Gyrocopter-Made-of-Bits: Successful Accomplishment Complete

Our Gyrocopter / Bomber built of bits has successfully concluded. Base and Pilot are now present. Cost of parts was $16.87. Cost of shipping is not easy to calculate. These bits came along with assorted parts of Chaos and Undead of various sorts. The seller providing just about all these critters and bits, Bullet Bits, charges $0.20 per item beyond the first so we have $2.20 from what's there. The share of shipping for the rest would be another few dollars. A bit over $20, retail price $45 (free delivery if you spend another $20!).

Hungry Ghosts Chaos Squat 100: Col. Teckja Ras-El-Dugmit

Five years ago, a glorious new chapter in the history of the Squats opened up: The Hungry Ghosts Chaos Squats of Khorne blog. As one early commenter said, when I saw the name I thought it was a joke. Joke it was not. Now we break new ground with the introduction of the 100th Hungry Ghost, Colonel Teckja Ras-El-Dugmit.

Ras-El-Dugmit is the Hungry Ghosts version of Imperial Guard Special Character Captain Al'Rahem of the Tallarn Desert Tigers. Ras-El-Dugmit adheres rather closely to the illustration of Al'Rahem, considering the warping power of Chaos. We have the large overcoat and the sand-shielding goggles that came with Squat Guildmaster 2, and of course the mandatory Space Boots all but Tyranids must wear.

In contrast to Al'Rahem's puny excuse for a beard, Ras-El-Dugmit has been given a magnificently long flowing braid, as mobile as the desert winds he strides amongst. It is from one of the plastic Beastmen Gor heads. It also nicely covers up the Obvious Mistake that was made in not designing Guildmaster 2 with a proper beard to begin with. And that silly albatross around his next like he would ever consider getting on a boat had to be scraped off. Ras-El-Dugmit was given a lighter shade of the Hungry Ghosts hair color formula to signify his desert origins, the old Bronzed Flesh paint.

Ras-El-Dugmit's Plasma Pistol was made incalculably more awesome than Al'Rahem's, using the 40K 3rd Edition Chaos Space Marine Champion Sprue version with glowing veins of power and the early wisp of a plasmatic blast coming from the barrel. I think it is some bit of Wood Elf shrubbery, but can't remember.

From the side, we can see that Ras-El-Dugmit's attire is well integrated. One of the many Hungry Ghosts who do not use Squat arms cause they suck, Ras-El-Dugmit has the right arm of a plastic Necromunda Orlock Gang member from the mid-1990s starter box. It provides additional sweat-absorbing cloth beyond his headband (made larger with some green stuff below his cyber-bit on the right side of his head). The band does well as an emphasizing accessory for his bulging, if necrotic, bicep. Teckja also knows the Power of One Glove - Sham-On!

The matching cloth streaming from the Plasma Pistol comes from the less impressive source of a plastic Bretonnian Knight Head. Like Al'Rahem, Ras-El-Dugmit is equipped with shoulder armor. Not that that's not a common feature in the Grim Darkness of the Grim Dark Future.

Ras-El-Dugmit is sporting a fancypants Forge World backpack from a Krieg Engineer. More noticeably, while Captain Tallarn has a mincy little sword to dispatch his enemies, Ras-El-Dugmit has more fully committed with his entire left arm replaced with a huge Power Mace, the Maul of the Skull-Breaker. The yellow bumps are a reminder of all of the Mark 6 Space Marines that have been smitten by the Maul over the centuries. The circuitry of the cybernetic arm attachment region is guarded by a bit of plastic Empire Knight armor.

Said circuitry can be seen from the other side, and like the Plasma Pistol, the Maul also has nice little cylindrical bits to display the energy flowing within the weapon.

 Some may have noticed that Ras-El-Dugmit's dual-weapon arms provide a wide open stance, projecting outward and upward at similar angles. By now, we know that was intentional. So was the counterbalance. While the killing arms spread open like the wings of the angel of death, Ras-El-Dugmit is looking right at you. This was emphasized by ensuring that the long beard ran up at a contrasting angle to the arms, up to his face, and continuing upward by the addition of an antenna to the right side of his head (Battlefleet Gothic spaceship bit). In the middle, frame by the hair and head band, we have his goggle-guarded gaze. The lenses of the goggles have been painted the same bronze color as the pistol and Maul of the Skull-Breaker, while the exposed area of his face was muted with a ghoulish light blue-gray.

