Painting Challenge Round 5 - Entry

Round 5 of the local gaming club's painting challenge is Single Fantasy Model. I've had my Trollbloods Warpack sitting on the shelf for long enough - so it's time to get them table-top ready!

Here's my entry for this round, based and primed!

Next to a Space Marine for scale.

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Chaos Dreadnought Finished!

Chaos Dreadnought - Undercoated

A WIP shot of my Chaos Dreadnought, which I mentioned that I'd be entering in the local club's painting competition.

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Chaos Daemon Prince - Assembled

I thought I'd throw up an assembly shot of my Chaos Daemon Prince, next to one of my Chaos Space Marines for scale.
He's an awesome looking model, and the wings add some considerable bulk to his dimensions - I'm already worried about transporting him around!

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Chaos Space Marines Reborn

With the new colour scheme and army lists, I decided I needed to completely recreate my Chaos Space Marines army.

Here is the first unit of Chaos Space Marines, which I'll be proxying as Plague Marines. I mentioned earlier that I didn’t want to buy more models until I got my hands on the new codex, so the squad weapons don’t match my army lists – but that’s not really a problem, seeing as the guys at the club are really easy-going about proxying.

Another squad to go, the Chaos Daemon Prince, and my *new* army will be (legally) table-top ready!

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Chaos Dreadnought

The local club is holding another painting competition, and the category is Modern/Sci-Fi Vehicle/Warmachine.

I had initially entered the painting competition with my Forge Father Jotunn Hailstorm Cannon, but now that I'm painting through my Chaos Space Marines, I thought it would be better for me to enter something I plan on using on the table.
I've had this second-hand Chaos Dreadnought sitting around, waiting for some attention - so I'll be entering this model for the competition.

Here's my registration photo. The completed entry isn't due until August 23rd, which is still a while off. I plan on painting through the units for my planned army lists first, so that I have nice models to wage table-top warfare with - but then it'll be onto this bad boy.

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In the Company of Daemons

As much as I love my Chaos Space Marine Sorcerer, I've got a new shiny to play with - a Chaos Daemon Prince that I can use to lead my Chaos Space Marines.

After acquiring this new addition to my Army List, I began doing some list building research and found that the combination of Daemon Prince and Plague Marines to be popular, so I came up with following first drafts (which I will no doubt tweak and modify while I build the army) 500 / 750 / 1000 lists to build up to:

500 Points
Daemon Prince (Wings, Mark of Slaanesh)
Plague Marines x7 (Meltagun, Meltagun)
Plague Marines x7 (Meltagun, Meltagun)

750 Points
Daemon Prince (Wings, Mark of Nurgle, Warptime)
Plague Marines x7 (Aspiring Champion, Power Weapon, Meltagun, Meltagun)
Plague Marines x7 (Aspiring Champion, Power Weapon, Meltagun, Meltagun)
Obliterator Cult x1
Obliterator Cult x1

1000 Points
Daemon Prince (Wings, Mark of Slaanesh, Lash of Submission)
Plague Marines x7 (Aspiring Champion, Power Weapon, Meltagun, Meltagun)
Plague Marines x7 (Aspiring Champion, Power Weapon, Meltagun, Meltagun)
Plague Marines x7 (Aspiring Champion, Meltagun, Meltagun)
Obliterator Cult x1
Obliterator Cult x1
Obliterator Cult x1

With a new codex and starter set contents on the horizon I don't want to buy any more models, so these lists will involve a lot of proxying, which the guys at the local club are cool with :) I guess these lists and the army I build for them will be holding me over until the new Chaos Space Marine codex becomes available.

Fun times ahead!

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First Steps

With rumours of a new Chaos Space Marine Codex, as well as Chaos Space Marines being included as part of the upcoming Warhammer 40k 6^th Edition Starter Set, I’m reluctant to buy more models.

40K 6th Edition Starter Set: Dark Angels and Chaos Space Marines?

With this in mind, I made trip to Games Workshop in an attempt to fulfil my pledge and learn how to play WH40K. Before entering the store, I prepared myself for the inevitable hard-sell that would follow a demo game by going through some practiced responses in my mind. I steeled my resolve, and went in...

The store staff were friendly and attentive, and very happy to run my friend and I through a demo game of WH40k under the 6^th Edition rules. The demo itself was great, going through the basics of gameplay using the store’s pre-painted AoBR set and Citadel terrain, which made for a fantastic little game. The staff answered my questions succinctly, and explained things very clearly – but the best thing was the enthusiasm and passion for the game that came through.

Following the game, and after explaining my situation (making it clear that I was reluctant to buy anything on the day), I braced myself for the sale pitch... “Well, I’ll just be around the store – let me know if you need anything or have any more questions.” And off he went.

