Giant Space Elf War RObot pt5

So. Nearly there.... only got highlights on the gemstones to do, and a bit of gloss varnishing on the shiny bits. And then I will learn to take decent photos and post some proper ones up!

Giant Space Elf War Robot pt4

Didn't get too much done this weekend, lots of RL stuff to do. Like Mother's Day and all that. If I missed that because I was playing with little plastic men, I would have been unpopular to say the least.
Anyway, I did get some stuff done; arms are now fully painted and glued in, the main engines are finished and on, and I did the pauldrons too. All that's left now are the 4 shieldy bits that go round the waist area, and the smaller waist level engines. Then its a coat of  matt varnish and some gloss on the gemstones.
I had a bit of a word with myself about the base too: I think it needs a bit more doing to it; it looks a bit... unfinished somehow. I think it needs to be kept simple to show off the Titan, but it's a bit TOO minimalist at the moment I reckon....

 

 

I did manage to build a couple of his little brothers too. The Wraithseer that I talked about in my last post, and another CC Wraithlord. I like the way they both turned out: but probably the Wraithlord is better posed than the seer. They should both look Ok painted though:

 

The two together:

 

Wraithseer:

 

 

CC Wraithlord:

He needs a bit of green stuff in his joint; I wonder if I can paint these in two weeks....

Time To Tussle with The Tau

So I have another game arranged. Hoorah!! I lost to the dastardly Tau last time, fair and square. I tried out a couple of new units, the Wraithguard and the Shadow Spectres. Mainly because I liked the models. I still like the models, but I had a couple of issues with the Wraithguard not really doing a great deal because they are slowwwwwwwww.....
I'm really taken with the idea of an all-ghost army, so I am going to see if I can get somewhere near that for my 41st Birthday game! And make sushi from the Fishboyz! (Are you listening Morkos? :-) ). So. I've got a wraithseer which isn't assembled yet, and another wraithlord that I chopped the legs up of this week, to see if I could get it to look a bit Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. We'll see.
I liked the scaring effect the Wraithguard had on my most worthy opponent last time, but I want them to MOVE a bit quicker!! I'm hoping that adding Fleet to them with the Wraithseer will make me happy. The cover save reduction power might come in mighty handy too with all the ruins floating about on our table. (They don't actually float you understand, I haven't finished my anti gravity invention yet).
So I have a legless Wraithlord (well, one in a lot of bits anyway), and an unbuilt Wraithseer to get ready in 2 weeks. Not a chance. This may be the first time in a while that I break my self imposed "no paint no play" rule. I reckon I can build them both in that time easy, but paint will be a stretch. Especially as I'm still finishing the Giant Space Elf War Robot off.
So I'm going to try and get the Wraithseer built. The standard pose is a bit static I reckon, so I had a scout round the web for inspiration. Or something to copy if I'm being absolutely honest. And I found this here:

http://www.lounge.belloflostsouls.net/showthread.php?18058-Eldar-Wraithseer-in-practice

It's by a guy called Defenestratus who seems to know his Eldar onions:

Cool pose. I am going to, erm, emulate it I think.

Reckon my list will probably end up something like:

Farseer
Wraithseer

Wraithguard (10)
DA's in a Serpent
Jetbikes (8)

Wraithlord (CC)
Wraithlord (Shooty)

Warp Spiders
Shadow Spectres

Or something like that. I'll probably change it all before then. Or not.


P.S. I got the Tim Divar pic off the internet, but couldn't track down the blog it came from: sorry!!

Rules Rumours Ruminations: Eldar pt2

Just seen these posted here:
http://www.belloflostsouls.net/2013/03/40k-rumors-eldar.html

-New Eldar "large tank" is being worked on (not the same as the new falcon variant)
This does interest me! Love the FW larger tanks, especially the Lynx (one of the coolest tank models GW ever made. Mark said. I agree.). If there was a cheaper option for stuff that looked that good, I'd be in for sure. Maybe it's one of these.... http://apocalypse40k.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/eldar-pegasus-super-heavy-flyer.html

-Guardian/Storm Guardian combo plastic box
 Ok..... Is that just a standard Guardian box with a Storm Guardian sprue thrown in? That costs more? Hope not....

-Guardian jetbikes/Shining Spear combo box
PLEASE let it be the new one in this pic (from http://www.40kforums.com/vb/showthread.php/5675-eldar-jetbike )
 

 

 

 

That really would be cool: I reckon you could make some pretty good jetseer councils from those babies!

