Ghazghkull Thraka with the Boi!!

 

Hi folks,

Blog posts have been few and far between this year, but that doesn't mean I have been sitting around doing nothing on the hobby-front. This month I worked with my son to finish off this monstrosity. The Boi is at the stage now that he can accurately lay down layers, including some very small details (eyes and glyphs, for example). He had his first go at dry-brushing and we spent a whole session working on highlights, which he was really proud of. 

He had a really good go at using washes, even though he spilt half a bottle of Nuln Oil. I had warned him about them and I always keep a wad of blue tac on the bottom of each bottle, but it somehow still ended up on the floor. He was a bit bummed until I showed him all of the posts on social media with people doing exactly the same thing 😂 To finish him off I added some edge highlighting and added the Goff's classic checkered pattern on the shoulder pads. In our games together he has been enjoying the using the Goffs and their exploding 6's (more about that later). 

He was super excited when he woke up in the morning and I had completed the final assembly. Both of us are very happy with the final result, particularly as we worked on it together and so many of the techniques used were his first ever attempt at the skill. I find the little guy's colour choices refreshing; there are a few things I would have done differently but this is his army and I wanted him to have that ultimate control over the scheme. "The boss needs his bling!".

Here are some final shots of the finished product:

I have been suffering from some decision paralysis when it comes to other projects; I just don't know what to work on. With DreadTober coming up I am thinking about switching back to my 9th Edition urban Dark Angels and getting them closer to completion. I have a Redemptor Dread ready to go as the centrepiece of that list. But I have also just got my hands on the new Tyranid Codex and have been adding a few more details to my swarm. Decisions, decisions...

See you across the table,

Marc 

2nd Edition Army Challenge Round 3 Complete!

 

Hi folks,

May was the final month of the 2nd Edition Army Challenge, run by Dr The Viking over at Cowabunga Journal. With over 20 2nd Ed. enthusiasts contributing it was amazing to see the final showcase of armies. The forces painted were diverse, painted in all different styles but each oozing with that '90s 40K flare. My model count at the end was a little embarrassing, you really don't get many Legion of the Damned marines for 1000 points, but I don't think I would have had time to do more even if I wanted to. Each required a huge amount of preparation time and the free-hand work was wonderfully time consuming. I really have to tip my hat off to the folks who painted 50+ models, just amazing!

Reflecting on what I have managed to put together, I have to say I am very proud. This was the kind of army I was dreaming of when I started in 40K. It's not prefect by any stretch, but it has the vibe I have always carried in my heart. When I painted them back in the '90s I encountered heaps of painting, modelling and logistical challenges that I never really overcame. For example, I always wanted a model for Sergeant Centurius, but being a limited edition model that was only available overseas, I was told time and time again that I would never get my hands on one. I could never settle on a way to paint the Dreadnought's powerfist, so repainted it many times. One time I painted it (as I have done during the challenge), but decided it was too garish! It's back now in its old glory. I also simply did not have the brush control to do much free-hand back in those days; all that work on my Iron Snakes has finally brought me to a level where I can give it a go.

I still have a few models to paint before I can truly call this army complete. I think I am going to aim for 1500 points in total, which will include some more bikes, a techmarine and a Chaplain (both on bikes). The techmarine I had put aside as a bonus model will probably now get bumped down the line and join a future 2nd Ed. army, which means I need to convert one of the bikers I have left over.  At this stage, I am not sure whether I will punch on with them immediately or have a little break, as I am feeling a little burnt out from the scheme.

The last model I painted for the challenge was a Landspeeder. I painted it in a bunch of sub-assemblies but it went together easy enough. They are a bit of a pain but if you take your time and let certain parts set before you do the rest it is a lot easier. Overall I am very happy with how it turned out, though I wish I had added another bite of bone to the front somewhere.

The best part of the challenge has been catching up with other vintage 40K collectors and gamers from around the world online. We share so much more than 40K in common, it is a shame we can't all meet up and have a few games together. Im hoping to meet up with the Australian challengers, so hopefully I can post some retro battle reports here soon.

See you across the table,

Marc

Legion of the Damned Landspeeder Progress

 

Hi folks,

A couple of months ago this Landspeeder showed up on eBay for a princely sum. Knowing how rare they are to find complete and unassembled, I put my order in very quickly and added it to my Christmas list. Landspeeders are one of the few vehicles that Legion of the Damned can field according to the 2nd Edition army list, so I really wanted one to add a bit of variety to my army. I could take a Rhino as well, but I prefer to teleport my marines in; it is so much more characterful!

All of the parts were accounted for and in excellent condition. I think the base is a more modern one, which I am not going to complain about. The original was such an awful thing. As it is, the model will be prone to snapping due to the weight of the model on such a fragile stem. I am sorely tempted to use metal rod instead, but I'll give the clear base a go first. If I ever have to repair it, I'll be using something a lot more robust.

Interestingly, two of the pieces have different year stamps on them. It makes me wonder if this box was a "Frankenstein's Monster" kind of deal. Again, I have nothing to complain about, especially considering they are both from the mid-90's.

I spent an hour or so trimming metal flash and mould lines with my hobby knife. Metal Landspeeders are notoriously difficult to assemble, so I have taken my time putting it together. I left the engine block overnight to set and will keep it as a sub-assembly. Attaching the seats was probably the most frustrating part (so far, at least), as slight bends in some of the parts have left odd gaps. I doubt you will notice on the finished model, otherwise I would pull it apart again and carefully bend the parts back into shape. 

Hopefully, I'll get some time tomorrow to undercoat the parts and get started with the free-hand flames. 

See you across the table,

Marc

Legion of the Damned Combat Squad 2: TO-DONE!!!

 

Hi folks,

During the Easter long weekend I went down the south coast of NSW with my wife and kids. After a pretty horrible couple of months, I really needed to get away and reset. The place where we stayed is very dear to me and has a way of reminding me who I am. My family has been visiting here for over 50 years (before I was born!) so walking out to the beach is like travelling back in time. So many important things that have shaped me as a person have happened right here. Interestingly, it is also the place where I first played 40K, on an old camping table with folded cardboard figures. 

When I got home, with sand in my pockets and nothing on my mind, I realised I had very little time to get my project done for the 2nd Edition Army Challenge. I have really loved being a part of it, so the idea of falling short in the 5th month didn't appeal to me. I quickly put together some subassemblies an undercoated some things, then raced off at the start of the new school term to a Year 8 camp (supervising 60+ 14 year olds). By the time I returned I had less than 48 hours to finish the squad! Knowing this, I promptly procrastinated for another 24 hours and spent time with my son, playing board games and watching Fellowship of the Ring. During the last 24 hours I posted WIP shots as I burned my way through the painting stages, it was pretty epic and the other challengers gave me wonderful support. Here are some photos of the finished Legionnaires:

This month is bonus month and I have a large backlog of extra models I didn't get around to earlier. I'm hoping I can make a dent in those, or even get them all done. It would be really great to have the whole force complete before I move on to some more modern models and other things.

See you across the table,

Marc