warhammer 40k – Felix's Gaming Pages

Megatrakk Scrapjet at Warhammer World

A beloved menace among Speed Freeks and grounded Ork Flyboyz alike, the Megatrakk Scrapjet is a roaring, rocket-propelled war-rig that brings the frantic thrill of aerial dogfighting directly to the battlefield floor.

Built around the salvaged fuselages of crashed Ork aircraft, these scrap-built monstrosities allow former pilots to relive the glory of low-altitude strafing runs, and the devastating point-blank collisions that grounded them in the first place.

Powered by a thunderous rocket engine, the Scrapjet hurtles toward enemy lines at terrifying speeds, using a massive, thrust-driven nose drill to grind through heavy armour and infantry.

As it charges into the fray, a fearsome array of welded, bolted, and lashed weaponry unleashes total carnage, unleashing a barrage of rokkits and missiles into enemy armour while a cackling Grot tail-gunner blazes away with a chatter of big shootas to keep pursuers at bay.

Ork Rukkatrukk Squigbuggy

Born from the greasy ingenuity of Snakebite Orks with a canny eye for battlefield economics, the Rukkatrukk Squigbuggy wasn’t initially conceived as a weapon of war, but rather a mobile snack bar for the speed-addicted Speed Freeks. Imagine ramshackle, rattling pens on wheels, teeming with edible squigs, keeping pace with the thunderous advance of Warbikers, buggies, and Trukks. Above the din of engines, the Squigbuggy crews, all toothy grins and booming voices, would hawk their squirming wares.

For a hefty bag of teef exchanged mid-chase, a lucky (or perhaps unlucky) customer would have a choice squig launched directly into their waiting hands – or even their cavernous maw – courtesy of the vehicle’s ingenious Squig Launchas. However, legend, thick with the pungent aroma of squig and Orkoid mishap, whispers of a pivotal moment. It was when a particularly ferocious Attack Squig, mistaking the launcha for a new burrow, was accidentally fired into the face of an unsuspecting Ork. In that instant of unexpected carnage, the true, brutal potential of this mobile menagerie of mayhem was violently unleashed.

Now, the rumble of a Rukkatrukk Squigbuggy signals more than just lunchtime. These ruggedly built vehicles, instantly recognisable by their bellowing engines and the chaotic mass of squigs and Orks clinging to every surface, now muscle their way to the forefront of any Speed Freek advance. They unleash volleys of their living, close-range artillery, turning enemy ranks into a squirming, panicked mess. The Squigbuggy, once a purveyor of battlefield snacks, has evolved into a fearsome engine of destruction, proving that even the humblest beginnings can lead to gloriously violent ends.

Rukkatrukk Squigbuggy on my workbench.

Tempestus Scions Valkyrie Airborne Assault Carrier

These Tempestus Scions Valkyrie flyers were on display at Warhammer World.

The Tempestus Scions are elite special forces of the Imperial Guard. They have the best equipment and weapons. The Valkyrie are troop carrying gunships used by the Imperial Guard. They are used to take soldiers into the heart of the battle. Flying through the enemy gunfire, landing in the hotzone and dropping off their payload before flying up in support.

Sometimes the troops are jumping, using grave chutes, from high above the battlefield. The Valkyrie is armed with lascannons or a multi-laser, and under the wings are missiles or rocket pods. The Valkyrie, like most of the Imperium’s aircraft, is piloted and operated by the Imperial Navy, with a pilot, co-pilot and two door gunners. Though not a helicopter, the Valkyrie is used in a similar way.

I do have a Valkyrie Airborne Assault Carrier kit, but it currently remains unbuilt in its box. I did though paint some for Aeronautica Imperialis.

Gallery of Valkyrie models.

Missed the deadline…

I mentioned last month that I was thinking about getting the Made to Order Classic Deff Dread for my Ork forces.

There are a few miniatures they are making available which I am thinking of ordering, one is the pack of Goff Rockers, which I never bought the first time around. The other is one I thought I already had, which is the classic Deff Dread. Checking my collection I realise I have three of the smaller metal Killa Kan models from the same era, but I never got the larger Deff Dread. Well that went straight into the basket.

Well it went metaphorically into the basket.

I then completely forgot to confirm the order by the deadline, which meant I won’t have it now…

Ork Fighter Bommer

This Ork Fighter was part of the Shanty Town diorama.

One of the nice features of the kit for this model is that you get alternative options for building from the tail, to the nose and the superstructure. This model combines the front of the Dakkajet with the tail from the Burna-Bommer.

The Fighta-Bommer is the Orks’ primary tactical and strategic bombing aircraft. The Fighta-Bommer is capable of both void and atmospheric flight. It is used to bomb enemy bases and to assault enemy starships, or even in some cases to dogfight with enemy aircraft.

Constructed with typical Orkish crudeness, these rickety, gravity-defying contraptions are often surprisingly effective and dangerous to friend and foe alike, as is common with most Ork technology. Fighta-Bommerz are often deployed as air support during large Ork planetary invasions, or to serve as point defence for Ork starships.

