Sam's 2nd Ed. Catachans - Welcome to the Jungle, we got fun and flamethrowers!

So its that time again for a wrap up post. Don't ask me, but somehow I stand victorious! Honestly, I'm so surprised I made it this year. It really was touch and go pretty much every month. I'd like to say its because I now have two kids and I moved house, and it would be accurate (particularly moving house is a lot of work!), but to be fair I'm also insanely lazy, procrastinate a lot and play shitloads of video games. So, for sure I would've had good excuses to enter the field of bones, but I wouldn't have been happy about it at all. Anyhow that's all water under the bridge because we made it, and I'm sure you care more about the below than all this preamble nonsense!

Suitably grainy pic for WD nostalgia purposes...
no, nothing to do with shitty camera, not at all sir!

Imperial Guard were my dream army for 40k when I was a kid, the one I always wanted but never had. Mostly because they were too expensive for an 11 year old. And to be fair that really still goes for now too, so when I was buying up stuff I basically looked for the best bargain, and that is how I ended up at Catachan's. That said the sculpts are fantastic and they have a really nice wide range of poses and weapons. They are also really nice to paint due to nice wide areas and easy highlights.

The army shot, yeah baby!

For the scheme I wanted to do something classic and specifically something over the top. For many goblin green is the colour of the era, but for me its the red weapons. I really just cant resist it. So I knew from the start that was happening and I opted for nice bright yellow to contrast for imperial insignia. The classic Catachan element was pretty much decided - green and black camo, red headbands and white vests - fairly similar to the Eavy Metal look. And for that over the top panache I knew I need to squeeze in those ridiculous yellow and black danger stripes, which I opted to use only for the important models. Overall I'm super happy with how they turned out, and honestly in retrospect I don't think I would change a thing.

The Command

The grunt command

Squad 1 (Ratlings in the back)

Squad 2 (HW Squad in the back)

Squad 3

Sort of armoured backup...

The list changed from my original, mostly because I never got round to buying the tanks. An IG army without the tanks is frankly a bit shit. However, the positive here is that during the challenge I painted all the infantry I will ever need. And that leads nicely into the what's next for the army, loads of tanks of course. I plan to at least add a Hellhound, Chimera, Leman Russ BT and Leman Russ Demolisher.

Of course like all good challengers I'm constantly thinking about what to do next year. I have a whole bunch of choices, loads of tanks being one, pointy eared tree huggers being another, colourful lizards being a third option and some good ol' undead being a distant fourth. I'll mull it over and decide closer to the time.  

Otherwise that's it for me. Looking forward to catching up on all the wrap up posts. And also looking forwards to putting these bad boys opposite Adam's Nids for some good ol' beerhammer funtimes, and fairly likely being consumed into the biomass thanks to a inopportune lack of armoured support at the Imperial resupply depot...

Until next year, peace out

Samuel

Adrian's eldars - Iyanden is un-doomed (Wrap-up)

Wrap-up post!

 Another OWAC, another troop removed from the pile of shame.

It was a fun project. From painting to create the scenes and write some stories accompanying the updates. It was less stressful than the orc and goblins except for some odd months. However, this time having a job a constrained schedule felt a lot in the planned "extras". Maybe in a future coming back to Iyanden I can add the terrain from the Tyranid invasion or some scattered details from the craftwold gardens.

Painting yellow may seems a bit tedious sometimes but the experience of years collecting eldars and the mix of models I selected made the task a much easier.

I enjoyed the pirates a lot with the mixture of armour colors, one of my favourite units of this challenge. Also I can finally claim my small achievement, completed the unit of eldar exodites after so long. Some of the eldar scouts and wood elf wardancers were purchased in blisters, and the cold ones were the ones from their very first release!

The Doom of the Eldar has not been my personal doom, I finished another OWAC! It has been so much pleasure to paint it as to show them to you all. Hope I get my hand in some units and can continue this project in a future OWAC.

