“Da Red Ferret” – Shadowtrakk

28mm, Da Red Shadowz, Orks, Space Orks, Warhammer 40K

I plan to bring a force of Red Shadowz to BOYL 2014 to take part in some GorkaMorka.  “Da Red Ferret” is a scratch built shadowtrakk taken from my regular ork forces and given a good pimping up for the event.

Da Red Ferret

Da Red Ferret

It now features reinforced armour, reinforced ram, a new engine, a pintle mounted big shoota and a shiny new red paint job.  The red paint was immediately given a large amount or weathering using my newly acquired rust and corrosion Games Workshop technical paints.

If the orks with the leather fetish don't kill you the tetanus might!

If the orks with the leather fetish don’t kill you the tetanus might!

The Red Ferret is inspired by the Action Force Hyena.  I was certainly torn between going for a cleaner toy like style of painting and weathering the shit out of it using my new technical paints…needless to say the new paints won out.

Hyena + Red Jackal

Hyena + Red Jackal

The pintle mounted gun has been magnetised for easy transport and interchangeability with other weapons if the whimsy takes me to make a rocket launcher option.  There is plenty of space to fit a couple of models into this vehicle which while not necessary, is a useful feature for immersive GorkaMorka play.

Zardork and the Black Major crewing Da Ferret

Zardork and the Black Major crewing Da Ferret

Decals are all hand painted and then ruined with overzealous weathering for that authentic orky feel.

Zardork

28mm, Orks, Sculpting, Space Orks, Uncategorized, Warhammer 40K

Zardoz (1974)  is one of those movies that burned itself into my mind as a kid and it is not difficult to imagine why with imagery like this…

 

Z_bandoleers_detail

 

zardoz-2

zardoz7

…Sean Connery in a wedding dress, yes indeed.

Expurgation of something like this from my mind calls for my calls for some Warhammer 40,000 catharsis.

 

ZARDORK

ZARDORK

Zardork has been built using the Savage Orc plastics from Games Workshop.  The base is a (edit, thanks Cheetor)30mm round base from EM4 miniatures and was kindly donated by Cheetor over at Sho3box, cheers dude!  The 30mm is a good fit for the wide stances of some of the models from the kit.  I hacked off any extraneous details from the model, reposed it and then did some green stuff sculpting to get him to look like Sean Connery in one of the most bizzare costumes in cinema history.  The gun is from the plastic Necromunda Goliath gangers in case you were wondering.

DSC_0451

 

He is wearing a big ass ring which although not in the image above is from the movie none the less.  You will just have to watch the bugger if you want to know what that is about, perhaps more than once!  The ring is real plastic, just like the movie.

DSC_0460

DSC_0442

DSC_0444

 

A WIP of the build:

DSC_0422-001

 

He took me a fair while to make, but I think he was worth the effort.  Naturally now I feel the need to make an orky version of one of these for him to ride around in:

ZardozHead

…and I’m spent. 😉

Blood for Da Baron

28mm, Da Red Shadowz, Orks, Space Orks, Warhammer 40K

Test model for a future force of Orks…Da Red Shadowz.

 

Red Shadow Ork

Red Shadow Ork

The Red Shadows were the main bad guys in the Action Force comics when I were a lad, and the uniform always made an impression.

The Red Shadows toys

The Red Shadows toys

 

The toys were made from the same moulds as for Wermacht infantry with a change of head and thus they are relatively easy to convert from any german uniformed model.  Luckily enough Games Workshop used to make an ork stormboy dressed in a Wermacht uniform, I doubt they will ever make models like these ever again.

Un-politically correct stormboys

Un-politically correct stormboys

Various people have done conversions like this one, and the best ones I am aware of are at: http://actionforcevsredshadows.blogspot.ie/

To my knowledge I am the first one to attempt to marry the GW model with the Red Shadows conversion idea.  Here are a couple of more angles.

Side view showing green stuff work to make sleeves with cuffs from 2nd Editon GW Ork arms

Side view showing green stuff work to make sleeves with cuffs from 2nd Editon GW Ork arms

I have avoided to use of hilights here, just a simple ink wash for some definition, as I want to carry over the look from the toys.

