a good job on them. The alternative was to 'bash out' a couple quick army lists and simply ignore the problem...”

Johnson says that the GW Overlords made the decision to leave out the Squats & Knights until they were further developed (p. 32), but Warwick Kinrade reports that “the demand from ardent Squat players was overwhelming,” compelling them to produce an army list for the many Squat armies already existing (p. 35).

The background fluff accompanying this Squats army list places their divergence from Humans “over fifteen millennia past” and provides another source of evidence for the technological superiority of the Squats (suspicions of the Adeptus Mechanicus, p. 35).

And consistent with a comment from one of the Hungry Ghosts blog readers, the tunneling Moles and Termites follow the drop pod rules in this Squats army list (p. 36).

*****

Citadel Journal 21 (Summer 97): none

*****

Citadel Journal 22 (Oct/Nov 97)

In a 40K anti-Chaos tactics guide, “Dealing with the Damned III: Vehicles and Daemons” it is noted that the best method of isolating a Daemon-host in bloom is that of the Squats Living Ancestor's Force Dome psychic power, while the Grey Knights or the Inquisition will have a hard time (p. 15).

*****

Citadel Journal 23 (Dec/January 1998, White Dwarf 216): none

Citadel Journal 24 (Feb/Mar 98): none

*****
Citadel Journal 25 (Apr/May 98)

A letter from a reader containing a lengthy parade of house rules for Warhammer 40,000 includes a rule that the Mole Mortar and Thudd Guns use similar targeting rules as the Whirlwind.

*****

Citadel Journal 26 (Summer 98)

Reader Daniel Hill provides a Warhammer 40K campaign outline that illustrates the typical ineptness we have come to expect from the Human Empire (p. 5-15). “The Caudrax Campaign” takes place on the planet of Caudrax Tertius, which lies just outside the Squat Homeworlds Segmentum of the galaxy. The Adeptus Mechanicus uses Caudrax 3 as a research station where they can “obtain exotic new materials from the Squats to use in their experiments” (p. 6).

Unfortunately but predictably, concentrating a bunch of military R&D development projects with exotic materials in one city attracted the attention of a huge Chaos Fleet. And then, another unfortunate oversight, the city is right on top of a gateway into the warp bound shut by a trapped Greater Daemon. Who is waiting for that Chaos Fleet to come open the warp-gate and “bring forth an unstoppable torrent of Daemons, Chaos Marines, and Chaos Titans which would turn transform the tranquil, idyllic planet into a living hell where the oceans burn with fire and mortals are tortured horribly under the rule of their Daemonic masters (p. 6-7). So Marines of all colors come and blow each other to bits with the help of Daemons and their Hunters.

Daemon Worlds with Oceans of Fire! From $99/night!

As attractive as all this bloodshed is to Hungry Ghosts, the Squat part of him must point out that this is why you do the engineering surveys before colonization.

Now let us move on from stupidity to treachery. In “Outriders: The Ultimate Gamers?” two brothers from the USA (Scott and Jason Hill) describe their Warhammer obsession, and provide some rules and special characters made by them (p. 44-55).

First, a Warhammer 40K campaign featuring the Imperium fending off the invading Tyranid Kraken Fleet with the assistance of their Squat allies is discussed (p. 46). Then, in typical Human fashion, the brothers go on to describe a new unit for the Imperial Guard, the Patracian Demolition Team. These Patracians “were first utilized during the Crusades against the Squat Homeworlds just after the Emperor gained power and formed the Imperium. They were deployed as small strike teams to infiltrate the Squat mines and tunnels to cut off escape and supply routes (p. 50).”

*****

Citadel Journal 27 (Early Fall 98)

“Get Yer Motor Runnin'” provides rules and conversion advice for using Motorcycles in Necromunda. The author, Isaac Tobin, prefers the Squats cycles for their more ramshackle and Harley-Davidsonesque appearance compared to the Space Marine bikes (p. 30-38).

This issue includes several Convention Reports for late 1997 and early 1998 events (p. 54-67). Mr. Ian Roberts reports on the “Mighty Empires Campaign Weekend” held at GW Headquarters in Lenton UK on 21-22 March 1998.

