Der Panzerpuss! - Wot an Orky Tanker!


So I had an idea.

You may or may not know that Too Fat Lardies have released a jolly old knockabout tank game called 'What a Tanker!' Ostensibly it's a World War 2 tank combat game with the twin emphasis of having to make difficult tactical decisions while locked up in a tin can with a big engine, a big gun and 4 smelly blokes and having a bollocks load of fun. Obviously this appeals to me. I then pondered how I could lure my chums into playing such a marvellous game. Why of course we could use silly sci-fi tanks and play at BOYL18 while drinking till we're sick.






With that in mind I scurried to the shed of woe's and rescued a battered Predator from below the spiders webs and mouse droppings. At the same time I scavenged bits from elsewhere until I retreated to the house.


The added advantage of cobbling together a looted predator for my Orks is that every Blood axe commander needs a bit of imperial technology in order to smush his foes. So I'm doing myself double service by getting this beauty up and running. Der Panzerpuss will count as a Panzer IV for playing our game and will serve with my Blood Axe army the rest of the time.


I like to think that this particular tank was on perfect running order when it was delivered to my Warboss as a payment for some nefarious task. The Meks took one long look at it and decided that it was no where near orky enough. Several days of 'upgrading' later and this marvellous beast 'Der Panzerpuss!' was born.

The boys forget that a solid tank can provide decent cover and stand in front of it instead.


As with all these things, there was fair amount of placement of parts and standing back to admire the layout before final decisions were made. The original dozer blade never wanted to stick and the gun was just too wimpy. I also decided that the doors were not inviting enough for your average Ork. The sponson were jettisoned as they would be pointless in What a Tanker and if I ever get round to make a twin for this one (there is another Predator in the shed) then he can have them to make him stand out.


The basic build was completed including the first orky rivetting i've had to do in nearly ten years. I was so excited I couldn't hold may water and decided to spray the whole thing desert yellow before I'd even drilled the hole for the turret to sit in.


I duly drilled out the top with a big old Forstner bit the next day. Thats what your day job is for after all!


After scavenging much blu-tak (and leaving a lot of work hanging precariously on walls) I layered up stripes on the body and the turret in order spray a second camo colour over the top.


RED!! ( Cos we want it to faster and be camouflaged, obviously)


And so this is how it earned it's name cos it bears a striking resemblance to one fat but very loved, fake cat.



After that it was on to weathering it up to make the transition between colours a bit less eye searing and them detailing. Job Done as they say. Can't wait to see what the rest of the boys come up with.

Comments

  1. I'm already having fun looking at the damn thing. My tank is on its way and will be ready for some good action.

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    1. I look forward to unloading a shot into it's rear.

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  2. Absolutely top notch job buddy! I've got the beginnings of an idea for a Stug conversion I hope to crack on with over the next while, here's hoping I can get it looking as good as yours!

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    1. Don't be daft Rochie, of course you will. But the bar has been set.

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  3. Looks great, I look forward to seeing this at BOYL. However, I sense a conundrum if you have a game which emphasises "having to make difficult tactical decisions" + Orks...? :)

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    1. But that it is the Blood axe way! Fight the shooty stuff and shoot the fight stuff. What more can you want from strategy?

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  4. As I said on Twitter, I really like this tank! I love the old-school-look-with-new-bits mashup. And the cammo is top.

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    1. Cheers! She came together pretty easily. I reckon that turret looks better on a predator than it does on the Leman Russ' you see with it. I'm even thinking of giving it a twin to make up and Orky Zug!

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  5. Looks great, and a nice idea to use it for What a Tanker.

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    1. The Lardies games are all pretty flexible. They are great games which fire your imagination.

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  6. Panzerpuss?
    That's just outstanding. Holy crap what a great tank.
    ...and the game sounds right up my alley. I'm off to purchase, so thanks for the suggestion.

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    1. I can only recommend their stuff. I love SP and CoC as well. So many ideas that are worth playing with.

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  7. OMG that's perfect! Can't wait to see it on the table. I have a few options for mine. I have a bit of time before I need to decide tho. ;)

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    1. You'll only see it the turret rotates towards you and Zapp's your ass back across the Atlantic. I can't wait to see what you come up with.

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  8. Sweet, that's perfect.

    I have a couple of options ready to go, but I'm going to see if I can get something specific done for the day.

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    1. I'm almost certain that you mange to produce something worthy of your talents. How long you'll be able to keep it alive on the other hand we'll just have to wait and see.

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  9. Love it. Impressed by your fast turnaround too. Your camo is pitch perfect for Blood Axes too.

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    1. As you know Curis, I ain't no slowpoke. The camp is just on the wrong side of right, if you know what i mean.

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  10. Who would have thought that Bagpuss would have made it to the 40k world!

    I really like it. Just the right sort of cartoony-ness for the orks.

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  11. Amazing! That turret looks ace on there, very orky.

    Although most do not have Forstner bits lying about! (nor drill presses for that matter)

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  12. Haha, that's terrific! It's tremendously Orky, I love what you did here!

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  13. This is such a fun idea. I also dearly love hearing stories of sad and unloved minis getting rescued as they are now suddenly exactly what you need. She looks great with the conversions, I especially like the side doors and handrails. Even though I won't be at BOYL I now have thoughts of what I'd make running about in my head. GeneCult Leman Russ perhaps.

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  14. Suitably Orktastic! I wish I was going to BOYL this year. What I particularly like is the handrails by the door. I hear a Mekanik in my head saying "safety first." :)

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