Slapa-a-da paint, mon! Painting Da Silensurz!

Some of you probably still remember the conveted Ork Kommandoz I was building for eventual games of Killzone - you know.. Da Silensurz? Eight models, each with their own.. charm and back-story.

Well, after sitting in my new Battle Foam case for a month or so I decided to prime them.. and after priming I really, really wanted to start painting them. I got this surge, this need to do it.. 

You see, after Adepticon 2011 I had lost my mojo (if I even ever had one). I was sick of painting, building, even stopped playing games for a while, because I was just tired of it all. Not in a negative way, mind you - I was just tired of hobbying after painting 2,000 points of Space Wolves and playing so many game in such a small period of time. But I've been a "busy" bee these past few days and finally have some pictures to show. 

I know that I haven't really been showing my stuff as much on this blog. It has to do with the fact that I just never really had anything special to offer to the community. I'm not saying that by showing you my WIP Silensur Kommandos I am doing you a huge favor, but I feel like they are going somewhere. You know? You've probably noticed that the last handful of posts were either by Frozencore Joe or interviews/guest posts from 4chan. I guess you can say that they have inspired me to start slappin' some paint on models..

Da Silensurz!

I decided to paint my Silesurz kommandoz like I painted my orkz for Adepticon 2010. I really like the brighter, slightly irradiated/glowing skin tone for my Orkz. I also like highlighting and heavy dry-brushing to give ork shin that weathered look. After all they don't really use any lotion. 

This is my WIP so far:

All models are primed with Chaos Black primer. Too much of a pussy to try a different brand. 

Orkz always look like shit, before you start washing and fixing things. Keep that in mind.

Skin: 

"Ugh! I'm kovur'd in paint!"

First, the models are base-coated with Knarloc Green foundation paint. After the paint dries a heavy, slightly wet dry-brush of Goblin Green is painted all over the skin surface, followed by a light-to-medium dry-brush of Scorpion Green. This will give the skin a very bright, almost glowing look. The dry-brushing gives the skin a rugged, "tough" look. A very generous wash with Thraka Green bring everything together, tones down the brightness. Then you will apply a cautious, light dry-brush of Scorpion Green when everything is dry - focus on the facial features, top of the muscles, the fingers, etc. A glaze (very watered-down wash) of Devlan Mud is then painted in the recesses of the skin and also where the skin is too bright. Remember, we are painting Kommandos, so then need to be dulled down. 

Metal Bitz:

Simply base-coat Tin Bitz, then drybrush Chainmail and wash Badab Black. This is it for now.

Shirts:

Notice Killface's bandana. See the painted-in recesses?

Decided to do blue shirts, which was two parts Mordian Blue and some Chaos Black, If I am not mistaken. Then, instead of washing the blue I mixed some off same color with a lot of Chaos Black and started painting in the recesses, the folds, etc. Where there were no folds in the shirt I simply created some by painting them. What you want to do then is go around the folds that you painted with Mordian Blue, thus creating some depth.

Pants: 

Urban camo! Fenris Grey foundation paint all over! Then, grab some Chaos Black and start drawing pretty thick lines all over the paints. Don't be too smooth and fluid, be harsh and angular. Think of rubble. Then I grabbed Astronomicon Grey and started to paint little clusters of dots all over the pants. And then you wash the whole thing with Badab Black.

Othe Gubbinz: 

Leather is painted Calthan Brown - which means gloves, shoes, belts, straps. etc. Then wash Devlan Mud. 

Backpacks for now are painted Catachan Green, I believe. Later on I will paint Jungle camo on them.

 Naturally there's a lot left. Orkz are really hard to paint when you focus on a few models. The details never end.. I need to dirty-up the skin, paint more camo on weapons, skin, backpacks and then highlight it all. Of course basing the bases is also needed, but it will be the last thing I do. I need to go over some of the places where I slapa'd-da-paint too much.


Obviously very much WIP, but I figured some of you might find the process interesting enough.

Next time I will show you my Ogre Kingdoms models, but before that I have something else in store for you..

