Hello, I’m new to this list, well at least posting that is (I’ve been lurking for some time now). I posted this over at the Waaagh website being an Ork fan and all, but figured there was more BFG love here and perhaps you’d like to share in my madness. This is my story so far. I bought 2 scratch built Ork ships off of EBay about 2 years ago. I’ve never played BFG, but I’m defiantly bit by the bug, all other projects are on hold. I’ve got this Blood AXE army I’ve been building since the late 80s but now that the Warlord has 2 ships he Wants a fleet! I figured I’d start small and build from there, so I started wrapping my head around Brute Ram Ships. I posted a few questions at Da Waaagh, and on a Yahoo group in regards to my Brute Ram Ships, but I didn’t want to show any work due to the fact that my goal was Gothic Comp. Call me a Sneaky Git if ya likes, but no since unveiling “Da Secret†before the party started! Now that the Comp is over and I didn’t make my dead line I figured I’d show you the project. My time at the desk is short so progress is measured in centimeters. I guess this will end up being a long term project for as long as I can stay motivated. I put all of my other projects on hold. They sit on the back burner of me desk, and unfortunately for them they don’t scream to me as loud as my ships. Ok “Here we goâ€
Here are the ships I bought on EBay. Whoever build them thanks! You made me “Ship Crazy†and now “Da Boyz†are hammering away in me ead!
The original ships looked good, but as I sat looking at them, they just said retrofit. Ahhhhh what did I do to myself? That’s the way it goes because Da Big Boss bashed me ears and told me what it would be. Rebuilding the big Kroozer is going to be my reward for completing the Brute Ram Ships (unless I get stuck on Savages, Ravagers or onslaughts!).
This is the ship that started the madness. I didn’t even place a bid. I just looked at it and thought hmmmmmmmmm. By the time I made up my mind it was gone. This is when I went back and bought the 2 kroozers. Funny about 6 months ago this ship came back up again on EBay. I had a second shot at it. You know I really liked the build, but now that I’m building my own ships I just let her go. Funny how life works. If it pops out of “Da Warp†a third time who knows………….. Sorry if this is a ton of reading I just figured it is best to start a story from the beginning.
At this point I’m getting close to having 10 Brutes on line. For some reason I just can’t stop building them. I’m about 70% finished with the pack. I’ve put a ton of work into them for a guy who has never played BFG, what’s even worse I have not even put together a fleet list. So in some ways I’m just spinning out of control building, smiling, grinning and talking to myself at my desk late at night. I figure it’s all good because I’m getting tons of enjoyment and my skills slowly improve. The problem for me is my imagination is far greater than my skill. Here is a group shot of “Da Squig Pak†to this point.
I was worried about scale, so I bought a Brute Ram off of EBay. Here is a size comparison. the GW Brute Ram Ship flanked by “Da King Fish†and “Da Nidâ€.
This is one of the newer ships I’m working on. Right now it is being called “Da Mak Snatcha†or “Da Snatcha†for short. As I build them they kind of call out how they want to be painted. Even though I’m doing a Blood Axe theme, I figure there will be many clan colors under the banner. My plan is to mark each ship with some sort of freshly painted Blood Axe insignia to represent the fact that they now fight under the big bosses banner while at the same time allowing for variation in color scheme. My hopes are when their painted up the inconsistencies of color will add to the overall Ork effect. I’m taking into consideration that a ship may change clan colors over and over again and my plan is to represent this in paint. It should be a mix mash of color and rust and metal. “Da Snatcha†right now is saying Loota, but as I build it the Kaptain’s chair may change many times. I figure it is all a matter of what clan controls the bridge. 15,000 orks is a lot of boyz. I’m finding it a bit difficult to represent the scale. It seems as if when I build the scale feels off like the ship is much smaller and should hold less boyz. If you look at the rear housing area of “Da Snatcha†there are 3 windows. Too big for the scale, but as I build I then imagine that chamber holds a race track. Then it works…….. I’m playing with pushing holes in the green stuff for rivets, but I read somewhere how big would those rivets be? Too big for the scale. I’m hoping the effect will work. I’ve got a lot of questions as I build, and I should take my buddies advice and paint one before building any more. I’m just afraid if I stop building and start painting I will not finish the “DA Pakâ€. I’ve got several other projects that need paint, so no painting for me right now, just build, build, build. So the “Mak Snatcha†is a little long, but man there is something about it that just works. I’m trying to stay within limits 25mm, but it just doesn’t always work. “Da Snatcha†is about 38mm. A little big, but it doesn’t seem too far out when placed next to the other Rams. The way I see it the bigger Rams are just successful Kaptain’s who have added enough loot and are about to become Kaptains of a larger ship category. In my head it is the way of things………
Here is the next stage I’m thinking about for “Da Snatcha†I need to add more housing. I really want to clutter up the rear of da ship with low income blocks of Ork madness. I need to add some more Dakka here and there and plates are always a plus. So she is slowly coming together. At the top, the bridge needs some attention also. I need to cut the edges flatter, and perhaps add a few more small parts. So there is some work ahead. Ok a side note here. I was building me Rams for awhile when I read somewhere about the Brute Rams just flying right threw opposing ships and leaving a big explosion in its wake. As I looked at my ships I went shoot, I didn’t see that when I was building. If that was the case then most of the important gubbins would be torn off of my ships. They are not very stream lined. When I first started building I was seeing my ships smashing into the sides, getting stuck a quarter of the way in, explosions, fires, the ships sliding cutting and working their way in like parasites. Doors and hatches opening with hoards of boys boarding the opposing ship. I could see a ship with several rams working it like a piranha school feeding on some unlucky cow. It could make for a cool side game with several different Ram Kaptains fighting each other to claim the wreckage. Ok perhaps I’m getting a bit carried away, too much time at me desk.
I’m excited about building a Krooza, but I have to wait until I get these Brutes finished. I’m afraid if I start jumping around I will not get back to the Brutes. When I get stuck on one Brute I just switch to another Brute. They all call out to me after all. I’m excited about playing, I got a good friend who is willing to test out the system. I’ve been looking at rule sets and trying to figure out which version to play. From what I’ve read it seems Orks don’t fair to well. I’m ok with taking a pounding, but it does get old. I’m looking at the BFG:R stuff and hopping you guys will do our boyz justice! Yes, I excited about BFG:R, and watching you guys vote and again hopping you do the boyz right. Shoot even building a fleet list is a bit confusing as I’m not real sure which list to build from. Ok, back to the Mak Snatcha. As I looked at “Da Snatcha†the big chamber on the back of Da Boat wasn’t flowing right so I had to cut it. I read an article online that talked about not being afraid to cut your green stuff work off. I’m a tad OCD anyway so off it went. I figure I can use the bit on another ship, and it’s good practice building the new bit. So now it has a new chamber on the back. She is starting to come together I think. I’m not real happy with the green stuffed turret on the side deck. I was hoping I could add some depth for painting latter. As you know the scale is really small and I don’t have much room to work with. So in the end I think I will cut off the green stuff, and probably take a second shot at it. I like how it coming out over all. I’m looking at the bridge and thinking It still needs some help. As this ship starts to form up, it’s starting to smell more like a Blood Axe vessel opposed to a Loota ship. I’m starting to see a fat space tank. Ahhhhhh time will tell.
Here is my plan for now as to where I'm going with Da Snatcha
Thank you for taking the time to read this long post, and any comments or advice are greatly welcomed!
