Iron age style woven band part 2- tisdag, Jul 28 2009

Okay, as I proceeded with my weaving today I came to a point where I decided it was best to halt, and use what I hade made for cuffs. As it turned out, I failed to measure and when I had cut of the first part of the band I did not have enough for both cuffs.

Well, I decided to use the band for one cuff and save the remants for… well, you never now when they might come in handy…

So, this is how the right hand cuff looks after having attached the tabby woven band!

I used a very common composition from the period, two beasts opposing each other with a man in between. Well, at least it´s supposed to be man, the little figure to the right. You see the jaws of the left hand beasts to the left of him.  The beasts are supposed to represent bears, since bears had a special place in northern mythology and I personally like bears!

Here is the other side of the cuff:

I tried to make a dragon/snake here, but it did not get that good looking. Well, I keep on trying so maybe better next time.

I found it fitting to have  snake on my swordarm cuff, since the snake represents speed and lethality, and sometimes swords where given names like ”The viper” etc…

Anyway, I am now to start making the left hand cuff. I think I will do a somewhat different composition maybe having the same opposing bears but with something else too, just because it´s the left hand side.

One idea I have is to make the symbol of the ”Helm of awe”. You can´t say for certain the sign was used back then, but most likely it was. And unlike much of the so-called runic lore used today, we know what the Helm of awe was meant to do, unlike the later day attributions to the old runes. We know they where used for magical purposes but you can´t say for sure which was for which, bar for a few.

What is today usually called for rune magic etc. is based on later constructions, from the medieval period and inspirations during the 19th century. That won´t do for me!

But now I am getting of topic. Back to weaving!

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Imitating iron age tablet woven bands on dresses – chapter one måndag, Jul 27 2009

Alright, this is my first post about living history and re-enactment here. I will try to post these ones in english aswell, as I have some mates that will not be able to read swedish.

Anyway, a week and a day ago I was on a medieval market I bought myself a beautiful greyish blue wool cloth withe discrete square pattern. It just screamed migration period to my me and after the mandatory stroking and patting of a range of cloth to really get the feel of them, I settled for this one and bought about 1.75 meter of it. The reason buying so little was that I had to conserve money, so I took a little bit more than I knew was needed for the kind of tunic I had in mind.

Anyway, after a few days of intensive work and tired fingers, the tunic was finished. And after some pondering I realized I still had cloth left to make a new pair of hoses for my medieval grab, with some fiddling and fitting of course.

Anyway, I did feel the dress deserved something more. It was meant to be a more good looking tunic that my old worn off-white working tunic, who has now been transfered to the extra and overtunic department.

Decorating finer tunics with tablet woven bands is well attested to in the north European context, and it is also mentioned and seen on the few relevant illustrations we got. Now the finds we have are all from graves, usually from rather well to do or even very well of persons, bar some cases from Norway where some graves seems be over commoners and yet contains some textile remants.

The preserved tablet woven bands are extremely well made and advanced, and most of what you can buy is not even of the quality seen even in the middle ranking graves. And I don´t have the money to buy or order anykind of tabletwoven bands. But I do weave bands of simpler designs myself, or at least I have made two, that you can make on a loom or by a tool in Sweden called ”bandgrind” (bandgate – if you know the english term, please tell me!).

So, I reasoned, it must be possible to make a band using the simpler techniques that still gave an impression of how the richer tablet woven bands looked, with dramatic figures and geometric designs. After studying a book my mother-in-law gave to us, I found a way and went to work!

Having looked at 5th-6th century art and imagery from Northern Europe and from the Roman areas I decided to work it out as I got along. The wise voice told me to create a pattern and a plan before it, but the rashness of ADHD, my imagination and the sullen voice of my Asperger picture memory convinced me that it would be unnecessary modern style hazzle and that it would be better (read funnier and more creative) to create the pattern in the head as I moved along the band.

Tell me what you think of it sofar!

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Big Mek Oddball an da pimped out Skorchawaggon! lördag, Maj 23 2009

Oiii, you lot!!!

Long time no see! But da Mek haz been busy see, as has da masta oiler.

