Bits for the bits god! Sprues for the Sprue Throne!

A lot of times when I use an old bit from my collection, I get questions about the part.  I wanted to share some of the old bits with those newer to GW kits.  Rather than just take pictures of some of what I have, through the wonder of Stuff of Legends I can share them in a better way I think.  If you've never been to Stuff of Legends, definitely check them out.  For the old coots it'll be a trip down memory lane, for those newer to miniatures it's a world of wonders and weirdness.

Citadel/Games Workshop had been making metal figures for a while, but it was the plastic RTB01 box of Space Marines that really let folks run wild with conversions without having to do it all with metal.  Rogue Trader and early publications feature a lot of conversions using this kit or its parts.

Many other kits started to follow, but a lot of figures were still mostly metal, with plastic arms and accessories coming about.  HERE are some examples, with things like ork plasma weaponry and an old (and strange looking, even back then) power klaw. 

HERE you can find an old plastic heavy weapons sprue, with conversion beamer, missile launcher and autocannon. 

Spawn Riders, counts-as Sentinels.  Made with the old Chaos missile launchers, as well as several other plastic kits.

The eldar also got into the action, with THESE sprues of arms and weapons to go with their metal bodies.  Close combat weapons including power gloves, fusion guns, flamers, pistols and lasguns.

Another PIC of ork weapons, along with the second edition starter set orks and grots. 

Marines wanted back in the fun too, with a sprue for pistols, hand flamers and close combat weapons.

Where there's a Space Marine version, you know a Chaos one can't be far behind.  

 

Side games like Necromunda and Gorkamorka provided more bits, with metal "sprues" of weapons loaded with knives, shotguns and autopistols.

Then more and more true multi-part plastic kits started coming out, pushing out the metal body + plastic arms and weapons kits.  Space Marines got a revamp, Khorne Berzerkers were all the rage, Ork Boys, Guardians, Catachans....many of these kits may seem dated now, but back then they were the bees knees!   And when you consider that they had the foresight and good grace to make the various marine and chaos marine kits interchangeable - wonderful.   

 

Chaos Marines made with plastic Chaos Marine, Space Marine, Space Wolf, Chaos Terminator andFantasy Chaos Warrior kits plus a few metal parts from Chaos Marine add-on kits like Iron Warriors. 

Today we live in a golden age, with plastic kits coming out of our ears with multiple unit types possible from each box and a pile of parts left over from many infantry type kits when you're finished with the actual unit, leaving you lots of stuff for kitbashing.  Then add on Forgeworld and the explosion of other companies with compatible parts and we have an embarrassment of bits to choose from these days.

 

 

Space Marine, Chaos Marine, Space Wolf, Forge World, "3rd party" bits, some metal bodies but mostly plastic, stuff from RTB01 up through recent releases.  Even some Dark Eldar and Ogre Kingdoms parts.

 

  I wouldn't want to go back to the old days of much more limited options, but it is nice to stick in an old part to a new build now and then.  If you happen to get hold of some older parts from an ebay lot or something, don't discount them - you may not want to focus on them, but you might find a use for some pieces even on your newer kits!