Oldhammer: Oldenhammer 2021

A Rogue Trader era Imperial Guard model next to an ork of the same era.

Although we are usually quite focused on converting models to improve their proportions and improve their weaponry, it is fun to put that aside sometimes and just paint an old Games Workshop model, celebrating a time before digital sculpting. In 2017, we found a small game store selling blister packs of Rogue Trader models and purchased a bunch of them and have been slowly painting them. Last year, I painted Slambo, and last month I painted an old Imperial Guard model to honor Commissar Molotov. Towards this end, we saw that chilvers_industries was holding a painting competition again this year called Olden Demon 2021, that asks you to paint an old metal model with a green base (as was prevalent in the 90s). Having not participated last year, we were eager to this year, painting another one of our collection of forgotten metal models!

This model makes it clear that Games Workshop has always struggled to come up with good poses for their models.

In the spirit of Oldhammer, I found some of my old Citadel Colour paints and incorporated the colors in my paint scheme.

When considering how to paint the model, I knew I wanted to add a lot of interesting tones to the skin, similar to the orcs and goblins of Nicklas Pilhlstrom. He does a remarkable job making each of his greenskins unique based on their skin tones. In the past, the darker the ork’s skin, the older the warrior. With this in mind, I decided to make his skin quite dark; he has been around since Rogue Trader after all!

The old ‘Eavy metal style from the 90s had a lot of checker patterns, so I wanted to get some on the model, namely the sheath for his knife.

The scale creep in Games Workshop’s models is on full display, with this Primaris-scaled Space Marine next to the Rogue Trader ork.

It is always satisfying to finish painting another model that has been sitting in queue, particularly when it is as venerable as this ork model. The simple design of the model made the process quick too, which made it an ideal palette cleanser, before I get back to converting more models. I hope you like it!

- Adam Wier