Kit review, magnetizing, adding LED lights to the Hippogriff and Centaur... also painting

I haven't bought Warhammer in a while... and of course they went ahead and released new Guard vehicles. Well here they are! 

Kit review

The models look fine. I'm unsure if their resemblance to WW2 vehicles is too much or just enough Warhammer. Perhaps they're not stupid enough for Imperial standards? Looking at tank sponsoons and especially the double tracked Taurox. 

However, I almost lost it when assembling the underside. We definitely do not need to assemble the suspension bit by bit! Nobody cares! This isn't some old edition where destroyed vehicles stay on the board and create terrain! No-one will flip over the car to show off the well painted axles! And all this is not visible during normal usage.

Sigh.

But let's finish with a big plus: the halftrack actually can be built with an empty bed, so you can literally put in a couple members of the squad being transported. No more minis riding atop a transport breaking immersion!

Magnets and conversions

Magnetise the turrets. Drill into the turret bit and fit in a 5mm and 3mm magnet. Reinforce the back using green stuff. Snip off the nubs on the guns and drill in instead, fitting in 3mm and 2mm magnets.

The turret can then be assembled and glued. I blocked off the hatch with a piece of cut out plasticard instead of fitting in a Cadian. Do the same for the Centaur.

LED lights

With the underside unusable due to all the bits and details, I decided to incorporate the switch into the one tiny piece of flat surface available: the large door/hatch on the back.

These headlights on the front look just perfect for LED placement. Make a pilot hole using a 1mm drill, then go in with 3mm.

Drill holes just behind the front wheel to lead the cables inside. 1mm white LEDs fit just fine into the headlights.

I experimented with a new way of placing LEDs: by dropping UV resin into the fitting. This enabled me to fix the LEDs in place while also creating a transparent bulb on the outside.

Then it's time to do the cabling on the inside.

Prepare a circuit with LEDs.

Assemble and glue the model, with the battery hanging out from the turret slot. With no other feasible access to the insides, I decided to leave the turrets not glued and use this hole to change batteries when needed. I could have possibly used the back hatch, but the switch being placed just there obscured the entrance with wires.

Test! All good.

Painting

• Scratched black metal
• Freehand scroll/portrait on a black vehicle
• metallic parts
• Dark metal guns
• Painting nun tank crews in the white and black of the Dominicans

Left to right: Jeanne d'Arc, Nakano Takeko and Hồ Thị Quế (for variety, I painted a tiger head, as she was nicknamed the Tiger Lady of the Mekong Delta).

I wanted Warm white cloth cover but I had a load of Stonwall Grey on the palette, so I basecoated with that. Proceed as planned.

Weathering the tracks

Instead of Weathering tank threads, I decided to experiment with pigments. I had previously used black pigments for smoke stacks, which went well here as well.

For the tracks and wheels, I thought mixing my rust red and grey concrete pigments would work out. It did not. Even after 3 days the pigment setter wouldn't fully dry. Pigment was rubbing off at the slightest touch. I had it on my desk, my hands, my face. I lathered on a thick layer of setter and let it to set for several days. It was just this reddish whatever color.

Drybrush Khaki and Bonewhite as per the original technique.

Finishing touches

Drill magnets into the wheels and tracks. This is especially difficult due to the suspension. Sigh. Keep a good grip on everything.

Use a qtip to rub some alcohol unto the LED headlights, which I forgot to cover up and sprayed by accident.

Finally, scratch a bit of paint off the closed hatches and glue in the drivers.

Also the Centaur gunner.

Finished!