The face mask is flat and devoid of detail, the eyes are simply painted on, just like the toys

The face mask is flat and devoid of detail, the eyes are simply painted on, just like the toys

I just painted the attachment point for the jump pack black like a backpack. I could add a skull and crossbones to this later…perhaps.

Rear view showing the attachment point for a jump pack

Rear view showing the attachment point for a jump pack

I will do at least another 4 of these fellows, and a halftrack.  I will use the Nob from the stormboyz above to represent the Black Major.  No doubt I will inevitably get around to doing the other toys from the range.

Imperial Ork

28mm, Casting, Orks, Sculpting, Space Orks, Warhammer 40K

I have been a little lazy on the posting front of late, but rest assured loyal readers that I have not been idle!   Here is a little creation I have wanted to do for more years than I can care to remember.  Presenting the proto-Imperial Ork:

 

Imperial Ork

Imperial Ork

Imperial Ork - rear detail

Imperial Ork – rear detail

Imperial Ork beside Imperial Guardsman

Imperial Ork beside Imperial Guardsman

Imperial Ork - without the shoota

Imperial Ork – without the shoota

 

The 1989th - valuing diversity and the violence it empowers

The 1989th – valuing diversity and the violence it empowers

More ass shots

More ass shots

And from the side

And from the side

Now this is very much still a work in progress, as there is a good bit more work to do before I consider the project a success.  The parts are designed to be compatible with the “Standard Orkoid Template” (SOT) as I may see fit to actually cast them up for a  small number of interested parties – can’t see much demand for them myself, it’s a pretty specialized concept.  Obviously the face is a GW part and will be replaced by a suitable Ork mug of my own devising and the arms and legs will get a more appropriately uniformed look.  But compatibility with other ranges is key here, creativity to the modeler and painter must be afforded in the design, and some people will prefer the “Rico’s Roughnecks” look of this bare armed guy – he does look badass!  I am looking forward to creating more bits and bobs for these chaps.  They have some serious Rough Rider potential so expect to see one with an Aussie style cowboy hat.  Goggles will pretty much be de rigeur for these boyz. but expect some variation in goggle design largely because I love sculpting goggles – blame World of Warcraft for that.

Unpainted glory front

Unpainted glory front

Unpainted glory rear

Unpainted glory rear

The greens look like this at the moment:

 

Torso Front

Torso Front

Legs Rear

Legs Rear

Legs Front

Legs Front

Torso Rear

Torso Rear

 

Greens showing helmet

Greens showing helmet

Of course the other thing they need are some suitable kustom laser guns – the human versions are far too weedy and safe for these guys.

Skeletork

Fantasy, He-Ork and da Mastorks of da Yooniverse, Orks, Space Orks

After a weekends gaming shenanigans with Cheetor the painting muse was in effect.  At these sorts of events we inevitably get around to talking about some pretty esoteric project ideas and I usually don’t follow up on any of them…..usually….

Eternia's greatest humanitarian

YOU FOOL! Eternia’s greatest humanitarian

I first noticed the savage ork kit used for conversions on Mr. Saturday’s Mumblings where he used it to great effect building Fimir.  It was not until last weekend that the idea of kitbashing up a Skeletork with it came about.

Basic components

Basic components consist of a savage ork body, a jaw from a savage ork head, plastic ork skull and green stuff

This is the first stage of green stuffing

This is the first stage of green stuffing

2nd Stage of green stuffing, finishing the hood

Second stage of green stuffing, finishing the hood

I need a not-Panthor....I shall name her Pantrix

I need a not-Panthor….I shall name her Pantrix

Rear view of 2nd stage of green stuffing

Rear view of 2nd stage of green stuffing

Basic colours blocked in

Basic colours blocked in

Gratuitous ass shot...

Gratuitous ass shot…

So as you can see the savage ork kit has proved to be an excellent kit for projects set in Orkternia.  Below you can see the completed model.  Skeletork is a very versatile figure and he should expect to see service as a Wierdboy Warphead, Savage Ork Shamman, Chaos Sorcerer, Necromancer…..just about anything I can shoe horn him into.

I will have to add some accessories to him before he is truly completed.  He is just not right without that ram head staff thing.  I will make one and magnetise it to the model later when I have a little more time!

