Centipede - any of numerous predaceous, chiefly nocturnal arthropods constituting the class Chilopoda, having an elongated, flattened body composed of from 15 to 173 segments, each with a pair of legs, the first pair being modified into poison fangs.
Yes, my pretties, it is bug time again.
For this episode I would like you to consider what is very likely the most ferocious predator in the insect kingdom, the giant centipede.
For this episode I would like you to consider what is very likely the most ferocious predator in the insect kingdom, the giant centipede.
I know, you're probably thinking, "It's a bug, what's the big deal?" and you would be correct to question the statement. I ask though, have you perused through Youtube to check out the various instances of the giant centipede in action?
There are videos of the centipede eating tarantulas, scorpions, bats (yes, freaking bats), snakes, mice, lizards and I really don't think I want to dig much deeper into where people's imaginations have led them.
Did you know that rattlesnakes have specific way of attacking centipedes? Think about that, rattlesnakes have to be careful how they hunt centipedes.
Want to know why?
There are videos of the centipede eating tarantulas, scorpions, bats (yes, freaking bats), snakes, mice, lizards and I really don't think I want to dig much deeper into where people's imaginations have led them.
Did you know that rattlesnakes have specific way of attacking centipedes? Think about that, rattlesnakes have to be careful how they hunt centipedes.
Want to know why?
That's right. A snake bit a centipede, ate it whole and before the centipede died, the centipede ATE all of the snakes insides (determined through an autopsy) and then chewed its way through the side of the snake, only then finally succumbing to the poison the snake injected into it.
Think about that for a minute.
Knowing my predilection towards bugs, imagine the unmitigated joy I felt upon finding out that ForgeWorld had created this:
Think about that for a minute.
Knowing my predilection towards bugs, imagine the unmitigated joy I felt upon finding out that ForgeWorld had created this:
The Tomb Stalker has to be one of the most wicked looking models ForgeWorld has ever produced. I had to have it.
There was only one problem.
I don't play Necrons.
So that "desire" sat on the back burner for several years. Rather painfully at times, I must admit.
And then the "Children of the Dragon" (CotD) concept surfaced and the very first thing I thought about was the Tomb Stalker. But first I had to build a conceptual bridge to it from a story perspective and that is where the Tomb Spyder began to emerge as the central character in CotD saga.
There was only one problem.
I don't play Necrons.
So that "desire" sat on the back burner for several years. Rather painfully at times, I must admit.
And then the "Children of the Dragon" (CotD) concept surfaced and the very first thing I thought about was the Tomb Stalker. But first I had to build a conceptual bridge to it from a story perspective and that is where the Tomb Spyder began to emerge as the central character in CotD saga.
So last year with some birthday money I got a Tomb Stalker...and I've been waiting to build it with barely contained glee and bordering on nuclear levels of anticipation.
Now if you aren't aware of this, the Tomb Stalker kit has quite a reputation among modelers, much like the Storm Eagle. In case you aren't aware of it, suffice to say "Here be dragons".
It is a challenge to build, not because the parts do not fit together (they do). It is the fact that ForgeWorld provided a fully articulated body so that you can pose the Stalker any way you like. After a fairly involved reconnaissance effort with the body, I came to the conclusion that in order to build this kit, I needed some way to hold the body in the pose I wanted while still allowing me a way to glue the body parts together.
After thinking about it for awhile (and sleeping, because sleep is very important in problem solving), I remembered that I had some of that silicon putty for strengthening your grip and that turned out to be exactly what I needed.
So I settled on the type of pose that I wanted, which actually took some thinking time. I wanted something that was dynamic and had energy, but the pragmatic side of me realizes that this piece wasn't going to just sit on a shelf, that I'd be playing with it as much as I could. So I needed something that mixed all of those elements and fit the base that I had constructed.
The process itself was rather straightforward in that I created several ropes of the putty approximately the length of the Stalker's body and then pressed the torso units into the putty ensuring that I had the curvature I was looking for (energy), but also something that would be sturdy.
Now if you aren't aware of this, the Tomb Stalker kit has quite a reputation among modelers, much like the Storm Eagle. In case you aren't aware of it, suffice to say "Here be dragons".
It is a challenge to build, not because the parts do not fit together (they do). It is the fact that ForgeWorld provided a fully articulated body so that you can pose the Stalker any way you like. After a fairly involved reconnaissance effort with the body, I came to the conclusion that in order to build this kit, I needed some way to hold the body in the pose I wanted while still allowing me a way to glue the body parts together.
After thinking about it for awhile (and sleeping, because sleep is very important in problem solving), I remembered that I had some of that silicon putty for strengthening your grip and that turned out to be exactly what I needed.
So I settled on the type of pose that I wanted, which actually took some thinking time. I wanted something that was dynamic and had energy, but the pragmatic side of me realizes that this piece wasn't going to just sit on a shelf, that I'd be playing with it as much as I could. So I needed something that mixed all of those elements and fit the base that I had constructed.
The process itself was rather straightforward in that I created several ropes of the putty approximately the length of the Stalker's body and then pressed the torso units into the putty ensuring that I had the curvature I was looking for (energy), but also something that would be sturdy.
(Note: Brilliant Idea! -G)
Once the parts looked right, I began to glue the torso bits together. This would begin my initiation into the "interesting" modeling phase of the project. Because of the deep setting of the spinal units, the glue I was using wasn't reaching down far enough to actually glue the body together. So I acquired some less viscous super glue, applied to the joints, and let sit.
"No plan survives contact with the enemy" - Von Moltke
Imagine my excitement when I pulled off the putty so that I could start adding legs and the other various appendages and saw this.
Ok, maybe excitement isn't the exact word I was feeling, maybe it was something else that also accelerates your heart rate, raises your blood pressure and causes your peripheral vision to close down.
That's right. The lower viscosity super glue flowed down and glued the putty to my wonderful model. Sigh...
However, if you've hung around this blog long enough, you've seen me mess up before. It happens to all of us eventually and when it does, the only real option is to roll up your sleeves and correct the issue.
Just "Cowboy" up and fix it.
Note: Hurling the offending model across the room hard enough to shatter it against the far wall may make you feel better in the short term, but if you really think about it, will only complicate/add to your original problem.
So that's what I am doing now, one little green bit of putty at a time. It feels like I am re-sculpting one of the most complex parts of the model. Oh, the joys our hobby brings.
That's right. The lower viscosity super glue flowed down and glued the putty to my wonderful model. Sigh...
However, if you've hung around this blog long enough, you've seen me mess up before. It happens to all of us eventually and when it does, the only real option is to roll up your sleeves and correct the issue.
Just "Cowboy" up and fix it.
Note: Hurling the offending model across the room hard enough to shatter it against the far wall may make you feel better in the short term, but if you really think about it, will only complicate/add to your original problem.
So that's what I am doing now, one little green bit of putty at a time. It feels like I am re-sculpting one of the most complex parts of the model. Oh, the joys our hobby brings.
Here is a shot of the base that I built for my pretty little bab-, um, wicked instrument of destruction.
One other thing I've noticed while I was looking for inspiration. I've never seen anyone play with one of these in a game and for the life of me, I can't figure out why. A model this awesome deserves to rule the table.
So that's where the "Children" are at the moment, eagerly awaiting to unleash something wicked upon the unbelievers.
Cheers,
P.S. For those of you who really don't like bugs much.
So that's where the "Children" are at the moment, eagerly awaiting to unleash something wicked upon the unbelievers.
Cheers,
P.S. For those of you who really don't like bugs much.
Note: I "co-opted" the last image from another pic I found on the Internet. It's not my idea, but it did make me laugh.
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