Off the map

Contrary to a lack of posts, I've actually been quite busy on the painting front! The Ork project is now nearly complete with just the Battlewagon, a few Gretchin and some scenery to finish off, which I'm hoping to get done in the next few weeks. Here's some recent additions - apologies for the darkness in the photees!

Mekanik and Gretchin Assistant.

Painboy with Gretchin Assistant.

Runtherd on his lonesome - finally had an excuse to use an ugly old power claw too!

Ork projects. 

This scenery first started life in 1995 as a weekend project with my Grandad. Being made of hardboard, they lasted much longer than the cardboard and polystyrene scenery I was used to smashing together with retarded paws building and I'm stoked I still have them. However, I felt that they need updating (or more accurately, finishing them off how I originally wanted them!) and it's been a fun little side project. Here's how they used to look,..

Halford grey primer, you've served us well.

Even aged 11, I was pretty misanthropic.

 

And just as juvenile as I am now. 

Little hut.

Ork spelling is the best.

I'll be mounting these on hardboard and adding some awnings to increase their footprint and make them a little more interesting. Obviously I'll be including a poster for forthcoming Goffick Rok events - watch this space for a tour from the mighty SQUIGSTERS OF MERCY soon!

Oh, also finished a couple of the Hybrids off that have been hanging around that Bob sent me awhile back (cheers fella, the Epic stuff is in the queue!) Pretty sure I have a complete set for playing old Space Hulk with now. Really excited that GW have brought the Genestealer Cult back in the last few days with the advent of the amazing looking Deathwatch game. I'm hoping to pick a copy up in the future as the miniatures are wonderful homages to the original look and ethos of the Cult!

Causing a ruckus in a Hive City near you.

The other project I've been preoccupied with has been starting an AOS force. I've never really been a fantasy gamer or painter, but there's a great group of guys at the local shop who got me hyped on the idea recently. I've working my way through the Chaos 'Slaves to Darkness' boxset which has some really nice plastics, painting purely for gaming rather than being a prissy bitch like I usually am. (On a side note, the new starter boxsets are incredible value, seriously considering picking up the Ad-Mech one soon just for fun.) It's been weird switching my brain around to painting in a different way, but it's actually been pretty liberating as I'm also using this set to experiment with some of the effects paints and different painting techniques. I'm not usually one for breaking habits and it's been refreshing to try some new approaches. Here's some progress pictures.

Casting all the spells with ma creepy Beadle arm,...

There's something vaguely Monty Python about these guys and I can't put my finger on it.

Hoping to have the chariot and the cavalry done before the end of the month so I can get some games in. AOS looks pretty simple to play and it'll be fun to get to hang out with the local CH crew. I'm already planning on adding a Giant and some Beastmen to bulk out the force, but more importantly, because I really fancy like painting them! The other old Chaos stuff I was working on will now go towards making up a Mordheim gang for potential future use as they don't really go with this new Chaos force. Was still great fun painting them though!

Jes Goodwin radness!

Accidentally almost did non-metallic metals on the Slaanesh icon - stoked!

No one expects random Slambo.

So plenty to be getting on with! The next things on the painting horizon should be entries for the local shop 'Paint in Black / Purple' competition, but I think I may be being a bit adventurous going for both colours due to time. However, I really want an excuse to build the FW Contemptor and Ravenwing Sammael models that have been sat in the cupboard of shame for over two years - really tempted to take a week off in April when next year's holiday comes around and just spend it painting!

Birthday Times!

Not my birthday obviously! It's been a year since the first post arrived (via a stork and left to be found under a lettuce) on this journal and I'm pretty stoked on how I've been able to use it as a guide of sorts to plan projects and get enthused about current ones. I've had some really nice feedback on my painting and I'm stoked to have got know of so many other amazing painters out there through lurking from one blog to another - you people rule, thanks for being a constant source of inspiration!

For 2016 I've a few projects that I want to concentrate on. Thankfully, there's no wallet-worriers amongst them as I'd like to work off stuff that's been accumulating in the bits box. There's some real treats in there too! Firstly I'd like to finish off the Orks as I'm pretty close to finishing them off now. Here's where I'm up to so far,..

Weirdboy and Minderz.

Not 100% pleased with this as I'm not sure the purple pyjamas were the best choice. I may try and add some stars and moons and make him look like a cartoon wizard one day. Also, the staff is a stand-in until I get more confident with sculpting - spooky glowing eyes though!

These guys are the best!

Seriously, when did GW decide to ret-con Snotlings? These guys are awesome. I'm so impressed at how Kev Adams managed to sculpt so much detail on 10mm figures. The expressions and musculature is phenomenal! This is the first of four Snotting bases - that should be enough for the size of games I'll get to play hopefully!

In the grim darkness of the far future there is only mullets.

Squig-pup.

Finally managed to paint up this amazing proto-Gretchin and Azzbutt's pet Squig! The original target of twenty Gretchin will probably end up being more like ten as I'd like to maybe get a small squad of Madboyz (that and I'm running out of case-space!) The old Squig models are super fun, really characterful tangents that add a great deal of atmosphere to the Ork background.

Wagon with new axles!

This thing is going to be so awesome to build. I've finally managed to track down and fit some new brass axles that will strengthen the overall wagon structure as the old axles had to be removed and were notoriously spindly anyhow. Going to be making a proper go of this thing soon so expect loads of WIP photos! After that there's only a few personalities and I'll leave the green skins be. Pretty sure they clock in at around 1500 points with wargear which is a respectable amount for what I'd want to do with them.

As well as the Orks, I'm going to finish off some Genestealer Hybrids that I was kindly given a few months back. I've also got some amazing sculpts from the 'Wild in the Streets' game which are begging for some attention. I've recently acquired a RTB09 Terminator set, so would love to finally paint up a RT era Blood Angel Terminator squad for use with Space Hulk. Moreover, I'd really like to make an effort to paint up some Fantasy Chaos stuff as everyone around here seems to be on that right now - plus it's a massive excuse to paint up all the old Beastmen that I've had lying around - made a start on this in late December!

Cannot un-hear Skeleton vs Beastman now,..

Finally, I'd like to try and speed up my painting as I struggle to finish anything off in less than six hours. I think this is down to a combination of motivation, paint-scheme and model choice as the recent figures I've finished have all been done under three hours - the thought of finishing off anything in an evening seems unreal; it'd be so good to achieve that!

Only three hours!

I think the main aim for 2016 is to actually play some games. I only played one game of 2nd Edition 40k last year and two games of Space Hulk which is woefully shameful. I'm lucky enough to know loads of people who play various games and I'm hoping that they'll actually believe me when I say I'm going to at least try to roll some dice with them this year. There's already tentative plans for a meet up around late February with Pob and Melon for game and I'm hoping that I might be able to get a few more 2nd Edition battles in with Dave too. Also, I'm sure Stu wouldn't mind if I bullied him into playing Space Hulk once in awhile!

Ooof, that's enough for me to be getting on with then! Hope everyone else out there has a super fun and productive year!