The Ironfang Pirate Fleet - The Ogresuns, part 2

Gomm (Crusha), Bikk and Urra (Gore-choppas)

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After work a few days ago, I hunted around the 3 shops in the city centre that stock hobby stuff, and none of them had the Wrekkaz / Ragerz kit in stock.

So, instead, I got a box of 5 regular Brutes, and when I got home I kitbashed Ragerz from three of them, plus the leftovers I had after making Wrekkaz last time. Obviously I also added some suitably piratey baggage and gear to their belts, like pistols, a glass buoy, rolled-up treasure maps, a jug of grog, and a log book.

The following night I did the greenstuff work to fill in the small holes in their chests and the big hole in their backs (and did my best to sculpt back/shoulder muscles on them too), and the gap in that one ladz shoulder (his big weapon is from the Wrekkaz kit, so it wouldn't fit the Brute arms without some work).

Since taking the photos I've sanded their bases and undercoated them. Paint next!

Edit: 2025-06-10

Some WIP photos!

I'm trying a new orruk skin recipe, with the aim of matching my old skin recipe, but making it faster and more fun to paint - I don't enjoy painting the block base colours as much as washes and highlights.

I usually use Contrast Ork Flesh, then Layer Warpstone Glow (over a zenithal gray-on-black undercoat).

To cut out those two fairly laborious steps I'm trying Contrast Warp Lightning with a tiny amount of Contrast Magos Purple (witch is more like a thin wash really). I paint the Magos into the creases between muscles, and any excess is "thumbed" away.

Because I'm no longer using the darker green basecoat, the purple fills in for it, but also gives the bright green much more depth.

I'm sticking with the same highlight: Air Moot Green, brush-painted in thin lines following muscle shapes, to simulate rough orruk skin texture.

I'm pretty pleased with the result!

Hopefully it will allow me to get a little more done with what little painting time I'm able to find these days!

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I'll make another post when these ladz are finished.

Ravaged Coast Blues: Flotsam and Jetsam (Warcry narrative at UKGE, 1st June 2025)

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Ravaged Coast Blues

On the eastern edge of the Great Parch, where the land meets the Ocean of Tears, lay a vast archipelago where the Great Parch is being consumed by the Gnaw. A battleground of violent seas, sand-blasted atolls and Skaven-tainted ruins. There was opportunity to find great riches along the Ravaged Coast, but much of it was hidden amongst the scattered debris of disaster and death.

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The Sunken Shores

One of a series of forested inlets along the coast, where smugglers and pirates used to hide ships and their cargo. The upheavals of the Gnaw and the Vermindoom made the brutal currents of the Ocean of Tears a hundredfold worse - they wash across the surrounding lowlands rapidly and unpredictably.

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The Mermaid’s Cage

This shabby port town took its name, and once hoped to make its fortune, from the rare magical being that was bound at its heart. That hope was soon dashed by the debilitating song of the imprisoned creature. It sapped the constitution of even the toughest if they became separated from their friends. Soon the townsfolk had none.

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Skull Reef

The bones of a thousand gigantic multilimbed, sword-toothed, deep-sea monsters were scattered along the sandbars and atolls of Skull Reef. But it took its name from the leering forms that the dark and jagged rocks seem to naturally take.

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Shipwreck Sands

Scattered with the smashed wrecks of sea-vessels that were sunk or abandoned following the Vermindoom. It might provide a place of safety - or danger.

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Siren's Tide

A ramshackle settlement built in the ruins of a failed Dawnbringer strongpoint. Timber salvaged from wrecks, in a patchwork of ships’ hulls piled atop half-finished stonework, and roofed with ragged scraps of sailcloth suspended on broken spars and frayed rigging. Where calls for parlay are just as common as screams for revenge.

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Morrda's Port

While the living might find treasure amidst the wreckage of this sprawling necropolis, the graves and mausoleums of the forgotten dead have been cracked and broken. The grasping spirits within pull and claw at unwary explorers, the disturbed souls seek to draw energy from the living in this place.

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Whisper Island

The shattered ruin of a once great stronghold looms over this island. It is a fitting reminder that in the Mortal Realms, there is no monument that cannot be torn down by violence. The ancient stonework is ornately carved and angular metaliths, that glow with an eerie green inner light, drift through the mysterious mists that envelope the island like a thick blanket.

