Emperor’s Children Aspiring Champion

Posted by johnnya10 on 15/01/2014
Posted in: My Painting and Modelling. Tagged: , , . Leave a comment
emperors children aspiring champion

Aspiring Champion of the Emperor’s Children Chaos Space Marines

It dawned on me that I don’t have any pictures of my recently completed Emperor’s Chidlren Aspiring Champion on this blog, and this post is here to rectify that. I painted him a couple of months ago for the Brotherhood of the Brush painting tournament that is run by Warhammer World on Facebook (up next is the new plastic Nurgle Herald) and I was pretty happy with my completed model.

It’s another great GW sculpt. Whenever I see a model like this, I think back to the awkward static poses of old (that made the model look like he was showing you some guns in his gun showroom) and rejoice in how far we have come since then. There’s a lot of energy in the pose and it really captures the essence of this barely sensible psychopath charging towards the enemy in a blood-lust induced rage (or in the case of a Slaanesh worshiper like this guy, just a lust induced rage).

If you’re painting a 40k Emperor’s Children force, it’s a case of ‘go gaudy, or go home’ so I opted for the eye-bleeding neon pink (achieved by painting Citadel’s Emperor’s Children Pink over a base of Pink Horror). But I also wanted to incorporate some different (yet still vulgar hues). There’s some electric blue, neon green and even some animal print too (dude caught a Space Cheetah somewhere). And lots of moody gold. Far from the regal purple of 30k, 40k Emperor’s Children should be a representation of mad artists and creative psychopaths who want to hurts your eyes, ears and everything else too.

There are so many great details all over this model that were really fun to paint and play with, so here are a few close-ups…

weathered bronze knife

I went for weathered bronze on the knife, in part because it’s one of the few techniques that I’m actually quite good at, but also because it separated it from all that gold. This was my first chance to use the new technical paints and this knife incorporated Nihlakh Oxide which is really fun to work with.

aspiring champion axe detail

The twisted, evil face on the axe also deserved something different, so I went with clean, warm bone and a grim, red eye.

aspiring champion base detail

I love the fact that you now get these scenic stands with the plastic models and though I’ve never painted any Necrons before, I really enjoyed weathering this one with the now well covered (on this blog and everywhere else) combo of Typhus Corrosion and Ryza Rust on Leadbelcher.

aspiring champion backpack

 

The backpack was a hidden joy to this piece. The combi-melta, the classic Chaos look and the embedded Inquisitor’s head were really fun to paint. And I got to use Blood For The Blood God to paint trails coming out of the Inquisitor’s Eyes. Grimdark indeed.

Chaos Space Marine Aspiring Champion

 

This was painted using all Citadel Paints over a black undercoat, and a Windsor & Newton Series 7 Sable 000 was used throughout.

Basing Basics: Easy Urban Bases with Added Rust

Posted by johnnya10 on 13/01/2014
Posted in: Basing. Tagged: . Leave a comment

Mortifactors Space Marines Veteran Sergeant

This is the 2nd of my posts relating the the most basic of basing techniques, and today, we’re looking at urban-themed bases. I’m going to take you through exactly how I created the above base and, as well as the base, I’ll also take you through the process to make the rusty knife that features in the image above. This isn’t by any means an advanced basing technique, but I hope it helps to rid the hobby of bare bases and give you some ideas for your own minis.

Also, I apologise for the image quality – when I get a good camera, I will reshoot what I can!

Step 1: Undercoat Black

undercoated black base

Either add sand to your base before you undercoat (that’s what I do – glue the feet/legs to the base, add sand and rocks, then spray with Chaos Black), or gently, using an old brush, add some chaos black so that it covers all the sand/rocks. Also, I snipped the tip off a knife and superglued it to the base point(less) down before undercoating.

Step 2: Dry Brush Grey

dry brush grey base

Using an old brush, dry brush the whole base with a medium grey shade. I used Citadel’s Dawnstone.

