Kaptin, Kannon and Krew

I have found a use for the Iron Gobs that I never used on my Orks in Mega Armour - decoration for some Kannon. (Zap Guns, judging by the Imperial Lascannon barrels).

The Krew member - or is he a gun grot? - is standing on a plastic cog I found in something, plus assorted bits.

I had bought two boxes of Kommandos, meaning I had two Kommando bosses. The first one now has a Nob arm holding a Kustomized Shoota, with old style sluggas on his back.

The head of the second one was donated to a Nob with a Mega Armour shoota and the warboss' Chain Axe.

Finally, this is the Kaptin of the Battle Barge, from the following bits:

- Kommando Kaptin body,

- head from a Nob, with greenstuff eyepatch (Arrr!)

- poweraxe from a Nob, carved into a wrench,

- plastic dreadnought kneepad on his shoulder with Mek symbol in thin plastic,

- old style slugga and plastic pouches on his back/belt,

- some bullets and the pistol removed,

- assorted bits, including another plastic cog for that 'spare parts' feel.

Look for these guys - when I get around to painting them - in the Gallery on http://www.astronomican.com

WH40K - Painboss

... and here he is:

Body of an Ork Nob, with arms from the new Kommando Kaptin (yes, I bought two - one to lead a new Kommando Mob and one to be Kaptin of the Battlebarge). His right hand also includes an old plastic chainsword, a knife blade from a new Kommando and the claw from the Ork Dreadnought.
The surgical mask is greenstuff. More practice needed there, but I am pleased with the effect.

WH40K Cyborks - painted!

Here are the boyz. Now they need a Painboss to 'deeturmin da rezults of da eksperament'.

WH40K - Cyborks

Made from the newer Tau Stealth Suits, plastic WH40K orks, plastic Warhammer goblins and bits. Lots and lots of bits. Now I have to make a painboss so they have a reason to stop bullets. Although, Mekboss Stingy could be a painboss - there is no apparent difference in profile, just the ability to repair machinery/rebuild orks.

WH40K - Fighta Bomma project

I plan to convert a 1/48 model of a Grumman Skyrocket into an Ork Fighta Bomma. I wanted an unusual looking plane, not too expensive ($29.95 at the local Toyworld). I liked the twin engines (to be replaced with jets) and the twin tail. The plan is to scrap some old armour kits and raid the bits box to add armour plating, guns, bombs, teeth etc to the original model. It will have to have a heavily converted ork pilot - with flying helmet, goggles and fluttering scarf of course. I think one of the new Kommandos gasmask heads would be appropriate. Also, this is an opportunity to use a failed Wartrukk rebuild as the 'launch trolley'.

Reviews of the Minicraft kit here and here.

Mekboy concept sketch of partially finished Fighta Bomba. (Warboss Grabba only ever expects it to be partially finished. Since his 'axe-y-dent' Mekboss Stingy has the attention span of a rabid squig.)

Lego SES volunteer.

A volunteer with the State Emergency Service.

Lego Librarian

A vignette of a librarian, in Lego.

Addicted to styrene*

We need something that costs a dime to make, sells for a buck and is habit forming.
The immortal words of Gomez Addams, working on a plan to raise a lot of money quickly.

Collecting Warhammer toys is like having a drug habit. It is expensive, occasionally thrilling and not really accepted in wider social circles. I also have a lot of Lego, so it is a bit like being addicted to crack and heroin.

* Lego is made from acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and plastic Warhammer figures are made from polystyrene.

WH40K - Giant Killer Robots...

... Ork style.

This is supposed to be an Ork Dreadnought, but it is a little too big. Made from an old metal Space Marine Dreadnought torso and spare vehicle bits. The arms are Ghazkull's, with legs from an old plastic epic scale Titan as the upper arms. The gun is from a Heroclix Mechwarrior, so it can swivel.

Looted Sentinel. Not in the Codex but could be used as a Killer Kan. Just a regular sentinel, with armour plates and an old minigun type weapon, with a tank wheel as an ammo bin.

WH40K - More Orks and Dinosaurs

Every jungle world needs dinosaurs. This feller counts as a squiggoth for a feral ork army.


Optional extras include this nifty BFG.

Jungle worlds also need booby traps and the ubiquitous Lesser Catachan Barking Toad.

WH40K - War Trukk

Converted from a standard war trukk with 1/35 scale tank wheels and spare track links. The tray at the back has been widened with extra bits, including the fins off the speeder (the one that became a buggy) to make it look more like the sort of vehicle that could actually carry a mob of Da Boyz.

WH40K - Battle Barge - More pics

The hockey mask guy is the Slugga Mob Nob (the mask is from the Defiler).

WH40K - Da Krew

^Mekboss Stingy* - the evil genius behind most of these conversions

^Vince (the Painter)

^Doc (note the drill bit, making an old laspistol into a hurty needle)

^Tink ... Who you calling a fairy?

Some of Grabba's cronies, henchman and hangers-on. The colourful fellow with the goggles is Vince, a mekboy carrying a 'paint thrower' (counts as a burna, once he ignites it) used to give everything that particular combination of camouflage and showiness that Grabba, a dedicated Bloodaxe, prefers. It is possible that paint fumes have aided Stingy's creative processes somewhat.

*Stingy, as in Sting-y, he's got a sting, not Stinge-y, he is thrifty or miserly. Named in honour of Arj Barker's joke about running out of names for bees: Buzzy, Stingy, Stripey, Stingy 2 - The Stingening. I know what you're thinking. No! A bee can't be a sequel!

WH40K - Da Boss, Hisself

Meet Handy McGrab, also known as Warboss Grabba. This model is Grabba Mk II. The original is below:



The original Grabba - winner of a conversion contest at the Canberra branch of GW in 2000. First prize - The coveted Golden Squig (picture soon).

WH40K - Tau Crisis Suits

There is a definite Manga look to the Tau. This Crisis Team is pretty much standard, except for the Drone Controller on the boss.

The Big Guns have been swapped for the missile pods on Mr Fire Support, again, for that Manga look. The bases on these figures are styrene sheet, moulded in 1cm tiles - not cheap, but I only use it for character models and big figures. It helps me pick out squad leaders, for instance. It is just cut up and drybrushed to look like broken paving.

WH40K - Catachan Vehicle Conversions

Recon Buggy - I know, it looks like a Warthog from Halo.


Almost everyone does this to a Space Marine Speeder. I used the dozer blade supports to make the suspension. Couldn't think of anything to cover the engines at the back. Perhaps they are for Super Rocket Turbo Boost Mode. I know, it looks like a Warthog from Halo.

(Link to discussion of converted Speeder/Buggies in Work In Progress)
Jungle Tank


Armour is useful in the jungle, as the Australian Army found in Vietnam. This is a Chimera, with about 2 cm cut from the rear half. The main armament is an autocannon, making it a sort of Salamander Scout vehicle, with a turret and enclosed rear. There are a large number of packs and other items stowed on it, including a mortar. The idea is that the Catachan troops leave excess baggage on the vehicle, retaining only what they need for immediate survival.