Roberts (p.60) writes that he “hung on to the bitter end” of the event, drinking at Bugman's Bar, listening to discussion about the event and upcoming Warhammer releases. During this barroom chatter, it was revealed that “the Squats are to be left out of the next issue of 40K so they can be totally re-written for the issue after.” However, “At that point we were literally thrown out and the weekend's events faded into legend” much like the Squats themselves ...and Mighty Empires for the next 10 years.

3 kinds of Squat Motor Bikes Head for the Sunset

*****

Citadel Journal 28 (Late Fall 98): none. But isn't that a crazy place to put an explanation in CJ 27?

*****

Squat-tober Mutant Round-Up: Battle at the Bitz Box 1

Although Hungry Ghosts HQ has been busy as Captain Ahab pursuing his White Dwarfs to flense their carcasses for their precious Lost Lore of the Squats (up to 1999, and done with Troll), we have not seen a whole lot on the actual painted miniatures front.

Well, Hungry Ghosts is a bits junkie, and converting is his crack. To heighten the temptation, the bitz bins are right next to the painting zone, which is next to the TV, which means constant exposure to interestingly shaped bits that suddenly reveal their purpose. Like the Tyranid Hunter-Slayer face that had been waiting more than 20 years to become a Chaos Ratling-Centaur's buttface.

Master Chef Gravy Chunckx's Chaos Cooking for All Times and Places reports:
"According to their unholy religion, the Chaos All-Stars must cook and eat their coach if they lose a game [of Blood Bowl]. If they win, of course they're allowed to eat him raw!"
(actually from White Dwarf 221 p. 14, by Jervis Johnson)

But some progress toward army completion was made. The Lava Shark Leman Russ is ready for highlighting, and the Fire Shark Hell Hound has been lined.

With the Hell Hound, I'm trying out the use of a base for the tank, so that corpses like the Dark Eldar Warrior there, and other bits, can be added. There aren't many places to get bases big enough for the tanks (about 150mm long and 120 mm wide), and they are expensive, the Hell Hound is attached to part of a DVD case.

The Land Shark Termite and Driver Hellfisch were finished and joined the rest of the Hungry Ghosts Horde in the Tower of Chaos (aka the Ikea modular shelf).

Ken the Thunder Chief is also ready for his highlights.

Then we took a break to create a couple of minor stars in the Hungry Ghosts galaxy, Master Chef Chunckx, whose GrimDark recipes were a key to warping the Legios Moriad XIV Expeditionary Force into the Chaos fiends we know today.

No meal is too big for the Master of the Cuisinatorium!

And the Hungry Ghosts hired a Renegade Guardsman from the Plague Barons Army of Nurgle to help resolve line of sight issues, since the 40K 5th edition rules would favor the Squats due to their stature. Plus I wanted to paint something green.

Trooper Los Fnnr was not very impressed by the new version of the Lord of Change.

Then things got chaotic.

The Explosion of the Scrunt-Spawn

Some people see a driver torso on the shelf and say, great, I'll use them for my tank drivers. Instead, they nip nip nip at the corners of my brain saying “where's my legs sir?...need legs...or wheels...tracks...” A separate part of my brain decided “you need to make tall Dwarfs, you don't know why, maybe because Mickey was caught heightening on Seinfeld, but you will make them...”

These Super-Size Scrunt conversions are a mix of Citadel metal and plastic bits with Scrunts torsos from Olley's Armies. Citadel & Olley's Armies are independent companies, and neither has endorsed, nor recognized the existence of, these hideous half-breeds.

The stained wood appearance of the Scrunt Spawn is Terra Cotta primer and Chestnut ink wash over it.

The Super-Size Scrunts don't have official names yet, so we'll call this one Grasshopper. He has the legs of a 40K 2nd edition Genestealer, a Gorkamorka Mutie Backpack, and a (2e) Chaos Spawn Head taking care of business in the rear with a Daemonette Crabclaw Arm about to toss a grenade.I forget whose giant horns those are, they are metal, and is suspect a dragon of some sort, maybe a Greater Daemon. Grasshopper is also enhanced with some plastic bits from Kroot, Chaos, and Undead.