The mists themselves have strange properties that wax and wane. For some they sear the lungs and the burn eyes, but for others they knit wounds shut and revitalise the spirit.

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Wrecker’s Rock

This patch of land bears the scars of the Vermindoom. There is no such thing as sanctuary in the wild realms, and enemies will also stumble upon this place. The only option is to scavenge what you can, then flee.

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Flotsam and Jetsam

Misthåvn Company (Order)

The Misthåvn Company presented itself as a force of order and progress, dispatched to tame the Ravaged Coast and defend the Great Parch from the advancing hordes of the Gnaw. But beneath their polished sigils and impressive-sounding ranks lay a murky truth. Comprised of mercenaries, exiles, privateers, and opportunists granted clemency in exchange for service, the Company walked a fine line between lawful enterprise and outright piracy. To their backers, they were a tool of stability; to the rival factions, they were just another invasive force carving out power through conquest. Whether driven by duty, profit, or survival, the Company would stop at nothing to establish a beachhead - and claim the treasures there in the name of Sigmar.

Skwidmuncha Squadron (Destruction)

A wild flotilla of orruks, grots, and gargantuan sea beasts, the Skwidmuncha Squadron were destruction incarnate. Storm-chasers and scavengers, they lived to pillage, smash, and revel in the thrill of battle. Drawn to the Ravaged Coast by tales of arcane wreckage and tides of violence, they believed the land itself was a beast begging to be broken. Led by bellowing bosses and demented shaman-pirates, their goal was simple: keep the Coast as a thunder-wracked scrapyard of endless war and carnage.

Brethren of Cotha (Chaos)

Blood-maddened zealots devoted to Cothaggrug the Blood Kraken, the Brethren of Cotha were a cult of Khorne-worshippers who believe that the storms and tides are manifestations of their god's wrath. Emerging from crimson surf and barnacle-crusted altars, they sought to awaken Cothaggrug from its slumber beneath the waves by offering torrents of blood and worthy skulls. Every battle was a sacred ritual, every slain foe a step closer to unleashing their god’s fury upon the Coast in a tidal wave of violence and slaughter.

The Gravetide (Death)

Beneath the Ravaged Coast lie sunken tombs and forgotten necropolises, buried under silt and storm. The Gravetide were a cabal of necromancers and undead who intended to reclaim these ruins and bind the fiery power of Emberstone to their deathly arts. They believed that by fusing Aqshy’s burning essence with ancient necromancy, they could raise a new kind of undead - wreathed in flame and fury - to drown the living in an endless tide of ash and bone. Every Emberstone shard they claimed brought them closer to turning the Coast into a kingdom of eternal twilight.

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The Battles

In the opening clashes the Skwidmunchaz fought the Brethren of Cotha to a stalemate on Shipwreck Sands.

The Brethren narrowly defeated the Misthåvn Company along the Sunken Shores.

While the Skwidmunchaz got the upper-hand against the brethren of Cotha at Mermaid's Cage.

They lost the advantage and got pushed out of Skull Reef by the Gravetide.

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Battle-lines drawn, the belligerent buccaneers settled-in for the long fight...

Whisper Island erupted into a very uncivil civil war, as rivals within the Brethren of Cotha fought.

Siren's Tide was looted so thoroughly by a seemingly unstoppable wave of Skwidmunchaz, that the Brethren of Cotha there were left empty-handed.

The Gravetide put pressure on the Skwidmunchaz in Mermaid's Cage, driving them back. But both factions abandoned the port town soon after...

So when the Brethren later had the port town in their grip, they once more found settling their internal rivalries too irresistible, and they fell once more to fighting among themselves.

While they did so, the Gravetide plundered the riches the Brethren left almost unguarded in Siren's Tide.

At the finale, Whisper Island once again saw internal animosity overflow into violence.

The Skwidmunchaz secured overall victory by proving conquest was never their goal. Fighting, for them, was not the means to an end, but the goal in itself - the fight over the loot was far more important than the loot.

But, somehow, it proved to be the way to get the most loot anyway.

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UK Games Expo, WarcryNarrative

What a wild day!

I was slightly late arriving (the drive took a lot longer than Google Maps had said the night before, or even when I set out - there were several accidents on the M6 I think). So setup was a little rushed and I wasn't at my best when I was briefing players on what was going on.

