Converting Diggas and Trukks for Gorkamorka(Very Pic Heavy)

[chaoshead 3733]

So, in order to play Gorkamorka we need some mobs.  The first of these that I decided to build was the Diggas.

 

The Diggas are humans that think the orks are the greatest thing they have seen and they strive to be just like the orks.  This being the case the Diggas trade and fight with and as the orks.  They use ork armor and weapons, ork vehicles are also used since the Diggas have very little in the way of technical skills, either to build or maintain such tech, vehicles or otherwise.  They rely on the orks for almost all of their tech, making the orks seem even more god-like.

 

First off here are the two Diggas that I have converted so far, a shaman on the left and a Digganob on the right.  There will eventually be more of these but for now this is all I have bits for, more of what I need is on order and should be here soonish.

 

 

 

Next up I wanted to convert the Digga trukk to not be the standard kit right out of the box.

 

Wheels assembled.

 

 

Frame straight out of the box.

 

 

The standard kit is a six wheeled vehicle, for this build I will be removing the center set of wheels to make more of a standard four wheeled vehicle.

 

 

This is a fairly easy process, using clippers and an x-acto I trimmed all of the support structure from the sides and bottom of the frame.  It is important to note that you should leave any detail that is on the top of the frame in tact as the bed of the trukk rests on all of that tiny detail.

 

 

The standard six wheeled kit has two rear axles and driveshafts, I will not need the center axle or the two short drive shafts, I will need to build my own driveshaft to make this work.

 

 

I'll use just some plastic rod for the driveshaft and use the ends of one of the original driveshafts.

 

 

 

 

 

So, with that set aside to dry I moved on to the bed of the trukk.  This is the standard trukk bed build, here being held together by poster tack.

 

 

 

I am not a big fan of this tiny trukk bed as it will only hold four or five minis, hardly enough for a real mob.

 

 

I plan on widening the bed to comfortably hold six, this could easily be pushed to ten with no problem.  I will use some of the original trukk bed bits to do this as well as plasticard.

 

 

Simply flipping the sides of the trukk bed to the opposite sides and laying them flat creates a nice flat surface that is very easily glued together.

 

 

I used plasticard to fill out the rest of the bed so that it was all roughly the same width.

 

 

 

For the sides I decided to use sides from an ork chariot, leaving the banner poles on to use later.

 

 

 

I used plastic rod to make matching poles in the front of the trukk bed.

 

 

I needed a rail all the way around the top to hold a canopy later in the build process.  I used plastic rod and some corner pieces from some of the roll bars from the trukk kit to make this.

 

 

 

Leaving that aside to dry for a bit I moved onto the cockpit of the trukk.  I forgot to take pics of all the bits that SHOULD have been used in this step but I didn't use all of them that is for sure.  I also forgot to take pics of the steps to get to this point but it was pretty straightforward, just followed the directions for this step actually.  I did scavenge a second wind screen out of the bits box but I am not sure it will stay as I am not entirely sure I like it.

 

 

 

The next step is a little bit of detailing of the original kit, mostly the engine and additional cockpit details for the gunner, not used in this build because it is an ork and this is a 'umie vehicle.  Here are all the bits for this step.

 

 

And here is what I will be using.

 

 

To make this stuff look better.

 

 

 

Next step bits.

 

 

Only bits I will use from this step.

 

 

I forgot to take pics of that step or me adding bars for the drivers canopy.

 

 

 

The next step is just about the important bits used for boarding and krumping enemy vehicles.  These are all the bits to add boarding planks and a wrecking ball as well as a few bits not used for Gomo and some braggin' decorations.  I will add these to this vehicle but they need to be magnetized as they are not always available.

 

 

All the bits not used in this build.

 

 

Here is the Digga trukk as it stands now next to a mostly standard build trukk.

 

 

 

 

 

This was a surprisingly quick and easy build, I was able to finish the vast majority of this in about five hours.  With just more detailing left on this it will probably take longer to complete it than I have already put into it.

