Wartrakk finished!

A wise man once said: WARTRAKK IS DA FIRST TO DA FIGHT!

You’ll notice the driver’s head is not the stock head.  Somehow this bit got lost!  However, I did have a spare head from one of the buggy sprues and it works quite well.

Next: Killa Kans and Deff Dread!

Trukk Melee Update

Trukks are good in melee now?

Apparently!  Time for a WYSIWYG update!

This Trukk had two buzzsaws from the new Trukk kit added to the sides.

This one has a pewter Killa Kan arm with a Big Choppa bit from the Nobs kit.

Finally, this one has a claw from the Battlewagon.  Not seen are several “junk” bits in the engine area that were the perfect shape to hold this claw.  Remember kids, NEVER THROW THINGS AWAY.

Next: more Ork stuff and possibly Tyranid BFG?

Ork Codex Compliance Extravaganza of Extreme Rage

New Ork Codex!  Hooray!

Nob bases are now 40 mm!

…

Except for Beast Snagga Nobs, Kommando Nobs, and Stormboy Nobs.  Those are still on 32 mm.  Seriously show some consistency, Games Workshop.

In addition, thanks to the new Warbiker box, all Warbiker Nobs can’t have a Power Klaw and have an additional Rokkit weapon.

…

Well, nothing for it.  If that’s the way it is in the book then WYSIWYG demands a re-basing project.  Pitter Patter.

Here’s the new Nob for my Ork Boys, complete with an added on Rokkit.  (Note: coming soon will be a Burna and a Big Shoota for his squad.)

Next, here’s the Nob Squad with the same upgrades:

Flash Gits didn’t need new weapons but they did need new bases:

Finally, the Warbiker Nob got an arm swap and a new Rokkit Launcha:

There we go!  Models are now Codex Compliant.

Next: Big Mek, Tankbustas, new Ork Boys, and hopefully a Big Mek Dakkarig, possibly not in that order!

Updated Land Speeders

That’s three old school Land Speeders updated for modern gameplay:

Found some old Land Speeder Typhoon missile lauchers in the bitz box (thanks Lexington!) and popped ’em right on.  One of the above Land Speeders didn’t have an old pewter driver’s sight, so they got one of the newer plastic ones.  Finally, I chopped off the old Flying Base Ball Joint top, hand-drilled a new hole, and slapped them on a new flying stand in a brand new regulation sized oval base.  Complete with either Heavy Flamer or “Onslaught Gatling Cannon.”

Next: Ork stuff, Gothic Tyranids, and Legion Imperials

Azure Flames Company Heroes

Recently, I faced the World Eaters in a game of 11th edition.  Due to points constraints, and due to the fact that my squad of Company Heroes was not complete.

Not anymore.

Start with the Company Champion:

This is actually a Captain model, with a pointing arm and a different head.  This model and all others in the squad have cloaks from the Dark Elf Black Ark Corsairs (out of print and expensive!)

Next, the Company Ancient:

Other than the cloak, this gentleman is just the Ancient from the new Armageddon box.  The flame near the top of the standard was sculpted, and the Ork skulls were filed off.

Finally, the support guys:

These dudes were from a squad of Intercessors that I purchased long ago but didn’t get around to painting.  The Heavy Bolter is from my (insane) bitz supply and fits a Primaris scale marine pretty well!  The Bolter guy has a gold rosette from a plastic Sternguard torso.

Next: Apparently they changed the size of Scout bases from 25 mm to 28.5 mm?  I need Scouts for the current meta, so two five man squads are getting re-based.

Tyranid Gothic expansion – more escorts!

As you saw earlier, I helped two people at AFK get into Battlefleet Gothic.  Talk of a campaign was had, but there were not really enough people to make it work.

I considered at this time to use my Tyranid fleet.  However, when breaking down the points, I didn’t really have enough to do a full campaign list.

So I did what I do.

I went overboard.

Six Kraken with torpedoes.  These are Warrior bodies, Mawloc fangs on the side, two Gaunt Adrenal Glands for the rear thruster, and flesh hooks for the torpedoes.

