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Converting a Better Kharn the Betrayer (Warhammer 40K)

    Okay I have always been a huge fan of Kharn the Betrayer, he is probably my favorite character in the entire Warhammer 40k universe.  

    I got started in the glory days of third edition, I never played chaos, but my best friend did, and Kharn was usually in his list. There was very little back story for him at that point, at least that I had access too, basically just the skallathrax incident.

    However, in recent years Black Library has sure taken care of that. They built Kharn into exactly what I would have wanted him to be, the butcher’s nails shows him as the only truly sane world eater in the group, betrayer follows that up showing him trying to curb his legion’s blood lust in battle, trying to keep his fellow soldiers alive and resisting the nails when he can.

    Then you move to The Champion of Khorne audio book and it is pretty obvious the guy has some issues, buuut, he is still a smooth operator. He certainly has a tendency to flip out, but he is using it as a strength not a weakness.

    Anyway, Kharn is a cold ruthless calculating warrior and I need that in my army. Problem is the model is ancient and my hopes for an update when the chaos codex dropped were dashed out like a world eaters brain in the gladiator pits.  

    I am sure one will come, probably along with a digital supplement and berzerker re-sculpts, but that isn’t going to be any time soon.  So the only fix for that is I have to make my own.

    Kharn_victory

    One nice thing the chaos codex did do was give us a nice new piece of kharn art. It pulls from the original model but adds some movement to old school pose. I have set out to build that in model form, and I think I have gotten pretty close. I am bashing this together from my bits box and various hobby items. There is still some work to go as I need to sand and carve the miliput a little more on the legs and skull up the base a bit but for the most part this is going to be him.

    100_1351

    Building Gorechild was probably the most difficult part of the conversion, I needed something that was more than just a larger chain axe. It is built off of a length of wire with the crest of a juggernaut, some miliput, and more wire all smashed together with super glue.

    100_1352

    The helmet and crest are different from the original style. It is a combination of a skull crushers crest with a forgeworld world eater helm. It is certainly not perfect but I think it fits the model well, and sets him apart from the rest of the berzerkers in the unit.

    100_1354

    Anyway hope you enjoy him. I am looking forward to getting some paint on him and the other world eaters soon. I am going to try to get all the chaos marines detachment painted up in one go so I can maintain consistency across the units.   The only piece I have left to build for the chaos marines is the land raider and with any luck I can get that started today.

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    6 Comments
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    Thor
    Admin
    10 years ago

    Great job! I think the choices on bits works very well for this and the pose is dead on. He’s going to look awesome painted up.

    JustHippie
    JustHippie
    10 years ago

    Sweeeeet! The Blue chain looks a bit large and the wrap of it around his left forearm looks bulky. Maybe just the picture and angle, IDK.
    Can’t wait to see these guys getting painted. Sounds like you’re making serious progress.

    JustHippie
    JustHippie
    10 years ago

    I think I have some of the old metal chain off the crushers(hung under them from collar) kicking around. Beyond that I’ve just gone through the Wal-mart jewelry section and bought cheap chain. The only problem with that is getting it glued rigid(unless you want it swinging from his arm).
    Let me know if you want to check out the crusher stuff I have, it could certainly ben around his wrist I think)

    Maybe it is just the Blue making it jump out as well.

    JD Brink
    10 years ago

    Nice work!!! I don’t think much of the standard GW version either — too static and klunky looking. You’re captures the fury!