Zebraoutrider joins the Ordo Xenos and the Mubraxis Dustdogs

I’ve not visited this project for quite a while for a number of [personal] reasons over the last year but having dived headfirst into the Spring Clean Challenge 2023 to re motivate myself and then having acquired a set of Necromunda Ash Waste warriors as my reward and which I now plan to turn into Dust Dogs Imperial Guard scouts and then being inspired by the recent discussions on the Weekender on terrain building, I thought I’d look to fix up the existing 2’x2’ terrain board of the Mubraxis Oasis which had got shelved and a wee bit damaged and start another 2’x2’ terrain board to expand the Kill Team gaming potential.

So, the starting point (or restart) is to finish painting the exterior of the scenery/display board and then to refit the ladders, protective fences and chimney stacks with a bit of Superglue.

For the black paint I’ve used Blackboard paint as it is was available and provides a deep, rich coverage of the ‘imperfect’ sides.

Next up I need to ‘age’ the perimeter fencing and re-sand some areas. I will also need to touch up some fine details to ensure this first 2’x2’ board is ready for a potential entry into GW’s Armies on Parade come October/November (time will fly by!).

I’ll also construct and customise the Ash Waste warriors to become Astra Militarum troops to include in the Dustdogs Army (to parade).

I can then work on the second display board and add a bit more greenery… it is an oasis after all!

Due to work commitments, it’s been a little while since I’ve been able to get some serious time model making. So, a quick update is required…

The display board is nearly completed. I’ve used leadbelcher to tone down the old green Britain’s toyzoo fencing and whilst still tacky, sprinkled with a dusting of sand. At the same time, I’ve taken the opportunity to add sand to the base of the kit-bashed Space Marine from the Black Dragon’s Chapter, who has joined the Ordo Xenos Inquisitor as a bodyguard. The Black Dragons have a mutation in that boney shards extrude from the marine’s elbow joints and as such they are viewed with some suspicion of being tainted by chaos. This chap has been recognised as a loyal servant even if he is in the employ of a radical Ordo Xenos Inquisitor – perhaps his master has plans for him and his mutations?

Lastly, over the last couple of months I’ve been collecting together and touching up a small, kit-bashed Kill Team squad of Word Bearers accompanied by a few renegade Imperial guard. I envisage that these were originally guards that were based at the Oasis but on hearing the ‘word’ either went mad or joined the Word Bearers to serve a new master…

Next up will to be to finish painting the Ordo Xenos Inquisitor and his retinue…

The next phase of the display board was to add some splash of colour in the Blanchitsu interpretive style and to weather using Forgeworld Light Rust, Vallejo Burnt Iron Oxide and Yellow Ocre powders. Retributor Gold was applied to raised Mechanicus symbols and plates and the structure was sponged using Chainmail to give a chipped effect.

The entrance building was reshaped from a 4×2 panel block to 3×2 so that it was less battle-damaged. A 3mm width chain was hung off the top walkway while handmade (from absorbent kitchen roll) dyed (with dirty paint-pot water) and ripped tarpaulins were draped off the lower walkways. These needed to be applied wet as when dry they become extremely stiff.

Next up was to position the miniatures to see how they would best fit. As you can see from the gallery, the top elevation is probably full enough with three tanks and ten rough riders. In the ‘pit’ I’m toying with putting a unit of Word Bearers that I’ve painted up as a Kill Team, whilst on the top walkway I’ve managed to land a Valkyrie to allow the Inquisitor and his squad to disembark.

Next up will be to start painting the Inquisitor and his team before returning to the display board to finish off the fencing, etc.

Next up with the display board was to add all the accessories such as ladders, pipes and walkway barriers. This was done in a fairly random way but I needed to ensure that there were sufficient ladders to gain access to the various doors and levels.

The whole superstructure was spray painted using Humbrol Gloss Black Acrylic spray. To ensure I didn’t contaminate the sand significantly, I loosely covered these areas with newspaper for protection, but removed them once the spraying was finished to allow better ventilation around the buildings during drying. Note: painting took place outside, again for ventilation whilst using the spray paint. I wanted gloss paint to give a brand new feel to the structure which I can take back and dull through detailing and weathering later.

I made up an A4 set of relevant transfers on my laptop and printed onto white transfer paper which was sprayed with ‘ardcoat before being cut up and applied to the tanks and walkways. Transfers were then coated with Stormshield (Matt varnish) for added protection.