CURSE YOU HEEEEE-ORK!

CURSE YOU HEEEEE-ORK!

Skeletork's chiseled buttocks

Skeletork’s eye catching chiseled buttocks

There are more Orkternians that will be added to this modellers Yooniverse in time.  Please leave suggestions in the post box below (and I will ignore them FOOL).

 

Skeletor expounds his views on what Oldhammer is really about

Skeletor expounds his views on what Oldhammer is really about

Skirmish at the Old Heinrick Place

Humans, Orks, Space Orks, Warhammer 40K

Orks Turn 8 B

Last weekend I got the chance to host a skirmish game for two of my old gaming buddies MT and DG.  It was a while since MT had played and an eon since DG had, so I threw together a skirmish scenario which would not take too long to get through in an afternoon.

The rules we used are a kind of meshing together of all of the Warhammer 40K and Necromunda rules from over the years (with the exception of anything from 6th Ed which I haven’t been bothered to read yet).  It’s primarily based on 5th Ed, but the models were moving around and getting pinned (not the orks) and stunned and injured in a sort of Necromunda meets Blood Bowl fashion.   Cover is handled in a cityfight sort of way…hell its too complex to explain here but it makes sense to us so it’s perfect for this stuff.

Enough waffle, on with the show!

Skirmish at the Old Heinrick Place

 

Overview:

An important imperial officer carrying vital information for operations against the ork incursions on Salvan IV has had to eject from his transport aircraft after it was shot down by ork fighta bombaz. Having sucessfully ejected from the aircraft by grav-chute and has mis-landed near an old farm at the edge of the ruins of the town. He managed to get off a distress signal alerting his unit to his approximate location before presumably the signal was disabled in the mis-landing, currently he is presumed dead or unconscious. The Imperials are seeking to recover their officer and/or the information he is carrying. The Ork aircraft have relayed the approximate location of the downed pilot to the warboss who has ordered the closest ork formation to get over there and bring this downed pilot back for interrogation.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Imperial Guard:
As the closest Imperial Guard Patrol Squad in the area you have been ordered to commence search and rescue operations at sector 043A342D. Luckily enough the squad medic is in the field which is fortunate as the downed VIP likely requires medical attention. The medic is equiped with a bio-scanner and will assist in location of the VIP. In the event that the individual is deceased any data cubes carried are to be retrieved and returned to base.

Imperial Guard Tactical Rescue Section

++++++++++WS  BS   S    T    W   I     A   Ld  Sv
Guard              3     3     3    3    1    3    1    7    5+
Sargent           3     3     3    3    1    3    2    8    5+
Officer             4     4     3    3    2    4    3    5    4+/5+
Medic              3     3     3    3    1    3    1    7    4+

Equipment Notes:

  • 9 Guardsmen – lasgun, frag grenades, close combat weapon
  • 1 Sargent – laspistol, frag grenades, close combat weapon, bio scanner
  • Medic – laspistol, frag grenades, close combat weapon, medikit
  • 1 Officer – plasma pistol, frag grenades, close combat weapon

Special Rules:

  • The Officer is deployed by secret deployment by the GM before the game and is not available to the Imperial player until discovered by bio scanner or by a model moving within double the models initiave distance.  As soon as the VIP Officer is discovered roll for his injury status: 1 – 5 Down, 6 Stunned and place on table, turn then continues as normal
  • Bio Scanner – use in lieu of shooting. Put down a CD sized template to try to detect any life signs under the area
  • Medikit – use in lieu of shooting, change a “down” model to “stunned” status
  • Regimental Speciality. Pick one skill and apply to the force:
    • Move through cover – roll 3D6 when moving through cover
    • Fleet of foot – roll 2D6 when running
    • Marksmen – re-roll any miss that occurs on a 1
    • Camoflage – +1 to cover saves
    • Furious charge: +1 Strength and +1 Initiave on the charge

Deployment:

  • Deploy on the corner of map opposite the Orks

IMPERIAL VP’s

  • Ork Down or Killed: 1 VP (6)
  • Ork Boss Down or Killed: 3 VP (3)
  • Imperial Officer rescued: 5 VP (3)
  • Imperial Data retrieved: 3 VP (5)

Total: (17)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Orks:


