Possessed Vindicator Is Finally Done!

by Novus

OK, it's taken me forever but I finally finished my Possessed Vindicator!  Here is what it looked like before paint:

The whole idea for this build sprang from the image I had of a Vindi driver trying to escape this daemon that has suddenly possessed the tank.  I wanted to have the panicked pilot attempting to escape, but the daemon was too strong and pulling him back in to meet some messy end.  I also thought that the daemon pulling the door back inside would look moderately funky, too.  Everything else just sorta got built around the pilot idea.

I tried to convey panic in the way I painted the face and I think I came pretty close to what I had in mind.

I used the prototype Tentacle Maker for this project which means the ridge pattern is unique.  The closest one I make would be the SAW-050.

It's hard to see in this picture, but I gave the daemon a jaundiced look by taking some Griffon Sepia wash and thinning it way down with water and painting it over the entire eye.  The white of the eye is an icky yellow and the corners are bright pink/red... Hepatitis and Pinkeye!

I also wanted all those tentacles to look like they are searching or just plain doing something.  With the pintle tentacles I thought it would be funny if it was holding the Bolter at an angle... you know, Gansta-like.  But, there was only so much angle I could put on it before the ammo belt looked like it was defying gravity.

I also wanted some other tentacles to look like they were helping aim the main gun.  And others to look like they were holding up the armor plate that goes over the observation port so as to keep it from pinching the giant eye-stalk that is forcing it's way out.

To crank up the horror factor I wanted the mouth to be occupying the right door.  I tried to sculpt it like there were several rows of grinding teeth in the gullet.  Around the mouth itself there would be seven giant grabbing teeth that would hold the victim in place while the grinders went to work.

This back emblem plate was hand sculpted by placing the drawing of it under a piece of glass and sculpting over it.  It worked pretty well and helped me get the exact size sculpt I needed.

Here on the top I had a crazy idea to have the ventilation access plate tilted up so I could sculpt a bunch of tentacles reaching out and probing for stuff to eat.  I think that's my favorite part of the model.  Also, you can see an easy way to paint fans here.

I wanted it to look like Pappa Nurgle was infecting the blade, eating through it, and causing it to rust and bubble.  I'm not entirely happy with the dozer blade, but I really like the fact that the eye can see out the port.  It's magnetized so maybe I can find another somewhere and re-sculpt.

All in all, this model came out pretty well, I think, and I can't wait to use it on the table!

Happy Bashing!