In my opinion: Ramshackle's new boneyard truck is a pile of rubbish!!!!

[Geudens]

In my opinion: Ramshackle's new boneyard truck is a pile of rubbish!!!!

... this is what I heared an angry voice shouting at me through the phone yesterday...

At first I was stunned, but quickly realised that the said voice belonged to Ulysses S. Eless ( Major U.S. Eless), my commanding officer.

First, allow me to introduce myself: I am Captain S. Cratchbuilt, Supply & Purchasing officer of the 2014th Combat Engineers Regiment, stationed in the Pamela XXVIII sector.  A few weeks ago, I received instructions from my CO to purchase ASAP some full tracked engineer transport vehicles, armoured and carrying a dozer blade.

I first looked at the offerings from our usual supplier: "GW" (Grand Weaponry ltd), but soon realised that my budget (strongly reduced by the current galaxy-wide financial and economical crisis...) would not allow me to buy the number of vehicles as per specs.  After some research, I came in contact with a manufacturer by the name of "Ramshackle" (the name alone should have rang a bell...), offering similar vehicles (called "Boneyard Trucks") at a fraction of the price.  I contacted them over the intergalaxial comsystem and was duly informed that the company was pleased to do business with us and that the disassembled vehicles would arrive yesterday.  Ad so they did, but appearantly not the the liking of my CO.  Oh dear...

I tried to reason with my CO (otherwise a good friend) by answering: "but, Ulysses...".  I came no further: "It is MAJOR to you, CAPTAIN" he said and continued: "You would oblige me, CAPTAIN to have this pile of junk removed from the technics hall.  If I could just say ONE good word about these socalled "vehicles"!  The doors creack, all armour plates are dented and the engines leak oil faster than we can refill'm.  Have'm send to the junkyard AT ONCE!!!".  End of conversation...

There was little else I could do but call for Sergeant Llef Sitruc, commanding the brown Orks in the junkyard.  If there is something good about being posted in Pamela XXVIII it is no doubt the fact that the system is inhabited by several tribes of brown Orks.  Agreed, from time to time some clans do turn against us, but many are also allied to our cause, and... at least they speak proper english (well, sort of...) instead of the usual Ork mumbojumbo.

Llef Sitruc arrived a few minutes later and I ordered him to collect the Boneyard wrecks (at least, according to my CO...) and recycle them at the junkyard.

At last, peace...  Or so I thought, because minutes later my phone rang again.  This time it was Llef asking if he could have a go at the wretched machines.  "Boss" he said (I hate it when they call me that, but it seems to be the Orkish way), "Boss, these trucks aren't that bad at all.  They've got a good blade, all they still need is a sting.  Can I have a go at'm and mount an autocannon turret on top so I can use'm on patrol?  I'll even paint'm up nicely in our standard sand/green pattern for uniformity".  Oh, what the heck, I told him to do as he pleased.  I had other worries: I still needed some new trucks and my budget was spent...

Today, I received another phonecall from the Major.  I immy recognised his voice and answered: "Captain S. Cratchbuilt, at your service, Major!"  "Oh come one, dear fellow" he replied "don't be so formal!  It is Ulysses to you...  BTW, I saw Llef Sitruc in one of these Boneyard things on the parade ground this morning.  Actually, they don't look that bad...  Could you instruct Sitruc to return them to the technics hall?...".  I politely told him to take up the matter with Llef himself.  I haven't heared back from him yet...

Llef Sitruc testing his new toy...

... painted in our official sand/green camo-scheme (well, at least the Orkish way, not using a spraygun but a bucket...)

[Ramshackle_Curtis]

Haa, most amusing! Im looking forward to seeing the finished army!

[Geudens]

Haa, most amusing! Im looking forward to seeing the finished army!

So am I... 

BTW, Curtis: the model was undercoated black and it then occurred to me that a black/silver/gold "Pappa Midnight-like" version with a smokestack instead of the gun turret and a gunshield & gun barrel (fitting over the engine's ventilator) would make a great VSF vehicle.  You would need to offer 8 cast iron (or spoked) wheels as an option as well then... What do you think?

Rudi

[Mancha]

Haa, most amusing! Im looking forward to seeing the finished army!

You must have cringed inside just a little bit when you read that title.   

Man, that thing is bigger than I was expecting.  It looks like the casting is kind of rough, leaving all those pockmarks.  I assume that was intentional?

