Big Gunz Grot Krew

When you get a Big Gunz blister you only get two krew. In my games I have found two krew is not really enough to last the game, so I now try and have as many as possible. I have been using standard grot models, but I have had some spare models hanging around for a while on my workbench so I decided to paint them up.

I started with a white undercoat, I usually use a black undercoat with my Orks, but as Grots are meant to be a lighter shade of green than Orks, I start off them with white.

I then give them a base coat of Goblin Green.

I also paint any metallic equipment black to give a better look when I add the metallic paint.

I then highlight them with Scorpion Green, I use to use Bilious green, however my last pot dried up and Games Workshop no longer make it. The Scorpion Green is very similar and does the same job.

I also highlight them again with a mix of Scorpion Green and yellow.

Uniforms are shades of brown to represent the rags they wear and to differentiate them from the Orks who wear grey. I also use Boltgun Metal for the metal parts.

Eyes are painted black with a red eye, whilst teeth and nails are done with Bleached Bone.

Bases will be the same as for my Orks, Codex Grey with a white drybrush.

My workbench shows details on painting the Big Gunz themselves.

Happy Christmas

I hope (if you were celebrating) that you had a good Christmas.

I certainly did and managed to get a nice lot of *toys* and more paint.

I was given a Forgeworld Warhammer Cottage, a Chaos Rhino (which I am going to convert into a Ork Looted Rhino of course before you think I have gone over to the dark side), a Mek Boy (to manage the project). My mother-in-law got me a Killa Kan, whilst my son bought me some reinforcements for my DaemonHunters army. I also got a Wartrakk as well. Overall lots of lovely models to build and paint.

Forgeworld Newsletter #137

excellent small Imperial shuttlecraft…

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Welcome to the latest Forge World newsletter. We have got quite a lot of new models to show you today, all of which have just been made available to pre-order on the Forge World online store. We’ll be taking a good close look at each of these new releases and we’ve a couple sets of experimental rules that go along with some of the models too.
Thx,

Ewen Little,
Forge World.

Cadian Infantry Squad with Respirators Upgrade Pack
Nooooo! I want to start a Cadian army now. This comprehensive upgrade pack is just lovely and just needs some plastic Cadian infantry to complete. In here you get a sprue of beautifully sculpted heads, mostly helmeted but one wearing an officer’s/squad leader’s cap and another just wearing the respirator which really shows off the straps holding it to his face. Popping back to the ‘normal’ helmeted heads for a second, there are actually eight different designs, some of which have small pieces of equipment or decoration. With all these facemasks, this pack is absolutely perfect for people who don’t like to paint faces or eyes! I think my favourite component is the officer/sergeant torso pulling a pistol from his holster and then the slung lasgun. Of course there are absolutely masses of little component parts like ammo clips, pouches, knives and the like to super-detail your squad with. We’ve got a plasma pistol, a really nice sword and an arm carrying a box of las-rifle clips to name but a few more.

Cadian Infantry Squad Upgrade Pack
This Cadian upgrade pack is very similar to the one we have just taken a look at with the main difference being the heads. In this pack you get all the same exquisite little parts to add to your infantry models, but all ten heads are individually detailed with different expressions! With this upgrade pack you can make your infantry into highly detailed individiuals, perhaps going as far as naming them and their unit, even coming up with a back-story for them too. If that isn’t your sort of thing you’ll still have some of the most enviable Imperial Guard models available.

Cadian Hardened Veterans Upgrade Pack
With their hard-won experience, Hardened Veterans can often sneak into advantageous positions before a battle begins and can out-shoot regular line infantry once they are there. In addition, the wider selection of weaponry available to these elite troops makes them even more useful to Imperial Commanders. In this release, we have armed the Cadian Hardened Veterans with pump-action combat shotguns, useful for showering the enemy with a veritable hail of fire before charging in to mop up the bloody remnants in a good old fashioned close assault. (But of course everyone knows that shotguns just look cool!) What we have done is try to portray that special something that makes a unit of Hardened Veterans what they are. We started by making five different heads so that you can identify each guy in the squad as an individual, not just yet another Cadian trooper. We made two different complete torso-arm-gun combinations which give a more integrated look to the completed model which is sometimes difficult to achieve with models with more component parts. Finally, we made lots of different small pieces of equipment that are used to uniquely alter the load-out of each Veteran. These parts include field-packs, grenades, shotgun belts, combat knives and helmets complete with liners. Now, if I’m going to get one of those Arvus Lighters (see below) it would make sense to get some troops wouldn’t it? Just a couple of packs so I can drop in a few special weapons…

Tyranid Floating Spore Sacks
Tyranid Floating Spore Sacks trail long, groping tentacle sensors underneath them and are full of bio-acid, toxins and smaller spore mines. They are larger and more deadly versions of the common spore mine clusters. Unlike ‘lesser’ spore mines, Floating Spore Sacks can drift high into the sky, forming drifting minefields perfectly capable of destroying enemy aircraft. A Spore Sack drifting high will actively seek out enemy aircraft, being drawn towards a target before exploding in a huge shower of bio-acid, toxins and chitinous shrapnel. Floating Spore Sacks carry other spore mines inside them and when the Sack detonates many of these mines are destroyed – adding to the force of the explosion, but some will be flung clear and continue drifting to find new targets. These are great! I really like the size and shape of these ugly so-and-sos; they just fit my idea of what this sort of critter should look like. Well done Daniel!Warwick’s rules look fun too, though I must admit I don’t really want to be on the receiving end of them!