Step 3: Dry Brush/Highlight Lighter Grey

highlighting light grey base

Next, take a lighter grey and dry brush again, but this time, use less, maybe leaving a few areas with almost nothing. Also, if you have rocks on the base, edge highlight these with the same shade. I used Citadel’s Administratum Grey.

Now, for the most part, that’s it! It’s really simple and looks really good. It’s very little effort and is a billion times better than a bare base. If all you were looking for were the colours I use for my bases, that’s it. Below this is just about the knife, so let’s dive in…

Knife Stage 1: Blade/Guard in Silver

painting a rusted knife

Painting the guard and blade, I used Citadel’s Leadbelcher.

Knife Stage 2: Rust Part 1.

typhus corrosion on leadbelcher

This was fun. I love the new technical paints from Citadel, and Typhus Corrosion is great for giving something a grimy look. Spread it all over (best with brushstrokes going down) and it works great with the paint used in the next stage…

Knife Stage 3: Rust Part 2.

ryza rust knife

This is Ryza Rust, another of Citadel’s new technical paints. When using it, you need almost none of it on your brush. A tiny bit will do because you don’t want your rust to be fluorescent orange – a bit of subtlety is required. Go over most of the knife with this, with it slightly more orange closer to the base, and on top of the guard (google ‘rust’ and look at how it forms).

Knife Stage 4: Highlights

edge highlight rusty knife

A slight highlight on the blade edge, and around the edge of the guard using Runefang Steel brings a lot of depth to the knife. With a tiny bit of grey highlighting on the handle (I used Mechanicum Standard Grey) and you’re done!

Both the sand and the rocks came from Games Workshop’s Citadel Basing range which can be found right here. Actually, I’d like to really recommend the Citadel Warhammer 40,000 Basing Kit – lots of rocks, some brass and some nice bits of resin too.

As I mentioned, when I can afford to invest in a better camera, I’ll retake what shots I can but this is basically it. Quick, easy and effective. I hope you enjoyed the tutorial – pop a comment below if you’ve got any questions or comments!

Mortifactors Space Marine Scout

Posted by johnnya10 on 12/01/2014
Posted in: My Painting and Modelling. Tagged: , , . 2 Comments
Mortifactors Space Marine Scout

Mortifactors Space Marine Scout

Well, this weekend’s hobby activity has focussed on my squad of Space Marine Scouts that will be the second troop addition to my Mortifactors force. I’ve only got one of them complete so far, mainly due to the amount of time I’m spending on the camo cloaks. To fit in with my own board and terrain, I’ve gone for an urban camo theme, which I’m really pleased with, despite the amount of time it takes me to produce. They’re not the most flamboyant of miniatures – lots of greys, browns and blacks – so I wanted to give them something to shout about. I’ve even taken some pictures of the stages of painting the cloak and will post a little guide later on.

space marine scout camo cloak

 

I’m also happy with managing to get a good red glow effect on the protruding goggle lense, so I’m looking forward to doing that a few times more and to really get the hang of it. I’ve also done a really good job on the basing (if I do say so myself), so I look forward to sharing those with you in the near future.

I wanted to maintain the idea that scouts are a really covert unit, so keeping them dark and simple was also important. It’s almost an added tactical advantage because if they’re hard to see, there’s a chance my opponent might miss them! It’s a bit sneaky, but with their lower stats and saves in comparison to other Space Marines, they need all the advantages they can get.

mortifactors scout

It’s amazing how old the kit feels really. It’s an old sprue, but it’s hardly ancient, so it’s odd that there are so few real options on it. Having worked with the tactical squad sprue recently, which is full of dynamic parts, optional extras and interesting pieces, this feels dated, but it’s by no means the kit most in need of an update. This was painted using Citadel Paints and I used the Windsor & Newton Series 7 Sable 000 brush throughout.

In Defence of: The Other Heldrake

Posted by johnnya10 on 10/01/2014
Posted in: In Defence Of. Tagged: , . Leave a comment
Death Guard Heldrake

Death Guard Heldrake with Hades Autocannon

I feel sorry for those Warpsmiths, toiling away in the Empyrean aboard hulks and battle cruisers, making mechanical monsters for the fallen legions. Hey, it’s what they love, but the reason that I feel sorry for them is because half of their creations are immediately discarded by the lords and generals that rely on their skills. For all those Heldrakes fitted with Baleflamers, there are as many with Hades Autocannons, and none of them seem to get any time away from the warp.

