Well, my current trajectory of liking 40k, but not trusting myself with the actual game, continues. Given my obsessive nature, it would be all to easy for me to fall down into that time/money sink, when I should be trying new things. However, Orktober is Orktober. And there are few greater joys than a scratchbuild build. So, I decided to mark this annual event by doing something for as little money as possible. My bitzbox, my build pile, is so out of hand that I don't actually need to buy anything.
This Gunwagon started life as an aborted Bonebreaka Battlewagon project, circa 8th edition. At the time, such units were popular, but this was shortly before I stopped playing and my heart wasn't in it. I forget precisely how I got it, but I was in possession of an incomplete Land raider, mainly the tracks, and such things are great for Battlewagon style builds. As the connecting plates were missing, I built up the hull with off-brand lego, to be dressed with plasticard and bits. This is still largely how I would do it today, but I'd probably make the front less boxy. Upon re-evaluation, I ditched the Dethrolla, and decided to build something I didn't technically have, the Gunwagon variant of a battlewagon. Orks don't really do battletanks, mostly they do heavy transports and super-heavies instead, but the Gunwagon is about as close as it gets. It's a concept I've wanted to explore for a while, and the rules haven't really encouraged it, but if I'm not actually playing? Competitiveness can go hang.
My build lent towards the modern interpretation, AKA non-Forge-World, and probably the most complex part of it is the turret. In my hubris, this ended up as a sequel to the Junkernaught, using largely l the same "hot glue and hot resin" technique. I did however make use of leftover gap-filler from the Space Hulk project, to, well, guess. I suppose green stuff could have worked as well, but this stuff is soft, plentiful and cheap. After building up from the top of a deodorant spray, I added two big shootas, one back, KV-1 style, and one coaxial. These were minor conversions, using tiny tokens from a poundshop connect 4 game. Another little thing I'm disproportionately proud of is the use of paperclips for cabling on the engine block. Tip: if uncertain where to drill the holes, cut the clip in a J shape, insert the long leg into the first hole, and use the other leg as a guide.
Painting followed in my usual fashion, where I used dry-brushing and every single metallic weathering method I was able. Yes, it's predictable, and I over did it in places, but it's how I like it. I should probably have used more blue, but at least I varied the technique a little there. It was drybrushed in two shades, but avoided the edges in places, so the metal showed through. I. E worn/crappy paint. I actually painted the turret separately, which worked out well until I tried to attach it the hull, where a design oversight became apparent. Following some bodging, I hot-glued it in place, but I'll know better next time. I also made a point of painting the guns, tracks and some riveting with different tones, as while it is very easy to do dirty metal, you shouldn't have just one type of metal. Especially on something this big.
Paint List
Humbrol Acrylic Spray Dark Brown - Basecoat
Citadel Paint and Ink
Morefang Brown – whoops, the spray didn't get this bit
Brass Scorpion – metal base
Leadbelcher - main metal colour
Gehenna's Gold – metallic contrast colour
Calgar Blue – Deathskull blue part 1
Lothern Blue – Deathskull blue part deux
Xereus Purple- cables
Abaddon Black- viewsilts
Agrax Earthshade – Gun and track wash
Vallejo Game Color and Ink
Silver – chipping highlight
Gunmetal – guns & tracks
Orange Fire – rust highlight
Brown- thinned ink wash
Citadel Techicals
Stirland Mud - messy bits near the floor
Typhus Corrosion – too many places, mainly the orkish components
As projects go, this proved to be fairly enjoyable. Its not quite what I originally had in mind, but it all came together once painted. I just wish I could get better pictures...
Work in Progress Pictures
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