Monday, April 12, 2010

One step forward, two steps back...

I actually had a free Sunday this weekend and got a fair bit of hobby time in (once I finished all the household chores that so desperately needed doing). As I'd mentioned in my previous post, I feel that I've not given my Guard the attention they deserve recently so I pulled out the handy painting chart (inspired by Admiral Drax) to see what I wanted to work on next.



First, the 'one step forward': At the moment there's a number of odds and bobs that need to be completed in the first and second platoons, so I decided I'd work on the two half-finished platoon command squads, the two sergeants for 3rd and 4th platoon, and the heavy weapons teams. Some of the models had a bit of paint on them already, but I laid them all out and got cracking to bring them all up to speed.


...And then the inevitable 'two steps back': After I spent a couple hours finishing up the faces and getting the red and grey fatigues and armor done on all of them, I decided to take a bit of a breather. My eye fell on the old-style Leman Russ model I'd picked up last week (knowing that it would soon be superseded by the new, less-customizable kits in short order), and deep within my lizard hindbrain Mork and Gork began to roar. Bowing to their will I picked up my tools and some plasticard and got stuck in.



As soon as I finish off and sell the Crimson Fists my intent is to work up another small Ork army - partially due to the fact that I'll need some Orks for use in my Rogue Trader RPG campaign soon, and also because they're just so darn much fun to build. Kitbashing is one of my very favorite things about the hobby and few armies allow for more gratuitous modeling options than the Orks! That being the case I decided I'd take a crack at building another Ruzzbot, and address some of the things that I thought could have been done better on my first attempt.


This version of the Ruzzbot will stand in as a proxy Battlewagon with a Killkannon, Grabbin' Klaw/Wreckin' Ball, and four Big Shootas. There's still quite a bit of detailing to do, but so far it's coming along more or less as planned. The best part about converting Ork vehicles is you really can just bung on parts willy-nilly and it usually ends up looking properly Orky!



I need to add a ton of rivets and plating to the sides yet, and add a bit more detail to the engine workings, but so far I'm pleased with the direction the model is taking. Waaagh Nazdakka will rise again! ...After I finish some more Guard, I swear! Heh...

9 comments:

  1. Good Lord, that's an awesome piece of engineering mate. Superb!

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  2. Thanks Col. Hessler! It's actually the second one I've built so it went together rather quickly. It's primarily made from a Leman Russ and some plasticard, though any Ork project involves a fair bit of rummaging around in my bits boxes for likely parts. The rear hatch is leftover from the sprues that came with my Vulture, and there's a number of bits from the pair of 'real' Battlewagons that I'd used to make the Deathstrike carrier a while back. Never throw anything away! :)

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  3. And this is why I hope to never go Ork. With so many things to create, I'd never get anything painted!
    Really nice piece!

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  4. Thanks Kevin! On the flip side, an Ork army is an excellent way to get rid of leftover bits! But you're right, when it comes to Orks I usually end up building more than painting... :)

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  5. Now that's a tank and a half!! outstanding build mate, makes me want to collect orks now lol.
    Blitz

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  6. Wicked job - looked back at your other 2 and as a set they'll look fantastic.

    What a cracking build - keep at it mate.

    Pom

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  7. Thanks folks! I always have a blast building Orky vehicles.

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  8. That thing is awe-inspiringly orky.

    Wait... is that a Valk rear door? What happened to the rest of... oh, you sly dog, is there another aircraft incoming?

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  9. Thanks #2501! That is indeed a Valk rear door, and while there is still one more flyer to be built in the Closet of Doom (a Vendetta to be precise), this particular door is a leftover from the sprues that came with the FW Vulture I'd built a while back. Never throw anything away, that's my motto - one never knows when some random piece will come in handy!

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