I had masses of help - Dimitris (Phylax), Ed (Maps_), Jess (...Jess!?) and Alex (Badger) all leapt into action and helped lay out the boards and scenery. Dimitris also set up the camera, mics and lights to stream one game on Twitch (that can be found on his LinkTree is here) each round! He also had a portable miniature photo-booth, and photographed the warbands entered into the "best warband" player-vote - they can be seen here.

I dealt out Plunder Cards, and explained how the first round would work, then dealt Animosity Tarot cards and told them to find another player with a matching card number: their first opponent. Once they'd found them they were to chose one of the eight locations to fight over.

Luckily they all seemed to have read the pack and they got straight down to fighting.

But then I had to run round each pairing to make sure the tables had Emberstone Tokens (and to make sure they knew they had to keep the ones they won after each game), and to give them the pages with the Deployment and Victory components of the first battleplan (the Twists were part of the table number cards).

After each round I noted the results and each player's Emberstone Token total in my notebook.

I didn't want to use an online tool to do this for several reasons - mainly the unknowns of running an event at UKGE for the first time; I didn't know if there would be a power supply I could use - the risk of a battery running out is too much for me - and I didn't know what the signal would be like, especially with huge crowds of people all armed with mobile devices.

But I chose to use physical cards for parings, and tokens and a notebook for scores, because I like those things. I like the atmosphere they create, and the feelings they evoke.

During the "quiet" moments, while the players were battling, I made sure the individual Emberstone Token totals were all correct and totted up the faction totals.

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Best Warband:Freddy's Iron Golems

When the time came to announce I was (again!? still?!) not at my best and I mumbled and stumbled through the awards for Best Warband (voted for by players); Champions of Destruction, Order, Death and Chaos (the highest scoring player in each faction who didn't win overall); and finally Ravaged Coast General (the overall winner).

Andy and Martin's winning Gloomspite Gits warband

They each received one of the VERY cool medals (the ones displayed in the glowy Emberstone-filled treasure chest, above) that Dimitris had designed and 3D Printed in resin, especially for the day.

But people were somehow satisfied with my very iffy public speaking and they said nice things about the day afterwards, so I'll take it as a success anyway. I'm sure my next award ceremony will be just as iffy anyway!

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Footnote: I can officially declare UKGE as utterly bonkers.

It's easily the biggest event I've ever been to, the number and range of traders is overwhelming - I literally got lost when I went for a "quick look round" to see what was there. I had to use Google Maps to work out which direction I was walking so I could get back to our Warcry tables!

Hall 4, the tournament games area, was the size of the space where Warhammer Fest 2023 was held. But that was just one hall... out of five, or maybe six, in use at NEC!

The Ironfang Pirate Fleet - The Ogresuns, part 1

The Ogresun is the largest sky-ship in the Ironfang Fleet. It's an ungainly, slab-sided hulk that steers like a cow and moves slower. But it's armed with dozens of looted great guns, and packed with battle-hungry orruks, so it is not a vessel to be underestimated.

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Wyrdtoof Hogbreff

Wyrdtoof Hogbreff was marooned on an isolated floating metalith island, by accident a few years ago and has gone a bit strange. But "a bit strange" is seen as a qualification for an orruk shaman.

He recently rejoined the Ogresun, he and Kaptain Ogbad recognised each-other immediately, despite the changed appearance of both.

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I built this headbanger in 2021 and he's been waiting until this month for paint.

I had abandoned working on him when I realised wasn't happy about the 40k bionic leg the original model has. I don't know why it took me so long to realise I could just chop it off and give him the peg-leg from the Brutes kit!

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Kaptain Salty Ogbad

Orruks grow physically larger and more powerful as they gain experience and success in battle.

So its clear Kaptain Ogbad must have been in some wild fights and perilous adventures since the Harrowmark Run, to have become so massive!

The Ironfang Fleet's Bossrokk Tower

I've had difficulty finding time for hobby lately. As a result of this, it's taken over 6 weeks to get this project finished, but finished it is.

I bought the kit at Warhammer World, when I was there for a Warcry tournament at the end of March, with GW vouchers I was given for my birthday.

I've been picking away at it ever since, moving very slowly forward in small steps. I was worried I would be distracted by another project before it was done, but I was able to stay focused. 

