With the exciting new Tyranid release from GW it seemed like a good time to talk about adding variety to the Broodlord model.
Currently there is only one Broodlord model and it has only one pose and no optional parts. How can you add some variety to the model if you’re building more than one? Converting and basing are a couple ways to do so.
Now the model I’m using in this article is the wonderful Broodlord from the 2009 limited edition Space Hulk 3rd Edition, but the ideas are equally applicable to the current Games Workshop Broodlord model. As I was using three of the exact same model I wanted to add some variety to them so I used a little converting and some changes to the basing to make each one at least a little unique. Since the model is so beautiful as is I didn’t want to do any extensive converting that would alter it’s appearance severely.
In the first example I simply painted this wonderful model as it is right off the sprue with no changes. Check out the “old school” color scheme from two decades ago! Advanced Space Crusade supplied me with my first Tyranid models ever and I’ve always liked that early blue and purple Genestealer paint job. As John Candy said in the movie Splash, “If something works for me I stick with it.”
 |
| Stock model painted without modification. |
Next, I changed the base by using a resin scenic base from Dragonforge. The plastic Broodlord is pinned and super glued to the base. I saved the scenic off-cut skull pile for other projects, it’s a very cool bit. I also converted one pair of arms to have a second pair of “scything talons” using parts from a GW Tyranid kit.
 |
| Scenic resin based and with arm conversions. |
Finally, I changed the base again for my third Broodlord. This time I used diamond plate plastic card and a scenic bit from a Games Workshop Imperial City building kit. I’ve included a work-in-progress photo taken after converting but before painting began so you can see the custom base work. The plastic card on the base surface is molded to look like industrial diamond plate flooring. All parts used are made of ordinary modeling polystyrene so I used plastic cement to glue all of this together including the Broodlord on top.
 |
| Scenic base created with diamond plate plastic card and a GW bit. |
 |
| Painted and with a home made custom scenic base. |
One can use similarly simple customization techniques to add some variety to the regular GW Broodlord or any model for which there is only one sculpted pose and no optional parts. It’s easy and adds a bit more character and variety to the look of the finished army collection. Of course, extensive converting single pose models is another way of adding variety to them, though I deliberately avoided it in this instance due to the beauty of the original sculpt. Either way, with a little creativity using multiples of a single pose model doesn’t have to be boring.
Giving models a bit of individuality is always fun and doesn’t have to be expensive or time consuming. Extra parts from bits boxes are a great help. I never throw away any bits that have any potentially useful detail on them, if nothing else they are often helpful in scenic basing.