Da big boss sez dat da Snaggitz Flyboyz crumped a ‘ooman flyboy but dat he went down sumwhere near dat old farm on de edge of dem ruinz so we az to bring back da body so dat da boss can ave a looksie fer any loot on im. Try not ter break im before da bad dok gets a go at talkin to im or da boss will give yer a taste of boot!
Victory Points:

ORKS
++++++++++WS  BS   S    T    W   I     A   Ld  Sv
Ork                  4      2    3     4    1   2    2    7    6+
Nob                 4      2    4     4    1   3    3    8    6+

Furious charge (+1 Strenght, +1 Initiave)

Equipment Notes:

  •  5 Ork boyz with Shootas
  • 1 Ork Boy with Big Shoota
  • 1 Ork Nob with Power Klaw and Slugga

Deployment:


Deploy on the corner of map opposite the Imperial Guard

ORK VP’s

  • Imperial Guardsman Down or Kiled: 1 VP (10)
  • Medic Down or Killed 1 VP (1)
  • Imperial Officer Down or Killed: 3 VP (3)
  • Imperial Officer’s body retrieved: 3 VP (3)

Total:  (17)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Initial Deployment.  The orks move forward through the cover of the woods whilst the guard cross the ruins opposite

MT’s orks move forward through the cover of the woods

Imperial troops advance through the ruins

DG’s Imperial troops advance through the ruins – they took the fleet of foot option but were not so fleet as DG would have hoped moving through ruins

MT's orks run forward into the cover of the old Heinrick place eager to find the VIP and generlly get stuck in

MT’s orks run forward into the cover of the old Heinrick place.  MT is eager to find the VIP and generally get stuck into powerklaw range – he is an adept in the ways of the ork having shredded his fair share of them with both shuriken and bolts over the years

DG has tiny T-Rex hands, he uses them to creep his Guard forward in two sections, keeping to the cover of the buildings

DG has tiny T-Rex hands, he uses them to creep his Guard forward in two sections, keeping to the cover of the buildings

MT is gunning for DG's left flank trying to concentrate his forces against half of the Guard

MT is gunning for DG’s left flank trying to concentrate his forces against half of the Guard

DG consolidates his firing position in the ruins

DG consolidates his firing position in the ruins

MT rushes forward and as luck would have it discovers the secret location of the VIP.  The VIP is currently down from his fall

MT rushes forward and as luck would have it discovers the secret location of the VIP. The VIP is currently down from his fall

DG responds to this change in events with an aggressive move forward into cover to establish a firing line

DG responds to this change in events with an aggressive move forward into cover to establish a firing line

The rest of the guardsmen move in to reinforce the other section

The rest of the guardsmen move in to reinforce the other section

DG gets reminded about his medic who had dropped back to have a quick smoke apparantly!

DG gets reminded about his medic who had dropped back to have a quick smoke with Mr. B apparently!

The action hots up as the flamer roasts two orks and the Sargent takes out another with his laspistol, pew pew!  All orks are down and can crawl away at 2" in their next movement phase and roll for recovery at the end of their turn, just like Necromunda

The action hots up as the flamer roasts two orks, volleys of las fire stuns another and the Sargent takes out the big shoota with his laspistol, pew pew! All orks are down and can crawl away at 2″ in their next movement phase and roll for recovery at the end of their turn, just like Necromunda in fact

MT moves his down orks into cover and advances the other orks ready to charge into hand to hand

MT moves his down orks into cover and advances the other orks ready to charge into hand to hand

MT wastes no time in getting his nob to stuff the officer into a big lewt sack, focused on the objective like the big Blood Axe that he is

Next MT wastes no time in getting his nob to stuff the officer into a big lewt sack, focused on the objective like the big Blood Axe that he is

MT charges and DG moves any guardsmen within 2" of a charged model to move in to help out their buddies

MT charges and DG moves any guardsmen within 2″ of a charged model to move in to help out their buddies

The guardsmen die quickly when up against the orks

The guardsmen die quickly when up against the orks

More guardsmen join the fray but will it be enough to stem the green trickle?

More guardsmen join the fray but will it be enough to stem the green trickle?