Oh, remember the last year when I lost a goblin for the last set of pictures and found it after the recap post? I have made the same mistake with my wraithlord bright lance. I had it in my hand the other day!! 

Commanders

1x Grand Farseer (general) Ylshor - 170

1x Phoenix Lord Maugan Ra - 179

 

Elites

1x Dark Reaper Exarch - 90

3x Dark Reapers - 201

1x Fire Dragon Exarch - 75

4x Fire Dragons - 112

1x Howling Banshee Exarch - 69

7x Howling Banshees - 189

 

Battleline

1x Dire Avenger Exarch - 56

9x Dire Avengers - 198

10x Guardians - 110

1x Grav Platform with plasma cannon - 55

1x Veteran Pirate captain - 31

9x Eldar pirates - 135

 

Fast Attack

1x Exiled veteran - 50

4x Exiled Knights - 152

 

Heavy Support

1x Eldar Wraithlord with its (missing) laser cannon - 190

58 miniatures and a grand total of 2062 points of eldars.

Thinking about my next project, I will probably return to fantasy and my (other) main army, the mighty dwarfs!

I cannot finish this post without a special thank to the Team Eldar for their support and their awesome entries (as well as everyone in the OWAC!). And the final gemstone count recap, made by the exarchs of the Aspect of Patience: 1532 gemstones.

 

See you in the next challenge.

Adrian's out.

Filippo's Ultramarine - Rejoice Brothers! The OWAC is finished! (1738 points)

It is done! It's finally done! 

I wish my face could express better how happy I am, but I was in half suit and there were 35° when I took the photo 

What can I say about this OWAC? That I wish I discovered it before. 

It was hard, difficult, time-and-cash consuming, frustrating, filled me with anxiety for the deadlines and the fear of falling into the Field of Bones.

WHEN CAN WE DO IT AGAIN?!? 

Here's the list of models and points

Unit                                 Points

Terminator Squad         315

Missile Launcher         59

ChainFist                         2

Tactical Squad                 300

Heavy Bolter              15

Flamer                         9

PowerFist                 10

Rhino                         50

Dreadnought                 115

PowerFist                 15

Assault Cannon         45

Blind Grenade                 5

Lexicanium                53

Psychic Hood                 25

Marneus Calgar         116

Gauntlets                 18

Chaplain Mighty  Hero 125

Terminator Armour         45

Predator                         90

Lascannon sponsors 45

Twin Lascannons         30

Chief Epistolary         196

Terminator Armour         45

Company Standard         55

I still have a lot of models around, many  discarded due to lack of time and replaced by the tanks. Failing to paint the speeder and the devastator squad was saddening but unavoidable. 

I want to do at least something else before 2022 and the next project, but only time will tell..

I want to thanks my friends who helped me with both models and terrain, especially Davide Giurissini, who gifted me with that amazing bunker!

See you next year!

AdamH's Tyranids - In the jungle, welcome to the jungle! [Wrap-up post]

Well, that’s it, another challenge is in the bag. I think like a lot of challengers I find that the work I get done during these six months are by far the most productive I am throughout the year, and in fact since joining the OWAC three years ago I have painted more models than the previous 25 years in the hobby.

Anyway, here is my ugly face and my even uglier kitchen (we have recently moved, it is getting re-modelled soon), both of which I have tried to offset by the inclusion of my fluffy painting companion:

So the thing I like most about this army is the cohesive nature of it all, I feel it really does look like a swarm and despite the various bright colours they all seem to work together:

I am also shocked with how many I managed to get done, out pacing my original goals and the overlord’s minimum requirements:

I still have plenty more Nids in the box awaiting painting, I may do them for a future OWAC as it would be nice to have a fuller force and be able to field all of the available units:

So what about next year I don’t hear you ask; well I haven’t 100% decided but I am leaning heavily towards a sexy group of demon ladies. However, I do have several other forces in dire need of painting: Chaos Dwarfs, 2^nd Ed Necrons, more Skaven, more Brets, and of course more Nids. I think I will mull it over until the end of the year however will continue prepping all of the forces just in case one of them takes my fancy.

