Armageddon Update V

Well it was quite a disturbed week, but we achieved everything we wanted to:

  • Gretchin X
  • War Trakk X
  • Librarian X

The end is definitely in sight. There is a rather uncertain time before us over the coming weeks but I am sure we will plod on as best we can.

My wife enjoyed painting the War Trakk. As you can see the rust effect was put to good use again:

I have always enjoyed painting Librarians but this one was rather awkward given his pose. Still, it left a couple of spots I could just skip.

Orks 31 Space Marines 17

Published in: on August 1, 2026 at 7:29 am  Leave a Comment  
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A Family Affair

Tuesday night is games night and oft times it is the rest of the family who are far more keen on games night than me. I feel I am such a fortunate guy every time the four of us sit down to play. Perhaps my enthusiasm, or rather my obsession, with all things GW has rubbed off more than I thought it would on them. Whatever the case, Tuesday night is Games night.

It is not always Warhammer. The odd board game creeps in and sometimes we have a Magic round robin. Mostly though it is Warhammer. The last three game nights have been; 40k, Bloodbowl and Age of Sigmar. Each was a success in its own way. 40k was the first game of 40k we had played as a family and ended up with a The Alimo type last stand by the Space Marines on the central objective. It was a great hit despite the fact that practically everything was unpainted (we really don’t like playing with grey models but we were impatient).

The game of Age of Sigmar was typical of our approach to all our games. We seldom play by the book. We read the rules and then promptly forget most of them. We play an approximation of the game, our own version of it. We play fair we play happy. The set up for this game was unique. We had played many Spearheads recently and fancied a bigger game. However we ran out of time to generate Army Lists and ended up playing with four Spearheads, one each. Idoneth and Stormcast V Skaven and Slaves to Darkness and used one of the new missions from the Generals Handbook. Quite a mix but it was fun.

One of the best bits of this game was the special little rule we made up. The Order guys could talk tactics during the game but, to simulate the chaos guys sneaky spies they could not whisper. The Chaos guys, on the other hand, just could not discuss tactics at all. We all bought into it and it all came out nicely.

So that is our approach to Warhammer. I have always thought that Warhammer games have a feeling of, “flying by the seat of your pants”. We don’t go chasing the Meta, we are just family and friends playing games. We bend it and shape it how we like. We make it game we want it to be.

I used to be a tournament player but I have not got the stamina for that any more. I have returned to my roots and simply play for fun. That is the great beauty of this hobby, obsession, it is playable on so many different levels.

Have Fun!

Published in: on July 31, 2026 at 7:53 am  Leave a Comment  
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Armageddon Update IV

It has been quite a fun and productive week. It began with the Space Marine Chaplin and the Vanguard Veteran Squad and was rounded off with five Gretchin. The more I do the more fun I am finding it. I hope it is going as well for you.

Next week we are looking at finishing off the Gretchin, the ork Wartrakk and maybe the Librarian. Oook! It is an ambitions week, maybe, but I hope to surprise myself.

Right let’s grit our teeth and dive in there!

The Chaplin and no I will not call him Charlie. Well I might, in the heat of battle, now I have thought of it…

Published in: on July 25, 2026 at 7:30 am  Leave a Comment  
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Big Mek “Wif Shokk Attack Gun of course!”

It was the Shokk Attack Gun that prompted me to suggest this model as a birthday present. When it arrived I was not disappointed. It was very easy to put together and yes it was an ideal candidate for the Mediocre Hobbies (https://www.youtube.com/@MediocreHobbies) rust treatment. Do you think I am going over the top  with all this rust?? Well, is it possible to go over the top with rust if you are playing Orks? I don’t think so. With the arrival and completion of the Big Mek it marked the end to the pre Armageddon filler inners. All done and Armageddon was not even here yet. WOW!

As I said it was the Shokk Attack gun that drew me to this model. Just the sight of it carried me back to such fun Epic Space Marine encounters back in the early 90’s. Ahh those were the days, sigh. I will have to see if I can find some of that old Epic stuff. I spent a lot of time, planning, dreaming of and painting, and playing with that system.  I was not a fan of the late 90’s Epic, Epic 40k as they called it, but each to their own. I tried to get into the new stuff. Indeed, I have a box of the “New” Adeptus Titanicus  and several Legions Imperialis so I sincerely hope that the “The Duke” will march again!

Anyway, back to today and 40k. This character is full of narrative inspiration as I think many Orks are. I hope he lives up to expectations and I witness him performing many miraculous failures and the odd, splendid slaughter!

So we come to the end of this little series. I am blessed with a such a loving family who pander to my Warhammer habit so generously. Thank you guys very much. Through them I have been able to bring you this tale of paint and joy. Fortunately there is still much more to come…

Published in: on July 24, 2026 at 7:11 am  Leave a Comment  
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Armageddon Update III

Orks 20 (Yes you heard me right 20!) Space Marines 10

Yay the balance is restored!

