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Hello all! I am super new (to wargaming, and to dakka dakka) so I have many questions, but I will keep this breif.

If you have ever looked online for help building a w40k army, you have no doubt heard this advice:
"Get good brushes, good acrylics, and Games Workshop models." We all know this hobby is expensive, and the hope is that once you put up the money for modles, paints, glues, etc, that you will then enjoy the building, painting and playing.

However, as a college shlep on summer break, I just don't have the luxury of disposable income. I love the lore, the look, and the idea of this hobby, and it killed me to let it go because I couldn't meet the money standard needed to take everyones advice.

So I figured, what if i don't? What if I use the crappy department store paint at my house, the brushes from my grade school projects? What if I didn't even buy modles, but put them together from foam, trash, and hot glue?

The following blue is fluff, skip for tl;dr
Of course, I went mek-boss orks, as they mirror my desire to build and paint in a rushed and cude fashion.
My orks, however, are of a slightly different breed. Of course, my modeling skills could never hope to create the smooth rippling muscles, toothy mouths, or intricate hands of a GW model. It might, however, be able to resemble that of mek creation.

Thats right, a robot army, cobbled together from the rusty wastes of a scrap planet, with new life breathed into them from a spiteful renegade mek. Perhaps a particularly ambitious oddboy was ousted from his tribe, and lays in waiting, ever crafting a horde of clanking lackies to hep reign revenge on his former crew. Perhaps it is an killakan grot, so enjoying his new ability to stomp his former bullies, that he ever improves on his suit and builds soulless tin buddies to prolong the carnage at his control. Maybe no ork resides underneath the mega-armor of the mek at all, controlled remotely by a cowardly but powerful oddboy, or some other mysterious force. I quite like this fluff, and the image of diesel fueled, bloodsoaked rust buckets, belching black smoke and bolter fire into the sky, drowning out the cries of their enemies with the chugging sound of engines and the hum of electricity. Veterans marked not by their scars, but by their paint-scratches. Squeaking grot-botz with stikkbombs welded to their backs wheeling under the legs of hulking, hunched ro-boyz, lubricating their mighty weapons with warm blood.
tl;dr: they're robotz

Anyways, I'm far from done, but I ran out of hot glue, so I figured now is as good a time as any to ask for your criticism, and your help.

Well, um, without further ado, this is what I got:
Warning, the images are huge and you may just want to head to the imgur album: http://imgur.com/a/YamBX

This is my first time painting, well, anything really. Its my first time building too. I've yet to even play a single miniwar gaming battle.
What do you think of their appearance? Is it good enough to table? What would you say if I walked into your local game store and asked to play?
I've currently got about 250pts (give/take). Is this enough to play a few rules-learning rounds at a store?

Also I'm really concerned about the size, my models (I think) are a good bit bigger than their GW versions. Even with the major stooping, they still might be cheaty-tall.
Measured to eye level:
* Mega-armor Mek: 55mm
* Average Ro-boy: 30mm
* Average grot-bot: 23mm

At the end of the day, I do enjoy making these, they have only cost me a about 3$ in dollar store ear swabs and foam. I am atleast proud of that fact, if nothing else.

Please dakka community, do you have any advice, comment, criticisms, questions?

A few models were left out of the photoshoot.
Please request any addition info or pictures if you want. As this project continues I will post everything here.

I think this is a cool idea, even if a little bit 'out there'.

For the first attempt at building and modelling this is a very ambitious project, and I have to say the big walkers you have made are especially cool.

Have you considered putting a bit more attention into the basing? Detailing the bases with mud/stones/vegetation/etc is cheap and easy, so fits within the philosophy of this project. Detailing the bases would do a lot to develop the appearance of the army.

A little out there? Those are ing cool.

haha, this makes me happy man

it's all so lovably janky ...the materials/methods used, do give them a bit of a "kids art project" look, it has to be said...though actually there is a quite a few nice details in both the modelling and the paint, if you have a good look at them - it's clear that some proper time and effort has been put into them

and as a fluffy army, I actually like the idea, it works...a crazy bigmek building himself an army of tinboyz...yeah...good stuff man, keep at it

Why not? ^_^

They're awesome.

