Although I am getting better at painting and converting, I feel I need an army that has that WOW! factor. A fully converted 'counts as' army, that isn't too complicated to figure out what is what.

Now I love Orks, I feel they are one of the two most convertible armies in 40k (the other being Chaos), and after I was browsing through the 2nd ed Ork Codex, I came across the Snakebites and Boarboyz.

Walking down to club on Thursday, I had lots of great ideas of how to counts as enough units to create a suitable army.

However, when I got home and sat down with the codex, I couldn't make all those wonderful things fit in my army, so I had to trim things down a bit.

Now, this is hopefully a competitive army. I will post my conversion ideas alongside each unit, and I will post pics tomorrow of the first few things I have got done today.

HQ: Warboss (120 Pts)
Power Klaw; Slugga; Stikkbombs; 'Eavy Armour; Attack Squig; Bosspole; Cybork Body

I will probably use the AoBR Warboss as it is a fantastic model, with suitable bits of feral bling to make him suitable.

HQ: Weirdboy (85 Pts)
Warphead

Probably use an Ork Nob with lots of different bits again.

Troops: Nobz (355 Pts)
4 Nobz; Choppa (x2); Power Klaw (x2); Slugga (x3); Shoota/Skorcha Kombi-weapon (x1); Twin-linked Dakkagun; Stikkbombs; Cybork Body; Waaagh! Banner (x1); Warbike
1 Painboy; 'Urty Syringe

Anyone who can remember George Dellapina's Cyboars in WD 298-9 will have a good idea of what they will look like. I will use Trukk wheels though for extra orkyness.

Troops: Boyz (149 Pts)
18 Boyz
Boyz Nob; Power Klaw; Slugga

Troops: Boyz (149 Pts)
18 Boyz
Boyz Nob; Power Klaw; Slugga

Troops: Boyz (155 Pts)
19 Boyz
Boyz Nob; Power Klaw; Slugga

A mix of 40k and fantasy boyz. Some with spears to represent sluggas. All the Power Klaws in the army will be Grabba Klaws. I have nearly converted one, so again a pic should be up tomorrow. All the boyz will have backbannerz a la 2nd ed.

Troops: Gretchin (80 Pts)
20 Gretchin
2 Runtherd


Nothing too exotic here. Again will probably use spears to represent Grot shootas.

Heavy Support: Battlewagon (135 Pts)
Zzap Gun; Deff Rolla; Red Paint Job; Stikkbomb Chukka

Heavy Support: Battlewagon (135 Pts)
Zzap Gun; Deff Rolla; Red Paint Job; Stikkbomb Chukka

Heavy Support: Battlewagon (135 Pts)
Zzap Gun; Deff Rolla; Red Paint Job; Stikkbomb Chukka


Using Stegadons to represent Squiggoths. Balsa wood and corrugated card to build the howdah. Deff Rolla will be extra big tusks, stikk bomb chukkas will be grots literally hurling stikk bombs, and the zzap gun will be a Wyrdboy in a Wyrdboy Tower, held by Minderz.

So people, what do you think, what do you think of the army list, and any good or fun suggestions for converting.

I may yet post this on the wiki page, which I think is a great place for project logs.

Sorry, I forgot to mention the bases. I will churn out some holes for marshy puddles, and stick on some bits of aquarium plants afterwards.

i think steg's may be a little small for 40k have you though about a mumak? the size of base is similar to a valkyrie and it would be a lot eaiser to do a howdah for it too with a zzap gun!

I had thought about that on Thursday after looking at Pete's, but with a suitable howdah, I don't think it will be a problem, remembering there isn't really a set size for Battlewagons, just so long as it looks right.

And seeing as how mumaks are twice the price, and don't really look squig-like, it would have to be something else to make me think twice. Maybe a trawl through cheapo toy shops?

i ave a steg without the howdah on if you want to borrow it for sizeing etc?

Bring it round sometime mate, cheers.

Do what I am doing (this army is similar although not the same as mine) and go to the Early learning Centre and pick up a dinosaur or three. They are approx £10 each - they paint well and the stegadon type model is good for a howdah type thing as it has a good flat back - it already has tusks and they are often on a bit cheaper if you but 3

T

Indeed, if I can find a good looking toy, then I may do that. I'll have a look, cheers.

