Project Chem-Dogs: Part 9

So this week, I finished off my first 1000 points, and had a game on the Monday.

 

I'll start with the tank. As mentioned, this is a proxy model by Ramshackle Games, the Battledog, assuming that I'm not mixing up the names again. This was built as a Leman Russ Demolisher, and the bulk of it was done last week, what I mainly did here was apply waterslide transfers and weathering. I loathe these, and despite some cautious optimism last week, I lost at least five trying to get them on this tank. You can't rush them, and if they get folded, you are in real trouble. I will likely seek an Aquila piece to recast, and maybe some generic number transfers too, because my failure rate is frankly unacceptable. On the plus side, the use of matt mod podge to smooth the surface and seal the things seems promising. My first tank has also had its numbers replaced with an Aquila which went much smoother. Otherwise, this tank went pretty well. Sufficiently well that the speed of painting is getting pretty near to one of my Orky rust buckets. That's good. Its relaxing.

My main task this week was the three kitbashed/green-stuffed Ogyrns. These are Wargames Atlantic's Landsknecht Ogres, which I can say is another good, versatile kit, but I needed to make them more sci-fi. The work I did to make them fit my themes ended up rather involved, and frankly a bit rougher in sculpt, than I intended. I was leaning into the rags over orange jumpsuit theme, but the trousers had to go further than that, so I ended up adding crude knee-pads and pockets. These models are very fancy by themselves, and they needed to look more like prisoners, and those puffy pants were a challenge. By comparison, the gasmasks were easier, as where the kitbashed bayonets, the larger size of the models making some things easier. I had some issues with the undercoating, I got too close on one of them, but once that was sorted, I painted them in the same manner as my infantry. These came out table worthy, but the larger size seems to highlight weaknesses in my techniques. People seem to like them, though.

Having got these chaps together, I was able to have my first 1000 point game in ages, and it was a rematch with the same guy. One hoped that my Demolisher closely followed by the Ogryns would give the Orks some trouble. We only managed to get three turns in, but it was a close draw when we called it. I made a few rules mistakes, but we both were learning, and I think we both had a good time with it. Having tanks on the table made my force work, and I was pleased to see the Ogryns perform the "bouncer" role with some talent. I think I might retire the autocannon teams, or reshuffle them into infantry squads, but I'll see how I go. My 1000 point list seems workable, but I have ideas to further tune it.

On that subject, I also worked on a Hellhound using parts from my hoarder-level bitzbox, but I’ll save that for a future article I think.

 

Up next: The conclusion, but probably not the end.