Imperials vs Orks - A tale of four painters

[Tarsus]

Just a bit of an update from me, I've converted what's going to be my standard drop trooper, he took about 30 minutes to build so tomorrow I'm going to finish off the rest of his squad.

[TeldurUK]

i really like the look of the orks, maybe if you get a chance, care to give a newbie ork player a tip on painting?

I've never been asked a question like this before. Sir thedigitalflip...you just made me cry a little, with overwelming joy.

Righty, all I've done to get the Ork skin looking like it does (once undercoated a lovely shade of Chaos Black) is to paint it with WAAGGHH Flesh, then inked with Coelia Greenshade. They certainley look dark compared to most painted Ork armies I've seen. Once my 1000pt list is all at the same standard of painting thus far I may go back and drybrush a lighter green, although havent 100% decided yet.

Are you daunted by how many you need to do yet? Have you got an armylist in mind?

A little daunted, but then I've tried to make my 1000pt list more 'elite-ish', so I won't be using many Orks (atleast compared to other Ork players anyhoo). This may very well be my down fall (I'm currently planning only 2 lots of Ork Boyz thus far, 11 strong in each unit coupled with a Warboss in one unit, and my Mekboy in the other). I may find after one battle that I need more Orks on the battlefield.

I haven't got my list 100% completed yet, as I keep swapping a changing a few things, but at the moment they'll be joined by my Deff Dread (which is currently being painted), a Burna Bomber, 10 Stormboyz, 5 Nobz and 3 Trukks.

[Fle]

@Tarsus - That trooper looks brilliant, I can't believe that it only took you 30 minutes. The lasgun looks great with a strap attached and the visor looks good to. Can't wait to see the squad finished and painted...you do realise that Teldur actually has more painted than you at the moment don't you? Just saying....

Update - Ancient Brother Polemos - "The Oathbound"

Polemos's story is one of misfortune, regret and prophecy. For nearing 700 years, Ancient Brother Polemos has made war against the enemies of Man kind from within the hulking armour of a Blessed Contemptor Dreadnaught. Polemos first fell in battle whilst fighting against the Chaos tainted xenos "The Menthax" during a campaign known as "The Purging of Ganoes" in M40.224. An operation to liberate a xenos held Shrine world had gone disastorously wrong, and a small contingent of the Son's of Orar, Polemos included, found themselves fighting a desperate rear guard action as Imperial Command sought to retreat from the field. Polemos became seperated from his squad during the fierce fire fighting, stumbling upon them again only to see them annihilated by foul scoreries. At that moment, stricken with grief and anguish Polemos vowed to avenge his fallen brothers. Calling upon the Emperor himself as witness to his oath, Polemos broke from cover and charged the Menthax warlock. Before Polemos could close with the abomination, several of the larger warrior Menthax revealed themselves, aimed their large 'harpoon' like weapons and brought Polemos down. Hatred, anger and rage swirling like a maelstrom in his mind, Polemo witnessed the Menthax Warlock disapear through a sickly green portal before the cold embrace of unconciousness finally took him.

Polemos' ravaged body was discovered two weeks later during the Imperial counter attack by a Scout Sergeant from the 32nd Bastion Grenadiers Imperial Guard regiment. Having been returned to the Son's Of Orar, the Chapter's Apothecaries initially sought to end Polemos' suffering, deeming his injuries too great, however the intervention of Brother Librarion Chiron stayed their hands. The Emperor's tarot had revealed to him the whisper of a sacrifice yet to pass, in which Polemos would honour his oath to the Emperor and in so doing bring the Chapter back from a precipace as yet unknown. With these words still echoing in the Apothecarie's minds, work began to inter Polemos into into Blessed sarcothigi of a Contemptor Dreadnaught hull.



+++ PICT CAPT +++
+++ Cross file : HZ/4/47/3 ++++
+++ Subject : Sons of Orar during the 13th Black Crusade +++
+++ Desc : Ancient Brother Polemos fighting alongside elements of the Sons of Orar 2nd Company and Imperial Fists 3rd Company on Cadia +++



I've just noticed I've left a bit of blu tac stuck on the top of the model...oops

Next up I can't decide between my Captain or second tactical squad. What do you think?

[TeldurUK]

Tarsus, that's a wicked cool guardsmen! I can't wait to see an army of them!!

Fle, that dreadnought looks amazing! Hold on tho...is that..ork bits on that base?! This is getting personally...

[Fle]

Hold on tho...is that..ork bits on that base?! This is getting personally...

It's the remains of an Ork Nob's bike after Ancient Brother Polemos shot it with his assault cannon. The Nob himself was torn limb from from limb and bits of him are now scattered over my painting station.

I had a surprise package waiting for me at home today ....



And here is the beginnings of my Captain - Captain Oddyseus "Orkbane" Itkovian of the 2nd Company

[Tarsus]

A quick update, I've nearly finished my first infantry squad, I just have the visors if a few more helmets to complete. I'll have them finished by tonight and hopefully get a bit of paint on them.



I've decided to scrap my choice if colours from the other models I've done and I'm going with the colours of the Harakoni drop infantry, black clothing with tan armour.

[Fle]

They look brilliant, can't wait to see one painted up in your new colour scheme.

If I might make one suggestion though....you need some dead ork body parts on your models to annoy Teldur

[Tarsus]

Presenting the first finished models for my drop troop army.