Five more Kraken with Massive Claws.  I have several of these already, this brings the total to 11.  The front is a Hive Guard Spike Rifle, the back is a Devourer, and the armor vanes are Genestealer armor plates cut in half.

A similar build, Kraken with Feeder Tentacles.  These are Spore Mines cut off the base with Flesh Hook tips covering up the cut ends.  The top is cut off with clippers and stuck onto a Venom Cannon with more Genestealer armor on the sides.

Again, I’ve made these before, but now I have more.  Vanguard with Feeder Tentacles.  Hive Crone Tentaclid with Fleshborers on the bottom as thrusters.

I made these a while ago, but hadn’t shared the pics.  The fighters (left) are venom glands with a flesh hook tip as the rear thruster.  The Assault Boat (right) is the top of a Ripper, with the top of a Spinefist in the rear and two venom glands at the front.  Both are supported with the stalks of Flesh Hooks leftover from clipping the tips.  Remember, NEVER THROW ANYTHING AWAY!  You never know when it could come in handy.

Next: Legion Imperialis Astartes Infantry, the fourth box which will give me full formations of the support stands!

Khalil and Piers – Azure Flames Primaris Captain project complete!

In 2024 I set out to replace all of my older and almost never used Space Marine Captains with Primaris versions of themselves (which also probably would rarely be used).

2025 sent that for a curveball with all of my painting competitions.  There were only two left and they sat on the backburner.

In truth, they were 99% done until today.  I was waiting for a custom waterslide transfer order.  Now, they are finished.

I’ll start with Khalil.  He uses the new (but not the newest!) Space Marine Captain with Jump Pack model.  Because the newest model allows for Thunder Hammer/Storm Shield, I used Vanguard Veteran bits for the arms.  Additionally, older players will recognise that head from the 3rd edition Tactical Squad box; the same head I used for Khalil in his two previous models.

Standard paint job, but I’ve added a glow effect that I practiced on my Inceptor models last year for the jump pack.  I also gave special attention to the script on the shield and pauldron.

Khalil was recruited from an ailing Hive world past its prime; where being able to climb the rotting superstructure of the domes meant the difference between life and death.  He broke the record for shortest time in the aspirant trials, and was, after serving in the reserve companies, assigned to a Land Speeder squadron.  His squadron was destroyed by the forces of Victor Kalan during his dark campaign with The Alliance, but Khalil managed to crawl from the wreckage with what remained of then Lieutenant and soon-to-be-Captain Edgard.  Khalil continued to serve and was promoted to Captain during the opposition campaign against Grimgull the Red.  Khalil himself had the distinction of ending the Red Ork, but not before Matthius, Prophet of the Four had reclaimed the daemonsword Ba’arzunipal.

After the Chasma Spica war, Khalil struck out with a portion of the fleet after the fleeing Chaos Warlord Esharradon of the Sicarii.  The relentless campaign of vengeance earned him the nickname “Fury of Iperin” as he was a living embodiment of the wrath of the Azure Flames’ new homeworld.

Before the Omega War, Khalil almost lost his Battle Barge, His Anvil (additionally most of the 7th company and his own life).  However, due to the brave actions of Zeraf Antonius, His Anvil was salvaged and refurbished.  Now, Khalil lives every day trying to live up to the name Fury of Iperin, slaughtering the foes of the Imperium with speed and precision.

Piers was named by my friend Joe during our writing of Big Game V.  I chose his first name after Virgil from the 90’s television adventure cartoon Might Max.  Piers’ voice is Virgil’s haughty British one on the occasion that I hear him speak in my head.  He uses the new Space Marine Gravis Captain model, modified with a bit of green stuff at the shoulder to cover one of the WORST MODELING GAPS I HAVE SEEN in a modern GW model.  Additionally, the helmeted head had the neck clipped and was attached to the hip, and the head replaced with the pewter head that Piers’ previous model had (the Captain with the Thunder Hammer from the old pewter Master of the Chapter box set).

Piers has a small OSL effect on his wrist, and the VII on his leg is a custom decal that I ended up painting over.  The “purple” from the printer was a bit more like dark purple and red pixels, probably due to printing limitations, and the top had an unsightly white stripe.  I covered it gently with the same purple as the cloak.

