Chris P's Orks - Wrap-up Post

 A fourth OWAC completed for me, and as always I've been blown away by the quality of my fellow painters - you've created some stunning armies this year. For myself, I'm happy with what I got finished, although as ever I wish I had painted more. There's a decent combination of speed and big guns. My favourites are probably the war buggy, the goff nobz, and the little diorama. I pushed myself out of my usual comfort zone to experiment more with skin tones, rust effects and a bit of freehand.

If I get the chance to take part next year, I've been assembling a motley crew of human weirdos for a rogue trader's retinue, complete with squats, tech-priests, arbites and more. 

Army list:

Warboss with bolter and chainsword - 70pts

3 Goff Nobz - 45pts 

Mekaniak with meltagun and power sword - 30pts

Deathskull Nob with bolter and chainsword - 18pts

6 Lootas with 3 kustom kombi-weapons, 2 heavy plasma guns and 1 autocannon - 185pts

Drillboss with power fist - 30pts

7 Stormboyz with jump packs - 112pts

Snakebite Nob on boar with bolter and power axe - 29pts

7 Snakebite Boyz on boars - 126pts

War Buggy with heavy plasma gun - 50pts

Evil Sunz Nob on bike with plasma gun - 29pts

5 Evil Sunz on bikes - 235pts

Total : 929 points 

Andrea's Space Elves (or Eldar, as most people says) wrap up post

 Hi fellow OWACers, 

finally, mission accomplished. It is a small satisfaction to get till the end of the challenge which started very easy but become a bit stressful during the last months (in fact, no further addition for july...).

I planned to paint more than I actually have done, but eventually I kept almost at minimum necessary to meet the 1000 points (and the monthly quota). Better than nothing and I am very happy anyway!

So, first off, the family picture:

As you may recall from the first post, I painted some for the 40K 2nd edition and some for the Rogue Trader edition. I just wanted to keep separate RT warriors (not yet guardians ;-)) and the dreddy to match other RT forces I am painting from others typically 2nd edition: this can be clearly seen from the base decoration. Actually, aspect warriors were introduced in the late RT, in a White Dwarf article (WD#127), just a couple of years before 2nd edition was released. I also realized that the Farseer too was released in this article, while space elves never get a psyker before (rule-wise)!

Here is how Howling Banshees and Farseer appeared, in the artwork of Mark Gibbons (the Banshee) and Jes Goodwin (the Farseer):

From WD#127

From this blog

Oh, and I forgot to say that the Avatar too was released in the WD article, although a "little" different: the Jes Goodwin artwork "The Avatar Walks" return a fiery demon with bloody hand, armed with a spear. It happens I got one and painted as extra (you may remember, a few months ago); since the start of the 2nd edition, though, the Avatar was the one armed with a sword and so was for long years! Moreover, and better in some regards, the Avatar size increased to the one of a monster.

The Avatar (still) Walks

Anyway, here are the two forces:

Rogue Trader Space Elves, with dreadnought Demon pattern and the Farseer

Eldar Aspect Warriors, the Avatar, Wraithguards and the Wave Serpent from 2nd edition

Well, one day I will put some order and write some post somewhere about the story of space elves/eldar/aeldarii across editions!

And now, preparing the brianansellization which officially state the end of my OWAC9:

Adjusting for brianansellizing the army

But before the end, let's have some listing:

 Unit                                       points

 Avatar of Khaine                    300

Farseer                                   170

 Exarch Howling Banshee      62

 Guardian Squad (x5)              55

 Guardian Squad (x5)              55

 Howling Banshee (x4)              108

 Wraithguards (x5)                     175

 Dreadnought War Demon     160

 Wave Serpent                             150

 Total                                         1235

Ok, fellows, I wish to thank you all for the fun, the inspiration, the sharing of your experience and, overall, to keep the old world still alive!

And now, finally, let's close the OWAC9!

ciao! A.

ChrisP's Orks - June - Wildcard!

 The European heatwave returned with a vengeance, and so I decided to avoid a large squad of small, fiddly models for my wildcard. Instead, I opted for a small mob of the chunkiest flavour of Ork - Goff Nobz!

 These are new sculpts from Kev Adams, and released by Meridian Miniatures in the Renegade 93 range. Not only are these some gorgeous minis that I'd been itching to paint, they also allow me to come full circle and make a mob for the lone Goff Nob that I painted as the first tester model for my army a couple of years ago.

   

 

Call me sentimental, but it had been bugging me for a long time that this one boss had been on his own for so long. Now he gets to crush skulls with some mates!

