Terminator Painting Comp

Definately not my work!, but you'll likely be interested in these fantastically painted models which were recently submitted for a painting comp. Great stuff! http://exodites.blogspot.com/2009/10/jawaballs-painting-contest-part-5.html

You can find the other runners up here:

http://warhammer40kbloodangels.blogspot.com/search/label/contests

SH Battle Report - Mission II: Exterminate

The Lad tried his hand at being the Marine Player for Mission 2, and a fine job he did. I knew this one was an easier mission for him to break his teeth on and I also removed his time limit. Nonetheless, he beat me fair and sqaure - Bravo!

Key observations- the change in overwatch jam rules makes a big difference in this game. Those CPs go a long way now and they are some long, long firelanes for the stealers to traverse (see above pic for a SM view!)

I'm loving the Guard rule too and the Lad employs it well (unlike me who keeps forgetting because its new. The Sgt with Thunder Hammer combo is rather awesome and his cleaned up over a dozen of the 36 Stealers in this scenario before he fell.

Looking forward to trying this scenario from the other side!

SH Battle Report - Mission I: Suicide Mission

Played within an hour of opening the box the other night, because we just had to get the fantastic new tiles into action right away. My veteran BA Terminators (of 1st edition era) loved crashing through the new hulk! The chittering Lad played the 'Stealers...

The Brood Lord awakens and stares me down pre-game.
(The cool little Skull box in the middle was a Christmas present from the lad last year - it makes a great holder for the Command Point chits!)

Rear Guard takes post in the nick of time

Sarge clears the Way

Sarge is Down! Protect our geneseed Bad time for a jam The Flank crumbles Cleansed but fallen....a Draw is declared!

Notes to self:
1. Get a black drop cloth - the wood grain is not worthy of the new tile awesomeness
2. 20 years of procrastination is enough - paint those bloody genestealers!!!
3. Rebase my old termies. Grass is just silly!

Deathwing Update 2

Did a bit more tonight: finished off the highlightng, redid the bolter casings green with highlights (matched the chest eagles better), inked and highlighted the eys, drybrushed the Crux terminatus and gave the Sgt's powersword a good crack. Also played about with re-mudding the shoulder pads and much happier with the end result now.

Still waiting on those bases....curse those manufacturers for locating their factories on the other side of the world...

Space Hulk: A question on the Guard order

Being a veteran 1st edition player I keep forgetting to use the Guard order, but my son loves it and uses it well. But whats the point of fighting in melee in your own turn now? Consider a H2H specialist in particular (Thunder Hammer or Lightning Claws): if a Stealer is 2 spaces away, I could move up to it and have two attack opportunities for my 4 AP OR I can move fwd 2 spaces and go on Guard. That way when the stealer attacks in his own turn, I get to re-roll 1 of my attack die if it goes badly. If I choose option 1 above, I get no re-roll. This means that its better to sit back and give the initiative over rather than attack in my own turn. For storm bolter/assault cannon marines, I get an advantage to shooting in my own phase vice the stealer phase in overwatch (sustained fire bonus, no jams) but for Assault Termies the reverse is true. Don't get me wrong, I think guard is an excellent development for the game, just trying to get my head around it. Thoughts everyone? This question was also posted to BGG here: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/457219

Deathwing Update

In between enjoying my new SH set with the Lad (Battle Reports to follow), I've been playing about with the Deathwing painting scheme. Here is an update on hows its going. I ended up using a light white primer followed by a basecoat of a very light grey (Ral Partha, similar to Space Wolf Grey). Another Humbrol dark grey was used on weapons etc. Here they are (minus a chest eagle which I filled in afterwards) - note the Chapter Symbol wings on the Sgt's greave I am particularly proud of this hand-drawn achievement! This was the first time I had used the GW Washes, and WoW! I had fun with them. Very different to the old inks and while prone to some 'coffee staining' type effects, I had a ball with the Devlan Mud, though I need to have another play on the larger areas like the shoulder pads. I tried some deliberate mottling which didn't work so well and need to have a play with it a bit more to look right. I've added some detailing - chest eagles in Salamander Green with a light Green Goblin highlight, and some Dwarven Bronze highlights on skulls, picked out the purity seals etc. Also trying a light blue (GW Lightning Blue) for the eyes - I thought it might help to lighten the model a bit rather than red. Looks good, but needs some inking around the eyes yet to outline and define them. Crux terminatus need a few drybrushes and grey & white highlights to finish them off too. Still working on a plan for the Sgt's Power Sword - I might give the new crackling blue effect a try if I feel brave. Its also the first time I have really used edge highlighting as a technique - not one I usually employ and while extra blending would help, the whole point is for this to be a relatively quick process to get 5 guys ready for action. I've used a 50/50 mix of Komando Khaki and Bleached Bone for the Bone Armour highlights. It looks a bit more subtle in real life than this closeup of course.

So hopefully I can finish off the first Squad this week. Still waiting on the resin hulk bases from Dragon Forge. Overall Ive had a lot of fun trying out new techniques and just getting something done for a change - thanks for the encouragement guys!

Landraider Conversions

Well, after you have painstakingly stripped and painted your new Terminators, if they ever survive their Space Hulk purge they will need a decent set of tracks to get around on the next planet...these are pics of one my mate did up to add lights...I'm glad to say it was destroyed by my Orc Warboss in the first game it played in, and as the first turn was under night fighting rules (Dawn of War) he of course turned the lights on for Turn 1! :)

Opening the Box!

Cost of new game: lots! Domestic justification of purchase: near unbearable Surprise look on the Lad's face: priceless! (Note specific training of the Lad in sniffing that new game smell!)

With the Strength of a warm Mars bar...

