Rogue Trader Orks: Luggub's Drop Legion. 

   As part of my photographing of stuff I have here Luggub's Drop Legion, from the 1988 Book of the Astronomican.  I had planned to scan the army list for people to look at as I presented the relevant squads. However, my printer/scanner is not having any of it (I tried lighting incense on it like a good tech-priest, but no joy) , so if you want to look at the book, there is a link on this blog :

 http://ramshacklefort.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/my-oldhammer-narrative-part-one.html

(not sure if I need to put something legal here, so I point out I own none of the intellectual property involved.)

When I first started playing Rogue Trader back in 1987, it was to the Orks I was first drawn. The Space Ork Raiders captured my imagination as they had a very Wehrmacht feel and to me they bridged the imgination gap between the 40k universe and the mass of World War Two films that were always on TV. I would have flights of fancy imagining them not only attacking Space Marines and the Imperial Army, but also maybe chasing John Mills to Dunkirk, or even making it across the Channel to stomp their way through the 1980's Sussex countryside of my youth!

With this in mind, when I came to re-painting them many, many years later I wanted to achieve two things. Firstly to keep that World War Two feel in the colour scheme. So I used Vallejo World War Two paints. For the bulk of the army I used Vallejo Field Grey WWII , and the Commando Squads Vallejo German Uniform Green. For the Dreadnoughts and Buggies is copied German tank camo schemes.

Secondly, I wanted to keep that very early Rogue Trader feel, that almost ad-hoc early feel to the hobby, before the new Ork Clans and before Rogue Trader gained more momentum from 1989 onwards. So, I have only used the older, non-grinning idiot/clan Orks that came later, but the ones aesthetically more in common with thier fantasy counterparts of the 1980's C series and of the ealry rogue Trader I loved most.

This is also why I arranged the army into Luggrub's Drop Legion, with the addition of the Dreadought update from White Dwarf #100 .  These were the Orks that attacked Rynn's Worlds and the Crimson Fists. They  were part of the Charadon Empire, which featured in several early background articles and army lists, most notablety the Dark Angel Ravenwing in White Dwarf #96,  the Wolf Time scenario, and of course the Battle of Jadeberry Hill scenario in White Dwarf #94.

In non-Ork news, I added a couple of pictures of the ongoing painting up of the Dark Elf army. I have been very busy this week, and so done very little painting, most of it on friday evening. I did manage to sort out the Empire and Bretonnian army lists (more of later) and win some Fimir from e-bay for the Norse!

Here is the Ork army, as per the army list  in the 1988 Book of the Astronomican: 

 The customary whole army photograph!

 Side view.

 Luggrub himself (as the army Overlord), and the limited edition LE1 Space Orc (acting as the army Warchief).
I do have the other two early power armoured Orks, but there is only room for two Orks with power armour in the list. 

Two Shamans (Ork Psykers)

 Two Ork Commissars.
They could'nt shoot their own side like the later Imperial Guard ones, but were more independent minor hero field officers with a porta-rack and medi-pack!

 Two more Commissars

 Three Discipline Masters, using the Ork Command group standard bearers.
They had Champion profiles. 

 The other three Discipline Masters.

 Left to right,  RT102 Buzzy Buzzacks, and the two drummers, Karlsbro and Shugbro. I never got the third drummer, it seems they never released him.

 Six Grenadier squads.

 A Grenadier squad in action.

 Three Orks, used as squad leaders.

 Two heavy bolters. The one on the left is the one from the Space Ork Raiders boxed set, the other is carrying the old, old, style heavy bolter from 1988.

 The other side of the Heavy Bolter, and an Ork with flamer.

 Orks with flamers, including the two at the back with the shoulder carried 'heavy flamer' from the heavy weapons release.

 Bolter armed Orks

 More Orks.

 Three Bombadier squads. 

As per the army list, you can slightly alter the compostion of the squads, and as I did'nt have Orks with grenade launchers, I swapped them for plasma gun of which I had several.

 Bombadier squad advancing.

 Two squad leaders, a converted space marine missile launcher second from left, and the old metal one on the far right.

 Ork trooper, and three plasma gunners.

 Four bolter armed Orks.

 Four Commando Squads.

