Foetid Bloat-Drone Conversion from the bits box

I want to share a conversion that’s been in the works for a while … well, it started as an absolute failure. I started to make a spare Dark Imperium box Bloat Drone into a Chaos Knight Brigand, but I started to hate it as it came together. It went into the bits box and hasn’t seen the light of day since. I took it out a few days ago and sketched together a pretty good start!

The base for this conversion was an old Bloat Drone, one of the ones that came in the starter sets as I mentioned. I used some wire and green stuff to begin sculpting what would become the neck. The venomcrawler head just feels right here and when I looked at it, it was this part of the model that made me think I could build a fly. I had a Fleshmower from a previous project that felt like the perfect fit for this model. I also started working on the damaged areas, where I plan to add even more detail as I go.

One of the key things I wanted to get right with this model was making it look like it’s crashing in and using its arms to smash through things with the fleshmower. The asymmetry in the arms—one side longer than the other—helps project the idea that this thing has hydraulic arms, which I actually plan to sculpt in.

I originally used the fan-style wings on a Daemon Prince conversion a couple of years ago, so I needed something new for this model. I ended up grabbing the wings from a Pusgoyle Blightlord kit and I think those really nail it for me.

What do you think though, I would love to read your thoughts and get new ideas.