I was shocked that he didn’t try to push through (what would have been) a painful and awkward sales pitch. After the shock wore-off, a pleasant calm came over me and I realised something - that the staffer was just a nice guy. I guess not all Games Workshop staff are the monsters I’d read about online. After walking around the store for a while checking out the models, I decided I’d purchase something at the eye-gouging Australian Games Workshop retail prices. I didn’t feel like I had gone back on my resolve though, because I didn’t feel like I was buying from Games Workshop, I felt like I was buying from the nice staffer that spent the last 1.5 hours taking my buddy and I through a demo game.

Anyways, that was my pleasant experience in a Games Workshop store, and I’ve now got a new Chaos Daemon Prince to lead my Chaos Space Marine Army!

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Chaos Space Marine Test Scheme

I know I said I wouldn't repaint the rest of Chaos Space Marines until a new codex came out, but I couldn't help myself! Looking at my new Chaos Sorcerer I had to give my troops the same treatment as well.
So this is the new colour scheme I came up with for my Chaos Space Marines. After painting this guy I immediately fell in love with the colour scheme, and decided that I'd paint the rest of the army like this too!

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Chaos Sorcerer - Repainted

What started as a touch-up turned into an almost complete repaint. I'm quite happy with my new Chaos Sorcerer, and feel that he looks so much better than the the original colour scheme. My work on this guy has inspired me to repaint my current Chaos Space Marine army in light of 40k 6th Edition, but I'll wait until a new Chaos Space Marine codex is released before re-assembling and then repainting them.

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The Black March Rises...

With my pledge to learn the Warhammer 40k 6th Edition rules, and become a more active wargamer at my local club, it was time to dust off one of my armies and get some games under my belt.

With rumours that Chaos Space Marines will be getting a new codex soon, as well as being included as part of the 6th Edition Starter Box, I decided that I would get my Chaos Space Marines tabletop ready.
I've poured through my Chaos Space Marine codex and took some notes from the 6th Edition Rulebook and came up with this 750 point list, which was somewhat limited by the current models I have:

HQ
Chaos Sorcerer (Terminator Armour, Familiar, Mark of Slaanesh, Doombolt, Lash of Submission, Meltabombs)

TROOPS
10 Chaos Space Marines -  (Icon of Chaos Glory, Flamer, Meltagun)
10 Chaos Space Marines -  (Icon of Chaos Glory, Plasmagun, Heavy Bolter)

HEAVY SUPPORT
1 Obliterator Cult
1 Obliterator Cult
1 Obliterator Cult

I'll be proxying a few models as well - AU$38 for a single Chaos Obliterator has never been right with me...

I'd like to think that my painting ability has improved since I painted my Chaos Space Marines, so I'll be touching up my current units, and possibly adding more troops to bolster the ranks. I'll snap some photos of my 750 point army when it's done!

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Snow Table

One of my favorite things about mini-wargaming is the ability to create amazing worlds. Creating fantastic battlegrounds where armies can battle over scenic terrain pieces really helps bring the world to life.
There's something about a frozen battlefield - a cold, harsh environment, that is really appealing to me... maybe it's because I've only been to the snow 3 times, and I've only actually seen it snow once. Either way, I want to make a snow table for wargaming!

I wish I had the ability, budget and living room space to make something like the above, but for now I'll have to settle for something more practical. I've done a few terrain pieces before, but no 'snow themed' pieces - although I might look at modifying my existing terrain pieces to suit a snow theme.

Anyway, I'm really excited about this project, and with my pledge to learn Warhammer 40K my motivation to make a snow wargaming table is at dangerously high levels! It won't be for a 6'x4' - the limited space I have is 5'x3' dining table (that I'm assuming would suit games at lower points level) which I'll probably just put a grass or snow mat over. It'll be a humble little project, but I'm still really excited about it.

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A Pledge

The local gaming club is dominated by Warhammer 40k - there are some regular Flames of War players as well, but 40k is the staple played by most of the members. With the launch of Warhammer 40k's 6th Edition, I have made a pledge to learn the rules and become a Warhammer 40k player.

I made an attempt to learn to play Warhammer 40k in the past, and even have Deathwing and Chaos Space Marine armies. After spending 2-3 months collecting, assembling and painting my Frozen Fists, I got them to the local club and just couldn't get over the steep learning curve of the game. The rulebook is quite intricate compared to other systems I've played, and learning my own army, as well as that of my opponent, was too daunting.
So I put the 40k armies on the shelf and pursued other wargames. I found that, while those other wargames are awesome, it doesn't matter how great a game is if no one else plays it. So I'm now going to bite the bullet, climb that learning curve, and learn how to play 40k!