Well I am plod, plod plodding along. Thirty guys done. It seems a bit daunting but if I just keep taking these bite size chunks out of the pile it will end, it must end. TELL ME IT WILL END! *Snigger*

Actually I am having a lot of fun painting these guys. I know there of plenty of people out there who have finished the box already. Pah! I care not, hehe. I am starting to believe that maybe, just maybe I will get this box done. But please, please, don’t ask about Leviathan!!!

Let’s just keep on going. How are you guys doing?

Published in: on July 18, 2026 at 7:48 am  Leave a Comment  
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Ride of the Orkyries

I just can’t help myself. I am of an age where, I see the Ork Deff Copter Squadron and I hear the Ride of the Valkyries playing in my head*! These are such brilliant little models. The are so dynamic, so nicely proportioned and so blooming Orky. Again, they were brilliant candidates for the Mediocre Hobbies (over on YouTube, check them out) rust treatment. It worked a charm, at least I think so. They were a breeze and a delight to paint. And you get six of them!

Obviously they came as part of the New Ork Battalion Set, which includes a Rukkatrukk Squigbuggy and a Deffkilla Wartrike. Again these two models just scream; ORKY! They are fantastic. Painted rusty and red and Bob is your uncle, if he is a very nice uncle he’ll buy this set for you. At the time of going to press it was still available, but only while stocks last.


Just as a word of warning though, the rotor blades, on the Deff Copters, are a bit on the flimsy side. Be wary of over eager dry bushing. I managed to snap one off and it required some serious pinning to get it back on again. I saw that someone had the clever idea of magnetising them. I wish I had the patience for that; it seems like a very cunning solution for storing the darn things too.
The set was a lovely Birthday present, it helped to flesh out my burgeoning Ork army and fill some more time while waiting for Armageddon to release.


*Apocalypse Now by Francis Ford Coppola

Published in: on July 17, 2026 at 7:56 am  Comments (1)  
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Armageddon Update II

Orks 11 – Space Marines 10

Arrgh the pesky Marines are closing the gap. Sadly the heatwave got too bad this time, the paint was drying on my brush, so there may not be as much progress next time, but you never know????

Published in: on July 11, 2026 at 7:52 am  Leave a Comment  
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Wazdakka Gutsmek

Now this is an Ork, an Ork with a capital Ork. He spoke right to my inner orc, I just had to have him. Oh boy did I ever know that he was going to be dead hard to paint but I wanted him, so, there was nothing for it I had to face the challenge, I had to paint him.

Now you hardly need me to tell you that painting is not my forte. But, it makes my heart sing to put a painted army on the table. They are not going to win any prizes but I don’t care. These guys are imbued with the character I have bestowed upon them, and that is good enough for me.

So the Gutsmek challenge. How to paint this little beggar. Well, one of my favourite painting sites on YouTube is Mediocre Hobbies. This guy has given me such useful tips on many an occasion and led to many a painted orc/k who otherwise would have remained grey. Anyway, back to case in hand, Gutsmek. The problem with him was the bike itself that whole engine saga. Well Mediocre Hobbies fixed it, his rust solution is absolutely brilliant. Go over there, watch his Gutsmek video and paint up a huge Speed Freak Waaagh!

Now this is a side of Gutsmek you dont get to see very often. I love the little gretchin, “Fixit” I call him and of course so does Gutsmek. It is a great model and lovely to paint. It made me feel better after painting Yarrik and passed a bit more time while waiting for the release of Armageddon.. I’m not doing too badly at working through these guys.

Published in: on July 10, 2026 at 7:14 am  Comments (2)  

Armageddon Update

Orks 11 Space Marines 0

Waaagh!

Published in: on July 4, 2026 at 6:14 am  Leave a Comment  
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Yarrick

What? Me? Yarrick? You must be barmy! No self-respecting orc, like me, would touch Yarrick with a ten foot fine detail brush. You must be mistaken! Why the very thought of it! It sends shivers down my spine and makes my orc blood run cold. Me Yarrick, never!

Oh that Yarrick… Yeah, well, you know I got caught up in the hype. Lost in the euphoria of expectation. And on top of that, it looked like a very nice model. What is not to like, clean lines, nice detail and well posed. Even an old orc like me looks forward to clean lines sometimes.

I have keenly followed the story of Ghazghkull and Yarrick since it began all those years ago. It has been a hell-of-a ride but, despite how they might dress it up, this puny human always manages to thwart Ghazghkull. It is a great piece of Warhammer magic. It has inspired me again and again to brush the dust off my 40k Orks and dream of gorgeous battles on dusty worlds.

This time, though, this time it is going to happen! Look how serious I am; I have built Yarrick! It is going to happen. After all these years Armageddon is coming. You see if it don’t!

And in the end, you know, if all this comes to nought! If this is nothing more than an old orc’s pipe dream, it matters not. It is the journey that counts. It is the hobby that counts; the planning, the buying, the building, the painting. I have had all this joy already.

Also  I have lined up a “little” treat for myself, when I have finished painting the Armageddon box just to redress the balance.

Published in: on July 3, 2026 at 7:16 am  Leave a Comment  
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