BLITZENKAISER

The Fluff: First deployed during the pacifying of ArchAngel II in the aftermath of the second PGL war, the BlitzenKaiser has been the KKR's standard light mech for the last ten years. The BlitzenKaiser was developed by Kimmel AG for the close infantry support, light combat and reconaisance role. Armed with a pair of the newly developed liquid nitrogen cooled laser cannons, and a ten tube/ten shot missile pack, the BlitzenKaiser is unusual for a mech of it's size in having a two man crew. The second crewman is in charge of the various electronics and sensors fitted it the lower nose. The BlitzenKaiser can operate with only it's pilot, and often does so when operating in combat missions. The sensor operator is usually only carried on scouting missions.

The Model:
After a frenzied night of watching other people play Mechwarrior 4 (not enough computers, so I played the Wii instead or watched) I was inspired to build a Battlemech. Since I'd just bought a 1/72nd scale VAB 4X4 APC on eBay, i figured I could use that as the donor kit. This is the result: The KonigsKolonieRepublische 'BlitzenKaiser' light mech, the first of the 'Kaisers' which I have built.
I tried to limit myself to using only parts from the kit and Plasticard, but I ended up having to use parts from a few other kits for the legs and feet. I cut the upper hull into two pieces just ahead of the second set of vision ports. The back section was then used to form the missile pod with the addition of some plasticard, and a few kit parts. The guns where made from the side stowage boxes with plastciard and plastic tubes added. The mountings for the guns and legs are the front and rear axle and differential pieces. The legs are made from a pair of jerry cans, some road wheels from a 1/72nd Sherman, plasticard and c-channel. The feet are actually heavily modified from what I think are meant to be the cockpits of a pair of incredibly cheap and dodgy SR-71 kits. I added a lot of plasticard to them.
I decided to paint the BlitzenKaiser up in winter camouflage, so I gave it a base coat of grey, and then heavily dry brushed white over it to simulate poorly applied white-wash. I then painted camo patterns on it with Citadel Camo green. Decals are from a Citadel Miniatures 'Space Marine' sheet. A few washed and dry brushes later, and I was finished.