62nd Harakoni Drop Troop Regiment

Due to the lower gravity and taller hives of their homeworld, the Harakoni have learned to use grav-gliders for transport and to hunt the Vapour wyrms which live in the mountain passes below. This has made them fearless of altitude and experts at judging air currents, skills necessary for their role as drop troops.

The 62nd were initially deployed to Hive Barbarossa to support the Mordian 3rd during the Battle of the Marble Garden, they deployed directly onto the upper levels of the hive in order to sweep the orks downwards onto the guns of the Mordians below. After this brush with the orks they we assigned to the Sons of Orar to act as mobile support for the impending invasion of an ork held planet.

[TeldurUK]

you need some dead ork body parts on your models to annoy Teldur

OR...you could ignore Fle, and we can all still be friends.

Just a thought.

In other news, Tarsus..those drop troops look fu-ck-in-g awesome! Very very impressed with that colour scheme.

[gonzosbignose]

I vote dead Ork parts!!!!

Who needs friends when you have bleeding ork limbs on your bases?

These drop troopers are very special indeed. The time you have taken to convert them really shows. Excellent modelling.

Kind regards

My name is Daniel and I am a wargamer

[Apologist]

Those Harakoni are great! I love the high-contrast scheme, and the basing fits beautifully. The conversion work really changes the feel of the models for the better.

[Fle]

I vote dead Ork parts!!!!

Who needs friends when you have bleeding ork limbs on your bases?

For the Emperor!!!

Due to the poor weather in the UK at the moment I've not been able to go outside and spray my captain today HOWEVER look what was waiting on my door step when I got home from work...



So I decided to have a go at the applying a chapter symbol to one of the tactical squad members.



And then I decided to try and freehand the tactical symbol on the other shoulder pad



The Micro sol and Micro set are very effective IMO.

[Tarsus]

Quick update as I've finished the other half of the first unit.

[gonzosbignose]

Tarsus

These look incredible. You shoud be really thrilled with how they have turned out. The contrast between the light and dark works well (almost starwars stormtrooper esq white meets black contrst)

The big orange masks inspired. Initially i thought it might look too... IN YOUR FACE... but actually it looks lovely.

Sincerest regards

My name is Daniel and I am a wargamer

[Fle]

Tarsus that squad looks really good. The colour scheme and orange visor looks very good.

I have been busy painting my Captain but I haven't been able to get any decent pictures taken yet. I just need to finish the head, cloak and base and it is done - I'll try and get a photo up tomorrow (I wont be in from work till late tonight and the light wont be very good).

[Fle]

Ok as promised here is a WIP picture of the Captain. Unfortunately the picture seems to have a sort of orange filter over it, making the armour and gold trim look orangey. I assure you that the armour is in fact a nice blood red colour and the gold is much colder yellowey grey colour.

As you can see I have altered the pose slightly from my previous mock up. I twisted the the sword arm round so that he is holding it out behind him. I also bent his right leg at the knee and made a new knee pad using green stuff. I wanted the model to look quite heroic in stature, as if he he is just rising to meet a great threat or has just dispatched a great enemy and is now surveying the battlefield.

You can't really see it very well in this photo but I've used a plastic Black Orc shield on his base to fit in with the narrative that the 2nd Company is currently fighting the orks.

I still have a lot to do on this model :

1> Head (currently just bases coated)
2> The gold decorations need touching up
3> The sword arm consoles need highlighting - and I need to make the lightning effect look a bit better I think.
4> The cloak needs highlighting and I want to try some free hand on it
5> The helm needs shading and the eye lenses need painting. I also need to figure out what colour to paint the plume.
6> The banner needs painting
7> Finally the base needs painting and I need to add my new transfers to the shoulder pad, chest shield emblem and the banner.

[GlenMorray]

Wow good work chaps, Love the IG, the cream brest plates look very cool, I like the whole ceramic look they have going on, nice conversions as well dude that must have taken what...30 minutes per model, ten to a unit 10 x 30 5 hours! :F sheesh!

[Tarsus]

@apologist. Thank you, I've always liked imperial guard with bold bright colours, And the conversion is quite simquite simple so they still look like GW plastics but they really stand apart from the crowds.

@gonzo. Thanks, the masks were originally going to be blue but I was worried the colour would get lost with so much black and grey on the models.

@fle. That captain is looking very good, his pose looks a little off though, I think it might be the plastic on his base is pushing him over at too much an angle.

@Glenmorray. Thank you too, the conversion work didn't actually take that long, it was 30 mins to start with but I got faster as I went. Hopefully with the hundred or more guard I plan on eventually doing I will be able to fly through them.

[Mister Scout]

@Fle - have you considered adding some dirt/mud along the bottom of your rhino and around the tracks? it's the only thing that has stood out for me so far, just looks a bit too clean in the photo of it on the battlefield. otherwise loving them, the Oror colour scheme is great.

[Fle]

@Fle - have you considered adding some dirt/mud along the bottom of your rhino and around the tracks? it's the only thing that has stood out for me so far, just looks a bit too clean in the photo of it on the battlefield. otherwise loving them, the Oror colour scheme is great.

Yes I agree with you, I just can't figure out how to do it well. I think I'll look up some tutorials online and see if I can't figure it out. Thanks for the comments