Razordons, on the cheap

[Lizardmatt]

I've been on the hunt for razordons since the book came out. A unit of 6 has done really well, but so far, it's been all proxies.
I'm not a huge fan of GW's razordons, and I'm even less of a fan of the price. $180 for 6 seems way to steep for me.
After an extensive search, I couldn't find anything with multiple poses that I liked.

Then I came across dark elf cold ones. They are much leaner and meaner than lizardmen cold ones, and almost the exact same size as GW razordons.
You have to carve off the saddle, green stuff in scales, and then add some back spines and a lot of tail spikes, but it's all fairly easy to do.

Once I finish I'll post some pictures.


If anyone is looking for massed razordons, I really recommend this approach.

-Matt

 

[Player not found]

Since I'm not a fan of either the Razordon or Salamander models, I've been trying to figure out what to use to replace these two units.

One idea I'd come up with, which would require testing to see how feasible it is (and be pretty costly to test, admitedly), is to take Dragon Ogre bodies... The two disadvantages I see here is that of course these do not fit the 40x40 base size (well, maybe they do? Although they definitely wouldn't rank up 2-deep) and would require significant work to pull out (I was thinking of using Ripper heads, since I'd have a few of these left once I've built a unit of Terradons).
Then of course I'd be left with a bunch of Ogre bodies that might be turned into MoT or MoS chaos ogres once green stuff robes have been added...

In the end, I think your idea would most likely be a lot easier to pull off, not so mention a friggin' lot cheaper!

+ Edit : Thinking back on it, maybe a Carnosaur head, Chimera's dragon head or any of the Hydra's heads (which might be readily available currently from people building Kharibdysses) might be a better fit than the Rippers'... Or even DE Cold One heads, but then why bother with the DO bodies?

 

[Stormfrog]

One thing i'v been doing with great success is to use Flesh hounds combined with bitz from the high elf dragon bought of E-bay to convert into Salamanders. Due to the pricing of slamanders vs flesh hounds, I get 5 converted salamanders for cheaper than 2 normal ones, and they look far more badass.

The bitz I used were the fins and crests from the dragon to give them a salamander like look, but im sure that you can do exactly the same with spines, and perhaps if you remove the initial fins that some of the flesh hounds have to give them a more razordon feel.

Dark elf cold ones are a fair enough idea, but they stand to upright and tall for my liking, and I already have dark elf cold ones replacing my normal cold ones

 

[Lizardmatt]

One thing i'v been doing with great success is to use Flesh hounds combined with bitz from the high elf dragon bought of E-bay to convert into Salamanders. Due to the pricing of slamanders vs flesh hounds, I get 5 converted salamanders for cheaper than 2 normal ones, and they look far more badass.

The bitz I used were the fins and crests from the dragon to give them a salamander like look, but im sure that you can do exactly the same with spines, and perhaps if you remove the initial fins that some of the flesh hounds have to give them a more razordon feel.

Dark elf cold ones are a fair enough idea, but they stand to upright and tall for my liking, and I already have dark elf cold ones replacing my normal cold ones

Hmmm.... What do you think about using Fleshhound bodies and DE cold one heads? Fleshhounds heads look too dog like to me, but the scaly head may fit will with the scaly body for an even easier conversion.

-Matt

 

[jayzerus]

.

Then I came across dark elf cold ones. They are much leaner and meaner than lizardmen cold ones, and almost the exact same size as GW razordons.
You have to carve off the saddle, green stuff in scales, and then add some back spines and a lot of tail spikes, but it's all fairly easy to do.

Why do you have to cut off the saddle? Can you get some skinks from the troglodon kit or terradon kit and use the converted salamander/razordons as a mount? I don't see that as being any less fluffy than any of the other mounts.

 

[n810]

Hmmm how about bodies from Kroot Hounds ?
With some sort of reptile head.

 

[FavoredoftheOldOnes]

Be interested to see this conversion. I've thought about converting salamanders from dark elf cold ones before but never thought about doing it for razordons too. Might have to give both of these ideas a try...

 

[Lizardmatt]

Hmmm how about bodies from Kroot Hounds ?
With some sort of reptile head.

It's a good body shape, and good spines, but too small IMO.