 

Hope someone finds this useful or entertaining.

Edited April 3, 2017 by chaoshead

[Bruunwald 3599]

Awesome.

[joshuaslater 1890]

I am entertained!  Great build!

[Glitterwolf 202400]

Thx for sharing!

I love this, great work so far on the trukks.

 

 

[malefactus 53877]

As much as I like the Orks, I never have had an occasion to make one of their vehicles. That is quite a complex assembly...at least from my perspective.

This may very well be even more interesting than the terrain. GREAT WORK; keep it coming!

[chaoshead 3733]

@Bruunwald  --  Thanks!  Hopefully the rest of the build will be as awesome.

 

@joshuaslater  --  Glad I was able to entertain someone.  Now I feel the pressure to perform.

 

@Xherman1964  --  The, mostly, regular trukk build is actually my son's build for others to use during the game.  I am of the thought that ork vehicles should all pretty much be a unique build so I may end up doing this for the rest of the trukks I build for the game.

 

@malefactus  --  Oh man, I love to build the vehicles and I can highly recommend them.  I will say these are some of the easier vehicles that I have built, even for gw kits.  I added complexity by converting the trukk to more fit the vision of the mob that I had in mind.

[Rahz 7265]

Make it Orky!! 

 

Lovely work!  And 5 hours! Wow, quick!  I have to say, I can't remember the last time I had 5 hours to do hobbying without staying up well into the night...  I'm jealous!

 

 

[Crowley 104504]

That's some really excellent work! I love how ramshackle ork vehicles can be! I'm really looking forward to what else you cobble together!  

[Chaoswolf 114856]

Very cool orky vehicles!

I like the conversions of the Diggas, too.

[Guildenstern 4589]

Man I love this stuff!

 

There was  guy did a whole themed army for Orks that's aka Roadwarrior - was super awesome.

Orks are just so fun because you convert/can convert just about anything and orkify it.

 

Can't wait to see more, please to post the painted pics =D

[lowlylowlycook 9468]

That's a lot of awsome pics for one post.  Keep it coming.

[chaoshead 3733]

@Rahz  --  Makin' it Propa is the only way I know sir.  Five more hours put in on this today, all the details in the next post.  Surprised myself at how much I was able to accomplish on that first day though.

 

@David Brawley  --  Thank you sir.  Ramshackle is good for me and the orks because I just can't do precise for some reason.

 

@Chaoswolf  --  Thanks, I wish I had paid more attention to my bits stash before I started on these, as it is I am now stuck waiting for the bits to build more.

 

@Guildenstern  --  I have had a love of the gw orks since 1987 when I saw the first of the Warhammer 40,000 Rogue Trader orks, I bought them on the spot along with the rule book.  I have owned every iteration of them since, sold most years ago because I just couldn't do the whole gw thing anymore.  There will be painted pics, soon-ish...

 

@lowlylowlycook  --  You thought that was a lot of pics???  Be careful what you ask for sir.  

 

Incoming photo barrage in the next post...you have been warned.

[Dr.Bedlam 36100]

Exciting!

1. Gorkamorka, straight out of the box, used MUCH smaller bases for the orks. That way, you could get more of 'em in a trukk bed.
2. When they came out with Digga models, I noted that the Diggas often had shaded enclosures on their trukks; they weren't as resistant to the hot sun of planet Angelis.
3. When Diggas buy trukks from Orks, do red ones indeed go fasta?

[chaoshead 3733]

INCOMING!!!!!

 

When we last left our trukk the construction was mostly complete and needed just detailing...let's pick up where we left off, shall we?

 

First up the boarding planks, I clipped the pegs off the planks so that I would be able to drill holes for the magnets.

 

 

I drilled the holes and used another vehicle that has already had this done to make sure that the magnet polarity lined up so that the boarding planks can be used on any vehicle, not just this one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now that the magnets in the plank are set, it is just a matter of gluing the magnets into the boarding plank supports.  Just snap the magnet into place on the boarding plank, add a drop of glue to the hole in the support, push it over the magnet and slide it off the back of the boarding plank, leave to dry a solid twenty or so minutes.

