Sunday 26 August 2018

2017/18 Hobby Season Review





Hi folks,

What a year it has been! I started the hobby season with an ambitious To-Do list, knowing full well that the new year would bring all kinds of unpredictable challenges and opportunities. Part of the fun of these hobby planning exercises is knowing when to ignore the plan, there are so many joyful tangents to explore. Without further waffle-making, here is a short review of the projects I completed this year.

Seydon, Iron Snakes Chapter Master

This project has been on my mind since the Primaris figures were released. It was great to see it come to life, giving me a solid HQ choice for my small Iron Snakes force.






Mikos of Lakodeme, Lost Captain of the Iron Snakes

I painted this guy as an entry in D Power's Soulslike competition. The Dark Souls inspired paint scheme suggests that he has been to Hades and back.







"Perseus" Intrepidus, Imperial Knight Warden

I won this figure in a terrain building competition a while ago (thanks Dave!) and have been working on it ever since. I managed to build up some momentum around Christmas time and push it to completion.







Dark Angels Assault Squad

Led by my wifey's favourite model, this squad has a lot of history. I don't use it in games very often these days, but in the past this squad fought in many epic battles, including the Armageddon campaign in 3rd Edition. Repainting them and fixing the Sergeant was an exercise in nostalgia and "happy wife means a happy life" :-)







Plasma Servitors

"VWAP! You could fry half a city with these puppies."







Nephilim Jetfighter

With no interest in having it in my army list, this model was all about having fun with the base. I think it looks... epic...







Aliens Themed Ravenors

I have had these xenomorph heads just sitting around for years, waiting for the right project. After committing to a large unit of sneaky Ravenors, I decided that they would have they honour of being my homage to Aliens (my favourite movie).







Malanthrope

Adding to my HQ choices, I have decided to field a Malanthrope to improve the survivability of my foot-slogging units; in particular, my Hive Tyrant and Tyrant Guard unit. I also love his squidgy fhtagn face.







Grey Knights and Grand Master Voldus

A "Paint My Present Project" for The Trooper. He hasn't used these guys in a game yet, but I am not looking forward to them messing about with my Zoanthropes. I aimed for a Space Hulk vibe with them.








Apart from these 40K projects, I also painted quite a few models from other Sci Fi franchises. The first was a Predalien from the Prodos Aliens vs Predator boardgame that my gaming group have been playing quite a bit of. I got this for Sgt Waz.







Most of the Battletech stuff I was working on was for my mate Joel, who sadly passed away this year. The projects include a Star of Ghost Bear Second line Mechs and a Lance of vintage Unseen Innersphere heavies. I have another one of his units to do, when I find the heart to do it. It is hard not to think of everything I do now as a tribute to him, though I am sure people would get tired of seeing that on the blog; there is a fatigue that follows that kind of reflected grief. Suffice to say, he was the kind of friend that gives you a lifetime worth of inspiration. I'll be burning that candle for the rest of my days.










So, that's it! Not as much as I would have liked (not finishing the Iron Snakes Centurions was painful, but at the time necessary; Squaduary next year...), but still something to be proud of. I have changed my focus quite a bit during the past couple of months, which will be affecting my next To-Do list significantly. I really want to get game-ready and spend more time playing next season. That means getting two 2000 pt armies up to scratch. Coupled with the release of the new Battletech Edition, my first forays into Age of Sigmar (Idoneth Deepkin) and various other miniatures games (Silver Tower, Infinity and Pathfinder, 2018/19 is already looking like a busy season.

See you across the table,

Marc


Friday 24 August 2018

The Great Ripper Hunt






Hi folks,

To complete my 2000 point Tyranid list, I found myself needing 12 bases worth of rippers. At three ripper models a base, that amounts to 36 of the little buggers. I had previously constructed 5 bases worth, which was a good start, but the rest would have to be scrounged from my bits boxes. My bits boxes, after 22 years of collecting, are a bit like the mines of Moria; it is possible to delve too deep...







I found a few gribblies in this box, on various Nid sprues, but knew I would have to delve deeper. there were an awful lot of Dark Angels in there as well, which I stashed somewhere separate. Suffice to say my work will be cut out for me next hobby season :-)








After a while made it down to the "too hard boxes". Basically, I fill these boxes with all the junk that is too hard to use for anything. Invariably (and incongruently), when I am desperate for a part, it can be found in these boxes.








Opening up these boxes is like looking into a time capsule...




Yes, that's a Forest Dragon head in there.




In there I found the first banner I ever painted, for my Legion of the Damned dreadnought (shudder):




I'm pretty sure that should be Verbum Fidei. My 14 year old Latin sounds a lot like Spanish,
but more...wrong.



I also found these little treasures. I actually have space for them in the list, but the thought of repainting makes me feel, I don't know... faintly sad. I think I'll just get another 10 from the easy build kits, and finish these guys off for old time's sake.








I also found a whole pile of rippers! I had a feeling I had dumped a handful in there just after 3rd Edition dropped. Now I just need to paint them before the end of the hobby season (Tuesday!). It's going to be a busy weekend :-)








See you across the table,

Marc


Sunday 5 August 2018

Tyranids: Aliens-Themed Objective Markers






Hi folks,

Progress has been a little hard to come by the past couple of weeks. Real life is biting back hard with a return to work after the winter break. I have had these little objective markers floating around for a while, which I purchased from Combat Company. With the completion of my Ravenors and a lack of time to spend on bigger things, I bumped them up the To-Do list.








I chose a scheme that matches the colours I use on the heads of my Nids, with the dark "shell" of each egg providing some contrast with lighter base and "lips". I also added some goopy red bits to match the blood effects I have been using around the mouths of my critters.








The sculpts come in two flavours; let's call them twin-closed and open. The twin-closed ones look pretty gnarly with there thin sepia washed lips. I added some green to the interior of the open eggs, to match the colour I use on my Nid eyes, as well as paying homage to the Alien film poster:











Hopefully, some time over the next couple of days, I can find some time to post about my great ripper hunt. It was... epic.


See you across the table,

Marc