But until then my dear readers, I hope you have enjoyed this year’s challenge as much as I know all of us have. And Sam, I’m coming for you buddy! your puny Arnie rejects are going to be biomass soon enough!

Tom's Bad Moon Orks: Wrap Up - 1533points

Pro tip: wash your models before getting them photographed. I didn't and there's lots of dust! Anyhow....

I have thoroughly enjoyed this years edition of the OWAC, and I am very pleased with the painting that I've managed, although the last six weeks or so were super tough! I'm especially pleased with my collection of runtherds, and their squigs :) 

Here they are, to kick us off wiv a massive photo dump but first...

I extend massive thanks to my friend Michal Iwanowski for the hard work he put in cleaning up the photos that he took of da ladz. I asked him not to amend any detail/colour on the models, but he has eliminated shadow from the background, and also touched up some scuffs on the black rim bases. I am gutted I did not think to wash the models before photographing, but there we are. All models have been given a lacquer varnish first, and then sprayed with Testors Dulcote. I am sooooo pleased that they're all varnished! Further thanks go to Instagram inspiration doods savage_orc_guy, snotlingdiscotek, the_crown_of_command_podcast, grinning loon, and highland_painting. Legends.

Further and louder shout outs goes to my mates Carl and Pierre!

Each time I paint a project I always feel a little weird - like do I like actually painting? Is it worth it? What's it for? Should I be doing something else? 

Putting together this post, rearranging all the models for photos and noticing all the little mistakes and blemishes reinforces my feeling that this army in particular is my best painted to date. That feeling of improvement, and just general excitement about what you could paint next has made it all worth while. Plus when I look back on it, I'm always amazed that I've painted them at all!

I've kinda gone all out on this wrap up post - something to look back on and remember for the future. I've loved it.

So....without further ado:

Runtherds:

This guys the guy that's responsible for smooth running of the squig catapult. I like how dark/bright he is. 👇

I like the thin pinstriping and green drool on this guy 👇

I remember this one being a pleasure to paint. I like the choice of yellow for the trousers, and I feel that the gym looks really good here! 👇

I like this ones eyes! 👇

This guy is one of my favourite orks. 👇

For some reason I like his red scrunchie, and his hand holding his runthook. I also like the rivets on his leg. 👇

I remember struggling to start this one, and he is definitely not my favourite paintjob! But he did see me through a sticking point... Definitely choose to leave stuff blank to keep motivations.(for example I think I'd like to have put some flames on his shoulder, painted those little squares on the hook hand a different colour, maybe added some hazard striping on the gun, or dags in the headband, or some extra bands onthe feathers...) 👇

This dude came out really basic, and I remember looking back at him and being surprised at how good he looks now! 👇

This guy is from the rogue trader era. Nice! 👇

A honorary Mek/Runtherd 👇

Squigs

Cheeky!

Mek 

(although this guy 👇 could stand in for a runtherd! I like his frowning brow.)

I am so pleased I painted the rivets on his helmet, bags and belt. They make him look good (or better)! 👇

Again, this dude: one of my favourites. So much so that he inspired the addition of blue into the red pinstripes and inspired his own as yet unfinished, unit of boyz 👇

Painboys

How heavy you reckon those scissors are? 👇

Another favourite, along with the previously mentioned Dok - jointly inspiring the tricolour pinstripe and unfinished 'improofed' boyz. 👇

Weirdboys

The smol gun is my favourite gun! It's so tiny :) 👇

Warphead

I like the squiiiiigs! And his hair colour. And the choice of red for the boots! 👇

Weirdboy Minders

I think these minders are the only orks in a yellow jumpsuit? Anyhow, their blunt faces were great to paint. 👇

