George's Imperial Guard, Leader, Month 6

Colonel Audacian was growing impatient. He had spent his entire career winning. Conquering worlds, reclaiming imperial outposts from heretics. And throughout he had kept his men alive. An unusual feat for an imperial commander.

But now the imperial authorities had grown suspicious and they were testing his loyalty with an order to send his men to almost certain death.

Audacian stood and watched the massed ranks marching past towards the heavily defended heretic fortifications. He felt the cold stare and the mirthless smile of the commissar behind him.

But he wasn’t going to abandon his men now. Without warning, he raised his sword and charged.

I had great fun painting these glorious lead minis, mainly Mark Copplestone command figures, and the commissar a beautiful gift from fellow Challenger Graeme. Thanks Graeme!

It felt great to crack out some bright colours again (I do love bright colours!) I was inspired by Mike Mcvey's Warhammer 40,000 painting guide from 1993. He used lots of red hats and helmets, so I went for it and thoroughly enjoyed it! I like the contrast with the drab tones from the rest of the regiment. 

It was insanely hot while I was painting and I was slow, even by my own slow standards! So I will be using my final month to add the flags and banners that the original John Blanche artwork deserves!

June Points:

Command Section: 280 points

Commissar: 45 points

June Total: 325 Points

Army Total:

Command section: 280 points

Commissar: 45 points

Support squad: 425 points

2 x Tactical squads: 400 points

Army Total: 1,150

Colonel Audacian and his command! Sinister commissar courtesy of Graeme!

Audacian leads his regiment into battle!

George's Bad Moonz - Introduction Post

Big Gobb was big. He was big and he had a big gobb. So big that when he shouted about his greatness, orcs listened. And he loved nothing more than shouting about his greatness.

His father had been a great military commander, leading an ever growing mob on a ceasless campaign of plunder and destruction. But since he had died and Big Gobb had taken over, the mob had shrunk and every campaign had ended in defeat and disaster.

In the doomed campaign of OWAC VII, Big Gobb had lead his mob into the Field Of Bones and few had escaped. Now he really, really needed success. Or at least to avoid another catastrophic defeat...

OWAC VII didn't go very well for me. I finished one model (Big Gobb himself) and was lying broken in the Field of Bones by month two.

This year I want to continue with Big Gobb's space orcs. I've simplified the army a bit and hope that will help. There is a galaxy of real life reasons that suggest I should stay well clear of an intensive painting challenge, but I'm going to try anyway!

I'm continuing with Bad Moonz. I love their garish colour schemes, and the large number of weird boyz!

Lore, lists and points come courtesy of the classic WAAARGH The Orcs and Freebooterz books, as well as vintage White Dwarf.

The boyz are largely made up of plastic models from the 1990 space ork box set. I scored this on ebay and it had nearly 60 miniatures (the original box had 36). Most had been brilliantly converted by a 10 year old and it broke my heart taking these creations apart, but I hope to do them justice.

I then have a smattering of original GW painboyz and mekaniaks. And an original nob in power armour, a gift from the wonderful Jaako, a fellow OWAC challanger. Additional minis come from Old School Miniatures.

Weirdboyz are mainly formed from Knighmare Miniatures, with a cheeky wizard from the Hero Quest expansion pack.

And then I have a crew of freebooterz. These are formed of Warmonger Miniatures (fantasy arm of Wargames Foundry) and Meridian Miniatures.

Armour comes courtesy of the ever brilliant Ramshackle Games.

I'm very excited to get painting and to see the other challengers' armies taking shape. It is an honour to take part in the Old World Army Challenge and I cant wait to get going!

 Big Gobb's Big Mob!

Points

-Warlord - 90 points

-warlords retinue: 

   5 x clanbosses - 175

       Power armour, 6 x 5 = 30

   Melaniak - 15

   Painboy - 15

   4 x weirdboyz - 200

-10 x big mob boyz - 100

  Heavy plasma gun - 75

  Power glove, 2 x 30 = 60

-5 x boys - 50

-6 x gretchin - 30

-10 x mad mob boyz - 50

-10x freebooterz - 100

-Rhino - 350

-Total: 1,340