I built it slightly off-book - I used the Ironjawz metal jaw option and the Kruleboyz wooden mask option. But purely because I liked the look of both together. There won't be any confusion about which version of its Warscroll it uses, since they can only appear in the corresponding army faction. I added a second, slightly larger platform on top, as a crowsnest, so a Megaboss can fit on it.

The large rock (from a Skaven Gnawhole kit), the broken timbers, and the greenstuff crabs were all added to emphasise the beach / coastal atmosphere.

I also added a piece of mast (from a Gloomtide Shipwreck) to form a "crossbones" with the large bone the kit already includes. 

I hope that, and the white paint job, make it look like a jolly roger / skull-and-crossbones!

Through Hel and High Water - a Path to Glory Ravaged Coast campaign, part 3

Carrion birds squabbled among themselves as the smouldering harbour was picked-over by a different breed of scavenger. The Rotmoons sang horrible sea-shanties as they rummaged through the belongings of the former citizens. Clothing, crockery, jewelry and various ornaments were cast out of doors and windows, chests and drawers upturned, their contents scattered over the streets. Anything that might have value was stuffed into bags or pockets.

But there was a growing atmosphere of impatience among the crew. The small treasures were not what they’d come for. Where was the Emberstone hidden?

A screech of metal-against-metal brought the pirates to frozen silence. Everyone of them listening intently.

“Steam-engines, to the north-west!” came a cry from above. The lookout had finally remembered his duty.

While the others were distracted Murko found some Emberstone, hidden in barrels, and called out happily.

Dragante's watch started prising-open barrels and crates.

Palmaz started another chorus of The Mermaid of Helbridge, and Bortagno's watch joined in.

The war engines approach was accompanied by gouts of steam, the clanking of pistons and gears. Then, suddenly, the roar of a dozen guns firing a ragged overlapping cannonade.

Bullets and balls ripped through the air; it punched through walls, shattered the remaining glass from window, and brought tiles tumbling from rooves. Most significantly, it also shredded Roggriguez' Brutes.

The storm of death unleashed another roar; this time one of rage, starting with Palmaz and soon joined by the other pirates.

Kapitan daLeeva, Palmaz and Ogdrog charged the nearest tanks.

The Kapitan was taken down. Ogdrog hefted his massive choppa above his head and leapt at the lead engine, bringing it down on the turret with an echoing clang like a cracked bell.

Bortagno's watch took their precious haul of Emberstone and tried to take cover behind the remains of a stone-built tower.

While Dragante's watch also took cover, huddled behind a large rocky outcrop.

At the rear of the steam-engine's lines, an Ogor Warhulk, with a fussil-major perched in a crow's-nest on his back, directed the tank's gunfire; he marked targets by firing coloured flares, their lights burning brightly in the armour of his chosen victims.

The entire division of war machines were thus able to focus fire, at one group of pirates at a time, destroying them utterly, then moving on to the next target.

They steamed ahead at full speed through the shattered harbour town, chasing the pirates down.

Dragante's watch stood firm against the relentless advance.

But they were trapped in the enfilade between two war-engines - with very little choice, they charged the nearest tank.

Murko and his ladz shrieked - as they were caught in a jet of volcanic steam that burst from the ground nearby. Moments later the unstable Emberstone they had found exploded - their unarmoured hides were burned and horribly blistered.

The steam tanks broke formation and fanned-out...

... hunting down any survivors.

Bortagno tried in vain to grab another Emberstone shard, but the fussil-major's punishing fire forced him to duck back into cover. He fled empty handed.

Soon there was barely anyone left to resist them - the engine crews were able to harvest the Emberstone the Rotmoons had accrued but abandoned.

When there were only scattered remnants of the Rotmoons left the order to fire-as-they-bear was given, and the engines cleaned-up. They rolled over the last defenders and captured all the Emberstone they could carry.

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Opponent: Sin

Faction: Cities of Sigmar

Battleplan: Ransack the Encampment (3 Objectives)

Twist: Volcanic Incandescence

Emberstone Clusters: 3

Points Values: 1230 vs. 1280 (which meant no Stalled Reinforcements)

Emberstone Vault = 2

Total Emberstone Shards Gained = 9

Battles Fought = 3