Necron Conversions

I found it interesting and moderately intimidating as a new modeller that there seemed to be a large number of people saying that Necrons can't be converted and a relatively equal number doing just that.

Its really quite confusing having a bunch of people say one thing, another lot another and not really knowing where you stand - funnily enough its a lot like politics.

However being encouraged by various factions (can my wallet be considered a faction?) into taking a "have a go and see" attitude towards converting, has been fun, entertaining, fruitful and CHEAP.

I am not in the habit of paying for something when I can get it cheaper and it'll do the same job, so I figured it a far enough approach to go at modelling with the same attitude and see if it works. I can always buy the proper ones later (much, much later) if my attempts suck.

And so far, I seem to be having relative success (with less suck - separate topic but interesting how a word associated with victory has the work suck hidden in it).

It started with the need to cut down all the Necron guns with the painted rods, mainly due to two having broken and my wanting a uniformity of model. This was presently abandoned when I got my first set of warriors and painted them up any old how (as dictated by my design consultant, Zack).

Basing was a different story and so seem reason I took to that nicely almost straight away but I think because of the cost involved with actual models, I didn't want to start cutting and hacking.

However once Brent showed me how to pin when he fixed my Destroyers, I went home and made was was to be the Unit 1 Necron. And then the Unit 2 Necron. And then the "Frail Lord & His Retinue". And then, comfortable in the realisation that I could do anything I wanted as long as the fluff (and glue and wires) supported it, I thought about using the Warhammer Fantasy Cairn Wraith into a poor man's version of The Nightbringer.

The conversion, note the choice of skull and chest plate.

This required Brent of course as I had no idea what I was doing, so he took a look, and while I watched on, asked questions, made suggestions and the result is off to the side (now above).

The photo is shit but its comprised of the mask face (the others being the skull and skull with open mouth), a torso front, a waist and some wires. I need to add some clay to the base and some scarabs as wound counters but you see my aim.

I now I find myself making plans to convert Warriors into just about everything else I needed to have the full range of troop choices. I need another set of 12 Warriors but the $65 compared with the $300 it will cost to get 3 Wraiths ($120), 4 Pariahs ($120) and 4 Flayed Ones ($60) plus the time it will keep me occupied seems a good deal.

As I will be adding acrylic rods and parts from my older warriors to the classic "olden day Necrons" (kindly donated by Brent) to become Immortals, and I have already added legs to the "olden day Necron Lord" torso (again donated by Brent), I can reasonably expect a decently equipped army with a good range of troop choices for minimal cost but maximum input and attention from their creator (and his thoroughly understanding and patient patron and not least and above all others his thoroughly understanding and patient wife).

I can't (as yet) figure out how to scratch build a Monolith, but I have some ideas for a Pylon.

And to round things out, Necrons are as convertible as anything else - limited by budget and imagination (who so ever's) alone.