In the age of flyers, it’s a fair argument that the roost is appropriately ruled by the ‘Hell Turkey’ but the variant that you see on the table top tends to be the one with the Baleflamer. However, I would like to raise the profile of the ‘drakes equipped with Hades Autocannons. Because I use one, and I think it’s awesome.

I suppose it’s fair to say that the Hades Autocannon Heldrake is not actually a bad choice. It’s still got AV12 on all but its tail and it still has a 360º arc of fire. It’s just that, if you want the most bang for your buck, you take the flamer. That’s because, if you want to waste opposition troops, a template weapon with torrent and soul blaze is pretty hard to turn down. The Baleflamer is so Emperor-darn good at the job it does that it’s hard to see past it. But I use my Heldrake as a hunter that targets special characters and especially armour. And it does a great job.

I’m of the opinion that you can never have enough S8 shots, especially when they’re strapped to a very fast-moving unit that can also perform an S7 Vector Strike. Run it over a tank and see the damage it does. Here are a couple of games where it has done me proud.

-=-=-=-

1. Death Guard vs Imperial Guard (2000pts)

Imperial Guard artillery is a real pain. Those big guns that never tire can get very tiresome when you keep seeing blast markers covering your troops. What’s more, in many games you have to wade through what feels like a thousand grunts to even get close to them. Well, I was playing a game against a classic Guard army full of big bangs and big blobs.

My drake appears in the 2nd turn thanks to a good reserves roll and sets off for the heavy stuff in the backfield at a race. Before it reaches the two Basilisks that are already proving a nuisance, it pops a Chimera and that in turn wastes a fair few of the troops inside. Its jink save keeps it in flight over the next turn before it cuts across the field and hammers one of those tanks to pieces. Yes, my rolling was particularly good but it was brilliant to see it. Two tanks in two turns reduced to smouldering wrecks.

The Heldrake continued to smash and blast his way through the game and dodged every shot that targeted it. I happily romped to victory and smiled all the way home.

~

2.Death Guard & Daemons vs Tau (2000pts)

I didn’t fair so well in this game. In fact, I lost pretty badly, but my tactics were at fault for that. I used my small numbers of daemon allies pretty badly and I spent far too much time shooting at the big stuff while almost ignoring some large lumps of fire warriors that ultimately wiped out nearly all of my infantry (so many shots!).

However, I did smash a Riptide into pieces in a couple of turns which was impressive enough. Ok, so a Landraider and a Defiler had to contribute quite heavily, and yes, some good dice-rolling came into it again, but it was the ‘drake that got the kill. And he survived the game too (though he was pretty much the only thing of mine that did).

-=-=-=-

Now, for the sake of full disclosure, I’ll admit that I’ve taken the Baleflamer several times and, yes, it’s pretty amazing. It’s eaten Eldar Guardians and Ork Boyz alike and been a lot of fun. But that should not discount the Hades Autocannon. If you need a good anti-tank unit, it really is a viable option that can mess up your enemy. And when your opponents see a drake, they expect the flamer so it can be a good shock tactic to spring the cannon on them.

It’s all in how you use it. The Baleflamer’s huge range, high strength and template mean that you don’t really need any actual tactics to use it. As long as you can see your opponent, you can nail them with it. Job done. With the Hades, you need a very clear game plan. Identify the targets you want to focus on straight away. Use it to deal with big things, especially those that fire large blasts (because those can’t target the drake at all). Know it’s role, even before your reserves roll.

I don’t know if this unit needs a defence, or if that load of drivel was an adequate one, but I will continue to take my ‘cannondrake’ because it fits my tactics and it hasn’t really let me down. Until it does, it makes the cut.

 

My House, My House Rules.