Then we have the cat. A reminder of the original Desert Tiger, as well as the GI Joe action figure Spearhead who was accompanied by a bobcat...

named Max. There he is, now working for a Rogue Trader Ork Runtherd, the one that's not in the Catalog (Ooooo....rare...). We also have some Orks from the days when, if you wanted your Orks to be insanely powerfully armed, you got it. These three came in a blister pack with another heavy weapon Ork with a Missile Launcher.

 This Max, in proper feline fashion, is walking near Ras-El-Dugmit, not with him, and not particularly interested in what our Chaos Squat is looking at. He is from a Grenadier Wizard's Familiar metal sprue, with the addition of a plastic monster-face collar from one of the old WFB Empire war machine accessories.

As the addition of our desert cat suggests, we can't have a miniature where all of the action is in the upper regions with a lonely ignored base.

So our base is filled with rubble. As in the original fluff, the Guildmasters were inexplicably aligned with the greasy Biker contingent of Squats, motor vehicle parts have been strewn upon the base. We have a wheel from one of the 1990s Imperial Guard Heavy Weapon platforms and a partially buried headlight from the old Squat motorcycles (actually miscast and not partially buried). 

Anyway, we know we can't have prominent angular alignments without circles. We learned that from Stonehenge. So our circular headlamp is set below the Power Maul, and given similar colors. The wheel is placed on the other side of Ras-El-Dugmit's beard, and directs attention toward the seam of his coat. Both the wheel and coat seam and buttons are painted in similar colors as Ras-El-Dugmit's goggles, to provide another source of attraction toward his gaze. Ras-El-Dugmit's head forms the most important circle of all, surrounded by the lesser rings.

Ras-El-Dugmit, like many of the other commanders of the Hungry Ghosts, is a Squat who will not be constrained by the boundaries of his base. Ras-El-Dugmit's right boot is set at the edge of the base, with the result that almost all of his right arm is beyond the edge of his base. His candy-corn colored antenna sticks out as well. And the old tire.

The result is that Ras-El-Dugmit is both backed into one edge of his base while jutting forth in contrary angles.

And a triangle emerges from the circles and dischordant lines. Ras-El-Dugmit was intended to be a simple conversion. But he is Master of All He Surveys.

And here is Ras-El-Dugmit joined by the other special characters, led by The Grudge Master. Who's that in the upper right? We will find out soon...

The $7 Warhammer Fantasy Battle Dwarf Gyrobomber / Gyrocopter (So Far)

So when we last heard from Hungry Ghosts he went on a little rant about letting Beardlings play with expensive assault weaponry. Now the Dwarf Gyrobomber / Gyrocopter has hit the Bits Factory, and Hungry Ghosts has gone scavenging. Let's see what we got ourselves.

 

The first foray into buying us a Bomber brought forth a functional bonanza. Here we have a good chunk of the Gyrobomber. We have the Cockpit interior and exterior. We have the shooty things that go on the front and sides of the Pilot-Pod (Guns and Canards, according to the Bits Merchant). Then the main tail section of the Bomber, along with the Rear Rotor System.

So $5.87 spent so far. Now we are obviously missing some important parts, most obviousestibly the Main Rotor. Also the two extra rows of Bombs. No Pilot neiver, but we got plenty of eager Squats to fill that seat.

But let's be realistic: Hungry Ghosts wants those Pilot Heads.

Anyway, what if we want to make the much less exciting Gyrocopter instead of the super-blasty Gyrobomber?

 We got us the main Gyrocopter Engine and Tail section too.

But let's go back to the issue of Dwarf Heads and Realisticism. Remember, through the Misty Mountains of foggy Time, beset by Storm Giants hurling boulders in our general direction; are they at play, or are they angry at our trespass upon their territory? The inside of the mountain is Ours, the outside they claim mastery over. Mighty Eagles disagree, and woe unto the Storm Giant whose boulder disturbs a Dragon -- but clearly, this has gone on too long.

'Tis rare that a race receive an update so soon in the World of Warhammer, that is, unless you are a Space Marine. Eldrad Ulthuan, he of the mighty staff of easy breakage, and the Eldar Phoenix Lords, they who bear the gigantic heads, new and exciting releases for Warhammer 40K... 2nd Edition. Seriously, 21 years old. Real life people have been born, grown up, and fought in real life combat since these fellows were let loose on the tabletop. 