Timings: 

Adding Accessories 60 mins

Spray Painting 30 mins 

Transfer designs on PC and printing 60 mins

Application of Transfers 3 hours 

Next up fine details and weathering.

With the sand all dry, it was time to start the construction of the 40K scenery. However, this is where I encountered my first problem… I’d set the Coffemate tins in the wrong place ?. So with a bit of a careful re-manoeuvre, I repositioned them so that they aligned with the first level of the superstructure.

The rest of the basic construction went fairly well until I needed to put the vertical struts in. The lower struts needed the tops cut down with a fine hacksaw to fit snuggly.

On the elevated section I have started to toy with sections from an old GW manufactorum kit to act as an entrance building and to bridge across to the refinery tanks. I’ve also found some old plastic fences that came from a Britain’s zoo play set (c. 1975) and will use them as a perimeter around the top.

Next up will be to add all the ladders, barriers and hosepipe accessories to the refinery and then to carefully spray paint the structure with black paint – taking care not to spray the sand!

Work on the board had progressed with plastering – well old school shredded newspaper and PVA glue to cover the polystyrene.

Preparation time: 2 hours

Drying time: 12 hours

The second stage was to spray paint the plastered area with Averland Sunset. This was done outside for ventilation.

Spray time: 10 mins 

Drying time: 2 hours

The third stage was to cover the painted surfaces in PVA glue and sprinkled play sand followed by a soaking of a mixed solution of 1:5 PVA:water and another sprinkling of sand. Around 7.5 KG of sand was used.

Sanding time: 2 hours

Drying time: 48 hours

Time has come again to think about how I will display the miniatures as a potential Armies on Parade in a similar fashion to my ‘Beware the Jabberwock, my son!’ Project that I’m also recording through a blog on BOW.

Last year I entered my 3rd Armoured Division Savlar Chemdogs at GW Uxbridge and came a valiant runner-up with my nine tanks (you can see that project log in my completed projects on BOW). Apparently I lost out to the winner by one vote, but his miniatures were fantastic and the feedback I received was really positive.  But this year, I want to take the step up by creating a more integral display board than I did with the Savlar Chemdogs. In reflection that ended up more like a ‘tank park’ with an abstract conceptual linkage, so this time I want to tell a story. This will be an Oasis in the Great Desert on Mubraxis which the Ordo Xenos along with the Astra Militarum have to investigate when communications with the maintenance team has been lost…

To this end, I’m recycling a failed gaming board project and creating a 2’x2’ display board that incorporates a significant amount of 40K scenery that’s been sitting around waiting to be made for near on three years (when first released)!

Scenery sets: x4 Ferantonic Furnaces; x1 Ferantonic Megnavent; x1 Alchantic Stack (new); x2 Manufactorum old kits (recycled).

WIP gallery shows how I cut up the MDF gaming board and using polystyrene blocks and ceiling tiles, I created an elevated section for the tanks with a minimum width of  6” (15 cm) to ensure enough space for the tanks on each of their round bases.

The beauty of the GW kits is their modularity and so I tried out a number of combinations until I was happy with the height, stability and aesthetics.

As you can see, I’m also into recycling and not wasting materials, so I will also use two empty “Coffeemate” tins and cut-down, reinforced cardboard tubing to add extra height to the main scenery – reminiscing on an old-style model making from my youth…

I also want to see if I can get a Valkyrie to land on the top of the facility!

As the Mubraxis Dustdogs await the arrival of the Ordo Xenos Expeditionary Team, it would seem appropriate to ready a land transport for them to take them to their destination across the desert. Hence, Commander Rennic has spruced up his Chimera troop transport command vehicle for this very purpose. Normally this would provide tactical support for the Rough Rider units, but its need now is to be available for these VIPs.

As with the Leman Russ Incinerator, the same camouflage pattern was adopted. The base colours for the tank also follow the same palette used before (Averland Sunset, Cassandora Yellow and Wraithbone). The tank Commander is the Commissar figure from Schaefer’s Last Chancers OOP set, but with his legs and lower torso at the hips sawn off with a fine modelling saw. With the lack of an obvious place in the tank to freehand paint The Mubraxis Dustdogs insignia, I opted for a flag to tie in the tank to the squadron.