Posted by johnnya10 on 09/01/2014
Posted in: Thoughts and Comment. Tagged: . Leave a comment

house rules

House rules are an odd thing when you think about it. We’ve been give 200 pages of core rules, 100 page codices, supplements up the wazoo, and yet we still feel the need to add more caveats, edicts, dictates and stipulations. I know very people who don’t have at least one rule that they add to their games.

It varies from player to player and club to club of course. While some will ignore entire USRs, others will make the most subtle of changes. Some will ban certain types of units or unit types, modify certain saves and even entire armies can be banned. While some others may choose just to change the way objectives or terrain are placed.

Personally, I don’t have any actual game-specific house rules. I consider myself to be still learning the game (ever the student) and so I don’t like to over-complicate things. However, I do have some rules for visitors to my board that I consider to be important to my enjoyment of the game and that I hope will improve their level of enjoyment too. Here’s a run down of those rules:

1. Take a break (or five).

 

 

take a break

Games can go on, and on, and as enjoyable as it is to be playing, in order to maintain that enjoyment, I like to take breaks. After both players have finished turn one, take a 5-10 minute rest. Stretch your legs, smoke a cigarette, check your emails… it keeps you focussed during the game and gives your overworked brain a rest.

2. Paint it, or park it.

citadel paints

Only painted models on the table please. The exception to this is if I’m helping to teach you the game and you’re still new to it all. But once you’re settled into it, you should be painting up all your minis. I don’t require a Rembrandt level of quality (because if I did, most of my minis would be out too), but something. The minimum three colours thing is acceptable but the better the paint jobs, the more I enjoy the game.

3. Looking up rules is a team effort.

 looking up rules

As mentioned, and as we all know, there are plenty of rules in this game. There’s no shame in getting stuck on one. But if either I or my opponent get stuck on something, it’s only right that both people help out in looking up the answer in the BRB or the Codex. There’s no tactical advantage in being a douche and not helping out. And if you can’t find it, do as it says in the book and just roll a die to resolve it.

4. Special game type – share the knowledge.

baneblade

If you’re planning on playing a special game type, whether it be planetary strike or cities of death, or stronghold assault or anything else, let your opponent know. It’s pretty pointless them turning up with a list that can’t win, so give them an equal chance. And if it’s someone’s very first time playing this sort of game, be generous and treat it as the friendliest of friendlies.

5. Forge World is fine.

forge world logo

 

I have no issues with anyone using FW models and, as long as we have access to the relevant rules and it’s not an obviously Apocalypse unit (and I treat Escalation as a special game type – see rule 4.), I care not. Besides, nearly all of their minis look fantastic, and that helps me enjoy the game too.

6. The winner buys the loser a drink.

beer

That way everybody wins. It’s important to remember the social element to this game and there’s nothing I like more than a post-battle natter over a coffee or beer. But the winner should buy – it’s just good sportsmanship.

-=-=-=-

And that’s pretty much it. It’s more about sportsmanship and being a fun opponent to play against than altering rules. I like to think that I do my utmost to be someone who my opponents would like to play again – what’s the point in being a bit of a tool and losing out on games.

So what I really want to know is, what are your house rules? Do you have any of your own? And have you come across any really strange ones?

Emperor’s Children Sorcerer: Resurrection from the Drawer of the Dead

Posted by johnnya10 on 08/01/2014
Posted in: My Painting and Modelling. Tagged: , , . Leave a comment
hobby drawer

Abandon hope, all ye who enter…

Many of us have a Drawer of The Dead, or a Drawer of Doom, or Box of Shame. Above, you can see mine (it’s the one at the bottom). It is my shame and my punishment. The first army that I built and painted when I returned to the hobby a couple of years back, were the Emperor’s Children. Nearly all of them now reside in the Drawer of Doom. Haphazardly assembled with more enthusiasm than skill, the paint was splashed across them in thick, clumsy strokes and when they sit next to my other armies, all proudly displayed on the shelves above my hobby space, they look so sad. Just so sad…

Well, I have resolved, this year, to do something about this. There are hundreds of pounds of minis in the Drawer of the Dead and I don’t like wasting money. Every month, I am going to launch a daring rescue mission and reclaim one of my wonderful minis from this nether-realm. And I started with my Chaos Sorcerer.

