Or how I survived peak season...
So this blog has been in hibernation mode for the past 3 months as work completely overwhelmed me. But thankfully my hobby activites were not put completely on hold.
First off, I finally succumbed to the siren song of the Skaven (alliteration, FTW!). I now have more rats than I can shake a stick at. I've enjoyed painting them up as a nice change of pace to my Space Marines.
Secondly, I bought the Space Wolves codex, and although I like the fluff, I don't think I'll be amassing an army of wolves just yet. I did get my hands on Njal, Lukas and Logan, but so far, I've just primed them grey, which is almost halfway there in my book...
And now, I'm retaking my beloved Horns and starting up painting them again. I've been invited to the local GW shop to play on Monday, which is not enough time to get all my guys up and rolling, but I'll put together a nice representative force, and have some "grey recruits" fill out the gaps.
So stay tuned for updates, as I kick this baby into medium gear...
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Monday, October 12, 2009
Pocket full of victory!
So, to follow up from my previous painting contest post, I entered my Battlescape at the central location and waited for a call to hear how I'd done.
And waited...
And waited...
Until I finally called back and was told that I was the only one who had entered their Battlescape from the whole Metroplex... wow...
So anywho, I ended up scooping up the prize by default (which is still a win, right?)... The prize was I could choose any plastic model box up to a value of $60... so I picked up a Land Raider Crusader / Redeemer!
And today as I browsed around my favorite blogs, I read on the Cadian VIII blog that I won his giveaway contest... So double woot!... I picked the Space Wolf commander, since I've been leaning towards starting a Space Wolf army (along with half the WH40k fandom out there I guess)...
Good weekend, and good start to the week!
And waited...
And waited...
Until I finally called back and was told that I was the only one who had entered their Battlescape from the whole Metroplex... wow...
So anywho, I ended up scooping up the prize by default (which is still a win, right?)... The prize was I could choose any plastic model box up to a value of $60... so I picked up a Land Raider Crusader / Redeemer!
And today as I browsed around my favorite blogs, I read on the Cadian VIII blog that I won his giveaway contest... So double woot!... I picked the Space Wolf commander, since I've been leaning towards starting a Space Wolf army (along with half the WH40k fandom out there I guess)...
Good weekend, and good start to the week!
Friday, October 9, 2009
Weekend project update...
Just a quick update on my scattershot projects:
1. I have stripped most of my eBay metal figures, and after a couple of weeks of having them stand around looking self-conscious about not having any paint on them, I am going to prime them and start putting paint to model.
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2. Next, I have basecoated two Rhino chassis, and my Land Raider with some Krylon Fusion spray paint. It goes on very evenly and smooth, especially the "Satin" finish, and it is very easy to paint over afterwards. I'm using "Dover White" for my vehicles, and hopefully that will save me from having to tone down a pure white basecoat.
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I put some Macharius Solar Orange foundation paint on the Land Raider, just to block out the color scheme, and I was pretty happy with it. I'll post some pictures of it once I get home. I'll definitely have to apply several coats of paint to get it where I want it though...
3. Finally, I started my foray into making terrain. Up until now, my son and I have been playing small games on our kitchen table with overturned Tupperware bowls serving as terrain. It works, but it doesn't immerse you into the game like good terrain can. So I took a block of styrofoam that I got out of a box of something or other that we bought, and I decided to make it into a temple of some sorts. I'll put up a separate post for it later, but for now, I thought I'd show my first steps (literally)...
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I started cutting these with my Xacto, but I realized that it is definitely the wrong tool for the job. Not wanting to pop 30 bucks for a hot wire cutter, I picked up this utility knife from the feed store down the street. It has multiple blades, including a foam saw (pictured). It works great, and even if I don't get a nice even "cauterized" edge like I might with a hot knife, I think I can work with this.
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Enjoy the pics, such as they are (I took them with my Blackberry since I left my camera at home, charging), and let me know what you think. What do you use to make your terrain?
1. I have stripped most of my eBay metal figures, and after a couple of weeks of having them stand around looking self-conscious about not having any paint on them, I am going to prime them and start putting paint to model.