I, for one, am happy for Finecast...my ancient neck could ne'er otherwise kept my ginormous head aloft.

 The Dwarfs were offered as a bold bargain in the Skull Pass starter box, along with a crazy horde of Goblins, over 100 miniatures, rule book, and some versions even came with paints and a brush to provide the full gateway drug to $20 character models and $60 plastic dragons. But...

Continuing along a grotesque path almost as old as Eldrad, by the time Skull Pass came to be, our Dwarfs were naught but a giant bearded head with feet sticking out the bottom.

There may have been some ridiculous axes involved as well.

What could be done? A radical course correction? Yes, let's try that.

2006 Skull Pass Miner's Head, meet 2014 Ironbreaker's Heads.

Bigger than Bombs!

Of course, those Skull Pass bargain armies may not mix well with the new range of stout plastic warriors. A price must be paid for such realistic heads, a price of $50 for your 10 Ironbreakers. For the price of the Battle for Skull Pass starter box, you can get a box of them Ironbreakers and a model from the Lords and Heroes selection. Just make sure it's an old beard-with-feet version because the new range go for $6 more. But they are made of plastic now, and that's made from dinosaurs, so it's totally worth the price.

Anyway, here's our $25 Space Marines Stormtalon. We need some Assault Cannons maybe, but I probably have some already. Figgering out the clear plastic canopy could be a bit more challenging, if we didn't have plenty of clear plastic bits of various sizes around here as well. But that's part of the fun. Hungry Ghosts has so many, many vehicles and critters of all sorts to assemble and paint, there's no need to plunk down $45 for a couple of sprues of plastic...sorry, for a multi-part plastic boxed set containing 90(!) components...that's going to sit on a shelf for nobody knows how many years. The thrill of the hunt.....

Ancient Creatures of Chaos: Demons of the 1980s: Zygor, Leaping Slomm, Ngaaranh, and SA-ATOR!!!

We will start off the new year by looking at some of the things Hungry Ghosts was playing with last year instead of making more blog postings about Squats. First, Ancient Creatures of Chaos!

 We have a trio of ancient monsters, the Mark of Chaos Creatures from Citadel Compendium 1 (1983): Zygor Snake Arms, Leaping Slomm Two Face, and Ngaaranh Chaos Spawn. 

Lovely Ngaaranh Chaos Spawn

And Leaping Slomm Two Face

 

Leaping Slomm is a Mutant Chaos Troll

Lastly, Mr Zygor Snake Arms. Snake Tail too.

 

 Yes, Beardlings, 30 years ago, no internet (for practical purposes), and photographs were too expensive for hobby catalogs. At least we have some drawings. Hungry Ghosts remembers ordering miniatures just by the name alone: Female Elf Ranger. What's she going to look like? We'll find out in 4 to 6 weeks when she arrives in the mailbox. (We also had to pay $3 for the catalog, which also took 4 to 6 weeks to arrive. A primitive system for desperate young gamers, who also might be mistaken for devil worshipers, but that is a tale for another day. Or an early Tom Hanks film).

http://solegends.com/citcat1984arch/ArcList11-01.htm

http://solegends.com/citle1980/c1chaos/index.htm

Now, from 1985, SA-ATOR, the Gigantic Demon Lord.
Part of Tony Ackland's Arcane Monstrosities series.

SA-ATOR is a Gigantic Demon Lord of Complex Thought.

"No creature broods with black evil as does SA-ATOR, and no other creatures does he despise more than the pathetic race of humanity. His malice is bottomless, his hatred a deathly palor that glows black upon his rank and leprous hide He could destroy humanity if he wished. But SA-ATOR is far too subtle, and far too cruel, to merely slay mankind. That would he too easy! too unsatisfying! SA-ATOR knows that there are terrors worse than death, horrors more profound than the maw of oblivion, agony a thousand times more intense than the death rattle. No - instead he delights in the corruption of man, pleasures in the dance of death; in the war and hatred and cruelty that he seeds in humanity. These are emotions lie knows well; emotions that could be read in his gleaming yellow eyes were there a creature that dare look. But few living creatures could survive the stare of hatred in that face, or breathe the exhaled air of corruption that issues from that foul muzzle. A few that tried would be lucky enough to die. More likely they would themselves become twisted with bitterness, turned upon their own race and driven insane with lust for death and carnage."

http://solegends.com/citta/ta8saator/index.htm 

By April 1986, technology had progressed to allow photographs.