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Forge Fathers Assembled

So with my Project Pandora set complete, it was time to start work on my new army - Forge Fathers! I mentioned in an earlier post that I had managed to get my hands on two Fate of the Forgestar sets, as well as the Forge Father Huscarl character model at a fantastic price.

The models in the above shot are the assembled Forge Fathers from one of the Fate of the Forgestar sets. There are 5 extra Forge Father Steel Warriors in the set (6 actually - one model doesn't come with a base though), so what you see above are 15 Steel Warriors at the back, 5 Stormrage Veterans at the front and the Jotunn Hailstorm Cannon on the left.

Below are some shots of the Jotunn Hailstorm Cannon (one next to a Space Marine for scale), which I plan on painting and entering into the local club's painting competition!
So I'll get an undercoat on these guys and start painting them up - more Forge Father action to come!

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Veer-myn Complete

Really busy weekend -  I didn't even find the time to post this picture! Here are the Veer-myn in their menacing glory - ready to the take the Corporation with stealth and strength in numbers.

Great little set of troops, even better value for money - I <3 Mantic Games!

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Veer-myn Master

And here are the close up shots of the Master! That's the Veer-myn for Project Pandora done, and ready to face off against the Corporation in the corridors of Grim Cargo!

I've also snapped a group shot of the Veer-myn together - stay tuned!

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Veer-myn Exterminator

Finished this guy off last night, and managed to get a start on the Veer-myn Master too. This guy is a lot more imposing than the Night Crawlers - the body stands taller, and the chemical back-pack adds a bit more bulk as well.
A very cool addition to rest of the pack - now just the Master to go!

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Veer-myn Night Crawler Variant 2

After batch painting the last lot of four Veer-myn, knocking out these guys didn't take too long. I prefer this variant to the first variant I tried painting, as I've found the other variant falls over too easily.

So I've got the Veer-myn grunts done, just the Exterminator and the Master to go!

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Sync on the Warpath!

Over the weekend it was brought to my attention that HobbyHub, a local Mantic distributor, was holding a sale on some of the Warpath items.
I immediately logged onto their website to see what was on sale, and bought up a bunch of Warpath items I'd been looking for an excuse to buy.

I hadn't mentioned this in an earlier post because it seemed to good to be true and I almost expected to receive an email saying that they were out of stock and I'd missed out on a great deal.
But I was ecstatic and relieved to receive a package yesterday morning which contained my order:

• 2x Fate of the Forgestar (Warpath Starter Box)
• 1x Forge Father Huscarl

I plan on making a small Forge Father Army, and at the sale prices, the Orx Marauders were just a fantastic bonus.
I'm going to finish off my Veer-myn for Project Pandora, but as soon as that's done I'm going start work on my Forge Fathers!

More Project Pandora, followed by Warpath, to come!

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Veer-myn Night Crawler Variant 1

So managed to paint up four of the Veer-myn Night Crawlers over the weekend. I think I mentioned this earlier, but in the set of 10 Veer-myn Nightcrawlers, you receive 8 Night-Crawlers (2 variants), an Exterminator and the Master - the four painted above are the first variant of Night-Crawler I tackled.

More nasty Veer-myn to come!

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Veer-myn Test Scheme

Been a little busy, but I managed to get through a Test Scheme for my Veer-myn. I was aiming for a colour scheme that fit in with the theme of critters scurrying around dark, dingy corridors, and I think I've achieved that. I'll sleep on the colour scheme and see how I feel about in the morning.

The models themselves are great, lots of detail and an almost steampunk look about them. This particular Night-Crawler variant topples over quite easily, so I'll have to see what I can do about getting some bigger bases for these guys.

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Corporation Complete

I actually finished these guys of a few days ago, but haven't had the chance to snap a photo! Batch painting the rest of the squad went faster than expected, and I think they turned out pretty good! I'm looking forward to many action-packed adventures in the Grim Cargo with them. 

I think the models themselves are great - certainly good value as part of the boxset. There is enough variety in the pieces to give each model an individual enough look, while still maintaining good squad consistency.

I have put some thought into it, but I can't seem to come up with any good fluff for my Corporation... I'll make sure to update the blog if I do though :)

Alright, now onto the Veer-myn!

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Corporation Sergeant

After finishing off five of the regular Corporation Marines, I thought I'd reward myself and paint up the Sergeant. His pose definitely makes him stand out from the other marines, and his pistol and power fist are pretty cool too. I decided to stay consistent with the rest of 'hot' colour scheme and opt for a 'heated glow' on his power fist.

Alright, more Corporation troopers to paint! Stay tuned!

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