 

 

 

 

Now that those are dry I found where on the bottom of the vehicle the boarding plank supports would be attached, add a drop of glue to each support, press into place and let dry.  Make sure everything still moves freely.

 

 

 

 

Repeat the process on the other side.

 

 

 

 

Flap it's wings!

 

 

 

OMG, It's wings fell off!

 

 

Next up is the wrecking ball.  Let me digress a moment here and just say that I am not a fan of this part of the kit so I NEVER build it as the instructions suggest.  This is just one of the many variations I have built using this piece of the kit.  Back on track, here are all the pieces that make up this part of the kit.

 

 

It looks like this when assembled as suggested, the ork stands inside of the gunners turret/basket, the gun points forward while the wrecking ball swings off to the side.

 

 

I generally clip the wrecking ball mount off of the basket, like this.  I then assemble the rest of the wrecking ball as suggested because once removed from the basket it isn't too bad.

 

 

 

 

Next, I figure out where I want it mounted on the vehicle and, again using magnets, I drill holes and make it happen.  This one sits very close to the ground but is still fine imo, if not I can always just shorten the chain later.

 

 

 

 

On to the weapons!  This is the standard big shoota that comes with the trukk kit.  There are two problems with this for this build.  Firstly it has an ork hand attached to it, that has to go, which will leave just a blank spot so I will need to attach a grip and trigger from another weapon.  Secondly it uses a U-shaped mount that I don't feel like using this time around, I just plan on using a magnet to attach it to a post mount.

 

 

 

I find that when removing the grip and trigger from ork weapons if you want to keep it in one piece you need to make just one cut at the very top of the grip and trigger.  I find that this cut is usually enough to snap the very thin part of the trigger box off the weapon with no need to cut or trim.  Then it is just a matter of gluing this into place on the new weapon and attach the ammo box.

 

 

 

 

 

Here is the simple pole weapon mount that I put together for this build.  Magnets added to the pole and the big shoota.

 

 

 

Next weapon, the one that I really want on this vehicle but is no longer made by gw as far as I am aware, is a speargun. It is a row of tubes that the orks pack powder bundles and spears into, light the fuses and hope for the best.  How can you not like that sort of weapon!?!  First off I raided the bits box for spears, I didn't feel like building them, and cut them off behind the heads to be ready to glue onto the weapon itself when the time comes.

 

 

With that out of the way I could build the weapon which is really just a row of tubes so pretty easy and plain.  Five tubes, 3/4 of an inch long will serve a s the basic shape, one end needs to be capped, have holes drilled for the wicks and the other needs the spear heads, pretty simple.

 

 

 

 

I trimmed around the tubes to make it a little better looking but this wasn't necessary for the build, just aesthetics.  

 

That would have been it, for the most part but I thought it looked very plain so I decided to add some metal banding to make it look like it was actually somehow being held together.  I cut thin strips of plasticard, glued them to the bottom and let that sit for a few.  I added a small drop of glue to the top of the weapon then wrapped it around the side and held it in place on the top for a few minutes, repeat this process on the bottom and cut the strap to length.

 

 

 

 

 

Next I added the mounting plate to the bottom of the weapon, drilled a hole for the magnet, used the mounting pole to match polarity and glued the magnet in place.  Finished off the body of the weapon with some rivets.

 

 

 

 

Next up I wanted to add some wicks to the end of the launch tubes.  I found the smallest plastic tube I had and a matching drill bit, drilled my holes, glued the wicks in place and this step was finished.

 

 

 

 

It was at this point that I realized the spears that I had cut would not be long enough to look right once in place on the weapon.  Back to the bits box I went, this time I left a bit of the spear haft in place and was much more pleased with the result.

 

 

 

I glued the weapon mount into place and test fit the weapons just to make sure everything worked.

 

 

 

 

I think this next step needs a little backstory so here you go.