3 Goff Nobz - 45pts 

ChrisP's Orks - May - Rank and File 4

Mekaniak with meltagun and power sword - 30pts

Gretchin Assistant - 3pts

Drillboss with power fist - 30pts

7 Stormboyz with jump packs - 112pts

Total - 175 points

 

I'll be honest, this month has been a bit of a struggle. It's hard to paint during an unseasonal heatwave, and I wasn't sure if I'd get them finished. Still, these are such characterful old minis, I was determined to get them across the finish line. This was one time when I was particularly happy that I'm using 32mm bases instead of the old 25's, as it makes such top-heavy models much more stable.

As the stormboyz only number eight minis,  I also painted my Evil Sunz mekboy and his grot dogsbody. He was looking a bit squat and unremarkable, so I added a bannerpole from a biker, with a nice big glyph plate from a newer kit to advertise his services.

 

Andrea's additional Leader month - The Seer and the Dreddy

 So, Owacers,

this is the second leader month and I can't be more happy as 1) I turned 50 and still feeling good, 2) I painted the most spectacular Eldar Farseer ever sculpted: the finger-pointing, mosquito-helmet, dramatic-pose Farseer!

The best thing is that, being a fine sculpt, it is as funny as expected to paint: a real pleasure! The shape of the helmet (marvellous, despite - or maybe, thanks to - its mosquito appearance) was abandoned in favour of a more technological-looking and mysterious version (cool, nothing to say) and only very recently recovered in the last Farseer incarnation (that I still have to get it!). 

But, this month is not only about the Farseer but it is also about another old friend, whose aesthetic remained longer on the shop shelves: the Dreadnought. Actually, in the RT era there were three version of it, but all based on the same body which remained basically the same even throughout the 2nd and the 3rd edition. Of the RT three patterns, I got the War Demon one: a Dreadnought apparently made to slap enemies, rather than shoot them down!

And now, of course, a little comparative analysis of its changes through time:

Here are the three main incarnation, form the left: RT, 2nd/3rd edition and 4th edition (the Wraithlord, although the full plastic kit like this one is more recent). 

Ok, I would have like to paint more but time is very tight these days, but still these are 330 points (Farseer, 170 pts; Dreddy, 160 pts). I hope to get more time in the next month!

Keep painting, fellows! and see you in June!

ciao, A

ChrisP's Orks - April - Rank and File 3

Evil Sunz Nob on bike with plasma gun - 39pts

5 Evil Sunz on bikes - 235pts

Total 274 points

 

 

The speedy contingent of my army grows with these warbikers. The models are mostly standard, with a few small conversions to replace components lost or broken over the decades. Naturally they're red, with the yellow gun-muzzles inspired by an even older warbike that I remember from White Dwarf battle reports. 

Next up will be another fast and reckless mob - Stormboyz in May!

JohnR's Month 4 - Rank and File (71 Points)

 Another month long on traveling and short on painting but I do have the Grenadier civilians done!

 IIRC these were sculpted by the legendary Mark Copplestone in the before times, long ago. Mark is one of my favourite sculptors and I have miniatures by him from Grenadier, foundry and GW as well as his own recent ranges. No doubt this doesn't come close to doing his extensive career justice and I'd be interested to hear who else he has sculpted for if anyone knows?

 

The civvies join the pirate army. They're a poorly equipped bunch with no clear 'leader' model and the points reflect that. I like the idea that they're simple citizens of the Imperium caught on the wrong side of a factional power struggle or bureaucratic SNAFU and forced to fight for their lives in a situation they don't understand. (Think Jonathan Pryce's character Sam Lowry from Brazil, one of my all time favourite films.)

 April Points:

12 Basic Humans: no armour, 6 stubguns, 5 autopistols and 2 autoguns to share between them: 71 points 

 

Finally, while continuing our European road-trip, we happened across the hot springs at Saturnia and I was struck by what a chaos tainted landscape it seemed to be. The photo's don't capture the stench of sulfur, but you can see the steam rising from the water which gushes out of the ground at 40 degrees. 

 

We also found a Bretonnian Castle, just up the road from fellow OWACer JamesP's house :) 

 

So, that's it for this month, hope everyone else's challenge is progressing well !

ChrisP's Orks - March - Rank and File 2

 Snakebite Nob on boar with bolter and power axe - 29pts

7 Snakebite Boyz on boars - 126pts

Total 155 points

 

A challenging month for sure - these boarboyz are covered in details, and I really wanted to do them justice. Four of them are the same torso sculpt, so I did what I could with other components and colours to add some variety. I'm happy with the result, and it's always a pleasure to get more grinning green faces on my shelf!

JohnR's Month 3 - Rank and File (97 points)

 Just a short update this month. We've been abroad since the 21st so these minis were actually painted and photographed before then ready for uploading, I just didn't get around to it before we left!

Rogue Trader goodness. These are some of the minis that originally pried me away from 3rd edition WFB waay back at the release of Rogue Trader. Other people love the beaky Space Marines of RTB01 (and don't get me wrong, Space Marines are cool and all) but I always preferred the quirky uniqueness of the Adventurers and Space Pirates. 

