Scatch-Building BFG Fleets

[Thinking Stone]

Hello,
Based on the 'What's Missing Model-wise' topic, my interest in scratch-building BFG fleets is once more piqued. I think that the Chaos and Imperial ships could be done with balsa wood, plastic card and turrets, but what about the other fleets (Tyranids with Tyranid bits, I've heard of also)? Has anyone done this? I would imagine that Eldar would be tricky, especially.

Thinking Stone

[afterimagedan]

Here are my Tyranids

http://www.tacticalwargames.net/archive/lib/comp/gothicomp11/gothicomp101.html

Can't imagine doing a scratch build eldar fleet without TONS of talent. I would not know where to start.

[Comrade-K-Rad]

Imperial, Chaos, Necrons, orks would all be plasticard, some milliput and bits.  They can all be built by layering for the most part.

The eldars on the other hand would probably require a thin plasticard frame which would be filled with milliput and greenstuff.  If you're a good sculptor and carver then they probably would not be overly difficult really.  If plastics are your talent then they may be a bit harder to achieve.  Tyranids work well from what I've seen on here by using the 40k models and bits.  However there are some sculpted ones which work really great.
The GW Tau ships would be plasticard, the FW tau style ones would be a bit more difficult and be a real mix of plastic and sculpting.

Just my opinions.

[Spectrar Ghost]

My own 'nids:
http://sg.tacticalwargames.net/forum/index.php?topic=4079.0

From what I've seen Imperial ships lend themselves very well to P-card work, though I've not tried it yet (want to though). Eldar would be probably 60/40 plasticard and putty. the only putty you'd need would be the prow and the engine pods; everything else would be easy to do in P-card. Look through the Painting and modeling section here; there are some great examples of scratchbuilt ships, particularly Imps.

[Algavinn]

I recently did some kit bashing myself to make an imperial carrier, for defense against ordnance and contribute to overwhelming bomber waves.  It isn't scratch built for the most part, but I still felt it fit here. 





I later decided to remove one of the launch bays and the nose cone.  I'm trying to find a material to shape for a good prow, but for now I have the below.  I'm looking forward to making more similar ships.

[Thinking Stone]

Thanks very much for the replies!
As evidenced by my lack of prompt reply, the main barrier to scratch building is time!

I think that using some BFG ships as a basis (like Algavinn has shown) is probably not too prohibitive in cost as long as there are enough other bits available to make more ships than bought. Plasticard layering seems to be a good technique to at least build the body of an Imperial ship (with turrets, etc., added on separately).

If only I was very skilled at modelling, and able to make Eldar ships... . I have noticed that some things from Warhammer 40K are ship-shaped, and would make cool ships. Someone also made a fleet using the new Dark Eldar, and it was very impressive! It escapes me who that was exactly, but I found the link in this forum somewhere....

Thank you!
Thinking Stone

[afterimagedan]

I made some!

Dark Eldar Link

[fracas]

Good use of spare bits!

[harec]

Hello,
Based on the 'What's Missing Model-wise' topic, my interest in scratch-building BFG fleets is once more piqued. I think that the Chaos and Imperial ships could be done with balsa wood, plastic card and turrets, but what about the other fleets (Tyranids with Tyranid bits, I've heard of also)? Has anyone done this? I would imagine that Eldar would be tricky, especially.

Thinking Stone

It is not really that tricky if you take your time, just with patience you can really do good stuff. Nearly all the ships of battlefleet gothic can be make just using plasticard and some green stuff when you need more rounded things.
Imperials, chaos and ork are quite tricky ones but eldar models don't really have so many detail, just with a good structural base and green stuff you really can make a good model.(maybe in a future I demonstrate that)
And tyranids ships can be really easy to made just with a lot of practice and patience.
I have 2 topics just centre on tyranids and a thirt one with orks and some inquisition.

http://www.forum.specialist-arms.com/index.php?topic=5065.0
http://www.forum.specialist-arms.com/index.php?topic=5016.0
http://www.forum.specialist-arms.com/index.php?topic=4422.0
I am now currently growing a blog in witch every week I post articles and tutorials for converting and doing things from scratch. At least I would like to post tips and tricks for tyranids, orks, imperials and eldars just click on my signature . If anyone in the forum have any interest in any procedure please send me a private message and I will try to post my knowledge of the procedure as ASAP .

PS.Spectrar Ghost and afterimagedan your tyranid links are not working

[Carrelio]

I've been considering sculpting my own fleet for a little while now. All my friends keep telling me my Tau are ugly as sin... and since sculpting is my favourite part of the hobby, I figured I could give designing something pretty some though. Eldar came to mind... though if I did Eldar they'd be ghostships and I'd want to make that really apparent... I just don't know how I would yet.