New Morannon swaps 3

The bunch of bananas round this guy's neck was a dead give away so I used Greenstuff to change his appearance.

The cloak was thin Greenstuff shaped so that it would go round his neck and meet behind. *

The fur was moulded around him after removing the 'bananas' at the front.

I left them at the back and let them protrude a little as a start to the fur.

Then it was simply a case of jabbing at it with a hobby knife blade and the sharp end of a moulding tool.

The chap on the left started out with a skin colour too similar to that of the middle guy so I used Fortress grey on him, washed with Nuln Oil.

The green fellow went a little wrong when I used Waystone Green over the yellow.

However, I don't think they turned out too bad after one had a close head shave and the other had a Troll pony tail fitted.

* I cut off some of the cloak/poncho which was hanging over the weapon but regretted it. However, why do GW sometimes give you a model with a large block of plastic in front of him when they could give you a clean model and a separate weapon with the two hands or a hand and arm as they've done elsewhere?

New Morannon swaps 2

Not quite the last of these 'weapon swaps' but I'm nearly there.

I think there are three more to come, of which one is already painted.

Then Gothmog and there's also a set of commanders somewhere.

This first trio are genuine weapon swaps -

- as are the next three.

One went well out of his way to do his swap and ended up with a Dark Eldar blade on the end of a long pole.

 I like the skin colour of these chaps on the right.

Rather than my usual rear view I've swung these round to show the shields.

 One has a rather neat hole (note to self - rough up this hole a little) and the other has borrowed a skull decoration from a Chaos Space Marine vehicle.

He's promised to give it back by the end of the month.

The banner bearer has also been on the scrounge among the debris left behind by some Chaos Space Marines.

The couple of holes in the banner also need roughing up a little.

The shield acts as a weapon of attack as well as defence.

I chickened out of painting the rear of the banner as I'd made such a mess of the front.

However, it isn't too bad for tabletop so I might have another go.

That will be in about 10 days time as we have a house full of family.

At least, I think that's who they are.

New Morannon swaps 1

 The missing Orc turned up - on the right.

Some fiction about his granny being sick.

Naturally he's on a charge.

That one led by King Theoden.

Then he'll visit his granny!

Late afternoon winter sunshine has yellowed these shots and while Page Plus is perfectly able to make adjustments - I'm not.

(Damn it - I forgot to rust and dust the new three)

Morannon Orc swaps 7

I could have sworn there were three remaining but one seems to have gone AWOL.

I've dibbled a bit of rather unconvincing rust about and trouser legs and boots are dusty now.

However, I note that these two could do with a bit of shading.

There's always something.



I'll start in on the remaining Orcs next - a slightly smaller number but they include Gothmog.

Morannon Orc swaps 6

Here's those Orcs that were out of focus in the previous post.

The next group, all with different weapons and a little bronze here and there.


I'll be going over them all with some rust and dust when this first batch is done (only three to go)

Morannon Orcs swaps 5

These first three are genuine weapon swaps with some adjustments to armour and/or helm too.

It's difficult to disguise them because of the stance.

It might have been worthwhile to have had some of them leaning backwards more.

These three, no matter what you do, will always seem identical because of the broad mush they have.

I've done my best by swapping weapons, giving them different skin colour and adding a shield.

The big change is the addition of the skull which takes some explaining.

It's obviously far too large to have belonged to a warrior on the side of light and reason.

It came about when the left hand Orc picked a fight in a bar with a half troll and won.

He's been lugging it around ever since.

(I'll sort out that bad focus shot tomorrow)

Morannon Orcs swaps 4

I'd hoped to have three groups ready to go by now but, every time I think they are ready, I see  an unpainted area or paint where it shouldn't be.*

In fact this is weapon adjustment rather than swap.

I've realised that the High Viscosity Superglue is exactly that.

It runs like the clappers (technical term)

So when applying it as a gap filler, where a weapon joins a hand, use a finer applicator than a cocktail stick and apply a small amount, then, when it's dry, apply more.

Otherwise you get a 'blobby' (another technical term) join.

* Just noticed that I've not painted the base edges!

Morannon Orc swaps 3

 The first 4 not quite finished Morannon Orcs (black paint required round bases)

In fact these are the least 'swapped' of all of them, two having been on the blog previously with only a slight twist to a wrist between them.

I've tried to mix up clothing colours a bit and skin colour, of course.

One has a severely damaged shield too and there is a weapon swap or two in there somewhere.

However, pose is everything, isn't it.

Morannon Orcs swaps 2

Until an unemployed Troll happens by, it's back to weapon swaps with the Morannon Orcs.

Ordinary Orcs have a reputation as scroungers, using whatever weapons they can find.

Not so, Morannon Orcs, who have an issue of equipment and generally keep to it.

This bunch, however, were last in the queue and so many have had to pick up odds and ends as they marched along.

Amazingly, they even found items left behind by some passing Dark Eldar and Ultramarines from a universe far, far away.

(Just to make it clear, these are only at the basecoat spray stage!)

John't catapult crew

 Green Crew.

Here's the crew for John's catapult which are simple orc conversions.

The orc on the right had a spear, the head of which was replaced by a piece of frame that was the right size for his hammer.

The guy in the centre had one of those trident efforts and I've replaced the head with a filed down spear point from a 40K vehicle.

The left hand guy simply had his hand rotated in the hope that he might look as if he is pointing with his sword (imagination required)

His sword was originally pointing skywards as does that of this fellow on the left.

The fixing was again done with a small amount of plastic glue allowing adjustment time and, when set, a dribble of super glue/gap filler, applied with the tip of a pointy stick thing, the name of which I always forget.

They all have an area of Dark Angel Green highlighted with that mixed with Scorpion Green.

John's Catapult Completed

Some sunlit shots of John's scratch built catapult now it's 'completed'.


I've now noticed that the metal tyres could do with a bit of rust.


Also, I think John and I discussed having a metal support where the rope is attached to the arm.

Again, where the machine jumps forward, those metal prongs jab into the soil.

Unfortunately, on this occasion, the soil in front was of a different type, left there by a passing Beast of Gorgorath.


Indeed, you can see exactly what it was passing.


I'm worried about that back tyre - does it look flat to you?

Another of John's man made rocks.


I thing he mentioned Scots porridge oats?


Now to sort out an Orc team and, at some point, recruit a Troll.

John's Catapult modified

 A few changes to John's Catapult with the aim of leaving it a little more GW than at present.


First was the removal of John's bootlace from his counterweight rock.

In doing so I exposed areas of the rock previously hidden and discovered that this was a man made rock, not the real thing, as I'd previously thought.


However, it's an excellent rock and will look great painted.


(I'm afraid the lace is no use now John, you'll have to buy another)

 Then, to replace the bootlace with iron bars, I painted thin strips of card, black and then Boltgun.


The edges too had to be painted and I realised too late that painting the card before cutting the strips would have been the smart thing to do.






The card I used was a greetings card left over from the shop closure.

 Here are the first strips glued on with super glue.


I fixed the first end while curling the remainder round the rock to make sure it would end up in roughly the right place.


As you can see, I've started doing a little painting while waiting for the glue to really set.

So here we are with it all  painted up and an unfortunate blue hue for some reason.


Next the wheels, or the axles rather, as the wheels are done.


The next stage may have to await the arrival of my drill from China and the mental completion of my next cunning plan.


I hope you like it so far John.