old sorcerer

This is what he looked like when I fished him out of the drawer. Oatmeal sand on the base, uneven lines, no highlighting, no shading, and no texture worth the name. I like to think I’ve come on some way from this, and this was my opportunity to prove my growth – to actually measure it even. I’ve painted hundreds of minis since his day, and these days I’m delighted that I actually receive compliments on some of my work. This is how his resurrection began…

fairy power spray

Once I pulled him free from the dark clutches of the Drawer of the Dead, I doused him in this stuff. In a frankly uneconomical action, I covered him in an excess of Fairy Power Spray. There’s nothing wrong with using an excess. FPS, as it is known widely in the hobby community, is pretty harmless (unless you’re stupid enough to drink it or rub it in your eyes), and besides, I thought Slaanesh would approve of the excess. He sat in it for 20 minutes, and then I took an old toothbrush to him, applied the correct amount of elbow grease and the top layer of paint sloughed off really easily. Another 10 minutes in the FPS and a bit more elbow grease, and I got him to here:

metal sorcerer

Then I took a hobby knife and spent half an hour picking the last stubborn bits of paint from those hard to reach places. When I had finished, I had an almost new again model! It was like a free model, and that’s a great feeling. The FPS even stripped the oatmeal sand from the base so I got to improve that a little too. And so, I set to work. After a couple of night’s of painting, here’s the finished, resurrected and much better painted Emperor’s Children Sorcerer!

Emperor's Children Sorcerer

Emperor’s Children Sorcerer

It’s not the best thing I ever painted – a long way from a show piece – but here’s a direct comparison to prove the worth of this exercise.

old and new chaos sorcerer

I always liked this old sorcerer mini – one of the most evil masks worn by any space marine in the 40k universe. As an HQ, I gave him some great fluff and he was excellent as company for my old Daemon Prince. There was a lot of bone on the model which got a bit tiresome and that pink is starting to hurt my eyes now – I will probably be blind if I do a whole army of it! I’m particularly happy with the cloak, and the sword (which was unexpected) but there’s plenty of areas for me to improve – particularly making red things glow – didn’t really get it right with the eyes, but I’ll keep practicing that one. Next up for resurrection will be my Forge World Sonic Dreadnought, but I need to test to see if their resin remains undamaged when using FPS – really don’t want to mess it up. Onwards!

Comments, thoughts or questions – add them below!

 

 

Tyranids – An Evolution

Posted by johnnya10 on 06/01/2014
Posted in: Thoughts and Comment. Tagged: . Leave a comment

Tyranid Codex 6th Edition

With the release of the new Tyranid book, I thought it would be fun to take a short voyage down memory lane and look at where these big bugs came from, where they are now, and where the Hive Fleet might voyage next.

In the beginning…

Tyranids were 40k’s first, truly original Xenos species. Before them, there had been space elves, space orks, space dwarves and even space rats, but they were all really ports from the Fantasy game. Yes, there had been smaller additions to 40k that perhaps had some of that originality, but none were successful (remember Zoats?). When these guys showed up, they hit the ground running and set about becoming the table-top nightmare that they are today.

It’s easy to see the inspiration for these intergalactic beasts in lots of Sci-Fi films. Alien of course springs to mind, and Starship Troopers added to the mix later on (though this was rumoured to be a 40k film that the company later alienated itself from). But ultimately, the Tyranids play on our fear of the unknown, the uncaring and the unstoppable. Imagine if aliens actually turned up one day and they were like this. We would not last long. We fear them for the same reason that we fear spiders and insects because we cannot empathise with them, and they show no empathy towards us. Simply put: they’re terrifying.

Early sculpts: Limos etc.

