Rogue Trader Lizardmen!

Recently I've been thinking about these guys:

The Ancient Slann!

Yes, the Slann! I love unusual Rogue Trader aliens, and these are possibly some of the most unusual. There are not only no modern models for them, but (after extensive googling) no real alternatives from any other manufacturer either. The old RT minis are difficult and expensive to get hold of and, if I'm honest, they're rather ropey looking figures anyway:

Ropey Slann models

As such, I starting thinking about what I could do as some sort of alternative. Then I realised I had a part built Lizardman Saurus regiment on the shelf, and the creative juices started bubbling! Then, I got even luckier and found an unopened box of saurus warriors in the cupboard! Even better! These were the leftovers from my aborted lizardman warhammer army that never really got started.

So, after about two weeks of cutting, chopping, shaving, test fitting, gluing and green stuffing, I have these:

Lizardmen with plasma gun, random basic weapon and some sort of exotic sniper weapon system.

The plasma gun is an old Ork variant, the battle rifle is a 'pulse rifle' from Hasslefree Miniatures, and the big gun is a Necron 'Synaptic Disruptor' normally used by the Deathmarks (that one needed a LOT of modification and test-fitting!). Since lizardmen are basically naked, and because I wanted to think of these guys as a much more sophisticated space faring race, like the Slann are (rather than savage beasts, like Saurus usually are) I also decided to green stuff on a sort of harness onto each of them. This they could use to attach their shoulder armour, combat knives and various other items of equipment.

Because the saurus kit doesn't contain any open hands, I also had to cut the closed fingers off the left fist, drill and glue in some wire 'fingerbones' and green stuff some new fingers to the hand, so they could hold their guns properly. This was one of the most difficult things to do, as greenstuff doesn't stick to tiny bits of wire very well!

Since I took this photo, I've made two more of these, another one with a battle rifle and a leader model with a pistol and close combat weapon. Now, to the painting!