Rules Rumours Ruminations: Eldar

These were posted on here:
http://www.belloflostsouls.net/2013/03/faeits-40k-rumor-tarot-eldar-tyranids.html
and came from here originally:
http://natfka.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/eldar-rumors-get-jump-start.html

- Autarchs take Paths. These represent completed paths they have walked and are tied to the various aspects. By taking a path you make the respective aspect warrior a troop choice (the exception are reapers who just become scoring)
This is a really interesting possibility. In my lists, I rarely look at Autarchs as HQ choices because I go for the Farseer plus Council option every time. I'm also looking at a Wraithseer as HQ2 of choice for the effects it can have on Wraithguard. BUT, I have always thought that models like Banshees and Scorpions should be scoring units, as they are essentially specialised troops. If you can take an HQ that allows this to happen, I'm in. Probably. Deep striking death dealing warp jumping Warp Spider scoring troop units? I'll take 5. Surely that won't happen, even Eldar powergamers might see that as a bit overpowered, surely...
I'm not sure it fits Eldar lore exactly either. The Autarch has completed several Paths (hence he's not an Exarch), so to keep internal lore logic true, he should be able to take several Paths and consequently make lots of currently Elite choices into Troop choices?....

- Overall point cost reduction (guardians see it the most, aspect warriors see it the least, but are instead a fair margin better with only a minor cost decrease for two of the schools).
Sounds good to me. I mean, I don't actiually think Guardians are overpriced: they allow me to take a Heavy Weapon for next to nothing after all, but even more point reduction might let me run an Eldar horde of sorts...

- new special rule that influence how howling banshees interact in combat. It's current iteration really makes them feel like glass cannons that are amazing at what they're designed to do.
Please let this one be true. I haven't taken my Ballerinas in a Ballerina Bus since the advent of 6th (only had a couple of games admittedly): my mathhammer makes me think that they would be shredded before they managed to reach anyone with their slinky swords. If that was adjusted in my favour, they would definintely get dusted off and sent out to chop Tau into sushi again.

-Seer councils have brotherhood of psykers (the farseers still cast their own abilities in addition, but two farseers together cast more than 2 farseers separately)
Yup, makes sense in-game and fluff-wise. I hope it applies to Wraithseers too...


- In general, Aspect Warriors are hyper focused and hyper successful if used properly
And that is different because...

- No new Aspects
Not needed. Love my Shadow Spectres!

- 2 new flyers
This is a bit of a funny one. Fluff wise (and in the Skywhatsit Apocalypse formation) all Eldar grav tanks are supposed to be able to fly anyway (they can fly around in outer space and everything). Now whilst I appreciate that tis may prove difficult to implement in-game, and I am very very eager for new models, new special flyers don't seem to fit somehow. They'd better look cool.

- Lots of units get access to skyfire
This does make sense in my most humble. I never understood pre-5th why you weren't allowed to pre-measure. Surely a super-techno race of anciently brilliant space elves would at least have a laser ranger finder that would tell them if something was or wasn't in range. Wouldn't they? It's a bit the same with super-techno tanks made of psychic bones. Surely they should be able to point up and track fast things?

- New tank (on falcon chasis)
Please can it have a D-Cannon? Oh wait. That's a Warp Hunter. Please can it have an AA super laser? Oh wait. That's a Firestorm. Hmmm.... What could it be?...

- Avatar is buffed a lot
How?!? A super-big long range power gun of doom perhaps? Deep Strike? Flying? He's pretty meaty already really. Could do with a bigger model though. Actually. Forge World strikes again.

- Two new special characters
Don't use them much: maybe I should start...

- Exarchs are all really good in duels in different ways
Quite right too.

- Farseers are still awesome psykers
They should me the BEST psykers...

- Warlocks improve deny the witch.
Nice. Except I usually play against psychically-blind Tau...

- Falcon/wave serpent point reduction
I'll take some more then please. Time to clean the airbrush again.

- Way to make some of the craftworld specific lists
I have my own craftworld!! In my mind I mean. I reckon you'd know from NASA by now if I actually did.

- Additional rules for allying with dark eldar
This I do like. I like the idea of them being mortal enemies of each other, except when there is anyone else involved. Then they can gang up on the inferior upstarts and beat the snot out of them. It's like what would happen with China and America if aliens invaded.

- Expanded fluff on the War in HeavenMore fluff is always good.

I'm pretty excited to be honest. Not least because there might be a few new models on the way. 'Bout time...

Giant Space Elf War Robot pt3

So, more progress on the Revenant this weekend. Nowhere near as much as I would have liked though. Airbrushes. What a splendid tool, and what an utter, utter pain in the arse.

No paint came out. Or when it did, it came out in lumps. So I did what I was supposed to do and stripped it down and washed it out. Twice. It still didn't work. And now there were air bubbles streaming up through the gravity feed pot. Aaaaaarrrrgh!!