Plus, they're only going to get better. I can see them already scavenging many battlefields for spare parts to glom onto their chassis >

they look fun, where you located for gaming, that would be fun to fight

@nareik
For the bases, I am torn between getting some regular flocking, or using tin scraps and a cut up coppery brillo pad for some 'scrap waste planet' basing, or leaving them bare to make it as clear as possible what the models represent... What do you yall think?

@ZoBo
Very true, and I know my stuff could never mach the quality and 'coolness' of GW models, I just hope that my opponents giggle, understand, and let me play anyway!

@thekingofkings
And I am located in the South Shore of Massachsetts, and would love some help getting a grasp on how to play!

Having started something very similar, and very close on the fluff and reason (I'm cheap at heart). Here's my advice:

1. Careful on scale. Official models are smaller then you think. It's a disappointment after building a really cool Can to find out that it's 2 1/2 times bigger/ taller then the GW model.

2. Add some detail to your stuff. Worky bits are/ can be a pain, but add so much more to the model itself. I'm thinking the knee joints on your mek, adding a couple of round bits on the sides of the knees will add to the visual mobility of the mini, and rivets. Ork stuff NEEDS rivets (or nails). It's just one of those things =).

3. Plasticcard. Look to see if your local shop carries it, if not the whole line, they have a pack that's just odd 'n ends that worth it weight.

4. Weapons, make the weapons on the boys some what stander, just so you and your opponent can tell what is what. IE sluggas VS shootas VS Lootas.

5. An odd Ork bit here and there (thinking a head) will help renforce the point that these are Orks, don't be afraid use then.

6. Have fun.

@Mud Duck
Great advice, my WIP Deff Dreads started out as WIP Killa Kans, which seems to be something you may have gone through.
And yeah, I'm poking about on ebay from some dirt cheap ork bitz, especially weapons, but for my first round of crafting I wanted to see what was purely possible with solely trash parts.
May I ask what progress you made on your 'something similar'? I need all the inspiration and references I can get XP

Love it! It's like Impressionist art for hobby craft.

And why wouldn't a big Mek build his tinboyz a little bit bigger than normal. Isn't bigger always better?

I love scratchbuilding ork stuff. But it really helps that i have a couple of decades of bits in a box to work with. this is a whole different ballgame but its a really great project that you should be proud of. You will get people who just don't appreciate it but you're missing nothing by not gaming with them. I'd have you a game no bother.

I'd love to have a go at building something that would suit your style, maybe if I will. A robo-squig-bomb or a deff-Kopta-drone or some kind of mini-bot grot squad. I'd love to see you include all of those things.

As far as basing goes I'd say sand or very fine grit would work best. While Brillo-pad is a genius idea I agree that it would confuse the eye and complicate the look of your figures.

Brawler:

The Family:

Some of the weapons: flamer, flamer, claw, heavy machinegun. The idea was that these kans would be helping the Mek out whenever they were not in battle, so manipulators on both arms, if possible.


Thought that I had some pictures of the troops floating around, but I guess not. Will have too see if I can find some. But they are pretty basic: capped tube for the body, smaller tube for the head, square stock for the arms and legs w/ weapons replacing the forearms, a couple of bits here and there for detail and maybe not the prettiest model, but quite serviceable.

Edit: Looking at your pictures again, my are fairly close too to your in the basic construction, just a little more old and ends added.

hmmmm, now that I have some time over the summer I think I might make an army just like yours. btw really love the look of your "orks"

@theCrowe
Thank you so much, that means alot! And yeah, especially for my smaller models I think I will follow your advice with simple sand and the occasional tuft of grass. For the larger models maybe I can get fancier with the scrap-world basing.

@Mud Duck
These are awesome, thank you! Clearly you have more experience and/or talent at this than I do!
And all of these plasticard bits, are they glued, or 'welded' with plastic melt-bonding chemicals? And do they hold paint well? (I fear for my recycled smooth plastic parts having the paint rub off with too much handling.)
Are those green bits a clay? That would be a lovely tool to add to my arsenal, something to sculpt with.