Despite his brooding about the corruption of humankind, SA-ATOR gets 10 Stomp attacks per turn.

Deadly Poison Breath attack too.

The 80s were a good time to be a

Gigantic Demon Lord.

Squats in Non-GW Magazines, Historia Squataticus: Appendix 13

Squats in Non-GW Magazines, Historia Squataticus: Appendix 13

Le Héraut Citadel.

This was a French language magazine published by Agmat (maker of the Agmat Thudd Gun) on an irregular schedule in the mid- to late 1980s. I have only issue 5, dated June 1988. Like White Dwarf at the time, this magazine was shifting from a mix of TSR, Chaosium, MERP, and Games Workshop content toward being entirely devoted to GW. I am not sure how many issues were published; issue 5 is the only one I have.

Issue 5 features a black & white picture of the Squat Mole Mortar (unpainted) on p. 15 along with other black & white and color pictures of Warhammer 40K and WFB models.

Inquisitor (Epicast / Armorcast).

This 18-issue magazine was published at an erratic schedule by Tim Dupertuis. Tim was the man behind Epicast and then with Armorcast, so it is understandable that there would be some trade-offs between publishing issues and production of models. Armorcast still produces a fine range of wargaming terrain and miniatures (http://www.armorcast.com/), some of which can be seen in Hungry Ghosts posts, particularly the Alien Plants series.

The dates on the covers of the issues do not necessarily correspond to the actual time of publication, but may reflect the intended date rather than the actual date as was common for small publications of this time.

Number 1 (June 1991): No Squats

Number 2 (September 1991): Squats-free

Number 3 (January 1992): Disturbing absence of Squats.

Number 4 (April 1992): Advertisement for Epicast U.S.A. Termite and Falcon, page 10. This is probably the first ad for the Termite ($20). Given the overlapping ownership between Inquisitor and Epicast, all future issues feature an ad for the Termite somewhere in them and will not be included here.

Page 18: points values for various Squats-associated weaponry included in a Space Marine Army record sheet, including the Mole Mortar, Thudd Gun, Rapier, all Tarantula variations, and the Leviathan for those ambitious enough to construct such a monster (500 pts). Note that we are dealing with the Rogue Trader rules at this time.

Number 5 (June1992): Page 5, Q&A with Andy Chambers, including Squats questions about Exo Armor, Power Lance, squad and ally options and requirements.

Number 6 (September 1992): Page 4 notes the sad absence of Squat Champion units.

Page 14 index of White Dwarf articles from issue 93-151 reveals the conspicuous absence of Squats articles, limited to the Army List in 111 and the Land Train rules in 151. But it also foolishly includes the Mole Mortar in the Imperial section, along with generally shared systems Rapier and Tarantula, and bikes of all sorts.

Want Ads on page 19: Dwarf-friends in Alaska and Hawaii are still searching for Squat Musicians and Heavy Weapons Trikes. Good luck sirs, Inquisitor's publication numbers were measured in the low 100's. We had trouble in NYC getting minis in the 1980s and early 1990s, Alaskans and Hawaiians must be truly in dire circumstances.

Number 7 (February 1993): Article on pages 6-9 on Scout and Recon units. Provides rules and stats for Squats Scout/Recon squads. Reports that Squats do not distinguish between Scouts and Recon types, related to their heavy-handed approach to gathering information. Rules and Stats for a Jeep type recon vehicle in use by the Imperials and Squats (basically, touch it and it explodes).

Page 17 Want Ads. Our friends in Alaska and Hawaii continue their searches. Their pleas will continue, but will no longer be reported here.

Number 8 (Spring 1993): Squat Engineers on Bikes appear on the cover.

Pages 5-7, article on Combat Engineers, including Squats rules & stats. Squats also have access to specialized Rhinos with engineering modifications (bridge-laying, mine-sweeping), as well as Termite, Mole, and Hellbore tunnelers and the Gorgon (rules for which were promised in issue 9 but never appeared, except for Gorgon).

Page 13, Q&A with Andy Chambers notes that the Mole Mortar as detailed in the Battle Manual is far more accurate than any other weapon.

Page 18-19: Updated points values and equipment lists for Squats armies.

Number 9 (Summer 1993): Pas des Nains d'espace.