Vengence as the guardsmen take out an ork and advance to the cover to engage the remaining orks

Vengence as the guardsmen take out an ork and advance to the cover to engage the remaining orks

But MT's nob is getting away with the prize

But MT’s nob is getting away with the prize

Man alone - the last survivor of the close assault is surprisingly human!

Man alone – the last survivor of the close assault is surprisingly, a human!  Ironically is is the model with the most kill markings on his lasgun showing that the gaudy personalized battlegear is not just for show

But that Zogger MT is getting away from DG now

But that Zogger MT is getting away from DG now

DG dutifully gives chase

DG dutifully gives chase

But MT's nob drops his prize and charges DG quick as a flash

But MT’s nob drops his prize and charges DG quick as a flash, this won’t end well no matter how many kill markings that guardsman has!

Yep

Yep

All mine!  MT is Da Winna!

All mine! MT is Da Winna!

The 1989th, a sorry bunch of loosers (which is what I was going for to be honest).

The 1989th, a sorry bunch of loosers (which is what I was going for to be honest).

Final Score:

DG  6 VP’s
MT  17 VP’s

So well done to MT, DG will get his chance to get even this weekend when he gets the opportunity to rescue his officer.

WIP – Building an Ork Hulk for Man O’War

Fantasy, Man O'War, Orks

Well it’s not really for Man O’War as none of my regular gaming buddies actually play that game anymore but it won’t stop me from having a go at scratch building an Ork ship.

A work in progress shot of the Ork Hulk

A work in progress shot of the Ork Hulk

This model is made entirely from bits of balsa, some very (paper) thin wood from the modelling shop (which I have found to be marvelous for building ship models), bits of plasticard tubing and copper wire (for the cannon), chamois leather (for the sails) and a wodden barbeque stick (central mast).  The whole thing is stuck together with copius, copius amounts of super glue.  I probably scraped 20ml of the stuff off my fingers during the build!

This is still WIP as I have not finished the paintjob to my satisfaction just yet – this one is a labour of love after all rather than necessarily a gaming piece.  I think you will agree that it also needs a black flag on the crows nest proudly displaying the “Jolly Ork”.

Waiting to fly the Jolly Ork!

Waiting to fly the Jolly Ork!

Design wise I choose to base the concept on the ship being more like an Ork version of the Empire Greatship rather than the direction GW took with the Orks in Man O’War.  The Ork fleetlist for that game was very poor with characterised by underpowered ships or ridiculous suicide ships more a danger to the Ork player than the enemy.  The models for their part reflected the pathetic fleet list and most of the ships are reminisant of a floating outhouse.  For some reason the Ork ships were stuck with using catapults which is utterly dull – especially considering that the box art for the game clearly shows Orks crewing a ship with cannon!  If I ever make more models for this fleet with the intention of using it in anger I would use the Empire fleet list and thus am more likely to base any future Ork ships on the Empire designs.  Cannon galleys, mortar galleys and other such goodies are a lot more appealing for some Orky modeling.

An Imperial Guardsman inspects detail of the aftercastle (or aftcastle)

An Imperial Guardsman inspects detail of the aftercastle (or aftcastle)

Imperial Wargalley and Ork Hulk size comparison

Imperial Wargalley and Ork Hulk size comparison

I will add some better pictures of this when I finish it off in the next couple of weeks.  I also made some Brettonion Corsairs from scratch which I will blog up whenever I get the nautical modeling urge to complete them.

Freebooter Kaptain

Orks, Space Orks, Warhammer 40K

This is the finished freebooter kaptain from the earlier post.  It is based on the old Ghazghkull Thraka model – actually the 2nd version of him technically.  I hacked off that awful sword arm and replaced it with a more modern Orky muscle-bound arm with power klaw from the current nobz mob plastic box set – which is awesome for weaponz and bitz.  I replaced his silly horny hat with a scratchbuilt pirate hat.  The skull is from a shield and the feather is from the old Soldiers of the Empire WHFG boxed set.  The addition of 3 bosspoles was done both to make him look more Freebootery and to balance the weapons visually (and physically).  It is no coincidence that this fellow looks like a cross between a rastafarian and a jolly roger flag.  Yo ho ho and a barrel ‘o fungus toke, Whaaaaarrrrrrghzzzzzz!