Silensurz Kommando #8: Deffgrin Gargleblasta

DEFFGRIN GARGLEBLASTA

Carrying not one but TWO big shootas is Deffgrin Gargleblasta: Da 'eavy Wepunz Boy.
Deffgrin got the idea for his shoulder-mounted big shootas at the battle for Juglans Regia, after he witnessed more than fifty orks recklessly charging an Imperial bunker get annihilated by a pair of automated machine guns. Fortunately for him he was carrying a big shoota and was out of the turrets' range and with some persistence and luck he managed to destroy both weapons, allowing the rest of the Ork Horde to advance forward and to pillage the entire hive city. After the successful conquering of the planet Deffgrin traded all of his loot to a Big Mek for two shoulder-mounted big shootas that would lock on with the help of his bionik eye. A simple trigger device is enough to unleash a torrent of dakka at his foes from afar, turning Deffgrin into a moving heavy weapons platform, which is essentially what he does for the Silensurz. Able to effectively use his big shootas without the need for line of sight, Deffgrin Gargleblasta can just hide behind obstacles and let his guns do the hard work. 

The Big Shootas MOVE!

Silensurz Kommando #7: Psyklopz

PSYKLOPZ

What some accomplish through marksmanship, fire volume or brutality, Psyklopz achieves with the size of his gun. Fortunately for him, jokes about overcompensating for things are lost to the Ork "civilization" and the fact that Psyklopz carries around a big shoota bigger than a Nob is seen as a feat of strength.

When a lucky lasgun shot nailed the Silensur in the eye in the battle for Punica Granatum, the ork refused to get a bionik replacement, instead preferring to spend all of his teef on a bigger, better shoota. Psyklopz' philosophy was that if his gun is da best, he'd be able to kill all of his enemies before they get to respond to his dakka. The ork's gun is easy detachable and carrying it around is pretty easy, as is putting it back together or clobbering people to death with the huge chunk of metal that it is. The one-eyed Silesur prefers to advance slowly but surely, thus out-ranging most of his foes.

Silensurz Kommando #6: Grimjaw

GRIMJAW

The tale of Grimjaw is always spoken in hushed tones..
With Waaaagh! Gorfist's premature end*, Grimjaw and his clan of Orkz found themselves "advancing in the opposite direction", eager to fight whatever it was, as long as was willin' to put up a good fight. Da boyz didn't have to wait long. Weeks into its voyage, Grimjaw's krooza was hit fast and hard by dozens of Dark Eldar raiders. Their superior weaponry quickly went through the primite Ork defenses, disintegrating entire sections of the spaceship with their dark lances. The orkz fought well, but so did the denizens of Commoragh who were systematically eliminating any resistance with precise strikes, ambushes and assaults. Despite their numbers, the Ork crew was getting slaugthered and its numbers were dwindling.

The final battle was in the krooza's "kontrol room". Grimjaw, his Warboss and a handful of other boyz and Nobz were fending off the Dark Eldar, but the cruel blades of the space elves and their poisonous aresenal proved too much for the crew. When the Archon of the Cabal chargd towards Warboss Gorfist, it was Grimjaw who tried to stop him only to find the end of an Agoniser protruding from his back. As the sadistic nature of the blade worked its magic and every nerve in Grimjaw's body spasmed in burning agony he couldn't look away from the sight of the Archon and his Warboss fighting the final battle.
Although Gorfist was three times the size of the Dark Eldar and his skin was absorbing many of the brutal nicks and cuts it was the Archon's speed that ended it all. Swiftly dodging a deadly power klaw blow, the Archon stabbed the Warboss in the throat and drove the blade towards the Ork's brain.
But when the remaining Orkz were squabbling and trying to flee the battle scene, Grimjaw did not falter. His body was numb and his limbs were limp from the pain, but in that time of need Gork (or possibly Mork) smiled upon the paralyzed ork with a sudden burst of energy. Finally able to stand up, Grimjaw's agility surprised even the Archon when his left hand grabbed his thin, pale throat. The ork could have extinguished the Dark Elf's life there and then, but he opted for something else! He stabbed with his big shoota, bayonet first, between the Archon's legs impaling him until Grimjaw's trigger finger ended in his stomach. He then pointed the dark panzee's head towards his retinue and pressed the trigger. The deadly salvo crushed the Archon's head like a ripe melon, sending grey matter across the room and the brain-soaked bullets mowed down the shocked Dark Eldar in the room, sending the rest of them fleeing for their lives.

GRIMJAW'S KUSTOM BIG SHOOTA

 With the mutilated Dark Eldar body still around his arm, Grimjaw blacked out. When the brave Ork finally woke up weeks later, he realized that all of the nerves in his body were forever gone. He could move and act as normal, but his senses and all traces of pain were non-existent. This also stopped his growth, which was what prevented him from becoming a Warboss after his heroic feat.