I went into the local GW store today, a rare thing for me, but I needed to get some minor supplies to implement the new Deathwing painting scheme kindly shared by Ron. Honestly, Devlan Mud Wash and a light tan colour was all I needed - $12 tops.

The conversation went something like this:

Me: I just need some Devlan Mud wash and Komando Khaki, thanks

Me: Tell me more about how to use these inks

Me again: Yes, they do sound good, perhaps I will take the boxed ink set
(a reasonable escalation at this point I think).

Me: Yes, perhaps you're right, maybe I do need an ink brush, my others are getting a little tatty
(you can see where this is going)

Me still: Do you have any of the White Dwarf issue with the Space Hulk articles ? - I missed that one.
(Alert: moral fortitude crumbling)

Me: Whats that? You have the last copy of Space Hulk in Canberra? No others available? Nah, I'm pretty good actually - I still have all my 1st Edition stuff. Sure I'll have a look in your store copy.
(Warning: collapse imminent!!!)

Me: Yeah wrap all that up, thanks. Here's my credit card...

Now to advise SWMBO :-) At least I didn't forget got the two paints I was after!

Shame and happiness rolled into one...!

Deathwing Painting Tutorial

Ron of 'From the Warp" fame has added a detail step-by step painting tutorial for his Grimy Deathwing. Yes I was one of those who pestered him for it! http://fromthewarp.blogspot.com/2009/10/how-i-paint-deathwing-quick-and-dirty.html

In the meantime I've finished stripping the first 5 Termies (as much as was going to come off!)and have just finished gluing them together. Hopefully, I'll get a chance to try out Ron's technique this week while I wait for the Dragon forge bases to arrive. I'll also scavenge around for an Assault Cannon for the other squad.

Deathwing Colours and Paint Stripping

I've always been a big fan of Deathwing, partly because of the great Deathwing expansion for 1st edition Space hulk, but also because my first GW army (in Epic), was a Dark Angels army. But I always found the ivory/bone/cream/white brightness a bit....fake really. Then this week I found this different take on painting Deathwing - a grimy and battered appearance which looks to have spent the last week exteminating xeno scum in an ancient hulk!

This great work was by Ron here:

http://fromthewarp.blogspot.com/2009/09/deathwing-for-space-hulk-that-is.html then another similar approach using washes; http://santacruzwarhammer.blogspot.com/2008/06/washing-deathwing.html

So I did a quick invetory of my unpainted terminators and spent a few hours stripping paint off 10: enough to make two squads, each with a Sgt with Power Sword, and a Heavy Flamer. I got them off ebay rather cheap awhile ago and I found out why....these guys must have about 6 layers of paint on them!

They are now in their third (and hopefully final) dip in Simple Green preparing for their transformation into Deathwing. I'll be using my Dragon Forge theme bases for these guys too.

My objective is to have them finshed before I have to pack up the Man Cave to move house.

Space Hulk basing

I (re)discovered my old 1st Edition plastic termies a little while ago and plan to give them a spruce up. I thinking that I might try them as Ultramarines as I dont have a squad of those yet! . Anyhow, bases can maketh the mini in my experience. Or in this case make old, less detailed Minis come out much better. Thus, I've been looking at Space Hulk themed bases for this project. . I found a neat tutorial for a DIY approach here: http://thefortressmonastery.blogspot.com/2009/09/all-your-base-space-hulk-themed.html

And another DIY approach detailed here: http://amindofmetalandwheels.blogspot.com/2007/11/advanced-basing-2-space-hulk-industrial.html Then again, I found the 'tech-deck' range of prefab bases from Dragon Forge Design. They come in 30mm round lip or 25mm round (seen here): http://www.dragonforge.com/Painting%20service/for%20sale/base_sets/sci-fi/tech-deck.htm there is a nice tutorial on how to get a really nice finish on them here: http://www.the-vanus-temple.com/?p=612 Hmmm...the DIY approach doesnt look too difficult. Then again the dollar exchange rate is pretty good at the moment too. Maybe I'll just DIY the 'stealer bases!

24 Oct EDIT - I caved and bought 20 of the Dragon Forge Bases :-)

Dead Marine on Throne

This 'extra' mini from the 3rd Edition Space Hulk comes up great! In the hands of good painter that is... From Cool Mini or Not: http://www.coolminiornot.com/231237

Space Hulk Diorama

or 'Why you should wear Terminator Armour when boarding a Space Hulk: 101"

Comrade James in Trouble!

stop cowering under that wound marker buddy.... Stout chaps are on the way to assist, but have run into a spot of bother of their own!

Space Hulk Painting Guide - Part II

Always one for an easy way out, I was very interested to find this article at BGG: "How to paint a Terminator in 15 Minutes"! http://boardgamegeek.com/thread/441415

Space Hulk Painting Guide

Rumour has it that an illustrious member of the Man Cave has more than 1 copy of the new 3rd Edition Space Hulk. If true, we are deeply impresssed.... And so you might find this article of use - painting tutorials for both Blood Angel Terminators and Genetstealers http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/content/article.jsp?aId=400007a

Space Hulk: the Truth is Out There!

Southern Australian Mancave Update

School holidays, and what better time to continue the education of one's children in the Art of War? :) No's 1 and 2 Daughter received their first lesson in 40K on the weekend, using a small infantry and one tank force for both the Orks and Chaos Space Marines. No.2 daughter appropriately commanded the forces of Chaos, whilst No.1 thought the Orks looked cool and mean :) Result was a narrow victory for the Chaos, which is particularly notable as No.1 daughter lost interest half way through (Mini Me (son) required assistane with the Playstation) and hence I stepped in to finish the Ork assault on the Chaos lines.