A retro-project approaching its completion: Games Workshop Warhammer Starter Set circa 2003 - The Orks!

Before Xmas this was the state of play of my Warhammer Starter Set - bought for me as a birthday present circa 2003. The Empire troops are long painted but the Ork (careful not to drop into the LOTR spelling convention here) are still wanting a  bit of attention (see below, the Ork Boar Chariot and Ork Archers are just primed, Ork Chopper Boyz looking ok): 

The Ork Chopper Boyz are pretty much done - an extra bit of work on the blades won't go amiss (see below, these Ork Boyz don't seem to be the 1HD wonders of Second Edition D&D I remember so fondly of in my youth , more like 3-5HD "bad ass" things you try and avoid if at all possible):  

So during the Xmas break I went to it with gusto [it was a bucket list item]! The Ork Archers get their final painting session (see below, basing and flocking of course still to follow): 

The Ork Crew and Wild Boar Chariot was the most challenging. In short, a lot of work .. albeit mostly brown and metal (see below, it did however become a mix between a "labour of love" and "point of honour to finish without rushing". Note:  the Spear Ork is really working hard to find something "to hit"):

A close-up of a typical Greenskin - showing off with a whip, prodding a Wild Boar and bigging himself up (see below, where is a juicy, defenceless Elf when you need one?): 

Nearly there, just the last bit of basing to do! Not that bad after twenty years - I was just waiting until I learned to paint?

Morder Orcs from Warlord Games

Happily assembled, or rather happy to assemble these mutinous creatures into one bit (as yet unpainted) warband (see below, who knows they may well becomes the stuff of nightmares for a Saga warband):  

I do like them as they have a feel of the old Tolkien wood carvings about them, the cruel look and vicious posturing! I may have to go and get the Saga Age of Magic expansion ..

https://www.grippingbeast.co.uk/SRB24_Age_of_Magic_Supplement--product--5849.html

Painting Update of Sorts

The house move "boy's toys" shuffling around continues unearthing long lost "treasures" such as these old Games Workshop 28mm Fantasy "Greenskin Orcs" from the Warhammer 'Starter Pack' of yesteryear, purchased one Christmas long, long ago by my good wife (see said "orcs" below). The accompanying 'Empire Troops' have long since been painted and based as DBR/Impetus Renaissance troops. The orcs were more of a painting exercise in 'green'. The "Chopper Boyz" (blades or warband) are all neatly turned out and painted but their supporting "Archer Boyz" (bows) have still only been undercoated and 'greened'. Well to push them on their way to hedonistic heights of completion I gave all the Archer Boyz's 'bone/teeth' bits a shade of the Vallejo equivalent to Citadel 'Bubonic Brown'. A token gesture on my part, sort of ' I have not forgotten you while you are out old friends' before I put them back in the box and back in the loft. My original thoughts were to mount these not individually but according to the DBx system (at least the DBx basing system seems to be a wargaming 'good point' if nothing else) being "warband troops" of perhaps ancient Briton or Gaulish stock for HoTT or Fantasy Impetus (when it comes as I am sure it will). Heck I may even get to paint some Warlord Late Imperial Romans to fight them one day ;)   

Other newly rediscovered treasures included some 25/28mm plastic Teutonic Knights (that will probably be used in my Renaissance armies), albeit horses currently minus their riders (see below). The Renaissance project seems to have stalled as of late, hmm, all depends on how soon I play another game of Impetus down Hartlepool way methinks.

Another find was a bundle of plastic Games Workshop Empire Handgunners (an eBay purchase rounding out at under 50 pence a figure) destined for Renaissance Trained Harquebusiers of Impetus fame under Emperor Maximilian and the like (see below). They remain stalled from that awful "moving house" status. Standing amidst the plastics are a few Wargames Foundry Landsknechts metals in lowered pile fighting poses.

Alas they all but had a brief moment in the light of painting before the chaos of modern family living (and a very curious two yea old) drove them back to the safer refuge of the garage.