Imperial Navy Arvus Lighter
A couple of weeks ago we showed a picture of Daren Parrwood working on the fuselage of a small ‘shuttlecraft’. Today we are able to share the finished product with you; the Imperial Navy Arvus Lighter. The Imperial Navy commonly employs a wide variety of smaller craft aboard its vessels, from brigs, dories and pinnaces to couriers and the Arvus Lighter. The Arvus is a small utility cargo shuttle used by the ships of the Imperial Navy for transferring cargos of supplies or small units of personnel from ship-to-ship or ship to planet. The Arvus is commonly seen on the launch decks of large Imperial ships or making repeat runs from surface to ship, transporting supplies and men. Arvus Lighters are also used as utility transport craft on Imperial worlds, ferrying supplies and manpower between installations. Squat and durable, with powerful engines for carrying heavy loads, most are not armed as the Arvus is not a combat vehicle. At need the Arvus can also be employed as an assault boat and although it is not designed for this role it can transport a squad of infantry, (but not in any comfort). I am a big fan of how the Arvus Lighter looks and love the idea that not all the vehicles in the Imperium are armed. Despite my slowly growing 40K Eldar force I can see an Arvus appearing on my painting table before too long…

Imperial Navy Arvus Lighter

Experimental Rules
Like I mentioned above, Warwick has given us a set of experimental rules for the Tyranid Floating Spore Sacks. They can be downloaded as a .pdf file from the link below. If you have any feedback then please feel free to email your comments to us at imperialarmour@games-workshop.co.uk We do read all the emails we receive but unfortunately are just not able to reply to every question.

Tallarn Sentinel
The Sentinel is used extensively by the Tallarns for reconnaissance, patrolling and hit-and-run attacks, often working some distance away from the main body of the Tallarn force. Over the many years that Tallarn Imperial Guard regiments have served the Imperium, their Techpriests have developed numerous field modifications for their vehicles and equipment. Without these modifications it is possible that the Tallarns would not be able to fight the enemies of Humanity in desert environments to their best of their ability and so are quite commonplace in Tallarn regiments. This version of Tallarn Sentinel has been upgraded with a large air filter on the rear of the power-plant to try to improve its reliability when operating in excessively dusty environments. It has also been equipped with larger feet to better spread the vehicle’s weight over soft, shifting surfaces and maintain the mobility that is key to the effective use of Sentinels. Finally, this example has also had the cockpit covered in an attempt to offer the pilot some respite from the sometimes harmful rays from alien suns and shelter from blowing dust and sand when caught in poor weather. I like the simple but realistic ideas that Mark Bedford has put into this kit and the new resin Tallarn pilot he sculpted is just great.

Forge World
Games Workshop
Willow Road, Lenton
Nottingham, NG7 2WS

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I really like the small Imperial Flyer, seriously thinking about getting one for my Daemon Hunters force.

Operation Sealion German Armoured Train

This found its way onto my workbench (and with the recent discussion on Operation Sealion) I thought people might be interested.

German Armoured Train using a captured GWR Tank Engine

It is a 20mm German Armoured Steam Engine. Using a captured GWR Praire 2-6-2 Tank Engine, the German occupation forces would use armoured trains to protect the rail network from English terrorists (partizans) and important trains (carrying the ReichsMarshal of Great Britain for example).

Normally it would push a flat wagon with 40mm AT weapon on it and other wagons would include Flak wagons and heavy machine guns.

Actually I can’t remember purchasing the Dapol plastic kit, building it or even painting it!

Forgeworld Imperial City Walls

This is the Forgeworld Imperial City Walls from the Forgeworld Display at GamesDay 2005.

You can see this is a huge piece of scenery, those are long barreled autocannons on the walls.

The entrance is certainly imposing and an Imperial BaneBlade can fit through those doors.

I do like this, but is it worth £625? Well from what I have heard they have been flying off the *shelves* at Forgeworld. This model took something like twelve days to make and paint.

I want two!

Ork with Rokkit Launcher Conversion

I have made some more progress on my Ork with Rokkit Launcher Conversion.

I have painted the *uniform* in Codex Grey. I have drybrushed the base with white paint and I have added some detailing.

Still some more work to do.

The conversion uses a standard shoota with a grenade from the Stormtroopers set stuck in the end.