Number 10 (Fall 1993): Warhammer 40K 2^nd Edition appears with minimal army lists. Page 5 notes that it is likely that a full Squats army list will not be seen soon...

Pp. 16-17, updated points values for 2^nd Edition.

P. 18: Vain hopes for new Squats miniatures in 40K 2^nd Ed.

Number 11 (Winter 93/94): Page 4, Squats Living Ancestor Dark Millennium psychic powers noted, as well as vulnerability of tightly clustered Squats armies (among others) to Virus Grenades.

Obstacles and Line of Sight rules on pages 10-14 discuss the advantages and disadvantages of being shorter than Humans, Orks, and Keeblars. Features illustrative photographs including Squats.

Number 12 (Spring 1994): No Squats.

Number 13 (February 1995): Vehicle System Update (pages 14-29) provides generalized rules for military vehicle classes and attempts to rein in the (literal) overkill allowed to Imperial Land Raiders and Dreadnoughts. Vehicle weapon points are adjusted for BS of crew, including Squats.

Also, the particular converted-into-superheavy-APC Soviet T34 tank shown in the picture on p. 13 was purchased by Hungry Ghosts and is now in their service. Counts as Gorgon (with the traditional 40K “Bag of Holding” troop carrying capacity compared to transport size), with stats on p. 26.

Number 14 (September 1996): Cauldron of Blood ($40) and Cannon of Khorne ($30) are now available from Armorcast (p. 2) and featured in an article on adapting WFB Chaos for 40K fun (pp. 5-7). Exo Armor Chaos Squats appear prominently in the army photo on p. 5.

Review of Galaktik Taktik spacecraft from Pewtercraft USA of Jackson NJ (p. 11) notes that the Colonial Forces ships would work well for Squats. Hungry Ghosts says, yes, but needs more skulls and tentacles.

Number 15 (August 1997): Armorcast High Tech Walls now available and seen in the background of many Hungry Ghosts blog posts (p. 2).

More importantly, this issue is devoted to remedying the missing Squats Codex for 40K 2^nd Edition (pp. 5-24). A b/w illustration of an angry Squat with a large Bolter by Joel Phillips appears on p. 3.

The Squats Army List starts on p. 5. It is broken up into a Brotherhood Army List (pp. 8-13) including an assortment of converted WFB minis filling in the gaps in the product like, and an Engineer Guild Army List (pp. 14-17).

The Squats Army is equipped with vehicles from Simtac's Kryomek line of Nexus Marines, in pictures as well as rules.

The photographs included reinforce the belief that only a few Iron Claw Squats appeared in North America (Numbers 1, 5, 10, 17).

The illustrations by Joel Phillips seem to indicate that pictures or copies of the unreleased 2^nd Edition Squats had been seen, or at least the Champions and Trooper.

Number 16 (November 1997): No Squats.

Number 17 (February 1998): Update of Combat Engineers article for 40K 2^nd Edition rules, including Squats units (pp. 5-9).

Squats Army List errata on p. 25.

Number 18 (May 1999): In 18 issues Inquisitor has traveled from Rogue Trader to 40K 3^rd Edition.

Page 12 gives a system for determining points costs of troops based on a average human model with additions for improvements. This system was used in assigning points costs in the Squats army lists that appeared in Number 15.

Page 25 Q&A includes discussion of weapons access for troop types in the Squats army lists.

Australian Realms.

From the vast wilderness of Western Australia, a bimonthly magazine covering all sorts of fantasy and sci-fi games – miniatures, RPGs, CCGs. I have only issue 21, dated January/February 1995. No Squats here.

The Dark Library: A magazine for the Warhammer 40,000 gamer.

Issue 1 from Autumn 1994 includes an article on boats in Warhammer 40K which reports that Squats do not have specialized Frogmen-type troops, as “squats rarely have much experience with water” (p. 6). But they do have much experience with beer, and have specialist Grogbrothers, who maintain the integrity of the vast beer production facilities found on every Squats Homeworld, expeditionary base, and spacecraft. They also care for the Beerquariums common to Squats entertainment parks (“The Happiest Fish in the Galaxy”).

The inside back cover reports that the next issue will feature Squats material, noting that “Squat players haven't had much to play with for quite a while now – the only new squat miniature released by GW in the past year or so was the mark 2 motorbike – and we hope to remedy some of that.

However, it goes on to state “If you're a squat player and would like to contribute something on squats, please send it in!”.

