In like Flint - 0080 Desert Dio WIP

[gamerabaenre]

Yes, Virginia; there is a Kampfer here...
Progress page: http://www.gamerabaenre.com/0080_desert_dio_prog.htm

Updates may be slowed down due to the Drow.

[zerobxu]

It's about time someone did this--I'd always thought the Kampfer needed more/bigger guns.  

Seriously, I like the look of this--it looks like a Zeon attempt at combinining some aspects of a Guncannon and GM Sniper all into one highly-mobile walking death machine.

[Major Blah]

Looks good gamera.  Are you going to paint the NT-1 with the same color as the terrain?  Is it removeable from the base you built up?

That Kamfper armed to the teeth.  I think the 3-barrel gatling actually looks pretty wierd, maybe it's the big triangles.  I love the shield and the sturmfaust attached.

No wonder the NT-1 got pwned!

[FichtenFoo]

THat's looking pretty cool so far. Are you gonna round off the triangles? I'm sure you probably have that written on your prog page, but haven't read it yet. :oops:

[gamerabaenre]

Yeah, I still have alot of shaping work to do on the gat triangles.  Going for the helicoptor mounted three barreled gatling gun look.  I put the page up Sunday night, and last night was a hasty update - so I didn't really put down too much info for what I've done or have planned.  I have a checklist of things that I have planned for the Kampfer tho :)  Hopefully this turns out half way decent.

As for the NT-1, currently it's removable.  I used crumpled up paper towels over the rough styrofoam form; then laid wet plaster cloth down on top of the towels; then using saran wrapped NT-1 parts.  Finally,  I pressed the parts down into the plaster cloth to form a mold of sorts.  I'm planning on using some papermache stuff to cover the plaster cloth, so at that point, the main parts of the NT-1 will be permanetly stuck there.  Painting the sucker is going to be interesting.  Going to use normal NT-1 colors, possibly subdued, then weather it to match being half buried in sand.

Anyone guess where the main parts for the gatling guns are from?  The shield/mine thingy was the blue section of the NT-1's shield, that should be fairly easy to reconize.

[FichtenFoo]

Z'Gock backpack internals it looks liek with Wave Tanks.

[gamerabaenre]

Yep.  I'm entirely too lazy to completely scratch build weapon internals... so I went and cannibalized my little Z-Gok.  

Now how about the things I used to cover the shoulder thrusters?  

Reading Malich's thread, I wonder if I should add a skirt to the Kampfer (I have a left over Gelgoog skirt).  Been debating it mentally - wondering how it would help or not effect a "desert" ops Kampfer.  I have plans to close up the two side leg thrusters as well.  The idea is that the need for a quick response assult weapon isn't necessary or practical in a desert climate....  So going for a more sustained multipurpose MS...

[FichtenFoo]

What might be neat is to add the Goog skirt, but have it tilted upwards and more horizontal. Then hang some cloth from the underside it as if it's a dust cover. Think "tails" of a tuxedo, not a dress. Add a roll or 2 of tarp-looking things strapped on top of that and maybe on the shoulders as an unreleased dust/camo shroud.

[gamerabaenre]

Add a roll or 2 of tarp-looking things strapped on top of that and maybe on the shoulders as an unreleased dust/camo shroud.

Yep, I was thinking about that.  A shroud of sorts.  I was thinking about keeping a rolled shroud at the rear shot gun holder - but this was before any ideas for a skirt came about, and I felt that a rollup shroud in that open area would just look strange.  I'll have to break out the goog skirt and do some measuring.  Heh.. the more ideas that stew, the longer this project will be drawn out for.  Not that it's a bad thing since I'm working on an elf figure... I can be more patient with kit.

Tilting the skirt up, I'll probably cut the goog skirt in half... daisy dukes!  

[Artic Fox]

I think it would be suicide if the kampfer kept the mines exposed on the shield like that IMHO

[gamerabaenre]

I think it would be suicide if the kampfer kept the mines exposed on the shield like that IMHO

Heh.. I comment about that on my progress page... read it  

[Artic Fox]

ah I c, I knew I shoulda bought me a kampfer at AX. I like what you've done so far.

[Malich]

Nice dude!  I like the idea for the "Dust Protectors".  Almost like the Dust Protectors on the Xamel.  If you cover up the thruster ports you could scratch build some thrusters for the bottom of the feet like a Dom Tropen.  Just an Idea.  I like the duel Chain Guns very cool.  I actually just receive a package from Starship modeler that included my Mecha Skunk Feed Belts and Thruster Bells.  

[RickDTM]

Damn cool.  Love the twin gatlings and the drums!

I vote for the Dust Protector idea.  A suggestion would be to add some scale chain to the bottom of the skirt....much like the rear of a Merkava tank turret.

[gamerabaenre]

Ok update time:
Broke out the epoxy putty, styrene, and glue...

More progress pictures and descriptions on the progress page: http://www.gamerabaenre.com/0080_desert_dio_prog.htm

[gamerabaenre]

It's the "Wip'em Out Wednesday" update...  

busily building and sanding away.... not sure how this is looking to others, but I think it's coming along.  *shrug*

[Major Blah]

Looking good Gamera.  I really like the leg mod you did.  The slightly elongated face looks great!

I somehow get the feeling that those fuel tanks in the back are slightly out of place, but I can give an explanation... :?

The whole thing has a Brocken (from Patlabor) feel to it.

[zerobxu]

This is really shaping up interesting. On what Major Blah said, the tanks do almost seem out of place on the Kampfer--just because of the mental picture I have of it in my head from 0080. Considering the modifications you've made, though, it feels like it fits with everything else on there. In fact, when looking at the last picture (this one) and trying to picture the tanks in any other position, what you have really looks the best. For people who are looking at this progress thread and trying to learn something, did you try several positions with the fuel tanks and land on that one? Or was that the first thing you tried and you just said "perfect"?

Oh, and I love the shield. For some reason, I look at the head-on picture of it (here) and picture Count Chocula.  

[gamerabaenre]

The tanks are completely movable.  So I've been taking pictures with the tanks in various positions.  Yeah, they're a little bit on the strange side, but hopefully when I get everything primed, it'll look a little more cohesive.

[gamerabaenre]

Slow update:
Modification to the eye:
Rebuilt the gunbarrel assembly because the first set I did are crooked.  I also added some tubing using the internal waist tube from the Gouf Custom and nylon tubing from the Mecha Skunk store.  I also filled the rest of the gaps with epxoy putty:

Modified the rear covers by enlarging the holes and adding mesh to the inside of the covers:

The last thing for tonight's update is that I figured what I wanted to add to the other knee weapon port.  A big f-ing sword....Again pulling form the Gouf Custom, I'm building a hilt attachment for the knee weapon port to hold the sword: