Tuesday, 9 January 2024

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?

4 comments:

Martin Rapier said...

Well done for finally getting them done. That chariot is a labour of love.

Whisperin Al said...

A mere amateur when it comes to delayed projects - I have some going back to the last century! :)

Happy New Year BTW!

John Y said...

Congratulations on finishing them! I love these older GW sculpts. They have so much character.

Geordie an Exiled FoG said...

Cheers Martin, Whispering Al,John!

Al (Happy New Year .. I hope we manage to get to the end of 2024 before it gets too interesting) .. the shame of it being, I did not say it was my "oldest project" .. gulp!!
Some (London Exile period) 15mm Franco Prussians come to mind,
A mass of Revell 20mm ACW (Plastic) figures I know I have somewhere,
And an old Airfix KGV 1/600 battleship [bought circa 1992] are competing for that honour

Totally agree John, "the sculpts speak the period really well" .. fun first over fact .. the Orks and the Empire armies kinda changed tack (as per their due every four years as GW revised the moulds) .. 'sadly' massed Fantasy armies are now a thing of the past for GW (more warband methinks) .. though they still stack plenty of 40K toys together

Martin, the Ork Wild Boar Chariot is a totally outlandish and daft looking contraption that looks more dangerous to its occupants than then enemy [similar to a 'clanky tank'] .. you ended up loving it for it "one shot nature".

The plan is now to "play the Starter Set under the the old Warhammer rules" with a few beers to hand.

Thanks for your comments
Mark