Open solicitation for material for the next issue is never a good sign in terms of maintaining a regular publication schedule.

Issue 3 from Spring 1995 is a much improved publication in terms of quality of content and format.

A scenario named “Irregularities on Vauxhault II” forbids allies for the mixed force of Imperial Guard and Space Marines, including Squats, which does not bode well for the humans.

An article on “Warhammer 40,000 Night Battles” reports the obvious – the superior genetic composition of the mighty Squats includes Infravision, “a second sight which allows them to not only see colors as humans do, but to see heat as well,” allowing them to function in the night without any deficit. On the other hand, it states that flashlights are useless to Squats. This is simply not true for a race as ingenious as the Squats. Amongst other functions, they can be sold or traded, used to make the ignorant think that Squats do not have Infravision, used to temporarily blind others by shining the lights in the eyes, or as a general whacking stick (pp. 21-22).

Page 26 features an ad for Nick Tompkins's Epicast U.S.A. resin vehicles, including the Termite ($22.00).

Page 29 introduces the new regular feature “Toshe Tales: Great Squat Lore”, concerning the mighty deeds of the Toshe Clan Stronghold. In this issue, the defeat of Ork Blood Axe Clan Kaptain Ironlung's Kommandos by a combined force of Squat Gyrocopters and Sky Surfers(!), taking special advantage of their geologic knowledge of the terrain.

The article includes rules (40K 2^nd Ed) for Squat Sky Surfers troop type in addition to the story, as well as the Camo-Cloaks, Power Boards, and the Longrifles used by the Sky Surfers and Squat snipers. (pp. 29-32)

Issue 4 (Winter 1995) starts off with an editorial whining about the price of the Rhino transport used by Squats and other less important beings - $15! (p. 2).

Page 7: another ad from Epicast offering the Termite.

Page 11: a little complaint about the allies system for 40K 2^nd Ed, noting that former enemies Squats and Eldar can now cooperate, and that Squats will condescend to ally with Space Marines.

Pages 21-35: Space Slann are back! On pp. 28-29, there is a sidebar discussion of an entity known as Saul of Nenuphar, a very ancient entity who appears in legends from just about every known race, including Squats. Saul is believed to have been a Slann. Or maybe a Dragon.

Imperial Dispatches: A Warhammer 40,000 Fanzine.

Broadcast from Alameda California, said to be quarterly. I have only Volume 2 issue 1, dated February 1992. Features a less-than-flattering illustration of the Emperor of Mankind on the cover.

A brief article titled “Artillery, the King of Battle” concerning artillery in (Epic) Space Marine notes that the rules are intended to be for general use, including Squats (p. 6).

Louis Porter's Fallout

I have Issues 3-6, March May July September 1995.

Issue 3 (March 1995): Page 7, picture of Imperial Commissars who have stolen a Squat Termite.

Page 12, article on efficient Space Marines point spending advises use of the Thudd Gun.

Issue 4 (May 1995): Page 8, quiz offering fabulous prizes for answering questions about Mole Mortars and less important things. Also discussion about people wanting GW to make some vehicles for armies besides the Smurfs and Imperial Grots, including Squats. Notes that Epicast offers such things, including the Termite, with ad for Epicast with Termite on page 12.

Issue 5 (July 1995): 40K scenario, Mission Delta: Assimilation, features Squats battling Tyranids for possession of a Squat Homeworld alternatively referred to as Drun Kale or Darmer, said to be closest to the Tyranid infested part of the galaxy (pp. 8-11).

Epicast ad for Termite etc p. 12.

Pages 14-17 feature 40K rules for the Blood Slaughterer of Khorne and the Holocaust tank, created by Khorne Cult engineers (i.e., Chaos Squats Adeptus Mechanicii).

Issue 6 (September 1995): Rules for Termite on pages 11-12 and 14. “Virtually invulnerable and invincible” while underground.

Mars: Adventures in Miniature

A quarterly magazine focusing on miniatures-based games from all companies, published in Vancouver Canada. I have only issues 3 and 4, from Summer and Fall 1997.

The letters column of issue 3 (“Martian Mail”) includes a silly idea from a reader, combining Battletech miniatures with Warhammer 40K. Noting that the Battletech mecha are of similar size to a Space Marine, our reader created a new race of tiny Gnomes. Our Gnomes pilot the mecha against 40K opponents who will tolerate such nonsense. The same reader reports that he is busily working on a Squat Codex, which would be of dubious quality from someone who would play silly Gnomes instead of just using the Battletech mecha as Epic 40K Squats Knight Titans, as any sensible person would do (p. 2).

