Tom's Bad Moon Orks - Introduction

 I spent a lot of time looking at this cover art as a kid. Half of me really wanted to build a freebooter army for this challenge, but I think I chickened out...

The OWAC is back, with lasers and machines and a bang and Things!

I have thrown my lot in with da boyz - Orks FTW. 

I feel that the previous editions of the OWAC have seen my painting improve, and I have tried to add a different hobby aspect to each project. With the Imperial Dwarfs, it was undercoating grey and building movement trays. With the Big Hats, it was using white undercoat and contrast paints, also I varnished them all and added photocopied banners. This time round, it's definitely the push into Sci-fi, but there are also a few more things I'd like to achieve hobby wise.

They are:  *trumpets sound*

1) super bright, colourful paint, fitting for the world of the grimdark 1990's. White undercoat as a must I guess. I look back on my much loved dwarf army and wish they were a bit brighter. This ork army must damage your eyes with colour!

2) my own painted banners on paper. (I did previously try cutting out a banner from a tube of tomato paste, but it was super sharp, and a massive pain to do). I hate painting banners.

3) simpler basing. I think my bases before have just been a little too labourious to do. Something quicker, and more 'striking' is needed. Also, any other colour other than green for this!

Sooo. Fluorescent colours are on the table. So are some skulls, some model barb wire and hobby sand. 

What's a 40k base without a skull or two eh? 

I've also brought some movement trays (I was feeling flush at the time I guess). If anything, the movement trays will make... um... moving, everything around/packing away much, much easier and far less time consuming. These were all purchased via http://www.greenstuffworld.com/.

Prepwork:

Stripping: all models stripped through the medium of Biostrip20.

(Previously I've used Dettol, and I think after the Biostrip is used up, I'll go back to Dettol. I don't really mind the Dettol smell, and I find that the thinner liquid is easier to feel lost bits through... Biostrip has worked out admirably, although I would recommend buying a tea strainer and a container to strain into - to help find your models in the thick gunk).

Magnets are glued onto all bases. This only really helps with the undercoating stage, as I line them up on a metal ruler. It stops them dropping on the floor so readily. Maybe in the future they will help out with transportation too.

Pinning. I pinned everything that could be pinned. So, yes - all the plastic arms are pinned into the metal bodies. Guns are pinned into machines and dreadnaughts are like Hellraiser - pins everywhere, plus stuffed with Milliput. 

I purchased a Tamiya Handy Drill to help with this and it has been utterly AMAZING. Well worth the £30 and the hour or so it took me to put it together!

Undercoated using Hycoate White Primer - I get this from The Range (a UK store)

Test paint: The hallowed OWAC facebook group ran a 10 model squad challenge, which enabled me to practice a paint scheme. If you're a member of some certain groups you will have seen them already. I'm kinda happy with it so far. Some mistakes were made, but there's no motivation to go back and correct them. As ever, the mantra is: finished, not perfect. No spoilers here though!

 

Colour Scheme - Bad Moons necessitate a large amount of yellow, Evil Sunz a large amount of red. Blue, Black and Purple are also other colours. Basically - all the colours. 

I'm going to try and go for green skin, but with pinkish extremities such as knuckles, lips and elbows/knees to add a touch more colour.

Varnish: These will all be varnished with Hycoat lacquer, followed by the amazing Testors Dulcote.

*stop press* testors dulcote is no longer in production due to some chemicals being too chemical. Hopefully they can create a superior product without the chemical soon...

Anyway. And now! On to the models! 

I picture here all the models I've prepped, followed by a rough army list using the Codex Orks from 2nd ed. I made sooooo many lists using the Freebooterz book, but the 2nd ed wins out for ease, although practically, I may well add some extras that don't occur in the 2nd ed codex (such as bodyguards).

Hopefully I can paint up this list and add a few extra EXTRAS from the pile, along the way. I've pumped for a main body of Bad Moons - following that iconic super bright paint scheme, but I did at one point, toy with a pure Evil Sunz list. I like the old Evil Sunz white shoulderpads with the black flames 😁. 

Instead, I've opted for The Sunz to be a contingency, as they're easy to separate off into and onto vehicles.

I think I'm just gonna leave it as those two factions - nice and simple :)

BAD MOON

65    WARLORD (may have 4 gretchin assistants @3points each)

7      heavy armour

10    powerfist

20    kustom shoota

102

18    RUNTHERD (may have 4 gretchin assistants @3points each)

18    MEKBOY (may have 4 gretchin assistants @3points each)

25    shokk attack gun  

18    PAINBOY (may have 4 gretchin assistants @3points each)

85    WEIRDBOY - (2 minders, no cost)

164

15    NOBS x5

7      heavy armour

6      plasma gun

10    power fists x4

156

12    BOYS x10 - big mob

6      plasma gun

10    heavy bolta

30    missile launcher

166

12    BOYS x5

6      powerswords

90

120 DREADNAUGHT

798  BAD MOON TOTAL

EVIL SUNZ

12     BOYS x5

35     bikes x5  (one of these is a nob bike, but not accounted for in points)

235

235 EVIL SUNZ TOTAL

1033 ARMY TOTAL 1033

266 characters 23%

767 mobs 67%

120 support 10%

So... The pics contain more models than stated so that I can pick and choose.

I feel this 'blanket' approach always kinda gives me a little boost in motivation. I find that if I say I MUST paint them, I'll invariably end up putting it off. 

Whereas if I've a choice - something'll get painted! 

I've also chosen the lower end of points where I can, so that if I do struggle with the points quota I can work some Math Magick. But I do feel that path is the path of chaos and will see me shunned by my peers. 

Here's some pictures of extras that might well get either painted, neglected or swapped around...

Freebooterz!

 I feel these guys might push the regular boys to the back of the painting queue

Minions and pets and G U N Z  

That’s it for the Boyz. Fingers crossed I’ll get a good portion of ‘em painted, but I feel that this OWAC might be the most challenging for me. Not least because most of the models are characters in their own right, and cry out for a little extra paint. but because of some extra responsibilities at work that I’ve volunteered for. (I’m “renovating” the cafe garden and greenhouse).

One more thing of note is.....

The Overlord's Appeasement!

This is a model to send off to da Big Boss, as entry fee into this fine OWAC. 

That’s it! See you all in January. I hope you have a great Christmas and, fingers crossed, the new year will be much less uneventful than 2020!