Distinguishing klans

[Ben_S]

I want to make some mobs based around the traditional ork klanz. How can I make them distinctive?

This can to some extent be done by paint jobs. I found a (fairly basic but) useful guide here:

I'd like to do a bit more than that though, by converting the models themselves to be a bit more different, like they used to be:

Ork Boyz

Ork Boyz

Unfortunately, I'm not all that familiar with orks of this vintage. Can anyone suggest characteristic features of the different klanz?

Here's what I have so far:

Bad Moons - yellow, often with black or dark blue. Likely heavily armoured and well equipped.

Blood Axes - 'military' look, with uniforms and camouflage. Possibly laden with equipment.

Death Skullz - blue, both for armour and lucky warpaint. Stuff that's even more cobbled together than usual. The old models seemed to have some decorated with bones and things (slightly primitive/shaman-looking, but not like Snakebites).

Evil Sunz - red, usually with yellow or black details (flames, dagz). Things like pilot's hats or goggles.

Goffs - mostly black, with red and white (checkerboard) details. Spikes and, in particular, viking-like horned helmets.

Snakebites - primitive, often wearing furs/skins. (I'm not too bothered about these though, since they don't fit GoMo so well.)

So, I have a bit of a start, but not very many ideas. Does anyone have more ideas for making models fit the klanz?

 

[Punktaku]

Freebooterz were ork pirates.

Evil Suns liked vehicles. “Red ones go faster” and all that.

Snake bites rejected most tech. They road boars instead of bikes and buggies. They also had squiggoths.

Blood Axes had Kommandos and Stormboyz (jump packs). Stormboyz had a bit of a WWII German look to them..

Bad Moons grew teeth faster, so they were richer and had the best gear. They had Flash Gitz as a special unit (crazy weaponry).

Death Skullz were looters. They stole everything. They’d even get distracted in fights by shiny stuff they could swipe.

Goffs were the orkiest orks. They also had Goff Rockers. Lotsa boys in buggies.

The Ork Clans was the best era of orks as far as I am concerned. Still have the books from back then.

 

[Ben_S]

Evil Suns liked vehicles...

Snake bites rejected most tech...

Thanks for the run down, though I know that already. The question is about modelling. Besides a few obvious things, like colours and klan badges, how do I make it obvious that an ork is an Evil Sun or Death Skull or whatever?

 

[Punktaku]

Mostly it was paint and iconography. Other than a few models with specific icons modeled on, most were generic boys or nobs that could be used for any clan. So we could both buy the same nob in mega armor, but choice of color would decide which clan they were in.

 

[CaptainDangerous]

I didn’t even know there was new ork minis!

But I’d say headwear is the most obvious indicator: (I realised you’ve already mentioned it)
Goffs-horns
Bad moon-smurf/moon hats
Evil suns-goggles
Death skulls- skull hat/face paint (traditionally half/half blue)
Blood axe- military cap/German steel helmet. Officer hat for boss.
Snakebite-hair squig/beard

Otherwise it might be the mob composition/equipment that would make it more fluffy:
Goffs, snake bites, evil suns- gorkas (favouring close range)
Bad moons, death skulls, blood axes- morkas (favouring mid/long range)

Or even the use of grots: goffs never ever taking them ever, whereas death skulls and snakebites could be grot heavy (ds use them to scavenge tech, sb use them to scavenge shrooms)

 

[Ben_S]

Otherwise it might be the mob composition/equipment that would make it more fluffy:
Goffs, snake bites, evil suns- gorkas (favouring close range)
Bad moons, death skulls, blood axes- morkas (favouring mid/long range)

It's interesting that you mention this, since it's something else that I was thinking about.

I agree with all of those, except Evil Suns. I'd say they're more likely to be Morkers in my view - not least because Morkers get driving skills. However, given that I don't really see much place for Snakebites on Angelis, this does skew things heavily towards Morkers.

 

[CaptainDangerous]

If I remember right, spanner boys have access to the driving skill regardless of their lineage, so it could be feasable for ESs to be gorka. But yeah, I see what you mean.
Probably Bad moons could fit both cultures also, just cos they can afford the dakka, doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t like fumping’ fings up close!

 

[MusingWarboss]

Probably Bad moons could fit both cultures also, just cos they can afford the dakka, doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t like fumping’ fings up close!

They literally had rustic weirdboy towers on massive tank tracked bases, so I’d say they’re down with vehicles.

 

[CaptainDangerous]

I was just thinking more of their fighting styles. Bad moons boys squads could get an extra heavy weapon, whereas evil suns were more shock troops.