2. Next, I have basecoated two Rhino chassis, and my Land Raider with some Krylon Fusion spray paint. It goes on very evenly and smooth, especially the "Satin" finish, and it is very easy to paint over afterwards. I'm using "Dover White" for my vehicles, and hopefully that will save me from having to tone down a pure white basecoat.
I put some Macharius Solar Orange foundation paint on the Land Raider, just to block out the color scheme, and I was pretty happy with it. I'll post some pictures of it once I get home. I'll definitely have to apply several coats of paint to get it where I want it though...
3. Finally, I started my foray into making terrain. Up until now, my son and I have been playing small games on our kitchen table with overturned Tupperware bowls serving as terrain. It works, but it doesn't immerse you into the game like good terrain can. So I took a block of styrofoam that I got out of a box of something or other that we bought, and I decided to make it into a temple of some sorts. I'll put up a separate post for it later, but for now, I thought I'd show my first steps (literally)...
I started cutting these with my Xacto, but I realized that it is definitely the wrong tool for the job. Not wanting to pop 30 bucks for a hot wire cutter, I picked up this utility knife from the feed store down the street. It has multiple blades, including a foam saw (pictured). It works great, and even if I don't get a nice even "cauterized" edge like I might with a hot knife, I think I can work with this.
Enjoy the pics, such as they are (I took them with my Blackberry since I left my camera at home, charging), and let me know what you think. What do you use to make your terrain?
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Victory!
I was surprised to learn last night that my Battlescape was picked as the winner of the painting competition at my local (kinda) Lone Star Comics store...
I won a $25 gift certificate (1/4 of the way towards Space Hulk)...
Now I get to enter it against the winners of the other locations around town for a bigger prize.
The other entry I was up against was heavily converted, with an Ultramarine paint scheme and marines bailing out of the wrecked Rhino... but the manager at the store said that they liked the way I painted the stone around the craters.
When I get my entry back I'll post up some better pictures of it...
Now on to paint up my Land Raider and Predator that I primered yesterday.
I won a $25 gift certificate (1/4 of the way towards Space Hulk)...
Now I get to enter it against the winners of the other locations around town for a bigger prize.
The other entry I was up against was heavily converted, with an Ultramarine paint scheme and marines bailing out of the wrecked Rhino... but the manager at the store said that they liked the way I painted the stone around the craters.
When I get my entry back I'll post up some better pictures of it...
Now on to paint up my Land Raider and Predator that I primered yesterday.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Battlescape - Finished!
So, typically, I finished my Battlescape just in time to run to the gaming shop to enter it in the painting contest. The deadline being today by end of the day.
So before I dash, here are some pics of the finished product.
I'm pretty happy with it overall, but I wish I'd had some more non-sick time to customize it...
Let me know what you think.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
The story so far... a Fluff Post...
Here is the outline for the background story of my chapter:
Chapter Name:
War Horns
Origins:
The War Horns chapter is a young one, having been founded in the year 654/M41, following a minor skirmish between the Ultramarines and an Ork raiding party on the agricultural planet Arcturus Prime.
During the skirmish, scouts from the 10th Company found themselves defending a stronghold outside the main planetary trading center. The ork forces were slowly enveloping the scouts when a local force of ranchers, mounted on transports improvised from farming equipment, charged the ork flank and provided enough of a distraction to allow the scouts to mount a breakout manuever and kill the raiding party leaders.
Once the remaining ork forces had been mopped up, the scouts recognized the valor of the planetary population, and nominated the planet to the High Lords of Terra as a good place for a Space Marine chapter founding.
The High Lords agreed, and declared a founding with the geneseed of the Ultramarines and White Scars being provided for the chapter founding.
The chapter's homeworld remains Arcturus Prime, a planet with vast fertile plains, surrounded by treacherous deserts and mountains. Arcturus is located in the Dominion of Storms.
