Aeronautica Imperialis - Orc Dakka Dakka Fighta Bomba - Trials and Tribulations ...

Oh, I felt so relieved when I could call this project done. Sigh. You secretly know to yourself when you are overworking something and that is what I was doing here - but I honestly could not see a way to stop myself. I was overthinking the problem. The formula I used for the previous "Red" little Orc fighters just did not seem to work well at all for this "Yellow" two man (sorry Orc) fighter bomber, and it was only ever so slightly bigger a modal. In hindsight I thought I had possibly even overworked the "Red" Dakka Dakka fighters (but in my defense I was applying multiple thin coats rather than one thick one) but I liked the "Red's" resulting "comic book" character and the depth of colour I had achieved (so the pain and time was worth it - even enjoyable), however trying the same technique on the "Yellow Terror" seemed to tie me down in too much of a repetitive cycle of coats of watery yellow paint that did not quite cover. Yargh! Working up from a shade of light orange was a very bad starting point, it meant I had to work double as hard to effectively change from this "orange" colour. More fool me for using the Vallejo Game Colour chart that is good for small fantasy figures on small areas (see below, my Flaming/Hot Orange starting point, it should have been a simple Golden Yellow on a white primer [I had used Airfix Grey Primer]): 

I say all the above the stuff about orange and yellow because I slavishly applied a brown wash to get a ugly feeling of rust in the paneling, cracks and missing parts that are a signature trait of "orc craftsmanship" (see below, but everything just went a "darker orange"): 

The model started taking off when I finally got a couple of coats of Golden Yellow onto it (see below, this was the colour of the planes that harassed and attacked me in the iPhone game of Freeblade .. and I so liked shooting them down as they exploded beautifully .. hats of the the graphic designers, animators and computer programmers for a job well done):  

Again slavish to the "rust concept" I plonked another layer of brown wash on it (see below, oops I think I am missing a trick here as I pretty much undid all the brighter yellowness of the previous stage for not much texture gain, and in hindsight I was putting a lot of paint on the model - less is good in most cases): 

At this point Sun Yellow came to rescue me from insanity, the first coat starts to bring me round to the yellow look I an after (see below, but it was very patchy and would definitely need another coat - seriously I am putting too much paint on this model .. and I cannot get the knack of putting thin coats of yellow on it to look right, so in desperation I am globbing more Sun Yellow paint on than I know is really right):  

At this point I honestly could have easily given up on the Orc Fighta Bomba and who knows in a none Covid-19 scenario I might well have done. Instead of aborting, I took a big deep breath and left it alone for a while and busied myself in another concurrent ACW project I have on the go (more on that in a future post). I came back when my painting frustrations were abated (also with a tick in the box for the ACW project) and with a nice strong cup of tea in hand, plus a plate of calming chocolate digestive biscuits I (see below [although the natural light is on the dim side], the second coat of Sun Yellow seemed to saved the day and I resisted the brown wash on the yellow [good decision] - but I did re-apply the brown wash and needed to do some black lining on the silver leading edge paneling):  

Now I just went full-throttle for the finish, using Moon Yellow and a very slight touch up on the silvery bits (see below, you may also notice a bit of brassy gold applied [and a subtle brown wash] to various pipe things and vent things as a contrast to the silver/gun metal): 

The beast is complete, but it did have one final bite to give me. My big clumsy mitts managed to either smear some red on the canopy and nose, or rub yellow paint off to expose the orange .. urk, it looked a mess .. but I took a deep breath and undercoated it white so I could reapply the Moon Yellow. In a spur of the moment decision the leftover white+yellow paint ended up being dabbed a random patches of super highlight (see below, all-in-all it seems to have worked and I am fairly happy with the final results): 

Time has truly expired on this one, but as a final touch .. or should I say insurance .. if there was ever a model that needed a strong coat of varnish over it to protect it from rough handling, this is the one! Note to self: I put that last bit in to remind myself to do it later ;) 

The only remaining thing to do is get it in a game and take delight in shooting it down!

The Painting Tray .. A couple of Months ago ..

