An Orc Army - From The Beginning

Hi folks,

I am starting a new O&G army in preparation for next year's tournament cycle. That means I have about 9 months to get it done. In theory this will be plenty of time.

While I'm putting aside the Tomb Kings for a while (just when the dice finally got here - argh!), I'm not leaving our lovely community, so I'm going to track the progress here.

There are some things I plan to do, but before I really get into it, I thought I'd ask you guys if there's something you would like to see be part of this e-journey. Give me your ideas here. No promises, but I'll try to work in what you want to see.

Just to give this some framework, here are the things I plan to put in this thread:
1) Basing decision process. One of the many reasons I am leaving TK behind for next year's cycle is that their bone-colored feet and the desert/temple bases we tend to use sort of blend together. I want a color scheme that keeps the models 'popping' from their bases. I have some ideas for bases in mind, and will share that decision-making process here.

2) Color formulas.

3) Pondering which models I am going to scratch build, which I will convert, and which will be stock. Any conversions or scratch jobs will be chronicled here.

4) Army list. I am building 3000 points, with no comp restrictions. The main tournament I enjoy allowed this, with the exception that you cannot build a Grand Army. I'll bet this list changes often.

5) Battles as I go. This will get a mention here when I play them, but be written up in the non-TK battle reports subforum.

6) Some photos of existing O&G models I have done, even though I won't be putting them in this army since their bases won't fit.

7) Random musings.


What else, if anything, would people like to see?

What else? More pictures!

But if you start the army from scratch, then I guess you should start with the army list. Any idea about the theme you're going for, or will it just be random, normal Orcs army with a bit of everything in it? 3000pts of Orcs will be a lots of models anyway, should be interesting to see what you do with them !

Ooh steampunk 'em.

Here are some photos of older orc and goblins models I've painted over the years. Some show old trial colors, others are the colors I want, but the bases need to change. Most of it is just experimentation.

The snotlings were done about 20 years ago, but I like the idea if not the execution.

I'm sticking with red, but need to do something different with the bases for sure.

Some lovely stuff in there. Red is always nice with Orcs, but some of it have a strong '90s feel though, especially the Goblins with red shoes

The bases also have a old school look, but they're still nice. Just adding some rocks and static grass to them could already make them pop a bit more without being too much, and would be easier to do than totally rebasing them.

Love the brown boar and wolf, the color really pop. And the pink Troll is quite... original

I've said it before but damn you're a great painter Sleb!

What's going into the new army by the way? Block of night goblins with fanatics? Horde of Savage Orc Big 'Uns? Blocks of trolls?

Young Sleboda could paint too!

Totally agree on the bases - just a little more happening in them will be plenty - no need to totally re-do them.

My faves would have to be the brown boar and the red crescent moon night goblin. Also love the shading on the black cloth the orc BSB is holding.

I'm not a fan of things-other-than-the-model-on-bases, unless we're talking about a clever thing that can be imagined to be moving along over the field. (not that the snotlings arn't very cool). The only adjustment I would make was have the bases be less... shiney green? It draws my attention away from the models as it is.


I really LOVE the grins on those two goblins that are harmoniously holding a net together!

Thanks for the comments so far guys. Since bases seem to be a recurring theme , let me take some time to give some detail on my thinking.

First off, a history lesson.

When I first got into painting big time, all bases were Goblin Green with Bilious Green highlights. That was law. This stuck with me over time.

Bases are just things that move your models, not part of the models themselves. Tables were green. Bases were green in blend in. End of story.

Bases should not have bits of crap on them. Why would a twig, a skull, or a broken shield move up the battlefield with the warrior with each step he takes? They wouldn't, and thus our bases should be completely devoid of extra detail.

For decades (literally) I stuck to this concept. My bases are Woodland Scenics fine ballast, primed white, painted GG w/ BG highlights. I even have hundreds of models that have their bases done but only primer on the models themselves. In fact, for this army (and an entire High Elf army) it's pretty troublesome since if I want to use those models in the new force, I am going to have to rip away the bases and re-do them. What a waste!

Anyway, we now come to the modern age. For the last 5+ years I have been a crusader in tournaments. People come by my army for paint judging and I hear comments like "Man, that would get my vote for favorite army if it were not for the bases." You also look at the painting scoring sheets that judges use and on there you see things like "Bases: Extra details and multiple textures are present." I miss out on those points.

I know I am unlikely to win enough games to take best general at any tournament, but I _can_ win overall with the right combo of wins, sportsmanship, and appearance points. In fact, I actually have won events this way (Philly GT in the mid-2000's and some others as well). It's getting harder, though, because I am literally leaving points on the table by having bases that people don't vote for.

So, I must do something with my bases.

Since these models are green-skinned and since the core troops for the army will be savages (with their little bare feet), it makes sense to do something other than green on the bases. You can see, in the example unit of older savages above, how the feet get lost on the bases.

I will be doing a dead forest/broken lands theme. I'm thinking of calling the army something like "The Stonewood Savage Beasts." The forest goblins will be from a petrified forest in a blasted land. Right now the leading candidate for the bases is the Microart Studio set that appears (just checked moments ago) to have been discontinued within the last week (WTF? I just looked last week on their site and now they are gone!!!!). Basically, they look like mudlands that have dried out and cracked. I will paint them a nice medium tan.

This will lend itself to a nice display board.

Yeah, so, it looks like if I am going to win any more events, I need to abandon come principles.

Below is my starting point list. Obviously it will change, probably a lot, over time, but you have to start somewhere, and this is it.


1 Orc Warboss on Wyvern
1 Savage Orc Shaman - L2, Lucky Head
1 Snagla
1 Black Orc Big Boss
1 Goblin Big Boss on Gigantic Spider
1 Goblin Great Shaman - L4, Chariot

40 Savage Orc Big'uns with Full Command, Big Stabbas and Additional Hand Weapons
13 Spider Riders - FC, short bows, (With Snagla)
5 Spiders
5 Spiders

1 Troll
1 Troll
15 Squig Hoppers
1 Goblin Chariot
1 Goblin Chariot
1 Orc Chariot

1 Pump
1 Pump
1 Mangler
1 Mangler
1 Arachnarok Spider
1 Giant with Tattoos

I think you've made the right decision about the bases. Perhaps when you've completed your new army you will be able to look back and (perhaps grudgingly) concede that some extra efort on the bases really was worth the effort and the army looks a whole lot better as a result. If nothing else it should help you compete for best presented army on a more level playing field.

Since you are still at the conceptual level with the Orcs I wonder if you have given any thought to some kind of sub theme for your army? If you look at the armies that usually win best presented army awards they often include some kind of quirk that makes them just that little bit different and stand out from the crowd when compared to the 'standard' fare. I know that converting & greenstuffing isn't your preferred way of spending your hobby time (shame really, I'd have loved to see you do a 'classy' orc army dressed in tuxedos and dinner jackets ). but perhaps you could do some extra freehand work or something to take advantage of (and show off!) your painting skills?


2 random thoughts: I'd love to see what you can do with the anorak spider, and I just I love that pink troll.

=> That's pretty much the whole point. I still think it's evil, corrupt, silly and dumb to make bases a part of the model, but I wanna win!

=> Planning on it. Plenty of freehand on the various tattoos and such. Plus, the gobbo spider rider special character is gonna have to be pretty much a scratch built dude.

=> Yeah, I have some ideas there...

=> Me too! It's probably not the manliest thing to admit, but I love pink.

Can I have the Giant to use as my Hierotitan??