AHPC XIV - From MikeW: Warhammer 40k Tau, Fantasy Savage Orcs and various 28mm Figures

 I've switched my focus back to the Tau as I have now completed 5 x trooopers, 1 x drone, 3 x Stealth Fighters and 2 x Crisis Battlesuits. All with the same white and Orange theme that I piloted in my first post of the challenge.

Two Tau Fighters in Crisis Suits,
large Sci-Fi mechs, with varied weapons load-outs 

Rear view of the same

Close-up of one of the Tau Mechs.

...and the other one.

The three Stealth Suit Fighters have benefited from being slightly larger models that the standard Tau Troopers, this made the pinlining of the armour panels much easier to do and I'm pleased with the results. Again these guys have the same white armour, painted in the same manner as previously described, with random orange panels, the only item that remains constant  is that all models will have a left knee pad that is orange.

Three Tau warriors in Stealth Suits,
these are similar is size to old school Space Marine Terminators

These guys each carry a heavy weapon in their left hand and have various load-outs on their back packs and antenna as required.

Reverse view of the Tau Stealth Warriors

The Crisis Suit Fighters are the smallest of the Tau 'Big Mechs' and these two were sourced from eBay and came pre-made with the load-outs that you can see. Again these figures were undercoated in a grey and then dry-brushed light grey and then white before applying several white glazes to bring out the highlights.

Business end of a Large Plasma Gun

Again the panel lining is easier due to their size but also due to their size tere are alot more panels to line! The black is done with GW Black Templar contrast paint, whlist the panel lines are GW Aggrax Earthshade.

Reverse side of the other Mech, with a combat Force Field shield

The weapons on each figure vary, I believe each can have upto 4 weapons attached to their 'hardpoints' but each has only three. (I may add more later as I build p a supply of spares).

Tau Droid to spport the additional Tau Troopers

Regarding Points, I have counted the Stealth Suit Warriors as regular 28mm figures, my logic being these are similar to Space Marine Terminators who get scored that way and also counted the drone as a regular figure as well. For the Crisis Suit figures I have counted these as 28mm vehicles, as they are considerably bigger than regular figures - I have seen similar in posts to older challengers but happy to be corrected if that oversteps the mark.

Tau Trooper section with a Gue'Vesa on the left 

Size comparison of Crisis Suit, Stealth Suit and regular Tau Trooper

The other items that I have been working on are a first batch of Savage Orcs, the first six figures of a twenty strong unit, which I'll hopeflly finish in the next week or so.

First six Savage Orcs, of a twety strong nit that I'm working on!

These guys were again sourced on eBay and they were a ready made totally unpainted unit with a few figures needing a bit of TLC to either complete their construction or put back together where they had broken. 

Close-up od three of the Savage Orcs

These are essentially wild Orcs, with very few clothes on them except for the skins of various beasts that they have slain. These figures are heavy on bone weapons and body ornamentation and again disappointinly sparce on skulls, only two in this first batch!

The painting method was essentially the same as in my last post bit with the lack of clothing to distract the eye, the skin has appeared to retain a very vivid green hue. I have offset the skin with alot of attention to the bone and this was achieved with an ivory paint job, washed with GW Skeleton Horde and the highlighted with more Ivory and then White.

The remaining three, just 2 skulls between them all!

I opted for the Lizard skin clothing to be blue, so this is an Army Painter Blue Speed paint, then dry brushed with a sky blue before being washed with a dark blue ink to pull the colours together.

Finally I have also completed a few 28mm figures for some of my historical interests. Of these I have 5 x Interwar British Infantry, these are Wargames Atlantic plastics, built to represent a faction in a proposed Very British Civil War (VBCW) collection that I'll put together. Some older readers may remember I have done VBCW figures in 20mm previously - but I have decided to go big and swap to 28mm for future figures.

Five Man Infantry Squad, Lewis Gunner on left,
next to his No.2, then two riflemen and an officer.

There is an officer, 3 riflemen and a Lewis Gunner, these guys were undercoated in white, painted with a watered down khaki and webbing and packs in a light brown. I'll claim a Squirrel point for these guys! Hopefully I'll find time to do some more as the challenge progresses.

Another view of the Interwar Infantrymen

Last figure this week is a Polish Late17th Century Foot Officer, armed with a two handed sword, he is destined to command a Polish infantry regiment in my Siege of Vienna collection.

Polish Officer, with two handed sword,
ready to lead a his nit