On the Workbench

this is what the desk looks like today…

I am very aware that it looks like I’ve been very remiss on the hobby front of late. I can assure you, although there has been the usual holiday slow down due to activities outside and a parade of visitors, there has still been work going on.

The problem is I’ve started a lot of things at once, and am flitting about between them like a real flibbertigibbet.

Over Here is Zzzzzz’s Warhound titan.

 

Being in the middle of a fully NMM space wolves army, it’s very liberating to be working with metallics again. I picked up a few new ones that are good quality and the results are looking very, well metallic. “Very Metal” one might say ;)

Look at the shine on those :) and I still need to do a final highlight.. then weather…

 

I’ve done my best to replicate the gryphonicus mottled yellow.. and then will repeat for the grey. but every time I find myself getting into this paint, I have to remind myself that this will be being painted over with desecrations…

Also on the bench..

 

I decided to put some work in on the space wolves motor pool. I’ve done all the quick and easy stuff.. base, highlight, shadow, chipping, transfers etc.. now the long bit.. the NMM.

Sponge weathering is fun..

Last but not least.. Thunder Thunder .. Thunder Thunder.. fire.. or wolves.. the box contains both ready for primer.

So I am busy.. but you ain’t seen it yet..

finished pics.. or more WiP.. whichever comes first!

Thanks, as always, for reading the ramblings..

Bran Redmaw – First thoughts

So Bran. Lovely set of rules, which are covered extensively elsewhere on the web, but to summarise, Decent wolf lord, good in CC, frost weapon axe type thing rerolling wounds..And he turns into what is basically a Demon Prince when he’s pissed off. okay, that’s good, I'll buy that…

..oh but wait.. he can outflank if you put him with wolves. and if you go that way, then once he “turns” he can benefit from the unit’s fleet.. oh and he allows you to give outflank to a GH pack too.

So I need this guy. and typically with awesome FW rules, there’s no model yet.

Conversion/Kitbash time!

I blu-takked some initial thoughts together –

I’m going to do much greenstuffing of pelts, and while I like the calm, assured nature of this model/pose, I fear I might need to try and go balls-out feral with this guy.. dunno, he IS all about patience, control until the right time.. hrm

‘course one can always go in a different direction and “use the pointyfinger” for a classic GW captain style pose..




again, much GS to follow.. just looking for his form I guess..

..and then there’s the “use both Hands” option..

(Bigger axehead goes here)

I did think about using a nice dynamic sculpt like Khan as the basis of this, but ya know, he’s mail order only.. and metal.. How hard do I want this to be? especially when the minute I finish him the FW release will happen :)

Anyway I thought I’d let you guys see every stage and fettle of this to see what I play with before I get to a place I am happy and reach for the glue.

I’m also more than happy to entertain comment/notions from you. although I reserve the right to carry on regardless :)

On the Bench

Well, desk really..

Thought I’d post what’s going on, as nowt is actually finished, that and talk about some plans.

In my office I have a desk with two “wings”, and usually one side is where I build, the other where I paint, but sometimes I let one thing take over, at the moment I’m trying to get my eye back in with the painting, it’s amazing how quickly you get rusty.

over here on the left in what is usually the build area (and also where I do any real doodling or illustration type stuff) you can see two MM/HF speeders in full flow of being painted. I’m treating these like any other vehicle and going to give them the full weathering treatment. kindof unhappy with current state of paint as they came out a bit less contrasty than I wanted in the grey department. a problem i also had with..

The wolf scouts that are on the other side of the bench. I may well give these fellows some weathering too, I want them quite gnarly.

so that’s what I’ve got “in paint”. both giving me some issues, finding it hard to get back in. I think I need to build something.

That said I’ve some ideas for a Bran Redmaw build, having read the rules he’s just utterly perfect for the way I play the wolves, and is likely to mean I( can no longer play them in polite company as he might well just give me an “I win” button. not because he’s overpowered, but because he synergises so well with my view of the wolves as fast, outflanking and uncompromising.

So, watch this space – I may even ask question as I try to build a Bran :)

The Table’s progress

Brace yourselves cos it’s at the “it looks like ass” phase

Its had a blast of textured paint, and a dusting with filler powder, next it gets the spray paint of fury, then the airbrush.

After that it’s flock and done.

Hal’jin asked me on my last post “Is it me though or is it sloping in one direction, making it perfect for some "Omaha" kind of scenario?” and he’s right on the money, as I hoped it would work well for “spearhead” type games where the direction of board travel is reversed, as well as still work for normal deployments.

I’ve got some Imperial sector buildings assembled and a base coat on them, but i’ll hold off posting them for now, at least until threes more detail on them.

To tide you over, here is some of the “window dressing” for this board,

some trees I’ve put together. a bit fragile, but pretty enough to make up for it.

And some resin inca heads I bought while high on paint fumes. they've painted up well though.

Oh and in between all these board shenanigans I got some paint on the Vendatta/Valkyrie from my magnetisation article.

I’ll have to get some pics and get him up too,

That’s all for now, take it easy out there and thanks for dropping by :)

Anyone remember “populous”?

That game took days of my life.

as I work on my latest project, I am reminded of it…

Yeah, it’s time for a new board to play on.

As it stands I’ve done the rough shaping, I’ve got most of the groundwork still to do and then terrain, texture and paint.

I’m aiming for autumnal colours, and there's a “story” or “reason” forming as I build. don't get me wrong, It’s not going to be a board with a narrative gameplay element, but I have to have a reason why the things I’m building are there, it helps me understand why there's a ruined imperial building next to a tree, by a pile of older stones etc etc.

Without that, hm, let’s call it a “rationale”, without that “rationale” the place doesn't come together for me and I find it hard to know what to do next.

The rationale provides a framework for me to make aesthetic decisions, much as when working on a mini.

I’m aiming for a world that's dying off, at a place where the desert gives way to steppes, there will be ruins such as have been left by an early civilisation, and more recent ruins from an imperial archaeology or exploratory team. That’s enough for me to hang it together and make sense of why I'm building.

Anyway, didn't want you all to think I’d wandered off again, so I hope you like the WiP and I’ll share copious pics of the boards when finished :)

Thanks for dropping by!