Plamo: The Junkernaught Scratchbuild

Yes, yes. I know there's a new Ork Codex. And I'm just sitting here. Scratchbuilding...

Anyways, Ramshackle Games is Nottingham's other-other local model company. Its a small, workshop-based enterprise specialising in made-to-order resin. Nice lads, as I recall. In the before times, I visited their business to collect my orders, and got to have a look around. They do their own designs but my main interest, and probably yours too, is their Ork-adjacent stuff. In addition to whole models, Ramshackle offers endless armour plates, wheels, tracks, and gubbins, which are excellent for conversions. I made a fair few Grot Tanks and Trukks that way. Of course, resin is a rather different material when compared to Games Workshop's fine plastic. There is a certain degree of extra preparation needed and the potential for miscasts or something just shattering. That said, if you're doing something orky, such imperfections may be welcome.

 

The Junkernaught is not a kit by itself, rather a demonstration of how to use a bits multipack by one Curtis Fell, Ramshackle's main dude. The basic idea is similar to Ork walkers like the Gorkanaut, Stompa, & Gargant, although smaller. You have a blocky, vaguely humanoid robot with a low center of gravity and a "belly gun" Inverted commas are there because the first Belly Guns were placed very low indeed, almost as it they are meant to represent something else. I took a look at the build and decided to give it a try. I didn't merely wish to replicate the example though, I wanted something more "friend-shaped" with more defined feet, and the suggestion of an armoured skirt.

My Junkernaught was built around the top of a spraycan and two bottle tops. Armour pieces were then layered on top, with some off-brand Lego for additional support and the feet. I ended up flipping whole thing early on, as it looked better upside down. I attempted the "scalding water" technique to bend a few resin panels, and this the first project where I've had call to use my new glue gun. It's a tool you really don't want to misuse, but it's great for filling gaps securely. I cheated somewhat for the claw arm, using some gunpla parts for the skeleton, and part of a Warlord Games Ghar for the grabby bit. It did come out really nice though, so I'd do it again in an instant! Mwahahaha! Meanwhile, the autocannon type thingy and the head came in the kit, along with the occasional greeblie from my bits box and some wire I chanced upon.

Painting was another exercise in weathering techniques, like the Grot Tank, or the more recent Scopedog. The main colours where achieved by drybrushing metallics over a dark brown undercoat, with an Agarax Earthshade wash. Ryza Rust and Valleojo Silver were used to pick out old and new wear, respectively. The feet and undercarriage got some Stirland Mud, with the model as a whole getting Typhus Corrosion'd in the gaps. Its my current favourite paint. I resisted the temptation to weather the blue too much, as I like it to be bright as a contrast. I eventually had to stop myself from painting it.

 

All in all, this project went very-very well. I think the whole "armoured shirt & feet" aspect is a bit too subtle, but it's fine as a first attempt. Now? I just need to stop myself from building an army of 'em. This made me remember how much I love making Orky vehicle conversions, and that's an expensive habit.