Vindicator Dominus

Captain MAGpie's Vindicator "Dominus"

A Games Workshop Vindicator Conversion

Prepare for a Fisting!

In my quest to modify every kit out there ever, I thought of applying some form of logic to my madness. This lead me to look at what is currently available in terms of battlefield function and what holes there are to fill.

To be fair, for the most part, Games Workshop has things covered, but not always in quite the Over-the-Top fashion as guys like me would like. And this is where the Dominus steps in. Although the Baal Predator has a similar role with similar armament, is did not quite have the right Dakka to be what I considered a very powerful hoard control system.

What would make that happen you may ask?

Assault Cannons. LOTS of Assault Cannons!

This pleases us.

I mean, really, what else will tell your foe "hey bud, keep your head down for a minute while we  advance in safety to shoot you in the noggin", than a literal bullet-storm?

Of course, you going to need something to push all the nid and orky bits out of the way when all the twirling stops. Don't want to get the rest of the tank covered in... innerets.

So with that idea forged, the build seemed simple. I would need a vindicator, assault-canons, and sponsons with... more assault-cannons. Those do not exist, so I was going to have to make something. I also wanted some armour cracking support for the unit, just to make sure if anything a little more solid than just fleshy-bits come along, it could at least defend itself. For that, I wanted to put a turret on the thing with heavier weapons and I went with an Autocannon... another AC >.<

RIGHT!

So, what do you need?

• 1 x Vindicator Kit... of course
• 2 x Predator Heavy-Bolter Sponsons (These can be made, I had spare lying around)
• 4 x Assault-canons (I took from left-over stormtalon and stormhawk bits)
• A turret. I made one using my Raptor Turret template. Here you can customize your weapons as well. Heh, stick two moar Assault-Cannons in it! I went with an Autocannon and a coaxial stubber.)
• A VERY sharp hobby knife
• Glue (I'll level with you. Use an extra thin solvent type glue here. It just makes life so much simpler. I use Tamiya Extra Thin, and believe me, you will have a hard time convincing me to use anything else.)
• Sharp Cutters
• Files and sanding paper (Fine)
• A first aid kit

First things first. Replace the big all demolisher cannon of the vindicator with 2 assault-canons.

Smile. Wait for flash. Get Rekt!

This was a very simple thing to do, as the twin-assault cannons that sit under the nose of a Stormtalon fits perfectly, cut only slightly shorter so not to protrude too much from under the gun-cowl. They needed to be fixed to something, so I cut a small piece of flat card to fit inside the gun-cowl from 1mm Styrene and glued the shortened guns to it.

Apologies for the TERRIBLE picture. Its the only one I have of this step :(

Next, considering I wanted a turret and sponsons, I was not going to use the Vindicator side-armour or roof. So those went into my bits-box. All I needed was the Vindicator Face-Plate. Check.

Turret. Well, that was easy. Using my Raptor Turret template, I just made one myself and put a stock standard gun mantle in it, but replaced the optics with a stubber. Why a stubber and not a heavy bolter? Heavy bolter does not look as cool, and a stubber is easily manufactured using 2 styrene tubes of different diameters and drilling some holes ;)

Turret built and customized, and test-fit on a different Rhino while Vinny was curing.

So, turret done, face done, the sponsons were up next.

Damn, this was probably the easiest step in this build. All I did was grab two more of those extra Stormtalon Assault Cannon bits I had lying around, gut off the back part, took 2 heavy bolter sponsons, cut off the barrels, and glued them together. It was is if they were made to do that. A perfect fit with no further work required. I did however, attach a small piece of platicard on top of the bolter to build it upwards slightly, and then a half-round bar on top of that. Purely cosmetic.

Simplest Conversion Eva.

Heh... I was done. Painting was all that was left :D

Vindicator Dominus!

Hope you enjoyed it. And as always, I would LOVE to see you take on this idea. Post up picks or links to your creations.

Captain MAGpie,
Styrene Addict