Lootin' Tutorial - Part Four

 

Well, it’s been a while since I have done one of these.

Back in December 2016 I put up my Looting Tutorials, after previously appearing on Bell of Lost Souls. After a recent mention on Twitter, I thought I would do a quick Part 4 to cover an additional technique.

Curved Surfaces.

Looted Repulsor Tank 2

Here is the current state of the Looted Repulsor.

Still a fair bit to do, but it has certainly moved on since the last post.

The one rear exhaust got replaced with an Orky one:

The other gubbins were added to the rear including the hear shields - one standard, one ork. These aren't glued in place.

One light got replaced and the left side of the tanks got up Orkified.

 

I then looked to the system to attach the trailer. Movement in two axis which will have to be enough.

Note the Grot door below to allow a Grot to head out and unhook the trailer if required (a volunteer I am sure).

So with the trailer in place it looks like this:

I will have to do a base for this as it isn't practical to use (or display) without one.

Rivet count now up to 1011.

For regular updates keep an eye on Twitter - @Rictus40k

Looted Repulsor Tank 1

It's been a while since I have done one but I have started to loot a tank.

Very little in the way of planning, i'm just designing it as I go along.

Hull with magnetised weapon and drivers station,

WIP turret...

And with the main weapon in place:

The vehicles will also get a little trailer to drag around:

All for today, hopefully get more done to allow an update soon.

In the meantime if you want to see day to day progress keep an eye on my twitter feed - @Rictus40k

Oh, if you are interested Rivet Count is currently 481.

Lootin' Tutorial - Part Three

Continuing my step-by-step part one and two post on how I Loot vehicles, part three follows the  second and third Looted Wagons covering their hull re-builds turrets. Also, lots of finished pics!

Lootin' Tutorial - Part Two

Continuing the step-by-step article on how I loot vehicles, part two follows the progress of the first Looted Wagon and shows how I went about rebuilding the hull and adding weapons and details.

Lootin' Tutorial - Part One

After joining Twitter I began showing some of my Ork builds, from a question or two on there I realised it was a long time since I did my Ork Lootin' articles for Bell of Lost Souls. So I thought I would revisit them and post them up on Recalcitrant Daze...

This three part article will follow my progress as I turn three old Leman Russ tanks into Looted Wagons, covering everything from concept to the finished build. This first part covers the basics and also the benefits of doing a mock up.

Waaagh! Ghazghkull and the Fate of My Ork Force.

A couple of years ago I picked up 7th Edition and the Ork Codex and did a post about my thoughts.

So this Sunday I found myself in Nottingham for a gig and it seemed sensible to pop into Warhammer World to pick up the revised Waaagh! Ghazghkull book (as well as a few pieces of FW resin naturally).

As I did that previous post I thought I would do something similar for the newly revised book.

Now this is not going to be an article breaking it all down and discussing the tactical implications of each page - frankly I haven't got the time or inclination for that sort of thing, plus there are other places you can go who delight in that sort of thing (probably with a video, which I'm sure is just what you want). Instead this is just a collection of thoughts that pop into my head looking through the book and the eventual fate of the Orks I have knocking around.


1. The Story.

I have to say the story was better than I expected. After hearing from others who have bought the recent campaigns I wasn't looking at this to be a good read. I also expected it to be mainly a re-hash of the same Ghaz & Armageddon text we have had previously.

Now I know this is a re-release and as such this isn't technically a piece of original work as it was in the first release (I assume, I didn't buy it so as far as I know it might actually be different) but for someone buying the book for the first time I was relieved to find while the bones of the story may be familiar it has been expanded upon.

We also have some sidebar information about other characters involved in his story and certain warbands and forces under his command. All adding to the overall scene setting.


2. The Artwork.

Well.

What a shame.

Don't get me wrong there are some nice pieces. Not all original but nice to see. However some of it is lacking, only so many almost identical Mork/Gorkanaughts you can see before feeling someone was a bit bored while using Photoshop.

The biggest problem with the artwork is the lack of it.

Just like the Ork Codex from a couple of years ago this follows the same pattern - hardly surprising of course as it was published the first time round not that long after the Codex came out, we have lots of pictures of models. By lot I mean a chunk of 12 pages in the middle plus a few more pages later on. On top of that instead of getting artwork for the unit entries we get more pictures of models. Do we really need to see a picture of an Ork plane for one entry, then another for another entry, then a group of two for another entry...and then a group of four for another one? This is of course after seeing pictures of said planes earlier on in the book.

Each Formation has a picture taking up the majority of each page, so one page per formation. That's a lot of models with no artwork and very little writing.


3. The Rules.

We get some new rules in the form of Warlord Traits, some items of wargear and some new Missions. No problem with any of that at all. All themed to a force under Ghazghkull so perfectly fitting and giving Ork players more options. While I am not going to judge if any of these additions are worth taking their inclusion certainly get a thumbs up from me.

