Ork: Burna Boy Conversion

Slammin’ 

The past few weeks have been interesting ones for Games Workshop as they have been focusing on releasing a new range of ork models. Considering it has been years since any new ork models were released, one would think it would be cause for wholesale rejoicing.  However, Games Workshop are going about the release schedule differently than any in the past, and rather than releasing the Codex and a multitude of kits within a week or two, they are releasing individual kits at a snail’s pace. In a span of three weeks they have released the Gorkanaut/Morkanaut, followed by the Flash Gitz, and now the Mek Gunz and a Shock Attack Mek. But still the Codex book, which would give us the rules for these models in the context of the ork army as a whole, is nowhere to be seen. During this awkward interim, I have been doing some thinking about the orks myself and I thought that it would be a fantastic time to revisit them myself and convert a model or two (who doesn't like ork conversions?).

Fortunately for me, I already had an ork conversion underway from years ago that I could revisit. A few years back I had started converting an ork burna, mainly because I wanted to make an ork holding a lit Zippo lighter (I don't know where the idea came from). After making the lighter and the burna for the ork, the conversion was set aside, until I picked it back up a week ago. The conversion itself was a fairly simple one, largely just needing some kitbashing and plasticard. The burna was pieced together from an ork shoota and the combi-flamer from a Chaos rhino. I also fashioned an additional support for the weapon using the pistol-grip from the shoota that I used to make his burna. For a fuel source, I ended up using the fuel canisters from the Catachan command squad heavy flamer and hooked it up to the burna with cabling from Dragon Forge.

The ork’s Zippo lighter was made with some plasticard for the lid, a plastic rod for the striker wheel, and some greenstuff to make the flame.  

Who knew one of the Chaos rhino combi-flamers would work so well to make an ork burna?

Having been a few years since I started the conversion, I have really improved with my green stuff abilities.  This proved quite helpful for tying the entire model together, making it look like something more than a quick kitbash, which is something that I would have struggled to do when I first started the conversion. The first thing I did was create a more believable seam between the ork’s body and legs. Due to how the plastic orks’ bodies socket into their legs, I have often thought they looked a little strange, almost as though they are wearing leotards.  This was easily remedied with a little greenstuff filling out the gap between the ork’s body and legs. In addition to fixing his waist, I also did some extensive greenstuff work to reposition his left arm such that his Zippo was not bumping into his burna. I am particularly pleased with how reworked the musculature of his shoulder and deltoid.

Greenstuff was used to create a more believable seam between his body and legs and reposition his left arm away from his body. 

As a final touch to make the ork look like a real pyromaniac, I crafted him a set of goggles to protect his eyes from the raging inferno he would unleash upon his enemies. The goggles were made out of a pair of trimmed-down Cadian binoculars. Using greenstuff I then sculpted a strap to keep them in place on the ork’s face.

Although he was a long time in coming, I think the Burna was worth the wait and benefits from all the little details.

Overall, the conversion was a real joy to do, tempting me to make a few more Burna Boyz. Perhaps if the new codex comes out and makes the unit viable, I will have that extra incentive to actually make a whole unit of them a reality. I hope you like him!  Comments and suggestions are welcome!

-Adam Wier