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Source - Instagram @Kyle.Haydon |
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Primaris Space Marine Conversion Source - Instagram @Will_Paints |
Some people alter their figures for the sole purpose of having miniatures which are unique to their army. Other people convert to bring characters into their game for which no actual model exists. Others do it for both reasons. Whatever your reason may be for wanting to alter your miniatures, the next step is sourcing bits and kits for the conversions. Here are a few of the sources I use for my own miniatures.
Anvil Industry
Anvil Industry is a manufacturer from the UK which makes their own range of miniatures as well as their tabletop game. Their Exo-lords line of miniatures is plentiful in Space Marine compatible bits from pauldrons, weapons, and accessories. Their Regiments line has an abundant selection of Imperial Guard compatible bits with such a wide product range that Imperial Guard players are sure to find something to fit their specific army. My favorite thing about Anvil industry is their wide selection of heads, in fact this is where I get ALL of my head replacements from. I specifically use Anvil Industry to source replacement heads for my Space Marine scouts, as the stock heads make them look a little too silly for the grim dark universe of the Warhammer 40,000 universe.
The quality of Anvil Industries kits is top-notch, very close in quality with Games-Workshop miniatures, making their bits incredibly useful for kit bashing and conversion. The only downside is that the scale is slightly off, not enough to make it immediately noticeable on first sight, but experienced hobbyist will notice. Experienced hobbyist should have no problem getting around this minor imperfection through the use of green stuff, or through the strategic posing, and placement of the miniature in question. If you are a Space Marine or Imperial Guard player this supplier is a must.
Kromlech
Kromlech's bits are top-notch in quality, easily rivaling Anvil Industry and Games-Workshop, but they too suffer from a scaling issue. Where Anvil Industry bits are slightly too small, Kromlech's bits are slightly larger. Again experienced hobbyist should have no problem working through this minor issues, and even with little modification the size difference is not noticeable at first glance. I will say though that I am not sure this is a problem across all product ranges, but it was one of the first things I noticed with their range of Ork bits.
Like Anvil Industry, Kromlech has a wide range of products, but their range covers more than human factions. Kromlech offers bits compatible with Space Marines, Imperial Guard, Chaos Space Marines, Orks, and other miniatures. Despite their large selection, when visiting their site, and when looking at their front page, it is clear that their specialization is Ork related kits. Their Ork line offers a wide range of variation from World War II Germany inspired Orks, to Pirate Orks. They also offer a wide range of vehicle conversions, something which Anvil Industry does not readily have.
Wargaming Exclusive
A great source for Warhammer 40,000 compatible proxies, as well as bits. However one look at their product line and it is easy to see that their lines are 100% created for the sole purpose being used for Warhammer 40,000. The logos, design, art style, and even names are so close to the 40k factions and heroes they represent that this company is basically walking the line of copyright infringement. Despite the blatant rip-ff of some of the model designs, this source is perfect for bits for almost every army. Specifically I like to use this supplier for anything related to Chaos Space Marines, specifically their vehicle conversion kits.
Hoard O' Bits
If you are building a Space Marine army, or Tau army, but want to make sure that all the bits being used are 100% Games-Workshop bits, then this is your go to place. This source does not manufacture their own bits, but rather creates a market where players can buy loose bits, by model, make, and army. You are almost 100% guaranteed that the products you buy here are 100% authentic, and original. Pieces come unpainted and unassembled. The range of bits available here is incredibly wide, offering more than just bits from standalone unit sets, but also those found in core sets such as "Assault on Black Reach" and "Space Hulk". Aside from Anvil Industry, this is my second most used supplier.Puppet's War (Kinda)
I have a love/hate relationship with this supplier. On one hand their designs are exceptional and beautifully sculpted. On the other hand, their scaling is way off, and their quality is overall inconsistent. One example is the fact that their helmeted heads are the exact same size as their unhelmeted heads. Normally when someone puts on a helmet their head will look bigger, due to the addition of a whole layer of protection, but with Puppet's War product this is not the case. The pauldrons they make are too thin giving them an overall flimsy feel, given their price point is no different from products offered by Anvil Industry, Kromlech, and Games-Workshop you end up feeling like you are paying the same amount, for less quality.

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