2nd Edition Army Challenge: Mk I Landraider TO-DONE!!!

 

Hi folks,

With the final deadline looming, I managed to get a few hours in the other day to finish this MK I landraider. It is a venerable old model from the Rogue Trader era, which was already rare when I started playing 40K in the mid-90's. This one was a gift from Sgt Waz, during a particularly gnarly kit-bashing session we had, a few years ago. 

I asked the 2nd Ed. challengers how I should paint it, and I think they unanimously voted for the Deathwing scheme, to go with my Terminators. I used an airbrush to get the white on, with some really subtle grey shading at the bottom. I added a bunch of more modern upgrade doo-hickeys, and even managed to sculpt some Plainsworld feathers. The lascannons were missing some barrels, so I replaced them with some modern spares from to different kits (Razorback and Landraider Mk II, I think), then painted them like I did the storm bolters on my Terminators. The twin heavy flamer is a complete kitbash, which as painted in the classic Deathwing scheme. I also cut some pieces from a spare Landraider engine and attached it to the inside of the top hull, to fill the rectangular shaped hole where the hatch should be.

TL:DR: it was a blast to paint, but a lot of work, both in kitbashing and colour scheme. I love it to bits!

The last model I am painting for the challenge is an old school techmarine, which I am plugging away at now. I am up to the detail stage: hard-lined highlights and eye-balls!

See you across the table,

Marc

BattleTech: Smoke Jaguar Command Star Progress

 

Hi folks,

With the BattleTech Clan Invasion Kickstarter starting to deliver on pledges, it has been a busy time around the paint table. I was able to knock together my Star of Ghost Bears pretty quickly, but I still have a few mercenary lances and a ComStar Level II to paint for my own collection. Wade and I have also been working on 'Mechs for some of our mates. Last week we met up for an epic painting session, which saw us setting up three airbrushes in my garden and weathering the elements to knock over a Command Star of Smoke Jaguars.

Australia is currently under the La Nina weather pattern, which means a colder than usual summer with frequent storms in the afternoon; a big change from the hellish armageddon we experienced year. Soon after we started painting the rain was coming in sideways and we were throwing on jackets!

We started with Vallejo grey primer, then added some darker ocean grey shading to the lower half. I also mixed an even darker grey in for the lower extremities. The top was highlighted with a 3:1 grey primer/white to provide the contrast needed for some jaguar spots.

Wade used the dark grey to add irregular jaguar spots to the top half of each model. I filled them in with some lighter grey shades to finish the shape, which took some practise before I was happy with them. A round of highlights in the centre of the spots helped, I think.

As I was finishing off the spots Wade worked on the laser lenses, painting the large lasers blue and the medium lasers green (MechWarrior colours). He passed me the first one and the medium lasers made my eyes pop out; Ha!! Wicked.

After finishing the spots I started building up a NMM style gold colour for the cockpit jeweling. The idea was to make it look a little like jaguar eyes, and provide a bit of contrast by using some warmer colours. I added the final white dots of the jeweling 4 hours after we started, which is pretty good for what we achieved, I think. Wade took them home to add some more panel lining and mud basing, in preparation for a jungle-theme.

To finish them off I managed to find some nice broad-leafed plants at Hobbyco to add some foliage, along with some stringy, dark, roots. I have also ordered some Smoke Jaguar decals from Fighting Piranha Graphics, which will take a while to come in; FPG is swamped at the moment!

All together, a pretty good effort for the amount of hours we put it in. More than anything, seeing these 'Mechs that we have all loved for 25 years coming to life has been an absolute joy.

See you across the table,

Marc

 

2nd Edition Army Challenge: Dark Angels Tactical Squad TO-DONE!!!

 

Hi folks,

I have been taking some time off blogging this month to enjoy the hobby and to spend time with the family. Last month I completed the first half of this Tactical squad, and it was a real push to get the last five finished in between Christmas parties and my father getting married. I posted the entry photo at 11.55 pm on the night of the due date!! Ah well, finished is finished! The squad includes a Sergeant with powersword and plasma pistol, a meltagun, lascannon and seven glorious monopose marines form the 2nd Edition starter box. I never rated these models very high back in the 90's but the nostalgia effect is powerful. Next month is the bonus round, as I have finished my 1000 point quota. I am thinking about doing a transport and perhaps a techmarine as well. I am feeling the need to balance that with some of 9th Edition aspirations for my Dark Angels, as I don't want to be fulfilling my 9th Edition plans when 10th inevitably rolls in. In the meantime, here are some close-ups:

See you across the table,

Marc

BattleTech: Ghost Bear Command Star TO-DONE!!!

 

Hi folks,

After burning myself out pretty badly in October, I am starting to regain my hobby mojo, buoyed (no doubt) by the start of the school holidays. A few weeks ago the first wave of the Clan Invasion Kickstarter reached my front door, and the product is exquisite. Most of my pledge was sunk into Wave 2 rewards, but I still managed to blag a Star worth of Clan mechs, two salvage boxes, a legendary mech (Morgan Kels Archer) and a novelty Urbanmech figure, as well as a bunch of mapsheets to play on, record sheets, extra rules for characters, posters, tokens and just lots and lots of cool stuff.

The two salvage boxes had great mechs in them (a Dire Wolf and a Summoner), so I swapped them straight into my Ghost Bear Command Star. Not wanting them to be another project that sits on the shelf for years, I got stuck straight in with the airbrush and painted them in a week's worth of hobby time.

For those who don't play BattleTech, this unit has a LOT of long range clout. Seriously, there are nine extended range large lasers between the 5 mechs! There is quite a bit of manoeuvrability in there as well, heaps of armour and three of the mechs are jump capable. Overall, very happy with the composition of the Star as well as the paint scheme.

The paint scheme is representative of the Ghost Bear's Rho Galaxy (Bear Essentials), which my group of mates picked for Joel's canon character. Perhaps a little bit more about that later. In the meantime, here are some close-up shots of the finished mechs.

See you across the table,

Marc