The Army so far - seen here exploring the ancient ruins found on Ryk's World.

March Points -

9 basic Humans in Mesh Armour with Lasguns, Laspistols and Frag Grenades led by a Human Champion equipped the same - 97 points

 

The missus and I are away touring in our motorhome. I've brought a case of paints and some minis with me but whether I get any painting done is 50/50 at best!

Fortunately I have a unit from the challenge in hand (as it where) and I must admit some of the places we're visiting are certainly inspiring.

Above the snowline in southern Bavaria - Zissou the dog in foreground, Alps in background. Very evocative of the Old World (the scenery that is, not the dog).

Venice - this could easily be somewhere in Tilea and possible inspiration for a future OWAC mercenary army? Though now I just want to play Carnevale again lol

Anyway that's all - this is a miniatures blog not a travel blog!

Onward and sideways and see you all in about 4 weeks.

 

ChrisP's Orks - February - Leader Month

 This month I've painted my warboss, and also a little diorama.

 

 

 

 Like I hoped, Thrugg Bullneck works well in Evil Sunz colours.

This diorama is my attempt to re-create this classic artwork:

 Of course, it's not a one-to-one copy of the art, but I think I captured the spirit of it. I used a modern Horus Heresy marine because it's so large, making it easy to arrange all 3 orks around him. The orks were bashed together out of all kinds of bitz, from plastic zombies to chaos warriors. And yes, that's a marine shoulderpad on the screaming ork's head. For the colour scheme, I wanted something grimy and earthy to contrast with the marine, so I chose a "pre-clan" paint scheme for the orks. This was inspired by another artwork, the cover of the classic supplement 'Ere We Go.

JohnR's Month 2 - Rank and File (195 points)

God I hate February - might just mulligan it next year 😜

Did get my painting quota done though :)

 Mutant Space Pirates!

These are more BigMrTong minis and were great fun to paint. I used a similar palette to January's space pirates to give the force so far a cohesive look.

 

 Mutant Troopers - armed with lasguns.

 Special Weapon Mutants - 3 boltguns and a lascannon.

 

Mutant Champions - lead by the Hero 'Butterbean'

Points:

Mutant Minor Hero - Plasma Pistol, Power Sword, Refractor Field = 49 points

Mutant Champion - Mesh Armour, hand weapon, Laspistol, Frag and Krak Grenades = 17.5 points

Mutant Champion  - Refractor Field, Laspistol and Hand Weapon = 16 points

9 Mutants - Mesh Armour, 5 Lasguns, 3 Bolt Pistols, 1 Lascannon = 112.5 points

Initially I was going to list all the mutations but they don't count for points values and are pretty obvious on the minis.

 

Finally I have my offering for this year - a Skaven plague monk - Squeeg Pussboil.

 

I always do Goblin Green bases on my WFB minis but for a change I experimented with a non-goblin green base. I don't like it and will never do it again 😅

 

That's all for this month - see you all in 5 weeks time !

 

ChrisP's Orks - January - Rank and File Month 1

War Buggy with heavy plasma gun - 50pts

Deathskull Nob with bolter and chainsword - 18pts 

6 Lootas with 3 kustom kombi-weapons, 2 heavy plasma guns and 1 autocannon - 185pts 

 

Really happy with how this lot turned out. I stuck to my new year's resolution to paint for at least a few minutes every day, and I think it paid off. The buggy was fairly straightforward - I looked for some good examples online, and brought in the elements I liked most. Deathskulls can be more of a struggle, since it's easy to make them very visually confusing, so I stuck to a limited pallette for the clothing. There's also a little tribute to my Deathskull wierdboy from a a couple of years ago, with his pinkish sunglasses. I hardly ever risk freehand work, but I have no regrets this time.

JohnR's Month 1 - Rank and File Month 1 (177.5 Points)

 Rank and File month #1

 

I decided to start with some of the BMT minis this month so this is Jos Crabbe and his band of Space Pirates.

 

 

Crabbe and his lieutenant - Silas Reiss 

 

 

 

A couple of BMT mutants that I included to bulk up the numbers and provide some variety. 

 

 

Missile Launcher and some pirate goons.

 

 

More pirate goons

 

So that's it for this month - off to a steady start. Think I'll do the mutants next month, or possibly some of the GW minis.

January Points:

Jos Crabbe - Human Minor Hero, Carapace Armour, Chainsword, Laspistol = 40.5 points

Silas Reiss - Human Champion, Mesh Armour, Bolt Gun, Las Pistol, Frag Grenades = 11.5 points

10 Pirates - Ordinary Humans, Mesh Armour, Las Pistols, Frag Grenades. 9 Autoguns and 1 Missile Launcher with Frag and Krak Missiles = 125.5 points.