Really nice paintjob.  I think it would look a little better, however, if the tracks and/or bogeys were a different color.  As they are, they kind of meld into the rest of the vehicle, making the vehicle look more like a heavy paperweight than a detailed model.

Are these available in the US yet?

[Pil]

It certainly is a lot larger than I expected too! Didn't have time to read the intro though, sorry

The models looks nice though I'm not too fond of the colour scheme of your Orks.

[Geudens]

The models looks nice though I'm not too fond of the colour scheme of your Orks.

What colour would you suggest?

[Geudens]

Man, that thing is bigger than I was expecting.  It looks like the casting is kind of rough, leaving all those pockmarks.  I assume that was intentional?

Really nice paintjob.  I think it would look a little better, however, if the tracks and/or bogeys were a different color.  As they are, they kind of meld into the rest of the vehicle, making the vehicle look more like a heavy paperweight than a detailed model.

Thank you, I agree: I will ink the deeper parts of the trackbits black I think.

Rudi

[Pil]

The models looks nice though I'm not too fond of the colour scheme of your Orks.

What colour would you suggest?

Personally (and of course it's only my opinion), I think there is too little contrast between the skin and the clothes, also the clothes are a bit too green for my liking. I think some light colours in the clothing would help, maybe some bone colour or khaki if you want to keep it natural. If you want to go for an army look maybe a darker army green would be nice to add to it. If you don't want them to look too military (which they don't really look anyway), some black or maybe dark blue could also work. If you don't want to change the clothing of the colour too much you can lighten the skin a bit, though it may turn out looking more like human skin than you want.

In general I like your skin tone, but the green clothes and the large metal areas (axe and helmet) take away from the overall look. It may also help to paint the helmets in a non-metal colour, and you can even paint the axe (except for the edge) in a non-metal colour. That, and'I'm not too fond of the models.

But anyway, I don't want to sound negative, the paintjob is nice and the truck is definately cool!

[Geudens]

Personally (and of course it's only my opinion), I think there is too little contrast between the skin and the clothes, also the clothes are a bit too green for my liking. I think some light colours in the clothing would help, maybe some bone colour or khaki if you want to keep it natural. If you want to go for an army look maybe a darker army green would be nice to add to it. If you don't want them to look too military (which they don't really look anyway), some black or maybe dark blue could also work. If you don't want to change the clothing of the colour too much you can lighten the skin a bit, though it may turn out looking more like human skin than you want.
In general I like your skin tone, but the green clothes and the large metal areas (axe and helmet) take away from the overall look. It may also help to paint the helmets in a non-metal colour, and you can even paint the axe (except for the edge) in a non-metal colour. That, and'I'm not too fond of the models.
But anyway, I don't want to sound negative, the paintjob is nice and the truck is definately cool!

Thx, but perhaps I should have explained these are "Catachuruks" (GW will kill me...  ), so their clothes have the same colour as my Catachan jungle fighters.  Mind you, I also have Catachan desert raiders (GW will kill me again...  wait, they can't, 'cause now I'm a zombie!  ) and I plan to paint some orks in sand coloured clothes as well.

Rudi

[Pil]

Ah, it makes more sense now And a desert scheme sounds good

[Ramshackle_Curtis]

Darn it, I did pst a witty reply on this topic, but it seems to have gone missing somehow?!

Anyway, yes, Im working on some VSF wheels as we speak, they are sat on my work desk for me to go and fiddle with in a bit. Expect some pictures over the next week or so of a VSF medium sized vehicle...


It looks like the casting is kind of rough, leaving all those pockmarks.  I assume that was intentional?

Yes, well it took ages to texture the bounder up like that!

[Pappa Midnight]

Excellent stuff as always Rudi!
I've been thinking of using this one for VSF. I thought about a kind of land train with armoured carriages being pulled behind.

Oh well, I will have to wait until my moving house project is finished.

Regards
PM

[Geudens]

Excellent stuff as always Rudi!
I've been thinking of using this one for VSF. I thought about a kind of land train with armoured carriages being pulled behind.
Oh well, I will have to wait until my moving house project is finished.
Regards
PM

Good to hear from you PM!  Hope your moving project is over soon.  The land train in exactly what I meant when talking about "VSF possibilities".

Rudi

[Darkoath]

I think the new war machine is great Rudi!  Strong work!

And a great new piece Curtis!  I will have to order one for myself!

[Ramshackle_Curtis]

Thanks for the kind compliments!

I really want to get on and do some conversions with the bits from this truck, actually. I should really get on with it, but so many little thingies to make and only 24 hours in a day