One day the Ork in agony was simply gone and as per usual, his name was quickly forgotten due to often head traumas. Left is the legend of the ork who impaled and shot his big shoota inside an Archon's body.
Some say that he is currently part of a Blood Axe clan and is earning his food as a silent but deadly mercenary. And who knows? They could be right..

 

Silensurz Kommando #5: Da Ledbelcha and Corki

DA LEDBELCHA and CORKI

What Zodrukk da Gitfinda accomplishes through his unorky aim, Da Ledbelcha accomplishes through sheer amount of dakka. It was during a mission deep in the jungles of the Exenos death world that this Silensurz member got his nickname. Famous for carrying nothing but extra ammunition and his grot servant Corki, Da Ledbelcha didn't plan on the mission lasting several months or on all the vegetation and wildlife in the area to be extremely, extremely poisonous.. even for an Ork. Stuck without any food for his entire stay on Exenos he eventually had to start eating his own precious bullets... which somehow managed to help him avoid starvation. Thus the nickname.

On the battlefield Da Ledbelcha brings the definition of "dakka" to a whole new level. Through a practiced rotation of reloading he is able to shoot constantly with almost no downtime. One arm holds his big shoota as the other constantly reloads the weapon with ammo clips handed to him by Corki who is in charge of reloading the clips themselves.  

Silensurz Kommando #4: Daggur Bludsnagga

DAGGUR BLUDSNAGGA

Wearing a fancy gas mask outfitted with the latest Ork tekknology, Daggur is just one of the many hard core Kommadoz. Like many of the Silensurz, Daggur literally has the words "kommando" and "low cunnin'" written on his DNA and because of that he always makes sure to look and behave like a true Blood Axe. Other than that he's really not known for much. Because you just can't see him most of the time. He's a Kommando, you see?

Silensurz Kommando #3: Zodrukk da Gitfinda

ZODRUKK DA GITFINDA

 

 

Zodrukk was born almost deaf and years spent surrounded by noisy dakka completely punctured his eardrums. Many Painboyz offered the young Ork various bioniks that wound fix his hearing and "den some mor", but Zodrukk never agreed to any "surgeries". The loss of the ability to hear was probably what improved his vision and therefore - his aim. Eventually Zodrukk realized that he could shoot far better than any of the other boyz, even the Flash Gitz!
When da Silensurz heard of a boy who could actually shoot the wide side of a barn with his big shoota they traveled across the galaxy, landed on his little backwater planet and offered him a place among their ranks. At first Zodrukk was mighty suspicious of the Silensurz, especially because he enjoyed the vibration his dakka made. When the intricacies behind the name of the Blood Axe clan was explained (very, very slowly and carefully, mind you) and he realized that the more noise - the merrier, Zodrukk agreed to join the crew.

He specializes in Surprise Suppressing Fire and always carries a big shoota around.

Silensurz Kommando #2: Skumfang da Abombination

SKUMFANG DA ABOMBINATION

Recruited from a Tankbusta squad shortly after its entire Bomb Squig herd became a mile-wide crater, Skumfang is the "wild card" of da Silensurz. Too unstable to wield a rokkit launcha he was given the simple duty of lookin' after the Squigs, simply because he smells just like them and loves to bite. Also he has crazy eyes. You never give explosives to someone with the crazy eyes..  Unless you need an expendable guy.. which is what Skumfang is for the Silensurz. Often behaving just like a Bomb Squig, Skumfang will bite into a stikkbomb and just charge forward, throwing grenades and various explosives at his enemies without thinking about his safety. The noise and clouds of dust and smoke that his little act of insanity create are the perfect distraction that his ladz need. You could say that he is the ork giving cover to the orks who are giving cover. 

