Arbites as a rule wear Midnight Blue armour, with Golden Yellow as the trim. Arbite Vehicles use the same color scheme. (Note – yes, for those with long memories they used to wear black, but since the Sisters have usurped that color and I thought a very dark blue would look good. For those with Arbites in black, a quick highlight of blue will work fine)

Arbites use differing helmet colours to differentiate themselves in the field:

• Characters (including Proctors and other unit leaders): Any metallic colour (silver, gold, etc)
• Escort: Liche Purple
• Shock: Skull White
• Combat: Codex Grey
• Sniper: Dark Angels Green
• Patrol & Reaction: Midnight Blue
• Penal Legionnaires (clothing): Fiery Orange
• Cadets: Enchanted Blue
• Rapid Pursuit: Chaos Black
• Execution: Blood Red
• Fire Support: Scab Red

The specific team colour can also be used on the member’s insignia, eagle symbols, etc as desired.

HUNTSMAN TANK

The main chassis is a Griffon, but with sponsons added by cutting off the hull sidings after the second panel. Plastic Leman Russ sponsons are added. I made Heavy Webbers from Epic Great Gargant exhaust pipes and Epic Bombard cannons (030300316, 030501304) The rear bed was covered with sheet plastic, then screen mesh. A Hellhound Fuel tank assembly (010505503, 010505506) was mounted in the rear, and a regular storm bolter to the top hatch. For the record, the plastic sprues used here are:

• Chimera Body Frame B
• Chimera Body Frame C
• Tank Tracks Frame T
• Tank Wheel Frame W
• Tank Accessory Sprue 
• Leman Russ Body Frame B (sponsons)
• Leman Russ Body Frame C (sponsons)

To tech up the Ark, I added the front plate and support from a Tarantula (072170/4, /2), plus some space marine bike TV sets to each side. Any other tech looking items (like video cameras from Apothecary backpacks) can be added as desired; I added some Leman Russ plastic handholds as it looked like it could be a rough ride for the crew! I also added Smoke Launchers and holstered Boltguns from the Biker Chaplain Equipment Sprue (010107601). 

Crew – one Proctor with his eagle cut off from the helmet, plus 4 regular Arbites, serve in the rear area. Emerging from the hatch is a slightly converted older Arbite model with Shock Maul and pistol. The model was cut in half, and a new arm was made from a plastic Space Marine arm sprue.

OTHER CONVERSIONS

There are three basic Arbite trooper models to work from the USA Mail Order Archives. One is armed with a Shotgun, another with a Boltgun, and the last with a Grenade Launcher. There are also two “character” style Arbites available, one with an ornate eagle on his helmet and armed with a Shotgun, and the other older model armed with a Bolt Pistol and Power Maul.

The latter model is the one ideal for conversions, as both arms are separated from the main body (which is what you always look for in conversion projects!) 
Keep the helmet crest for characters, but otherwise trim it off for regular troopers. 
Removing the pistol and adding a Shield gives you Shock Team members. 
The arms can easily be cut off and repositioned or replaced (plastic Space Marine arms are near-perfect, especially the older styles). This is ideal for other weapons like Heavy Bolters, etc. 

By cutting off the end of the Shotgun and replacing it with the front of a Sniper Rifle, you get Arbite Snipers.

Human Blood Bowl models also fit in well for Arbites too, especially Shock Squads and Cadets. Older Space Marine models make great Arbites in Power Armor too.

For the characters, the Arbite with the eagle makes a perfect Judge, and by removing the eagle he now makes a great Marshal. Detectives can be Arbite models, or possible even Necromunda characters. 

Suppression Shields – cut plasticard, rectangular Rhino doors, barrel halves, all these work great. Epic Titan leg shields also make great Arbite shields too – they even already have Imperial Eagles embossed on them!

Mauls – Various plastic weapons such as Power Axes, Axes, etc work fin by just cutting off the blade at the end of the weapon. Add tech bits or just use the regular weapon for Power Mauls.

Cadets – old style Space Marine Scouts, with the Bolt Pistols replaced by Autopistols. 

Bikers – Space Marine Scout bikers, with the heads replaced with helmeted Arbite heads. You could also replace the entire upper torso with the Bolt Pistol/Maul Arbite torso, and use Space Marine Biker arms to finish it off. The Bike’s Boltguns are replaced with Autoguns. 

Mounted Arbites – use the upper torso from the Pistol/Maul Arbite, and the legs from any Empire Knight. Plastic Space Marine arms finish it off. Dark Elf Cold Ones are going to be my choice of steed – they look too cool not use!

Penal Legion – Necromunda models fit well, with simple collars made from spare bits. Catachans also work great too! Last Chancer “Animal” is also great, by replacing his Meltagun with a Lasgun. Ideally, they should all look different, as they shouldn’t be a uniform group. Try to mix in different styles of models for a real rag-tag look to them. 

Kayninez – plastic Wolves work perfect, and are cheap too.

Book of Law – the separate book from Warhammer Empire special Character Luthor Huss is perfect. 

And more conversion ideas from Jeff Wiertalla, a big Arbites fan!

Hey guys - Having been developing Arbite conversions for quite awhile, I thought I would toss out some of the conversions I have made...

Note - Miniatures

For most all Arbite Body conversion work, I used the Adeptus Arbite w/shotgun model. Mainly because the Arbites Star is visible on the chest, and the arms/shotgun cover as little of the model as possible. 

For a different, but neat look, use VanSaar Ganger, sisters of battle, or Marine Scout heads on your Arbite bodies! (Need to have a clean haircut, whatever you use)

Note - Vehicles

Some little effects to look for... Flasher bar lights! I had two Monogram Snap-tite Malibu Police cars - The bar lights from the kit works perfectly on top of the one-piece, angular deck plate in the rhino kit.