Anyway, last weekend I finally got around to finish my Big mek model of Oddball and Moriarty.  Sadly, my mobile cam does not lend itself to take nice close-up pics of minis, but at least it will give you a hint about this daring duo!

I will have to add a pinch of yellow to the tip of his zig, but I hope I will be able to present some better picks of him and the other ladz in the end.

Faithful to a fault, and the true mechanical genius in the warband, is Masta oiler Moriarty. He is basically as high ranking a grot can ever become, and he never leaves his boss´s side.  Sure, he will get slapped around the head now and then, but generally, considering the extremely good and gentle mood Oddball regulary have, it´s nothing to bother about.  And the rest of the warband keeps an eye out for him, since everyone is well aware of who is the real mechanical genius,  and that sure as Morks pants ain´t Oddball!

Moriarty carries the container for the Burna and I made a hose out if greenstuff to link them together.

Gamewise, Moriarty counts both as 3 grot oiler and an attack squig. He got a blade after all and will fight fiercely in defence of his boss because he feels a kind of responsibility toward Oddball that is hard to place, but still present.

I am wondering about how I could sort of symbolize his oiler ability by making some small tokens that could be used to represent it, since he himself is not removed. I shall return to that later.

Moriarty is the real mechanical genius, and Oddball is infact not particular gifted. He is called Oddball because honestly, the other orkz think he is simply mad. He can´t really be placed into any set Oddboy category, but he really loves machines, so he got into the mek side of stuff.

However, his biggest asset is his ”posutive tinkin!” and in true greenskin fashion his positive thinking and total relaxed conviction that his blue painted mek pole really gives luck,  means he produce the same effect as a Kustom force field by his mere presence! If it fails he will however growl and scowl at the usual suspect, mostly Moriarty, and tell them to ”Knock it ov wiv them negative waves!”

The last work of this dynamic duo is the brand new looted Skorchawaggon that they made, based on an abandoned Imm0lator. Well, it is highly likely they infact managed to steal it from right under the noses of the Adepta Soroitas.

What I did was that I took my finished Immolator and simply pimped and repainted it hastily. After all, I doubt the orkz would bother that much with removing paint and stuff, but instead they went over it, kept what they liked, and slammed some glyph plates just to make sure it looked Orky enough.

Also, they have remade the tower, keeping the twin heavy bolters, but added a nasty skorcha to the mix!

It is used as a ”enjineerin waggon”,  hence the boarding planks, alluring to the mobile bridge that plays a part in the movie of Kellys Heroes.

I made the tower by only using the base of the tower, and placing one of the heavy flamer on it´s side, after some recutting. Then I used pieces of plasticard to enclose the tower in a rough and ready orky fashion.

That´s all for now, folks!

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Imperial guards reborn onsdag, Maj 13 2009

Well, come May and come the new Codex Imperial guard.  I was so happily pleased with it, and thanks to a gift of 20 unpainted Cadians and some smaller purchases and some trading with my son,  I can assemble a Company HQ and three Veteran squads (fluffwise remant platoons). One can also act as a penal company if I feel for it, but I want to try that First rank fire, second rank fire Order with an all-lasgun armed veteran squad.

I added my Entire Sisters of Battle force as allies, which fits perfectly, since they consists of 1 HQ, 1 Elite, 2 Troops & 1 Fast attack.

Here is my preliminary list at 1500 points!

Moisin rifles with allies – Comrades and sisters.

HQ 1: Commands squad 401 Moisin  Rifles, 3^rd Company

Captain Rokossovski, plasma pistol. Standard bearer, lascannon team, 2 Bodyguards & Master of Ordnance Total: 185 Rokossovski is a hardbitten but popular commander, presently commanding the remants of the 3^rd company

HQ 2 (Allied): Canoness Deborah
Rosarius, power weapon, Bolter-Flamer, Lithanies of Faith & Cloak of St. Aspira Total: 135
Deborah is Canoness of the Hereditary Ecclesiarch Garrison on Moltova, that is charged with ensuring that the Heresy of Glorious Mankind never return to haunt Moltova. Her forces are also used to reinforce Moltovan guard regiments on important missions.

