The Meks from Da Ironbullz have been busy preparing a host of mechanically minded gitz and vehicles for their upcoming scraps in our 1,500-point tournament at the end of the month.
Since my last post, I've now at least started on every unit or conversion needed for my 1.5k point Ork list for our tournament in October.
While I don't have photos of all of them just yet, I am excited to share pre-paint pictures of finished conversions for four units below:
I've been excited to convert a unit of Burna Boyz ever since the 9th edition Codex: Orks came out. Burna Boyz are such an iconic Orky unit, and their datasheet saw just enough of an improvement that I think they could be somewhat viable (albeit not top-tier competitive) on the tabletop.
I've never liked the GW plastic Burna Boyz, as their chunky shoulderstraps and elongated burnas make the models too static and bulky for my tastes. For Da Pyromaniakz, I slimmed down the models by removing the thick shoulderstraps connecting their fuel backpacks to their burnas, and gave each model a unique (and shortened) burna by improvising a new flamer head for each model. I also mixed up the legs and torsos for a bit more variety, including three upright torsos from the brand-new (and absolutely gorgeous!) Kommandoz sprues.
The models in this unit were tied together thematically with at least one spiked shoulderpad apeice, resin Ork heads with welding facemasks from Kromlech, and a flameburst effect I'm testing out using clump foliage I intend to paint as if they are gouts of burna flames. Finally, while it's hard to tell from the photos below, I tried as much as possible to select torsos that were at least partially bare-chested to further lean into the crazed "maniac" nature of this mob.
I rounded out this unit by throwing in a spanner with big shoota kitbashed from a runtherd body, a kromlech head, and some bitz from the Burna Boyz/Lootas and Flash Gitz kits.
This conversion, which I started back in February, has been 99% finished for many months. Given that Da Pyromaniakz deserve a blazing fast ride to let them torch some 'umies, I figured the October tournament was the perfect opportunity to finish up this kitbash and start painting it. As with most of Da Ironbullz, the Big Trakk also received an official name upon being completed: Da Rumbler.
Mek-Boss Grukktoof is one of the three bosses who leads Da Ironbullz, and I've been looking forward to converting him for a while.
I based this model on the Necromunda Ambot torso, and added bitz from the Meganobz, Killa Kanz, Flash Gitz, and Grots kits before finishing it with a resin Orky pilot head from Kromlech.
I've always loved Big Mek conversions that borrow the idea of mechanized servo-arms from Techmarines, so I implemented one by combining a Killa Kan klaw arm with the tip of the Runtherd Grabba Stikk from the Grots sprue.
I'm very happy with how this conversion turned out and plan on giving him a scenic base at some point after our October tournament.
Kaptin Badrukk's new 9th edition datasheet is enticing from a gaming perspective, as he packs a blend of firepower, durability, and modest melee threat into a highly affordable 95 point HQ option.
Badrukk is a great fit for Da Ironbullz' dakka-heavy build I've decided to run in our October tournament. Yet, as timeless as the Freebotaz pirate theme is, I've personally never loved pirate-themed Orks from a hobbying asthetic standpoint. This meant I would have to come up with a suitable alternative model to count as Badrukk on the tabletop.
Instead, I imagined Da Ironbullz might have a mob of dakka-crazed Meks who comprise somewhat of a retinue for Mek-Boss Grukktoof, akin to a Nobz bodyguard for a regular Warboss.
I've started on just such a unit of converted Mek-themed cybork Flash Gitz and hope to wrap them up in the next 1-2 weeks; for now, I'm excited to share pictures of their leader (and Mek-Boss Grukktoof's right-hand Ork), Gazmek da Dakkaboss!
Gazmek was a fun model to design and kitbash, as I wanted to incorporate clear elements of Mek iconography/glyphs while keeping the model Nob-sized and suitably imposing with loads of dakka.
Starting from a hybrid of a Nob & Flash Git torso, I added the Big Mek head & welding face-shield from the Meganobz kit, a (converted) Dakkagun arm and mek-looking shoulderplates from the Flash Gitz sprue, and an Orky servo-arm like his boss, Grukktoof. I figured this servo arm could count as Badrukk's choppa, so I rounded out the conversion by having his left arm holding a controller wired to the servo arm. To visually balance the model, I added a plasticard shoulder strap for carrying his Dakkagun, which is a massive weapon to carry in one hand!
