Cheapo Squig Beast Conversion For Kill Rig And New Warhammer 40K Rules

Reluctantly, I bought the new Warhammer 40K rules book and also the new ork codex. As if Games Workshop figures were not expensive enough, the rules and codexes are changed every four years. These books cost at least $80 each. There is no reason why a small group could not continue to use old rules and ignore new rules books. However, gamers like to have a wide circle of players and to consistent rules. 

  So what is the GW rationale for changing rules so often? They are 'improving the rules'. In some cases that might well be so. However, I can see various ways the rules have been made more cumbersome and time consuming. The melee rules are an obvious example. Previously a leadership (morale) test was made if a unit lost 25% of its force. If it failed it retreated until the test was passed. Now it is taken EVERY time there is a casualty. If it fails then it is taken for EVERY figure in the unit. I mean, really? 

  The other thing is the 'Battlefield Stratagems'. The idea might have merit but why add another level of complexity? They can be left out but it becomes an expectation.

  Frankly, it takes me four years to be relatively cognizant of the rules. I mean there are a lot of them.  Just as I get comfortable with them they change them!

  The positives are that GW have a long-lasting system which gets children interested in wargames. They have fantastic models and regularly introduce new kits and figures.

  This brings me to some of the new Ork models. These include large squigs with heads that are very shark-like. There are two types of the large ones, two legged and four legged for hauling a 'Kill-rig.' This is kind of a beast pulled large truck, but it is deadly in combat. Incidentally, there is a brief mention of squiggoths but no further mention and no stats list. Why not? I once made a couple of these from large toy triceratops. I use them in my 1/32 ork army but could also use them in 40K.

  So this made me think of making a squig-beast from a chinasaur. I used a smaller triceratops than the ones I used for my squiggoths. I found a suitable shark candidate for the head. It needs to be a largish head, preferably with its ugly gob open.

So here is the model so far. The bag of sea animals was $5 and the dinosaur was among a big box of them I keep for such occasions. Most of my dinosaurs I pick up second hand for about a buck each.

                                  Given the colors, I ought to enter my work bench in an art competition.

The tail of the triceratops was cut off and the hollow inside part filled with tissue, coated with hot glue and trimmed when dry. I also added a some Super Glue. The existing teeth looked puny, so I added teeth from the ends of wooden skewers. It's hard to see how he shuts his mouth now, but it looks more squiggy. Some spare ork parts were glue on. The bits on the head were cut from an ork truck boarding ladder. A couple of random bits were also stuck on the body. I get the impression that bits are just bolted directly on the body. I could also have given this creature some robot legs and even an exhaust as they have cybernetic additions.

To finish this I'll need to make a platform on his back and add a sort of trailer he is hauling. it also has a tower. The object on its back is a random item I found in my SF box.

  By the way Warhammer 40k word, orks  is spelt with a k whilst straight (fantasy) Warhammer orcs is a word spelt with a c.

Below is the Games Workshop version which costs nearly $200. There are a lot more bits I need to make to complete my own version.