Elite 1: (Allied) Celestian squad Mirjam
Veteran superior with with Enviscerator and book of st. Lucius. Squad with frag grenades, Meltaguns and Heavy flamer. Simulacrum Imperialis  [Total: 222
The closest retainers of the Canoness

Troops 1: Platoon Frunze (Remants)- Veterans squad
Sgt Frunze with Power sword. Heavy bolter, Sniper rifle, grenade launcher & Plasma rifle. Doctrine: Forward sentries  Total: 145
The companys best stealthers

Troops 2: Platoon Malkov (Remants)- Veteran squad
Sgt Malkov with power fist. Lasblasters(shotguns), 2 melta guns & heavy flamer. Doctrines: Demolition Total: 155
The remains of the assault platoon

Troops 3: Close protection Platoon Karelin (Remants)-Veteran squad
Lasguns and Doctrine: Demolition  Total: 100
What´s left of the close protection half-platoon. Lightly armed but packing meltabombs and explosives (Lassprayer squad)

Troops 4: (Allied) Battle Sister squad Elena
Vet. Superior Elena with Enviscerator and plasma pistol, 2 storm bolters & frag grenades Total: 180
The squads task is to deliver small arms fire support and hold ground, but are prepared to counterattack if necessary

Troops 5: (Allied) Battle Sister Squad Sarahi Vet. Superior Sarahi with Bolter-Melta and power mace. Melta gun, heavy flamer & frags Total: 177
This squad follows the Celestians into the assault

Fast Attack 1: (Allied) Seraphim squad Magdalena
Vet. Superior Magdalena with powersword & Book of St. Lucius. Two Seraphims with twin handflamers. Meltabombs Total: 195

The angels of absolution

Army Total: 1494 points

Not the hardest army in the world, and nothing painted yet, so you will not get to see any pics this time!

But I am itching for trying it out in a Cities of Death battle. My son also wanted us to run a Guard vs. guard battle at 500 points, just for some infantry kicks!

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Space Orkz continued: Oddball makes Big Mek onsdag, Maj 6 2009

Hello again!
After a day of inspiration, I realized good old Oddball deserves to be real character. So I made him a Big Mek and his Positive thinking clearly counts as a Kustom force field!
Now, in truth, this positive thinking is what Oddball truly contributes, cause he is shite with mechanics!
Luckily for him, he got his trusty grot mek Moriarty, who is the real brain behind the warbands vehicles. Gamewise, Moriarty counts as 3 Grot oilers, and woe betide the person questioning me about the rule legality of that!!!!

I took the plastic Mek from the Burna/Loota box, gave him the designated Oddball head and put him on a larger base, formerly belonging to a metal Eldar Wraithlord.
Moriarty is a bit hard to spot at the moment, being a little grot as he is, but here is a pic from behind. Moriarty is carrying the promethium contatiner for the burna.

Also, I have finished my first Kommandoz mob, and I fell so much in love with them I decided to scrap the Burna mob and go for a second Kommando mob packing two burnaz instead. Way cooler and more in line with the sneaky Kelly´s heroes theme.
Here they are, moving forward in a wedge formation. I imagine the Big shoota gunner covering the rear is Crapgame, constantly complaining about how much the Big shoota weighs!

Next time I will show how my Sisters of Battles Immolator became a Looted Skorchawagon/Looted Trukk!

Until then!
WAAAGH!

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A short update on the Orkz progress söndag, Maj 3 2009

Yes, time flies when you are painting.

Recently, I have finished both the slugga boyz mob, now consisting of 13 boyz and one Nob, and also the Kommandoz mob, of 5 Kommandoz and Kommando Nob Kellie.

They are the first to be kited out with model feldgrass, intent on simulating attempts to hide themselves within long reed and similar tall grass.
It is not a perfect result, but hey, they are orkz, they think it works!

I have tried taking pictures that will do them some justice and shall put them up tomorrow!

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Kelliez herouz Space orkz expands! lördag, Apr 25 2009

Feeling lucky, punk?

Today, my kustomized ork Battlewagon based on the Zvezda JSU chassi was finished, more or less.
As time goes, I allow myself to add and tweak stuff.
Below is another shoot from the side, showing the gunner of the double Anti-aircraft big shoota. It is a Loota that has been put to good use as gunner!