 

[Biggle_Bear]

I think snake bites would fit very well with the rules. 1 big truck (very big to fit everyone) partially build with wood and crazy proportions as if they don't understand how balance works, and using many lightly armed guys. The equipment fits, such as spears, bows and fur armour.

 

[Tiny]

Best source for distinctions is to look at later Rogue Trader / 2nd Ed Ork minis / books. You can find the minis on solegends.

That said, I've mixed themes within my mobs so they're not a single clan.

I have:

Gorkers who are a mix of Blood Axe and Goff themes. Heavier armour. Hard hats with or without horns. Grey and black. Chequer patterns and camouflage (urban camo in the desert). Trukks look like tanks.

Morkers who are a mix of Evil Sunz and Bad Moons. Lighter armour. Goggles. Floppy hats. Yellow and red. Flame patterns. Trukks look fast.

If I do another mob they'll be Deffskull / Snakebite themed. Blue face paint. Skulls and bones. Primitive weapons and armour mixed with crazy looking guns. Ramshackle multicoloured vehicles.

 

[Punktaku]

@Flamekebab could probably wax poetic on this subject…. If only there was a way to draw his attention here…

 

[Tiny]

I don't really see much place for Snakebites on Angelis

Yoofs walk out of desert with spear and bow. Meet other yoofs who haven't found a mob yet. Form primitive mob.

By the time they become part of our story, they have "evolved" into boys, a boss and a spanner. Still like being mostly naked bar a few dead animal bits and face paint and many retain their primitive weaponry, although some may have become fond of loud bangs from poorly made guns.

Snakebites / Feral Orks still have vehicles. Just crappy ones with boilers instead of gas engines. See: Junkatrukk / Steam Gargants.

 

[MusingWarboss]

Best source for distinctions is to look at later Rogue Trader / 2nd Ed Ork minis / books.

I wish GW would do a reissue of those classic Ork books. I guess they won’t as so much stuff has been changed since then.

Waaaaagh Orks
‘Ere We Go
Freebooters

Also, why has no-one produced a 3D printed version of the classic Battlewagon?? Or have they?????

 

[Tiny]

If someone had a digital copy of those books, they’d be ok putting them in the vault right?

 

[Tiny]

Also, why has no-one produced a 3D printed version of the classic Battlewagon?? Or have they?????

Space Ork Battlewagon

This kit contains all the STL files required to rebuild that great old toy you had as a kid. Scale is based off of the resin Armorcast version but should be extremely close to the original plastic. I hope you have a ton of fun with this kit and share some pics of all your orks piled on board...

cults3d.com

Rogue Trader Era Orky Battle Wagon

My version of the more than 25 year old original kit. This is very close in dimensions to the original, but it's not a direct copy. These parts will not fit with the original. This is only the parts for the base wagon. I will be adding extra parts for the variants such as the one featured in the...

cults3d.com

Second guy has a load of RT-era "inspired" STLS for anyone interested.

 

[Flamekebab]

@Flamekebab could probably wax poetic on this subject…. If only there was a way to draw his attention here…

I've had this thread open for ages meaning to respond but the creative spark just hasn't been doing its thing. The problem is that I've never particularly liked the klans - they're okay, I suppose? Even my Kommandos are Freebootas as I feel that's more fun!

Also I've got to ask on a practical level - what sort of modelling advice are we talking about here? Buying parts? Printing them? Sculpting them? I'd like my suggestions to be relevant to your use case.

 

[MusingWarboss]

Klans seem to be the few faction parts that hadn’t survived from the RT era, you generally just get a lump of Orks now.

Almost every faction had its Subtypes once, while Space Marines have had their split off into actual factions of their own, most just exist as vague colour schemes without specific miniature support.

I’m not sure where we are with most forces these days, Eldar used to have several craftworlds with occasional miniature support, Orks died out completely it seems, Imperial Guard used to have loads of options but they have dwindled away.

Orks seemed to be the last of cooperating sub factions though, never see mixed factions on tables any more these days. I.e, a mix of Blood Angles and Dark Angels as one force. Mixed IG units*, etc all of which were somewhat common early 90s but dead by late 90s (3rd 40k?).

Anyway, just waffling now. I like the patchwork quilt of clan colours, far less boring to paint.

*though I do remember reading that might be brought back in a recent Codex for them.

 

[Tiny]

The newer Ork kits come with a few clan specific icons but nothing much. Not sure whether the newest codexes even had clans as a thing though. I'm guessing some clan specific stratagems was about as far as they went.

 

[Ben_S]

I've got to ask on a practical level - what sort of modelling advice are we talking about here? Buying parts? Printing them? Sculpting them? I'd like my suggestions to be relevant to your use case.

Personally, I don't have a printer and I'm not too likely to buy parts, but any ideas welcome.