SSS-2 has been enhanced through cybernetics instead of hybrid genetics. He was sort of inspired by the Powerlifter used by the heroine of the film Aliens, so we'll call him Ellen Ripley for now.

Ellen is heavily equipped, with Ork Bionik Deluxxe Kickin Legs, a Space Marine Servitor Arm, and a giant weapon scope from Ork with Mega-Armor Head Sprue 3. His central-waist area was made by taking the hand part out of the center of an Ogre Weapon Animal Trap bit, with various sacks and other phallic symbols added.Ellen's arms are from the Mordheim Carnival of Chaos set (gun) and Necromunda Redemptionists (mace). The exhaust-pipes backpack is from an arm from the Epic Imperial Knight Crusader, with some plastic Empire Knights Eagle Head symbols added.

This fellow has a long ethereal arm reaching out to slime the enemy, so he'll be Ecto-Cooler. The crazy arm is the Lashwhip from the old metal Tyranid Hive Tyrant. He also has bolter-type gun from one of the Scrunt Weapon Sprues on his right, while the left arm is part of the torso, with a giant metal spike, also Tyranid I think, added to counterbalance the Ecto-Arm.

From the back, we can see that Ecto-Cooler's lower half is a Beastman from the previous round of plastic Gors, along with a generic Horse Tail bit added for more beastiness. He also has a metal Gorkamorka backpack, and makes use of some of the metal Scruntification skull symbols from Olley's Armies.

The last Super-Sized Scrunt is Wheelie, whose lower half is the Ork Bionik Gyro Monowheel. Wheelie has also turned to the Green Menace for his robo-arms, which are the Power Claws from the 1990s metal version of the Epic Gutrippa. The centrally located Las Weapon is also Epic, from the Dreadnought on the Space Marine Legion sprue. His antennae are Tau Fire Warrior, like the wreckage on the base, and his gunbarrel is enhanced with an old Eldar Fusion Gun tip.Wheelie's originally exhaust pipe has been doubled with the Horn from a High Elf Warrior Musician, while the cloth streamers are the leftovers from the Eagle Head bits on Ellen. He also has one of the old little metal Empire Outrider Backpacks, along with some Imperial pouches and more Scruntification.

Our final Scrunt conversion is super-sized in attitude instead of height, and was inspired by a character met during Judge Dredd's legendary voyage across the Cursed Earth to save Mega-City 2.

This version of General Blood N Scrunts is based on the old Epic Imperial Basilisk/Manticore Chassis, with additional armor plating from Grey Knight Terminator Shields.

Celebrating the Forever War by rolling over a RTB01 Beakie

From the back, we can see that the General has had to cobble together his engine and supplies from parts scoured from the battlefield, with the assistance of a WFB Zombie hand.

Four more Super-Sized Scrunts are planned. Like the other 4, 2 will be feral mutants and 2 will be cyber-mutants.

The leather biker look complements the metal Daemonette-Kangaroo crossbreed legs from the 90s. Whips, snakes, and capes will complete the perversion.

This Scrunt will use the bottom half of a 90s Flesh Hound (with Pink Horror Tail), and will also be position on the corpse of one of his fellow Khornicons who has fallen in battle (the Flesh Hound legs require a climbing posture).

The Cyber-Scrunts are less differentiated at this point. The one pointing will be hovering about shouting orders using a metal Dreadnought Power Fist bit and a metal Tau Drone bit, with additional curved plastic and metal bits from various ranges.

The fellow in the cockpit will have a zippy little Cloud-Car with long engine bits from old Epic & Space Fleet Eldar bits and/or old Tyranid warrior arms. Odd how similar the Nid gun is to the tail portion of the Eldar Wraithship. This one is meant to be reminiscent of the ancient and off-scale Iron Claw Hover Car.

That's it for today's miniature review. Coming up next will be Storm Troopers and their Spawn Slaves. In the meantime, ponder this image:

(from Troll 37, March/April 2001)