Well, another item that was finished today was the first lobba, or more correctly, Looted Mortaz, being part of Molligans mortaz.

The guy in blue cap counts as an ammo runt. He seems to have some disagreement with the gretchin opposite him over the what to do. The third gretchin is more happy to fire his blasta than crewing the mortaz it seems. A crazy bunch them gretchins. Can´t be an easy task for runtherder Molligan!

Finally, I painted up the Ard boyz!

A change has occured, meaning Kellie and Big Joe switched places. My son pointed out that it is really Big Joe that is in charge in the movie, Kellie just using his cleverness to gain influence. So Big Joe is now the Warboss and Kellie is the Kommandoz Nob. Pretty fitting for character who start the movie having kidnapped a german colonel in the middle of a strongly defend town and doing so in a plain american jeep and in american uniforms!

So here comes Big Joe, complete with his trukk and his Ard boyz retinue!

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On how to dig your companys grave… lördag, Apr 25 2009

GW seems to be about to up the prizes for some of their new plastic boxes, those containing special and rare units gamewise, to the same level as metal miniatures.

It seems as if they belive people will not be bothered about this skyrocketing of the price for some products, those being ”special” gamewise,  but will buy them regardless.

So the most wealthy gamer will rule the  boards.

However, this is upsetting many people today, and I have not read so many upset commentaries on the net, now even coming from people who usually do not bother about GW:s prices, but now say they doubt they would buy,  and some even saying there would be no point cause this means there will be no one left to play the game with!

I am happy having a mate well stocked with undead gribbliness and a son with three large 4oK armies, so no problem with opponent, even if it will be hard to find new ones.

I am looking for a possible replacement as a game, or rather a game you can expand your collection in without ruining yourself completley or doing so at a very slow rate. Presently, I am looking at Battlefield evolution: World at War.

But lets hope GW see reason before it is too late.

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Excursus: The list of the herouz onsdag, Apr 15 2009

Well, I have att his moment, everything I need modelwise to make the basic 1500 point list of ”Kellies herouz”.

After some pondering, scribling, tinkering and more pondering,  finally reached to how the 1500 point list should look. I will in time present all the units to you, but for now, I will put up the list so you can see what it will contain, plus add comments about what will come next.

Kellies herouz – A Warhammer 40K ork army

HQ

Warboss Kellie

Twin linked shoota, Powerclaw, heavy armour, Cybork body and bosspole. 110 points

Troops

Big Joes nobz

7  Nobz, including Zergant Big Joe. Big Joe got a twin-linked shoota and a bosspole. The others got slugga and chopa. All have heavy armour and stikkbombs. Transport: Battlewagon with Kannon & 4 big shootas. Ard case, Reinforced ram and Grot riggers.  337

Kellies Ard ladz (The unit Kellie joins when battle begins)

10 Ard Shoota boyz plus 1 nob. The nob have Bosspole, slugga and choppa. All have stikkbombs and one Ard boy carries a big Shoota. Transport: Trukk with big shoota, armour plates, grot rigger & reinforced ram.  195

Moes Bridging ladz

11 Slugga boys plus Zergant  Moe. Moe got a Boss pole, power claw & heavy armour. Transport: Armoured Trakktur (counts as a trukk) with Big shoota, Boarding planks, wrecking ball and stikkbomb chukka.  171

Elites

Little Joes Kommandoz

5 Kommandoz with Koporal Little Joe. Little Joe got Bosspole, powerclaw and heavy armour. The unit also have 2 big shootas.  115

Oddballs tank tinkerers

3 Burna boyz with Korporal Oddball and Mek Moriarti (gamewise, both Oddball and Moriarti counts as Meks). Oddball got a Big shoota and Moriarti got a Kustom blasta. They also have 2 grot oilers.

