Bugga

I'm working my way into writing a full length battle report for our colossal 200 point unbound game. In the meantime, a friend commissioned me to paint his Iron Kingdoms Roleplaying Game figure. This is very exciting as this is the first time I have been commissioned to paint someone else's figure, and it's sort of a road mark in terms of becoming a professional (hobby) painter. 

This is also a good opportunity to briefly outline my painting method:

The final product:

IT'S A GUNDAM!!!

No, but close enough. As promised, I deliver the StormWall, Cygnar's greatest military weapon.

Priming was done in two colors, to facilitate bringing bright tones to the electrical gear. This also means there's an additional step darkening the blue and metal bits with a black wash. This is the first time I've painted a model in sections, it's a lot more challenging.

The base involved some resin sand bags and a couple of unfortunate Khador assault kommandoes, which gave their lives for the motherland.

The robot pants were simple to paint, but the whites took three different layers: Menoth Base, Menoth Highlight and Morrow White. This was in hopes to give the white panels sufficient depth.

The torso was basecoated Cygnar Blue Base, then washed black and dry brushed Cygnar Blue Highlight. The same two blues were used to blend in some shades, and a three yellow mix was used to shade the swans.

The head was converted to look like a Gundam's. The V antennae, the scope on top, and the chin are all additions from plastic bits.

Almost done. Lightning coils look more like ice cream cones. It may need some additional highlights.

And a size comparison with the T-head. Substantially bigger (and substantially better painted).

And finally, completed with Lightning pods. I'm debuting this model at a 200 point unbound game against Alexander's Conquest. Will be quite the game of Warmachine.

Happy Halloween!

I'm working on something big...

PAX 2012!

This is my third time going to PAX. I am beyond excited! The first time I stumbled upon this nerd-fest, I went as a warmachine tournament player, not knowing anything about the fantastic empire Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins have built, by and for nerds.

Last year I allowed myself to experience PAX in its totality, sans the day I spend at the Warmachine tournament. Unfortunately, this meant carrying my giant-ass army bag with me everywhere. This time, I will only allow myself to bring 25 pts of Cygnar and my newly acquired malifaux army. I'm also planning on signing up to the Malifaux beginner's tournament. So they'll finally teach me how to play...

A preview :)

Aren't they rad?! I got them because I love the models, and wanted to paint them really badly. Don't even know if they'll play well.

By Popular Demand

OK. So maybe I got sidetracked (by Space Wolves) and didn't finish painting my circle like I said last summer. Anyway, since I have been asked to post pictures of the models I HAVE painted, here they are:

pKaya and the Circle Orboros Battlebox

pKaya and Laris

Grayle and the (painted) Wolves of Orboros

Someday I'll finish painting them...

The shape of things to come

I guess now that I've landed on a paint scheme that I like, it's time to get painting. Unfortunately I am still procrastinating on painting infantry (...40 grey hunters. the horror), so here's some stuff I painted instead: 

Space Wolves Land Raider (Phobos Pattern)

Space Wolves Drop Pod

...and finally, a sneak peak into some future direction:

Blood Angel's Death Company Razorback

13th Space Wolf Company

When I started playing with the idea of putting together a Space Wolves army, there were two things I wanted to accomplish; the first, staying the fuck away from the hideous "baby blue" Space Wolves Grey color, the second, making my army stand apart from other Space Wolves in Da Momma's Boyz club, here in Pullman.

I came across the solution to both by painting my army after the 13th Great Company, the lost (and later found) company of Space Wolves. The 13th Company is characterized by retaining the "pre-heresy" grey colors of the original astartes assigned to Leman Russ. In addition, the 13th company spent decades lost in the Eye of Terror, and over the years had to scavenge replacement parts for their equipment from traitor legions they fought. Perfect since I am using warriors of chaos bits on my models.

Progress is slow, but for now, here is the test transport: 

Next on my list: Land Raider, Drop Pod, Aegis Defense Line+Quad Gun. And of course, the entire rest of the army.

Time for a nerd vacation

I'm taking off Thursday to go to Evolution 2012, which is sort of a work related thing for me, but pay no attention to that. What's important is that there is a GW central store in Ottawa and I have a credit card but what's MORE important, is that I'm taking a detour through Madison WI, to visit Justin (of Justin's Gaming Blog) and Rachel. Our plan is to drink and play games for 7 consecutive days, including figuring out the 6th edition of Warhammer 40K. Words cannot describe the anticipation.

This is what I'm packing plus some underwear to cushion the minis. LET THE GAMES BEGIN!

Space Wolves Grey...

In an effort to minimize the amount of work I need to put into painting tanks and other large-surfaced vehicles, I am taking a shortcut by Alex's recommendation. I am priming the vehicles grey, which will replace the grey basecoat, leaving only the other color basecoats, black inking, dark grey drybrushing, light grey drybrushing, details, brown inking, and highlights... did I mention this will save me time?

As an unexpected side effect, the grey primer looks uncannily similar to bare plastic...leaving me with a) little clue over what's been primed and what's not, and b) making my models look like I painted the details directly over plastic. The embarrassment.

(From the left, painted, primed, unprimed. Can't see the difference? Me neither...)

In fact, if it wasn't for the brass plate on the door, you could not tell which is which from the pictures.

The final product, not entirely a complete disaster:

Markings and symbols to come. I really hope I am in fact saving time and not spending extra time mending for not having a solid basecoat.

Space Vikings

Without giving much though into the theme for my Space Wolves army, I set out to put together some models. I read a nice post from Space-Wolves-Grey on how to convert fantasy Chaos Warriors into Space Wolves, and found that the look would highlight my HQ/independent character models. The look sets in really well with the idea of Space Vikings (which is not really all that different from regular Space Wolves), and this has compelled me to buy random Chaos bits from eBay to accentuate my regular models. I think it's coming out quite nicely.

(Roose the Black Wolf and Buliwyf)

(Erik the Red and Halga the Bear)

Unfortunately, I have now learned this are not the best builds for Wolf Lords, and while they would do nicely as Rune Priests, I will probably add a few more caped vikings with power fists to the unit and make them Wolf Guard, which can then split up to lead a squad of Grey Hunters each. They look like they would enjoy some front line action in any case...