FIREWARRIORS
Positioning Limbs
Crisis Battlesuits Piloted by the bravest warriors of the Fire Caste, Crisis suits provide a Hunter Cadre with fast moving, flexible firepower, bringing death to the enemy.
These principles work equally well with Tau Battlesuit arms and legs.
The target lock has been added to the head.
• Cut the arm below the shoulder pad, and experiment with its position.
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These plastic girders come from the new building sets.
Here the Battlesuit leans forward with the right arm extended and rotated to create a shooting pose.
Green Stuff is used to fill in the gaps between the components.
The antennae mounting blocks have been removed from the head.
• Drill a hole for a pin in the lower arm, then drill a hole in the pad to match.
s This model is straight out of the
The girder has been bent as the Battlesuit steps onto it, giving the model a huge sense of raw power and weight.
The knee was cut and rotated to create the crouching pose.
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box and has been modelled dynamically to show a Battlesuit taking off. To get this pose, the model was pinned to its base through one of its feet. With basing materials added, it’s impossible to see the join.
When pinning, make sure the model is balanced or it will topple over.
s The weight of this model is on its left leg. The angle of the head matches the position of the leg, adding to the overall dynamism of the pose.
• Glue the arm in position.
Converting Tau
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This Battlesuit is firing at the enemy, whilst landing on top of a Space Marine! The arms’ upward angle adds power to the model.
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Battlesuits are the centrepieces of the Tau army. The kits are already versatile, but with a little conversion work you can add even more life to your models.
The leg was cut and rotated to create the leaping pose.
The Battlesuit was pinned to the Space Marine for stability.
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Battlesuit Commanders The most trusted of the Fire Caste Commanders lead
Broadside battlesuit, provides formidable firepower. Its twin-linked railguns are capable of destroying enemy vehicles whilst its secondary weapons systems are deadly to infantry.
the Hunter Cadres in battle, and some carry special issue equipment – systems that have yet to enter common use, are difficult to mass produce, or that are only in the earliest stages of development.
The legs have been positioned in a wide, braced pose.
s This conversion based on O’Shovah has an aggressive jumping pose, with the legs cut and repositioned and pinned to the base.
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s The missile pods are angled across the body while the head is looking at the warrior’s target. All this gives the model a sense of activity.
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This missile arm has been cut and repositioned.
This model carries experimental weapon systems, available in the Tau Crisis Battlesuit Commander box set.
This model stands in a classic pose, with plastic missile pods replacing the smart missile system mounted on the base of the railguns.
The dawn blade was cut from the left hand and pinned to the right arm. Alternate Commander head and Command and Control node
The pin runs through the foot and ankle for strength. Cyclic ion blaster
A target lock has been added to the back of the left hand.
Missile pods taken from four Battlesuit kits!
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The weapon mounts have been swapped on this model, giving it a squat appearance.
Repositioned missile pod.
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Railguns mounted on arms instead of the back.
FIREWARRIORS
Broadside Battlesuits A heavier variant of the XV-8 battlesuit, the XV-88, or
s On a couple of our Battlesuits we’ve New shinguard taken from plastic Fire Warrior.
added Fire Warrior shoulder pads to the knees for embellishment and to cover up the join where we’ve cut into the model. This is an easy alternative to re-sculpting!
A shield drone has been used here as a shield generator.
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FIREWARRIORS
BATTLESUITS
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This white Battlesuit, by Darren Latham, has a multitracker for a head.
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As Anya Wettergren’s model shows, Battlesuits are powerful in melee as well as ranged combat!
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Fil Dunn’s Battlesuit has been extensively repositioned to create the illusion of full flight. s
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The models on this page were converted and painted by the ’Eavy Metal team.
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s Neil Hodgson painstakingly painted his model to look as if it is entirely mirrored.