Success!

No, I couldnt help myself - a sampling was in order! I must admit I'm a little proud of myself with this tasty, clear brew, though another few weeks will help add some extra carbonation.

Nevertheless "Cro-Magnon Lager", the first Man Cave Brewery product, is born!

1 week down

A weekend away means no painting or modelling updates, but the brew continued to mature in my absence. One is supposed to to wait for 2 weeks, but I think a tasting tomorrow is on the cards!

Reinforcements Arrive

The cardboard drop pod was delivered by post today. Our burgeoning force gained 2 full tactical squads, a terminator squad and the Company's honoured Captain. In the meantime, 5 more marines were base coated.

The battle-brothers born of flame continue to expand...

Blindingly Obvious Tip of the Day

When basing your minis, check to ensure that what you are using is actually glue...and not white paint.
It has come to my immediate attention that using the former by accident can have rather dissappointing results!

Of course this happened to a "friend of mine"...

Tuesday Update

Today's various progress include

* Salamander Army:
5 troops fully painted (of the 1st Tac Squad), just the bases to go. Spent more time on the detailing than I meant to, but they came out very nicely.
Started stripping the Land Speeder (BIG Simple Green bath, now on the third dip)
Started a progress status section on the sidebar to keep me inspired (time running out before the house move)

* 3 way tie in Invanhoe tonight. 4 trophies apiece and all fighting for the fifth when time was called.
Sir Lad and the Black Princess showed me no mercy and I was lucky to hold my own!

* 13 days to the Man Cave Lager tasting!

Brother Leon.....Jase style!!

Here is the first finished Terminator for Jase's commission job, thanks to Jase for the pics :)

Brother Leon, ready to roll.......

Bottler!

Laying aside the paint brushes again tonight, the first Man Cave Lager has now been bottled and is now undergoing secondary fermentation.

2 weeks to tasting!

Salamander Update

Amongst all the other domestic and official duties this weekend (grr...) I managed to find time with the Lad to assemble and prime the first Tactical Fireteam of 5 guys for the Salamanders Army.

[EDIT: Scammed some time after dinner to get the base coats and washes on!]

I've made a few purchases recently to built at 1250 pt force to start with. So far it will consist of:
Captain
Terminator Squad
3 Tactical Squads
Dreadnought
Land Speeder

Still playing about with Army Builder (awesome program!) to flesh it out but thats the plastic and lead I have here or already on the way. A few vehicles will be nice too so I'll scour Ebay a bit I think.

Lad Humour

The boy cracked me up today:

'Why did God make Adam first?'
'So he didn't have to listen to Eve giving him advice!'

Where do 8 yr olds hear such things? Not from me - I'm not brave enough!!!

Dragon Forge Design

Another big Man cave thanks to Jeff and the guys at Dragon Forge Design!

Regular followers of the Man Cave would know that I have been using their resin 'tech-deck' bases for my Deathwing project (pics below in other posts) and they have come up really well.

Unfortunately one of the other parts of my recent order (this Industrial Diorama base) was missing the upright component. No big problem, it happens. A quick email and a few days later and not only have I got the missing part, but a whole new base too.

Thanks guys, that is wonderful customer service and I want to give you some public recognition for it.

CHEERS!

Deathwing Update

Here are the Lads, resplendant in their new Chapter Symbols. I had a few issues with putting them on (probably because they say 'Copyright Games Workshop 1989" on the bottom - are decals meant to last 20 years?!!!) but they look good with a wash of Devlan Mud over them to dirty them up a bit. Some matt sealant with dull them down a bit too.
As my Son's Salamander Army Project builds momentum, I'm rethinking the second DA Squad too. I may redurect 5 of the figs to form a Salamander Terminator Squad.
In other news, I've started on a Deathwing Captain fig I snagged recently - a nice figure I'm doing in the same style as the squad, though with more emphasis on the excellent detail on this casting.

Last but not least: Big hoots and Many Thanks to Oberst Owen for his very kind donation of a 10 man Tac Marine Squad to the Lad. The "Cool dude with the Chainsword" is already primed and ready for some colour this weekend! A big thumbs-up and a bottle of Man Cave Lager for you my friend :-)

Approved Bedtime Reading - Pt 2

The Lad just finished it and rates it "Totally Awesome". He must be a true Genestealer Player because his favourite character was the Broodlord!

Meanwhile, Man Cave Lager Brew Number 1 continues to produce yeasty goodness...

Where do Genestealers sleep at night?

