RT7 Rogue Trader Mercenaries: “Sarge” Rockhard (1987)

RT7 Rogue Trader Mercenaries "Sarge" Rockhard,1987, Oldhammer

I’ve decided with the new painting regime that it’s time to start sprinkling in some of those models that I’ve been sitting on, unpainted and unused for the past 30-ofdd years. Sure, I have no particular gaming use for a lot of them, but that’s not really going to be the point. This guy is from the RT7 Mercenaries range, that was kinda-sorta rolled into the Imperial Army range a little later. Or at least GW of the day decided that the Army was a fine place to use many of these models if you’d bought them.

RT7 Rogue Trader Mercenaries "Sarge" Rockhard,1987, Oldhammer

This model really has two notable things to him as far as I can see – firstly his name sounds like he should be a male porn performer. Secondly, he shares his clothing and gear style with the Chainsaw Warrior(s) from this era of GW’s more eclectic game output, shortly before they moved into the All Warhammer, All The Time mode that was their situation for many years.

RT7 Rogue Trader Mercenaries "Sarge" Rockhard,1987, Oldhammer

Initially, I’d more-or-less finished the model with plain dark green fatigues – very similarly to how he was originally painted in the old catalogues, so long ago. But… no. It looked good, but a little boring. I wanted this old model to have something more interesting to him. So I went for some camo that brings him a little (or a lot) further into the current era. Can anyone pick what it’s meant to be? I also decided to make sure that everyone around him would know his rank, if not his name. I’m much happier with him now – a nice combination of old and new.

RT7 Rogue Trader Mercenaries "Sarge" Rockhard,1987, Oldhammer

And now, as I seem to write so often here – he’s done! Despite being in a box barely-started for well over a decade (he was another with green railroad flock on his base) and then sitting on my desk, ignored for a year or three – he was actually both fun and easy to paint. So that means more of this sort of thing. At least one more in each forthcoming tray. Until I get bored of them again, at least – but then, most of these old Mecenaries, Adventurers and Pirates were at least somewhat unique models, so it should help to sustain my interest.

Rogue Trader: 4601 Imperial Guard Ogryn Sergeant (Bob Olley, Feb 1989)

Rogue Trader: 4601 Imperial Guard Ogryn Sergeant (Bob Olley, Feb 1989)

The figure I’m showcasing today was painted quite some time ago, and has only been rebased in recent times – so not quite enough work for me top count him as part of my finished figures for this year.

Rogue Trader: 4601 Imperial Guard Ogryn Sergeant (Bob Olley, Feb 1989)

It’s Bob Olley’s Ogryn Sergeant, which to me is the truly Archetypical Ogryn. Not the first Ogryn model, mind you – that particular honour goes to Jes Goodwin’s effort of 1988. Regardless, and despite my own huge preference for Jes’ work over Bob’s, Bob’s Ogryn here remains the most defining figure of the range ever sculpted – and never bettered or even equalled in my opinion.

Rogue Trader: 4601 Imperial Guard Ogryn Sergeant (Bob Olley, Feb 1989)

I originally painted this model back in early 1989, not long after it’s release. It got stripped down and repainted in the early noughties, this time with Auscam fatigue pants to match my Imperial Guard Regiment (who I need to update and photograph sometime as well) and a Māori-style arm tattoo, following my repeated travels to New Zealand.

Rogue Trader: 4601 Imperial Guard Ogryn Sergeant (Bob Olley, Feb 1989)

I blame this figure for starting my long love affair with Citadel’s (and others’) Ogres. I just wish Bob’s later Ogryn efforts (for Citadel, and even for Maxmini) lived up to this figure’s quality, but alas – nothing yet. Perhaps we’ll get lucky one day and Bob will sculpt some more fantasy or Space Ogres to compliment his range of Scrunts (not-Squats)?