A resin Forgeworld Legion Basilisk ain’t cheap, but scratch building one will set you back hours! Is that gonna stop me from giving it a go? Yeah right!
A whole lot of time and effort went into making this Legion Medusa from scratch and a few bits. Using an Imperial Guard Basilisk chasi as my base I set about building up the tank. The only references I had were pictures from the Forgeworld website, as a result it may not be 100% accurate but I’m happy with the result.
Paper templates were used during the process to ensure proper fit before cutting styrene just to make sure it would fit. This method afforded me the opportunity to easily and accurately duplicate pieces which helped secure the symmetry of the model. As always, remember to measure twice and cut once.
The only parts I was able to use from the basilisk were the gun, gun deck, interior sides and tread. The rivets are all micro beads. The hatch is from a rhino and the forward bolter is from an old Leman Russ. I also fixed the barrel so that an extension can be inserted so that it can be run as a Legion Medusa or Basilisk.
I had wanted to make the exhausts a bit closer to the original but had difficulty with replicating the rounded shapes so I went with a more linear design hoping to mirror the overall aesthetic of the tank. The fire control console is made from green stuff using a push mold. Finally, a couple of artillery shells from a Baneblade were used placed in an ammo rack.
See additional work in progress at theartistofwar
“For great hobby glory!”
About the Author: Chris Porche
