Tau Auxiliary, The Naga

Several years ago, as part of my article for Australian White Dwarf 313, I created the Naga Auxiliary. The final publication would also end up in Canadian Issue 1, French and German GW Websites. Suffice to say, the Naga have been my most popular modelling project.

Here I showcase the whole project I put together years ago.

The Naga Models

Back in 2003 I modelled this alien NPC for a lark from spare parts – but it sparked off an idea.

naga_1

I knew it should involve the (at the time) new Lizardman plastics. So I began experimenting with heads, weapons and positions, even helmets. I used Space Marine torso with Imperial Guard shoulders and weapons. Even an Ork blaster muzzle. The arms were kroot with sculpted hands.

I wasn’t quite satisfied, so I pushed further and began modding the head itself..

I really liked the last iteration and worked toward that, though the gun had to change. So I modded a Kroot rifle and doubled up a pulse carbine, creating a ‘Pulse Blaster’ nearly a decade before GW made Pulse Blasters for 2015 Breachers. My thinking background wise was a close range weapon that made up for the average Naga’s limited aiming ability.

naga_4a

The torso underwent some modification to add sweep design that matched the flow of the Lizardman form. So I fused on a Targeter casing and vents from Space Marine backpacks to flesh out the design. I even bored a hole in the front and embedded a tau ‘cog’.

With the weapon and the model sculpted I actually cast up these templates and crafted the entire squad. The Kroot rifles allowed me to use the stock hand, though I sculpted on the left hand.

From here it was a matter of painting. Though I realised the heads needed a helm of some kind. I eventually settled on a vane, that sheathed and protected a cranial fan (think Water Dragon lizard) that flared as a warning and intimidation reaction. The first paint scheme was rushed for the article at the time.

About a year later I readressed the scheme into something more realistic, with leathery tones and even underbelly shading..

Even still, this wasn’t finished. I experimented and eventually settled on flecks and spots about the spinal area to complete the overall look. After a year since I began making them, I had settled on the Naga’la and they became a permanent auxiliary to my Tau Cadre.

 

 

 

 

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