Thanks to this site:
https://sites.google.com/site/donsairbrushtips/home
I managed to resolve the problem with nothing more than a spot of the missus' lip balm. Two lessons learned: thin your paint properly (otherwise it can dry on the needle) and if there are bubbles in your paintpot, it means that air is blowing back from the tip somehow: either the nozzle is blocked with paint, or, as in my case this weekend, the seal between the nozzle and the brush housing is not working. A bit of vaseline (or indeed cherry flavoured lip balm) on the threads fixes this a treat. All that did take a few hours though, and a trip to a chemist to get some of those tiny interdental brushes which are a lot cheaper than the airbrush cleaning kits I've seen for sale, and work very well.

Anyway. Here's where I'm at now. Lots of this is blu-tacked, and the paint on the newer parts isn't finished, but I am getting quite excited to see what this beast will finally look like. And I need to hurry up because I will have a Wraithseer to paint by the end of the week....

Airbrushed bits (finally)

 

 

Blu tacked side shot (those pulsars are really huge when you put them together...)

Blu tacked front shot:

Giant Space Elf War Robot pt2

Just a very quick update on the old paint job. Pretty much done the torso, head and holo fins: next up is those chunky engine thingies: this weekend I hope. ...

PROPER Retro 40k Pt 2

Done a bit more work on the old 80s Space Marines. Some of the models will definitely need another wash in fairy liquid, and I seem to have stuck some of them together with evo stick. I'm pretty sure I wasn't supposed to have that;  must have pinched it from out of the garage. Sorry parents. They are also going to need some trimming. I'm not sure I understood the concept of removing flash or mold lines when I was 15. Ho hum.
I have enough minis for 3 tactical squads I think, complete with (awesome old school) missile launchers, and (not so awesome old school) flamers and googly eyed sergeants. Some I think will end up being a 5 man havoc squad. If I can get all the bits together right.
And finally the first of the Furioso Destroyer Class Dreadnaught Armours are stripped. I really am fond of these guys. Used to win me many a battle I recall....

Gaming table: Mancunia in the Albion System

So I wanted a proper, good looking gaming table for 40K. We have a pretty good fantasy one, but with the arrival of 6th, and a renewed interest in sci-fi space elf vs. fishmen gaming amongst our gaming group of 2, I thought it was about time that we stopped playing futuristic shooting in a medieval landscape.

I wanted:

• Something that looked really cool. As far as a wargaming table can ever be cool. But power to the geek and all that.
• Something that was modular, not necessarily for transportation, more for the ability to vary layout.
• Something that could be easily expanded to apocalypse size.

So. I decided on a system of 2' by 2' tiles that could be used to make up a 6' by 4' table, but could be added to later. I wanted to use some GW buildings, because I like them, and I wanted a decayed, abandoned urban wasteland style look and feel. Probably abandoned after an old war sort of thing.#

I decided that very rusty metal buildings on a concrete base would be a good look (and pretty easy to paint too), so that is what I went for. The one thing that I was unsure of was how I was going to tie the edges of the tiles together in a way that made them all completely interchangeable...

Roads! That was the answer. If I edged all sides of each tile with half a road, I would create a sort of city-grid system. Which I thought would be pretty Imperial really. That's how I'd do it if I was Albion's Planetary Governor anyway.

So I used 3mm fibreboard (for the tile bases), self adhesive flooring tiles (for the road sections), and lots of builders' sand and pva glue. I didn't glue the buildings to the board for storage purposes, but I did try and paint rusty stains (as 'twere) on the baseboards to tie the buildings into the base. I think it worked: you can judge for yourself in the photos. Incidentally, on the subject of painting, I bought a GW spray gun to do this lot. Effing useless. I wouldn't bother. I reverted to decorating brushes and saved myself a whole lot of faffing.
The buildings were painted brown, stippled with orange, and then drybrushed with gunmental colour. I used black spray and grey paint on the rest, and found some yellow spray paint to do my road markings...

And here are some WIP's and a final finished shot. Plus an in-game pic of my Killer Space Elves being beaten by Mark's Fishboyz. Bloomin 6th edition shooting. grrr..
Actually, it is probably worth saying that the play experience is MASSIVELY enhanced by having a good bit of scenery. I reckon anyway.

PROPER retro 40K

Once upon a time, back in 1988 in fact, a very excitable chap opened up a box of the first plastic WH40K miniatures ever released. He had got them for his birthday.
25 years later, that same boy (but older, fatter and balder. A lot of all three to be fair) was idly looking through a box of old minis with his mate Mark after getting a good thrashing from Mark's Tau, and came across those very same minis from his yoof, and both he and Mark agreed that they were pretty cool. Then he remembered another of his friends, Rich, had told him that dettol removes paint from plastic minis without affecting the plastic. An idea was born.