Silensurz Kommando #1: Killface

KILLFACE

Before joining Da Silensurz, Killface was a dead killy Stormboy with many battles behind his scarred back, but It wasn't until his entire mob of boyz, his Warboss and every other ork besides him got wiped out of their planet by the hammer of the Inquisition that Killface decided to play it cool and think for once. Sneakin' around like a grot he hid underneath an Inquisitorial Chimera using a magnetized tankbusta bomb and waited patiently until the vehicle returned to the ship. There Killface lurked in the shadows, killing and eating unfortunate passengers until the day Mork (or possibly Gork) smiled upon him and sent an Ork Krooza straight into the hull of the ship. Long story short, Killface managed to reunite with the invading Orkz and after revenge was served he decided that some thinking and patience were pretty cool as long as they led to some blood on his bladez. Silent - even when not on a mission, Killface always wears his Stormboy bandana around his mouth and nose unless he's eating or drinking and even then he stays away from others. Da Silensurz were the first Blood Axes that he stumbled upon after his "imprisonment" and despite their noisy big shoota raids, Killface enjoys the company of the other Kommandos. They are a nice distraction, allowing him to move and strike unnoticed.

Reinforcements Arrive: Kromlech's "Ork War 2" Goodness!

Just a quick reminder: Only a week left until the Wolves for the Wolf God Giveaway. You can still join the fun for a shot at some awesome Forge Wold goodness. For FREE! 

Today is a good day for my lungs as some more precious resin found its way to my doorstep. With the "MYSTERY" conversion set I got from Forge World I decided to also invest in some other variations, this time from the glorious Kromlech Conversion Bits and Accessories website. According to the website "Kromlech is a small company located in Warsaw, Poland." Hey, I've been in Warsaw! On a connection flight... for 2 hours.. 

Kromlech Blister Pack

I ordered the Kromlech bitz a few days before the Forge World purchase, but it makes sense. It's an independent company and I bet everything is made on demand. Everything I ordered came in a nice, fancy blister pack that had my entire order in it. It was sturdy and more importantly - incredibly easy to open. That's a huge plus, especially if you're opening a pack of resin bitz!

From Kromlech Bits and Minis' eBay store I ordered: 
- A set of Kromlech OW2 Large Backpacks (Orc War 2, ork, post-apo) for $9.29
- A set of Kromlech Orc "Running" Legs (Orc War 2, ork, post-apo) for $7.90

Kromlech: The Opening

Above is the picture of all the things that came in the package: the legs, the backpacks (you get x2 of each kind) and... waidaminute.. Wut's dat, Boss? There an 'ead and a cyborky hand in it. We didn't pay for 'em! How nice of Kromlech to include some related products to show off their line of resin models! Definitely a nice deed, Kromlech! I got one of the klaw bitz from Kromlech's Kromlech Mechanical Crushers and an officer 'ead from their Kromlech Orc Officer Head. The head is trully awesome, but I'll have to think how to include the power klaw in my army. When I was cleaning the little flash it had one of the fingers became too wobbly (I'm afraid it's the actual design of the klaw itself..) but nothing some green stuff cannot fix! Hey, I'm not complainin'. When life gives you power klaws, make WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGHmonade.

"Karpe Diem, ye git!" - Kommando Offisur Killahand

Da Legz:

Dey see us WAAAAAGH!-in', dey'z runnin'..

Each "running" set of legs is unique, allowing for different poses, which is pretty cool. The Kromlech legs definitely match the 40k Ork design, but also have a touch of Polish innovation and creativity in them as well.

They came with barely any flash or mold lines and had a very plastic feel to them. Easy easy to clean, no traces of mold release agent whatsoever.


Da Packz:

Dun forget to pack yer lunch!

The backpacks come with plenty of grenades, stikkbombz and are very bulky and very orky! Had more mold lines that the legs, but it is understandable. With great detail comes great responsibility... or something. You can even see the release rings on the grenades. These should add some variety to the items from the "MYSTERY Forge World conversion kit" I already own for my "MYSTERY Killzone Army".

You know, the ones soaking in the "MYSTERY CLEANING SOLUTION"? Hurr, hurr, hurr..

Also, the Kromlech pieces are heavier than the Forge World ones and the majority of them sunk on the bottom of the cleaning solution. Just in case there is any mold release agent on them.

But yeah. Definitely happy with Kromlech's items and would love to buy from them again. Also, what are the chances that the day I order stuff for my Kommandos they release these?

After few orc headswaps releases for Orc War 2 Free Germany now we have something for Brits.
Orc Commando Heads in woolen caps.
Sculpted by Michał Sosnowski.
Painted by Edwin Smolinski.

Volunteer Orcs form Unit 53 serve as infiltrators in North Africa and Middle East. There are few Orc serving in British Army but these from Unit 53 are most loyal and worthy allies.