The bulk of the content which could be under 'rules' are formations. Just formations. 14 of them.

I have to be up front and say I'm not a big fan of formations. Never used one and never been tempted. I could see their place in Apocalypse where you paid a few points to get some benefits from fielding a set formation. However in 40k it seems to be a cynical attempt to get people to buy models solely to gain a benefit. I like the Force Organisation Chart, especially when you had options to modify it to create a themed force (e.g. taking a HQ choice to altar what units are Troops etc). Instead of giving people creativity formations just seem to bring a cookie cutter approach.

What I was hoping for (though I had very little hope it would happen) would be for the book to include actual unit options themed on the Ghaz forces, such as Meganobz unit with different options to represent his closest Goffs, or perhaps a Tellyporta upgrade to Meganobz allowing them to Deep Strike (at a big risk of course), How about letting a Goff Warboss take two Close Combat Weapons letting him be the assault monster he should be?

But no, nothing like that. Just formations.


The End Bit.

What does this mean for me? Well it means all my Orks are going. While I love the models I just find the rules for them now so limiting and lacklustre I have no enthusiasm for keeping them.

So the Zone Mortalis force I put together will go on ebay, along with the other units I have knocking around (in case I wanted to expand them into a full army) including Grot Tanks, a FW walker and a Dakkajet.

I can't see me picking up and starting any new 40k armies if this is the way things are going to continue. My Nurgle Daemons will be staying but any new forces will be taken from a Forge World list, I've already got the Militia (IA13 list), the 30k Adeptus Mechanicum for to come for Zone Mortalis (HH list) and the 30k Death Guard to build (HH list again). After that it will depend what Forge World knock out in their Imperial Armour series...

Ork Zone Mortalis Force - Killa Kans 3

Had almost no time for hobby over the last week, but this evening finally got round to knocking out the last Killa Kan.

Decided on a radical approach and used an actual Killa Kan engine block with a few modifications.

So the entire force is now built and based.

Next up will be to get a box & foam sorted for them.

As I've mentioned before I am not going to look at painting these yet as I want to get on with the Daemons and Militia, now they are a built usable force they can be put aside while I get on with other projects.

Ork Zone Mortalis Force - Killa Kans 2

Things have been quiet of late due to real life getting in the way.

I have got the next two Killa Kans sorted now - again bar finishing off the bases by adding details etc.

As you can see these two are the Grotzooka Kans. The one on the right was very awkward to get on the base. The model is posed for its original base which had rocks on it, I couldn't repose the feet so I'm left with a bit of an odd pose, I kinda like it and once I slip something in under it's left foot it will probably look better. Hopefully.

The engine units were made from (above) an old Leman Russ storage locker and (below) an old Guard searchlight and some tube.

One more Kan to go.

Ork Zone Mortalis Force - Killa Kans 1

Killa Kans are under way.

Like the Dreads much of the work on these were done some time ago.

What was lacking was the power plants. So along with re-basing them all I need to give each one a power plant/engine.

Here are the first three, the Rokkit and Skorcha armed ones.

As usual the weapons are all removable, both to give options down the line and for weapon destroyed results.

This one is my favourite still, I just love his high kicking pose. For his power pack I went for a big battery, looted from a Predator tank.

Not so keen on the engine of this one, bit bland.

The last one I did, like the end result. Looks nicely different being curved. The exhausts are carved from a Dread exhaust stack.

As with the Dreads they are all only temporarily glued to the bases. I need to add a few more details to the bases and eventually the Kans and bases will be painted separately.

Three more Kans to go.

Ork Zone Mortalis Force - Deff Dreads

My Deff Dreads were built some time ago when I planned to do a full 40k Ork Army.

All I have had to do is re-base them on the ZM bases...

I replaced the power plants on all three. I also removed anything I didn't like and made them as individual as possible. All of the arms are magnetised.

Now these are for Zone Mortalis I may make some more Skorcha arms so that if need be all three can be fielded with one Skorcha.

I plan to add some more bits to the bases - damage, wreckage, grots etc.

Unfortunately I can only field two of these in the 1000 point ZM army. I am going to keep all three though as I am sure there will be occasions where I can field a bigger force.

To see more pictures of the Dreads, including WIP and close up click here.

Next up finishing off the Killa Kans and getting them based.

Ork Zone Mortalis Force - Meganobs 2

Bit more work on the Meganobz.

Most of the time was filling in the joins, mainly around the groins. Which was nice.

I had the 50mm bases arrive so I did a couple of casts and rebased the Warlord on one of those.

As you can see I added the Attack Squig. His name is Squiggles.

As you can see Squiggles is quite enthusiastic and his chain which kept him in check has broken, scattering bits all over.

All of the Meganobz are ow glued to their bases, this is just temporary as the plan will be to paint the bases and Nobz separate from each other.