Check this product out if you havn't already done so, although expensive to ship outside the US, these trays look fantastic...these ones were done specifically for Space Hulk (the popular space corridor game ;) )

The deluxe set theoretically fits within the SH game box and holds all the corridor sections and counters as well...... http://battlefoam.com/catalog.php?category=66

Get your Xmas wish lists in boys!!! I'm thinking the same configuration for my Xmas lights this year.......

Salamander Test

Started the Lad on his proper painting project ovetr the weekend - a Salamander SM. A figure I found kicking about that I didnt know I had (sans backpack unfortunately), he chose the colour scheme from the SM Codex himself.

I'd like to say this was all his own work, but truthfully it was a combined project and more a tutorial figure. Essentially, he did the main colours and I did the detailing. Lucky it was a hot day so we could proceed quickly before his interest waned.
Undercoat - Grey spray
Basecoat - Salamander Green heavy drybrush, Flamer Black
Wash with Thrakka Green
Highlight: 50/50 Salamander Green / Striking Scorpian Green
Flamer Bolt Gun metal Drybrush
Final Highlight - Striking Scorpian Green
Eyes - white then blood red
Gold bits - Dwarven Bronze, Red Ink, Burnished Gold Highlights.



Now looking for some Salamander decals to finish him off....and another 30 buddies to keep him company !

In the meantime, the home brew continues to bubble along happily...

Bubble Bubble, Toil and Trouble

Lets face it, gaming and modelling can be hot, thirsty work and a freshing ale is an integral part of Man Cave culture! And so the Man Cave put down the painting brush and turned to a new industry this weekend: Home Brewing!

The first batch of Lager is bubbling along nicely...bottling in a week and then another week for secondary fermentaton before the grand sampling (and Space Hulk!).

Illuminated Flamer template

This would make a great heavy flamer effect template for Space Hulk - Cleanse and Burn!!! http://santacruzwarhammer.blogspot.com/2009/09/great-way-to-watch-your-models-burn.html

I'm looking for electric tea candles now...

Deathwing in Action

Conclusion: these Lads are nearly where I want them to be. Time to move on with Second Squad, which has now ben stripped of their horrific amount of paint (I counted 5 diffrent colours!) and get them ready to reinforce 1st Squad in the Hulk!

Almost there...

The first squad is now sitting pretty on their resin bases and really looking the business!

Now I need to stop being a coward and try the Chapter Symbol on the shoulderpad.

Notes to self:

- drill out the stormbolter barrels, they look silly!

- re-black the base edges

Lest We Forget

We Will Remember Them

Base Progress - Pics

Finally got some pics downloaded of the Deathwing bases. This project has once again proved that if you are a rather average painter (like me), you should spend more time on your basing for a better overall effect! Click for larger images

I also tried some blood splatter with Scab Red and Blood Red as per the GW tutorial here:
http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/content/article.jsp?catId=cat410002&categoryId=1100020§ion=&pIndex=0&aId=1400009&start=1 My blindingly obvious tip for preparing these bases: They are resin. They chip when you drop them...

Comments and suggestions welcome!

Base Progress

I've been playing around with the great Dragon Forge bases I got last week for my Deathwing Squads.

First impressions:
Grey resin, crisply cast with no flash at all. Very nice detail, just as per the website.

Utility:
Because I'm using the old 2nd edition version of plastic terminators, some of the split level bases won't work too well with them. Thats fine: I got 2 sets (of 10) so there are plenty of suitable ones and those which arent will be used in due course for my 1st edition genestealers.

Painting:
Black spray undercoat
Heavy drybruch of Bolt Gun metal
Some details picked out in Dwarven Bronze.
Heavy Devlan Mud wash
Stipple with a buildup of Negro Flesh (Coat d'Arms), Terracotta and Hobgoblin orange highlights for rust effects
Very light Bolt Gun Metal drybrush


all good so far, just a final Black Ink wash for the recesses and I'll be finished....right?
Ooops - wrong! The black ink stole all my colours - grrrr....
Started again, stopping at the last drybrush!


Took some pics but cant d/l them from the camera for some reason - will post as soon as I can.

These look great up close, but perhaps are a bit dull from a distance. Maybe the next batch need a grey basecoat at the start to lighten them up a bit. Once I have the Terminators fixed on I'm planning some blood splatter effects too.

Still trying to formulate a plan to paint up damage and dents on them. Suggestions welcome!