Sorry for all the questions, I feel like a 4th grader on a field trip, but this has all been a great help! Thank you!

It's like the Ork version of Nightmare Before Christmas.

These are awesome, thank you! Clearly you have more experience and/or talent at this than I do!
And all of these plasticard bits, are they glued, or 'welded' with plastic melt-bonding chemicals?

Mostly placticard. The shoulder and waist joints are wood craft balls, the main body is a round protector for the lock on cabinets (use to work in a cabinet shop so I found interesting bits and bobs), and the upper legs are nylon latch catches. Again interesting bits and had the holes in the right spots.

And do they hold paint well? (I fear for my recycled smooth plastic parts having the paint rub off with too much handling.)
Are those green bits a clay? That would be a lovely tool to add to my arsenal, something to sculpt with.

The plasticard does, basic painting like you do to models. As for the rest, the wood shouldn't be a problem, maybe an extra coat, and the nylon took the primer well so I'm guessing there shouldn't be a problem. Just remember to seal coat like you do on minis.
The green bits are green stuff, basically air dry modeling clay. There are different types (green and grey, the two that I can think of ATM) and there are much better people out there that have lessons and learns then I on the proper use of this stuff.

Also! I should say mr 'HacksawBuchanan' from reddit had a great idea, to color code my bases and have some little sheet helping explain the units to other players. I had been thinking about a sort of roster sheet, but adding color to the rims of the bottle caps will be a great addition to clarity, I hope!

The reddit thread is at:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Warhammer40k/comments/4og5tl/a_total_newbie_and_his_scratch_built_free_ork_army/
for any intrested


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@Mud Duck
And thank you once again, great info! I will look up miniature crafting techniques with the materials you mentioned

These are terrific. Nice work.

I love this. Bravo OP! Room for extra detailing... But you could say that about almost anything. Love what I'm seeing, love the ingenuity, love the luff, more power to you sir!

@timothyd4y
Thank you!

@Skinflint Games
Yes, i hope as my skills, tools, and materials get better I can continue to add detailing the these little guys!

I can't wait to see where you take them next. Love everything about this, this is what wargaming should be :-D

Hey, done a little work, and had a few more questions.
Would you guys prefer mini updates, say, per model, or larger updates, say, per unit?
Also, is they any advice to be given to improve my photoshoot skills XD

Warning, as before, images are huge, and it may be better to view on imgur:http://imgur.com/a/Hm3mT

Mek knee joints were the idea of Mud Duck's, Thanks for all the help!

So yeah, do you prefer more frequent updates, or are those annoying? Lmk!

Just a little crafting anecdote, for any who care:

http://www.dakkadakka.com/wiki/en/Debunking_the_Myths_of_Miniature_Photography

Well that helps :3

Nice figs. Frequent updates are good, but how about just taking your pics at a lower resolution. Maybe VGA or 2MP? You don't really need to have huge pics of these.

I love your concept. I'm a big fan of alternate models and cheap shortcuts. If I were going to make a cheap-as-chips ork force, I'd probably buy a bunch of EM4 plastic fantasy orcs (35 cents each) and get leftover weapon bits from other orc players (every ork player has tons of these) but your solution to a cheap army is pretty cool.

Your concept reminds me of the "craftees" figures that some historical gamers make of various wood plugs and spools.
http://wooden-warriors.blogspot.com/2011/03/another-method-of-making-craftees.html




If you do decide to go with standard wargamign basses, EM4 and Proxie Models sell them in various sizes for ridiculously cheap prices.

It's Johnny Five the ork Robo-Nob!

Update as often as you like. I'm addicted to Dakka.

If there is any army out there that can be scratch-built, it's the Orks. Anything goes with them, and nothing will match another.

I went through a similar process when I was helping a local 12-year-old kid start up his 40K army. His mom liked that he was getting away from the PlayStation, but she nearly had a heart attack when she learned how expensive Warhammer is.

