2 - Planning the Configuration

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Having just received the new Predator kit provided by The Editor, I opened the box up to have a look at the latest specialty kit from Games Workshop.

Crisply rendered and packed with optional parts, this latest installment of the Rhino AFV family is a real treat. A marked improvement over the original plastic kit, this new model screams for major conversion work to bring out its full potential. And herein lies the biggest problem for this humble painter - what options to choose?

Being a rather perversely-minded gamer who instinctively likes to blow things up, I was instantly drawn to the idea of using the vehicle’s twin lascannon turret armament, and equip it with the sponson-mounted lascannons as well. So just to be 100% sure that I was headed in the right direction, I consulted my trusty Codex: Space Marines. Sure enough, the quad lascannon option is legal under the current Warhammer 40,000 rules, being known as a Predator Annihilator (what a WONDERFUL name indeed! Bwahahaaaaa!!!).

Scanning further along, I review the optional upgrades listed in the Codex: Space Marines for the Annihilator. These will influence my modeling options with this project, as much as my own intimate knowledge of things big, tracked, and armored. I settle upon extra armor, pintle mounted stormbolter, smoke launchers, and searchlight (‘cause ya just never know...).

This then leads me directly to my bits box and my supply of extra goodies for AFV kits, specifically the wonderfully useful 1/35 scale Allied & German Tank Accessories set from Academy.

Delving into the bits supply, I come up with a handful of square plastic rhinestones with beveled edges commonly found in craft stores such as Michael's. They are a cheap and easy-to-use material to represent reactive armor blocks on SF armored fighting vehicles, and are relatively inexpensive. I always keep a good supply on hand, as these really useful bits come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and are useful for making all sorts of really useful stuff for everything from small robot drones to tanks to space-going battleships.

The stormbolter and searchlight came with the Predator kit, and I just had to add the cool little radar dish antennae, as this will be the first tank of the semi- kinda- sorta- official TMP space marine army, and I want this to be a sort of flagship vehicle. I also selected the simple stowage bin for the rear of the Predator's turret, as this will allow me to more easily add the extra bits I am going to use from the Academy set.

From the Academy AFV accessories set, I chose to try and utilize as many of the tools and stowage packs as possible, without obscuring the overall appearance of the Predator itself.

I removed all of the optional parts I intend to use from their respective sprues, knowing full well that I will carefully test fit everything before using so much as a drop of glue to ensure the best possible look for this menacing war machine.