2nd Edition Tyranids

The Tyranids were paired with Genestealers from very early in the history of the game. Tyranids do crop up in Rogue Trader, but they’re solitary beasts and far more like today’s Tarmagants in stature and looks. Genestealers by contrast were well developed as an alien cult that infected cities and bred more and more, and were playable in this guise up until the start of fifth edition. There were Magi, Hybrids, Patriarchs and Pure-Strain models (the later closely representing today’s genestealers) and, famously, a Limo for them to drive around in. They were gangsters of course. Alien gangsters. Makes total sense.

genestealer cult

During 2nd Edition, Tyranids and Genestealers were paired together – the latter being a pre-invasion force of the former. Tyranid Attack was launched in 92/93 as a separate board game that allowed you to play as either Space Marines or Tyranids and Genestealers attacking or defending a Hive Ship respectively. Doom of the Eldar (I’ve got this in a cupboard somewhere) also arrived at that time and though this epic struggle between the Eldar of Iyanden and the Tyranids didn’t provide any new models, it helped to flesh out the background and unit names that would appear in relation to the Tyranids for years to come.

tyranid attack

Doom of the Eldar

The Brood Cometh…

I actually have a T-Shirt featuring a Hive Tyrant that i picked up with the release of the first Codex Tyranids. My young painter’s hand butchered that very impressive Metal Hive Tyrant model, but I steered clear of the army because I was, by then, a servant of Chaos and I didn’t want to suffer Slaanesh’s wrath. But the book remains very important to the history of this xenos race. It introduced us to Hive Fleets Behemoth, Kraken and Leviathan, the Battle for Macragge and lots of other bits of fluff which still remain today. It also introduced us to the vast majority of the hive fleet’s creatures too. Zoanthropes, Hive Tyrants, Gaunts, Gants, Lictors and more. Interestingly, Carnifexes already existed but had been known as ‘Screamer Killers’ throughout 2nd Ed.

2nd Edition Tyranid Codex

epic hive war

The other important release at this time was the Epic Tyranid release, Hive War, and the wave of models that came with it which brought us the larger beasts too, many of which are available from Forge World, or have just been added in the latest GW release. Hierodules, Harpies and more arrived in Epic, long before they showed up in 40k, and there are still a few that have never made the move across but may do so in the future.

epic tyranids

This point in time, around the tail end of 2nd Edition and the beginning of 3rd, saw the Tyranids cemented as a big player in the 40k universe. They offered a completely different look and a completely new type of gameplay and tactics, setting them apart from those that already existed. And the Tyranid models themselves began to develop too. The hive fleet began to look like a unified force, all bent to the will of the hive mind that forced them across the galaxy.

The Hive Fleet Rumbles on…

warriors of ultramar

In the codices that appeared between 3rd and 5th edition, lots of new strains of the Tyranid plague emerged, including some individuals amongst the unnamed billions of warriors, such as Old One Eye and The Doom of Malan’tai. The Black Library began to use Tyranids more and more as the ultimate alien menace in books such as Warriors of Ultramar by Graham McNeill which tells the tale of a Tyranid Invasion from the points of view of Space Marines, guardsmen, civilians and more.

tyranid warriorsThe Battle for Macragge box helped flesh out the narrative even further, with GW releasing the Tyranic Wars veterans as well. This all added to the Mythology of the game and by this point, the Nids were one of the biggest threats on the table top. Not only that, but they were the big scary bad guys on the computer too, appearing en masse in Dawn of War II.

dawn of war tyranids

Sixth Edition…

When Sixth happened, Tyranid players feared the worst. The new allies matrix blocked them from having friends and new rules initially seemed to favour other armies far more than them, especially with the move away from an assault-led atmosphere. As this edition progressed however, Tyranids continued to do well in tournaments and people found out that the bugs didn’t really need any friends.

tyranid haruspex

However, with the exception of Forge World models and the frankly terrifying Tyrannofex and the Trygon, the bugs were looking a little small before too long. Especially with the introductions of the Riptide and the Wraithknight for their fellow Xeno species, the Tyranids needed some new big bugs.

Well, they got them. Plenty of them. The new kits add a lot of size to Tyranids and help to further bring together those elements of their composition that were so disparate when they became a real army all those years ago. More terrifying than ever with the additions of the Haruspex/Exocrine and now with the flying might of the Harpy and Hive Crone, the bugs are back and they’re bigger and badder than ever.