Bad Ork Freebooters

Sweet jeebus, this guy - what a model! Notable in that I took soooo many pictures of this guy when I was painting him, which was an absolute pain in the arse. I'm very glad that I did it though, and I like the alternating red and yellow for the legs. I feel some extra, simple freehand on those legs would have been a great thing, but I was a little nervous of making him look too busy and unbalanced, so I left him undecorated (apart from the gun barrel and shoulder pad) 🤘 👇

The towering ork was an imposing model to paint and I put him off for ages... I like the grenade colour 👇

I really struggled with all the heavy weapon models, although previously I was really looking forward to painting them. There's a lot more of these ladz to do... 👇

Proper piratey! I like the belt :) 👇

I looked forward to painting this guy, and brought him in the later part of the OWAC especially for rounding out the freebooting unit. One of maybe two orks with flashy red shoes :) 👇

I ummed and ahhed over painting a black circle on the plasma gun... 👇

A basic boi. I forgot to paint his bracelet, but I like the subtle skintones in the face.

Monowheel! Love it! The tiny writing on the 'numberplate' reads BAD1, and was inspired by savage_orc_guys amazing paint, and tiny writing, on her orks. 👇

One of the unfinished freebooter mob that follows the Dok and Mek 👇

Another one. I'd like to paint up three more regular boys with stripey trousers to complete the squad. 👇

Power Armoured Nobs

One of my favourites 💪 👇

Da Boss. I feel I should have painted the knuckledusters a different colour, and I remember painting the space marine helmet red to cast shade on Iannick's space marine force! 👇

Half a face eh? I quibbled over whether I should paint it metallic or red. I'm pleased I went with metallic! 👇

I really liked how the face came out on this guy! 👇

And again, detailing the rivets, although time consuming and nerve wracking, was well worth it. 👇

Boys! 

There might well be a few photos missing - it's really hard to pick out individuals from the mass crowd of photos!

I'm not going to write about each one, but I do say that I do enjoy a sporadic batch paint of a monopose model! Once the colour scheme is worked out, it's just about enjoying the process: which no doubt can be arduous, but the models spend ages in mid paint OMG-what-have-I-done phase, and then once over that hump, finish off surprisingly quickly.

Popping on some flames onto the shoulderpads really makes them I feel! 👇

Of all the ork heavy weaponry, I feel rokkits are 👌 

Yes! Love the tongue on this guy 👇

Originally a member of the Mek and Doks modified boys, this lad is now in charge of his own unit...👇

Gretchin Runt Grots.

Lovely little sculpts, which I really need to paint more of!

More Boys!

War machines

Holy moley, painting this thing required loads of enthusiasm, which fortunately I had! It was a great thing to paint, and I am kinda safe in the knowledge that I'll never paint another one again (they are ridiculously expensive!) I'm super chuffed that I put a streamer banner on top of the banner pole - it makes it for me :)

The dreadnaught! This one painted up in sections quite quickly. I was a little daunted by the overal piece, but just fully painted it in tiny sections and it was done over a week or so

The rest of the big gunz I held back on painting dags all over the wheels. I felt that it would sap my motivations too much... 'basic' paint, but sweet jeebus, the extra time painting rivets really pulls them forward :)

Grot crew 

I hated painting this guy for some reason. Just wanted it over and done ASAP! 👇

NipNop! 👇

I love the trio of squig catapult crew, and I put some extra effort into them :) 👇👇👇

Love this lil' dood (but which one eh?) 👇

I feel that this oil squig came out really well. Of all the colour choices I made, I am stoked with this one.- especially as it comes across (I think) that there's more of the same stuffed in his bag! 👇

Here's a nice lil' set of big gun + crew pics!

And then all the OWAC boyz!

Previously painted boyz...

I post them here for completion :) They were painted on the runup to the OWAC proper as a Squad Challenge. I feel that there's definitely more effort gone into them, and I've not gone back to add the blue to the stripey trousers, because I like seeing this paint history/evolution. 