A snippet on page 39 notes that the home planet of the White Scars Space Marines, Tengri, is near the Squat Homeworlds.

No Squats in issue 4.

Chaos Squats 40K Special Character Chikibi Chhattisgarh, Hungry Ghosts Gunnery Sergeant, Volume III: The Dragging-Outtening

Now we will finish having fun with Gunnery Sergeant Chikibi. Based on Catachan Imperial Guard Gunnery Sergeant Harker, Sgt Chikibi's main weapon is also a Heavy Bolter used without the need for a loader assistant.

Strapped to the lower right arm is the 'Terrordactyl', which is huge enough to have a mind of its own. Which is good, because Chikibi has 4 arms and a prehensile tail to think about. Also not spilling his pipe.

Terrordactyl is based on the Heavy Bolter that came with the Rogue Trader Space Dwarfs weapons sprue. It has been given life with eyes created from some inset gem bits from some creature that did not deserve such finery. Terrordactyl is part Tyranid like Chikibi. In this case, the claw comes from an Epic Lictor. The large spikes at the rear also come from the Tyranid Biomorphs sprue, with small spikes snipped off of the Dark Eldar Warriors that everyone was super-happy to get in the 40K 3rd Edition set.

The "rear leg" is a sword handle from a mid-1990s Orc Regiment sprue. Of course, the ribcage and spine are from the venerable Skeletal Horse. And I still have a baggie of Skeleton Army bits for the future.

The color of the body of the weapon comes from using a very old version of Bad Moon Yellow, right out of the Ork & Eldar Paint Set, that is translucent and good for nothing other than acting as a glaze over darker shades.

 

The last thing seen by enemies of the Hungry Ghosts.

Maybe this.

Assessing the possibilities...

Squats Fly Again: Hungry Ghosts Take to the Skies

From searching the murky depths of the galaxy...well, from our eBay alert for "space dwarfs"...we find more evidence that Squats once flew through the air like, um, like GW had left over hover boards from their Judge Dredd range.

There they are, hovering mightily behind the mass of infantry from the Space Dwarfs box, who have had some fun with the Orks box judging from their weapons and other goodies.

They truly hearken back to the age of deodorant canister orbital landing craft. We've got some popsicle sticks glued atop what I'm going to guess are chic Capri Sun bendy straws. Or Tootsie Pop sticks. Drilled with a delightful lack of regard for what becomes of the excess bits of plastic. And one is painted silver!

Hungry Ghosts must divert to a recurring puzzle: what the hell is going on with that paint? We'll do some boots here, some visors too. Let's not forget to use all the primary colors. Pick them with our eyes closed, that'll be fun. Somewhere Art is crying.

And here is the original illustration, hover board whizzing above the fray, making one wonder what the drawing looked like before being cropped to fit into the book, or magazine, I forget.

The Legios Moriad XIV has its own experimental air force of devious intent and malicious construction. Their mechano-tentacles know no boundaries.

Our program is overseen by Hungry Ghosts Dark Adeptus Mechanicus Wyrm Vulkaan. DAM Vulkaan has been working with his own personal flight system as well as guiding the general research and development program.

With the loyal assistance of some early prototype air crew. (Which are a Scrunt Hover Craft Pilot from Olley's Armies and a hybrid Paranoia Robot torso with Epic Eldar Nightwing fusilage.)

Below, we can see that the anti-grav propulsive systems have matured from light to heavy load bearing to ferry about the tools and parts as needed for experimental purposes. (assorted plastic bits and Dwarf Master Engineer with Handgun Backpack)

In the back, we can see the most ancient of the Squats' experiments in aerial activity, the Iron Claw Cloud Car. The technology of the time limited the propulsion system to pilots of Beardling age. Unfortunately, Beardlings are not the most cooperative of workers, having the stubbornness of Fully Bearded Dwarf Warriors but the teamwork capacity of an Eldar Ranger. Their small size has led some to confuse the pilot of this model with a Halfling, which only makes them more likely to zip off in a pout.