The Azure Flames have a policy; if they answer your distress call and fail, they save whoever they can as Chapter Serfs.  If they succeed, they ask for a percentage of age-appropriate boys to take the tests to join the Chapter.  This policy has been in place since the Azure Flames were the Sons of the Salamander.  One year after their Founding, the flagship His Hammer responded to a daemonic incursion on a small space station.  Few survived, but Chapter Master Logain himself led the counter-incursion and banished the last of the daemons back to the Warp.  With a successful mission, the station owed a portion of its youth to the Chapter, and that was Virgil Piers, the only surviving child on the station.

Born in the void, trained to operate high tech void weapons for the majority of his life, and possessing a once-in-a-generation genius, Piers showed tactical acumen that made him a Sergeant faster than anyone else in the Chapter (only later surpassed by Zeraf Antonius).  Ambushes, sieges, counter-sieges, line duty, covert actions, and any other scenario was understood, enhanced, and executed superbly under his leadership.  His experience in Void Combat let him eventually be appointed Master of the Fleet by Atrus himself.  Piers rarely leaves the Command Throne of His Hammer II.  Now that the Chapter has a homeworld, he tends to lead expeditions on behalf of the Chapter.  Only recently during the relief of the 4th company on Altea has he commanded the fleet in its entirety.

And that wraps up the Primaris Captain project!  Now all ten captains plus the Chapter Master have new models and backstory.

Next: Legion Imperialis Astartes Infantry!

Ork Warbosses!

Just in time for the new Warboss model to come out and add a machine gun Grot to the Warboss’ unit, I have completed two older Warbosses to lead Lads and Nobs alike!

The distinguished gentleman on the left is Finecast, with a plastic Nob power klaw and a Squig added.  Note that the cloth on his bosspole is unique; the Finecast pole snapped and there was no way to pin it, so I sculpted cloth to compensate.  The wonderful customer on the right is the Assault on Black Reach boss, with a custom resin base he had from his former owner.  Once again a squig was added.

Next: Two Space Marine Captains are almost done, and I’m going to finish my fourth box of LI Astartes Infantry to finally be able to field maximum units of specialty troops!

Fourstrands 15th anniversary! AFK swap meet!

This past Saturday I celebrated the 15th anniversary of Fourstrandshobby.com!  I’m a bit bad at remembering to post about it though.  However some really cool stuff happened!

AFK Games in Holt hosted a swap meet, and I’m glad to say I sold a bunch of stuff sitting in my basement gathering dust.  I also picked up a Star Wars board game.  But the best part was meeting a younger guy and another guy my age who play Battlefleet Gothic!  Expect a battle report and possibly a campaign!

Further, Lexington and Andy were there and we caught up on old times!  Great memories.  I also brought my Bitz Boxes and gave away some bitz to some younger kids who were just getting in to 40k!

Next I have some vacation planned, but I’m adding to my Ork Kommandos and trying to finish the Primaris Captain project!

Finish It – Tau Orbital City and Defences

Long ago I won an ebay auction for some leftover bits from a Tau Orbital box.  From them, I cobbled together two stations; one to be a Nicassar Caravan, magnetized to hold four Nicassar Dhows, and another with the leftover bits.

Additionally, I managed to snag a Forge World Tau Kor Caste Orbital City.  All three of these were one “project” for the Tau fleet “finish it” competition.

The Orbital City is important enough to have a real T’au name like a capitol ship.  Kor’shutto Y’eldi’retha directly translates to “Air Caste Orbital City Winged Ones University/Temple,” but more accurately tranlsates to “Air Caste Elite Pilot Academy.”

Basically,

…but for Tau.

The Orbitals were cobbled together from pewter bits and pieces of Tau Drones, as well as Tau Battlesuit Drone Controllers.

Next: I finish the 6 month 1/2 Army challenge with eight Leman Russ Battle Tanks for my Legion Imperialis Solar Auxilia!  After that, four Nicassar Dhows to finish the “finish it” challenge and twenty Grots with two Runtherds and I am done with all of my painting challenges!