6th edition tyranid warriors

Most impressive though, are the new Tyranid Warriors. Perhaps not as exciting as some of the new bugs, or the existing bigger bugs, these guys have gone on an incredible journey since Rogue Trader. From small loners, via Alien-inspired sculpts to the unique synapse creatures that exist today, they’ve come so far and now look more than ever like a proper part of the 40k landscape. You’ve come a long way, Scaly…

I’m looking forward to playing these guys on the table top (though I don’t really know any bug players myself) but I’m also terrified of them, and that’s exactly what a good xenos horde species should bring to the table. Onwards!

Enjoy this article? Thought it sucked? Want to add your own wit and wisdom? Comments below, please…

My Weekend: Spiders, Storage and Scouts

Posted by johnnya10 on 05/01/2014
Posted in: My Painting and Modelling, Thoughts and Comment. Tagged: , , . Leave a comment

Well, it’s been a busy weekend for me. A museum, some shopping and I’ve given up smoking too, but I’ve still had plenty of time to dedicate to the hobby, and rather than bombard you with it in loads of articles, I thought I’d just summarise it all in one post.

Arachnophobia At Last

Eldar Warp Spiders

Eldar Warp Spiders

First thing’s first, I’ve finally finished my Warp Spiders. Eldar haven’t been my priority for quite some time now and basing these guys and finishing the Exarch has taken ages – six months plus, I think! They’re not my best work, but I’m pretty happy with them and I’m really looking forward to seeing them take to the field. And though I hate the sculpt (it really does need updating as their static poses really don’t reflect the fact that they’re one of the fastest infantry units in the game), I don’t know many people who can deal with them on the table top. They’re lighting quick with hard hitting guns – they can really terrorise the enemy.

As well as the above, here’s a shot of the Warp Spiders Exarch (I used the new Blood For The Blood God technical paint on the gauntlets) and the backs of the Warp Jump Generators which I’m rather fond of.

Eldar Warp Spider Exarch

Warp Spider Exarch

warp jump generator

Sprues Vs Storage 

We all end up with half a ton of plastic that we don’t use and it’s usually attached to the rectangular frames known as sprues. Well, I needed to clean up the ol’ hobby space and these tend to take up the majority of my storage space so I invested in a solution that I’m already familiar with. Stanley (well known manufacturer of tools and knives) make some great trays that manly men use to separate their nuts and bolts, but I’ve found that they work great for us geeky people too when it comes to sorting bits. Well, I got my hands on a larger version of the one that I already own and set about snipping and sorting. I managed to throw out this many sprues and boxes….

stanley bits box

 

…and everything that was on/in there is now safely stored in this sorting box and divided by faction, form and function. It now sits beneath my slightly smaller existing bits box, in a now far neater hobby area. Winning.

my bits boxes

 

The larger once cost less than £10.00, the smaller one less than £5.00, and I picked them up in Robert Dyas (which I am convinced is the most useful shop ever).

 

Scouting It Out

Basing Space Marine Scouts

Basing Space Marine Scouts

I have begun work on my next Mortifactors project which will be a group of sniper scouts. I’ve based their legs and will be painting each component separately over the next couple of weeks. I used plenty of scenery bits so it’s going to look like they’re hiding out in some urban ruins. I will of course post some pictures here when they’re completed.

In other news…

A couple of other revelations from this weekend include the fact that I have resolved to buy a new camera as, if I’m going to start showing off my models properly and doing them and this blog justice, I need better images. So, that’s something for me to save up for – anyone got any recommendations in terms of makes/models?

I’ve also promised myself that, if I make it half way through the month without smoking, I’m going to pick up the new Calas Typhon model from Forge World (which looks amazing btw) as a treat. If that’s not motivation, I don’t know what is!

I recommend picking up the new White Dwarf too – I’m suitably terrified of facing the new Tyranid monsters. All the usual great stuff in there, including some Blanchitsu which is always a bonus.

I hope you all had good weekends. Onwards!

