Reaper Bones 80001: Ape-X (Monster March ’18)

Reaper Bones 80001: Ape-X

Here’s a figure that at first seems to be an odd entry. It’s a model that came with one of the Bones Kickstarters that I’ve backed, and is now available at retail as Ape-X over on Reaper’s webstore. As with many of the models released in Bones, Ape-X is a reworking of one of their previous models, in this case, Ape-X: Supervillan from their Chronoscope line. Original, metal Ape-X also has a drill attachment for his right arm as well as the gatling gun. I think I may actually have the metal version around somewhere in a tub filled with Reaper models.

Reaper Bones 80001: Ape-X

In any case, this model has been part-painted for a couple of years now – and when I started trying to get some other, similar figures completed for Squad: March, I decided to work on him at the same time in the hopes of also getting him painted to completion. He’s far from my most awesome paintwork, but Bones isn’t the world’s best material to work with (look at the “straight” lines on the power pack on his back!) and so it’s certainly good enough for tabletop – and I’m happy to leave it at that!

Reaper Bones 80001: Ape-X, Necromunda Escher.

He’s not gigantic, but at least Troll or Ogre-sized. That counts, right?

Since he’s a big guy, I thought I’d throw him in here as a small, extra entry for Monster March as well. I’m still fully intending to try and get the proper big guys done (though this weekend was wiped out since I’ve had a throat infection that just killed my painting off) – but think of this guy as something like a Stretch Goal. Just upfront rather than later.

WAAAAGH! Pt.13: 40k Ork Nob Complete = Boyz Mob #1 Complete (Squad: March ’18)

40k Space Ork Nob

In the last week or so, I’ve finally finished this Ork Nob that goes with about half of the Boyz that I’ve painted. He’s from the old-school metal Nobz boxed set from the mid-1990’s that contained five metal nobs with bosspoles. The helmet comes from the metal Black Orcs of the same period, as I wanted the Orks that lead the Mobs to look like particularly nasty bad-arses. Initially I’d painted the horns and tusks in silver, like forged metal but they simply blended in with the rest of the helmet, so I redid them as horn.

40k Space Ork Nob

He’s a hefty dude, and as with the rest of my Orks I’ve painted him with camo clothing to tie him loosely to the Blood Axe sub-faction.

40k Space Ork Nob

As the bosspole features some Space Marine helmets, I thought I’d paint them up as three of my own armies – Minotaurs, Celestial Lions and Black Templars (or any of the other black-helmeted Marines I have!)

40k Space Ork Nob

I’ve also given his helmet and axe a bit of subtle washing with blue, purple and brown for a bit of heat discolouration that also ties in with the trio of Killer Kans that I started awhile back (not much more done on those at this point!)

Space Ork Boyz Mob

And here he is – completing the squad! Well, the Mob. The thing with my challenges is that they’re all about completing stuff, so the fact that this single model was all that was left outstanding for this unit to be completed… well, I was motivated to get this guy done, and now the unit’s is completed. Start-to-finish is all well and good – and great for many instances, but for most of these monthly challenges, I’m more concerned about completing things.

Sure, the number of boyz in the mob might need to be juggled a little to make the unit line up neatly with the most current ruleset, but this group of Orks goes back to 2005, so for now – they’re all good.