 

Diggas are humans, they try to be tough and fighty like the orks but no matter how hard they try they just aren't as tough as orks.  As such the close and blisteringly hot sun of Angelius, the world where Gorkamorka takes place, is just too much for the Diggas.  Diggas try to avoid the hottest parts of the day but this is not always easy, or possible, so most Digga vehicles are equipped with canopies to give them some sort of protection from the sun.

 

Now, I knew this next step was going to be a pita from the get go but it needed to be done, to truly make this a Digga vehicle I needed to add canopies over the drivers area and the bed of the trukk.  Now that being said what I have built already could easily just be covered with some sort of cloth and it would be perfectly acceptable.  However, I wanted to be able to open them for easy mini removal, for various reasons, during the game.  I decided to make the canopies hinged and not just totally removable because I knew once they were taken off during the game they would never be replaced and this would ruin the aesthetic of the trukk....well at least imo it would.

 

First thing I did was treat some plastic tubing to a good old bones reshaping bath.  This took a bit longer than the bones stuff and still needed a pair of needle nose pliers and an ice bath.  As can be seen here some of them are starting to straighten out again.

 

 

The next step was to hold them in place and mark where they needed to be cut, making sure to leave enough room for them to rotate freely around the pole with a plasticard plate attached to the cut ends.  I cut the best four and saved the others just in case i lost or broke one.

 

 

 

I found the easiest way to get these hinges made was to hold one of the bent pieces of tube in place from below, place a very small dot of glue onto each end of the bent tube and add the plasticard piece to the top and hold there until dry.

 

 

 

They rotate freely around the plastic tube.

 

 

Next I roughly measured a length of plastic tube that was the length of the width of the canopy, does that even make sense to anyone other than me???

 

 

To make sure that I could attach the front bar of the canopy to both hinges at roughly the same angel I glued the side tubing of the canopy into place first, both a little longer than need be at this point to hold them in place.  After letting them dry for a few minutes I glued the front bar into place and let that dry for a few minutes.  I was then able to raise the canopy frame and attach the rear bar.  After that dried for a few, I tested it out to make sure everything worked as planned.

 

 

 

 

 

Now, for those keen of eye you can clearly see that I have had to trim and remove all of the spikes off the back wall of the drivers compartment.  I also had to pull both windshields off and re-position them, angled forward after trimming all of the rivets off the top of the backsides of both of them.  All this just so I could make the canopy open and close so I could get the minis out IF needed during the game but not fully remove the canopy to loose the aesthetic of the vehicle....on to the rear canopy!

 

I followed the same steps as the front canopy but added a plasticard piece to each corner of the canopy to help it be a little more sturdy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last but not least I added the drivers seat, right now it looks like a sheet of metal bent into shape.  That would be a little too rough for the Diggas so I have an idea in mind for after paint to make it look a little more comfortable.

 

 

That's it, the trukk is fully built at this point, I have nothing else to add.

 

Primed and ready for the next day I get to work on this.

 

 

Phew! What an update!

 

Hope I didn't scare anyone off with that massive amount of pics!

[chaoshead 3733]

1 hour ago, Dr.Bedlam said:

Exciting!

1. Gorkamorka, straight out of the box, used MUCH smaller bases for the orks. That way, you could get more of 'em in a trukk bed.
2. When they came out with Digga models, I noted that the Diggas often had shaded enclosures on their trukks; they weren't as resistant to the hot sun of planet Angelis.
3. When Diggas buy trukks from Orks, do red ones indeed go fasta?

 

@Dr.Bedlam  --  Thanks for the enthusiasm!  Glad someone shares that with me!  Woohoo!

 

1.  Yup, I still have some of those around somewhere but we will not be using them since the vast majority of our orks will be the "new" ones.  Actually, we are using the Gomo orks for our yoofs this time 'round.

2.  See my last post good sir and keep your eyes open for this when finished.

3.  Possibly when surrounded by orks to lend the WAAAGH! energy to the "myth" but other than that probably not.