All of the weapons remain unglued, very nice aspect of the kit is that the weapons fit very snugly so there is no need to glue them to keep them in place, allows you to swap things around at a later date. I will make up some extra weapons and paint them with the others to give me a few options later on.

Next up will be the walkers of this little force.

Ork Zone Mortalis Force - Meganobs 1

As mentioned a number of times I am putting together an Ork force for Zone Mortalis.

I've had some Dredds and Kans kicking around for a while (more on those in a later post, though you can see them if you look at the tags below right) but I didn't want to do a force until I had either plastic Meganobs from GW or resin ones from FW. I'd rather have had the latter but I have no complaints about the GW kit, it is very nice with lots of bits in it.

I picked up three boxes and the plan is for seven regular Nobz with the remaining two figures becoming a Big Mek and a Warboss.

While I don't have an issue with the models the rules are a little naff for Meganobz, you would have thought being the elite and wealthiest of Nobz in an Ork warband they would have more toys to play with but alas they have very few options in the army list.

When it came to picking a klan for my force I went back to my roots. While I have dabbled with the thought of Blood Axes and Death Skulls I felt a force of all Meganobs and Walkers just screamed Goffs. So this lot will be sporting a very fashionable black eventually.

Here are the seven regular grunts:

To fit in with my already built Kans and Dredds I went over every piece roughing up the edges of plates etc. This takes a bit of time but worth it in the end.

I didn't want bosspoles on them all (too many points and not worth it) but I cut down bosspoles so each one had something on the back to fill the space in,

The guy on the far right has twin Killsaws. My original plan was to have two guys with these but I just couldn't afford another 10 points for a second set. Annoyingly you can't upgrade a klaw to a killsaw, only swap both weapons for a set. I don't see why this would be an issue - surely a five point upgrade would have been fine just to give a Nob Armourbane? And more importantly bring some more variety into the unit you can field.

The one MAN with a Bosspole is the leader of the unit. Who at this moment is nameless, so we shall refer to him as Bob for now. I used the masked/horned head for Bob, I also use it on the warboss (see below) as I do think it gives more of a 'boss' feel.

I have left off the iron gobs as I can see it would make it a right pain to paint the heads if they were glued in place. I have built them and I tried to make each one a little different.

After the MANs we have the Big Mek.

Who using the name generator in 'Ere We Go is called Mek Gorsnik.

Not decided yet if he will get a mask or an iron gob. I did cut the Spanner from a mask and mount it on his chest, seemed appropriate. The banner is from the regular Nobs kit I think? Or maybe the Burna kit. An Ork kit of some name anyway. To be frank I would rather he didn't have the Kustum Mega Blasta, but that it what he comes with and you don't have the option to change it (except by paying more points - for a 'weaker' weapon). As he is stuck with a gun that only fires one shot a turn I thought I better give him a Gitfinda so he has a chance of hitting something once in a while.

The only real role for Gorsnik on the battlefield will be to do repairs on the Dredds and Kans, to keep them mobile and shootin'. As such I gave him the Fixer Upperz upgrade to increase the chance of doing repairs. I did think of adding some bionic type arms to represent this, but it didn't look right so in the end I went a different way.

Basically while Gorsnik goes on about how great he is at fixin' things his assistant, Bodgit, just get's on and fixes the things that actually need fixing and thus getting the armour back up and running and increasing Gorsnik's reputation as a genius Mekaniak.


The final member of the team is the Warboss.

Again looking to 'Ere We Go he has the name of Skatgut Grimwort (a boss should have a double name I think).

I wanted him to be a little bigger than the rest, being the boss and all, so I increased his height by 2mm. Pain in the arse job and the end result is that you don't notice the difference. Awesome.

Still WIP so the arms are only blu tac'd on at the moment.

As well as increasing his height I gave him a new Goff centric banner pole (just for show, no rules) and removed the blade on his gun with a Choppa blade (again just for show). He got a couple of extra armour plates.

I mentioned the head is the same as used on another figure, but this guy got bigger horns and a top spike.

Frustratingly what I would really like is to give my warboss, the best guy to have in an assault, two close combat weapons so he can tear anything up. Unfortunately GW design studio never thought that would be something an Ork Warboss would like. As such he is stuck with a gun and one CCW. I can't even upgrade the Klaw to a Killsaw.

He is getting an Attack Squig at least. But I have decided he needs a bigger base to fit Squiggy on so I've ordered some 50mm bases. I may use one on the Big Mek as well.


All of the above still need some work, namely GS filling of gaps and the odd detail I may add including to the bases. But the backbone of the built is pretty much done. I will temporarily glue them onto their bases so they can be used in games but eventually I will paint the bases separate for ease so I don't want to fix them in place too securely.


Quite a wordy update.

Doesn't seem appropriate for one about Orks.