Fighta-Bommerz are created by the few Meks who are interested in aircraft. As with all Ork vehicles, Fighta-Bommerz are kit-bashed affairs that usually defy the laws of aerodynamics, and fly despite their ungainly, brutish construction.

Workbench feature on my plastic Ork Bommer.

Workbench feature on my Forge World Ork Bommer.

More photographs of Ork Bommerz.

Flakk Wagon

The Flakkatrukk or Flakk Wagon is essentially a Truck or a Wartrakk equipped with varying number of Flakka-Dakka Gunz, the design was pioneered by the Mekboy Grimgutz, who was sick of local Ork aircraft constantly buzzing his workshop. He designed the weapon in the course of an afternoon to shoot down the pests.

Firing the same explosive ‘glowy bullitz’ used by Flash Gitz, Flakkatrakk’s weapons are often fired by Grot assistants and are capable of filling the skies with hundreds of rounds per minute, making them a grave threat to any aircraft that ventures into its line of sight. The design has become popular and copied by many other Mekboyz in light of its success, and wherever the Orks are beset by enemy aircraft a Flakkatrakk is likely to appear.

More photographs of the Flakk Wagon.

This model was part of the diorama showing an Imperial assault on an Ork Shanty Town to rescue a downed Valkyrie of the Militarum Tempestus.

More photographs of the diorama over the years, it started off as an Ork diorama at GamesDay 2009.

Converted Ork Battlefortress at Warhammer World

This Ork Battlefortress was part of the diorama showing an Imperial assault on an Ork Shanty Town to rescue a downed Valkyrie of the Militarum Tempestus.

This is a conversion of the Forge World resin model which was available for many years before being retired.

I do wonder if we will ever see a new version of this Ork heavy tank?

Photographs of Ork Battlefortresses.

Larger then a Battlewagon, Battlefortresses are used by richer and more powerful Ork Warbosses as super-heavy assault vehicles and mobile command centers. These enormous heavily-armed vehicles bristle with heavy cannons, energy weapons, and explosive launchers. As a rule any Ork vehicle of sufficient size will be called a Battlefortress by the Orks themselves and like most Ork vehicles there is very little standardization and they are highly customized, though several variants exist such as the “Dethrolla” and “Skullhamma”. Nonetheless, these vehicles are a match for any enemy counterpart on the battlefield short of a Titan. Ork Mek Boyz consider the construction of a Battlefortress to be one of their greatest achievements.

More photographs of the diorama over the years, it started off as an Ork diorama at GamesDay 2009.

Catachan Ogryn Minders

The other day I wrote about the new Necromunda Ogryn Minders and how I was thinking about a possible Tallarn paint scheme for them. I got Gemini to create an AI version of the models in desert camouflage, which I thought came out quite well.

It got me thinking that as well as working with a desert theme, that a jungle theme might also work, so went back to try it out.

These look like they would fit in very well with a Catachan Jungle Fighters regiment.

I am not usually a fan of AI generated art, but I think here it has an use for creating possible painting options for models to work from.

Ork Battlefortress at Warhammer World

This Ork Battlefortress was part of the diorama showing an Imperial assault on an Ork Shanty Town to rescue a downed Valkyrie of the Militarum Tempestus.

Though I have taken photographs of this huge Ork tank (or battlefortress) over the years in the Ork diorama, it’s only when you start looking at it closely you realise that this isn’t something that was ever released, and is a mix of different models. The main frontal cannon appears to be from the Kill Bursta model. I initially thought it might be a Kill Krusha conversion, but comparing the two you realise that it isn’t, however the top turret certainly is from that model. The tracks though appear to be Imperial in style and look like they are from the BaneBlade super heavy tank. Certainly this is an interesting conversion.

I do wonder if we will ever see a new version of this Ork heavy tank?

Photographs of Ork Battlefortresses.

Larger then a Battlewagon, Battlefortresses are used by richer and more powerful Ork Warbosses as super-heavy assault vehicles and mobile command centres. These enormous heavily-armed vehicles bristle with heavy cannons, energy weapons, and explosive launchers. As a rule any Ork vehicle of sufficient size will be called a Battlefortress by the Orks themselves and like most Ork vehicles there is very little standardisation and they are highly customised, though several variants exist such as the “Dethrolla” and “Skullhamma”. Nonetheless, these vehicles are a match for any enemy counterpart on the battlefield short of a Titan. Ork Mek Boyz consider the construction of a Battlefortress to be one of their greatest achievements.

More photographs of the diorama over the years, it started off as an Ork diorama at GamesDay 2009.

Ogryn Minders

Over on the Warhammer Community site there is an article about some new Orklock models for Necromunda.

I always like to take a look as I think sometimes there are models that I can use.  This time I saw and really like the new Ogryn Minders.

Speaking of muscle, the violent and physical nature of convoy protection makes it an ideal vocation for listless Ogryns, who Orlock gangs are only too happy to hire for their natural head-breaking talents and tendency to follow orders without question.

I do think these models would be ideal for my Tallarn forces, and I much prefer these models over the existing Imperial Guard Ogryns that are available. I think they also fit in with the slightly anarchic look I am going for with the Tallarns.

Decided to use Gemini to try an idea out.

I think that works.