Hello Everyone!

Firstly, my apologies for my lack of input into the forum of late. But due to the end of the school year for Christmas holidays I found myself again dusting off the old workbench and getting stuck into the hobby again.

So, my latest project has been the design and construction of an alternate broadside miniature for my Tau army, resulting in the 'Kong' Pattern Broadside. My original idea was for a battle suit with the form of a gorilla, and I used various pictures of the Iron Kong from the cartoon Zoids as inspiration.

Here are some of my original, rough concept sketches (ignore the buzzy-bee in the middle);



And here is he finished model,












So what I’m really looking for here is feedback on the CONVERTING AND MODELLING aspect of the model, not the painting aspect, which is why I have posted this topic in the modelling sub-forum (and would much appreciate if it stays here).

Thank you in advance for all comments and constructive criticism.

Cheers,
Scott

Nice, I love the modeling. The one thing I must recommend is moving the two cylinders in the back to behind the railguns, or even better, just get rid of them. They seem to take away from the model by adding to much on top. The railguns and had are what the enemy should be focused on, not two smoke stacks between them. Another option would be to put them together on the side of the model, below and in front of the shield drone's wire. Other than that, its a great model. It reminds me of that new table top game where you play as giant monkeys in battlesuits.

sctt_leggett :
Good to have you back, and I completely understand the absence due to the end of the semester. It's nice to just sit down and paint a Devilfish without worrying about a Biology lab report...

The modeling is excellent. To me, it looks like the model was designed to look that way, which is perfect as the new posture and design isn't forced on the old Broadside chassis. Maybe a Liger Zero Panzer is next on the list?

Just two quick questions: the little drone is supposed to be a separate target acquisition drone that just connect by the wires, correct, and why did you construct the forearms in that particular way? Using the Burst Cannon was a good idea, but it looks a little too frail to me...

Anyway, nice job, and nice to have you back for the new year!

I really like how his legs and front arms turned out. He looks really balanced and as if this is how the model is supposed to look.
I agree with leatherback, that all the stuff on his back takes your attention away from his gorilla-pose.
Maybe remove it all and move the head and targeter a bit down towards his chest?
Over all a marvellous model with some small disturbing details.

Yeah, maybe replacing the multi tracker piece with the head. That would give it a very tough look.

Nice legs! I've been searching for these kind of legs, thanks for the inspiration. Smart part usage, I still can't make out how it's build (which is good!). Cool concept too, by the way.
I would say the white is a bit overdone.. But I don't know how it looks on the table.

That is really cool. I love the concept of a Dog Solider and the running on all fours. I thought about the SMS on a single side and I like how it looks. Also, the crystal in the base....really cool.

A better place for the cylinders would be on the back flanking the generator instead of flanking the intake.... essentially just move them further down the back of the model and outwards towards the sides, that way they would blend in more with the railguns. Also I suggest raking them back more, so they don't stick straight up when the suit is in firing position.

also another idea that you might try for future versions, is to give the suit curled fingers (from a p-fist perhaps?) that extend back from the fist, to more closely resemble a gorrila walking on its knuckles. on a similar note, you could also try bending the fists back a little bit, making the hand nearly vertical and then bending at the wrist... once again to make the suit stand on its knuckles. the way that the arms stick straight out is a bit unnatural atm.

Other than that, it looks really sweet. Great work

Firstly thanks to everyone for their input, all your comments are much appreciated.

leatherback;
The smoke stacks were one of the first things I did to the suit, and now that you mention it they do look out of place with the rest of the parts now added. Thank you for pointing this out. I think id rather experiment with blue-tack and move them around on the model before condemning then back to the bits box.
I also know of the game system you mean. In fact I did have a picture of one as part of my reference material, although I didn’t consciously use it that much.

SpartanTau;
Haha you seem to understand my life completely!
Anyway, thank you for your kind words, I hadn’t actually considered anything along those lines but maybe I could make a count as piranha sometime in the future? In answer to your question, yes the drone is there to represent whatever wargear I choose to give the suit. In reality, it would represent more targeting systems connected into the suits hardware with think electrical and power cables. Also, the arms were constructed before I could pose the rest of the model so I could only guess how they would look. If I could change anything about the model I think it would be the arms, they just don’t seem to fit in with the gorilla image I was trying to create.

speedfreek;
Thank you, I wanted the model to look as if it had just set up in its firing position, so a balanced pose and also aesthetic balance were both important for me. I hadn’t really considered moving the position of the head but I’m glad you brought it up; do you think that with the next model, maybe integrating the head into the suit torso a bit more would have the same effect as what you are suggesting? Like, changing them so that they don’t look like two separate parts, but more like a gorilla’s head joined to the torso? Possibly like leatherback suggests in his next post?

Fio'El On'myou;
I'm really glad you like them, as I was personally really pleased with how they turned out. They are simply made from greenstuff rolled into cylinders with various diameters, bits from the Broadside set, and spare crisis suit weapons. Hmm I can kind of see where you’re coming from with the white, which parts in particular put it over the top for you?

Dr._O'DeepView;
I absolutely agree, and with guns like that the added stability wouldn’t go a miss either. The missiles were a last minute addition when I realised I couldn’t simply sling them onto the side of the legs like planned (see 1st pic). That being said I really like how it makes it look a lot heavier and more imposing.

Kies'el;
Yea you have given me a few good ideas for better positions for the intakes, I will definitely try and use one when I change them. I do like the point of them not sticking straight up; it does look a bit odd, thank you for pointing it out.
I can visualise exactly what you mean by the curled fingers too, I had a perfect picture of the iron kongs arm from a side view that I could have used but I settled for the current version instead, which in hindsight I consider a mistake.

Thanks again to everyone for your high quality posts and feedback. Due to the points that you have raised I will attempt to make some more appropriate arms and move the intakes to a better location. I cant say weather I will make these changes to this model or jus on future versions, that is the other two members of the squad which are still in the planning stages.

Cheers and many thanks,
Scott

Hmm, which part. The missiles reminded me of chess and harlequin patterns, his right shoulder stands out and I would have painted the spiral to the drone some other color (dark blue or dark green?). Just my ideas, do with them what you like I don't dislike white at all, but somehow too much white seems wrong on this piece to me.

I think that sounds like a really good solution.
Be gone thin neck!

Fio'El On'myou;
The white is part of my Cadre’s colour scheme, but looking at my other battlesuits, the white does seem a lot more predominant. I may try and dull down some of the areas you suggested with more dark red, and maybe going right back to gold for some. However I did spend a long time getting that nice even colour and I quite like the contrast it creates.

speedfreek;
Ok that’s a point I shall focus on in my next version. It would be a silly to attack this model with serious facial reconstruction when its as good as finished so I’ll jus remember it’s a really important part when I make the other two members of the squad. Hey by any chance have you seen any pictures of suits that may have heads similar to what I’m after? Like big bulky ones either with no neck or built into the torso?

Just a quick note, I’m going away for a couple of weeks so please don’t be offended if I don’t reply to your posts straight away, I promise I will get to them eventually, but I cant promise any haste.

That being said please keep the feedback coming, like I’ve mentioned I intend to do atleast two other broadside in a similar manor so all ideas are greatly welcome.

Thanks to all,
Scott

nice. Would look good in a Karmen army

Perhaps the whole head of one of the new Stealth Suits, or just their face.

I quite like that idea... what about slicing like the entire top half of the stealth torso and putting that ontop of the crisis torso (having removed the crisis's neck and details on top)? cutting the stealth so the its face plate would be perpenticular to the ground?

That would result in something similar to a gorrilas basic image wouldnt it? maybe?