I pulled together rather a random collection of wargaming toys to "keep me going through Covid" and the Painting Tray in general ticking over. A 15mm Achaemenid War Tower to flesh out a Cyrus the Great DBA army (I have have this years) and the last of three Orc Dakka Dakka Jets from Aeronautica Imperialis - a relatively new 2020 acquisition (see below, I have actually completed that Orc Dakka Dakka jet in quick time and have subsequently moved onto the two-man [rear gunner] Orc Fighta Bomba aka Me110 look-a-like):  

Continuing on the Aeronautica Imperialis theme I also undercoated the two Imperial Marauder bombers .. although I must confess a real lack of enthusiasm to complete these "big birds" (very WWII Mitchell/Marauder look-a-likes). More interestingly are the Revell ACW 20mm Union troops that I intend to pitch against their Confederate brethren (see below, the painting "mojo" is slightly [very] waning on the ACW front, but little bits every day is the key to progress - the One Hour Wargames is still the intended wargame rules set - although Bob Cordery's Portable Wargame is also interesting for this period): 

Updates (and deviations on projects) on progress to follow shortly ;) 

Dakka Dakka Attack Jets Rumble with the Imperial Navy (AI 40K) - Game 2

The Orc War Boss raged as the Orcling's Dakka Dakka Jet's blip disappeared from the crude radar apparatus. He turned and pointed to the three surely looking young Orcs. "Waaagh". The Orcs understood their leader's order. The Dakka Dakka Jets took off in unison hell bent on revenge. Soon enough they had their chance (see below, three Orc Dakka Dakka Jets tangle with a pair of Imperial Navy Thunderbolts - winner takes all): 

The speed of the Orc Dakka Dakka Jet has to be respected but it first must be controlled and all three Orcs are guilty of overshooting their original marks (see below, the temptation of running up to speed 8 was just too much for these young hot-heads, dangerous as the Navy pilots had a height advantage and have planes that can turn):  

The battle suddenly became a twisting turning fight that teh Navy pilots liked, with two Dakka Dakka Jets again over shooting but remaining safe while the third lay in the cross hairs of "both" Navy Thunderbolts - this little Orc surely was fried chicken! (see below, despite being in the optimum "middle range/killing zone" of both auto-cannon (6 dice) and lasers (2 dice) [rolled for twice], the Navy pilots missed a sitting duck [perhaps putting each other off] - something they could well live to regret latter, be sure to take your chances quickly when they come in Aeronautica Imperialis):  

The Navy pilots then faced a nightmare of their own creation, two Orc Dakka Dakka Jets up 'close and personal' in the Orc Dakka Dakka Jet "close-in killing zone" each wielding a hefty load of firepower (8 dice) and with the Orcs holding the initiative, at least one Orc jet would get to "fire first". Perhaps it was inexperience (or just plain bad dice rolls) but the young Orc muffed his chance and only inflicted a inconsequential amount (one hit) of damage to the sturdy Thunderbolt's frame (see below, the bottom Orc jet misses his chance [badly]): 

With the immediate threat to himself gone the Navy pilot coolly decides to "take out" the medium range Orc Dakka Dakka Jet lining up on his partner and the result is one young Orc dies in an incandescent ball of flame, not ever "seeing" his killer, his eyes being fixed upon his opponent directly to his front (see below, first blood to the Navy, 1-0):   

The fast paced action continues, spinning into a dizzying frenzy of raw speed and crafty turns. The lower Thunderbolt twists and jinxed onto his opponent's tail while the upper Thunderbolt cleverly anticipates the third Orc pilots "stall turn" and gently "swoops" in from the side lining up a medium ranged shot (aka the Thunderbolt's armament "sweet spot"). The Orc pilot is first blinded and then deafened by both the eye-piercing laser and crashing sound of the auto-cannon's shells, before an explosion hurtles him into oblivion (see below, "Fly Navy" 2-0, things are not looking good for the last Orc): 

Being tailed is possibly last thing you will ever do! Strike three to the Imperial Navy as the Orc, although not in the Thunderbolt's "sweet spot" takes the "tailing fire" before it can move. A good hit means a dead Orc (see below, the young Orcs knows his mistake, but sadly not live to tell learn from his mistake and "tell the tale", 3-0 to the Navy, 4-0 in the campaign - but there is a seemingly endless supply of Orcs ready to join the fray): 

The Orc War Boss orders reinforcements and plans to lead the next mission himself (see below, the next painting project is the Orc Dakka Dakka Fighta Bomma - with a turret at the back that could come in useful given the twisty turning capabilities of the Navy Thunderbolt fighters): 

Conclusion: The air war continues unabated on Drakon-514. The Imperial Navy holds a slight tactical advantage. Who will win? Only time will tell, I see only a winter of sky combats over Drakon-514.