What are some alternatives to the Leman Russ Tank and how to convert one?
Leman Russ Tank - named after the Primarch of Space Wolves - is like a symbol of mankind in the grim dark future of the Warhammer 40k world created by Games Workshop. It’s also one of several pieces of wargear from that universe that are widely recognized, sometimes even by people not interested in wargaming or Warhammer lore. All of this means that the presence of the Leman Russ Tank is often felt on the hobbyist tables, resulting in many alternatives or ways to convert it throughout the years.
Leman Russ Tank overview
If you ever need to describe the Leman Russ precisely, it might reveal itself as a more challenging task than you primarily thought. Why? Because all that comes to mind when speaking about it is that it’s a tank. Honestly, it’s the epitome of the word “tank.”
Leman Russ Tank can brag about its simple construction and design with the intent of maximizing universality. While its side armor and speed aren’t its primary pride fuels, its frontal armor allows him to withstand most of what the other factions can throw at him. Speaking shortly, Leman Russ overruns its disadvantages with great endurance, as well as with brute force. And the cons can be easily erased by some backup at the sides of this tank.
Alternative tanks to the Leman Russ
When speaking about alternatives for the Leman Russ, it’s good to mention that there are a variety of possibilities. If you’re not keen on playing the original one - the traditional Games Workshop version - you can look for similar models from other companies. Search in shops, webstores, and even at the sites of 3D printing firms, as it can happen that they designed their similarly-looking tanks. You can also convert such a tank - whether from the cafeteria of Warhammer 40k or different wargaming systems.
Remember that when looking for a tank to be the Leman Russ alternative, you don’t need to limit your searches to only the grim dark future-style ones. You can always find a perfect choice among the historical models. Of course, if you choose this option, you’ll have to prepare for much more to convert. But worry not - at Kromlech, you’ll always afford many useful modeling accessories in our modeling and basing category. They’ll allow you to go through this step of creating your own Leman Russ without inconvenience.
On the other side, the Leman Russ Tank could be an alternative for itself. Why? Because it has an easy-to-swap tank turret slot. Changing its primary weapon usually means a change in the role of this tank on the battlefield. Because of many variants of weaponry, several variants of the Leman Russ Tank exist.
How to convert a Leman Russ Tank
Converting a Leman Russ Tank shouldn’t be a challenging task. Of course, it highly depends on what you would like to achieve. If you intend to make significant changes in your tank’s appearance or build the Leman Russ from a completely different piece of an armored vehicle, there is much work ahead of you.
Bits to convert Leman Russ Tank
We want to tell you how to quickly and successfully convert your Leman Russ Tank to be more practical and helpful on the battlefield. The best way to achieve that is by using some of our bits and magnets.
Firstly, among our wide range of wargaming bits, you can find many tank turrets suitable for your Leman Russ. What’s more, by joining them with some of our magnets, you’ll be able to change your model’s weaponry and make it swappable. It means that your tank will be enormously versatile - depending on your needs, you can swap different guns between battles and fit the whole tank precisely into any variant of your army.
Secondly, besides tank turrets, you can also find at our webstore other bits useful for Leman Russ. That includes a wide choice of lesser guns for tanks, a dozer blade, and even an amazingly looking engine with trench rail. Thanks to these sets, you can upgrade your model with ease.
And finally, even for crew members - if there are some visible on the tank - you can find unique bits to make them look more spectacular in resin and as 3D-printable files at Kromlech 3D Workshop.
Pros and cons of converting a Leman Russ Tank
It shouldn’t be a surprise that the crucial advantage of converting a Leman Russ Tank is the possibility of making it as versatile as it’s possible. When you don’t want to spend much on several tanks that are the same (while one is enough for your needs), that solution could become a real deal for you.
Notice that you can profit from making your Leman Russ weaponry swappable even when you have more than one. If you can afford desired tank turret options for all of them, you’ll have a whole squadron of these magnificent Imperial creations ready to fit any roster you imagine.
The more you save on preparing your Leman Russ to battle, the more you’ll have left for additional accessories for this imposing model. You can always afford suitable-looking measures or dice through our gaming accessories category, as well as add some eligible terrain pieces to your tank, thanks to Tabletop Scenics.
Vehicle Hull Points Tokens are a useful accessory for any vehicle
As for the disadvantages of converting a Leman Russ - these usually occur if you’re not a fan of converting at all. This process can take you time and require some work. It also means that your final result won’t be an “original” model. Even so, we would highly recommend giving conversion a try. If you find out that it’s not for you, that’s fine - but it may happen that you’ll enjoy the process and become modeler-for-life.
Final thoughts on the Leman Russ Tank
Leman Russ - both in-universe and on your wargaming table - is an extraordinary example of a war machine. It has a simple design, as well as is practical and universal. And we can’t forget its outstanding feature, an easy-to-change tank turret. It revealed itself to be a helpful trait both in the universe of the grim dark future and the reality of our beloved hobby.
Whether you’re planning to convert your Leman Russ or not, you should give it a chance, just for the sake of checking if that tank won’t grow on you. And if you’re more of an orcish player, remember that our greenskin friends used to loot and convert these vehicles a lot.