I did, however, go back in on the power armoured nobs and add flames to the armour - mostly inspired by Joshua Van Z's awesome orks!

First up, the big gun with different crew (swap them for the crew above...)

Freebooters!

Nobs in power armour

Weirdboy

Squigs

These are the crew I painted before the OWAC...

Warbike

Gobsmasha!

Some group shots...

Boss models

All da boyz!

Base by base costings using the 2nd ed Ork Codex, and using the above (green) Army Pic for reference:

Warboss w/powerclaw + custom shoota + 'eavy armour   65+20+10  

*Bodyguard w/bolt pistol 12  

Bodyguard w/bolta 12

**Attack Squig 3

Attack Squig 3

Warphead w/bolta + bolta 85

Weirdboy w/bolta + bolt pistol -free

Minder w/bolta + chainsword - free

Minder w/plasma pistol - free

Squig - 3

Power Nob Boss w/bolt pistol 15+7

Power Nob w/power fist + bolta 15+1+7+10

Power Nob w/ plasma gun 15+7+6

Power Nob w/chainsword 15+7+2

Power Nob w/bolta + power fist 15+1+7+10

Painboy 18

Dreadnaught w/heavy plasma + power claw 120

Boy 12

Boy 12 

Boy 12

Boy 12

Nob 12

Boy 12

Boy 12

Boy 12

Boy 12

Nob 12

Boy 12 

Boy 12

Boy w/standard 12

Boy w/rocket launcher 12+30

Nob 12

Boy 12

Boy 12

Boy 12

Boy w/heavy plasma 12+26

Nob 12

Boy 12

Boy 12

Boy 12

Boy w/heavy bolta 12+10

Nob w/plasma pistol 12+4

Boy 12

Boy w/heavy bolta 12+10

Nob 12

Squig 3

Squig 3

Serving platter runt 3

Squig 3

Runtbot Controller 12

Runtbot 3

Runtherd 18

Squig 3

Runtherd - free

Squig 3

Runt 3

Squig 3

Grot 5

Grot 5

Grot 5

Grot 5

Grot 5

Grot 5

Grot 5

Grot 5

Grot w/standard 5

Grot Boss 5

Freebooter w/custom shoota 12+20

Freebooter Monowheel 12

Freebooter w/plasma pistol 12+4

Freebooter w/custom shoota + bolta 12+20

Freebooter 12

Freebooter Mek w/custom shoota 12+20

Freebooter w/bolt pistol + chainsword 12+2

Freebooter w/chainsword 12+2

Freebooter w/lascannon 12+30

Freebooter Dok w/custom shoota 12+20

Traktor Kannon 40

Runtherd - free

Runt - free

Runt - free

Squig 3

Squig 3

Smasha Gun 45

Runtherd - free

Runt - free

Runt - free

Squig 3

Squig 3

Mek w/flamer + bolta 18+7+3

Battlewagon 50

Runtherd - free

Runtherd w/chainsword - free

Squig Catapult 40

Runtherd - free

Runtherd - free

Runt - free

Runt - free

Runt - free

Runtherd - free

Splatta Kannon 60

Runtherd - free

Runt - free

Runt - free

Squig 3

Squig 3

TOTAL 1533

*Bodyguard counts as boy for points, as does the runtbot controller

**Squig counts as gretchin assistant for points

Models painted: 112

.........

Hi fives, fist bumps, jubialiant shouts to be shared with fellow Ork Boss: Jon Garrad, 

And also with fellow Orc Bosses: Chris 'Blue' Sabick, William 'Bill' Adcock, Mike Murphy.

All the other armies pale in comparison to the mighty WAAAAAAAGH energy generated by such a collective creation of ork armies! Although the other challengers armies are absolute fire and also solid gold AT THE SAME TIME. Check 'em out. (Even the Eldar ones!)

All that's left now is a massive shout out to Iannick, overlord of the Old World Army Challenge. No doubt, without this challenge, I would only be thinking about painting and not actually doing anything.

Legend.