These guys were coooool. Rocket launchers looked awesome back then, and the Marines were definitely harder. I know because quite a few of them wore their beaky helments at a jaunty angle on their belts, leaving their oculum-enhanced heads exposed to the elements. And they had knives. Proper combat knives with none of your new fangled chain blade gubbins. That said, they did have weird chain-bayonet thingies on their slightly anemic-by-today's-standards bolters. And their dreadnoughts were, well, a bit odd-looking. But still cool in a misty-eyed-I-remember-when-all-this-were-fields sort of way. What with all this Horus Heresy stuff being a la mode at the moment, I thought that it was time for a true retro-revival: I want to make my quarter century old Marine army useable again. Hoorah.

Here are two of The Bloodblades' (I was 15, don't judge me) finest, pre-dip:

In they go....

They look at bit nurgley when they've been in there 24 hours...

Tune in soon for a proper retro 40K update, where I will be figuring out whose arms belong to whom.

Giant Space Elf War Robot

So I went and did it. When nobody was looking, I blew £200 on a big model of a space elf war robot with mahoosive guns. But I NEEDED one so it had to be done.

I have, as you can well imagine, browsed the internets at length as to how to build and paint one of these monsters, and became increasingly more and more apprehensive. There was lots of stuff about pinning and drilling and airbrushing and posing and working with resin and other things that seemed very scary indeed.
But fear not, intrepid reader, because, actually, it's really not that scary. To give you some background:

• I have painted quite a lot of minis in my time. I'm going to post about my first original space marine minis another day. That was in 1988.
• I have never wielded an airbrush, or even seen one in real life until I started this
• I have never wielded a dremel / other mini rotary tool, or even seen one in real life until I started this
• I have never built a resin model (unless you count superglueing the heads on some Finecast wraithguards last month)
• I have never done pinning. Except in textiles classes at school. But don't judge me.

So AS WELL as the giant space elf war robot I had to splash out on mini drill thingy, an airbrush and compressor, and have a bit of a practice with them. So I bought a Fire Prism and practiced airbrushing on that. Good job I did to be fair, because it went waaaaay too pink on my first try. I would have been a bit scared if I'd made my titan that pink.

Anyway. Despite the initial panic at potentially ruining a pretty expensive model, I cracked on with it.

Here are the bits after scrubbing and scraping:

An attractive tea towel and no mistake.
Some stuff I read is definitely true. You need a plan. Definitely need an idea of how you want the thing posing, and, first off, how you're going to base it. I made up some spurious excuse at work to a tech in the technology department about me needing a 5" roundel of 3/4" mdf. He made one for me, and I managed it without revealing my Warhammer secret. Though I suspect he may have once dabbled at least, because he looks like a cross between a viking and Bugman. Anyway, that's what I used.

I bought brass rods from the internet too, you definitely need them otherwise I reckon bits will snap and fall over once the model starts getting tall. But pinning is pretty easy: I put the pose together using blu tack and then marked out angles and things on the joints, drilled and glued bits of brass rod in the holes. Seemed to work pretty well.

Because I wanted to paint all the parts before assembly (I've never used an airbrush before, remember), I didn't glue any bits together yet. Which was a bit frustrating, because I really really wanted to see what it was going to look like in all its tall, prancy, shooty glory. But I was very restrained.

Then, after spraying the black undercoat, (both on the model and on my flat wall, rather stupidly), it was time to mask. After watching lots of airbrushing videos on youtube, I was getting a bit bored, and decided it was time to take the plunge. Now don't get me wrong, airbrushing is an artform. But for getting simple gradients, I reckon its pretty easy. I mixed and thinned my different paints first (I used GW ones, and all but the bone colour seemed fine once I had watered them down), and then just sort of went for it.

Blu tack was my friend here. It's really good for masking. I treated it like green stuff and used a wet sculpting tool to push it into place. Here are the leg bits with undercoat and mask:

And here are the leg bits on the base with paint on. I quite like how they turned out really. Still needs the gemstones finishing off, but looks alright.

Still no glue because I needed to paint the base. Which I did. It matches my table (which I will post on another day). I did the torso and head next, which took a LOT of careful blu tack masking shennanegans, but got there in the end:

And then did the brushwork on the head and torso:

And that's where I'm at to date. I'll try and learn to take better pictures. because some of these are ropy.
But I guess my message of the day is; don't be scared of similar projects like I was. It's not as hard as you might think. Here endeth the first lesson.