Simple Green

I was asked about this when I mentioned it as my paint stripper of choice. I've used it on both metal and plastic figs with absolutely no damage whatsoever. I simply dump the mini into a container of undiluted solution for at least an hour (and sometimes many weeks if I forget about them)

I found a review over at The Astronomicon here:
http://theastronomican.blogspot.com/2009/10/review-simple-green.html

Here in Australia its commonly available, including at Bunnings.

Postal Goodies

Bits for my Deathwing guys arrived in today's post! Firstly, the Dragon Forge bases I ordered, which have now been cleaned up and basecoated black ready for some attention.

And secondly, some extra bits for my second DA Squad off ebay- an Assault Cannon, and a nice DA Power Sword and bolter combo (for the 2nd Squad's Sgt). These shoulder pads seem a bit small though - are there meant to be extra pads over the top? If so....bugger! In the meantime I'm half-way through stripping the rest of the second Squad figs ready for some love once all the bits come together.

Genestealer Pics - Part 2

Comrade James' mate Jase has provided us with the details of how he painted these hideous beauties:

Undercoat: spray black

Carapace:
Regal blue with Badab black wash went over drybush regal blue
1-1 Regal Blue And Ice Blue drybrush, highlight edges with Enchanted blue, Space Wolf Blue on bare edges

Body
Basecoat mix 1-1 warlock purple and hormagaunt purple, mix 1-1 black with lithe purple watered down as wash.
1-1 Hormagaunt purple and Space WOlves grey drybrush,
1-2 mix Hormagaunt and Space Wolves grey, lighter drybush
Space Wolves grey very light drybrush

Claws : black with fortress grey

Teeth : white

Genestealer Pics

In the spirit of focusing on the Hive Mind, here are some pics of some Genestealers that my mate Jase (of Landraider fame) has done as a commission job.

Remember: A friend is just prey you haven't eaten yet.....

Approved Bedtime Reading

Its not Kipling but it is a fun read!

Genestealer Tactical Tips

From HulkSkulker's Knowledge Base, these ones are still valid for 3rd Edition.

"Pincer" Attacks - Although you don't want your genestealers skulking around alone, you should spread them out in a way that could make a marine susceptible to multiple attacks from different sides. Yes, genestealers have a pretty low chance of dying in close combat, but it would be nicer if that chance was 0! The best feeling of all is when the marine would have killed the genestealer, but didn't because the dice roll was only counted as defense!

You need to use a two sided attack on marines. In this way, if you attack a marine from any side other than his front (besides those with Thunder Hammers and Lightning Claws) he is only rolling for defense. Higher marine scores will not kill your genestealer. The trick is to lure him into facing one way either by attacking him, or making him use overwatch in a single direction. If you are able to attack him from any other direction, you just got a free attack.



------------------------------------------



Stay right there! - Genestealers have the benefit of a lot of movement. With 6 APs, thats 150% of a marine's movement. Heck, it's the only thing genestealer's have got until they get up close! But don't let that fool you into thinking you should use all your APs every chance you get!

When a marine is in overwatch, he is only allowed to fire if he sees an enemy move. Use discretion when moving! You can get greedy with each step, and risk that one, single genestealer getting killed while all the others sit behind a corner. Or you can move one genestealer up a few spaces, and if he survives, move all the others up behind him using the fact that he blocks LOS. This especially works in rooms, where a single genestealer can move to the center, and if he survives, all remaining genestealers can scuttle in and fill the room! Just watch out for flame throwers! http://www.geocities.com/hulkskulker/strategygs.htm

More Tips

By Donogh:
It's been a decade since I've played Space Hulk (1st Edition) but these should be in your playbook...
Sometimes it may be in your interest to try to get the Marine to jam, even exposing a victim Genestealer to more shots than necessary. This would be useful in a case where the Marine is at the end of a long corridor, and is at the extreme range of your 6APs, or when you want to tempt the Marine player to eat up his reserve of CPs before your main attack. Try some cheeky 90degree turns...

Try closing the door after you when you move in close to the Marines. It'll cost him more to open it than you, and it'll cut down his range (of course he can shoot it down, but that'll take APs as well)

[By Tas: This is one of Comrade James' tradmark moves too!]

By Ogrefencer:
Another good tactic for the chittering hordes is the old 'T-junction special' - this being when a marine is on overwatch facing up the stem of the T the stealer player, assuming he survives when he moves into the top of the T stem should then stop moving. Any stealers behind him can then either queue up behind him or move across the junction behind the static stealer (and therefore out of LOS). I also like closing on marines and diving just into a side corridor a couple of squares away - it keeps them honest!