So, which Power Klaw do you prefer?



or



I am sort of leaning to the handleless one, and I reckon I need to replace the 'magazine' bits and make them thinner (it doesn't look like it could pivot to me).

<Edit> I have decided to go with a different method now, so this is no longer applicable.

I like the first power klaw but I have stress the size of the stegs if you were using them as trukks yes but they're no way you could fit 20 boyz on them even with a multi level rig on the back like the one in White Dwarf.

Besides having 3 massive converted squigoths on the board with certainally give it a head turning factor.

You could always go for the old dino toy approach pip, also it's nice to see another log being written.

Now that my Salamanders are up to a suitable size, and can now start to turn my attention to my Feral Orks. Below is a copy of my ideas sheet, all the stuff I want to make a reality.

Warboss

No concrete ideas yet.

Wyrdboy

Need to base him on a Nob. Need to try and find a naked upper Nob Body, or sculpt one.

Left hand to be stretched out in front of him, fingers splayed, sparks of Green Waaagh Lightning coming from his palm. In his Right Hand he will have a Copper Rod with adornments.

He will be standing on something (possibly a Catachan), with his knee bent, giving a sense of forward motion.

His head wants to be straining, making him look like he is straining to contain (or unleash) barely contained energies. His eyes will be painted shut. His head needs some kind of covering, maybe a scary ‘Blanka’ hair style (or a hair style that has been hit by lightning, consider Kroot spines for this).

Nob Bikers

The Squig Mounts will be a combination of old ‘fat’ Dark Elf Cold Ones and Carnifex Heads. The front legs will be cut off (as Squigs only have two limbs).

The Riders will have their legs attached to the mount, probably by cutting them in three (2 legs and groin), gluing these to the mount and then Green Stuffing any gaps.

They need to carry suitable bling, and I would like some of them to have various means of urging their mounts forward (meat on a stick, electro prod, etc)

No Waaagh Banner, certainly at this point, as they need to be cheap so they attract vast amounts of firepower, leaving everything else to go forward unmolested.

Skorchas, will be modelled using Nid Rippers, chained or carried by the Orks, with a small wisp of smoke or fire coming out of its mouth.

Power Klaws are represented using Grabba Sticks, but could also be done using the Bear Trap from the Ogre sprue.

Nobs

They should all be mounted on 40mm bases (looks better, and allows room for more interesting bases. They all need substantial back bannas. Any Boss Poles will be represented by Grots carrying them.

Boyz

All need back bannas. Need more primitive choppas, no chainswords.

Grots

Maybe use Gnoblars as Grots, as they look more down trodden. Scratch build the guns. Mix some Squigs in there to further reinforce the Squig theme.

Battlewagons

The Battlewagons are going to be large Squiggoths, converted from Stegadons. They will be widened by up to 5cm, they will have a neck (the top of which will be armoured similar to the FW model) and there will be a tiny tail.

The Howdah will be made from plasticard and corrugated paper. If it does indeed look too small to carry twenty boys, then hand holds will be modelled on the side, so boys can hang on as it lumbers through the jungle.

The Zzap Gun will be a Wyrdboy and his two minders, built from normal Ork Boys. The Deff Rolla will be represented by oversized tusks.

This will be added to over time as people suggest new ideas, or I see great ideas and unashamedly nick them (must be a bit of Deathskull in me).

I also need to go back over my first two models and increase the highlights and tidy up in a few places.

So you may or may not have had the chance to visit the wiki page (or maybe you just can't be plain bothered), but I thought for the less technophilic amongst us, I should post the pics of my latest model here.

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z158 ... gSquig.jpg

These are going to be my bikers. I intend having a normal unit and a unit of Nob Bikers eventually.

I think I am going to post all my stuff in general here, and then pull the important bits and post them on the wiki page.

Very nice pip that's an angry squig. I look forward to seeing the rest of the project.

Post images on your log, I rarely visit the wiki section.

Well, I have not had a lot of time to paint due to work, but I have finished painting my Hunting Squig, ready for the painting competition this evening.