I slowly showed him (and the mother) how to do things on the cheap side. Having a large Ork army myself, I had TONS of leftover bits. Between that, a couple birthday gifts, me raiding the local gaming store bits boxes for him, and showing him how to kitbash, he had a nice looking 2,000 point army for under $50.

My biggest piece of advice, Army Man tanks. Those cheap dollar-store hunks of plastic can be converted to almost any mid-sized vehicle with some plasticard and bits. Trucks, Looted Wagons, etc. can all be made out of Army Man tanks and still look good.

Another thing I did to get him "up and going" was to use my printer to scan images of orks from a codex, print them as 2-D cutouts and glue them onto bases. A couple full squads of boys in an afternoon, until he had the resources to have "proper" models.

I really admire this thread. While pulling off good looking rank-and-file Orks in this style will surely be difficult to perfect, I can't wait to see you finish those Deff Dreds, and move on to some other larger units like Trukks, Dakkajets, and Stompas. Those can look amazing even when crafted from a pile of junk. Have you seen the Mr. Potato Head Stompa thread? That's the level of awesome I think you're heading towards.

In short, don't be afraid to use official bits like others have suggested for the little guys, and remember that this concept will pay off more the bigger your models are. Keep at it!

Hey all! Thanks so much for all your comments. No new pictures just yet, just wanted to say I'm still workn and thinkn.

I actually just got back from vacation (Im not sure what the protocol is on that, posting about my absences here seemed a little superfluous)

As finishing up my group of mele-oriented boyz, Im approaching my goal for points. I think I will have to wait until the fall semester starts up (there is a game shop near my college) to start actually playing, and I figure I will be learning/playing with a smaller, skirmishing army (250-500pts).

Ive been wanting to build some of the more elite units, and vehicles and such, but wanted to follow the 'boyz before toyz' adage! Hopefuly with the completion of this unit that portion will be all set (atleast, for a 250pt build).

@Ellif Thank you for the suggestions, I will certainly try to figure out my photo size, who wants that large images for sloppy pics!

@theCrowe haha, thanks!

@cuda1179 I don't think any game shop near me actually has a bitz-bin D: Although, of course, there is ebay!

And yes, finally as I move on to more 'orky toyz', I will raid the local dollar store kids section, loot and refit, and add to my army. Just as any good warboss does.

@KommissarKiln Thank you! I don't know if my boyz will be up to snuff, but I feel I can pull of some of the larger units (in time, more practice needed)

Yes I have seem the potato stompah! I've been drooling over the more professional ork conversions/scratch builds.

Although I have enjoyed having my build so far dirt, dirt cheap and entirely my design, I believe you are right. At some point its just the best decision to pick up some 'officially molded shooty gubbins' and whatnot, put some GW frosting on this cake!

Also I have a question:
How did all of you learn the game? What do you suggest is a good size to start?
I could split my already tiny army into two opposed halves, and recruit a curious friend to fudge through a game with me, but Im not sure how much experience this would yield. Not knowing any real friends who play the game, and not being in an environment where I can find gaming folks (yet, in the fall this shouldn't be a problem), is my only option to wait?
(And yes, I have been reading the book, watching online tutorials and bat reps, but is that enough? Will I have to spectate a few live matches in the fall before jumping in?)

Thanks again everyone for all the advice!!

Assuming to have all the paraphernalia required, dice, measuring tape, rules and a tabletop. (Dining table with books for terrain will do at a pinch, but will not enthuse your curious friend) then by all means get stuck in.

Keep it simple. Take a squad of boys, an HQ and a heavy support each. If it helps take identicle forces so you're each learning from eachothers turns.

The HQ should demonstrate hero characters able to take on anything.

The boys should demonstrate squad related rules, the backbone of any 40k game.

The heavy should demonstrate big guns and armour and maybe vehicles.

Doesn't matter that that's not force organisation legal. Doesn't matter that you're missing transports and flying units and all sorts of advanced possibilities. That's all just fun for later.


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How am I only spotting your radio-control grot-bots just now?!
Those little guys are awesome! Want some.

@theCrowe

Excellent, thank you. Perfect advice, just what I wanted to hear!