Bill's Greenskins: Da Old Guard (406 Pts)

 Rank and File Month #1

As the gate gave way, orcs streamed through into the fortress - not the fat, dullwitted creatures Captain Arnulf von Grenzstadt was used to seeing pour up the Black Fire Pass. No, these were lean, sinewy creatures; all gristle, teeth and scar tissue. These were warriors, experienced ones. With howls and shrieks of bloodlust, they spread out from the ruined gateway, rusty blades raised high in anticipation. 

Von Grenzstadt grinned beneath his salt-and-pepper mustache. An experienced orc was still just an orc. Shouting over his shoulder to the halberdiers behind him, he called out "Wine from my own family vineyards for every man who can bring me three orc scalps!"

And then the enormous green foot, composed of crackling arcane energies, dropped on him.

 

I decided I'd start off this year with some old lead - most of this regiment are Citadel figures released between 1985 and 1993, collected off of eBay individually or in small lots, cleaned up and based by me. Only the musician, a Heartbreaker release sculpted by Kev Adams, is a young stand-out. It's a modern casting from Ral Partha Europe of a sculpt done in 1996, but I liked the gong he's carrying and decided he'd be a worthwhile addition instead of continuing to chase after musician figures on eBay. 

Second rank

 

 There's something reverential for me about handling and painting old miniatures; it's a hands-on connection to the history of the hobby for me, and there's maybe a sense of honoring these figures; after lingering for so long in attics or basements, they've been given new life by my hands. Maybe I'm being too solemn about the old boys, but it just seems right to paint them and get them on the table after all these years. 

Third Rank

 

Musician, Standard Bearer, Hero

Shields are a mix of classic Citadel shields that I got mixed in with these eBay lots and a few from Knightmare Games. I wanted to push myself and try painting some checkerboard patterning, which I think worked out pretty well.  

Some favorites among the shields

Joining them is an Orc Shaman from Knightmare Games, a bit bigger than his older brethren but covered in fantastic detail - mushrooms, spider, the bits and bobs on his belt, even the little snotling carrying the book for him. 

January Points Totals:

• 14 Orc Big'uns, Standard and Musician: 152 pts
• Level 15 Orc Hero, Shield and Light Armor: 91 pts
• Level 15 Orc Wizard: 163 pts

Total:  406 pts

Glyn's Orc Waaaaggghhhhhh - The Boyz are back in town! (241.5 points)

'Guess who just got back today

Them wild-eyed boyz that had been away

Haven't changed that much to say

But man, I still think them orcs are crazy'

A clatter of steel, the clang of shield rims one heavily armoured and muscled mountains of green flesh and a feral roar of approval greated Balgagz orders. The big uns of Gorfangs Red Fang tribe swarmed behind Gorfang at whose growled command they surged forward....

So, thanks to the rats of Clan Pestilens, painting time has been much more readily available this month! 😳 As promised last month, I present you Gorfangs Big Un's. These guys are a mixture of the early 90's Citadel and Marauder orcs; spear welding orcs from the former Heartbreaker miniatures range (now available via RalPartha Europe); and the boss and standard figure from the Citadel range of the early 2000's. With the exception of the Marauder and latter minis, all from the fantastical mind and supremely talented hands of the immortal Kev Adams 🙌🙌


So, by rank..

The last of the front rank heavies! I might even make this guy my boss (in preference to the spear armed Marauder mini)

The second rank. From left to right as viewed, 4 x citadel and last one a Heartbreaker mini.

The third rank. 4th along is also Heartbreaker.

Rank 4

Rear rank

Got to say that I have really enjoyed painting up these guys. Tried to keep them earthy and dirty, using red or blue to add a splash of colour here and there to the minis. Below are a couple of group shots. The shields were added after these shots were taken. Group shot below

And so, this month I give you 241.5 points of big 'ard Orcy menace! 21 big uns armed with double handed weapons, light armour and shields at 11.5 points per mini. Added to the points for last months command minis (69) and Gorfang (90), a unit of 400.5 points.

Next months plan was to do 3 stone trolls......but with a concern about the level of blue and grey paint presently in stock, coupled with COVID - 19 seriously impeding my movements, I'm going for the a unit of 20 boyz inc. Boss, Std & Mus, with sword, LA & Sh for 195.5 points. I'll be making up the shortfall in points with a little something for our mighty overlord 😉🤔 

See you next time guys 👍💚

Adrian's orc brute force - February (203.5 points)

-Watch out! They have a lesser goblin!

