Friday, August 5, 2011

Terminator Tutorial: Alternative Cyclone Missile Launcher


Old School here and after months of going back and forth with myself, I have decided to restart my Death Wing army. I have had a lot of fun putting it together recently and the first joy I wanted to share with you was my alternative Cyclone Missile Launcher and installing it.
The first thing you will need is either a Missile launcher from the Imperial Guard sentinel or from the Land Speeder Storm box (they look almost identical). I picked mine up from an Ebay seller named Horde O' Bits on the cheap.

Once you have your missile launchers, you will need to make a slight mod to the original design:


Looking at the bit, you can see on the bottom part of the profile pic above that there is a cross shaped are on the bottom. The short end of the cross is perfect for our terminators, but the long end has to go!


I found the best approach to getting rid of the long end was to use your clippers to pinch off the majority of it, then come back with the hobby knife and clean it up and make it look like it was meant to look like that.


Here is a look at the difference between a modified missile launcher (left) and the original design (right) for your reference.


Now, you will require a terminator that has the two little raised bumps on it's upper back. I know this photo kind of sucks, but click on it to enlarge it and you will see that on the top of his back he has two raised bumps (all assault terminators have these, I am not sure about the shooting terminators, but Black Reach guys don't). These bumps are important because you will place the part of the missile launcher that runs parrallel with the terminators shoulders on this bump, while the forward part of the missile launcher sits flush with the edge of the front of the terminator's back. I know that sounds confusing, so here is a photo below to clarify:

 Hopefully, the photo is a good enough demonstration to make up for my poor explaination above.


Overall, I like the way this missile launcher looks much more than the original cyclone and they are available on the secondary "bits market" for much less than the cyclone missile launcher (which makes sense considering that they come out of ONE box, whcihc isn't too popular in 5th ed).


If you enjoy this sleek alternative to the cyclone missile launcher (or you hate the havoc launcher alternative), then try it out and if you still have any questions, hit us up in the comments or shoot us an e-mail. I would love to know what you think and provide any guidance needed!

8 comments:

  1. biter! ;) j/k

    I actually really liked the extra beef the back of the cross gave to the launcher, I also just drilled a hole in the top of the termie body so the "pin" would fit.

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  2. I've done exactly the same and stole the idea from Rupert who also writes for 3++.

    Yours looks a bit more 'pro' than mine, I have to say.

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  3. Man more termies. The list these guys are in really are a tough bunch.

    I really do like the look of these better than the metal bow tie :-)

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  4. I knew I had seen it done before elsewhere, I just had no idea where it was. I search Google and then said to hell with it, figured out how to make it work and the executed the idea! Tristan, Rupert, thanks for the belated inspiration, lol!

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  5. I'm doing that in another heavy way...

    One old Cyclone Ravenwing and a new homemade one:

    http://img856.imageshack.us/img856/8383/paint2playathotmaildcom.jpg

    All the unit with "Belial":

    http://img534.imageshack.us/img534/4244/paint2playathotmaildotc.jpg

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  6. Also, Walter Delinger at Irondog Studios makes his own from resin, and I've purchased four for my Deathwing. They are pretty nice.

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  7. I saw the Irondog ones, but the problem is that his go for $12 a pop plus shipping, which is exactly what the going rate for the real one is on most bits sites. Aside from the looks, the reason behind the Guard missile launchers is that I can pick them up from bits stores at a rate of 2 for $3.00 plus shipping.
    Keep your eyes open, I plan to unveil more of my army over the next couple of days.

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  8. Nice conversion! Can't wait to see it on the tables. And to maybe play against it!

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