Tall's Mechano-Men

[Tall]

So I find myself starting another new army, this time in honour of 8th edition. I've decided to go with Empire as I fancy lot's of big guns......
But to make things more interesting I'm going to make them some sort of clockwork/Mechanical Men theme. I've come up with a few proofs of concept based around Necrons so without further ado here they are.....

Hand Gunners



I think the one in the front with the stripped down Guass gun looks the better of the two.

Greatswords



Swordsmen




Outrider



Knight




You can't see from the picture very well but the body is mounted via a harness which fits in the saddle.

Any C&C is welcome, I know they need a bit of de-40K-ing so any ideas will be met with open arms.

TP

[Valetus]

An interesting concept although I am not personally a fan

[Delthos]

It would be ridiculously expensive, but I think you should go with mechanical horses as well.

[mattdus]

I will give credit for what I assume is some awesome scratch build / conversion work, but my first thought when looking at them was "this isn't a 40k forum" I think the idea is sound but would be better if they looked like a classic clockwork. they look too much like something from 40k or a terminator movie for my taste.

[Valetus]

I they look too much like something from 40k

Because the first models are largely unconverted 40k necrons of course

[Warlord]

GREAT IDEA.

I have been wondering how to make a clockwork army, and Necrons may be the ticket.

Time to look on E-Bay to get a few models so I can tinker.

[Cannonofdoom]

I really like the outrider, though I think using Assault Cannons from Space Marines might be easier than scratch building.

[Tall]

Thanks for the C&C. I think I'm going try swapping the heads for now to either Brettonians or Marauders as that's what's in my box. I didn't do it over the weekend when I did these as I hadn't had much sleep and didn't think they looked right but in retrospect they'll go better until I get some knight helmets. As for the outrider I was planning on using the repeaters from the outrider box jerry-rigged onto the harness. The front handgunner has had the piping removed and does look a lot better that the one at the back. These are just proofs of concept don't forget and overall I think it's going to work, it just needs a fantasy injection!

TP

[laribold]

Nice idea.

I think maybe a few more oversized clockwork pieces/pistons would help reduce the 40Kness. Also smoke/steam belching from small chimneys would add to the steam-powered nature of it all.

To be honest, the horses don't really sit right with the steampunk nature of it all. They look too... well natural. It might be probitively expensive but the engineers mechanical steed would look loads better than standard horses (probably the first time anyone has said that the mechanical steed would look better than a horse!)

Just my tuppence...

[BAWTRM]

Indeed. It might be better to scratch the whole horse thing and construct something else. 4 legged spiderwalker abdomens or something, or a steampunk bike.

[rufus sparkfire]

I approve of robot skeletons.

[Sand]

First off, I am not sure I'll ever be a fan from a "fits in with the Warhammer world" perspective. It would of course be silly for you to base your army on what I find fitting, though.

Secondly, if you want to make them look more fantasy-ish I think it can be done, but I think it'll need a lot of work to look halfway convincing.
As it is, the Necrons are a tad to "sleek" and rounded looking for fantasy, I think. Not so much the head and the torso as the arms, legs and weapons. Still, I think they do provide a good baseline to expand upon. Personally, I'd go for bulking them up a bit, give them more square shapes here and there, as well as stick some wood and some cogs in there (no pun!). Especially the wood and cogs part would help immensely to make them look like full-fledged fantasy conversions and not just 40K models. Because honestly, that's what they look like now (my fluff-opinions completely notwithstanding).
I agree with you that it can be done -and I think it can end up as a very unique and interesting looking army- but I do think it'll take a lot of work.

Edit: Nuts and bolts would also be a good thing, especially on the limbs, since they'd break up the sleekness and symmetry of the Necron models (and are pretty easy to do to boot). And do whatever you can to make any guns/mechanical weapons less 40Kish.

[Sand]

Oh and another thing you might do to help along a fantasyish aesthetics is use ornamentation. Part of why the Necrons aren't particularly convincing as fantasy models is because they look too "efficient". Stick on some ribbons, feathers and the like and it should help.