I thought that the last month would be the most difficult one for several personal issues but I was too confident and almost landed on the field of bones with this one.

Fortunately, I could almost finish before the deadline. Sadly, I had to cut some final details and this troop will not have freehands in the shields for now.

For this month, I wanted to finish my previous unit of boys, including the banner. So here there are the last four orc boys.

4x Orc boys

Light armour + Spear(some sort) + shie..no, I forgot the left one. Again.
Also a dirty flag

[45.5 points]

I am pleased with this Vile Rune flag, trying to get a proper dirty looking flag, old school style.

Now, the boss needs a retinue of his bigger orcs. So I painted almost all the big 'uns of the list. Probably more that I could handle for a short month and almost cost me the mulligan or a worst ending!
I wanted them to be greener and for variation, I tried a more vibrant yellowish orc skin tone.

These are the plastic volunteers, so now that they are painted I will probably add them to the big 'uns unit.

I love the small critter that came with GSW orc boys.

This makes (including the big 'un volunteers for the color palettes):

14x Orc Big 'Uns

Light armour + Spears + Shield
And a boy that smashs a drum and think he's a musician

[155.5 points]

Lastly:

At some point I thought I couldn't paint the musician (I had to repair the base) and started to adjust the points with some goblins to test the colors for the huge amount of goblinoids I have in the list. Thankfully I could finish the big 'un musician and I only finished the mighty lesser goblin, the other ones will wait.

So here they are. I will organize better the next month, because I am a bit sad that I couldn't add more weird faces to the shields. They are pretty fun to paint and I is also the part I am liking the most.

Adrian's out!

Glyn's Orc Waaagghhh - Born to be Wild (225 points)

'thud! Mmpphhh..... thud! Mmpphhh.....thud! Mmpphhh..... 

Balgagz appeared from the tree line wiping his dagger on his pelt cloak. In his other hand dangled a strange bundle comprising a ball shape and a tangle of leather straps. 

' Whad e say boss?' Balgagz looked up as he tied a dirty scrap of blue cloth around the bundle and slipped it back into his belt loop. His foetid shaman, Gunky Bungole shuffled over. It was Gunky who'd suggested to Blagagz that using the strange apparatus would be useful when torturing prisoners for more information on the next scrap. 

He'd watched the boss drag the helpless Brettonian squire into the forest and heard the muffled screams and squeals that proceeded the boss's reappearance. Gunky winced. Balgagz was massive and hugely powerful, even for an orc.....the thought of his enormous foot repeatedly connecting with the vulberable squire's hopes for the future made even Gunky squirm. He knew the squire would have talked.....but the ball device would ensure none of his friends nearby would ever hear their doomed friend as he sold them out.....shortly before Balgagz slit his throat! 

'der's anovver gang of dem across da river' he growled, 'C'mon' he snarled across his camp, picking up his collosal axe, 'der's more pretty Bretty boyz to smash!' 

So, this month went exactly to plan and I managed to paint up my warboss and the command group for my unit of big uns. Ive decided to try and stick with the dirty armour and weapons look to my orcs. I think it's more 'real' than the bright and shiny armours etc we always used to see in the pages of White Dwarf when these figures first emerged.

And so, I give you my Warboss Balgagz Gargul, a black orc warboss armed with an axe, wearing light armour and carrying a shield for 143 points.

My big uns command group comprises a boss, together with standard and musician. I'm not overly happy with my boss figure and particularly not his crest....but I'll get better! He weighs in at 36 points with a double handed weapon, wearing light armour and carrying a shield.

The musician is a conversion of a Bloodbowl linebacker. I've added a drum to one hand and (attempted) to fashion a bone club as both a means of beating the drum and opponents. I'm quite pleased with how he's turned out as greenstuff and I have a torturous relationship. He weighs in at 23 points, equipped in the same way as the boss.

I've really enjoyed painting this guy as my standard bearer. The standard is a plastic flag from a later warhammer kit but it just works perfectly for the pose of this figure I think. As I mentioned last month, Gorfang Rotgut will lead this unit and so I had a bash at trying to paint the standard as Gorfang's. I drew the image on in pencil and then had a crack at free handing it. I'm pleased with how it's come out. He also weighs in at 23 points.

The pic below shows the 3 together with Gorfang who will be their unit leader (rest of the unit to come next month 😊)

So this months offering.......a 225 point gang of orcy goodness 💪😀