Updating Thrugg Bullneck and his boyz

apologist

Member
A mate of mine and I are working on forces for the Rogue Trader Battle for the Farm and Battle for Jadeberry Hill scenarios. I'm taking Bullneck's orks. The idea for this project is to update the new models with more of a Rogue Trader aesthetic. As a result, the miniatures won't be vintage lead (well, a few are), but are fondly Oldhammer in inclination, as you'll see from Thrugg Bullneck and a bunch of 'orrid grots here:

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I'd love to hear what you think, and if you have any thoughts or advice on the modelling and painting of the boyz themselves. For example, I've tried to match my Thrugg conversion to the appropriate original model, and will be doing the same for Hruk – but as for Ulruk of Mergabenurga, shall I use the third personality figure from the Ork Raiders box as inspiration, or go off-piste and try and get some more Elric influence in?

SImilarly, what are the things that strike you as most characteristic of the RT-era ork models? There's the general 'WWII bad guy vibe', but the quilted jackets and goggles are the sort of thing I'm thinking of specifically, as those are the things I can add with a bit of conversion and sculpting.

Finally, are there any particular sculpts that you'd like to see re-imagined for this project?
 

apologist

Member
Well, first one off the blocks. An affectionate update of Kev Adams' Bolta 25:
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Here's the new version next to the original:
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The key things I've tried to get across are:
[*] Including the quilted armour
[*] Retaining the revolver-style weapon
[*] Making the fatigues baggier where they meet the boots and raggier at the knee
[*] Removing the plastic model's spikes and jewellery for a slightly more military feel
[*] Adding a lower lip and tweaking the face

Successful update?
 

JonAtron

Member
Very much so, you've got the spirit of the original. Looking forward to seeing it painted, that's when all your work really shines and takes on character! ( Or is undone by painting mishaps :/ )
 

Orjetax

Member
A fun alternate vision of what a modern ork model might look like had the company adhered closer to the RT artistic vision.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

apologist

Member
All finished:
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The freehand's a combo of the Luggub's Drop Legion symbol and the stylised skull from the opener of The Battle for the Farm scenario.
 

JonAtron

Member
Awesome, really, really good! I'd love to kill these on the tabletop with my Crimson Fists! :grin:

How did you get the wood effect on the stock? Simply brush stroke down a darker brown? Looks good for its simplicity.
 

Suber

Member
Terrific and inspiring work. I'm not fond of the looking of modern Orks, but you have blended the minis to the point where they make sense with the original designs, and they look amazing!
 

apologist

Member
Coo, thanks all. Jonatron, the wood effect is just as you say; increasingly fine and dark wibbly lines. I'd very much like to see your awesome Crimson FIsts in person – you heading to BoyL at some future point?

Another four boyz get their greenstuff (and a grin) on:
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More work to do on them yet, but I'm pleased with the slightly more upright pose I've got on them. I think it makes them look a little more like the rangy classic orks. The pre-greenstuff image shows it nicely. The part-painted lad is unconverted, the remaining three had their legs trimmed off the groin, then rotated (ouch :shock:)
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...Oh, and while I'm posting, some proper Oldhammer grots, along with more modern ones. All awaiting paint:
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apologist

Member
Cheers Suber :)

Painting continues on da boyz. I've used a lot of browns and greys, and they're looking a bit Blood Axe-y at the moment. To get back to the RT feel, I'll be adding in some biker-style markings and warpaint.
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apologist

Member
Squad 1 nears completion. Detailing and basing remaining:
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...and the squad alongside a pre-greenstuff ork and some runts:
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apologist

Member
Hruk! Actually Hruk this time. The Kev Adams' original is here:
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...and here's the WIP homage, based on Brian Nelson's newer design:
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I'll be kitting him out with his shootas soon. Being a personality, he warrants something a bit special, so I've got vague plans for giving him a space marine boltgun. This fits with the scenario – the invasion of the Crimson Fists' home planet, Rynn's World – and also ties into the original Rogue Trader armament. +

Of course, just sticking a plastic boltgun on is going to be a bit unimaginative, so I thought I'd run with a bit of era-appropriate Judge Dredd-style sci-fi. Like Dredd's lawgiver, space marine boltguns are sometimes noted to be keyed to the owner's genetic coding or armour, so that they can only be fired by the owner. Hruk will this have to apply some orky-know-wotz and get round this – so I'll have the unfortunate Crimson Fists' gauntlet nailed on and wired in to provide the correct protocols to get it to fire. Whether the hand remains inside will likely remain up to your imagination!
 

Zhu Bajie

Member
These all look fantastic. A really neat alternative take on the crew, got a lot of the dark sci-fi, horror vibe that come through the Ian Miller drawings in Rogue Trader, but this:
apologist":11ibo3wj said:
Like Dredd's lawgiver, space marine boltguns are sometimes noted to be keyed to the owner's genetic coding or armour, so that they can only be fired by the owner. Hruk will this have to apply some orky-know-wotz and get round this – so I'll have the unfortunate Crimson Fists' gauntlet nailed on and wired in to provide the correct protocols to get it to fire.

Is a genius level Rogue Trader conversion concept. Can't wait to see the finished thing.
 

apologist

Member
Thanks, Zhu Bajie. Here is the finished chap, trophy weapon and all (plus two boyz):
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The AK-47 lookalike in the centre is from Gorkamorka. It's nice to have touches from each period in ork history, I think; and these grot weapons are better sized for my purposes than the exaggerated plastics.
 

apologist

Member
Ta :)

Building is now complete for the remaining boyz, and painting has begun:
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The farm buildings are coming along too:
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I used Warlord Games' Ruined Farmhouse kit, which seems ideal for the Battle for the Farm scenario, giving you ruins for both the main building and an outbuilding at about the right size.
 

apologist

Member
... and we're done (for now):

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Here's the inspiration for the warpaint, tattoos and logos:
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I've got a few more ork part-built, so I might expand this a bit, and dive back into remakes of specific models. First though, the Battle for the Farm...
 
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