-Matt

 

[Lizardmatt]

Hmmm how about bodies from Kroot Hounds ?
With some sort of reptile head.

It's a good body shape, and good spines, but too small IMO.

-Matt

I'm going to be picking up some kroot heads, which are dirt cheap. Scalp them, and use a few sets of the "hair" as spines. Should work out awesome.
20 heads for $5 should let me do a head crest, two clusters on the shoulders, and more on the tail.

Much easier than green stuff.

-Matt

 

[Dreadgrass]

I've been thinking of using our coldone heads (as I have some floating around) on Fleshound bodies as well, not too sure if Im happy with the sizing though.

Another option I'm considering (though not a cheap one) is the KrootOx - revamp the gun into a super-blowpipe/ Gatling dart-gun, man it with a skink and convert it a little to look more reptilian/ snapping turtlesque.

 

[Lizardmatt]

I've been thinking of using our coldone heads (as I have some floating around) on Fleshound bodies as well, not too sure if Im happy with the sizing though.

Another option I'm considering (though not a cheap one) is the KrootOx - revamp the gun into a super-blowpipe/ Gatling dart-gun, man it with a skink and convert it a little to look more reptilian/ snapping turtlesque.

I looked into that, as I kind of hate the fluff of flinging a ton of spikes. Looking at the models, one shot and a stand and fire and it's launched every spike on it. That's why I was thinking quills instead.

I like the kroot-ox idea, but finding the right head would be tough.
If you can get enough people to build their Bastiladons with the extra Staggadon head, you might be able to do it with Bastiladon heads.
Even so, the knuckle walking stance of the kroot ox isn't ideal. Too much Ape.

-Matt

 

[Dreadgrass]

Im not really adverse to their current heads, just their positioning (slightly too low on the shoulders and not enough neck) plan thusfar is:


- do what I can for different poses. Maybe try a heatgun on those front legs to try and bend the elbow joint. If I could get them a bit less "erect" by bending the elbows and adjusting the feet/ head positioning I think it's go a long way towards making them less simian.
- extend neck and position head slightly higher (will also allow for some variance in pose)
- extend shoulder-plates and add more plates down the back/over newly made neck
- re-work front feet into claws/flippers with greenstuff or carve them off at the "wrist" and replace.
- MAYBE look at adding a whippy-tail.....

There will also be some room for variance with the skink crew and dartguns

 

[Lizardmatt]

Im not really adverse to their current heads, just their positioning (slightly too low on the shoulders and not enough neck) plan thusfar is:


- do what I can for different poses. Maybe try a heatgun on those front legs to try and bend the elbow joint. If I could get them a bit less "erect" by bending the elbows and adjusting the feet/ head positioning I think it's go a long way towards making them less simian.
- extend neck and position head slightly higher (will also allow for some variance in pose)
- extend shoulder-plates and add more plates down the back/over newly made neck
- re-work front feet into claws/flippers with greenstuff or carve them off at the "wrist" and replace.
- MAYBE look at adding a whippy-tail.....

There will also be some room for variance with the skink crew and dartguns

At that point, I think you might be better off with using Tyranid Raveners as a body, doing a head swap, only using 4 arms instead of 6, and adding the chest spikes for the barbs.
$47 for 3 is better than $24 for 1.

-Matt

 

[laribold]

I think the old style Cold Ones might do a job here if you can get hold of them.

I've converted one up into a Salamander and I'm pretty pleased with the way it looks (I'll try and get some pics up of it).
They've got a better low profile compared to Dark Elf/current Lizardman Cold Ones and so look much less like riding mounts and more like war/monstrous beasts. Plus they don't have any saddles on them.

I've got a few more and was thinking about converting some into Razordon with the judicious addition of spiked. I hadn't quite worked that bit out as yet, but I do quite like the idea of something more like porcupine quills.

 

[Ondjage]

Have any of you tried conversions like this? Or are you just pondering?

I wanna see photos!

 

[laribold]

Have any of you tried conversions like this? Or are you just pondering?

I wanna see photos!

Well, I've not done any Razordons yet, but I've just posted up my old Cold One into Sallie conversion in my Army Plog:

http://www.lustria-online.com/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=13252&p=99127#p99127

Remove the fins and replace with spikes is what I'm thinking...