Again, I altered the army list entry, and swapped the two bolt pistols for bolters.

As these Orks are equipped with mesh and flak armour (giving 4+ save), I painted them a different colour, German uniform Green, to the rest of the army (Fieldgrey coloured) to help highlight the difference.

 A Commando squad advancing.

 On the left is he first ever Space Ork (then Orc) miniatureI bought, before Rogue Trader was released. He came in a pack with a Goblin and two Army troopers. The other two are squad leaders from the Space Ork Command group.

 Orks in mesh and flak armour! 

These three show the often mentioned Citadel technique using one miniature as a base and then making separate variants from it (good idea really).

 Orks, one with chainsword, two with bolters.

 Three more, and variations on the one model as previously mentioned.

 Three Orks with bolters.
Love the shades :) 

 In addition to Luggrub's Drop Legion, I painted up Thrugg Bullneck's Ork Raiders, famous from the Space Ork Raiders box set, and the attack on the farm scenario.

They can be used again in The Battle of Jadeberry hill in White Dwarf #94. I do have the same number of Orks again, but so far unpainted, that can be used as the Ulruk's Assault Grenadiers.

 Advancing.

I painted the raiders up a Khaki colour with red/white warpaint, blue tatoos, and metal helmets to match the artwork on the boxset and page 106 of the Rogue Trader rulebook. It also helps to differentiate them from the rest of the army, especially where I have used other raider trooper models to fill in gaps.

 A single squad.

 As they are a light scouting force, their squads are lightly equipped and smaller, comprising of only five Orks.

 Thrugg Bullneck, and his second in command Hhurk.

Looking for treasure no doubt ! ;)

 Squad leaders. 

The one on the left came with the boxset, the others are additions, and are the models used in the table shot on page 65 of the Rogue trader rulebook.

 One each of the Ork troopers.

 Getting back to the army list, five Ork Battle Buggies.

 Heavy Plasma gun.

 Heavy Bolter.

Ork Dreanoughts.

For those of you not familiar with Rogue trader, the Orks (and Eldar) had Dreadnoughts, before they were renamed 'Killa Kans' (and Wraithlords). There were two Ork types, the Super-attack Onslaughter, and the smaller Killer Dreadnought. There is an entry for them in the Book of the Astronomican, but this was almost immediately updated in white Dwarf #100 with a new 'cut and stick over' insert.

Super-attack Onslaughter Ork Dreanought. 

The Ork trooper gives and idea of the size. I re-based it on a square 50mm base, not avaliable at the time (the largest bases only 40mm square in the 1980's!) . The new list allowed for 0-3 of these Dreadnoughts per army.

Not a pretty sight for a human!

The smaller Killer Ork Dreadnought. 0-5 per army.

The Killer Dreanought, but with the stubby leg option. 

You could replace the legs of both types of dreadnought with the little stubby legs. No rules benefits, but just for aesthetic value, as well as easier hiding behind walls.

Killer Dreadnought with Gretchin pilot. 

The flock on the leg is'nt stuck there, just loose stuff that I forgot to brush off.

Side view showing the three old style weapons, right to left; las-cannon, heavy plasma gun, heavy bolter. Also shows the relative size difference of the dreadnoughts.

Dark Elf crossbowmen work in progress.

Close up.

 I am purposely going for a very predominatly black colour for the army to give a shadowy feel. I am avoiding any use of purple, beuase in my opinion  as soon as you do, the army seems to become a 'purple' army. The colour scheme is to be black, with very dark midnight blue shields/oddments, metallic and gold armour/details, and red fletchings for the crossbow bolts. 

Only Mangil Manhides will have something different, flayed flesh cloaks!

Dark Elf Wizard (WIP).

I thuoght I would paint up a Bretonnian Villain with Halberd as I have been sorting out the army list of late. He is an old Maruader miniature with one of their old Fleur de lis sheilds. 

Looking at him I need to tidy the sheild up a little, and highlight the halberd.

The joy of e-bay! 

I managed to bag twelve Fimir to use as an ally contingent for my Norse army, and at  £1.25 each too :)

Added to the one I have, I now can field thirteen, working out to a 690 point list I drew up for them.

 I will convert some up to be Fianna Fimm.