Turkz tankbustaz

5 Tankbustaz and Viz Koporal Turk. 2 Tankhammers & 2 bombsquigs.

Fast attack

Da Red Ooman Air ladz

3 Speed freaks Deefkoptaz with twin linked rokkits and Bigbomms   180

(In the movie, the US army air force, twice manages to put spammer in the works for our heroes. This reflects a stark reality when during the start of the European campaign in 1944, the 9th US army air corp became nicknamed ”The American Luftwaffe” for it´s ability to bomb friend and foe alike. It went so far as one US commander finally ordered his troops to open fire on ANY aircraft getting too close to their formation, regardless of nationality. A running joke, maybe even on both sides of the frontline went somewhat like this:

”When Luftwaffe bombs, the allieds ducks, when RAF Bombs, the german ducks. But when the US army air force bombs, everyone ducks!”)

Heavy support

The Boomwagon

One looted wagon with Boomgun, 2 Rokkit launchaz, Armour plates and grot riggers. 140

(It is loosely inspired by the howitzer armed halftrack in the move)

Molligans Mortaz

2 Lobbas (fluffwise looted mortars) + 2 Ammo runts and Runtherder Molligan.  56

1499 points total!

I will later make a more througout presentation of the bunch with pictures and more about what in the movie inspired each unit.

However, this is not the end!

I really want to collect, say 2000 point, so I can make a decent 1750-1850 point army in the end. The dream is to take it to a local tournament held in Gothenburg. The funny thing is that this tournament have a special game dedicated to Kelly´s heroes, namely depicting the street battle between the three Tiger tanks and Oddballs lone Sherman.

Now, I will also make a tank dedicated specifically as Oddballs tank. It could either be based on a Sherman or a Tiger chassi, or whatever I find useful for the job. Could even be a GW Leman Russ. But it´s going to count as a Battlewagon with Ard case, and many guns, both Killkannon and Zappgun. Oddball, the most wacky tank commander ever depicted, deserves no less!

Also, it would be able to house 12 models rulewise, enough for Oddballs gang (the Burnaz and the tankbusters) to ride in themewise.

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A story of a Space ork army part 2: Boomwagon ready to… Boom måndag, Apr 13 2009

Well, I used part of today to fiddle a bit more with my Kellies Herouz orkz. Watching the movie again yesterday evening helped getting things moving.

The Looted Dark Eldar raider got it´s Ard case around the Boomgu, the former heavy flamer underneat got some trimming to look more like two Big shootas and the vehicle got the mandatory Lucky paint job. Now it is a proper Deathskull vehicle. For those who are familiar with the movie, it loosely represents the halftrack with a howitzer belonging to Kellys platoon until a US aircraft destroys all their vehicles.

Here she is, including the Grot rigger pilot!

Behind it you see another project, a Battlewagon made from a WWII JSU-152 model kit in 1/35. It is from the cheap Russian company Zvezda and is good value for the money if you are looking for a workable alternative to GW vehicles.

The beauty with Orkz is that their stuff can be so hillariously diverse and the Russian vehicles where usually very rugged looking and plain, which makes for ease when you conver upon them.

Also, the JSU-152 have a 152mm cannon, which is one of the few scale model cannons that works sizewise in Warhammer. It will count as an ork big gun Kannon.

As I intend for this Battlewagon to be a troop choice for my Nobz, I can´t take a Killkannon anyway. Themewise, this Battlewagon and the nobz that ride in it will represent the german tiger with crew that gets in on the deal in the move. Since the german panzer troops unifroms where black, I got the idea for nobz to originally have been honest Gorkfearing Goffs before Kellie and Oddball twisted their minds onto teefs and loot.

Also, it is a perfect excuse to get to paint lots of different colours on my different ork squads, just to show how ragtag this band of freebooters really are!

Anyway, I figured out I wanted some serious secondary firepower beside the kannon, but since I don´t have that many spare Big shoota barrells and I am doing this as cheap as possible, I wondered if there was another way around.

It was my Loota squad that had to pay the prize. Sure, I like them, but even if they are lootas they sort of fail to fit the theme. But I needed a mek to represent the wiztech Moriarty from Oddballs tank platoon, so I decided to remodel the Lootas into burnaz. Them Burnaz will also come in handy welding all these looted vehicles together as they fall apart!

But a pair of the lootas guns seemed perfect as heavy pintle mounted Big shootas. So one are about to get placed onto the JSU, it´s two mighty barrells counting as two big shootas.

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