A Brush With Greatness

Posted by johnnya10 on 04/01/2014
Posted in: Product Reviews. Tagged: . Leave a comment

The tools of the trade are an oft overlooked part of the hobby, but I thought I’d take this opportunity to shout about a few of the paint brushes that I use when I’m painting my 40k miniatures. It didn’t take me long to find the citadel range a little limiting (their ‘fine detail’ brush does not deserve the name), but knowing where to go next isn’t easy. There are three sets here which, for the past year have been my go to brushes for various tasks…

Daler Rowney System 3 Brushes

 

Daler Rowney System Three brushes are great for painting big pieces when you don’t have access to an airbrush. When I was working on my Grey Knights force, the Razorbacks, Storm Raven and Contemptor Dreadnought all got some attention from these paint brushes because, when using the metallic Citadel Paints at least, they didn’t leave brushstrokes. Applied relatively sparingly, and with fast, even movements of the slightly rounded head (saucy!), they put down a clean, unmarked layer of paint and that is so useful to have in your arsenal. The brushes are really thick and stiff, but they don’t last too long – two of them got me through a small army but they’ve faired less well since. Really good for laying down large amounts of wash too.

Da Vinci Watercolour Brushes

 

Da Vinci Watercolour Brushes really don’t last that long when working with Acrylics and if you don’t use brush protector to keep them in shape, they last even less time. That being said, for painting detail, they’re fantastic. The really fine brushes (such as the ‘0000’)are delicate so they’re great for intricate freehand (not that my freehand is that intricate!) and they too worked all the way through My Grey Knights force, writing script on purity seals and books, dotting eyes and all the other fine little jobs.

Windsor and Newton Series 7 Paint Brushes

 

If it were possible to fall in love with a brush, the Windsor and Newton Series 7 Kolinsky Sable 000 brush would be the one for me. I’d totally put a ring on that. They ain’t cheap, but for detailing, that brush is head and shoulders above the rest. I’ve been using it since I started work on the Mortifactors and it has been a joy to use. It’s maintained its shape, shed barely any bristles and moved perfectly across the minis. Hands down favourite paint brush. I’m going to pick out a couple of the larger ones to work with on bigger projects too, so I’ll let you know how I get on with those too.

What brushes do you use? Got any favourites, or even ones to avoid? Pop a comment below…

Mortifactors Veteran Sergeant

Posted by johnnya10 on 03/01/2014
Posted in: My Painting and Modelling. Tagged: , , . Leave a comment
Mortifactors Space Marines Veteran Sergeant

Mortifactors Veteran Sergeant

Done! I’m very proud and happy to present my Mortifactors Veteran Sergeant to the world. He was a joy to paint and brings me to the end of the first tactical squad that I’ve painted since 2nd Edition. You may notice a few bits that don’t appear in the box and that”s because I borrowed a few Grey Knights bits from the box (as long as the Inquisition Ordos don’t find me, I’ll be fine). I wanted to give him a storm bolter because, well, it’s a storm bolter. And if I had one criticism of the tactical squad sprue, the power sword looks a bot dorky, so one of the many falchions that line my bits box. Oh, and that’s a Grey Knights head as well, but it looked so much more weathered and gruff – and who doesn’t like a bionic eye?

I found painting the Corvus/Heresy Mark shoulder guard to be a particular challenge with this one. Yellow’s always tricky to get right, but I’m happy with the job that I managed to do. And I got to use some of the new technical paints here as well. I used Nihilakh Oxide in the weathered bronze process I used for the blade and that worked out really well. The dagger in the base also uses the Typhus Corrosion and Ryza Rust combo which is a gloriously useful tool to have in the painting arsenal. 

This chap was undercoated black, painted with Citadel Paints and I used a Windsor & Newton Series 7 Sable 000 throughout. next up for me, some scouts – watch this space! And as a treat, here are a few more shots. Onwards!

Space Marine Veteran Sergeant

 

Mortifactors Sgt

 

Mortifactors Tactical Squad with Veteran Sergeant

The gang’s all here! The complete Mortifactors Tactical Squad with Veteran Sergeant.