Here we can see another early test subject, developing a lightweight and speedy system that unfortunately demanded that the test subject have the lower half of his body replaced for the sake of science. (Scrunt Vehicle Driver on Tau Shield Drone bottom part with the rest of the Epic Eldar Nightwing as a directional guidance system (ok, it's a fancy rudder).)

And the Beardling Cloud Car has already reversed trajectory. How do we reach these kids?

Also a very experimental Bloodletter-Tyranid Gargoyle hybrid. Sometimes (=always) the Ad Mech works under the influence of substances. 

Plus he's evil.

 We have found that an early commitment to the program provides an excellent motivation for success. You do have to be careful about how insistent you are, and to whom you are insisting.

Our half-a-Scrunt utilizes one of the early Rogue Trader Space Dwarf Jump Packs. These were only produced for a short time, and only for 3 Space Dwarfs - Gatt Gunslinger, Roth Bergmann, and Owen Garand (in the picture). Garand and Gunslinger were modified to have a small leather/cloth type backpack in place of the peg for the jump pack at some point in the late 1980s, Bergmann just disappeared from production forever.

Of course, the aerial program that is the most advanced is a giant sized version of the old Space Dwarf Jump Pack. The Hungry Ghosts have assembled a team of Squats without acrophobia, equipped with intricate personally designed power armor, with a monster jet pack attached (from Chapterhouse).  They are similar to those used by Space Marines of various colors, but systems with the power to launch a mutant giant clone humanoid across a battlefield can send a sturdy Squat so much further.

The Hungry Ghosts have contracted the services of an outside consultant to advise the Skagerrak Skallen Fangsters Aerial Assault Squadron on the art of flight dynamics and the all-important landing-without-dying.

Half Daemon, Half Dragon, Half Machine (you can do that if you exist in multiple dimensions simultaneously).

Known only as The Drakoniak, payments must be made in blood or oil, but isn't that always the way? There are whispers of a world called Krymn, or Krull, Kakrakkis? but rumors are for the Elves.

(We have, in plastic, a Chaos Space Marine Torso, Imperial Space Marine lower body and left leg, Tomb Kings Chariot Driver Tabard, Dwarf Regiment Dragon Head, Rogue Trader Eldar Melta Gun with SM Scope, Saurus Left Arm, Right Leg from Epic Knight Paladin with a bit of its gun arm added to the Melta Gun (the Epic Knight Paladin is the Skeletal Horse of the Epic range), and metal Dark Eldar Scourge Wings, Pink Horror Tail, Necromunda Pit Slave Shears Arm, 2 CSM Shoulder Pads).

Here's our Skagerrak Captain Kytzia Anaya, from the Heartbreaker Miniatures range of evil Dwarfs (not sure exactly what they are called). He is quite an impressive fellow without any modifications, and his relatively large stature seems earned, as well as kept in proportion with his head and limbs unlike certain other company's ever-embiggening Dwarfs that are half head and no legs.

He is joined by another Skallen Fangster with a very nice skull head. Other than the Captain, the Skagerrak's are a series of Chaos Dwarfs called Ewal Dvergar, available from a fellow named Clam in Denmark.

A few more Ewal Dvergar in view. They are single piece bodies with separate heads. They also come with various axes and such and simple shields, which are unnecessary in the Grim Dark Grim Darkness of the 41st Millenium.

Here is how they fit in with the old size Squats (Iron Claw here) and Chaos Dwarfs - the Marauder line is the type they were intended to fit with. They were a special commission for Clam, sculpted by John Pickford, a noble influence upon the world of miniatures, dwarfs especially.

Another look. Aside from the close-combat warriors, there are also some grenadiers, one is on the left. He also has a few champion models available. The one I have is the fellow holding the hammer in some of the pictures.

Overall, there are 2 sets of 8 close-combat warriors (only the first is seen here), 2 sets of 3 Grenadiers, one out of stock until February, and 3 Champions. There are 10 heads in each set of 8 Warriors to go with 4 body variants.

These are nice miniatures, but are not intended to be an ongoing commercial venture for profit. So if you want some, you should act soon. Here's the website: http://claminiatures.blogspot.dk/p/how-to-get-some.html

And here's the Legios Moriad XIV Experimental Atmospheric Combat Division all together. The Legmor Exatcodiv, if you are an enthusiast of Soviet-style contractonyms.

And here we can spy in the background an ultra-secret prototype jet bike. It is rumored to be derived from ancient Slann technology. But, of course, they don't exist. 

And neither do Squats.