The population of Arcturus is of a hearty, independent nature, being used to hardship and tenacity to surivive and thrive on a colonial planet. Their farms and ranches provide the forgeworlds of Corinth, Accatran and Metalica with food, and in turn the Adeptus Mechanicus ensures that the War Horns chapter's armory is properly maintained.
Organization:
The War Horns are organized in accordance with the Codex Astartes, with a heavy reliance on mobile warfare. Coming from a homeworld that has few established population centers, the War Horns are not content to fortify and defend positions, but always seek to take the fight to the enemy. Hence the lovingly maintained and detailed bikes of the VII company, and the thundering jetpacks of the V company.
Being a young chapter, the War Horns have many detached advisors from other Space Marine chapters that help round out their forces, and who provide insight during critical moments in battle. Chief among these are Sgt. Telion of the Ultramarines, who advises the X company of scouts and oversees the new battle brother's training. Sgt. Chronus of the Ultramarines directs the VIII company's heavy armor operations, and Kor'Sarro Khan, the White Scars Master of the Hunt instructs the VII company's bikers in the fine art of cavalry warfare.
OK, criticism and comments are welcome... Let me know what you think...
Chapter Name:
War Horns
Origins:
The War Horns chapter is a young one, having been founded in the year 654/M41, following a minor skirmish between the Ultramarines and an Ork raiding party on the agricultural planet Arcturus Prime.
During the skirmish, scouts from the 10th Company found themselves defending a stronghold outside the main planetary trading center. The ork forces were slowly enveloping the scouts when a local force of ranchers, mounted on transports improvised from farming equipment, charged the ork flank and provided enough of a distraction to allow the scouts to mount a breakout manuever and kill the raiding party leaders.
Once the remaining ork forces had been mopped up, the scouts recognized the valor of the planetary population, and nominated the planet to the High Lords of Terra as a good place for a Space Marine chapter founding.
The High Lords agreed, and declared a founding with the geneseed of the Ultramarines and White Scars being provided for the chapter founding.
The chapter's homeworld remains Arcturus Prime, a planet with vast fertile plains, surrounded by treacherous deserts and mountains. Arcturus is located in the Dominion of Storms.
The population of Arcturus is of a hearty, independent nature, being used to hardship and tenacity to surivive and thrive on a colonial planet. Their farms and ranches provide the forgeworlds of Corinth, Accatran and Metalica with food, and in turn the Adeptus Mechanicus ensures that the War Horns chapter's armory is properly maintained.
Organization:
The War Horns are organized in accordance with the Codex Astartes, with a heavy reliance on mobile warfare. Coming from a homeworld that has few established population centers, the War Horns are not content to fortify and defend positions, but always seek to take the fight to the enemy. Hence the lovingly maintained and detailed bikes of the VII company, and the thundering jetpacks of the V company.
Being a young chapter, the War Horns have many detached advisors from other Space Marine chapters that help round out their forces, and who provide insight during critical moments in battle. Chief among these are Sgt. Telion of the Ultramarines, who advises the X company of scouts and oversees the new battle brother's training. Sgt. Chronus of the Ultramarines directs the VIII company's heavy armor operations, and Kor'Sarro Khan, the White Scars Master of the Hunt instructs the VII company's bikers in the fine art of cavalry warfare.
OK, criticism and comments are welcome... Let me know what you think...
Friday, September 18, 2009
Dilemma: Warp tainted or not...
OK, so I've had this idea for my Space Marine bikers for a while, and I still go back and forth about whether the Inquisition would send someone after me for this or not...
I want to put horns on some of my bikers... not Chaos-style, sticking up, twisty, evil looking horns, but, you guessed it, Longhorns...
I bought some Chaos Space Marine heads, and I'm planning on cutting off the horns, straightening them out, and attaching them to the sides of my biker helmets...
Easier said than done for someone who's never messed with green stuff or converting minis, but I think it will give them a cool look, and make them stand out as a unit...
If it works, I might also do this for some sergeants and veterans... I mean, if Space Wolves can have a big ol' wolf head and pelt over their armor, why not some horns, right?
What do you think? I'd like to hear from you...
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