I'll also add my voice to the choir saying the horses don't really work too well at present. In a sense I could see them working if you manage to make the mechanical men themselves look much more Steampunk and primitive. That way living -or perhaps semi-mechanical/bionic- horses might actually add to the overall effect (assuming the slightly weird blend of primitive-yet-advanced technology and fantasy is what you're going for).

[MrDWhitey]

I approve of robot skeletons.

So do I.

Giving them all sort of powerplant boilers on their backs with chimneys would go a long way to making it work. Also, cogs randomly put in always helps.

Dammit, I was looking at Rise of Legends again last night,and now this!

[Old Stonebeard]

Whoa, novel concept.  I applaud the effort, and I think it has the potential to look dynamite on the field. Also, witty use of the upside-down bases; might have to try that some day. Furthermore, an appropriate paintjob will likely go far to make them look the part; bronze and oily metal ftw. 

For the most part, I second what Sand said, but with a suggestion of my own; break out the GS and add some frippery to them. Hats, belts, feathers, and frilly clothing wouldn't go amiss, and would allow you to add some more thematic colors when painting time comes.
Just as the Undead fight in parody of real soldiers, I'd imagine these guys would too.

Here's some pics of the Wulfenbach Clank's from the webcomic "Girl Genius"... thought you might find 'em inspirational  :icon_biggrin:
http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/ggmain/strips/ggmain20021209.jpg
http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/ggmain/strips/ggmain20021230.jpg
http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/ggmain/strips/ggmain20030101.jpg

Cheers!
- Z

[wolfsbreath]

I love the idea, and for my twopennies can I just say I think the knights horses fit ok with a mechanical force. The current knights are so lifeless as a model they get my vote as the most boring set GW do for Empire. The none dynamic pose of the knights horse would be a good starting point for a mechanical steed just throw on a exhaust or two and away you go mate.

Apart from that cant wait to see the next stage. Dont you just love Empire lets your imagination run wild. Now where is that teddy bear mini... :dry:

[Morticai]

really like the idea.  Gotta have a lotta engineers in the army tho.  Also, another idea for the knights, instead of live horses, how bout robo-centaurs.  Just usen two sets of necron legs, some kinda connector piece in middle, and shape the feet to more like hooves.

[Mecha Coby]

I like it, especially the Great Sword.

The only thing i would do differently is fit the Necron part on the Warhorse where the horses head goes.
I think it would make them stand out more.

I would also try to find small brass cogs (like from watches) to mount them on the models so they jut out of their backs.

On the subject of Unmechanical horse's i think if you removed the legs and replaced them with Skeleton Horse legs and painted 'em silver/brass/whatever that would look better that the fleshy legs.

Looking forward to seeing what you do with the paint scheme!

Mark

[red bull]

If you madethem more engineery, cover them in valves, levers and pistons,they could be an Engineer contingent from Nuln.

Just my 2p.

[BAWTRM]

@Tall: If you're needing some cogs I came up with a great source this weekend. And with 'came up' I mean I mercilessly crushed one of my son's toy cars under my heel.

He has these tiny pull-back cars, they're only 5x3x3 centimeters or something and they're absolutely dirt cheap! Over here we buy a box with 12 of them for 2,50 Euro!

Anywayz, they have these really small gears inside them, nothing fancy like actual metal watch gears just simple plastic.

[Immovable Object]

@Tall: If you're needing some cogs I came up with a great source this weekend. And with 'came up' I mean I mercilessly crushed one of my son's toy cars under my heel.

You're a bad man  :icon_evil:

[BAWTRM]

Mercilessly as in 'I stepped back and nearly keeled over when my heel landed on this small car that my little son had forgotten to put away with the rest of his toys' 80 kilos vs that little plastic car was no contest.

You didn't think I did it on purpose did you?

[Immovable Object]

Mercilessly as in 'I stepped back and nearly keeled over when my heel landed on this small car that my little son had forgotten to put away with the rest of his toys' 80 kilos vs that little plastic car was no contest.

You didn't think I did it on purpose did you?

Im not one to judge.....

[132nd]

  To 40kish IMO.  If you pimp them out with some more Empire symbols they'd look more steam punkish.