Ender's Crafts: 3d printing, converting and painting Astra Militarum support tanks: Hydra, Deathstrike, Manticore

Thursday, June 19, 2025

3d printing, converting and painting Astra Militarum support tanks: Hydra, Deathstrike, Manticore

It's been a while since I painted my nun-piloted tanks and I got the craving for more. However, I don't just want to paint a regular tank black and insert some nuns. Coupled with my new-ish 3d printing obsession, this lead me to experiment with the little open back transport vehicle the nun kickstarter included. Add in a few elements, and here comes the artillery.

Creation and assembly

3d printed tank body

First things first, I needed to enlarge the tank. I have some ideas for the original sized vehicle, but that's for later. At 143%, it is almost (like millimeters away) the same width and length of a chimera.

Unfortunately, the flatbed almost always comes out warped, so I glued the carriage using UV resin for volume in filling out the fittings. This proved to be a bad idea, as the cracks are small and the UV resin won't cure all the way in. I recommend non-UV resin instead.

Driver & side gunner

With the enlarged front, the driver cannot see anything. So I added some sprue so her eye level reaches the small view port.

The gunner is a bit trickier. First, add a 25mm base with a magnet glued inside to the gunner's place.

Then increase this heavy bolter gunner's height by adding a base with a washer beneath. Still not high enough, so I also added in a thin round base included with some WizKids minis.

Dryfit - looks good.

Gun mount

I scavenged some tank guns from around the internet, but I couldn't just place stuff inside the flatbed, as GW vehicles have the guns mounted atop the carriage, with a much larger profile. So I had my guy design a brick, 4.5x4.3x3.5cm. The side underneath (4.3x4.5) is open - needed for internal supports, draining and such. Decorate the back with an aquila.

Note: Do not glue in yet!

To mount the guns, start with another magnetized round base. This has the advantage that, if the paint chips off of it, it will still be black.

Hunter killer missile

This was a later edition, but here's the sanitized version.

I had a missile 3d printed but the mount is way too small and brittle to be drilled out and magnetized. Sigh.

Drill and glue in a 3mm magnet.

Magnetize a piece of sprue to serve as the missile mount. Glue the missile to the sprue.

I can still take it off to show that it has been fired!

Main gun

A base with a washer enables this Deathstrike missile stand-in - also made by Troublemaker Games with their small terrain kickstarter - to be mounted on the tank.

I later changed my mind and rather glued on a 40mm base. This obscures the washer underneath. It also stands a bit more firm. Looking back, I should have glued several magnets into the gun mount.

I used the same technique for the Hydra autocannon and Manticore missile rack (the later on a 32mm base, which fits the connector perfectly).

Painting the tank bodies

The painting process was less interesting than the conversion, since I already had some tried-and-tested techniques ready. I am happy to report that they are fast and look great en-masse.

Painting the tank bodies

Prime black. Scratched black metal body. Paint the tracks metallic, then Weathering tank threads. Paint the aquilas Shiny gold. The windows are Silver covered by Contrast paints - Ork Flesh, Iyanden Yellow, Blood Angels Red, Talassar Blue.