"Knock it off ya stoopid gitz!" The cramped and cluttered interior of the shack fell dead silent with the Chief Mekaniak's ritual greeting to his trainees. The rowdy crowd of young Orks and Gretchins; stopped their brawling mid-swing and resumed their seats on a pile of empty crates and cans of squig gas. "Roit! Now today Yz gonna show you lot howz to make a Kustom Autocannon ta blow dem Humie gitz away! Hur! Hur!" The trainees leaned forward with profound interest.

Mekaniak's Shack is intended to be a regular feature aimed at providing information and reviews of useful new model kits for Warhammer 40K gamers as well as advice on modelling and conversions. The editor and myself have had quite a few years of modelling experience and through this column and other articles we hope to pass on some of this accumulated knowledge to you. To begin this issue I would like to alert you to several sources of spare parts and weapons for conversions and scratchbuilding.

WWII Model Kits

Italeri has released a new set of 1/35 scale modern antiaircraft weapons that are available in the armor section of any good hobby shop. Priced about $5.00, this set contains a tripod mounted 25 mm Bushmaster automatic cannon, a tripod mounted Soviet 12.7 mm heavy machine gun and five missile launchers (two tripod mounted and three shoulder fired). A minimum amount of work is needed to adapt the Bushmaster to 40K; just shorten the main pillar mount enough to bring the trigger grips down to the gut level of a based figure. The result is a belt fed Autocannon suitable for humans and Orks! The Soviet 12.7 HMG is workable as a Heavy Stub Gun or Las Cannon. just shorten the tripod legs or build an alternative mount from spares. For a Stub gun, add a magazine of your choice for added realism. The missile launchers with their sophisticated sighting equipment are useful for all sorts of conversions with a little imagination and effort. Of course, you could always build the Stinger missile as is and give it to one of your Ork boyz, but don't blame me if he tries to use it backwards!

Along the same lines Tamiya Models has in production three different sets of weapons and equipment: U.S. WWII weapons (Browning .50 cal. and .30 cal. machine guns, submachine guns, recoiless rifle, flame thrower, rifles, pistols etc.), German WWII weapons (MG34 and MG42 machine guns, submachine guns, Panzerfaust, ammo boxes and cannisters etc.) and finally modern U.S. weapons (M249 and M60 machine guns, M16A2s, ammo boxes, 105 mm shells, fuel cans and ration cartons). Prices are $6.00, $5.50 and $10.00 respectively. These sets are well worth the price since they provide a gold mine of parts for any Mekaniak to horse around with.

And from your editor, a source for those elusive Hand Flamer and Plasma Pistol figures for your Marine Assault Squad. The Marine Medic blister pack contains three medics: the original Medic figure, one with a Plasma Pistol and Chainsword and one with a Hand Flamer and Chainsword. Simply file off the Medic insignia on the shoulder pads and paint to match your existing Assault Squad.