Savage Orcs WIP

The pesky varmints from Games Workshop are almost done. Everything is painted, only some detail work including tattoos, base grass and a matt spray to go.

I've still managed to miss the lip ring on the drummer, at least all their toenails are painted.

Orcs & Goblins Arachnarok spider gets a base

The big spider is getting his base coat and I'm fiddling with the base while its drying, GW Savage Orc for scale.

I've been working on Games Workshops Arachnarok spider today. All of the colour schemes I've seen have been a bit safe for want of a better word. Although i've just spotted this one on Warseer by Tokamak. Mine is going to be a lot brighter than the black, red, and yellow headed ones I've seen on the internet from GW so far and some thought has gone into what it will look like. Whether or not i can pull it off remains to be seen.

Someone on the internet had mentioned it will be easier to paint with the legs off and i agree but having already rushed into putting it together that option wasn't open to me. Definitely paint the spider separate to the base as this is going to make it a lot easier to reach fiddly bits.

While the basecoat was drying it seemed like a good opportunity to get the base and tree support together. The rear legs of the spider locate into two holes on either side of the tree. Its a nice piece in itself with the snack Goblins and tiny little mushrooms growing out of the tree.

The tree support made up of three pieces. It's important to dry fit it to the base to get the spider to sit where you want before you glue it down. Put it too far forward and the spider will be way out the front of the base.

Only the rear and second leg pairs contact the base. B2, my five year old, called the bases of the second feet "skull shoes".

The front and third pairs of legs are the articulated ones giving you a little latitude with the final position.

 Once I'd glued the tree down i tested the spider again and did a little final move of the tree before the glue set. The legs needed to be slightly pinched together to get them to sit in the holes.

GW Savage Orc progress

The Big Stabber showing the neat way the designers did the mount for the blade. The mould line is a little annoying at this point :p

Savage Orcs WIP, those on the left have their basecoat, two in the middle have Goblin Green and the four on the right have a wash of Thraka Green.

Games Workshop Savage Orcs WIP

Savage Orc boys with their main colours blocked in.

I'm painting up the Savage Orcs from the next black box for the Orcs & Goblins release. My normal fairly leisurely painting timetable has been put aside and I'm going hell for leather on these and the Arachnarok spider to get them into the display cabinet before the release date. Its amazing how often you miss out a figure when you are batch painting and end up with one out of ten with no toenails.

First impressions of the figures are that they are well thought out with some features that I haven't seen such as the tongues being molded onto the necks and the heads with open mouths being hollow so they fit together. I did find it necessary to trim tongues where the mouth was closed to get a good fit on the neck stub.

Savage Orc Big Stabber crew with their lettered shoulders.

Savage Orc Big Stabber crew arms.

The Big Stabber with lettered tabs for the Orc hands. The spear tip has a hollow where the log the Orcs are holding goes either side of the stone.

The Big Stabber is an interesting experiment allowing two figures to be joined together and fielded on a cavalry base.

There are options on the sprue to do spears/shield, bows or two hand weapons. No extra heads which is a bit of a bummer for converters but there are a few extra orcy bits fitted in. These sprues should swap parts easily with the new Savage Orc Boar boys which are due for release at the same time. A 40K player who saw these was drooling over the Ork possibilities especially the standard.

The Arachnarok spider with its undercoat and the Savage Orcs about half way through their paint job. The small spider is from the last Warhammer boxed set, I'm using them to test paint patterns for the big boy.

Assembling Games Workshop's Arachnarok Giant Spider

I'm putting together and painting an Orcs and Goblins Arachnarok spider for my local FLGS and I'm taking notes and photos as I go.

First off its really struck me as a well made kit, the folks who are on the computers designing these for GW have really hit their stride with an attention to detail that has the parts fit well enough to almost snap into place.

The only section that had me scratching my head so far was how the legs should attach to get them in the right spots but as i dry fitted them it became apparent that there was a sweet spot that had them locked into place. Put the leg into the correct socket and give it a little bit of a twist and push and you'll see what i mean.

 

The Arachnarok sprue with forest goblin for scale.

The abdomen side piece complete with little spiders riding along.

Four pieces to get to this stage.

The top of the abdomen about to be glued in.

A face only a mother could love.

The fit of the pieces is exceptional.

The front right of Games Workshops Arachnarok spider showing the four leg sockets. the squarish peg hole on the abdomen is the brace for the rear leg.

The giant spider is a pleasure to put together but I can't wait to get it to the point of starting the paint job. I can see a lot of these turning up at Games Day this year in Sydney.

NB: no night goblins were harmed in the production of this article (yet!).

A quick meal

I ended up being at home by myself for an evening last week. Which is unheard of with two small children and wife. So i promptly nicked off for a long MTB ride only coming back as it got dark. When i got back i was hungry but time was getting on so i whipped up a quick meal.

Ainsley Harriot's branded instant foods have popped up over here over the last few years and the flavours are usually to my taste so they are quite often in our cupboard for emergencies.

Couscous is a sort of pasta for want of a better explanation that only requires boiling water to heat it and rehydrate ready for eating. You can buy it plain and add flavours but these small packs save a bit of mucking around. 

Leftover roast chicken, snow peas, spring onions, pre mix couscous and funky little Kumato grape tomatoes.

Ainsleys' Moroccan Medley Couscous in the bowl ready for hot water injection. This little bowl takes our smallest saucepan lid.

Heat pan, throw chicken in then snow peas and spring onions, get some colour and heat into these ingredients.

Pop tomatoes in last, i prefer them to be just heated through rather than mush.

A knob of butter gets cut into the moisturised couscous after its sat covered for five minutes then its ready to go.

Complete, yum.

The only thing i would have added was a dollop of yoghurt but it certainly hit the spot.