For any of you homegrown detailers - pick up a couple of those "Matchbox" or other brand police cars - the ones that you "push down on the hood" and the bar lights flash and a little siren wails. With little work, you can remove the "guts" of the car, and wire it into a Arbite vehicle with a switch - *PRESTO* your Arbite vehicle has a LIGHTING bar light and a SIREN!

Castigator Models

For those of you who have the old Citadel Journal that the conversion appeared in, its actually a pretty easy conversion to make...

Starting with the Immolator Chassis, build the model per specs. You'll probably use the normal side doors (instead of the sisters doors) Dremel off the Fleur-de-lis if used. 

When you construct the flamer turret, here's where your conversions will be. Take an Arbite Shotgunner, dremmel off the left arm, shotgun and right arm - NOT including the Arbite Shoulder pad. replace the arms with Space Marine plastic arms. (use the ones from the last edition of Space Marines, not the newer plastics)

Cut the flamer nozzles off the ends of the Heavy flamers (only the nozzle portion! leave the rest of the barrel!) - replace one nozzle with just the "lamp" piece of the Nasty "Torpedo" style searchlight from the Armour accessory sprue. Replace the second nozzle with the mushroom head of the old Conversion Beamer. You have your Heavy Webber & searchlight.

Arbite Bikes

For Arbite Bikes, I used the "skull" banner pole, cutting off the skull - I replaced it with a red LED transmitter. (Bought at any Radio Shack)

Place the banner pole on the rear fender behind the seat as normal. (the resulting look is very similar to the "bubblegum" light that Michigan State Police currently use on their vehicles.)
The riders can be done a couple ways... 

Full Adeptus Arbite Miniature - Take a standard Arbite trooper, cut off his left arm, shotgun and right arm up to the shoulder pad.  Cut the model in half, right below the belt line. Cut the legs in two by cutting through the crotch ::wince:: Replace the left arm with the Space Marine Biker Left arm. Replace the right arm with a weapon arm (bolt pistol, etc) OR carefully cut the shoulder pad free, reposition it and use with the Space Marine Biker right arm. Position the legs on the bike, fill gaps with Green-stuff. re-attach upper body. 

The bike Proctor takes a little more work - involving the bottom half of a normal shotgun trooper (Prepared as above) and the top half of a Arbite Proctor model. (Prepared similarly to the trooper) Assemble as above, only more sculpting will be needed. (The trench coat tails flapping in the breeze behind him looks VERY cool) also, you'll need to save or recreate with putty the trench coat cuffs. The space marine bike arm will be a bit thick, you'll need to smooth away the detail, or possibly recreate it in putty (from wearing the trench coat)

Space Marine Scout Bikers - Still working on these conversions, but so far they have great possibility. (especially the new Bolter/grenade launcher combi-weapon!) dremmel away/smooth off the imperial eagles and such from the chest plate. For effect, you may wish to make a Arbite Star on the upper left chest plate. You might want to replace a few of the bikers heads with Arbite Helmets. Assemble the bikers as normal.

Arbite Shock Troops

Taking the Arbite Shotgun trooper - remove the arms and shotgun as described above. replace with Plastic Space Marine Arms in whatever position you see fit. Hit your bits box, or cut from plastic card - for a couple pouches for the front of the model. (1/35 scale model ammo pouches work great for this!)

Use the small rectangular front doors from the front deck of the rhino. Shave it thinner if you are sticky for detail. (I remove the deck "Inset" on the back of the door with a dremmel and sandpaper) You now have a great riot shield, complete with a small visor built in! Paint as you will.

Use the Space Marine Power Axe, carefully removing the blade. *PRESTO* you have a maul! 

Executioner Squads

I used the Arbite Grenade Launcher model for this conversion. It’s a bit more work, but they came out pretty nice. Especially with the sight built into the helmet.

Remove the Grenade Launcher, right hand and left arm up to the elbow from the model. Replace Left arm with Plastic Space Marine arm. The positioning is almost perfect for the Sisters of Battle Heavy bolter (Remove the Flur-de-leu). Fill in gaps with putty.

I am also looking at trying the Space Marine Scouts Heavy Bolter here as well - but haven’t tried them yet.

Penal Legions

If you aren’t lucky enough to have some of the old Penal Legion Miniatures, the new Catachan Plastics work great. For a bit of flair, add some bits from NECROMUNDA - stub pistols, and the like. Paint in either "Fiery Orange" or Codex Grey for uniforms. White T-Shirts.

K-9 Squads

The old Wardog models look great for this. (Rottweiler looking, with spiky collars! Whoo hoo)
In the event you can't find them, (I don't know if GWUS has them in Archive) you could go with the Mordheim Wardogs... The handler can be modelled (as above) or left as a normal trooper.

Some other ideas to keep in mind for Banners, vehicle markings and such.

Lady Justice - a blindfolded woman, holding a sword in one hand, a balance scale in the other. The Sisters of Battle standards can give you a great starting point for this.

"To Detect and to Purge" - from the old Citadel Journal article. (Credits to the gentleman, but I can't remember his name offhand) <Tim’s note – it was Steve Hambrook, from Citadel Journal 23>

I'll probably post some more conversions at a later date... just wanted to get some creative juices flowing...

Hope this helps all you would-be protectors of Imperial Law!

All original concepts © Tim Huckelbery. Last modified 08-06-01. Disclaimer: This website is completely unofficial and in no way endorsed by Games Workshop Limited. Warhammer and Arbites are trademarks of Games Workshop Limited and are used without permission. No challenge to their status is intended.